About Blessed Sacrament · Alexandria, Virginia
Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic parish in Alexandria, Virginia, just outside Washington, D.C., in the Diocese of Arlington (under Bishop Michael F. Burbidge). Tucked into the West Braddock Heights neighborhood near Fairlington and Park Fairfax, the parish was founded in the mid-1940s to serve the wave of Catholic families who moved into the federal housing developments during World War II. Today it is a large, multi-priest parish serving a diverse flock that includes a substantial Spanish-speaking community, with daily and Sunday Masses, a full sacraments program, an attached Catholic school (founded 1949), Eucharistic Adoration on Fridays, and a wide array of outreach and parish ministries.
- Established
- 1946
- Patron
- The Blessed Sacrament (the Most Holy Eucharist)
- Rector
- Rev. John D. Kelly
- Diocese
- Diocese of Arlington (Bishop Michael F. Burbidge)
Why belong here
Blessed Sacrament is a large, pastorally robust parish with four priests, an attached Catholic grade school, a Spanish-language Mass every Sunday, and a full daily schedule of Masses, confessions, and adoration. Members can join long-standing ministries such as the Knights of Columbus (Council 11947), the Council of Catholic Women, the Legion of Mary, the Traditional Choir, and the OCIA (adult initiation) program, while serving neighbors through the parish food pantry, weekly soup kitchen, Friendship House meals, the Carpenter's Shelter dinner and bag-lunch programs, the Haiti mission at St. Isidore Parish, and Gabriel Project support for pregnant women in need.
Mass times at Blessed Sacrament
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Monday – Friday: 7:00 AM – 8:00 AM (Daily Chapel)
- Saturday: 3:30 PM – 4:30 PM (Daily Chapel)
- Sunday: 1:15 PM – 1:45 PM (Spanish, Daily Chapel)
Adoration times
- Friday: 9:00 AM Exposition — 5:00 PM Benediction and Reposition (Daily Chapel)
- Saturday: 8:30 AM
Welcome & Identity
The parish's Welcome page identifies Blessed Sacrament as a Roman Catholic church in Alexandria, Virginia, just outside Washington, D.C., within the Diocese of Arlington under the direction of Bishop Michael F. Burbidge. The current pastor is Rev. John D. Kelly, supported by three parochial vicars — Rev. Mark Carrier, Rev. Andrew Clark, and Rev. Raymond Goins. The page provides driving directions from all four compass directions and links to the parish office directory. A recurring parish mission phrase, 'Make Us One In Christ,' appears on the welcome page.
- Diocese of Arlington
- Most Reverend Michael F. Burbidge (diocesan bishop)
- Rev. John D. Kelly (pastor)
- Rev. Mark Carrier, Rev. Andrew Clark, Rev. Raymond Goins (parochial vicars)
History of the Parish
The Photos / History page traces Blessed Sacrament from its wartime origins as a mission of St. Mary's, Alexandria, through the land purchases of 1943–1944, the founding days under Bishop Ireton and Fr. Stephens, the appointment and installation of Msgr. Martin T. Quinn as first pastor, and the construction and dedication of the first church on West Braddock Road on September 15, 1946. The history also covers the boom years (with eight Sunday Masses celebrated simultaneously in the church and its basement), the 1986 groundbreaking for the present complex, Msgr. Quinn's death in April 1987, and the September 10, 1988 dedication of the new church and school. The story emphasizes the parish's roots in the Fairlington / Park Fairfax wartime housing developments and the central role of the Roman-Rite Tridentine liturgy in its early decades.
- 1943–1944 — Fr. Edward L. Stephens buys 24 lots in West Braddock Heights for $34,200
- April 16, 1944 — First Mass at Fairlington Elementary School; 163 founding households
- December 20, 1945 — Bishop Ireton appoints Fr. Martin T. Quinn as first pastor
- January 20, 1946 — Official parish birthday
- Easter 1946 — Parish moves into the Centre Theatre on Quaker Lane
- September 15, 1946 — Bishop Ireton dedicates the first church
- June 8, 1986 — Msgr. Quinn's 60th anniversary of ordination and groundbreaking for the new church
- April 28, 1987 — Death of Msgr. Quinn
- September 10, 1988 — Parish moves into the present church and school
Sacraments
The parish's Sacraments page coordinates all six sacramental ministries. Infant baptisms are celebrated one Saturday a month, with required parent and godparent preparation classes — families are encouraged to begin arrangements at least three months before the baby's due date. Youth are confirmed in the fall of 8th grade or older; adults seeking Confirmation contact Susan Doyle. Reconciliation follows the published schedule above. Couples must begin marriage preparation at least six months in advance, and a wedding date is not confirmed until after the first appointment with a priest. Anointing of the Sick and Communion calls to the homebound are arranged through the parish office.
