Saint Anthony of Padua Roman Catholic Church

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

Founding Pastor: Reverend Isidore McCarthy, C.PP.S.
Parish Founded: The parish was formally established in 1952 from its rural Mission Church established in 1921 in the Bailey's Crossroads area. The First Mass was celebrated on Easter Sunday in 1952 in a rented space in the Culmore Shopping Center.
Church Dedication: The current church, convent and rectory facilities were blessed and dedicated on March 21, 1970 by Bishop John J. Russell of the Diocese of Richmond
School: St. Anthony of Padua Catholic School
Parish Cemetery: the parish has a Columbarium, established by Father Tuck Grinnell during his time as pastor.

What makes this parish unique?

St. Anthony of Padua Parish has responded to the various needs of Catholics and others during many changes in American society and Northern Virginia since its founding. From its humble beginnings as a rural Mission Church in 1921, the parish has adjusted to many changes in Northern Virginia and beyond. At first serving as a rural mission Catholic church, to a rapidly growing suburban growth and development following World War II, to the arrival of many Cubans fleeing the Communist regime under Fidel Castro, and in recent years, the arrival of a large number of Hispanics in Northern Virginia who fled from suppression and violence for a better life in America. In addition, many individuals from other widely diverse ethnic and national origins became part of the parish community.

“As Christians, we serve the mandate to worship God, to celebrate the liturgy, to teach Christ's Gospel message, to be in service to one another, and to build up the Community of Faith.”

Parish History

Saint Anthony of Padua Catholic Church began in 1921 as a rural Mission Church served by priests who traveled from the Basilica of St. Mary's and Blessed Sacrament parishes in Alexandria, Virginia. The original white clapboard church facility used as a Catholic Mission Church still exists today on Leesburg Pike across from Skyline Center and is currently the home of the Holy Cross Orthodox Church.

Following World War II, Northern Virginia experienced a rapid population growth. In 1950, the Diocese of Richmond purchases a 9 1/2 acre site at the corner of Leesburg Pike and Glen Carlyn Road for the future Saint Anthony of Padua Catholic Church and School. Founding pastor, Father Isidore McCarthy, C.PP.S. rented a store in the Culmore Shopping Center to serve as a temporary church. He offered the first Mass in the temporary church on Easter Sunday of 1952 with 500 parishioners in attendance. Father McCarthy purchased two houses on Glen Carlyn Road to serve as a rectory and a convent. On February 8, 1953, ground was broken on the new parish site for a $200,000 construction project for the new Saint Anthony of Padua Church and School. On January 19, 1954, the new building was blessed and dedicated by Bishop Peter Ireton of the Diocese of Richmond. The parish experienced phenomenal growth from 700 families in 1953 to 1,490 families by 1958. By the late 1950s, St. Anthony Parish supported approximately 56 different activities and organizations to meet the spiritual, social, recreational and educational needs of the parishioners. The groundbreaking ceremonies for the new $1.2 million church, convent and rectory took place on March 24, 1968 with more than 1,000 in attendance.

During the 1960s, St. Anthony of Padua Parish became home for many Cubans who fled Fidel Castro's communist nation. Cuban parishioners presented challenging times of adjustment both the Cubans and for the parish. On October 12, 1969, the first Mass in Spanish was regularly scheduled and celebrated at St. Anthony Church. Throughout the following years, the parish has been home to many Hispanic members who have worshiped at 3 Spanish Masses each weekend. During the following years, 1980 - 2000, Saint Anthony of Padua Catholic Church reflected the increasingly diverse nature of Northern Virginia as a strong center of worship, education and social needs concern over a wide area. A capital campaign known as Project 2000 was launched to upgrade the parish facilities, parking and a much needed gym facility for parish, school and community use. Currently, the parish plans to launch a new capital campaign to upgrade the facilities, including the installation of solar panels on the roofs of the parish buildings which will result in lower utility costs. Part of the campaign will upgrade the parish food pantry facilities as it continues to meet the needs of families and individuals from the local area

Important Dates in Parish History

1921: St. Anthony of Padua Catholic was originally a rural Mission Church located at Bailey's Crossroads.

1952: St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church was established with its first Mass celebrated on Easter Sunday in the rented space in the Culmore Shopping Center.

1953: Five Sisters of the Precious Blood arrive to begin their work of establishing St. Anthony Catholic School. Ground was broken at its current location for a $200,000 construction project for the new St. Anthony of Padua Parish and School.

1954: The new facility was dedicated and blessed by Bishop Peter Ireton of the Diocese of Richmond.

1958: Fire broke out in the church sacristy on the ground floor of the school building set by a suspected arsonist resulting in major damage; more than 1,000 students and faculty were safely evacuated from the school.

Late 1950s: A second floor was added to the school facility.

