Catholic Diocese of Arlington
Encourage and teach with patience

June 6^th - Three Men to be Ordained Transitional Deacons

Bishop Paul S. Loverde will ordain Mr. Edward J. Bresnahan from Holy Family, Dale City, Mr. Michael J.R. Kelly from Saint Agnes, Arlington, and Mr. Jason Weber from Saint Leo, Fairfax, to the diaconate at the Cathedral of Saint Thomas More, Arlington.  Bresnahan, Kelly and Weber, through their ordination to the transitional diaconate, are taking an important step towards the priesthood.  Currently there are thirty-one men in formation to become priests for the Diocese of Arlington. For more information, please visit here.

June 10^th - Dedication of the New Learning Center at Holy Spirit, Annandale

Bishop Paul S. Loverde will dedicate the Francis J. Parater Learning Center at Holy Spirit School, Annandale. Construction began on this important addition to Holy Spirit School in 2007, under the leadership of Fr. Terry Specht, pastor, and Sarah Schmitt, principal.  Holy Spirit Catholic Church serves nearly 10,000 parishioners and 400 elementary school students.  The center, named after a seminarian from Virginia known for his dedication to his studies, includes a new science lab, music room, art room, library, computer lab and several new classrooms.  For more information about Holy Spirit Parish, please visit here.

June 13^th -Three Men to be Ordained to the Priesthood

Three men will be ordained priests for the Diocese of Arlington during the Mass of Ordination at the Cathedral of Saint Thomas More, Arlington. Reverend Mr. Matthew DeForest has served as deacon at the Cathedral of Saint Thomas More, Arlington. Reverend Mr. Stephen Schultz has served at All Saints, Manassas. Reverend Mr. Robert Wagner has spent the past year in formation at the North American College in Rome, Italy. These men will join the over 160 diocesan priests that serve Northern Virginia Catholics. For more information, visit here.

June 19^th- World Refugee Day

The Office of Migration and Refugee Services (MRS) invites refugees and members of the community to attend "An Afternoon Around the World," celebrating Word Refugee Day by sharing in international food and refreshments.  Since January 2009, over 240 refugees, many from Bhutan, Iraq and Afghanistan, have been assisted through the services of MRS, the largest refugee social service provider in Northern Virginia.  Since its founding in 1975, MRS has settled over 20,000 refugees and asylees. For more information, please visit here.

June 20^th - 26^th - Diocesan WorkCamp Celebrates 20 Years of Service

Approximately 500 teens from 38 parishes will help repair homes in Frederick, Clarke, Warren and Shenandoah counties at the 20^th annual WorkCamp, a week of service that ensures that families in need have warmer, safer and drier homes.

 Working from June 21- 25, teen volunteers will complete 100 projects including painting, replacing windows and plumbing, and repairing roofs, drywall, wheelchair ramps, decks and staircases. Participants will attend daily Mass and evenings of prayer, composed of praise and worship music and reflections on the day's work. On June 23, Bishop Paul S. Loverde will be the keynote speaker during the evening program and lead a reconciliation service. On June 24, he will celebrate morning Mass with the volunteers and visit work sites during the day. On June 26, over 800 participants, including former youth, adult crew leaders and contractors from across the diocese will celebrate WorkCamp's 20^th anniversary.

WorkCamp, which started with about 45 teens in its first year, continues to grow. Saint Louis, Alexandria, and Saint Paul Chung, Fairfax, will participate for the first time this year, and eight parishes have teens on a waiting list to serve.  For more information, please visit here.