St. John Neumann Catholic Church sits on eighteen acres off Lawyers Road in southern Reston, near the traffic light at Lawyers and Steeplechase Drive. Established on July 5, 1979, by Bishop Thomas J. Welsh to serve the growing Catholic population of South Reston and parts of Herndon, Vienna, and Fairfax, the parish has grown from 800 founding families to more than 2,500 registered households today. Its three Oblate priests, two deacons, and twenty-two staff members shepherd a culturally diverse congregation of more than 8,500 people in the spirit of St. Francis de Sales.
Living the Gospel with Compassion, Humility, and Gentleness
The parish's motto captures its mission. "We, the faithful of St. John Neumann Catholic Church, commit ourselves to celebrating and giving witness to the presence of God in our midst by living the Gospel to its fullest. May we do all things in the spirit of St. Francis de Sales with compassion, humility, and gentleness." That Salesian character is not incidental: St. John Neumann was founded under the ministry of the Oblates of St. Francis de Sales (OSFS), and the order made a commitment to staff the parish with its own Oblate priests. Salesian Spirituality is woven throughout the parish's offerings: classes, presentations, and Live Jesus events are regularly held to promote and teach the spirituality of St. Francis de Sales and St. Jane de Chantal.
Sunday Mass and the Weekday Rhythm
Saturday worship begins at 5 p.m. with the Vigil Mass. Sunday brings four English Masses at 7:30 a.m., 9:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m., and 5 p.m., and one Spanish Mass at 2 p.m. Reconciliation is offered on Saturday from 10 to 10:30 a.m. in English and on Sunday from 3 to 4 p.m. in Spanish. Weekday Masses are celebrated Monday through Friday at 9 a.m., with additional 12:10 p.m. Masses on Wednesday and Friday. On the first Thursday of each month, the Blessed Sacrament is exposed for Eucharistic Adoration in the chapel from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m.
The Sunday 9:30 a.m. English Mass and the 2 p.m. Spanish Mass are livestreamed each week, with recordings available for at least a week. A monthly Taizé Prayer is held in the bell tower at 7:30 p.m., and Stations of the Cross are prayed in English in the church and in Spanish in the chapel each Friday of Lent, followed by a soup supper and speaker in the Brown-McCarthy Auditorium.
From a Theater to a 1,150-Seat Sanctuary
St. John Neumann's history is one of remarkable growth. For the first three years, while the new church was being built, weekend Masses were celebrated on Sunday mornings in the Hunter Woods Center Theater, and daily Mass was offered in parishioners' homes and the first rectory at 11901 Blue Spruce Road. The parish's first pastor, Rev. John A. Heenan, OSFS, served from 1979 to 1990. He was followed by Rev. Anthony J. Larry, OSFS (1990-1991), Rev. Robert A. Brown, OSFS (1991-2005), Rev. Thomas E. Murphy, OSFS (2005-2016), and Rev. Joseph T. Brennan, OSFS (2016-2024). The current Parochial Administrator is Fr. Marc S. Gherardi, OSFS.
On June 28, 1982, the original 550-seat church was dedicated. The parish center and rectory were built in 1990-1991. By the late 1990s, attendance exceeded the original worship space, and in October 1996 the official request for a larger church was made to the Diocese of Arlington. After years of design challenges, Coakley and Williams Construction was awarded the contract in 2002. Parishioners signed one of the steel I-beams before it was erected in the entrance cover. The bell tower rose on June 5, 2003, and its three computer-controlled bells, which ring in the notes of G, B, and D and collectively weigh 2,500 pounds, were installed in early 2004. The first Mass in the new worship space was celebrated on Palm Sunday, April 4, 2004. The 1,150-seat sanctuary includes a new altar, baptismal font, Marian area, and a Rodgers Trillium T967 organ with three manuals and 75 stops. Bishop Paul Loverde presided over the formal dedication on May 23, 2004.