1960: Ground was broken for an eight classroom addition to the school, with meeting rooms, expanded cafeteria and kitchen for the school facility.

1960s: Many Cubans fleeing Fidel Castro's communist nation arrive at St. Anthony of Padua Church.

1961: Reverend Richard Baird, C.PP.S. was appointed as the second pastor of St Anthony of Padua Church.

1968: Groundbreaking ceremony held for the new church, convent and rectory by Bishop John J. Russell of Richmond Diocese. The challenge before the parish was to pay off the $1.2 million construction costs.

1969: The first Spanish Mass was celebrated at St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church.

1971: Reverend John Nagele, C.PP.S. appointed the third pastor of Saint Anthony of Padua Catholic Church.

1977: St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church celebrated the 25th anniversary of establishment.

1979: The Sisters of St. Joseph arrived at the parish to work with the growing number of Hispanic parishioners. They offered religious education and provided many social and educational services for recently arrived parishioners.

1981: Reverend John Kalicky, C.PP.S. appointed the fourth pastor of Saint Anthony of Padua Catholic Church, until 8 months later when he departed after being elected Provincial Superior of the Cincinnati Province of the Precious Blood Fathers.

1982: Reverend Thomas Brenberger, C.PP.S. appointed the fifth pastor of Saint Anthony of Padua Catholic Church.

1982: The Sisters of the Precious Blood departed St. Anthony of Padua Catholic School after 29 years of dedicated leadership and service to the parish and school.

1989: The Precious Blood Fathers depart after 37 years of dedicated service to Saint Anthony of Padua Catholic Church.

1989: Monsignor Thomas J. Cassidy appointed as the first diocesan priest as pastor of Saint Anthony of Padua Catholic Church.

1990: Saint Anthony of Padua Catholic School and Saint Philip Catholic School combined to form Corpus Christi Catholic School with 2 campuses. This was the first school merger in the Diocese of Arlington. Mr. George Chiplock was appointed Principal of the newly reorganized school. In 2015, each parish assumed responsibility for operating its own Catholic school.

1994: Reverend Horace “Tuck” Grinnell appointed pastor of Saint Anthony of Padua Catholic Church and served in this position for 16 years.

1990s: Mary's House established to provide housing and assistance for homeless mothers. Nueva Esperanza established to provide many programs and activities for Spanish-speaking parishioners.

2000s: Project 2000, Millennium Fund raised $2.2 million toward the $4 million goal to renovate and upgrade the parish and school facilities, provide additional parking and construct the Hoffbauer Gym facility.

2010: Reverend Kevin Walsh appointed pastor.

2012: Reverend Stephen McGraw appointed Parochial Administrator.

2014: Reverend Marcus Pollard appointed pastor.

2017: Reverend Matthew Zuberbueler appointed pastor.

School History

On August 17, 1953, five Sisters of the Precious Blood from Dayton, Ohio arrived to begin their work of establishing Saint Anthony of Padua Catholic School. The founding Principal and Superior was Sister M. Adria, C.PP.S. Since the new school building was not completed by opening day in September 1953, classes were held in homes, garages and any reasonable space, including the convent basement.

On January 19, 1954, the new building was blessed and dedicated by Bishop Peter Ireton of the Diocese of Richmond. During its first year of operation, Saint Anthony School enrolled 500 students with evidence of rapid growth on the horizon. School enrollment grew rapidly, reaching more than 1,000 students within four years. The number of Precious Blood Sisters increased to 13, which necessitated the purchase of two additional houses on Fairview Place for convents. The school accommodated the increased enrollment with half-day sessions for the lower grades and split classes for the upper grades.

On October 2, 1958, a fire broke out in the church sacristy, located on the ground floor of the school causing major damage. More than 1,000 students and teachers were safely evacuated from the school. Officials believed that the fire, the third in two weeks, might have been set by an arsonist.

By 1962, the school enrollment was at 1,210 students, with the prediction that it would reach over 2,000 students by 1964. As school enrollment continued to grow, several additions were added to the original facility, including a third floor to the structure and later a new wing providing eight additional classrooms, an enlarged cafeteria, kitchen and parish meeting rooms. The 1990s witnessed declining enrollment in Catholic schools across the nation as well at Saint Anthony School.


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Here follows an excerpt from the church's website:

History
The mission was served originally by priests from St Mary’s in Alexandria. In the 1930’s, responsibilities were transferred to St Mary’s at Fairfax Station and, after World War II, to Blessed Sacrament in Fairlington.

The large influx of new Catholic families in the late 1940’s 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 Anthony’s 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 “Tony’s Place”. But by 1959, more than 5,000 persons were attending Sunday Mass, and the school enrollment had grown to 1,070. Additional construction was necessary to enlarge the temporary church and the cafeteria, where Sunday Masses were offered, and to add eight more classrooms and several meeting rooms.

