Though it almost always falls during Lent, March 17 is
celebrated as a solemnity in one special diocesan parish: St.
Patrick Church in Fredericksburg. Founded on St.
Patrick’s Day in 1983 and built two years later, the church
named after the patron saint of Ireland is located on the
western outskirts of Fredericksburg on the site of the Civil
War battle of Chancellorsville. Msgr. R. Roy Cosby served as
the founding pastor and the church was dedicated Dec. 14,
1985, by Arlington Bishop John R. Keating.
Part of the appeal of St. Patrick, situated on sloping land
off of Elys Ford Road in Spotsylvania County, is its “country
parish” feel, said Father John A. Ziegler, pastor since
January 2010.
“There’s a real strong sense of camaraderie here and
solidarity,” he said. “People are really drawn to practicing
their faith; not just worshipping on Sundays, but far
beyond.”
Assisting Father Ziegler at the parish is Father Ronald J.
Gripshover Jr., parochial vicar, and Deacons David E. Conroy
Sr. and William D. Pivarnik.
Eva Radel, parish secretary for the last three years and
parishioner for the last seven, said people are attracted by
St. Patrick’s small-town feel, as well as the affordability
of the area.
“We know each other better,” she said. “Everybody’s here for
a reason, (and) the reason’s the same: faith and family.”
But for a “country parish,” St. Patrick sure has a lot going
on. A glance through the bulletin shows multiple prayer and
outreach opportunities, a speaker series and, during this
season of Lent, regular soup suppers.
The Knights of Columbus Battlefield Council 10246 and Ladies
Auxiliary group have a large presence at the parish, and Bill
McCarthy, the Knights’ state deputy, is from the council. A
St. Vincent de Paul chapter organizes monthly food drives and
helps stock local food banks. Parishioners assist women in
crisis pregnancy situations through the nearby Paul Stefan
Home of Our Lady of Guadalupe.
For a small, busy parish, keeping pace with the growing
community is a continuous challenge. Seven weekend Masses
still aren’t enough to accommodate the 5,114 registered
parishioners.
“We started as a little country church 25 years ago and now
we have 1,900 families and we’re still a little country
church,” Father Ziegler said.
St. Patrick School, led by Principal George Elliott, opened
in 1990 with an enrollment of seven kindergarteners. In 1998,
the first class of eighth-graders graduated. But the days of
small class sizes are gone and space is limited. Despite some
classes being held in trailers and money being tight, the
children “bring a great joy to the parish,” Father Ziegler
said.
“This has been a parish where we’ve always taken great pride
in ensuring our children have a great foundation in the Faith
and opportunities to grow in the Faith,” he said.
(See this
story on St. Patrick’s participaton in a sports
alliance.)
Father Ziegler visits the school once a week, speaking to
three different classes on the liturgical season, the saint
of the day or the catechism. In turn, children visit the
Blessed Sacrament during eucharistic adoration on First
Fridays.
This encouragement of children adoring the Blessed Sacrament
is one example of how Father Ziegler works continuously to
raise the Catholicity of the parish by increasing the
devotion to Jesus and to Mary. The parish recently formed a
Legion of Mary regia and eucharistic adoration was expanded
into the afternoons of the first Fridays of the months.
The Knights of Columbus are leaders in outreach at the
parish, a leadership that stems from “a desire to serve,”
said Deacon Pivarnik.
According to Grand Knight Joe McEuen, of the Battlefield
council, the nearly 400-man council contributed a total of
20,000 volunteer hours to the parish last year. In addition
to attending WorkCamp with the youths and hosting fundraisers
to donate to local charities, the Knights put in straight
manpower. They recently refurbished the parish hall and will
soon begin restoring each church kneeler.
“Our goal is to be as active in our community (as possible),”
McEuen said. “Whatever the needs are, we step forward and
will help as much as possible.”
Good thing, too – because as the little country parish
continues to expand its ever-growing community, those needs
are likely only to increase.
Quick facts
St. Patrick Church
9149 Elys Ford Rd.
Fredericksburg, Va. 22407
540/785-5299
Pastor: Fr. John A. Ziegler
Parochial vicar: Fr. Ronald J. Gripshover Jr.
Deacons: David E. Conroy Sr.
William D. Pivarnik
School:
St. Patrick School
9151 Elys Ford Rd.
Fredericksburg, Va. 22407
540/786-2277
Principal: George Elliott
Students: 274
Mass Schedule:
Sat.: 9 a.m., 6 p.m. vigil
Sun.: 7:30 a.m., 9 a.m., 10:30 a.m., noon, 1:30 p.m.
(extraordinary form of the Roman rite), 5 p.m.
Weekdays: 9 a.m.
Parishioners: 5,114
