About St. Anthony of Padua · King George, Virginia
St. Anthony of Padua is a Catholic mission church in King George, Virginia, sharing one parish community with St. Elizabeth of Hungary in Colonial Beach under the Diocese of Arlington. The original 1917 church building was constructed by the children of Fielding Lewis — a descendant of George Washington's sister Betty — and its sanctuary remains one of the oldest structures in the Arlington Diocese. Today the mission serves more than 1,400 souls across the Northern Neck alongside its sister church, offering daily Mass, robust Eucharistic Adoration, the Traditional Latin Mass, and an unusually rich roster of ministries from the Knights of Columbus to the Guadalupe Free Medical Clinic.
- Established
- 1917
- Patron
- St. Anthony of Padua
- Rector
- Rev. Francis M. de Rosa
- Diocese
- Diocese of Arlington
Why belong here
St. Anthony of Padua offers a remarkably full Catholic life for a small mission church: daily Mass in both English and the Traditional Latin Mass, robust Eucharistic Adoration on Fridays, a thriving Rosary devotion, and sacramental preparation for children and adults. The parish community of more than 1,400 souls across the Northern Neck is known for its high number of converts, a strong Catholic identity, and active organizations including the Knights of Columbus (Holy Trinity Council 7812), three Legion of Mary Praesidia, three choirs, a Youth Group, a Homeschooling group, and adult faith-formation courses. For those seeking a traditional, devotional Catholic home in King George or Westmoreland County, this mission offers depth, beauty, and warm welcome.
Mass times at St. Anthony of Padua
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday: After 9:00 AM Mass & 6:30 PM
- Sunday: Before all Masses
- Wednesday: After 5:00 PM Mass
Adoration times
- Friday: Eucharistic Adoration after 9:00 AM Mass until 6:45 PM (until 4:45 PM during Lent)
- Daily Rosary before the 9:00 AM Mass
History of St. Anthony of Padua Mission
St. Anthony of Padua Mission dates to 1917, when the children of Fielding Lewis — a descendant of George Washington's sister Betty — built the original church in King George County. That first building still stands and was expanded in 1986; its original section (today the sanctuary) is described as one of the oldest buildings in the Diocese of Arlington. Inside are stained-glass windows honoring Fielding Lewis and the Rev. Thomas Bernard Martin, who in 1922 moved from St. Mary's in Fredericksburg to establish St. Elizabeth of Hungary as a parish for the entire Northern Neck.
- 1917: Original church built by the children of Fielding Lewis
- 1922: Fr. Thomas Bernard Martin founds the regional parish at St. Elizabeth's
- 1986: Church expanded; original sanctuary preserved
- 1992: Diocese of Arlington takes over; six pastors since
- 2017: Sacred Heart Chapel at Dahlgren closed by the Archdiocese of the Military
- 2019: Blessed Trinity Catholic Cemetery established on Route 301
Traditional Latin Mass
St. Anthony of Padua is recognized as a significant center of the Traditional Latin Mass in the Diocese of Arlington. The Latin Mass Society of Fredericksburg and the Arlington Latin Mass Society both publish the full TLM schedule, which includes a sung Sunday Mass (Missa cantata) at 1:00 PM, daily Low Masses Monday through Saturday, and sung Masses on feast days. The parish website also links to Bishop Burbidge's published instruction on the use of the TLM in the Diocese of Arlington.
- Sun 1:00 PM — Missa cantata (sung)
- Mon 9:00 AM — Low Mass
- Tue 7:00 PM — Low Mass
- Wed 9:00 AM — Low Mass
- Thu 9:00 AM — Low Mass
- Fri 7:00 PM — Low Mass (sung on feasts)
Parish Staff
The mission and its sister parish are served by a small, dedicated staff. Father Francis de Rosa is pastor and Father Richard Carr serves as Parochial Vicar. Terri Tolley is the Director of Religious Education, with Shelley Buckles serving as St. Anthony's secretary and Susan Smiga as St. Elizabeth's secretary.
