About Our Lady of Mount Carmel · Newport News, Virginia
Our Lady of Mount Carmel is a Catholic parish in Newport News, Virginia, belonging to the Diocese of Richmond. Founded in 1953 by the Carmelite Fathers and guided from its earliest days by the Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia of Nashville, the parish operates a PreK-8 school, runs an extensive ministry to the poor and homeless, and is a designated campus ministry site for Christopher Newport University. The parish lives by the motto 'We Find Christ Here, We Bring Christ to the World,' offering Mass in both English and Spanish, daily and Sunday liturgies, Eucharistic Adoration, and outreach to the military, the poor, and the homebound.
- Established
- 1953
- Patron
- Our Lady of Mount Carmel
- Rector
- Rev. W. Daniel (Dan) Beeman, V.F.
- Diocese
- Catholic Diocese of Richmond
Why belong here
OLMC is a large, bilingual Catholic parish with something for nearly every age and stage: a nationally recognized PreK-8 school staffed by the Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia of Nashville, daily and Sunday Mass in both English and Spanish, dedicated Eucharistic Adoration several days a week, Life Teen youth ministry, RCIA and adult faith formation, an extensive Social Ministry serving the poor and homeless, and active outreach to military families and to the homebound in local hospitals and nursing homes. The parish motto — 'We Find Christ Here, We Bring Christ to the World' — is lived out through worship, formation, and a robust service to the Newport News community.
Mass times at Our Lady of Mount Carmel
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Wednesday 5:00 PM (followed by 6:30 PM Mass)
- Thursday 5:30 PM (Confesiones en Español solamente)
- Saturday 3:00 PM
Adoration times
- Wednesday 5:00 PM – 6:30 PM (Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament)
- Thursday 9:00 AM – 6:30 PM (Eucharistic Adoration)
- First Thursday 7:30 PM – 8:30 PM — 'Thirst' Adoration and Praise (monthly, unless otherwise posted)
Parish History
Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish was established in 1953 by the Carmelite Fathers under its first pastor, Father Norbert Piper, O.Carm. The school opened in 1954 and has been served since by the Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia of Nashville. The Poor Clares established a nearby monastery in the same period, and for nearly 50 years the parish was shaped by all three religious communities — a distinction the parish calls highly unique in the Diocese of Richmond. For the first decade the parish worshipped in an unfinished wing of the school, then in the gym for about 25 years, before the present church was dedicated in 1986. St. Michael the Archangel Hall was added in 2004 and is used seven days a week for parish ministry and community events.
- Founded 1953 by the Carmelite Fathers
- School opened 1954; staffed by the Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia of Nashville
- Current church dedicated 1986 (seating 800+)
- St. Michael the Archangel Hall opened 2004
- Recent renovations: Adoration chapel, children's nursery, updated restrooms
Parish Staff & Clergy
The parish staff is listed on olmc.org/staff and in the weekly bulletin. The team includes the pastor, a parochial vicar, a priest in residence, two deacons, and lay staff leading faith formation, youth, liturgy, music, social ministry, Hispanic ministry, facilities, and business operations.
- Rev. W. Daniel (Dan) Beeman, V.F. — Pastor ([email protected], x112)
- Rev. Saúl Anleu — Parochial Vicar ([email protected], x111)
- Rev. Peter T. Tran — Priest in Residence ([email protected], x101)
- Deacon Anton Siochi ([email protected], x129)
- Deacon Francisco Anleu — also Director of Hispanic Ministry ([email protected], x123)
- Christa Blomstrom — Coordinator of Pastoral Care / Evangelization (x107)
- Heber Dunkle — Director of Liturgy & Worship (x121)
- Johanna Smith — Music Coordinator (x117)
- Greg Walsh — Life Teen Youth Minister (x106)
- Elizabeth Zabel — Children's Faith Formation, Baptism & First Sacraments (x104)
- Lisa Wienhoff — Adult Faith Formation & RCIA (x131)
- Kim Taylor — Minister to the Poor and Vulnerable (x118)
- Joyce Kiser — Business Administrator (x109)
- Eileen Mazary — Office Manager (x116)
- Carla Johnson — Bookkeeper (x108)
- Josh McCarty — Director of Facilities (x119)
- James 'Mac' MacAdam — Maintenance and Facilities
Faith Formation & Religious Education
OLMC offers a full life-long faith formation program from childhood through adulthood, including sacramental preparation, RCIA, and youth ministry. The school (PreK-8) and parish faith formation work in close partnership with the Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia of Nashville.
- Children's Faith Formation, Baptism & First Sacraments — Elizabeth Zabel, x104
- Adult Faith Formation & RCIA — Lisa Wienhoff, x131
- Life Teen Youth Ministry — Greg Walsh, x106
- OLMC School (PreK-8) — 52 Harpersville Road, Newport News; Principal: Sr. Anna Joseph, O.P.