- Baptism — contact Kathleen Molloy (English) or María Leiva (Spanish)
- Confirmation (youth) — 8th grade or older in the fall
- Confirmation (adult) — contact Susan Doyle, [email protected]
- Marriage — 6-month preparation; appointment with a priest required first
- Anointing of the Sick / Communion to the homebound — call 703-998-6100
Faith Formation
Blessed Sacrament runs both an OCIA program for adults and a Pre-K through Grade 8 religious education program (CCD) during the school year. OCIA meets Wednesdays from 7:00 to 8:30 PM in the school library and welcomes both non-Catholics and 'cradle Catholics' seeking to update their formation; the Director of Religious Education, Susan Doyle, is the main point of contact.
- OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation for Adults) — Wednesdays 7:00–8:30 PM, school library
- CCD (youth religious education) — Pre-K through 8th grade, September–May
Blessed Sacrament School
Blessed Sacrament School (1417 West Braddock Road, Alexandria, VA 22302; 703-998-4170; [email protected]) is a parish Catholic elementary school serving roughly 263 students in grades K–8. Founded in 1949 by Msgr. Martin T. Quinn with the Holy Cross Sisters, the school closed for a time in the 1970s but reopened and continues to draw families from across the parish and beyond. Fr. John D. Kelly serves as chaplain, with Fr. Carrier, Fr. Clark, and Fr. Goins also listed as parochial vicars involved with the school. Long-term financial strength is supported by the Monsignor Martin T. Quinn Endowment Fund, established in 2008 and named for the founding pastor.
- Founded 1949 by Msgr. Martin T. Quinn with the Holy Cross Sisters
- Closed in the 1970s, later reopened
- Current principal: Kate Chelak (as of the 2024 75th-anniversary article)
- Monsignor Martin T. Quinn Endowment Fund (est. 2008) supports long-term financial stability
Music & Liturgy
The Director of Music, William Lucardi, coordinates the parish's music program. The Traditional Choir leads sung prayer at the 11:00 AM Sunday liturgy and rehearses in the church on Thursday evenings from 7:45 to 9:45 PM. The repertoire spans Gregorian Chant, Renaissance polyphony, classic and Romantic choral music, and Gospel and contemporary Catholic hymnody. Patricia (Patty/Marie) Work serves as Director of Art and Environment and Bulletin Editor, coordinating the visual and liturgical environment of the church. No choral or instrumental ability is required to join — about a third of the Traditional Choir members do not read music.
- Traditional Choir — 11:00 AM Sunday liturgy; Thursday rehearsals 7:45–9:45 PM
- Open to all parishioners; music-reading ability helpful but not required
- Director of Music: William Lucardi
Parish Staff
Blessed Sacrament is staffed by four priests and a sizable lay office team. Rev. John D. Kelly is pastor, with three parochial vicars assisting him. Susan Doyle directs Religious Education, William Lucardi directs Music, Patricia Work directs Art and Environment / edits the bulletin, Nathalie Céspedes is Business Manager, María Leiva coordinates the Spanish community, and Lorraine Walsh and Kathleen Molloy serve as receptionists. Nelson Rosales leads the maintenance crew, with Francisco Alvarez on staff. Office hours run Monday through Thursday 8:30 AM to 12:00 PM and 1:00 to 7:00 PM, Friday 8:30 AM to 12:00 PM and 1:00 to 5:00 PM, and Sunday 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM.
- Pastor: Rev. John D. Kelly
- Parochial Vicars: Rev. Mark Carrier, Rev. Andrew Clark, Rev. Raymond Goins
- Director of Religious Education: Susan Doyle
- Director of Music: William Lucardi
- Director of Art & Environment / Bulletin Editor: Patricia Work
- Business Manager: Nathalie Céspedes
- Spanish Community: María Leiva
- Receptionists: Kathleen Molloy, Lorraine Walsh
- Maintenance: Nelson Rosales (supervisor), Francisco Alvarez
Outreach & Social Ministries
The parish operates an unusually wide social-ministry portfolio, much of it through Johnston Hall (entrance on N. Federal Street) and the Holy Family Center at 2 E. Wolfe St. A Tuesday–Friday food pantry serves 850–1,000 families a month with supplies largely channeled from the Blue Ridge Food Bank. Hot meals are served to neighbors at the Wednesday Soup Kitchen (4:30–5:30 PM) and the ecumenical Friendship House lunch on Thursdays (11:00 AM – 12:00 PM). The parish hosts the Harrisonburg/Rockingham Open Doors winter homeless shelter during Thanksgiving week, prepares a monthly dinner for the Carpenter's Shelter on the third Monday, and runs a second-Sunday bag-lunch collection.
