What’s distinctive about your parish? Bishop Michael F. Burbidge formally decreed the establishment of St. Gabriel the Archangel Mission Sept. 3, 2017, to serve the growing Catholic population of Manassas Park. The mission exists within the parish boundaries of All Saints Catholic Church in Manassas.
The first Mass at the community center was celebrated Dec. 24, 2010, and since then, many Spanish-speaking ministries, groups and services have been created to serve the initial needs of the community. The mission has its own offices in Manassas Park and celebrates Sunday Mass at the Manassas Park Community Center.
Tell us about some of your parish ministries. Among the groups and ministries we have here at St. Gabriel are the Legion of Mary, the prayer group “La Sagrada Familia,” and Apostles of the word, a group dedicated to learning the Catholic faith. Other ministries include Emaus, and Te Libenter Sociare. We also have an Apostolic Hour once a month for Cursillistas. We have eucharistic adoration every Wednesday 8-11:45 a.m. at the Pastoral Center.
How do you support Spanish Catholic worship and fellowship? All our Masses and confessions, except for Fridays, are in Spanish. Our groups and ministries are also in Spanish.
Earlier this month we hosted a beautiful celebration of Our Lady of Guadalupe’s feast day. On Dec. 14, speaker Brother Jorge Gómez from El Salvador visited and offered a powerful reflection and teaching on communication in marriage. Our annual fall picnic is a joy-filled celebration of our faith with performers, games including Catholic bingo, and delicious food.
What’s something we should know about your clergy? Father Guillermo González was born March 17, 1989, in Sonsonate, El Salvador. He attended St. Leo the Great Church in Fairfax and graduated from Westfield High School in Chantilly in 2008. After high school, he entered formation for Community of the Disciples of the Hearts of Jesus and Mary, studying at San Dámaso Ecclesiastical University in Madrid, Spain.
Beginning in 2016, he spent a year studying at The Catholic University of America in Washington to be closer to home as his father battled stomach cancer and as he and his family mourned the death of his older brother, Emerson. The experience led him to leave the community a year later and enter formation for the Arlington diocese. He studied for a couple of years at Mount St. Mary’s Seminary in Emmitsburg, Md., before his ordination as a deacon, after which he served at Sacred Heart of Jesus Church in Winchester.
He was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Burbidge at the Cathedral of St. Thomas More in Arlington June 6, 2020. He currently serves as parochial vicar of All Saints.
How can people support your parish? We are currently fundraising to build a church where we can worship God properly. Once built, people from all over the diocese should come check it out. We invite much-needed financial contributions to our building fund at saintgabrielmanassaspark.org/onlinedonate. Thanks for your consideration.
Quick facts
St. Gabriel the Archangel Mission
9110 Railroad Dr., Suite 300
Manassas Park
703-366-3527
Website: saintgabrielmanassaspark.org
Mass schedule (Masses are in Spanish unless otherwise noted): Sun.: 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. at the Manassas Park Community Center, 99 Adams St., Manassas Park; Tues.: 6 p.m. at the Pastoral Center, 9110 Railroad Dr., Suite 300, Manassas Park; Wed.: noon at the Pastoral Center; and Fri.: noon at the Pastoral Center (English).
Confession: Sun.: 7:20 a.m. at the Manassas Park Community Center; Tues.: 5 p.m. at the Pastoral Center; Wed.: 12:45 p.m. at the Pastoral Center; and Fri.: 11 a.m. at the Pastoral Center.
Parochial vicar: Fr. Guillermo González
Year established: 2017
Total parishioners: More than 400 families