- Rev. Francis de Rosa — Pastor ([email protected])
- Fr. Richard Carr — Parochial Vicar
- Terri Tolley — Director of Religious Education
- Shelley Buckles — St. Anthony Secretary
- Susan Smiga — St. Elizabeth Secretary
Faith Formation & Religious Education
The mission offers weekly Religious Education classes for children from Kindergarten through 6th grade, with First Holy Communion / First Penance as a two-year program (normally 1st and 2nd grade) and Confirmation as a two-year program beginning in 7th grade. For adults, Father de Rosa leads an annual Adult Conversion Course from September to Easter that culminates at the Easter Vigil — designed for non-Catholics inquiring about the Catholic Faith but open to anyone seeking ongoing education.
- Children's RE: weekly K–6 classes
- First Holy Communion / First Penance: 2-year program
- Confirmation: 2-year program starting 7th grade (celebrated in fall at St. Anthony)
- Adult Conversion Course / RCIA: September to Easter
- Periodic adult education mini-courses
Parish Ministries & Organizations
St. Elizabeth and St. Anthony share one parish community with an unusually rich roster of organizations. Holy Trinity Council 7812 of the Knights of Columbus draws members from both churches and the (now-closed) Sacred Heart Chapel at Dahlgren. Three Legion of Mary Praesidia, a Youth Group for teens, a Homeschooling group, and three parish choirs round out the spiritual and family life of the mission.
- Knights of Columbus — Holy Trinity Council 7812 (King George)
- Legion of Mary — three Praesidia
- Youth Group for teens
- Homeschooling group
- Three parish choirs
- Adult education mini-courses
Charitable Works & Outreach
The mission's outreach reflects a strong Catholic social commitment. The parish distributes food to the needy each Wednesday at St. Elizabeth, hosts a monthly Mobile Care unit in Colonial Beach providing basic necessities, and welcomes a sliding-scale Catholic therapist once a week. The crown jewel of the parish's charitable work is the Guadalupe Free Medical Clinic, co-founded roughly 18 years ago by Father Thomas Vanderwoude and Father Jerome Magat, which serves the poor and uninsured of Westmoreland County.
- Guadalupe Free Medical Clinic — Westmoreland County
- Wednesday food distribution at St. Elizabeth
- Monthly Mobile Care unit in Colonial Beach
- Weekly sliding-scale Catholic therapist
- Parish also operates three rental cottages in Colonial Beach
Blessed Trinity Catholic Cemetery
Established in 2019, the Blessed Trinity Catholic Cemetery is located in the heart of the parish on Route 301. All graves face East, awaiting the Coming of the Lord, and the cemetery has capacity for 1,200 loved ones. It is sometimes the site of sung Requiem Masses for the faithful departed, including All Souls Day observances.
- Location: Route 301, King George, Virginia
- Established 2019
- All graves face East
- Capacity: 1,200 loved ones
- Site of sung All Souls Day Requiem Masses
Visit & Contact
St. Anthony of Padua Mission welcomes Catholics new to the area, inquirers about the Catholic Faith, and visitors of any background. The mission is located at the corner of St. Anthony's Road and Millbank Road in King George, Virginia. Office inquiries can be directed to (540) 848-4785 or [email protected], or via the website's contact form.
- Mailing address: 9140 St. Anthony's Road, King George, VA 22485
- Physical address: 10299 Millbank Road, King George, VA 22485
- Phone: (540) 848-4785
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: saintselizabethandanthony.com
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Thomas Bernard Martin1922
Pastor of St. Mary's in Fredericksburg who moved to Colonial Beach and established St. Elizabeth of Hungary parish covering the entire Northern Neck; honored with a stained-glass window at St. Anthony's.
- Fr. John Cregan
First of six pastors from the Diocese of Arlington after it took over St. Elizabeth in 1992.
- Fr. William Schopps
Second pastor of the combined parish (Diocese of Arlington era).
- Fr. John Melmer
Third pastor of the combined parish.
- Fr. Thomas Vanderwoude
Co-founder (with Fr. Jerome Magat) of the Guadalupe Free Medical Clinic for the poor and uninsured of Westmoreland County.
- Fr. John Zeigler
Fifth pastor of the combined parish.
- Fr. Francis de Rosa2012–present
Appointed pastor by the Bishop of Arlington on June 27, 2012; arrived in the parish in 2008. Author of the parish history.