About Holy Name of Jesus · Washington, District of Columbia
Holy Name of Jesus Parish is a Catholic parish of the Archdiocese of Washington located at 920 11th Street, NE in the NoMa / Northeast Washington, DC neighborhood. Canonically established in 1891, it serves roughly 200 families with weekend Masses in both English and Spanish, weekday Masses, Eucharistic adoration, a religious education program, and a parish-based food pantry. The parish is the spiritual home of Venerable Msgr. Aloysius Schwartz ('Fr. Al'), the first Washingtonian to be declared Venerable, who grew up in the parish, was baptized, made his First Communion, and served as an altar boy there before going on to found schools and religious orders serving poor children in Korea, the Philippines, and Mexico.
- Established
- 1891
- Patron
- The Most Holy Name of Jesus
- Rector
- Rev. Jan Pietryga
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Washington
Why belong here
Holy Name is a small, bilingual parish in northeast Washington where nearly everyone knows each other by name. Weekends include a Saturday Vigil Mass and three Sunday Masses (two in English, one in Spanish), with daily Mass Monday through Friday, regular Eucharistic adoration and confession following daily Mass, a religious education program for children, and a parish-based food pantry ('Hol(y) Foods Market') that distributes food the second Thursday of every month. As the spiritual home of Venerable Msgr. Aloysius Schwartz — the first Washingtonian declared Venerable — it has a unique missionary heritage and offers a clear, faithful Catholic life just north of Capitol Hill.
Mass times at Holy Name of Jesus
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday: 9:45 AM – 10:00 AM (after daily Mass)
- By appointment (call the rectory at 202-397-2525)
Adoration times
- Eucharistic Adoration after daily Mass, Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday (approx. 9:45 AM following the 9:00 AM Mass)
Parish History
Holy Name of Jesus Parish was canonically established on February 1, 1891, by Rev. J. T. Delaney, who first gathered the faithful in a private house at 716 H Street NW as a colony of St. Aloysius Church. Within a year the parish numbered about 1,000 souls; a two-story brick church was built at the corner of 11th and K Streets NE and dedicated on June 12, 1892. The parish grew with the Catholic population of northeast Washington and remains rooted in its long-serving red-brick church on 11th Street NE. The parish marked its 125th anniversary in 2016 with a Mass celebrated by Cardinal Donald Wuerl.
- Founded February 1, 1891 by Rev. J. T. Delaney
- Brick church dedicated June 12, 1892 at 11th & K Streets NE
- 125th anniversary Mass celebrated May 1, 2016 by Cardinal Wuerl
- Located today in the NoMa neighborhood of NE Washington
Venerable Msgr. Aloysius Schwartz ('Fr. Al')
Holy Name is the spiritual home of Venerable Msgr. Aloysius Schwartz ('Fr. Al,' 1930–1992), one of the Church's most remarkable 20th-century missionary figures. Fr. Al was baptized, made his First Communion, served as an altar server, and attended the parish school at Holy Name before entering the seminary. He was ordained in 1957 at St. Martin of Tours Parish in Washington by Auxiliary Bishop John McNamara and went on to found the Religious Sisters of Mary (1964, Busan, South Korea) and the Brothers of Christ (1981, Seoul), establishing a network of schools and 'Boys Towns' and 'Girls Towns' for more than 100,000 orphaned and abandoned children in South Korea, the Philippines, and Mexico. He was deeply devoted to Our Lady under the title 'Virgin of the Poor.' On January 22, 2015, Pope Francis recognized his 'heroic virtue' and declared him Venerable — the first native of the Archdiocese of Washington to receive that title. Fr. Al died of ALS in 1992; his cause for canonization is promoted by the Archdiocese of Manila, where his body is buried at the Children's Village for Girls in Silang, Cavite, Philippines.
