What is your parish’s charism? The parishioners of St. Catherine of Siena Church prioritize traditional Catholic worship and service of our fellow man.
The church offers Eucharistic adoration Wednesdays after the 12:15 p.m. Mass, running overnight until just before the 8:30 a.m. Mass Thursday. On First Fridays, adoration begins at 9 a.m., following Mass, and concludes with Mass Saturday morning.
Parishioners contribute generously to various charity drives throughout the year. Prior to Christmas, an Angel Giving Tree campaign collected gifts benefiting clients of A Woman’s Choice pregnancy resource center in Herndon, while the Knights of Columbus Padre Pio Council coordinated “Sweats for Vets” to provide new sweatsuits to hospitalized military veterans.
A “Baby Bottle Blitz” last year raised $2,571 for mothers supported by A Woman’s Choice. Another appeal benefited the parish’s mission organization — the Apostolic Life Community of Priests in the Opus Spiritus Sancti (the Holy Spirit Fathers) African Province, based in Tanzania and dedicated to the formation of young men for the priesthood.
What should visitors see while at your parish? Enjoy the serene natural beauty of the church grounds. An outdoor Stations of the Cross and gardens, including a Garden for the Unborn, provide opportunities for prayerful reflection.
Inside the church, a large crucifix and paintings of our parish patroness and others invite veneration.
Tell us about your parish ministries. The Knights of Columbus meet at 7:30 p.m. on the first and third Tuesdays of each month at Padre Pio Hall. They organize and support a number of parish activities throughout the year.
Our parishioners are active in Legatus, an international organization of Catholic business leaders, executives and their spouses committed to studying, living and spreading the Catholic faith. They meet monthly in the Tysons Corner area for prayer, dinner and a guest speaker.
Is there a special way your parish encourages and supports faith formation? Our parish offers religious education and opportunities for RCIA.
Additionally, on the third Monday of each month, an Opus Dei priest presents an “Evening of Recollection” for women. Opus Dei also sponsors monthly evenings of recollection for men and women and an Opus Dei priest regularly hears confessions on Mondays after the morning Mass until 11 a.m.
A new apologetics series started this fall to prepare high school students to defend their Catholic faith by participating in an academically challenging course and have fun at the same time.
How do new parishioners get involved? New parishioners looking to get involved can explore the church website, which includes a parish registration application, weekly bulletins and information about religious education opportunities. To learn more, contact the church office at 703-759-4350 or email at [email protected].
What’s something we should know about your clergy? Father Jerry J. Pokorsky, pastor, is closely involved in parish religious education and sacramental preparation, and aims to help children know, love and serve Jesus Christ as they grow during their education.
Would you like to share anything else about your parish? Our parish school, Siena Academy, uses the Montessori approach based on the findings of Dr. Maria Montessori about human development. It emphasizes self-directed activities as a method of learning rather than traditional teaching styles. The school also values religious education, and has adjusted its schedule to allow children to attend daily Mass regularly.
Quick facts
St. Catherine of Siena Church
1020 Springvale Rd.
Great Falls
703-759-4350
Website: saintcatherineschurch.org
Pastor: Fr. Jerry J. Pokorsky
Mass schedule:
Saturday vigil: 5:30 p.m.; Sunday: 8 a.m., 10 a.m., noon (Novus Ordo Latin Mass); Monday-Saturday: 8:30 a.m.; Wednesday: 12:15 p.m.
Confession: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday: 7:45-8:15 a.m.; Saturday: 3:30-4:30 p.m. Monday after 8:30 a.m. Mass until 11 a.m.
Year Established: 1968, as a mission of St. Luke Church
Parishioners: 1,242
Siena Academy, Catholic Montessori
1020 Springvale Rd.
Great Falls
703-759-4129
sienamontessori.org
Ages: 18 months–12 years
Headmaster: Sr. Janet Siepker, FSE
