About St. Philip Catholic Church · Falls Church, Virginia
St. Philip the Apostle Catholic Church is a warm, medium-sized parish in Falls Church, Virginia, belonging to the Diocese of Arlington. Founded in 1962 by Bishop John J. Russell of the (then) Diocese of Richmond and named for St. Philip the Apostle — brother of St. James — the parish was carved out of three neighboring communities. Tucked behind Falls Church High School in a leafy residential setting, it calls itself 'The Church With A Welcome,' offering daily Mass in English, a robust Sunday schedule in English, Spanish, and bilingual, plus Eucharistic Adoration, a food pantry, pro-life ministry, and a celebrated music program. The parish prides itself on being a smaller, friendlier Catholic community in an otherwise busy corner of Northern Virginia.
- Established
- 1962
- Patron
- St. Philip the Apostle (brother of St. James the Apostle)
- Rector
- Rev. Denis M. Donahue (current pastor, retiring; Rev. 'Fr. Jeb' / Fr. Jamie Workman named as incoming pastor with installation Mass July 8)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Arlington
Why belong here
St. Philip is one of the smaller Catholic parishes in the Falls Church area, and the community leans into that — parishioners describe it as a friendlier and more personal parish than many larger neighbors. It offers an unusually robust schedule of devotions for a parish its size: daily Mass twice a day Monday through Friday, perpetual-Friday Eucharistic Adoration with First Friday overnight, First Saturday Rosary and Reflection, weekly English and Spanish rosaries, and a Knights of Columbus council (17056). A food pantry, pro-life ministry, Meals on Wheels, Seven Sisters Apostolate, youth ministry led by a Franciscan Sister, and a celebrated music program with three choirs give members many ways to serve and belong.
Mass times at St. Philip Catholic Church
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Sunday 12:45 pm
- Monday 7:00 am
- Tuesday 4:00 pm
- Wednesday 7:00 am
- Friday 8:30 am, 3:30 pm, and 7:30 pm
- Saturday 8:30 am and 4:00 pm
- Heard in English and Spanish; also available by appointment
Adoration times
- Every Friday: 3:00–6:30 pm and 7:30–8:30 pm
- First Friday Adoration: 3:00–6:30 pm, then 7:30 pm through 7:30 am Saturday (overnight)
About St. Philip the Apostle Catholic Church
St. Philip the Apostle Catholic Church is a parish of the Diocese of Arlington serving Falls Church, Virginia, since 1962. Its mission is 'to know, love, and serve our Lord Jesus Christ, and, like St. Philip the Apostle, to share Christ with the people in our lives, our families, and our communities.' Its vision is 'a family of God's children, set aflame by the joy of the Gospel, a community of disciples inviting the world to "come and see."' The parish motto is simple: 'Come and see.' (Jn 1:47).
- Type: Parish (Catholic)
- Diocese: Arlington
- Patron: St. Philip the Apostle
- Founded: May 1962
- Parish motto: 'Come and see.'
- Self-description: 'The Church With A Welcome'
History of the Parish
St. Philip was founded in May 1962 when Bishop John J. Russell of the Diocese of Richmond purchased 12–15 acres in the Broyhill Park Subdivision and appointed Rev. L. Longiuire Speight as the first pastor. The parish was carved out of St. James of Falls Church, St. Michael of Annandale, and St. Anthony of Bailey's Crossroads, and was named for St. Philip, brother of James the Apostle — since the largest portion came from St. James. The first Mass was celebrated on September 9, 1962 in the auditorium of Whittier School; the first Mass in the new church was November 10, 1963, with the dedication on December 15, 1963. The school opened in September 1964 under the Sisters of Saint Joseph of Chestnut Hill, Pennsylvania, and the buildings and grounds were completed by February 22, 1967. A major renovation in 2007 transformed the original gym-style worship space, adding the eight-sided baptismal pool, four evangelist mosaics, and nine stained-glass windows.
