Christ the Redeemer

Parish History

Christ the Redeemer was founded in 1972 when a small group of Catholic families in Sterling, Virginia reached out to the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement at Graymoor, New York. After gathering first in the basement of the Sterling Baptist Church, the community celebrated its first Mass in the cafeteria of Sterling Middle School on March 5, 1972, with about 500 people in attendance. The parish was formally established on June 1, 1972, with Fr. Norman Boyd, S.A. as the founding pastor. The Atonement Friars would serve the parish for the next 45 years, building a first church dedicated in 1980, a larger 1,200-seat church dedicated in 2000, and a robust web of ministries. In 2018, the parish transitioned to its first diocesan priests and marked its 50th anniversary in 2022 with a bilingual anniversary Mass celebrated by Bishop Michael F. Burbidge.

Faith Formation and Religious Education

Christ the Redeemer's Faith Formation program serves children in Grades K-12 in both English and Spanish, with the RE year running from mid-September to mid-May. The parish also offers Sacramental Preparation for baptized Catholic children and welcomes unbaptized adults and children over age 7 into the Catechumenate (the RCIA process) in both languages.

• Grades PreK-6 in English, including First Reconciliation/First Communion preparation (Deacon Anthony Calderon, ext. 205)
• Grades 7-12 in English/Spanish, including Confirmation preparation and Confirmation with First Communion
• Hispanic Religious Education K-12 in Spanish (Cristina Orellana, ext. 204)
• Catechumenate for Children and Adults in English and Spanish
• Adult Confirmation coordinated with the Cathedral of St. Thomas More in Arlington
• Catholicism 101 / Conoce Tu Fe — faith-refresh series during the school year

Music Ministry

Quoting Saint Pope John Paul II that 'in song, faith is experienced as vibrant joy, love and confident expectation of the saving intervention of God,' the Music Ministry invites vocalists and instrumentalists of all abilities to join one of the parish's choirs. The office is led by Steve McBride, Director of Sacred Music.

• Contact: Steve McBride, Director of Sacred Music, 703-430-0811 ext. 304, [email protected]
• Multiple choirs serving English and Spanish Masses
• New members welcome — vocalists and instrumentalists

Young Adults and Youth Ministry

Christ the Redeemer supports both a Young Adults community and a broader Youth Ministry. Irene Starrs serves as Director of Youth Ministry, and the parish has a dedicated CTR Young Adults group with its own Facebook page.

• Director of Youth Ministry: Irene Starrs
• CTR Young Adults (Facebook community linked from ctrcc.org/young-adults)
• Recognized multiple times by the Arlington Diocese Office of Youth & Campus Ministry for volunteer excellence

Outreach: LINK, Poor Box, and Food Pantry

Outreach is a defining mark of the parish. Christ the Redeemer hosts LINK Against Hunger, an all-volunteer ecumenical food bank that delivers groceries to families in Herndon and Sterling and runs a Mobile Food Pantry on the second Tuesday of each month. The parish also maintains a parish food pantry, a 'Simple Gesture' food-rescue program, and a renowned Poor Box Ministry that, between April 2020 and October 2021, distributed more than $800,000 in direct assistance to families struggling to pay rent and bills — a pandemic-era effort carried out in partnership with Catholic Charities, Loudoun Cares, and other parishes.

• LINK Against Hunger Mobile Food Pantry — 2nd Tuesday of each month on the parish campus
• Food deliveries Tue–Fri 4:00–8:00 pm and Sat 1:00–4:00 pm in Herndon and Sterling
• Simple Gesture food-rescue — every other month on Saturdays 9:30–11:00 am at the parish
• Poor Box Ministry — direct rent/utility assistance in partnership with Catholic Charities
• Amazon and check donations accepted (PO Box 443, Sterling, VA 20167)

Guadalupe Chapel and El Señor de los Milagros

In its Guadalupe Chapel, Christ the Redeemer venerates a large 6-foot image of El Señor de los Milagros (the Lord of the Miracles), a Peruvian devotion. The entire month of October is dedicated to this devotion, and holy cards are available in the chapel to help foster it. The chapel is also the setting for the parish's Friday-evening Spanish rosary.

• 6-foot image of El Señor de los Milagros in the Guadalupe Chapel
• Month of October dedicated to the Lord of the Miracles
• Friday Spanish Rosary at 8:00 pm in the Chapel

Clergy and Staff

The parish has been led since 2018 by its first diocesan priests, who together have expanded Confession opportunities, begun weekly Adoration, and made a third Sunday Spanish Mass permanent. The staff team also includes deacons and lay leaders in Faith Formation, Hispanic Ministry, Music, and Youth Ministry.

• Pastor: Fr. J.D. Jaffe
• Parochial Vicar: Fr. Mark E. Moretti
• Deacon Anthony Calderon — Director of Religious Education
• Cristina Orellana — Coordinator of Hispanic Religious Education
• Steve McBride — Director of Sacred Music ([email protected], ext. 304)
• Irene Starrs — Director of Youth Ministry
• Donna Ata — long-time parish office staff member (27+ years)