St. Philip Catholic Church News & Updates

Pilgrimage to Lourdes and Spain

Join Fr. Briggs from October 13th-24th, 2024, on a pilgrimage to Spain and Southern France. This pilgrimage is offered through ProRome Tours, and will travel in the footsteps of St. Ignatius of Loyola, St. Bernadette, and St. Teresa of Avila. Space is limited to 45 pilgrims, and is open to all. Visit the ProRome Website or scan the document below to register. 

Eat, Drink & Be Catholic RCIA Reunion

All are welcome to Evening Prayer at 6 pm in the church, followed by a potluck dinner in Hayden Hall to reunite and celebrate with those who have entered the Church in recent years. Please bring a dish to share. Donations for WorkCamp are welcome.



Contact the rectory or Suzanne Webb at suzannedwebb@hotmail.com for more details.

Arlington Camino Registration Deadline May 1



St. Philip will join other parishes to pray for vocations on a walking pilgrimage from St. John the Apostle Church in Leesburg to St. Thomas More Cathedral during Memorial Day weekend (May 25-26). Those 14 years and older may participate without a parent. Those under age 14 need a parent present to participate. Please contact Sister Marie Benedict Elliott, F.S.E. (youth@stphilipfc.org) for more information or to register before May 1.

A Chronological Study of the Gospel: Every Tuesday through June 25

St. Philip parishioners can partake in a chronological journey of the Gospels. Based on a study by Father John Riley, retreat master and spiritual director at the diocesan San Damiano Retreat Center, participants will be provided with daily readings from all four Gospels in the order they occurred.

An introductory Meeting will be held on Tuesday, April 9 after the 7 pm Mass in Room 4. The study will run through June 25 with discussion meetings held every Tuesday night.



Contact the rectory or Suzanne Webb at suzannedwebb@hotmail.com for more details.

Pray for our Priests

The Seven Sisters Apostolate is a call to strengthen the Church by ensuring that a Holy

Hour is prayed each day of the week for the sole intention of a specific priest for his deeper conformity to Christ. Interested? We are looking for women to fill outgoing open spots (one hour one specific day per week) and for subs for the upcoming year for groups praying for Fr. Donahue, Fr. Briggs, and Fr. Steven Walker (a Priest of the Diocese of Arlington currently serving in the Archdiocese of Military Services). Giving the gift of prayer is a great blessing! Our commitment year starts annually on or around the Feast of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, this year on June 7, 2024.

For more information on the Seven Sisters Apostolate, see sevensistersapostolate.org

Questions or to volunteer (in English) contact Dorothy at praystphilipfc@stphilipfc.org, or contact the Rectory (English or en Español) 703-573-3808

Young Adults: Faith on Fire

When: Thursday, April 25th starting at 7:30pm, talk begins at 8pm (ends around 9pm) Where: The fire-pit left of St. Philip’s church - (7500 St. Philips Ct, Falls Church VA)

What: A young adult event! Retired Colonel Mark E. Mitchell (a St. Philip's parishioner) will be giving a talk on "Centering your Life on Christ." S’mores, snacks, and refreshments will be provided for enjoyment, but please feel free to bring your own snacks or drinks to share!

Note: In the event of adverse weather, the event will be moved indoors to Room 4 at St. Philip’s (same time). Please reach out to George with any questions gvwieber@gmail.com.

Annual 4-Car Raffle

The tickets for the annual Car Raffle have been mailed. This is the same raffle that we have participated in for the last number of years. This year 4 vehicles will be raffled as well as a $20,000 cash drawing, along with additional cash drawings.

You will notice that the ticket returns are being processed at All Saints again this year. This is required by the Department of Charitable Gaming. The raffle continues to benefit our parish, specifically Work Camp and many other charitable causes throughout the diocese, as it has in the past. We hope that you will support our efforts by buying or selling your tickets. Please make your checks payable to All Saints.

Drawing will be held on Saturday, April 27, 2024, so please mail in your tickets if you have not done so.

Food Pantry

Don’t forget the Food Pantry when doing your grocery shopping. There is always “need.”

Currently, we especially need Jelly, Rice, Oil, Hearty Soups, and Drinks. For more information, please email eac2427@gmail.com.

• Make sure you don’t donate expired food items.
• We cannot accept dogfood or any kind of petfood.

Pray for Our Deceased

Longtime parishioner Fulgencio Marti passed away on April 5, 2024. His funeral will be on Tuesday, April 16, 2024 at 10:00 am. May he rest in peace.

Celebrate at the Diocese's Jubilee Fest

Bishop Burbidge invites you to the Diocesan Jubilee Fest at Warren County Fairgrounds in Front Royal, Virginia on Saturday, June 8, 2024!

Celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Diocese of Arlington with your parish family and thousands of faithful from across northern Virginia. Kick off the festival giving thanks to God with the celebration of the Holy Sacrifice of the

Mass, celebrated by Bishop Burbidge. Following Mass, enjoy live music by headliner Celtic rock band, Scythian. Head to arlingtondiocese.org/jubilee-fest to register.

Join the Diocese at the National Eucharistic Congress

You are invited to join the Diocese of Arlington for the historic 10th National Eucharistic Congress to be held at the Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana, July 17-21, 2024. Tour packages including accommodations and a ticket to the Congress are available through Corporate Travel Services.