- 1962 — Parish founded; first Mass at Whittier School
- 1963 — First Mass in new church (Nov 10); dedication (Dec 15)
- 1964 — School opens under Sisters of Saint Joseph
- 1965 — Fr. John T. Cilinski becomes second pastor
- 1967 — Church buildings and grounds completed
- 1981 — Fr. Charles A. Ryan becomes third pastor
- 1986 — Fr. Richard B. Martin becomes fourth pastor
- 1987 — 25th anniversary year-long celebration
- 1989 — Sisters of Saint Joseph depart; 'Corpus Christi' school formed with St. Anthony's
- 2007 — Major church renovation (baptismal pool, stained-glass windows)
- 2018 — Corpus Christi separates; St. Philip Early Childhood Center formed
- 2020 — St. Philip Early Childhood Center closes
Clergy & Parish Staff
The parish is currently served by a retired-pastor transition team: Fr. Denis M. Donahue is the long-serving pastor (priest for more than 30 years), with Fr. Philip D. Briggs as parochial vicar and Fr. Jamie Workman ('Fr. Jeb') named as incoming pastor (installation Mass on July 8). Fr. Michael C. Isenberg is in residence and serves as Diocesan Vocations Director. Two permanent deacons — Vincent Cong T. Nguyen and Rob Sardegna — complete the clergy team. Youth ministry is led by Sister Marie Benedict Elliott, F.S.E.
- Pastor — Rev. Denis M. Donahue (retiring)
- Incoming Pastor — Very Rev. Jamie Workman ('Fr. Jeb')
- Parochial Vicar — Rev. Philip D. Briggs
- Priest in Residence — Rev. Michael C. Isenberg (Diocesan Vocations Director)
- Permanent Deacon — Vincent Cong T. Nguyen
- Permanent Deacon — Robin W. (Rob) Sardegna
- Director of Religious Education — Pamela Copley (703-573-1899)
- Director of Youth Ministry — Sr. Marie Benedict Elliott, F.S.E.
- Director of Facilities — Jake Figueroa
- Secretaries — Sandra Reyes, Kim Whelan
- Music Director — Tim Dusenbury
Devotions & Prayer Life
Beyond Mass and Adoration, St. Philip sustains a steady devotional rhythm throughout the week, with opportunities in both English and Spanish. The First Saturday Rosary and Reflection at 7:00 am is a particularly distinctive devotion, and the Spanish-language rosary before the 1:00 pm Mass and Divine Mercy Chaplet before the 4:00 pm Mass give the Hispanic community a strong weekly prayer anchor.
- First Saturday Rosary and Reflection — 7:00 am (monthly)
- Rosary & Divine Mercy Chaplet in English — every Monday after the 7:00 pm Mass
- Rosary in Spanish — every Sunday 12:40 pm
- Divine Mercy Chaplet in Spanish — every Sunday 3:40 pm
- Seven Sisters Apostolate — a Holy Hour each day for a specific priest
Sacraments
St. Philip celebrates all the usual Catholic sacraments. Baptism, in particular, holds a prominent place in the church's identity: the eight-sided baptismal pool at the church entrance — symbolizing the 'eighth day' of re-creation, when Jesus rose from the dead — with mosaics of the four evangelists in its corners, signifies baptism as the door to the Church and the other sacraments. Marriage preparation, First Communion, Confirmation, Anointing of the Sick, and the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA / OCIA) are all available; parishioners are encouraged to contact the Rectory.
- Baptism — including infant baptism through the parish's distinctive eight-sided baptismal pool
- First Holy Communion
- Confirmation
- Matrimony (Marriage preparation)
- Anointing of the Sick
- Reconciliation / Confession (regular schedule plus by appointment)
- RCIA / OCIA (Becoming Catholic) — for adults
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Religious Education at St. Philip is offered in English and Spanish under Director Pamela Copley. The program includes the standard catechetical tracks and features a dedicated class for children with intellectual disabilities, overseen by parents of those children and trained volunteers. Each month during the academic year there are parent-formation presentations. Youth ministry is led by Sister Marie Benedict Elliott, F.S.E., of the Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist. The parish also runs the Trinity House Community 'Heaven in Your Home' family gatherings (in English and Spanish), a post-pandemic initiative helping families imitate the Trinity in daily life.
- Religious Education (English & Spanish) — Pamela Copley, DRE
- Youth Ministry — Sr. Marie Benedict Elliott, F.S.E.
- RCIA / OCIA (Becoming Catholic)
- Dedicated class for children with intellectual disabilities
- Monthly parent-formation presentations during the academic year
- 'Heaven in Your Home' family gatherings (Trinity House Community)
Music & Liturgy
St. Philip is known for a serious liturgical music program. The parish has three choirs — one English and two Hispanic. The English choir sings mainly polyphony from the 16th century to the present, and instead of an entrance hymn, the congregation sings the Propers — simple call-and-response settings composed by Music Director Tim Dusenbury. The same call-and-response format is used during Communion, followed by a traditional hymn.
