Parish Activities and Groups
Boy Scouts Troop 697
BSA Troop 697 is an all male, Scout-led, highly active Troop. We continue to grow and attract active members from the many Cub Scout Packs throughout the area, as well as from the Church, and military families stationed nearby. In our history since 1993, we have helped over 80 boys become Eagle Scouts. We have an activity each month of the year, more than half a dozen service projects, and several summer camp options.
Our primary focus is to build character, encourage leadership, and combine educational and fitness activities with lifelong values while having fun! Have questions, or want to join Troop 697? Email our Scoutmaster at david.l.huber@gmail.com All are welcome!
Catholic Study Groups
Catholic Study Groups provides a point of contact for a variety of small-group format Scripture/Catholic studies (led by lay people) within the parish. Contact Barbara Mahiques at b.mahiq@verizon.net, (202) 236-4059.
Compassionate Friends
A group for those hoping to find a purpose in a life that suddenly seems so empty. Whether your family has had a child die (at any age, from any cause) or you are trying to help those who have gone through this life altering experience, The Compassionate Friends exists to provide friendship, understanding, and hope to those going through the natural grieving process. Meets first Wednescay evening of the month at the K of C hall. Is open to all.
Cursillo Movement
Cursillos in Cristiandad (Cursillo) is a movement within the Catholic Church, begun in Spain in the 1940’s, which focuses on showing practicing Catholic laypeople how to become effective Christian leaders over the course of a three-day weekend which includes fifteen talks given by priests and by laypeople. The major emphasis of the weekend is to ask participants to take what they have learned back into the world, on what is known as the “fourth day.” The method stresses personal spiritual development, as accelerated by weekly group reunions after the initial weekend.
Tues. afternoon Women
Tues. evening Women
Sat. morning Women
Monday evening Men
Wed. evening Men
Sat. morning Men
Destination: Sainthood
Group of laity coordinating some activities focused on saints including, Movie Nights with videos related to saints, publication of a pamphlet focused on the relics in our altar, and occasional bulletin inserts focused on a particular saint. Additional members are always welcome to this group.
FACETS - Hot Meals Prep & Distribution
FACETS is a County program that serves individuals and families who are homeless, low income, unstably housed, and/or at risk of homelessness. You can find out more about FACETS and the Program we work with, by visiting facetscares.org and under Programs click on Hot Meals Food Distribution. St. Mary’s has two groups that work with the Hot Meals program – one group on the third Wednesday of every other month; the other on the fifth Friday of the month when it occurs. Volunteers donate bread, bananas or cookies and some also help on site to assemble the meals. Contact Barbara Mahiques at b.mahiq@verizon.net, (202) 236-4059 or janet.pedneau@gmail.com, (703) 278-8128.
Food For Others (Burke)
Five teams meet at the Parrish Center each Thursday at around 5:30 to pack and deliver food to two parking lot locations in Burke Centre until 6:50 PM. See the Food for Others group page for more information.
Funerals, Burials and Funeral Receptions
Please contact Emily Tunney, emilyt@stmaryofsorrows.org, when the time comes for a Funeral Mass so that she can send you the information needed for the Mass and for our records. At this time, she will also make the arrangements for the date and time of the Funeral Mass along with a Priest who will be available for that Mass. If you have a preference for a Priest, please make that known at this time.
If a Funeral Reception is needed, please let Emily know so that she can book a Hall for you and arrange for our Funeral Volunteers to help you out with setting up the reception or with planning for a caterer.
If a Burial is involved with the Funeral Mass, the burial, if at the Historic Church Cemetery, will take place directly after the Mass, or anther cemetery. If the burial is to occur at a later date, please make that known.
If you are in need of a burial place at the Historic Church Cemetery, please let Joyce Rutkowski joycer@stmaryofsorrows.org know so that arrangements can be made before the Funeral Mass to purchase a place under these guidelines:
1. if you are a Parishioner of St Mary of Sorrows (of at least one year) then you have direct access to purchasing a site
2. if you are not a Parishioner of St Mary of Sorrows, then you must contact the Pastor, Fr. Barkett (call the reception desk to ask to speak to Father at x100),
to obtain permission to purchase a site at the Historic Church Cemetery.
