Welcome
Just as Jesus welcomes every person with open arms, we at St. Mary welcome the presence and involvement of all of our members – whether they are longtime members, new families, or just recently returning to the Church. Each person has a unique contribution to make and we welcome you! We invite you to Join St. Mary.
A Long and Rich History
St. Mary Church was founded in 1858 and has grown from “The Fredericksburg Mission,” serving 20-plus families to currently serving over 4,200 families, that’s 17,000+ parishioners!
Our Bishop and Priests
St. Mary Church is part of the Diocese of Arlington. Our bishop is the Most Reverend Michael Burbidge. We are blessed with five full-time diocesan priests, Fr. John Mosimann, Pastor, Fr. Kevin Dnasereau, Parochial Vicar, Fr. Tim Courtney, Parochial Vicar, Fr. Philip Cozzi, Parochial Vicar, and Fr. Robert Renner, Parochial Vicar. In addition to our Parish Priests, we are assisted by our permanent deacon, Deacon Alberto Bernaola.
Getting Involved
St. Mary Catholic Church is a Stewardship Parish. We believe that God reveals His perfect and infinite love for us most visibly in His Son, Jesus Christ. We are called to follow Him. Using Christ’s example of prayer, gift of self, and generosity we strive as a Parish Family to be living stewards of our many blessings.
Just a word about getting involved. First of all, our family is a family formed by faith. By coming to know God better together, we will grow together as the Body of Christ. And, just as in any organization, one feels more at ease–more connected–if he or she steps in and gets involved. We can’t stress enough how important it is for you and your family to jump in and volunteer for a ministry. As you will learn, there are over 80 active ministries here at St. Mary. They range from liturgy, education, outreach, operations to parish life. They were all created to draw us closer to our Lord in service, worship and community. This is a large parish and one may very easily feel lost, please, jump in and get connected – you will soon feel like St. Mary is a second home to you and your family. If you’d like to know how to get involved at St Mary or what ministries are in need of volunteers, download our ministry catalogue, or fill out our Charism Inventory and drop it off in the office or in the collection basket any Sunday, or contact our parish Stewardship Committee at stewardship@stmaryfred.org!
Christian Formation for All Ages
Christian formation is a cornerstone of our parish life. We have an excellent religious education program for our adults, teens and children.
Our Parish Schools
Holy Cross Academy is our parish elementary and middle school, teaching K-8. It is located in South Stafford just 8 miles from our Church. At our parish school, our students grow spiritually, academically, physically and emotionally. We are dedicated to the education of the whole child, and to the good of each child.
St. Mary Preschool is located in the St. Mary Activity Center next to the Church. Our little ones, ages 3 and 4, are nurtured spiritually and academically in a loving environment led by Mrs. Sherri Castellarin and her amazing team of teachers. The children enjoy learning and loving the Catholic faith and music abounds in the classrooms.
Our Boundaries
That portion of the City of Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania County beginning at the Rappahannock River and Interstate 95 – South on I-95 to Fall Hill Avenue – Southwest on Fall Hill Avenue to Bragg Hill Road – South on Bragg Hill Road to Plank Road (Rt. 3) – West on Plank Road to Salem Church Road (Rt. 639)- South on Salem Church Road to Harrison Road (Rt.620) – East on Harrison Road to Lafayette Blvd. (U.S. 1 Business) – North on Lafayette Blvd. to the City Limits of Fredericksburg – East along the City Limits of Fredericksburg to the Rappahannock River; and that part of Stafford County which lies to the south of the Potomac Creek, including Hartwood, from the Fauquier County line to the King George County line.