About St. George · Valley Lee, Maryland
St. George Catholic Church is a parish of the Archdiocese of Washington located in Valley Lee, St. Mary's County, Maryland, on the southern neck of land between the Potomac River and the Chesapeake Bay. Canonically established in 1851, the parish was staffed by the Jesuit Community of Fathers for over a century before the Archdiocese took over pastoral care. The parish also operates St. Francis Xavier Chapel as a summer mission on St. George's Island. Today it offers Mass in English and Vietnamese, daily Eucharistic Adoration, and a wide range of faith formation, ministry, and community-service programs that serve the families of southern St. Mary's County.
- Established
- 1851
- Patron
- St. George
- Rector
- Father John T. Nguyen
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Washington (Metropolitan Archdiocese of Washington)
Why belong here
St. George welcomes Catholics who want a true family of faith rooted in Word, Sacrament, and service. Parishioners pray together through daily Mass (Tuesday–Friday and First Saturday) and a robust weekly schedule of Eucharistic Adoration, and they grow together through Bible study, OCIA (adult faith formation), Confirmation and youth programs, Vacation Bible School, and the parish's three Catholic-school partnerships. The parish's outreach — Care Ministry, the Giving Tree Project, the September Dinner, the Crab Cake and Stuffed Ham fundraisers, and ministries that deliver meals to the homebound — gives plenty of ways to serve the poor and vulnerable in southern St. Mary's County. Add the unique summer Masses in Vietnamese and at the island chapel of St. Francis Xavier, and St. George offers a small-parish warmth with surprising spiritual breadth.
Mass times at St. George
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Sunday: 7:00 AM – 7:30 AM and 10:00 AM – 10:30 AM (also 30 minutes before all Masses)
- Saturday: 4:00 PM – 4:45 PM (or by appointment)
- 1st Friday: 9:45 AM – 10:30 AM
- 1st Saturday: 9:45 AM – 10:30 AM
Adoration times
- Tuesday – Saturday: 5:00 PM
- 1st Friday: 9:30 AM
- 1st Saturday: 9:30 AM
About St. George Catholic Church
St. George Catholic Church sits in Valley Lee, in southern St. Mary's County, Maryland. The parish's mission statement reads: 'The Gospel calls all people to holiness of life. St. George Catholic Church is a family of faith, committing ourselves as a welcoming Catholic community to worship God in Word and in Sacrament; to live and to share our faith; to serve the poor, the vulnerable, and those in need; and to reconcile ourselves with God and one another.' Established in 1851, the parish is one of the historic Catholic communities of the Archdiocese of Washington.
- Mission: worship in Word and Sacrament, live and share the faith, serve the poor and vulnerable, and reconcile with God and one another.
- Archdiocese of Washington parish; canonically established 1851.
- Address: 19199 St. George's Church Road, Valley Lee, MD 20692.
History of the Parish
St. George was established in 1851 and was staffed by the Jesuit Community of Fathers for over a century. The present church was built in 1959, the Community Center in 1984, and the current rectory in 1992. The Community Center — with six classrooms, an office, a hall that seats 250, and a large kitchen — replaced the old church hall used for C.C.D. classes and church festivals.
- 1851 — Parish canonically established; staffed by Jesuits for 100+ years.
- 1959 — Present church built.
- 1984 — St. George Community Center built, replacing the old church hall.
- 1992 — Present rectory built.
- Renovations include stained glass windows and a foyer restroom.
St. Francis Xavier Mission Chapel
On St. George's Island sits the over-a-century-old St. Francis Xavier Chapel, with its front doors facing the Potomac River. Constructed entirely of wood, it has long served island residents and those from nearby Piney Point. Closed in 1974 due to deterioration and age, the chapel was restored in 1987 as a mission of St. George Church. Its bell tower, struck by lightning in the 1950s, has since been reconstructed. A 7:00 PM Saturday Mass is celebrated there each summer from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend.
- Located on St. George's Island, Potomac River side.
- Closed in 1974 for unsafe condition; restored in 1987 as a mission of St. George.
- Bell tower rebuilt after lightning strike in the 1950s.
- Saturday 7:00 PM Mass, Memorial Day – Labor Day.
Parish Staff
St. George's small staff is led by Father John T. Nguyen and includes parish office, formation, and facilities personnel.
- Pastor — Rev. John (John T.) Nguyen
- Coordinator of Religious Education — Ms. Therese Thacker
- Facilities & Maintenance Supervisor — Mr. Rico Romero
- Secretary — Mrs. Tricia Thacker
- Bookkeeper — Laura Lancaster (per Archdiocese of Washington directory)
- Secretary — Divine Stachowski (per Archdiocese of Washington directory)
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Faith formation at St. George spans childhood, adolescence, and adulthood — Children's Religion Classes (K–8), Confirmation preparation, a Youth Group, adult OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults), and a Friday-morning Bible Study led by Mrs. Joyce Blackwell. The parish also hosts an annual Vacation Bible School, with VBS 2026 registrations opening for children, teen volunteers, and adult volunteers (held at Little Flower School, Great Mills, MD).