OLMC School (PreK-8)
Our Lady of Mount Carmel School opened in 1954 and has been continuously guided by the Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia of Nashville. The school serves PreK through 8th grade on the same Harpersville Road campus as the parish (school address 52 Harpersville Road) and was named in 2020 to the Cardinal Newman Society's Catholic Education Honor Roll — the first school in the Catholic Diocese of Richmond to earn that distinction. The school's mission is to 'unite with family and community to provide a Christ-centered, authentically Catholic, and educationally stimulating environment, where students recognize their God-given gifts and achieve their highest potential.'
- Grades served: PreK-8
- Staffed by the Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia of Nashville
- Principal: Sr. Anna Joseph, O.P. ([email protected], x135)
- Admissions Coordinator: Kathy McKenna (x166)
- Business Manager: Joyce Kiser (x134)
- Office Manager: Jenn Melms
- Phone: (757) 596-2754
- Address: 52 Harpersville Road, Newport News, VA 23601
Outreach to the Poor and Vulnerable
The parish's homepage declares: 'Our parish honors the call of Jesus to have a preference for the poor and vulnerable.' The Social Ministry, led by the Minister to the Poor and Vulnerable, runs an expansive ministry to the poor and homeless — including a winter shelter program — and partners year-round with Bon Secours Catholic Health Ministry. St. Michael the Archangel Hall is the hub for this outreach. A separate Pregnancy Helpline (757-870-3131) and Outreach Office (757-596-1727) serve those in need. The parish also carries out pastoral visits to local hospitals and nursing homes.
- Minister to the Poor and Vulnerable — Kim Taylor, x118
- Winter shelter for the homeless, hosted in St. Michael the Archangel Hall
- Year-round partnership with Bon Secours Catholic Health Ministry
- Pregnancy Helpline: 757-870-3131
- Outreach Office Phone: 757-596-1727
- Outreach Office Hours: Mon/Wed/Thu 12 noon–2 pm; Tue/Fri 9–11 am
Pastoral Care & Hospital/Nursing Home Ministry
Beyond the parish walls, OLMC ministers to the homebound and hospitalized through its Coordinator of Pastoral Care and through parish deacons and volunteers who regularly visit local medical and elder-care facilities.
- Coordinator of Pastoral Care — Christa Blomstrom, x107
- Riverside Hospital Ministry
- James River Convalescent Center Ministry
- The Chesapeake (nursing facility) Ministry
- The Newport / Newport News Nursing & Rehabilitation Ministry
- Inclusive Ministry — for parishioners with disabilities
Hispanic Ministry
The parish is fully bilingual. Spanish-language offerings include a Sunday afternoon Mass, a Thursday evening Mass, and a dedicated Spanish-language Confession hour, all under the direction of Deacon Francisco Anleu.
- Sunday 2:00 PM — Santa Misa en Español
- Thursday 6:30 PM — Misa en Español
- Thursday 5:30 PM — Confesiones en Español solamente
- Director of Hispanic Ministry: Deacon Francisco Anleu ([email protected], x123)
CNU Catholic Campus Ministry
Our Lady of Mount Carmel serves as the Catholic campus ministry parish for Christopher Newport University (CNU). When the university is in session, a 12:00 PM Sunday Mass is celebrated at the Pope Chapel on the CNU campus, and the pastor of OLMC (Fr. Dan Beeman) celebrates on-campus Masses and visits the Catholic Captains Ministry (CCM) house monthly to hear confessions. The CCM staff page confirms Fr. Beeman as Pastor of OLMC and chaplain figure for the CNU community.
- Sunday 12:00 PM Mass at the CNU Pope Chapel (when university in session)
- Campus director: Conner Cummings ([email protected])
- Pastor and chaplain: Fr. Dan Beeman
Columbarium & Cemetery
The parish maintains an on-campus columbarium — Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Columbarium — located at 100 Harpersville Road, Newport News. Inquiries are handled through the parish office at (757) 595-0385.
- Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Columbarium
- Location: 100 Harpersville Road, Newport News, VA 23601
- Phone: (757) 595-0385
Visiting & Contact
The parish office is open Monday through Thursday 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM and Friday 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM. The parish is in the Diocese of Richmond (Deanery 4) and shares its Harpersville Road campus with the OLMC School and the Columbarium.
- Address: 100 Harpersville Road, Newport News, VA 23601-2324
- Phone: (757) 595-0385
- Fax: (757) 599-9285
- Office Manager email: [email protected]
- Pastor email: [email protected]
- Office hours: Mon–Thu 9 AM–5 PM; Fri 9 AM–3 PM
- Diocese: Catholic Diocese of Richmond
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Norbert Piper, O.Carm.1953
First pastor; founded the parish under the Carmelite Fathers.
- Father Edmund Welch, O.Carm.1963
- Father Rudolph Flanik, O.Carm.1966
- Father Jack Larkin, O.Carm.1975
- Father Lucas Schmidt, O.Carm.1981
- Father Jordan Rooney, O.Carm.1987
Last of the Carmelite pastors.
- Monsignor Michael McCarron1990
First non-Carmelite pastor; oversaw the 2004 building of St. Michael the Archangel Hall.
- Father Ken Wood2005
- Father John David Ramsey2012
- Father Dan Beeman2019
Current pastor; ordained 2007; also serves as Pastor of the CNU Catholic Campus Ministry.