About Holy Face · Great Mills, Maryland
Holy Face is a Roman Catholic parish in Great Mills, St. Mary's County, Maryland, belonging to the Archdiocese of Washington. Canonically established in 1879 as a Jesuit mission chapel (the Guardian Angel Chapel at the old Clifton Mills), it was formally dedicated under the name Holy Face on July 3, 1887. Today it serves the southern Maryland community with three Sunday Masses, weekday Masses, a Saturday Vigil, a Eucharistic Adoration hour, and a robust faith formation program for children and adults. It is said to be the only Catholic church in the United States bearing the name Holy Face.
- Established
- 1879
- Patron
- The Holy Face of Jesus (as depicted on Saint Veronica's veil)
- Rector
- Father Scott S. Holmer
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Washington
Why belong here
Holy Face offers a deeply rooted Catholic community in southern Maryland with multiple Masses each week, the Sacrament of Reconciliation before the Saturday Vigil and by appointment, monthly Eucharistic Adoration, and a weekly Monday evening Rosary. Families are served by a Faith Formation program with grade-level catechesis, engaged clergy (a pastor and two deacons), parish ministries including the Knights of Columbus, and a Marriage Preparation program built on a holistic human/spiritual/faith approach. For anyone moving to the Great Mills area of St. Mary's County, it is a welcoming, historically significant parish with Masses to fit most schedules.
Mass times at Holy Face
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 4:15 PM to 4:45 PM
- By appointment
Adoration times
- First Thursday of the month, 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM
History of Holy Face Parish
Holy Face traces its Catholic roots to the 1634 landing of the Ark and the Dove at St. Clement's Island with Father Andrew White, S.J. The parish itself was canonically established in 1879 when Fr. James Pye Neale, S.J. began riding from the Jesuit residence at St. Inigoes to celebrate Mass at the Guardian Angel Chapel in the old Clifton Mills. The community outgrew that chapel within eight years, and on July 3, 1887 the first Holy Face Church was dedicated on land donated by John B. Cecil. The parish took its name from the Holy Face of Jesus on Saint Veronica's veil — a devotion of Mrs. Maria Wise Hammett Cecil, who had received a picture of the Holy Face from Pope Leo XIII in 1880. The current church on Great Mills hill was dedicated on August 15, 1940.
- 1634 — Father Andrew White, S.J. arrives with the Maryland colonists at St. Clement's Island
- 1879 — Parish canonically established; Fr. James Pye Neale, S.J. begins monthly Masses at the Guardian Angel Chapel, Clifton Mills
- 1880 — Pope Leo XIII sends Mrs. Maria Wise Hammett Cecil a picture of the Holy Face of Jesus with the papal seal
- 1887 — First Holy Face Church dedicated on land donated by John B. Cecil
- 1924 — Cecil family donates land at top of Great Mills hill for a new church
- 1940 — Present church dedicated August 15; architect Lucien E. E. Gaudreau (modified Old English design)
- 1993–1999 — Mid-1990s renovation under Fr. John F. Myslinski: new altar, pulpit, pews from Philadelphia parish, carpet, exterior lights
- 2000 — Jubilee Year; stained glass window installed behind altar and in choir loft
The Name and the Devotion to the Holy Face
Holy Face is believed to be the only Catholic church in the United States bearing the name Holy Face. The devotion at its root is the Holy Face of Jesus as imprinted on Saint Veronica's veil — a tradition Mrs. Maria Wise Hammett Cecil held dear. In 1880 she received a picture of the Holy Face from Pope Leo XIII along with the papal seal; that picture was placed above the altar of the first Holy Face Church in 1887, remained there until 1940, and now hangs in the Baptistry of the current church.
- Patron: the Holy Face of Jesus as seen on Saint Veronica's veil
- The 1880 papal picture from Pope Leo XIII still hangs in the Baptistry
- Said to be the only church of this name in the United States
Architecture and the Stained Glass Window
The present church was designed in a modified Old English style by Baltimore architect Lucien E. E. Gaudreau, then President of the Maryland Society of Architects. The stained glass window above and behind the altar is a four-year timeline of the parish: 1879 (founding), 1887 (first church), 1940 (present church dedication), and 2000 (the Jubilee Year, when the window itself was installed).
- Modified Old English frame design by Lucien E. E. Gaudreau
- Four-year stained glass timeline: 1879, 1887, 1940, 2000
- Pews obtained from a closing parish in Philadelphia (1990s renovation)
- New altar and pulpit built by local craftsmen under Fr. John Myslinski
Parish Staff and Clergy
Holy Face is currently led by Father Scott S. Holmer, who was appointed pastor by Cardinal Wilton Gregory effective July 5, 2023, after serving as parochial vicar at St. Patrick Parish in Rockville. He also serves as adjunct spiritual director at St. John Paul II Seminary. Two deacons, Paul A. Bielewicz and Tom Trudell, assist in the pastoral care of the parish. The Faith Formation program is co-directed by Susan Beall and Sheila Schneider. Kimmie Gibson serves as parish secretary, Alyssa Holiday as bookkeeper, and Glenn Ratliff as facilities manager.
- Pastor: Father Scott S. Holmer
- Deacon: Paul A. Bielewicz
- Deacon: Tom Trudell
- Faith Formation Directors: Susan Beall and Sheila Schneider
- Secretary: Kimmie Gibson
- Bookkeeper: Alyssa Holiday
- Facilities Manager: Glenn Ratliff
Faith Formation
Faith Formation at Holy Face is led by co-directors Susan Beall and Sheila Schneider and offers grade-level catechesis for parish children, including dedicated 5th-grade classes. The parish website lists class pages by grade for enrolled families.
- K–8 catechesis organized by grade level
- Co-Directors: Susan Beall and Sheila Schneider
Marriage Preparation
The parish offers a Marriage Preparation program using a holistic approach built around a "house building" metaphor that weaves together human formation, faith, and sacramental grace. Couples planning to marry should contact the Pastor; there is a nominal $20 fee to cover books and materials.
- Holistic approach: human, spiritual and faith formation
- 'House building' metaphor for marriage as pathway to holiness
- Couples must contact the Pastor to begin
- $20 fee for books and materials
Parish Ministries and Community Life
Beyond the sacraments, Holy Face supports a range of parish life activities. The Knights of Columbus council is active at the parish, and community life is sustained through faith formation, monthly adoration, Monday Rosary, and marriage preparation.
- Knights of Columbus
- Faith Formation (K–8)
- Marriage Preparation
- Monthly Eucharistic Adoration
- Monday evening Rosary
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father James Pye Neale, S.J.1879–
First Jesuit priest to ride from St. Inigoes to say Mass at the Guardian Angel Chapel at Clifton Mills every third week, founding year of the parish.
- Reverend Herbert J. Parker, S.J.1930–1946
Instrumental in building the current Great Mills church on the land the Cecil family donated in 1924.
- Reverend John F. Myslinski1993–1999
Led the mid-1990s renovation: new altar and pulpit from local craftsmen, pews from a closing Philadelphia parish, new carpet and exterior lights.
- Father Scott S. Holmer2023–
Appointed pastor by Cardinal Wilton Gregory effective July 5, 2023, from parochial vicar at St. Patrick Parish, Rockville; also adjunct spiritual director at St. John Paul II Seminary.