Prayer Quilts

Prayer Quilts

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With the help of the SKD Ladies we are providing “Prayer Quilts” for parish members to support those in need for prayers that will come wrapped in a quilt, blessed by Father Murphy, to show the love and blessings of our faith community.

Requests for Prayer Quilts can be presented to the Knights by contacting Ellen Sivick at the SKD Office esivick@saint-stephen.org. If you would like to be a part of this project in any way, please send an email to SKDLadies@gmail.com or Bob Guiney at gk16793@vakofc.org.

Support the Bishop’s Lenten Appeal

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The Bishop’s Lenten Appeal (BLA) strengthens the bonds of faith that join us together as a Catholic family and provides the resources to assure the continued presence of Jesus Christ’s Gospel message and ministry across our diocese.

Whether promoting vocations, educating our future priests, providing lay ministry formation, teaching, evangelizing, providing outreach to youth, young adults and those in need, the programs and ministries of the BLA touch every parish and parishioner in our diocese.

See the video and flyer below to learn how your gifts to the Bishop’s Lenten Appeal benefit everyone within our diocese.


2021 Bishop’s Lenten Appeal Flyer

Donate Today
Please prayerfully consider supporting the Bishop’s Lenten Appeal. Letters have been mailed to all registered St. Katharine Drexel Mission parishioners or for your convenience, you can also donate online. Thank you for your support!

LEARN MORE

Save the Date – August 9th

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We will be hosting the St. Katharine Drexel Golf Tournament at Evergreen Country Club in Haymarket, VA on Monday, August 9, 2021.
9:00 AM – Registration
10:00 AM – Start of Play
11:30 AM – Lunch (while golfing)
3:30 PM – Dinner (tickets for dinner will be available)
More details to follow!!!

Statement on the Passage of Abortion Expansion Legislation

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Please see the joint statements of Bishop Burbidge and Bishop Knestout on the passage of abortion expansion legislation by the Virginia House of Delegates:

https://vacatholic.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/VA-Bishops-Statement-on-Abortion-Expansion-House-Vote-2021-Session.pdf

Message from Fr. Murphy

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Dear Parishioners of St. Katharine Drexel Mission,

This week we hope to have all events at St. Stephen the Martyr livestreamed. Thanks to a generous and technically connected parishioner, we hope to have this new service just in time for the latest pandemic resurgence.

The governor’s instructions haven’t changed our routine at Four Hills Farm and our venue for Sunday Mass. In addition, St. Stephen’s is still open, and we have Mass and Sacraments at the normally scheduled times. There is no obligation to attend Sunday Mass or feast days. Those who do attend are those who are healthy and those not sharing living space with those suffering from Coronavirus 19. They are expected to wear a mask unless they have medical reasons not to or are not yet five years old. We can sit up to 50% capacity observing social distancing with six feet between groups or individuals. Although I can’t provide an enclosed tent for those who prefer to sit outside, I do plan to have the parish hall wired for video and sound this Sunday.

Please see St. Katharine Drexel Mission 2020 Financial Report from Fr. Murphy on the financial status of our mission.

Building Committee Update

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Due to a recent relocation, David O’Flynn recently announced that he is no longer able to serve as chairperson of the St. Katharine Drexel Mission Building Committee. We wish to thank David for all of his efforts in moving our vision of forming a parish forward, and for the time and dedication that he so generously offered to our mission church throughout the years. His contracting knowledge and commitment to serving in this important capacity have moved St. Katharine Drexel Mission forward as we prepare to build our parish church in glory to God.

At this time, we wish to introduce you to the new chairperson of the St. Katharine Drexel Mission Building Committee, Tim Freeman. Below is a message from Tim to our SKDM community:

First, I would like to thank David O’Flynn for his years of dedication. Without his leadership and passion, we would not find ourselves in the position of being so close to our goals.

