In 1927, automobiles were expensive – and rare. For Catholics
in the 24th and South Ives Streets area of Arlington at the
time, the nearest place to worship was St. Rita Church in
Alexandria. While just several miles, the lack of cars and
adequate public transportation presented logistical problems
for families, especially those with young children.
Joseph Lash, who lived at the corner of 25th and Hayes Sts.
appealed to Father Leonard J. Koster, pastor of St. Rita, to
celebrate Mass for neighborhood Catholics in his home. Father
Koster agreed and Richmond Bishop Andrew J. Brennan gave his
blessing. The congregation was named a mission of St. Rita,
and worshippers increased quickly from an initial 25 to more
than 60, which forced a move from the Lash home to the nearby
fire station. Eventually a second Mass location was added at
the Mount Vernon Theater on Mt. Vernon Avenue to help satisfy
the growing parish’s needs. The congregation and ministries
continued to grow and in 1939 the parish built a “basement
church.”
Our Lady of
Lourdes office manager Janet Rowlands said she was told
the unusual structure “was like a walk-in basement without
the house.”
Many parishioners were hoping for the parish to be called St.
Anne. Women of the mission even formed a St. Anne Guild that
worked to gain parish status plus cinch St. Anne as
patroness. But Father Peter L. Ireton, apostolic
administrator of the Richmond Diocese, decided to name the
church Our Lady of Lourdes in honor of the Virgin Mary.
In 1946, Richmond Bishop Ireton made the tiny mission church
a parish and named Father Robert F. Beattie its first
pastor.
In 1954, Father Charles Comaskey succeeded Father Beattie and
began planning the construction of the present church
building. He topped off the basement church with another
story, and parishioners worshipped there until a new
structure could be completed. Construction began in 1962, and
was completed in 1964.
In 2005, current pastor Father Robert E. Avella took over for
Father Robert J. Rippy, who was appointed rector of the
Cathedral of St. Thomas More in Arlington.
Father Avella and the Arlington Diocese share a common
origin. In 1975, Father Avella was the first priest ordained
for the new diocese and was the first priest ordained by the
late Bishop Thomas J. Welsh.
He served in many parishes around the diocese, including
pastor of St. Ambrose Church in Annandale, St. Mary Church in
Alexandria and St. Leo the Great Church in Fairfax. He also
held many administrative posts for the diocese including
bishop’s delegate for clergy and diocesan director of
vocations.
When Father Avella came to Our Lady of Lourdes, the number of
churches in the area did not escape his notice. He refers,
with a wry smile, to 23rd Street as, “The holiest street in
Arlington.”
“It’s very ecumenical,” he laughed.
Neighbors include Methodist and Baptist congregations within
walking distance of his parish. There are other churches on
surrounding streets that have been there for many years.
In the spirit of ecumenism, the parish has participated in an
annual ecumenical prayer service. But ecumenism is just one
of its strengths.
Father Avella said that the parish is generous with its time
and money.
“Every year we exceed the Bishops Lenten Appeal. They’ve
never, ever failed to come through,” he said.
Father Paul A. Berghout, parochial vicar, said parishioners
answer the call when help is needed.
“They’re committed to the parish,” he said.
Father Berghout likes the relative smallness of the
parish.
“It’s a wonderfully sized parish that people love to belong
to. You can get to know most people,” he said.
An active Knights of Columbus Council led by Grand Knight Joe
Mazel has about 100 members. The council has a First Sunday
breakfast plus occasional spaghetti dinners and Lenten soup
dinners.
“We’re building a sense of community,” he said.
The parish pro-life committee led by Ron Artim sends
parishioners to the March for Life in January plus they have
a spiritual adoption program where they adopt an unborn child
and give the child a baby shower.
“We pray to change the mother’s heart,” said Artim.
The parish supports the Mariah Center in Alexandria – a
pro-life clinic. They pray a weekly pro-life rosary and
support Project Rachel and the Gabriel Project with a Giving
Tree during Advent.
Many early parishioners are still active and reminisce about
the bygone days.
Ninety-year-old Sal Caffi moved to Arlington in 1930 and has
been a parishioner for 64 years. He remembers those early
years fondly.
“We got things done,” he said. “Women did the planning,” he
laughed. “And we did the work.”
He said that parishioners also chipped in to do work around
the church.
“I even plowed the snow,” said Caffi.
Another longtime parishioner, Ann King, who joined the parish
in 1947, also remembers the early days of the church.
“We had wonderful affairs,” she said. “We had square dances,
potluck suppers and spaghetti dinners.”
Ana Rivera, who heads the parish Spanish Apostolate, may sum
up the feelings of many parishioners.
“This is our church,” she said. “This is home.”
Next week’s profile
St. Patrick in Fredericksburg
Quick facts
Our Lady of Lourdes Parish
24th and S. Ives Sts.
Arlington, Va. 22202
703/684-9261
Pastor: Fr. Robert E. Avella
Parochial vicar: Fr. Paul A. Berghout
In- residence: Frs. Brian G. Bashista and Joseph J.
Loftus (Ret.)
DRE: Marian I. Hartzell
Mass Schedule:
Sat.: 9 a.m., 5:30 p.m. vigil
Sun.: 8 a.m., 10:30 a.m., noon, 5 p.m. (Spanish)
Weekdays: 6:45 a.m., noon.
Parishioners: 1,945