In May 1962, the Rev Richard Baird, C.PP.S, succeeded Father McCarthy as pastor. Father Baird bought more property, to provide more space for parking and for recreation facilities for the school children, and began to plan for a permanent church, rectory, convent, and administration building.

An architect was hired in 1966, a successful Parish Development Fund drive was held in the fall of 1967, and finally, on March 21, 1970, Bishop John Russell dedicated the new church, the beautiful structure in which we now worship.

Priests of the Society of the Precious Blood served until 1989,when the parish was turned over to the Diocese or Arlington. At that time, Monsignor Thomas J Cassidy was appointed pastor. In July 1994, Monsignor Cassidy left St Anthony’s to serve the diocesan mission in the Dominican Republic, and Father Horace H. Grinnell succeeded him as pastor.

In recent years, the parish has reflected the increasingly diverse nature of the population of Northern Virginia. To respond to the needs of our Hispanic parishioners, St Anthony now offers Mass in Spanish daily, as well as two Sunday Masses and a Saturday Vigil in Spanish.

Historical Timeline
1921
The little church built in 1921 (opposite Skyline) became our first home, originally as a mission of several diocesan parishes.

1950
The Diocese of Richmond purchased the present land on which the church and school now stand. The Precious Blood Fathers were invited to serve the parish that was growing too large for the little mission church.

1952
The first pastor, Father McCarthy saw to renting and renovating space in the Culmore shopping center with the help of parishioners so that the first Mass was celebrated there on Easter Sunday of 1952.

The Sisters of the Precious Blood came to administer and staff the school. At that time, classes were held in available neighborhood space.

1953-1954
Construction on the school began in February 1953 and was completed in January 1954. Mass was celebrated in the school and the congregation continued to grow. Enlargements of the building to accommodate the church and school populations were needed.

1962
Father Baird, who succeeded Father McCarthy, began the planning for needed expansion, by the purchase of additional land for parking, recreation, and a permanent church building, rectory, convent, and administrative offices.

1966-1970
In 1966 an architect was hired and the Parish Development Fund Drive was held in the fall of 1967. Richmond Bishop John Russell dedicated our beautiful church on March 21, 1970.

1989-1999
Priests of the Society of the Precious Blood served the parish until 1989, when the care was turned over to the Diocese of Arlington. Msgr. Thomas Cassidy became our new pastor and served until July 1994 when he went to serve the diocesan mission in the Dominican Republic.

Father Horace H. Grinnell succeeded him as pastor. In recent years the parish has reflected the increasingly diverse nature of Northern Virginia and is a strong center of worship, education, and social needs concern over a wide area and range. Another Fund known as “Project 2000” was begun because of our continuing growth and need for facilities.

2000
St. Anthony of Padua parish was listed among the “300 Excellent Parishes in the U.S.”

2003
Work was completed on the renovation and expansion of the school and parking. In response to the needs of our Hispanic parishioners, we now offer two Masses in Spanish on Sundays and one on Thursday evening. Occasionally, Masses are also offered in other languages.

2005
On September 11, 2005, we dedicated our Peace Garden with the full participation of the religious community. Members from many neighboring schools and churches (and the mosque) participated both in constructing the peace poles and dedicating the Peace Garden. It is open to all as a place of prayer.

Pastors of St. Anthony Parish

2017 – Present Rev. Matthew Zuberbueler
2014 – 2017 Rev. Marcus Pollard
2012 – 2014 Rev. Stephen McGraw (Parochial Administrator)
2010 – 2012 Rev. Kevin Walsh
1994 – 2010 Rev. Horace H. Grinnell
1989 – 1994 Msgr. Thomas J. Cassidy
1982 – 1989 Rev. Thomas Brenberger, C.PP.S.
1981 – 1982 Rev. John Kalicky, C.PP.S.
1972 – 1981 Rev. John Nagele, C.PP.S.
1962 – 1972 Rev. Richard Baird, C.PP.S.*
1952 – 1962 Rev. Isidore A. McCarthy, C.PP.S

*On February 13, 2019, the Diocese of Arlington published a list of priests credibly accused of the sexual abuse of a minor. Rev. Richard Baird appears on this list. To view the complete list, click here.

Who Was St. Anthony of Padua?

The following appeared in The Herald of the Immaculate.

St. Anthony was born in the year 1195 A.D. at Lisbon (Portugal) where his father was a captain in the royal army. Already at the age of fifteen years, he had entered the Congregation of Canons Regular of St. Augustine and devoted himself with great earnestness both to study and to the practice of piety in the Monastery at Coimbra (Portugal).