The Patron: An American Saint
St. John Neumann was born on March 28, 1811, in Prachalitz, Bohemia, and ordained a Redemptorist in 1842, becoming the first priest to enter the Congregation in America. As fourth Bishop of Philadelphia (1852-1860), he administered the country's largest diocese, founded the first diocesan Catholic school system, introduced the Forty Hours Devotion to America, and built churches at the rate of nearly one per month. Affectionately called the "Little Bishop" for his five-foot-four-inch stature, he died suddenly on a Philadelphia street in 1860 and was canonized in 1977, the first male American saint. The parish takes its name from him and carries on his missionary spirit in northern Virginia.
Music That Lifts the Liturgy
Music at SJN is supported by two baby grand pianos, a Rodgers organ in the church with nine ranks of Ruffati pipes, and another Rodgers organ in the chapel. The music program includes the St. John Neumann Chorale, which rehearses and sings for the 9:30 a.m. Sunday Mass, the Women's Ensemble, the Bell Choir (open to high school students and adults, rehearsing on select Mondays from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m.), and the Children's and Youth Choirs. The Contemporary Ensemble and Instrumentalists rehearse on Sundays from 4 to 5:15 p.m. and lead music at the 5 p.m. Mass, with a repertoire rooted in contemporary and gospel styles. Cantors are scheduled across the various Masses. Monthly Taizé Prayer, annual Lessons and Carols, and the occasional concert round out the musical life of the parish.
Faith Formation from Kindergarten through High School
Children's Faith Formation serves students in kindergarten through fifth grade at three weekly sessions: Sundays from 8:45 to 10 a.m., Sundays from 10:45 a.m. to noon, and Tuesdays from 5:15 to 6:30 p.m. The Family Program offers an alternative for preschool through fifth grade, meeting once a month on Saturdays from 9 to 10:30 a.m. with parents and children learning together. First Reconciliation and First Eucharist preparation are coordinated through the Faith Formation Office.
Middle schoolers in grades six through eight are served by Rooted, the parish's middle school faith formation program. Rooted follows a retreat model built around seven two-and-a-half-hour sessions and two longer retreat days, emphasizing learning, fellowship, service, prayer, and fun. Branching Out complements Rooted with social, service, and faith-growing experiences for the same age group. Confirmation preparation begins in the spring of eighth grade and is celebrated in the fall of ninth grade.
High school youth ministry gathers teens in grades nine through twelve for weekly youth nights built around prayer and worship, Christian formation, fellowship, and outreach. Three overnight retreats are offered each year, along with Guys and Girls Small Groups that meet the first Sunday of each month, Salesian Youth Masses with food and fellowship after Mass, and Mass and Lattes gatherings during school breaks. Service opportunities include the Knights of Columbus Charity Breakfast the first weekend of each month and Mini-WorkCamp projects partnered with Cornerstones. Each year, the Rooted and High School programs partner with Cross Catholic Outreach to pack more than 50,000 meals for those in need.
Adapted Religious Education
SJN is committed to walking with families whose members have developmental or intellectual disabilities. The Adapted Religious Education program serves elementary-age to adult parishioners with specially tailored catechesis, and Confirmation preparation is available through the same ministry. Volunteers are trained and supported through the Faith Formation Office.
Becoming Catholic and Adult Formation
Adults who wish to complete their initiation into the Catholic Church are welcomed through the OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults) process. Adult Confirmation is celebrated annually at the Cathedral of St. Thomas More in Arlington at Pentecost. Adult faith formation offerings include Cursillo ("short courses in Christianity"), JustFaith, Little Rock Scripture Study, Road to Emmaus Bible Study, Salesian Spirituality classes, the ARISE Together in Christ small-group program, and Touchstones, a group for senior parish men that meets on the second and fourth Thursdays of the month. Vacation Bible School welcomes children each summer with a themed week of crafts, movement, storytelling, and games.