- Three choirs (one English, two Hispanic)
- English choir repertoire: polyphony from the 16th century to the present
- Music Director / composer of Propers — Tim Dusenbury
- Pieces composed in-house for congregational call-and-response
Parish Ministries & Outreach
Outreach is a major pillar of parish life. The St. Philip Food Pantry is open for distribution on the 1st and 3rd Saturdays of each month from 8:30–10:00 am, and the parish partners with the diocesan Pro-Life Ministry (40 Days for Life campaigns at the Falls Church clinic, Respect Life, Gabriel Project, Walking with Moms in Need, Project Rachel). The parish also supports Meals on Wheels and the Seven Sisters Apostolate (a daily Holy Hour for a specific priest). Men are served by Knights of Columbus Council 17056.
- Food Pantry — 1st & 3rd Saturdays, 8:30–10:00 am (Amazon Wish List available; Spanish-speaking volunteers especially needed)
- Pro-Life Ministry — 40 Days for Life, Respect Life, Gabriel Project, Walking with Moms in Need, Project Rachel
- Knights of Columbus — Council 17056 (3rd Thursday, 7:45 pm)
- Seven Sisters Apostolate
- Meals on Wheels
School & Early Childhood Center
St. Philip opened its parish school in September 1964 under the supervision of the Sisters of Saint Joseph of Chestnut Hill, Pennsylvania. After 26 years the Sisters departed in 1989, the same year the school reorganized with neighboring St. Anthony's under the title 'Corpus Christi.' The preschool stayed at St. Philip and grades 1–8 moved to St. Anthony's. The combined 'Corpus Christi' school separated into two entities in 2018: St. Philip Early Childhood Center and St. Anthony of Padua School (which added preschool programs in 2019). The St. Philip Early Childhood Center closed in 2020.
- 1964 — School opens (Sisters of St. Joseph of Chestnut Hill, PA)
- 1989 — Reorganized as 'Corpus Christi' with St. Anthony's; Sisters of St. Joseph depart
- 2018 — Separation: St. Philip Early Childhood Center + St. Anthony of Padua School
- 2020 — St. Philip Early Childhood Center closes
Architecture & Sacred Art
The worship space began life in 1963 as a multi-purpose room (originally a gym and a place for parish events). The 2007 renovation transformed the sanctuary, installing a full baptismal pool at the entrance — an eight-sided design symbolizing the 'eighth day' of re-creation (the day Jesus rose from the dead), with mosaics of the four evangelists in its corners. Nine stained-glass windows were also installed: eight depict parables of Jesus (priests and deacons refer to them in their homilies), and the ninth — the 'St. John Window' — illustrates five vignettes of the life of St. Philip the Apostle as recorded in the Gospel of John. Together these features give visitors a deeply visual catechesis as they enter the church.
- Eight-sided baptismal pool (symbolizing the 'eighth day' of re-creation)
- Mosaics of the four evangelists in the pool's corners
- Nine stained-glass windows
- Eight parable windows (used in homilies)
- 'St. John Window' — five vignettes of St. Philip's life
- Baptismal pool located at the entrance to signify baptism as the door to the Church
Contact & Connect
Parishioners and visitors can reach the Rectory by phone, email, or in person. The parish shares news, schedules, and ministry opportunities on its website and Facebook page. Food pantry volunteers, prayer partners for the Seven Sisters Apostolate, and ministry leaders can sign up directly through the parish.
- Phone: (703) 573-3808
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: https://www.stphilipfc.org
- Facebook: facebook.com/StPhilipCatholicChurch
- Address: 7500 Saint Philip Court, Falls Church, VA 22042
- Office hours: Monday–Friday, 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. L. Longiuire Speight1962 – August 1965
First pastor; appointed by Bishop John J. Russell of Richmond when the parish was founded.
- Rev. John T. CilinskiAugust 1965 – May 1981
Second pastor; served for 16 years.
- Rev. Charles A. RyanJune 1981 – November 1986
Third pastor.
- Rev. Richard B. MartinNovember 1986 –
Fourth pastor; proclaimed a year-long 25th anniversary celebration in November 1987.
- Rev. Denis M. Donahue
Current pastor (priest more than 30 years at time of Catholic Herald profile); retiring; signed the parish history page.