About St. Ambrose · Annandale, Virginia
St. Ambrose is a Roman Catholic parish of the Diocese of Arlington serving Annandale, Virginia, in Fairfax County. Established in 1966 by Bishop John J. Russell, the parish was carved from several neighboring parishes and grew with the post-Vietnam population boom that swelled the Annandale and Fairfax areas with military, hospital, and corporate families. Today St. Ambrose is home to roughly 900 households (over 3,000 parishioners) and is distinguished as the parish of Virginia's only Catholic dual-language school, with a strong reputation for bilingual formation, evangelization, and outreach to the elderly in nearby nursing facilities.
- Established
- 1966
- Patron
- St. Ambrose of Milan
- Rector
- Rev. Andrew J. Fisher
- Diocese
- Diocese of Arlington
Why belong here
St. Ambrose is a large, mission-minded parish with a daily and Sunday Mass schedule, weekly Confession and Eucharistic Adoration on First Fridays, a flourishing Religious Education program, a thriving High School Youth Group, and Virginia's only Catholic dual-language school — making it a natural fit for English- and Spanish-speaking families, the many military households in its boundaries, and anyone seeking to grow in faith alongside a vibrant community that reaches out to the elderly in six local nursing homes and a mental-health institute.
Mass times at St. Ambrose
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday: 9:30 am
- Saturday: 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Adoration times
- First Friday: 9:30 am – 7:00 pm (with Benediction)
History of St. Ambrose Parish
St. Ambrose parish was established on June 4, 1966 by Bishop John J. Russell of the Diocese of Richmond, then the single diocese for all of Virginia. Carved from several surrounding parishes and starting with about 400 families, it was led from the beginning by Fr. Vincent Sikora. The parish first worshipped at Luther Jackson Intermediate School on Gallows Road while a temporary rectory and chapel were set up in the Camelot subdivision. By 1968 a parish center with a church was dedicated; that building is now the parish school.
- Established June 4, 1966 by Bishop John J. Russell (Diocese of Richmond)
- First Mass: June 12, 1966 at Luther Jackson Intermediate School
- First church/parish center dedicated Oct. 31, 1968 (now the school building)
- New rectory built 1972 under Fr. John Rea
- Present church dedicated Dec. 7, 1977 by Bishop Thomas J. Welsh, first Bishop of Arlington
- Diocese of Arlington erected by Pope Paul VI in 1974
Parish Staff & Clergy
The current parish team includes the pastor and parochial vicar, a priest in residence serving as a hospital chaplain, a permanent deacon, a Director of Religious Education, a Director of Music, a Youth Minister, a school principal, and the business/office staff who keep the parish office running Monday through Friday, 9:00 am to 4:00 pm.
- Rev. Andrew J. Fisher — Pastor ([email protected])
- Rev. Michael T. Nugent — Parochial Vicar ([email protected])
- Rev. Anthony Appiah — Priest in Residence / Hospital Chaplain
- Ted Devlin — Permanent Deacon
- Jennifer Wyse — Director of Religious Education ([email protected])
- Jon Laird, Obl. O.S.B. — Director of Music
- Lissie Torres — Youth Minister ([email protected])
- Dr. Aránzazu Ascunce — School Principal
- Donna Vasilakos — Parish Secretary
- Carla Yaglou — Business Manager
- Ratna Adinata — Bookkeeper
- Alfonso Dominguez — Plant & Facilities Manager
Religious Education & Youth Ministry
St. Ambrose Religious Education offers Sacramental preparation for public-school and non-Catholic-school children from Kindergarten through 12th grade, covering First Penance, First Holy Communion, and Confirmation. A separate High School Youth Group meets Sunday evenings, and OCIC gathers Monday evenings in the Parish Hall. Jennifer Wyse directs the program, supported by the parish's catechist and VIRTUS-compliant volunteer corps.
- Grades K–8: Sundays 8:45–9:45 am in the school
- Grades 9–12 High School Youth Group: Sundays 6:00–8:00 pm in the school gym
- OCIC: Mondays 7:00–8:00 pm in the Parish Hall
- First Communion Fee: $50 (2nd grade)
- Confirmation Fee: $75 (8th grade)
- Tuition: $150 one child / $225 two / $250 three or more (+ $50 out-of-parish fee)
- All volunteers must complete background check and VIRTUS training
St. Ambrose Catholic School
Located on the parish campus in the original 1968 parish-center building, St. Ambrose Catholic School is a Pre-K through Grade 8 program recognized with diocesan and national awards of academic excellence — and it is the only Catholic dual-language school in Virginia. Both the parish pastor and the school principal are bilingual in English and Spanish; classes rotate between English and Spanish with the goal that the inaugural kindergarten cohort will be fully bilingual by 8th grade. The school is supported by many military families from installations in the area.