The Seven Sacraments
Baptism is celebrated multiple weekends a month at 11:30 a.m. or 12:30 p.m. on Saturdays. Parents who are registered parishioners attend a preparation class on the second Thursday of the month at 7 p.m. in Room A3. First Reconciliation, First Eucharist, and Confirmation are prepared through the parish's formation programs. Marriage preparation begins with contacting the parish office, and wedding coordinators assist couples one week prior to the wedding with final arrangements and rehearsal. Anointing of the Sick is available to those facing serious illness or surgery; parishioners can contact the parish office to arrange for a priest to visit. The parish office maintains a calendar of dates and times for Mass intentions, including Masses celebrated for the deceased or for special occasions.
Liturgical Ministries
More than a dozen liturgical ministries invite adult parishioners to share their gifts. Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion (at least 21 years old and trained through the Diocese of Arlington) distribute the Eucharist at Sunday and Holy Day liturgies, while a separate team brings Communion to homebound parishioners each Friday morning. Lectors proclaim the Scripture readings, Greeters welcome worshippers at the door, Ushers assist with seating and the collection, and the Welcome Desk team answers questions after Mass. The Art and Environment Committee designs and builds seasonal décor for Advent, Christmas, Lent, and Easter. The Linen Committee cares for the albs, altar linens, and baptismal garments, all of which are handmade by parish volunteers for each newly baptized child. Wedding Coordinators support couples through rehearsal and the day itself, while Holy Housekeepers keep the church and chapel tidy. Music ministries, the Altar Server program (open to children who have completed fourth grade), Children's Liturgy of the Word (offered at the 9:30 a.m. Sunday Mass for children in grades K-6 from September through May), and Youth Lectors round out the ways parishioners of every age serve at the altar.
Pastoral Care and Prayer
Beyond the sacraments, the parish walks with members through life's joys and sorrows. A Prayer Chain of more than twenty volunteers lifts up intentions simultaneously across the parish, and a Prayer List adds names to the bulletin and the Prayers of the Faithful. The Book of Intercession, located in the bell tower near the baptismal font, collects handwritten intentions at every Mass. The Prayer Vigil for Peace, Life, and Justice gathers on the first Saturday of each month from 4 to 4:45 p.m. with the Scriptural Rosary for Justice and Peace, sponsored by Pax Christi SJN. A parish nurse is available for health-related questions and visits, and the Meal Ministry delivers home-cooked meals to families recovering from hospital stays or facing crisis.
Ministerio Hispano
The Spanish-speaking community is served through Ministerio Hispano, which coordinates the 2 p.m. Sunday Mass in Spanish, Spanish-language Reconciliation from 3 to 4 p.m. on Sundays, Spanish Stations of the Cross during Lent, and the annual Niño Jesús outreach to a sister parish. Celia Sandoval serves as Hispanic Coordinator. A dedicated Spanish bulletin is published, and faith formation calendars are available in Spanish.
Outreach to the Community
SJN's commitment to Catholic Social Teaching is lived out through more than twenty-five outreach ministries coordinated by Director of Outreach Jo-Ann Duggan. The annual Hypothermia Prevention Shelter, now in its eighteenth year, welcomes around seventy guests each January in partnership with St. Thomas à Becket, St. Mark, and St. Mary of Sorrows Catholic Churches, Congregation Beth Emeth, and Fairfax County's Hypothermia Prevention Program, facilitated by FACETS. On the second Saturday of each month, parishioners visit one of the homes run by the Missionaries of Charity in Washington, D.C. to serve dinner to about fifty guests at a hospice for people with advanced AIDS. On the second Tuesday of each month, another team prepares and serves dinner at Carpenter Shelter in Alexandria.
