Work Camp in the News!
The Fredericksburg Advance ran an article about St Mary’s Youth participating in the Diocesan Work Camp last week! You can read it here! We are so proud of our teens!
Parish Office Closed July 3 and 4
The Parish office will be closed all day on July 3 and 4 in honor of Independence Day.
From Our Pastor
Dear Folks,
A quick word, as I’m currently in Scotland to celebrate a wedding at St. Andrews. And yes—like anyone whowatched TV in the ’70s—I’ll be making a trip to Loch Ness to see if I can catch a glimpse of Nessie!
I’m typing this late at night, with the Loch Ness excursion planned for tomorrow. It’s a beautiful country, and I’ve seen some impressive castle ruins.
This coming weekend is the Fourth of July. I think this was always one of my favorite days of the year as a child—fireworks, Holy Mass, popsicles, and picnics! So much celebration.
Patriotism is not blind nationalism, but a form of love rooted in justice and charity. The Catechism addresses this as a specific expression of the Fourth Commandment: “Honor your father and your mother.”
It teaches, “The love and service of one’s country follow from the duty of gratitude and belong to the order of charity. ” —CCC 2239
I always appreciate that when we sing a patriotic song at the end of Mass, so many folks stay through the last verse! It sometimes means I’m out front waiting a bit for the post-Mass greetings—but it’s worth the wait!
God bless America—my home, sweet home!
pax,
Father John Mosimann
Thank you Father Cozzi
Fr. Cozzi’s last full day as a vicar at St Mary is today! He has been transferred to Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish in Winchester to oversee a new mission church to be created in Stephens City. We are grateful to Fr. Cozzi for all his tireless work and prayers for St Mary over the past four years! It won’t be the same without him!