What’s your parish’s history? In Haymarket, the first Mass of Convenience was celebrated Sept. 10, 2000, at Pace West Elementary School by Father Joseph P. Biniek, pastor of St. Stephen the Martyr Church in Middleburg. It is estimated that 135 people attended the first Mass.
By the end of 2000, attendance had grown to more than 300. To accommodate this growth, Mass was moved to Bull Run Middle School and additional Sunday Masses were added in 2002. A cadre of visiting priests, as well as the pastor, served on a rotating basis to provide Mass each Sunday.
In June 2005, the community officially became a mission of St. Stephen and then-Bishop Paul S. Loverde christened it St. Katharine Drexel. By 2013, a 28-acre parcel of land for the future church had been purchased by the diocese at Route 15 and Waterfall Road.
On the feast of St. Katharine Drexel, March 3, 2022, Bishop Michael F. Burbidge broke ground for the new church. He dedicated it Oct. 1, 2024, with more than 300 people in attendance.
How would you describe the new church building? The church was constructed in the modern gothic style and has a traditional look. Its bright white exterior walls, white interior nave and excellent lighting all contribute to a peaceful setting for worship and contemplation. Beautiful stained-glass windows from the old monastery chapel of the Benedictine Sisters of Virginia in Bristow accent the church and are preserved in light boxes that adorn the sanctuary and walls. A lovely statue of our patroness flanked by two children underscores St. Katharine Drexel’s dedication to the plight of Black and Native American peoples.
What’s something unique about your parish’s history? During the pandemic most communities lost the ability to attend Mass in person for many months. The St. Katharine Drexel Mission was in danger of many more months since it depended on a public-school facility.
When it was deemed appropriate to return to public Mass, through the generosity of the Medina family, two Sunday Masses for a full year were offered in a barn at Four Hills Farm in Catharpin. At the beginning of the 2021-22 school year, Battlefield High School became home until the new church was constructed.
What are some of your parish ministries? The Father Jon O’Brien Knights of Columbus council supports the St. Katharine and St. Stephen communities through spiritual and social activities, such as the upcoming Valentine’s Day-themed Sweetheart Dinner Feb. 15. We host regular meetings of the Walking with Purpose women’s Bible study group. Once a month, parishioners volunteer to support the Haymarket Food Pantry by picking up donations and delivering them to drop boxes in Gainesville. Information about these and other activities is available in the weekly bulletin and on the parish website.
Tell us something about your clergy. Father Christopher D. Murphy, pastor of both St. Stephen and St. Katharine, was born in Washington and attended Bishop O’Connell High School in Arlington. He’s the oldest of two brothers and a sister. Father Murphy was ordained to the priesthood May 18, 1996, by the late Arlington Bishop John R. Keating at the Cathedral of St. Thomas More in Arlington. His previous assignments were pastor of St. Peter Parish in Washington, Va.; parochial vicar of the Basilica of St. Mary in Alexandria and St. John the Evangelist Church in Warrenton; and more than seven years of service in the Dominican Republic to the parish missions there in Banica and Pedro Santana.
Quick facts
St. Katharine Drexel Mission
15000 Waterfall Rd.
Haymarket
703-754-8444
Website: katharinedrexelcc.org
Mass schedule: Sun.: 7:45 a.m., 9:15 a.m. and 10:45 a.m.; and Thurs.: 6:30 p.m.
Confession: Thurs.: 7-8 p.m. during adoration
Pastor: Fr. Christopher D. Murphy
Year established: 2005
Total parishioners: 1,199