The Samaritan Ministry offers short-term financial assistance to needy individuals, working alongside Catholic Charities and Fairfax County Coordinated Services Planning. Kairos Prison Ministry sends volunteers into the Fairfax Adult Detention Center for one-on-one visits, Bible study, faith sharing, and sacramental preparation. Welcome the Stranger partners with Catholic Charities Diocese of Arlington to help newly arrived migrant and refugee families find housing, supplies, transportation, employment, and educational support. Racial Justice Ministry educates the parish, advocates for public policies that uphold human dignity, and partners with Virginians Organized for Interfaith Community Engagement (VOICE), JustFaith Ministries, and the Ignatian Solidarity Network. The Pro-Life Ministry meets on the third Thursday of each month, prays at abortion facilities, attends the annual March for Life in Washington and the Virginia March for Life in Richmond, and supports the Laurel Learning Center and local pregnancy resource centers throughout the year.
The Care for Our Common Home ministry leads the parish's response to Pope Francis's Laudato Si', with a year-four action plan, a prayer loop behind the church, and efforts to reduce the parish's carbon footprint. The Separated and Divorced Ministry meets on the second Wednesday of each month at 7 p.m. in the Social Room. The Recovery and Addiction Ministry provides confidential guidance and referrals for individuals and families affected by substance-use disorder. The Always Our Children ministry gathers on the third Wednesday of each month at 7 p.m. for fellowship and conversation with LGBTQI+ families and friends.
Parish Organizations and Groups
The Knights of Columbus hosts a charity breakfast the first weekend of each month. Boy Scout Troop 124 is chartered through the parish. The 50+ Group organizes social outings, dinners, museum trips, and community service projects for parishioners age fifty and older. The Moms Group gathers mothers of all ages for playgroups, stroller walks, wine nights, guest speakers, and faith-based encouragement, with events held roughly three times a month. Touchstones provides a long-standing fellowship for senior men, and the Legion of Mary meets regularly for apostolic work.
The Preschool: A Ministry to Young Families
St. John Neumann Catholic Preschool operates under the direction of the Arlington Diocese Office of Catholic Schools and is licensed by the Commonwealth of Virginia. Half-day classes are offered for 2½- and 3-year-olds (Tuesday/Thursday), 3-year-olds (Monday/Wednesday/Friday), and 4-year-olds/Pre-K (Monday through Friday), each from 9:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. Optional Before Care runs from 8:30 to 9:15 a.m. and Lunch Bunch from 12:15 to 1:30 p.m. Monthly chapel time, religious-education themes integrated into the curriculum, and hands-on exploration of the parish's wooded grounds help children grow in faith and wonder. A three-week summer camp runs in June with themed weeks such as "America the Beautiful," "Let's Create," and "Nature All Around." The Preschool Tuition Angel Fund provides partial scholarships for families who need financial assistance.
Stewardship and Giving
SJN is supported by 2,453 registered families and an estimated 8,500 total parishioners, with an annual volunteer corps of more than 650 people giving over 41,000 service hours to approximately 26,500 individuals, both parishioners and neighbors in need. Online giving is available through the parish's Realm database, and special collections are scheduled throughout the year. Donations to the Hypothermia Prevention Shelter, Rooted Service Projects (which fund meal-packing events with Cross Catholic Outreach), the Angel Fund, and the Preschool Tuition Angel Fund can all be made online. The annual Stewardship appeal supports the parish's operating budget and outreach ministries. Pastoral and Finance Councils advise the pastor on parish life and finances, and parishioners with financial, legal, construction, business, or fundraising experience are encouraged to make their interests known.
Columbarium
A columbarium on the parish grounds offers parishioners the option of inurnment at the church.
Getting Involved
More than 75 active ministries welcome new volunteers. Bringing the Eucharist to the homebound accounts for about 3,000 visits a year by 55 volunteers. Faith Formation draws more than 650 volunteers each year. Outreach ministries engage over 2,000 volunteers in 22,500 service hours annually. The Parish and Ministry Guide lists every opportunity. The Welcome Desk, open each weekend, helps newcomers connect to a ministry, parish registration, or simply answers questions about church activities.