If you are interested in Preplanning a Funeral Mass for you or a family member, and would like to do this when you are not overwhelmed at the time of a death, please contact Joyce by email so that she may send you the information needed for setting up a Mass, including the Readings – along with the information needed for our records. You may keep this copy with your records until the time comes.
Please see the Cemetery Webpage for more information.
Funeral Reception Committee
The Funeral Reception committee works with the deceased family to provide a gathering after the Funeral Mass . The committee sets up the room and buffet and serves the food (provided by the family) for an after-Mass gathering.
HomeAid
Knights of Columbus volunteers provide manpower to assist those in need with projects around the home. One does not have to be a Catholic or a resident of Fairfax County to apply for support.
Examples of support include painting rooms, trimming tree limbs, removing dead trees, constructing wheelchair ramps, clearing brush, and moving furniture.
If you need help, request it here: https://www.kofc8600.org/homeaid.html
Homebound Ministry
The group brings Communion to homebound parishioners. Call the parish office to make a request.
Kids’ Stuff Sale
Many hands make light work- Moms, Dads, Kids, Teens, Grandparents- All are welcome to help with this annual event that spans 1 week(assistance is needed in mornings/afternoons/evenings). We need help setting up, connecting with charities to donate to, advertising (signage and social media), accepting donations, sorting and folding clothes, pricing items, , cashiers and bagging merchandise on the day of the sale, runners to help take items to cars, take items to charities after the sale, and clean up crew. We are also looking for a couple of adults to shadow the event this year to help with planning for future sales as our leaders are stepping down after helping/running the event over the past 20 years.
We help YOU de-clutter your homes with outgrown kid’s clothes (infant through teen) and maternity wear, toys, infant and kid’s furniture; we help EACH OTHER to purchase nice items at a bargain price, we help our COMMUNITY with giving items to a dozen or more CHARITIES, and the proceeds from the sale go back to our Parish Family Life Ministry to bring YOU programs to enhance family friendly faith activities.
Knights of Columbus
The Knights of Columbus is a global Catholic fraternal service order with more than two million members who embrace the foundational principles of Charity, Unity, Fraternity, and Patriotism. Founded in 1882 to meet the needs of immigrants, refugees and families suffering from the death of a breadwinner, the Knights are Catholic men who lead, serve, protect and defend the Church, our families and our nation. Saint Mary of Sorrows Council 8600 puts faith into action through a variety of faith, family, life, and community programs that support our parish and Church.
Labor Day Picnic Committee
Coordinates parish-wide efforts to provide the historic St. Mary’s Labor Day picnic, a fun-filled activity focused on family, food, fun and faith. Additional members are always welcome to this group.
Lamb Center Hot Lunches
The Lamb Center is a drop in program for the homeless and poor in Central Fairfax where lunch is provided for 100 guests every day of the year except Sunday’s and holidays. Breakfasts are also provided for 30 to 50 over the same period. Faith sharing is held in the mid morning and afternoon. Showers and laundry facilities are available at the center as are job counseling and computer support assets. The center is open from 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Money Counters
Responsible for counting and depositing monies collected according to diocesan and parish rules and reporting to comptroller in such a way that they can be appropriately allocated to various funds. See schedule.
Preschool
St. Mary’s Preschool is 25 years young and growing! We offer faith and play based activities that are developmentally appropriate for the age groups we serve. We have several half day and full day options for families to choose from for their 2 1/2 to 5 year old children to attend our school. We offer 15% discount for siblings and 25% discount for twins. For more information, go to our webpage or contact us at preschool@stmaryofsorrows.org or 703-978-4557 to schedule a tour.
