"My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God." Psalm 63:2
Please do not respond to any email that comes from a Fr. Vander Woude gmail address. It is not from him.!
Upcoming News and Announcements - 11/6/2026
The Post Election message from Bishop Burbidge…
Prayer Shawls will be distributed after the 7:30am and 9:30m Masses on Sunday, November 8th in front of the church.
Boutique Ladies will have their Fall Sale next weekend in Farrell Hall at the Parish Center on Saturday, from 10:00am to 4:30pm and on Sunday from 8:30am to 1:00pm. Handmade gifts and crafts for all ages are available. Sweet shop has treats and jellies and relishes made by parishioners. Chili will also be available. Bakers are always welcome. See the bulletin for additional details.
The Parish Center Office will be closed on Wednesday, November 11th in observance of Veterans’ Day. Adoration will be available at the regular time.
“The Chosen” episode 1 of the 6th season will be shown on Saturday, November 14th starting with dinner at 6:00pm in St. Joseph’s Hall.
Boxes from the “Box of Joy” will be collected November 12-15. These boxes will benefit children of developing countries all over the world. Collection will be on Nov. 12-15 at the Parish Center.Men’s Night Out with the Pastor on Friday, November 13th at the Old Hall at the Historic Church starting at 7:00pm. Only men over 21 are asked to attend.
Bingo will be played on November 21st starting at 6:30pm in Farrell Hall. Chili and Hot Dog dinner will be available.Deacon Nick will continue his Monday series of talks entitled “Coffee, Creed and Catechism” after 9:15am Mass in Farrell Hall. The talk scheduled for Monday, November 16th has been postponed and the series will end on January 11, 2027.
SAVE THE DATE: The following events are coming up. Please make note on your calendar and watch for further information in our bulletin, on our website or in future Flocknotes!!
Scheduled Monthly Events:
- All-day Adoration is in the Parish Center Chapel from 7:00am until 7:00pm and on First Friday, all-night Adoration from 7:00pm is available in the church every First Friday with Saturday devotions on the First Saturdays of the month. All Night Adoration will be offered on Friday, November 6th.
- Young Adults gather for coffee and breakfast the first Sunday of the month after the 9:30am Mass every month.
- Luminaries of Holy Mary will meet on the first Monday of the month in the Conference Room from 5:00pm to 6:30pm to discuss Fatima and pray the Rosary.
- Patricians meet monthly on the first Monday of the month at 7:00pm in Farrell Hall to discuss Catholic topics.
- Family Adoration is normally offered every third Saturday of the month starting at 10:00am in the new church.
- Spaghetti Dinner and Pancake Breakfast are usually the second weekend of the month. Have a great dinner after the 5:00pm Mass on Saturday. Pancake Breakfast is served after the 7:30am and 9:30am Masses. Spaghetti Dinner and Pancake Breakfast will be this weekend, Nov. 7th/8th.
- Wipes and Formula will be collected during the weekend of the fourth Sunday of the month and donations can be left in the foyer of the Parish Center.
- The second collection on the third Sunday of the month is for debt reduction. The second collection this weekend is for Retirement for the Religious.
- Starting on September 18th, there will be a Sacred Heart of Jesus Holy Hour starting at 7:00pm in the church. Every third Friday Holy Hour will be devoted to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. See the bulletin for more information.
- Food Pantry donation bags are usually given out the first weekend of the month with the collection through the second Sunday at 1:00pm. Collection of bags will be this weekend.
- Martha’s Table 4th Sunday Sandwich Collection will be on the fourth Sunday, only from 1-3 PM. Drop off at the back of Farrell Hall (Door 4). Full details at tinyurl.com/MTSandwiches.
Upcoming Events:
St. Mary’s is pleased to offer Mass for the Deaf at the Historic Church on Sunday, November 22nd. Confession is available at 3:15pm with Mass starting at 4:00pm. There is a social hour in the Old Hall. Please RSVP to mprdloarl@gmail.com.
Amigos en Cristo, Friends in Christ invites all parishioners to a Mass celebrating Our Lady of Guadalupe on Saturday, December 12th in the church at 7:00pm with a potluck reception to follow in St. Joseph’s Hall.
Christmas Tree sales start Friday, November 27th. See the bulletin for times!! Come early for the best selection!!!
Looking for Volunteers Join us on Saturday, December 19th for Wreaths Across America Day as we honor our fallen heroes by placing remembrance wreaths. We are currently looking for active-duty members from all branches of the military-Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, and Space Force-to serve as our official wreath placers for this meaningful ceremony. If you are active-duty and would like to represent your branch, or if you know someone who is, please contact Thomas G. Komara at 703-323-0817 or tgkomara0913@gmail.com to sign up and help us honor those who served.
The St. Mary’s community is invited to continue supporting the Fairfax County Hypothermia Prevention Program to care for our unhoused neighbors during colder months. Our partner sites and dates are St John Neumann in Reston (Jan 17-24) and St Stephen’s in Burke (Feb 7-14). More information is in the Nov 22 and Nov 29 bulletin or contact mgilles866@gmail.com.
General Information:
Please do not drop off clothing, used toys and miscellaneous items in the vestibule as we are not collecting, and we do not have storage for donations at this time.
Not Catholic…but thinking about it? For more information contact Deacon Dave at deacondave@stmaryofsorrows.
Looking for good videos and information for children of all ages and adults…Check out Formed! Here are the instructions for how to sign up for Formed (free):To access the videos, go to formed.org/signup and then click “Continue to Sign up/Login”. Enter your email to create an account and when you get to the “Join your parish” page, search for “Saint Mary of Sorrows” and select the first option (5222 Sideburn Rd.) and click “Submit”.
St. Mary’s offers grief support through support groups and individual sessions, based on your needs. If you or someone you know is experiencing grief, please reach out. You don’t have to walk through it alone. Contact Kathy Maurer
griefcare4u@gmail.com
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griefcare4u@gmail.com7
Moving Foward
Click the link below to read about ways to pray for our deceased throughout the year and gain…
Plenary Indulgence and Partial Indulgence for the Poor Souls in Purgatory
Did you know that November is a special time dedicated to remembering and praying for our loved ones in purgatory? During the octave from November 1 to 8, you can earn a plenary indulgence for the departed if you pray in the cemetery during that time. You can receive a plenary indulgence every day for the deceased in Purgatory. To see the complete conditions, please use this link: https://www.catholicculture.
Continue to pray for the deceased in Purgatory throughout the month and year. They need our prayers.
Welcome from our Pastor
On behalf of our parish family, welcome to St. Mary of Sorrows parish website! We would love for you to join us on Sunday, and every day! Please look over our website and if we can be of help to you, please do not hesitate to contact me or a staff member. Our mission/vision statement is listed below to provide you with a deeper sense of our commitment to our Lord Jesus.
In Christ Through Mary,
Rev. Thomas P. Vander Woude, Pastor