- Soup Kitchen — Wednesdays 4:30–5:30 PM, Johnston Hall
- Friendship House (ecumenical meal) — Thursdays 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM
- Food Pantry — Tue–Fri 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM, Holy Family Center, 2 E. Wolfe St.
- Open Doors Winter Shelter (hosts the week of Thanksgiving)
- Carpenter's Shelter monthly dinner (third Monday) and bag-lunch collection (second Sunday)
Parish Organizations
Three flagship fraternal and devotional organizations anchor lay life at Blessed Sacrament. The Knights of Columbus Council 11947 (a 22-year-old council with about 127 members) meets on the first Monday of the month for its regular business meeting, with extra gatherings on the second and fourth Thursdays. Knights serve as Eucharistic Ministers, ushers, catechists, scout leaders, and CYO coaches, and raise funds for vocations, KOVAR, disaster relief, and an annual Catholic high-school scholarship. The Council of Catholic Women (CCW) is open to all ladies of the parish and supports unfunded parish needs. The Legion of Mary meets in English; the Spanish-language praesidium 'Virgen Digna de Alabanza' meets Tuesdays at 6:30 PM in Room #3.
- Knights of Columbus Council 11947 — first Monday business meeting
- Council of Catholic Women (CCW)
- Blessed Is She (women's ministry)
- Legion of Mary (English) and Legión de María 'Virgen Digna de Alabanza' (Spanish, Tuesdays 6:30 PM)
Missions & Social Justice
Beyond local outreach, Blessed Sacrament sustains an international mission relationship with St. Isidore Parish in Haiti, sponsoring tuition for approximately 100 students at parish schools and taking a second collection on the first weekend of each month. The parish is active in VALLEY Interfaith Action (a coalition of congregations and service groups), supports the diocesan Gabriel Project for pregnant women in need, and participates in 40 Days for Life prayer vigils. Respect Life activities include a standing prayer presence at the Duke Street abortion clinic. These efforts are coordinated through the parish bulletin and the Outreach & Social Ministries page.
- Haiti Mission — sponsors ~100 students at St. Isidore Parish schools
- Gabriel Project (financial & spiritual support for pregnant women)
- Respect Life / 40 Days for Life / prayer at the Duke Street clinic
- Valley Interfaith Action
Seniors & Community Life
Older parishioners are served by both parish-level and city-wide programs. A Bridge group meets Tuesdays from 12:00 noon to 3:00 PM in the Parish Center (contact Ann Corro, 703-370-3664), and Line Dancing gathers on Mondays at 1:30 PM in Quinn Hall, with no experience required. The parish bulletins point seniors to the St. Martin de Porres Senior Center on Taney Avenue and Senior Services of Alexandria for additional programming.
- Bridge — Tuesdays 12:00–3:00 PM, Parish Center
- Line Dancing — Mondays 1:30 PM, Quinn Hall
- St. Martin de Porres Senior Center referral
Youth Ministry
Youth Ministry is a distinct ministry area of the parish with its own Instagram presence (@blessed_sacrament_youth). Information and event sign-ups are coordinated through the parish office ([email protected] or 703-998-6100). The Knights of Columbus and parish CYO sports programs also raise funds for youth programs, including World Youth Day travel scholarships.
- Parish Instagram: @blessed_sacrament_youth
- Contact: [email protected] / 703-998-6100
Bulletin & Communications
The parish publishes a weekly bulletin (available in PDF through the website) that lists all Mass intentions, parish announcements, sign-ups for ministries such as the Carpenter's Shelter bag-lunch program and the Friends of the Poor walk, parish-school updates, and schedules for Holy Day / seasonal Masses. Recent bulletins include contact data for ministry leaders and link to e-membership in the Knights of Columbus for eligible Catholic men 18 and older. The bulletin is edited by the Director of Art and Environment, currently listed as Patricia 'Patty' Work (sometimes appearing as Marie Niernberger in transitional bulletins).
- Weekly bulletin PDF on blessedsacramentcc.org/parish-life/bulletins/
- Director of Art and Environment / Bulletin Editor: Patricia Work
- Bulletin carries announcements for ministries, school events, and Holy Day / seasonal schedules
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Msgr. Martin T. Quinn1945–1987
Founding pastor; appointed by Bishop Ireton on December 20, 1945; installed January 20, 1946. Born in Roscommon County, Ireland; ordained in 1926. In 1949 founded Blessed Sacrament School with the Holy Cross Sisters. Died April 28, 1987, while the new church was under construction.