- Children's Religious Education (K–8).
- Confirmation program with Registration, Sponsor Form, Guidelines Booklet, Service Hours Report, and Calendar.
- Adult OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults) — Rev. John Nguyen.
- Bible Study — Friday mornings, Mrs. Joyce Blackwell.
- Youth Group.
- Vacation Bible School (held at Little Flower School, Great Mills, MD).
Sacraments
St. George prepares parishioners for the Sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, and Marriage with thoughtful, scripture-rooted formation. The Marriage preparation page is especially detailed — couples complete a Pre-Nuptial Questionnaire with a priest or deacon, take the FOCCUS inventory, and attend a Catholic Engaged Encounter (or Pre-Cana if that is not possible). Catholics are asked to present a baptismal certificate dated within six months of the wedding. The Wedding Liturgy page explains the Roman Rite's theology of marriage as a sacrament administered by the baptized couple, and recommends the 'Together For Life' booklet.
- Baptism preparation — see parish baptism page.
- Confirmation — registration and sponsor forms available; service hours required.
- Marriage — for registered parishioners; FOCCUS inventory; Catholic Engaged Encounter or Pre-Cana; Pre-Nuptial Questionnaire; civil license from St. Mary's County.
- Wedding Liturgy — within or apart from Mass; 'Together For Life' resource booklet; norms of Canon Law and sound liturgy take priority over custom.
Parish Ministries & Outreach
St. George ministries pair spiritual growth with hands-on service to neighbors near and far. The Care Ministry and Giving Tree Project (Mrs. Jennifer Hepp) coordinate the parish's outreach to those in need; the September Dinner (Mr. John Adams & Mrs. Pat Bowes) is a signature fundraiser. Buildings and Grounds (Rev. John Nguyen) maintains the campus. A Finance Committee stewards the parish's temporal resources, and a Youth Group engages the parish's teenagers.
- Care Ministry — Rev. John Nguyen.
- Giving Tree Project — Mrs. Jennifer Hepp.
- September Dinner — Mr. John Adams & Mrs. Pat Bowes.
- Buildings and Grounds — Rev. John Nguyen.
- Finance Committee.
- Youth Group.
Parish Devotions
The parish's devotional life is anchored by Eucharistic Adoration and the Rosary, supplemented by special devotions on First Fridays and First Saturdays.
- Eucharistic Adoration — Tue–Sat 5:00 PM; 1st Fri and 1st Sat at 9:30 AM.
- Rosary — after 9:00 AM daily Mass Tue–Sat; Saturday at 4:30 PM.
- Rosary at St. Francis Xavier Chapel — 7:00 PM, Memorial Day to Labor Day.
- Devotions following 1st Friday and 1st Saturday morning Masses.
Parish Life, Facilities & Fundraisers
Parish social life centers on the 1984 Community Center, with its six classrooms, hall seating 250, and large kitchen. Two major Southern Maryland fundraising dinners anchor the parish calendar: crab cakes/fried chicken/ham on the third Sunday of August, and stuffed ham/fried oysters on the third Sunday of October. The Community Center also hosts funeral luncheons, wedding receptions, Cub Scout Pack and Boy Scout Troop meetings, and other parish socials.
- Community Center (1984) — 6 classrooms, office, hall (250 seats), large kitchen.
- August fundraiser (3rd Sunday) — crab cakes, fried chicken, ham.
- October fundraiser (3rd Sunday) — Southern Maryland stuffed ham, fried oysters.
- Cub Scout Pack and Boy Scout Troop meet at the Community Center.
- Used for funeral luncheons, wedding receptions, and parish socials.
Vocations
The parish marked a vocations milestone on June 15, 2024, when Father Joseph Heisey — connected to the St. George community — was ordained to the priesthood at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C. The parish offered its congratulations and prayers as he took up his new assignment in service to the Church.
- Father Joseph Heisey ordained June 15, 2024 at the National Shrine.
Contact & Practical Information
Parishioners and visitors can reach the parish office by phone, fax, or email, and can find the latest schedule, bulletins, and online giving links on the parish website. The parish maintains a YouTube channel linked from the homepage for streamed or recorded content.
- Address: 19199 St. George's Church Road, Valley Lee, MD 20692.
- Phone: 301-994-0607; Fax: 301-994-1793.
- Email: [email protected].
- Website: saintgeorgeromancatholicchurch.org.
- Online Giving, weekly Bulletin, and Calendar available on the parish website.
- YouTube channel linked from the parish homepage.
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Jesuit Community of Fathers1851–c. 1950s
Staffed the parish for over one hundred years from its canonical establishment.
- Archdiocesan priestsafter the Jesuits
Succeeded the Jesuits in pastoral care of the parish.
- Father John T. Nguyeneffective July 3, 2024 – present
Appointed pastor of Saint George Parish, Valley Lee, from pastor of Our Lady's Church, Leonardtown, Maryland.
- Father Joseph Heiseyordained June 15, 2024
Ordained to the priesthood at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception; the parish congratulated him on his new assignment.