Saint Ambrose Roman Catholic Church

Here follows an excerpt from the church's website:

The history of Christ’s presence here in the St. Ambrose boundaries includes the persons who have gone before us, and those who are to come. All continue to participate in this eternal work of grace.

St. Ambrose parish was established by the Bishop John J. Russell of the Diocese of Richmond on June 4, 1966. At that time, all of Virginia was one diocese, and remained so until 1974 when the Diocese of Arlington was created by Pope Paul VI. The new parish of Saint Ambrose was carved out of several existing parishes in the area, and had about 400 families at its beginning. Fr. Vincent Sikora was assigned as the first pastor.

On June 12, 1966, St. Ambrose parish celebrated its first Mass at Luther Jackson Intermediate School (located on Gallows Road). A temporary rectory with a daily Mass chapel was established in 1966 at 3718 King Arthur Road (in the Camelot sub-division). However, Sunday Masses and religious instruction classes continued to be held at Luther Jackson Intermediate School until a new parish center could be built. Under the direction of Fr. Sikora, the parish center was built to provide a temporary parish church and a meeting space for religious education classes. Bishop Russell dedicated this church and parish center on October 31, 1968. Today this building serves as St. Ambrose parish grade school.

In 1972, the parish’s second pastor, Fr. John Rea, oversaw the construction of a new rectory building on site, adjoining the parish church and hall. But with continued parish growth, permission was quickly given by the diocese for a new and larger church. Ground was broken for the present church in September 1976, under the parish’s third pastor, Fr. Robert Brooks. The church was dedicated in 1977 on December 7, the Feast of St. Ambrose, by Bishop Thomas J. Welsh, the first bishop of the new Diocese of Arlington.

In 1980, Msgr. William Reinecke, the vicar General of the Diocese of Arlington, was appointed as the fourth pastor of St. Ambrose parish. During his ten years as pastor, he worked to establish many new programs in the parish and retired all financial debt from the building of the church. His successor, Fr. Mark Pilon, oversaw the renovation of the church and opened St. Ambrose Catholic School, a school that today is recognized with both diocesan and national awards of academic excellence.

With the Annandale and Fairfax areas continuing to experience a population boom at this time with the enlargement of local military bases, Fairfax Hospital, and Exxon Mobile Cooperate Offices, the parish was again in need of expansion. In 2001, Fr. Richard Ley, the sixth pastor of the parish, built the new Parish Activities Building / Offices on parish property. This large facility included more offices for a growing parish staff, a parish library, small meeting rooms, a choir rehearsal area, and a large reception hall to host parish dinners and celebrations. Under the guidance of Fr. Dominic Irace, the seventh pastor of the parish, new groups were formed for evangelization and community outreach, and an emphasis was placed on a renewal of sacred music and liturgy. In October 2009, Fr. Andrew Fisher was named as the Parochial Administrator and in 2011, Father Fisher was installed as Pastor of St. Ambrose Parish.


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Here follows an excerpt from the "Parish History Profiles" created by the Catholic Diocese of Arlington and published on their website:

Founding Pastor: Fr. Vincent Sikora
Parish Founded: 1966
Church Dedication: The first church was dedicated in 1968 (it is now the parish school). The second church was dedicated in 1977 (it was closed in 2021 and awaits demolition). Mass is currently celebrated in the school gym, and new church construction will soon begin.

School Information:

Saint Ambrose School
Founded: 1944
Founding Pastor: Fr. Mark Pillion

Founded in 1994, the school opened in what had been the original church, parish offices and parish meeting rooms. The majority of students are active members of the parish, helping the school to remain connected to parish life, events and service programs. Over the years, the school has continued expanded its programs and faculties to allow for growth. In 2010, the school was named a Nationally Recognized Blue Ribbon School of Excellence.

What Makes This Parish Unique?

Saint Ambrose Church is a small tight knit parish community, with both new families and founding members of the parish. The parish has always been very active in program for evangelization, outreach to the needy and care for the sick (the parish helps provide pastoral care for a hospital, a mental health facility and six nursing homes). It also has a long history of support for military families and an active Knights of Columbus council.

Parish History:

The parish was created in June 1966 by Bishop John Russell, Bishop of Richmond, with 400 families. Masses were held in a local public school auditorium until the first church was opened in 1968. As the parish grew, a new church was opened in 1977, a parish school opened in 1994, and new parish hall and offices opened in 2007. Today the parish has 900 families.


