St. Ann Church is
tucked away on a dead-end street in Arlington, cut off on the
south by I-66. It’s not difficult to find, you just need a
keen eye for the small signs that point the way.
See See video
profile on the parish here
With just 1,300 families, it manages a variety of successful
programs, from Angel Meléndez’s Hispanic community
ministry to Ashley Well’s youth program.
“We’re small, but we do it all,” said Father Donald C.
Greenhalgh, pastor.
They’re small, but growing. Father Greenhalgh said they’ve
added about 500 families since 2005.
“People come here and they stay,” he said.
The parish was a baby boomer born in 1947 as part of the
Richmond Diocese. Father Dixon Beattie was the first
pastor.
The cornerstone for the church was laid in 1948 and the
building stood until 2003 when it was demolished in
preparation for the construction of the new church.
The school was built in 1951 with an inaugural class of 289
students from grades kindergarten through fourth.
The succeeding years brought an expanded school, a rectory,
convent, parish library and even a credit union. Always
generous, parishioners donated $420,000 to help build the
first Catholic high school in the area – Bishop Denis J.
O’Connell.
Father Beattie retired in 1968 and was succeeded by Father
Charles Ferry in 1969. In 1972 Father Frank Hendrick became
pastor and worked to update the church in accordance with the
teachings of Vatican II.
In 1976, Father John O’Connell became the fourth pastor,
followed by Msgr. John Cilinski in 1981. Under Msgr.
Cilinski, the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults was
established at the parish, and he dedicated a parish garden
and brought computers to the school. He also oversaw the
construction of a new rectory, chapel and parish center.
Father William Schardt became pastor in 1989 and served until
2005, when he was succeeded by Father Greenhalgh.
The new church was dedicated in 2005. The cornerstone from
the first church became part of the new structure and the new
cornerstone was cut from stones of the old church, symbolic
of the continuity in the community. The statue of St. Ann and
columns from the old church were saved and placed in a
memorial outside.
Father Paul M. Grankauskas, parochial vicar, came to St. Ann
from St. Mary of Sorrows in Fairfax. St. Ann School is
special to Father Grankauskas who frequently goes over to
help teach religion classes.
“(I like teaching) third-, fourth- and fifth-graders,” he
said. “They still listen to you.”
Because of the relatively small size of the parish, the
people get to know each other.
“It tends to be more intimate,” he said.
There are multigenerational families at the church and they
know each other. He said the 8:30 a.m. daily Mass is a
special draw for parishioners. Some have been attending for
years and many go out for breakfast afterward.
The Spanish community at St. Ann is small compared to
parishes like St. Anthony of Padua Church in Falls Church.
Meléndez said that from 175 to 200 people actively
participate in Spanish activities. He said the lack of
Spanish-speaking priests is a problem in the diocese. He
sometimes has to struggle to find a priest for the Sunday
Spanish Mass.
Meléndez is trying to ind ways to build more
cooperation between the Spanish population and the
English-speakers in the parish.
“We’ve come a long way working with the Anglo community,” he
said.
With 175 students, St. Ann School is the smallest school
Principal Mary E. Therrell has worked at. She’s been there
for two years and said she enjoys the small size.
“It’s charming and intimate,” she said.
She said the Father Greenhalgh is a big supporter of the
school as is Father Grankauskas.
“We see a lot of Father Paul,” she said.
Therrell is very proud of an innovative science program that
was implemented at the school – LabLearner.
LabLearner is a hands-on fully equipped laboratory that helps
students learn science though experimentation.
Like many parishes, St. Ann has a special, or signature,
ministry. There are several health care facilities within or
near the parish boundaries.
The priests and parishioners visit the sick at the Virginia
Hospital Center in Arlington, the Sunrise Senior Center in
Arlington and the Capital Hospice of Northern Virginia in
Falls Church.
Both Fathers Greenhalgh and Grankauskas are on call at
Virginia Hospital Center. They have pagers that can go off at
any time.
“We’re like emergency responders,” said Father Greenhalgh.
“One day I was called four times after midnight.”
Fathers Greenhalgh and Grankauskas are helped by a contingent
of lay volunteers.
Jim and Jane Duffy volunteer at the Sunrise Senior Center
where Jim sings at a special service for residents and Jane
presides over a ceremony that includes the distribution of
consecrated hosts brought from the church. Fathers Greenhalgh
or Grankauskas celebrate Mass once a month.
It’s a ministry the Duffys find rewarding.
“I may have been the most blessed of the people I saw today,”
said Jane, of a recent visit to Sunrise.
Mary Green volunteers at Capital Hospice and finds the
experience satisfying on many levels.
“I’m amazed at the spirituality I see at Hospice,” she
said.
The church has social justice and pro-life ministries,
religious education, Christian Family and Cursillo movements.
Parishioners donate thousands of pounds of food annually to
the Arlington Food Assistance Center.
Life at St. Ann is a testament to the Faith.
“If you can’t find it here,” Father Greenhalgh said, “It’s
not Catholic.”
Next week’s profile
St. Francis of Assisi in Triangle
Quick facts
St. Ann Parish
5312 N. 10th St.
Arlington, Va. 22205
703/528-6276
Pastor:Fr. Donald C. Greenhalgh
Parochial vicar: Fr. Paul M. Grankauskas
In residence: Fr. Jorge Acho
Deacon: William J. Donovan
DRE: Stephanie Dannemiller
Mass Schedule:
Sat.: 8:30 a.m., 5:30 p.m. Vigil
Sun: 8 a.m., 9:30 a.m., 11 a.m., 1:30 p.m. (Spanish),
Weekdays: 6:30 a.m., 8:30 a.m.
Parishioners: 4,944
School: St. Ann School
980 N. Frederick St.
Arlington, Va. 22205
Principal: Mary E. Therrell
Students: 175