The generosity of the people of our parish is inspiring. Let me share the following:

  • 45% of families have pledged.
  • Our goal of raising $3M is within reach; we have received or have pledges for $2.9M.
  • We have been meeting with the Diocese of Arlington; they showed up in force at our recent committee meeting and we were highly encouraged by their support and excitement for us.
  • We will be meeting with the County next month and expect to move forward soon.

Fall of 2023 sounds like a long time, that is the date we set as a goal to move in; we hope to move that to the left if possible. In the meantime, I will commit to coming before the parish once a quarter to provide an update on our progress. Thank you for your generosity and pledges, please keep them coming. I also wish to thank Father Murphy for his steady leadership. Please keep Father Murphy and the committee in your prayers that we may bring this vision to reality.

Rosary Beads

Sunday Mass at 10:30 AM at Four Hills Farm

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St. Katharine Drexel Mission is now celebrating Sunday Mass at 10:30 AM at Four Hills Farm located at 4610 Sudley Road in Catharpin, VA. SKD parishioners are also welcome to attend Mass at St. Stephen the Martyr Church in Middleburg, VA.

Give through Faith Direct

Support SKD through Faith Direct

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St. Katharine Drexel needs your support now more than ever! Join the parishioners who are using Faith Direct for automated giving to St. Katharine Drexel Faith Direct offers a safe and secure way to donate to our parish in this time of uncertainty. There is no cost to you, and the program provides a great benefit to our parish.

Visit www.faithdirect.net

Use St. Katharine code: VA 786

Thank you for your continued support of our parish family.

Christ’s Peace,
Fr. Murphy

Please remember if you are using a third party provider to make your donation that your name is noted somewhere on the check.

Pastor’s Piece – August 29

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Today’s Pastor’s Piece is a letter from Bishop Burbidge regarding a day of prayer and fasting for peace in our communities on Wednesday, September 9, 2020.

Letter from Bishop Burbidge

Pastor’s Piece – August 22

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Last Friday and Saturday ten people in our parish completed their Sacraments of Initiation and were confirmed in the faith. I wish to
congratulate:

• Christian “José Sanchez” Arellano
• Anna “Rita of Cascia” Ferraro
• Eric “Joseph of Cupertino” Montalvo
• Zackery “Sebastian” Montalvo
• Giannina “Fatima” Obando
• Madeline “Augustine” Peters
• César Uriel Cortés-Cortés
• Mayra Graciela Vera-Ramos
• Anthoni Yanel Flores-Arellano
• Candace “Bernadette” Cooper

They have all participated in our parish program over the course of the past year and endured with patience and understanding all of the irregularities
that that entailed. While all of them have pledged to support and promote the faith with the newly received gifts of the Holy Spirit, Candace has taken the extra bold step of converting to the Catholic faith and making us her new family in Christ. It is always a pleasant reminder of the great treasure
that so often we take for granted in the Catholic Church.

Next year’s faith formation is already in the works. We have been reminding parents of the need to register their children for the new year, but I am also considering the need to plan RCIA again in English and Spanish. So far, I have six adults interested in English and one in Spanish. When I say RCIA, this can be convert-class, Catholics adults who need sacraments class or adult members of the parish who just want a refresher course. Please, call the parish office to notify us of your interest or the interest of an associate, and I’ll start planning when and where. The most likely start date is after Columbus Day.

This means that I’ve got to get some vacation time in between now and then. So, you won’t see me this week. As I hope that you are aware, our parish never really “shutdown” during the pandemic, Masses were available  even if they were not scheduled. Nevertheless, it has thrown everybodies’ schedules off and it has finally caught up with us. We’re finally shutting the Masses down. This week Monday – Saturday morning we won’t have Mass. The church will be open during business hours when there is staff to manage it. With all the irregularities, I can’t find a substitute priest to cover for my family’s trip to Virginia Beach this week. As Our Lord responded to His blessed mother’s request to attend a wedding feast, so Mrs. Murphy wouldn’t be too understanding if I was a “no-show” for the family’s vacation.  You’ll be in my prayers as I take the Mass on the road.

Christ’s Peace,

Fr. Murphy