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Here follows an excerpt from the Arlington Catholic Herald website:

A walk through Annandale’s newest Catholic church is a pilgrimage
Anna Harvey | Catholic Herald Staff Writer
7/20/23

After 14 years of planning, fundraising and eventually building, St. Ambrose Church in Annandale opened the doors to its new church July 15. More than 800 parishioners and guests attended the Mass of dedication celebrated by Bishop Michael F. Burbidge and concelebrated by Bishop Emeritus Paul S. Loverde and dozens of priests from inside and outside the Arlington diocese. Two pews were reserved for founding parishioners who have worshipped at the church since 1968.

In his homily, Bishop Burbidge thanked Father Andrew J. Fisher, pastor, for his years of loyal service to the parish and remarked on the beauty of the new church.

“We have every reason to rejoice as we dedicate this new church. And as you look upon its beauty and sacredness, we can easily say, ‘How lovely is your dwelling place, Lord, Almighty God,’ ” he said.

Since St. Ambrose is well known for its community outreach, the Bishop added, “Today, dear friends, provides you with a wonderful opportunity to renew your commitment to bring the compassion and the healing love of Jesus to our brothers and sisters and especially those suffering physically, spiritually and emotionally.”

As part of the dedication, Bishop Burbidge sprinkled the church and the congregation with holy water. While the choir chanted the Litany of the Saints, Bishop Burbidge deposited 14 first-class relics of saints into the altar. Each relic was presented by a parishioner who had a special relationship with that saint, either as a confirmation saint or a patron saint.

Bishop Burbidge anointed the altar and the walls with sacred chrism . Father Fisher and Deacon Ted Devlin processed around the church, blessing the walls and worshippers with incense.

Several parishioners then cleaned the altar and vested it with linens, after which Deacon Devlin lit the altar candles. Several priests then lit the consecration candles that mark the places of anointment on the walls, including Father Fisher; Father Joseph M. Rampino, priest in residence at Blessed Sacrament Church in Alexandria; Father Sunny Joseph, priest in residence at St. Timothy Church in Chantilly; and newly ordained Father Michael T. Nugent, parochial vicar of St. Ambrose.

“I’m new to this odyssey that this community has been on, ” Father Nugent said. “It’s a reflection, it’s an echo of the tenacity and the perseverance and the faith of the people of this community. It’s been tremendously edifying to my faith and really inspiring.”

Father Fisher has been pastor since 2009 and ever since has labored to build a new church. With a broken heating and cooling system, poor lighting and no narthex, among other problems, the old 1977 church was cost prohibitive to renovate. Instead, the parish council decided to level the old church and build a new one. The nearly $10 million project was supported by three capital campaigns over the years.

Bishop Burbidge broke ground for the new church Dec. 11, 2021. While the new church was under construction, parish Masses were celebrated in the school gym.

With a vaulted painted ceiling, cherry wood furnishings, a marble altar and an altar rail, the new church blends tradition with modernity. The church is fully wheelchair-accessible and includes a narthex.

Margaret Kelly, a parishioner for 11 years, said that the antique stained-glass windows are her favorite aspect of the church. Crafted in Munich, Germany, in 1890, the windows were removed from a closed church in Philadelphia and installed at St. Ambrose. The “Rose Window” features an image of Mary holding the child Jesus surrounded by petals of stained glass.

“The colors are amazing, and it’s beautiful. And to stop and think they were made over 130 years ago, it’s just incredible that they’re here today,” Kelly said.

The windows aren’t the only historical elements in the church. Father George Lewitt, a Franciscan friar who grew up in the parish and now lives in Nazareth, received permission to obtain stones from various holy sites in Israel, including Bethlehem, Nazareth and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. He gifted these stones to St. Ambrose, and they are now embedded in the floor along the main aisle.

“So, when you walk down the aisle from entering the church to the altar, you literally are walking through the life of Christ,” Father Fisher said. “Every visit to St. Ambrose will be a pilgrimage.”

Msgr. Carlo Faccendini, rector of the Basilica of St. Ambrose in Milan, also gifted the parish a first-class relic of St. Ambrose and a brick from his tomb, dubbed “the cornerstone of our new church” by Father Fisher. In the weeks following the dedication Mass, the parish will place the relic and brick behind a stained glass window in the narthex.

Carla Yaglou, parish business manager, has been a parishioner since 1996. While seeing the old church come down was difficult, she said, “As I see the whole process and the beautiful church that we have, it was well worth it.”