- Pre-K–Grade 8, dual-language Catholic school
- Only Catholic dual-language school in the Commonwealth of Virginia
- Blue Ribbon School recognition
- Bilingual Preschool, Kindergarten, and Grades 1–3 launched; program rolls up one grade each year
- Principal: Dr. Aránzazu Ascunce ([email protected])
- Phone: 703-698-7171 — stambroseschool.org
Music & Liturgy
Music at St. Ambrose is led by Director of Music Jon Laird, Obl. O.S.B., who directs both the parish and school choirs, trains cantors, and supports the liturgy alongside the parish clergy. A 2001 Parish Activities Building built under Fr. Richard Ley added a dedicated choir rehearsal area. The parish livestreams Sunday Mass, funeral Masses, and wedding Masses from its church, with archives going back to May 9, 2020.
- Director of Music: Jon Laird, Obl. O.S.B.
- Adult choir and parish ensembles (rehearsal space in the Parish Activities Building)
- Sunday 10:00 am Mass livestreamed
- Funeral Mass and Wedding Mass livestream archives
Outreach, Charity & Community
Reaching beyond its walls has long been part of St. Ambrose's identity. Six nursing homes and a mental-health institute sit within parish boundaries, and outreach to the sick and elderly is a hallmark of Fr. Fisher's pastorate. The parish also hosts the Arlington diocese's chapter of the Order of Malta, a worldwide lay religious order devoted to humanitarian, medical and social care for those in need, and participates annually in the March for Life.
- Outreach to six local nursing homes and a mental-health institute
- Host of the Arlington diocesan chapter of the Order of Malta
- Annual participation in the March for Life
- Pastoral emphasis on service and lay leadership (especially among military families)
- Welcoming environment for returning Catholics and seekers through its Hispanic and English ministries
Sacraments at St. Ambrose
Parishioners and visitors can arrange Baptism, Marriage, and Funeral arrangements through the Parish Secretary, while the Director of Religious Education handles RCIA inquiries, religious-education enrollment, and the children's sacraments of First Penance, First Holy Communion, and Confirmation. Sacramental formation is offered in multiple languages so that all parishioners feel welcome.
- Baptism — arranged through Parish Secretary (Donna Vasilakos / Margaret Kelty)
- First Penance — 2nd grade Religious Education
- First Holy Communion — 2nd grade Religious Education
- Confirmation — 8th grade Religious Education
- Marriage — arranged through Parish Secretary
- Funeral Mass — arranged through Parish Secretary (livestreamed)
- RCIA / Adult Sacraments — contact Director of Religious Education
Visit, Contact & Getting Involved
Whether you are an active parishioner, a visitor, a returning Catholic, or someone simply seeking God, St. Ambrose invites you to 'come and be a part of our growing parish family.' The parish office is open Monday–Friday, 9:00 am–4:00 pm at 3901 Woodburn Road, and the team will help connect you with Mass times, sacramental prep, the school, the Religious Education program, youth ministry, or outreach ministries. Newcomers can watch Mass online through the parish livestream and explore ministries through the website.
- Address: 3901 Woodburn Road, Annandale, VA 22003
- Phone: 703-280-4400
- Email: [email protected]
- Office hours: Monday–Friday, 9:00 am–4:00 pm
- Livestream: stambroseva.org/Mass
- Religious Education inquiries: [email protected] / 571-640-9938
- Baptism/Marriage/Funeral inquiries: [email protected] or [email protected]
- School inquiries: [email protected] / 703-698-7171
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Vincent Sikora1966–
Founding pastor; built the original parish center/church dedicated Oct. 31, 1968.
- Rev. John Rea
Second pastor; oversaw construction of the new rectory in 1972.
- Rev. Robert Brooks
Third pastor; broke ground in September 1976 for the present church.
- Msgr. William Reinecke1980–1990
Fourth pastor; also Vicar General of the Diocese of Arlington; started many programs and retired church-construction debt.
- Rev. Mark Pilon
Fifth pastor; renovated the church and opened St. Ambrose Catholic School.
- Rev. Richard Ley
Sixth pastor; built the 2001 Parish Activities Building/offices, library, meeting rooms and reception hall.
- Rev. Dominic Irace
Seventh pastor; launched evangelization, community outreach and a renewal of sacred music and liturgy.
- Rev. Andrew J. Fisher2009–present
Named Parochial Administrator in October 2009 and installed as Pastor in 2011.