A grateful All Saints Catholic School community honored beloved principal Dave Conroy on his 30th anniversary at the parish church in Manassas May 19.
Msgr. Lee R. Roos, pastor, celebrated Mass and recognized Conroy in his homily as a “man of prayer who lives out his Catholic identity.”
“When you go home at 3 p.m. dismissal, quite often he’s here late at night,” Msgr. Roos told students. “Think of all the times Mr. Conroy has prayed for you and for all of our students throughout the years.”
Msgr. Roos joked that he tricked Conroy into attending the special Mass because it was also Msgr. Roos’ 36th ordination anniversary.
Conroy, 58, began his teaching career at St. Rita School in Alexandria where he taught middle school social studies, religion, and math 1990-96, before becoming principal at All Saints.
“It’s just incredibly rewarding and it continues to be a joy to be a part of this community for such a long time,” said Conroy, who was announced by Bishop Michael F. Burbidge as one of 50 papal honorees in the diocese in 2025 for his service to the church. “I believe it’s a work that God has called me to and I pray for the grace to sustain the work.”
During Mass, Conroy stood in his usual spot in the back of the nave overlooking the student body, exuding the steady calm he’s known for. “It’s a real strength to be kind, to be gentle,” said Msgr. Robert C. Cilinski, pastor of Nativity Catholic Church in Burke, who served as pastor of All Saints 2000-14. “Mr. Conroy always brings us that calm, that gift of peace. It comes from his friendship with Jesus Christ. So thank you, Mr. Conroy, for helping all of the students and all of us to grow closer to God and to share in our friendship with Jesus.”
Teachers wore blue T-shirts with an image of Conroy on the front with the words: “Called to lead. Blessed to serve. 30 years with Mr. Conroy.”
“Mr. Conroy has devoted his life to this school,” said Kathleen Burnett, second grade teacher. “He weaves faith into the education of the students every day. He has been such a strong force in the school for decades.”
Early morning workouts help Conroy to stay fit and trim. Always smartly dressed in suit and tie, he marvels at the changes of the last three decades. “It’s a completely different world,” he said. “When I started we weren’t even using email. The complexity of the world is greater when we look at things like safety and security. There’s more things to be aware of to ensure the safety of our students and the way that technology is integrated in the learning environment continues to evolve.”
But Conroy said one thing remains the same at All Saints.
“I tell parents, when they’re coming to visit the school or if they come to an open house, that we can graduate students who go on and have illustrious careers in medicine, law, teaching, whatever it might be, but if they haven’t grown closer to Christ during their time with us, then we failed in our mission,” said Conroy. “That all may be saints, that’s our calling.”
