St Anthony's School

Large numbers of people from widely diverse ethnic and national origins make their homes within our parish. The differences are not to be feared or rejected, but welcomed, respected, and utilized for the greater glory of God and for the promotion of justice and peace within our religious and civic communities. This vast cultural, economic, educatio... nal, and social diversity is a profound expression of the many gifts of our Creator and becomes a great source of strength for expanding the Lords dominion in our lives. As Christians, we share the mandate to worship God, to celebrate the liturgy, to teach Christs gospel message, to be in service to one another, and to build up the Community of Faith. The mission was served originally by priests from St Marys in Alexandria. In the 1930s, responsibilities were transferred to St Marys at Fairfax Station and, after World War II, to Blessed Sacrament in Fairlington. The large influx of new Catholic families in the late 1940s made the need for a new parish readily apparent. In 1950, the Diocese of Richmond bought the nine-acre property on which the church and the school now stand. Bishop Peter L. Ireton invited the Society of the Precious Blood to staff the parish, and in 1952, the Reverend Isidore A. McCarthy, C.PP.S., was appointed pastor. By then, the little mission church could no longer hold the congregation, so the new parish rented a store in Culmore Shopping Center. Parishioners did the necessary renovations and painting to convert the space into a chapel, and the first Mass was offered there on Easter Sunday of 1952. Construction of the school building began in February 1953. In January 1954, St Anthonys School was completed. For many years, the school was administered and staffed by the Sisters of the Precious Blood. Its first principal was Sister M. Adria, C.PP.S., who laid a strong foundation for the school and its future growth. The parish began holding Mass in what is now Tonys Place. But by 1959, more than 5,000 persons were attending Sunday Mass, and the ...Read More