Pro-Life
The Pro-Life group conducts annual reviews of Fairfax County Public Schools’ Family Life Education curriculum; provides reviews and chart at parentandchild.org and delivers presentations on Family Life Education curriculum to local parishes and groups. We oversee the pro-life resource website 123chatwithme.org. and parish activities with A Best Choice mobile ultrasound clinic. We deliver pro-life presentation: When a Friend Says I’m Pregnant to high school and college students and we conduct ad hoc pro-life events and activities.
Scouting Religious Awards
A Scout is Reverent – Scouting Religious Awards
Through the Diocese’s Catholic Committee on Scouting all Cub Scouts, Girls Scouts, Scouts-BSA, Venture Scouts, American Heritage Girls and Campfire Girls are eligible to earn age appropriate Scouting Religious Awards. In addition, all scouts, youth and adult, can earn the beautiful Rosary and Saints Patches.
Activities to work on with family members: http://www.nccs-bsa.org/emblems-awards/footsteps.php for the list of Saints.
http://nccs-bsa.org/activities/index.php for the list of Marian/Rosary/Adoration activities
Catholic Religious Emblems were developed in a faith development program that provides experiences to enhance formal religious education a scout is receiving. Several books are available in English and Spanish. For K-5 grade scouts, we have program books to follow individually at home over a few weeks to complete. For middle and high school programs, we form small groups with adult facilitators for 6-9 months to complete the program. Mary the First Disciple, Ad Altare Dei and Pope Pius XII TEEN groups are forming now.
For more information, Contact the Parish Scouting Religious Awards Coordinator, Michelle Huber at mhhuber05@gmail.com or (703) 978-4557.
So Others Might Eat
The So Others Might Eat (SOME) ministry prepares a hot, fresh breakfast to approximately 250-300 distressed individuals on a periodic basis. SOME is a well-established organization based in Washington, D.C. that among other things, runs a kitchen that provides meals twice a day 365 days a year to those in need.
We have been providing the food and cooking breakfast 8-9 Saturdays/Sundays a year for some time now and welcome new volunteers. The time commitment is minimal as long as you don’t mind being available beginning at 5:30 in the morning. We traditionally provide the transportation to the D.C. location and usually return by 9:00.
If this type of service interests you, reach out to Jeff Kramer kramerjeff368@gmail.com or Laurie Slack lslack394@gmail.com.
St. Lucy Project
SMoS provides support to the Saint Lucy project which focuses on feeding the hungry. This program is operated and overseen by Catholic Charities office and warehouse in Manassas, Virginia providing pick up and delivery services for any and all parishes in the Arlington Diocese, distributing as well as to local food banks.
St. Mary of Sorrows Parish Yard Sale
Each summer SMoS accepts donations from all sources, then prices and sells the items to the community. The dates vary every year depending on availability of facilities. Donation drop-off and the sale are in Farrell Hall and St. Joseph Hall. Acceptable items include toys and games, hand tools, power tools, yard tools, kitchen tools, cookware, dishes and utensils, sporting goods, artwork, décor items, rugs, holiday decorations, furniture (that is easily transportable), Catholic religious items and literature, and more. Details are in the parish bulletin during the months leading to the sale.
New and experienced volunteers are welcome & encouraged! Volunteers are entitled to shop early and are provided with lunch each day.
That Man is You!
That Man is You! is a men’s group that tackles real issues facing real men. It looks at the leadership role that has been entrusted to men and addresses the temptations and struggles men face in a culture that attacks authentic manhood. That Man is You! helps formulate a plan that allows men to overcome these obstacles. Nationwide, men who have attended the That Man is You! program and Catholic their whole lives say this is the program they’ve been waiting for. Priests say that it literally transforms men and saves marriages.
We meet every Saturday, Spring and Fall, starting at 7:15 am in St. Joseph’s Hall. After coffee, breakfast and fellowship, presentation combines scientific research with the teachings of the Church and wisdom of the saints, we breakout into small groups for discussion and then end at 8:30 to gather back with family or attend Mass. A second group meets on Thursday evenings in Farrell Hall starting at 7:15 PM in Fall and Spring.