For pricing and more information, check out our website at https://www.arlingtondiocese.org/national-eucharistic-revival/

Contact Sister Marie Benedict Elliott, F.S.E. for more information on St. Philip Youth Ministry.

Middle School BASH! Saturday, May 4, 2:30- 9:00 pm

Bishop Burbidge invites all middle school students (grades 6-8) of the Diocese to join him at BASH 2024 for music, games, inspirational speakers, confessions, and a Vigil Mass for Sunday! Please contact Sister Marie Benedict by April 29 to register. We will meet at and return to the St. Philip parish office. Registration costs $15. Learn more at: https://www.arlingtondiocese.org/youth-ministry/bash/

Night of Prayer: Sunday, April 21, 6:45-8:30 pm

St. Anthony of Padua parish hosts Eucharistic Adoration for high schoolers, with opportunities for intercessory prayer, confession, silent reflection, and praise and worship music. Parents are welcome, too! Meet at St. Philip at 6pm for Evening Prayer and carpool to St. Anthony. We will return by 9pm. Teens without a parent need a permission form (in the vestibule). You can also meet us at St. Anthony at 6:45pm

Saturday, April 20, Young Sacristans Following Mass at 8 am

Moms and daughters assist with preparing the church for Sunday worship, followed by reflection and refreshments, concluding at 10:30 am

Fellowship Fridays: Faith, Food, & Fun, 3-5 pm

Join students in grades 6, 7, and 8 for prayer, games, and refreshments to support one another in our journey of faith. Feel free to bring a friend!

Anima Christi High School Group: Sundays, 6-8 pm

Join high school students for prayer and fellowship on Sunday evenings.

"Come and have breakfast" (Jesus: Jn. 21:12),

Thursdays, 7:15-7:45 am

High school students are welcome to Room 4 for prayer and breakfast on Thursdays.

Read the Bulletin Online Every Friday

Get a jump on the week's news and read the St. Philip Parish Bulletin online every Friday here.

Are You Registered at St. Philip?

It is important that you are registered with the Parish of Saint Philip so we may adequately respond to your spiritual needs. Please note that you must be registered to receive a Sponsor letter or enroll your child in any of sacramental programs. If you are over the age of 21, you are asked to register independently of your parents. Registration forms are available in the Parish Office or online here.

Dear Friends in Christ,

We have arrived at the Forth Sunday of Easter, a Sunday that is often called “Good Shepherd Sunday.” This title comes to us because the Gospel reading each year on this Sunday focuses on the passages in the Gospel of John in which Christ identifies himself as the Good Shepherd who takes care of his sheep. Here at St. Philip’s, we are blessed to have this image memorialized for us in the stained glass window closest to the Sanctuary. In this window, we see that Jesus is willing to risk the safety of the ninety-nine sheep in order to save the one sheep that had been lost. What a consoling image for us to know the care God has for us.

In this week, we continue on our path learning about the Marks of the Church. In the last two weeks, we learned that the Church is both One and Holy because she is rooted in Christ. These first two Marks show us both the uniformity of the Church as well as its destiny, namely Heaven. This week, we move to the next Mark of the Church, namely that the Church is Catholic.

When we hear this word “Catholic,” we can often forget what this word really means.Very often, we can think that the word “Catholic Church” is simply the Church that follows the Pope, that has the Seven Sacraments, and that has a special devotion to Mary. All of these are true aspects of the Church, but they do not signify the meaning of the word “Catholic.” The word “Catholic” comes to us from the Greek word katholikos (or καθολικός for all you Greek scholars out there), and means “universal” or “general.”

In the early days of the Church, St. Ignatius of Antioch was the first writer to use this word in reference to all those who follow Christ. In his letter to the Smyrnaeans dated to around 107 A.D., St. Ignatius urges the Christians in Smyrna to follow the leadership of their bishop. In saying this, he indicates that all are meant to follow their shepherd, just as the universal Church (katholikē ekklēsía) is meant to follow Christ. By being universal, the Church is able to embrace all people of all cultures, lands, and languages under Christ, the Head.

What is interesting to know is that the Church’s character remains distinct in each Particular Church (another name for Diocese), but retains its universality by being united to the Supreme Church of Rome. Under the care of the Pope, each bishop has proper, immediate, and universal jurisdiction over his territory, and he is a symbol of Christ by virtue of being the successor of the Apostles. By remaining faithful to the authority of the Pope, each bishop is united to their brother bishops by professing the same faith that has been handed-down to them through the centuries.

The final dimension of the Church’s catholicity is that it is meant to be on a mission to spread the Gospel to all people. The good news of Jesus is meant for all mankind, and the Church is known as the “universal sacrament of salvation” (CCC #849). This mission has it’s root in the Trinity, and is meant to motivate all Christians to spread the faith to all men and women in their lives. May we have such zeal to bring the words of the Good Shepherd to all lost sheep in the world.

May Christ’s peace be with you!

Fr. Briggs

May 25-26: Arlington Camino walk/event

Jun 8: Diocesan Jubilee Festival in Front Royal

Jun 23: 2nd Annual KoC Childern's Carnival

Jul 17-21: 10th Annual National Eucharistic Congress

Jul 27: St. Philip Yard Sale