- Baptized and made First Communion at Holy Name; served as altar server; attended parish school
- Ordained 1957 by Auxiliary Bishop John McNamara at St. Martin of Tours
- Founded Religious Sisters of Mary (1964) and Brothers of Christ (1981)
- Built Boys Towns / Girls Towns across South Korea, the Philippines, and Mexico
- Declared Venerable by Pope Francis on January 22, 2015 — first Washingtonian so honored
- Cause for canonization promoted by the Archdiocese of Manila
- Parish's dedicated /fr-al page honors his legacy
Spanish Ministry (Ministerio Hispano)
As a bilingual parish, Holy Name maintains a dedicated Spanish ministry — Ministerio Hispano — to serve Spanish-speaking parishioners and neighbors in northeast Washington and the NoMa area. The heart of the ministry is the 1:00 PM Sunday Mass in Spanish.
- Sunday Mass in Spanish at 1:00 PM
- Bilingual Mass aid available for download from the parish site
Religious Education / Faith Formation
Holy Name runs a parish-based religious education program for children, meeting the first three Sundays of each month at the Annex building, 1125 Neal Street, NE. Classes typically run from 11:45 AM to 12:50 PM. The parish is also always looking for volunteer catechists to help the growing program.
- Classes: First 3 Sundays of the month, 11:45 AM – 12:50 PM
- Location: Annex building, 1125 Neal Street, NE
- Director of Religious Education: Gretzel Paz
- Volunteer Religious Education Teachers welcomed (contact the rectory)
Outreach: Hol(y) Foods Market and Food Ministry
Faith in action at Holy Name centers on direct help to neighbors facing food insecurity. The parish operates the Hol(y) Foods Market food pantry in the lower church, distributing groceries the second Thursday of every month from 10:00 AM to Noon. The parish also distributes donated Panera Bread after the Saturday 4:00 PM Vigil Mass and partners with Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Washington on a wider set of food-security volunteer opportunities.
- Hol(y) Foods Market — 2nd Thursday of the month, 10:00 AM – Noon, lower church
- Panera Bread donation bagging after the 4:00 PM Vigil Mass on Saturdays
- Volunteer partners include SHARE Food bagging and distribution
- St. Maria's Meals (Tuesday and Wednesday dinners)
- St. Bernard Mobile Food Distribution
- Mona Center Farm (Temple Hills) urban-farm volunteer opportunities
- Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Washington career and volunteer partnerships
Parish Staff and Administration
The parish is led by its pastor and supported by a small but dedicated staff. Day-to-day parish operations are coordinated through the rectory at 920 11th Street, NE; the parish also lists contact information for emergency needs and for scheduling confession, sacraments, food pantry assistance, and religious education enrollment.
- Pastor: Rev. Jan Pietryga
- Director of Religious Education: Gretzel Paz
- Parish Secretary: Laura Moya
- Rectory phone: 202-397-2525
- Fax: 202-397-6639
- Email: [email protected]
- Wheelchair accessible (per ADW parish directory)
Stewardship and Getting Involved
The parish invites parishioners and neighbors to share their time and talent. Current volunteer openings highlighted on the parish site range from food ministry and catechesis to child protection coordination and partnership with Catholic Charities.
- Panera Bread donation baggers (Saturdays after the 4 PM Mass)
- Religious Education teachers
- Child Protection Coordinator (background checks and safe-environment training)
- SHARE Food bagging and distribution volunteers
- St. Maria's Meals dinner volunteers (Tue/Wed)
- St. Bernard Mobile Food Distribution volunteers
- Mona Center Farm urban-farm volunteers
- Catholic Charities career and volunteer opportunities
Practical Information
Quick-reference details for visiting or contacting the parish.
- Address: 920 11th Street, NE, Washington, DC 20002-3702
- Phone: (202) 397-2525
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: www.holynameparishdc.org
- Parish annex (religious education): 1125 Neal Street, NE
- Diocese: Archdiocese of Washington
- Wheelchair accessible
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. J. T. Delaney1891–
Founded Holy Name Parish on February 1, 1891, organizing it in a private house at 716 H Street NW as a colony of St. Aloysius Church; oversaw construction and June 12, 1892 dedication of the brick church at 11th and K Streets NE.