About that time some of the first members of the Order of Friars Minor, which St. Francis has founded in 1206 A.D. cameto Coimbra. They begged from the Canons Regular a small and very poor place, from which by their evangelical poverty and simplicity they edified everyone in the region. Then in 1219 A.D. some of these friars, moved by divine inspiration, went as missionaries to preach the Gospel of Christ to the inhabitants of Morocco. There they were brutally martyred for the Faith. Some Christian merchants succeeded in recovering their remains; and so brought their relics in triumph back to Coimbra.

The relics of St. Berard and companions, the first martyrs of the Franciscan Order, seized St. Anthony with an intense desire to suffer martyrdom in a like manner. So moved by their heroic example he repeatedly begged and petitioned his superiors to be given leave to join the Franciscan Order. In the quiet little Franciscan convent at Coimbra he received a friendly reception, and in the same year, his earnest wish to be sent to the missions in Africa was fulfilled.

But God had decreed otherwise. And so, St. Anthony scarcely set foot on African soil when he was seized with a grievous illness. Even after recovering from it, he was so weak that, resigning himself to the will of God, he boarded a boat back to Portugal. Unexpectedly a storm came upon them and drove the ship to the east where it found refuge on the coast of Sicily. St. Anthony was greeted and given shelter by the Franciscans of that island, and thus came to be sent to Assisi, where the general chapter of the Order was held in May 1221 A.D.

Since he still looked weak and sickly and gave no evidence of his scholarship, no one paid any attention to the stranger until Father Gratian, the Provincial of friars living in the region of Romagna (Italy), had compassion on him and sent him to the quiet little convent near Forli (also in Italy). There St. Anthony remained nine months as chaplain to the hermits, occupied in the lowliest duties of the kitchen and convent, and to his heart’s content, he practiced interior as well as exterior mortification.

But the hidden jewel was soon to appear in all its brilliance. For the occasion of a ceremony of ordination, some of the hermits along with St. Anthony were sent to the town of Forli. Before the ceremony was to begin, however, it was announced that the priest who was to give the sermon had fallen sick. The local superior, to avert the embarrassment of the moment, quickly asked the friars in attendance to volunteer. Each excused himself, saying that he was not prepared until finally, St. Anthony was asked to give it. When he too, excused himself in a most humble manner, his superior ordered him by virtue of the vow of obedience to give the sermon. St. Anthony began to speak in a very reserved manner; but soon holy animation seized him, and he spoke with such eloquence, learning and unction that everybody was fairly amazed.

When St. Francis was informed of the event, he gave St. Anthony the mission to preach throughout Italy. At the request of the brethren, St. Anthony was later commissioned also to teach theology, “but in such a manner,” St. Francis distinctly wrote, “that the spirit of prayer be not extinguished either in yourself or in the other brethren. ” St. Anthony himself placed greater value in the salvation of souls than on learning. For that reason he never ceased to exercise his office as preacher despite his work of teaching.

The number of those who came to hear him was sometimes so great that no church was large enough to accommodate and so he had to preach in the open air. Frequently St. Anthony wrought veritable miracles of conversion. Deadly enemies were reconciled. Thieves and usurers made restitution. Calumniators and detractors recanted and apologized. He was so energetic in defending the truths of the Catholic Faith that many heretics returned to the Church. This occasioned the epitaph given him by Pope Gregory IX “the ark of the covenant.”

In all his labors he never forgot the admonition of his spiritual father, St. Francis, that the spirit of prayer must not be extinguished. If he spent the day in teaching and heard the confession of sinners till late in the evening, then many hours of the night were spent in intimate union with God.

Once a man, at whose home St. Anthony was spending the night, came upon the saint and found him holding in his arms the Child Jesus, unspeakably beautiful and surrounded with heavenly light. For this reason St. Anthony is often depicted holding the Child Jesus.

In 1227 A.D., St. Anthony was elected Minister Provincial of the friars living in northern Italy. Thus he resumed the work of preaching. Due to his taxing labors and his austere penance, he soon felt his strength so spent that he prepared himself for death. After receiving the last sacraments he kept looking upward with a smile on his countenance. When he was asked what he saw there, he answered: “I see my Lord.” He breathed forth his soul on June 13, 1231 A.D., being only thirty six years old. Soon the children in the streets of the city of Padua were crying: “The saint is dead, Anthony is dead.”

Pope Gregory IX enrolled him among the saints in the very next year. At Padua, a magnificent basilica was built in his honor, his holy relics were entombed there in 1263 A.D. From the time of his death up to the present day, countless miracles have occurred through St. Anthony’s intercession, so that he is known as the Wonder-Worker. He is also sometimes known as the Patron of the oppressed, Finder of lost objects, Patron of American Indians, Patron of the mail and he fought corruption in government, In 1946 A.D. St. Anthony was declared a Doctor of the Church.