History of Our Lady Queen of Peace
The history of Our Lady Queen of Peace (OLQP) is written in the dedication, loyalty, hard work and prayers of countless people who gave life to a dream. It represents the culmination of the courageous efforts of a small group of Black Catholics who took Jesus at his word and laid the foundation for a worshipping community that welcomes all as sisters and brothers, and as members of the great family of God.
In 1945, Bishop Peter Ireton granted the request of sixteen Black Catholics to establish their own church in Arlington County where they could worship in dignity. They were Joseph Bowman, Clarence & Selena Brown, Alice Butler, Lawrence & Jessie Butler, Irma Carter, Hattie Ellis, Mary Fernanders, Edward Marshall, Grace McGwinn, Edward & Alice Moorman, Constance Spencer, Sophia Terry and Thaddenia West. In their name and memory, we give life to a dream with the joy of sharing and handing on our story.
On September 20, 1946, a groundbreaking ceremony was held for the construction of the new church. On Pentecost Sunday, June 15, 1947, Bishop Ireton dedicated Our Lady Queen of Peace Church. Since the beginning, Holy Ghost Fathers of the Spiritan community have served the OLQP parishioners as pastors, including: Fr. Hackett, Fr. Kanda, Fr. Jones, Fr. White, Fr. Ray, Fr. Healy, Fr. Duaime, Fr. Tuozzolo, and Fr. Hickey.
During the 75 years of the history of OLQP, a commitment to social justice and racial equality has been its hallmark. The dedication of parishioners is embedded in Matthew 25:35, “I was hungry and you fed me, thirsty and you gave me drink; a stranger and you welcomed me.” The concept of helping others less fortunate was embraced by OLQP. Established during a period when racial segregation prevailed both in the wider society and in the Catholic Church, OLQP became both a spiritual and social community for its Black parishioners and the Arlington community at large. For example, in the 1960’s they established the Catholic Interracial Council of Northern Virginia to work on issues of poverty, employment and fair housing. And for years the Matthew 25 Bazaar, a clothing and thrift store, has provided free services to the needy on a weekly basis. OLQP also initiated a ministry for the homeless, which was the first Arlington County homeless shelter for men, who were housed in the rectory basement. It became the model for local governments to respond to the increasing needs of the homeless.
During the 1970s, new parishioners from Central and South America enriched the diversity of OLQP parish. Since 1972, as Spanish-speaking individuals and families became an integral part of OLQP, a Sunday Mass as a Spanish liturgy has been celebrated. The rich mosaic of the Hispanic culture is celebrated through annual bilingual masses, during the parish picnic and on other special occasions. Under the leadership of Fr. Joseph Nangle, OFM, the OLQP Hispanic community has expanded tremendously.
OLQP continued to foster its tradition of welcome, social justice and community service during the final two decades of the twentieth century and into the millennium under the leadership of Frs. James Healy and Jeffrey Duaime, CSSp. OLQP ministries addressing social justice and community service issues both locally and internationally have been established and expanded. A Queen of Peace Refugee Office established in 1986 served those in Salvadoran and Latin American community facing basic social problems, which confront them in Northern Virginia. Under the Haiti Ministry, OLQP has developed a twinning relationship with St. Joseph Parish in the very remote village of Medor, Haiti, and has raised funds to build a granary and water purification project, and construct homes, a church and school. In addition, the ministry has provided numerous health-related services to the children and adults. Over the years, numerous OLQP parishioners have traveled to Medor to provide various social services. In 2002, a delegation of OLQP teens participated in a waste management project for Medor residents. These are just a few examples of the many ministries for which OLQP is known – ministries that meet a variety of needs pertaining to social justice, spiritual development, liturgy & worship, and community building.
The history of Our Lady Queen of Peace is about dreamers and doers. Sixteen Black Catholics, with determination and faith in God, transformed their dream into a spiritual community that 65 years ago, they could not imagine or visualize. Through love, hard work and dedication, OLQP has grown and transformed into a 21st century church community of over 1,500 families who represent a beautiful tapestry of all races, cultures and nationalities. It is the reality reflecting the divine possibilities of dreamers and doers. It is a community fortified and committed to bringing the reign of God’s peace and justice to our neighborhood, our community, our nation and our world.
In 1945, Bishop Peter Ireton granted the request of sixteen Black Catholics to establish their own church in Arlington County where they could worship in dignity. They were Joseph Bowman, Clarence & Selena Brown, Alice Butler, Lawrence & Jessie Butler, Irma Carter, Hattie Ellis, Mary Fernanders, Edward Marshall, Grace McGwinn, Edward & Alice Moorman, Constance Spencer, Sophia Terry and Thaddenia West. In their name and memory, we give life to a dream with the joy of sharing and handing on our story.
On September 20, 1946, a groundbreaking ceremony was held for the construction of the new church. On Pentecost Sunday, June 15, 1947, Bishop Ireton dedicated Our Lady Queen of Peace Church. Since the beginning, Holy Ghost Fathers of the Spiritan community have served the OLQP parishioners as pastors, including: Fr. Hackett, Fr. Kanda, Fr. Jones, Fr. White, Fr. Ray, Fr. Healy, Fr. Duaime, Fr. Tuozzolo, and Fr. Hickey.
During the 75 years of the history of OLQP, a commitment to social justice and racial equality has been its hallmark. The dedication of parishioners is embedded in Matthew 25:35, “I was hungry and you fed me, thirsty and you gave me drink; a stranger and you welcomed me.” The concept of helping others less fortunate was embraced by OLQP. Established during a period when racial segregation prevailed both in the wider society and in the Catholic Church, OLQP became both a spiritual and social community for its Black parishioners and the Arlington community at large. For example, in the 1960’s they established the Catholic Interracial Council of Northern Virginia to work on issues of poverty, employment and fair housing. And for years the Matthew 25 Bazaar, a clothing and thrift store, has provided free services to the needy on a weekly basis. OLQP also initiated a ministry for the homeless, which was the first Arlington County homeless shelter for men, who were housed in the rectory basement. It became the model for local governments to respond to the increasing needs of the homeless.
During the 1970s, new parishioners from Central and South America enriched the diversity of OLQP parish. Since 1972, as Spanish-speaking individuals and families became an integral part of OLQP, a Sunday Mass as a Spanish liturgy has been celebrated. The rich mosaic of the Hispanic culture is celebrated through annual bilingual masses, during the parish picnic and on other special occasions. Under the leadership of Fr. Joseph Nangle, OFM, the OLQP Hispanic community has expanded tremendously.
OLQP continued to foster its tradition of welcome, social justice and community service during the final two decades of the twentieth century and into the millennium under the leadership of Frs. James Healy and Jeffrey Duaime, CSSp. OLQP ministries addressing social justice and community service issues both locally and internationally have been established and expanded. A Queen of Peace Refugee Office established in 1986 served those in Salvadoran and Latin American community facing basic social problems, which confront them in Northern Virginia. Under the Haiti Ministry, OLQP has developed a twinning relationship with St. Joseph Parish in the very remote village of Medor, Haiti, and has raised funds to build a granary and water purification project, and construct homes, a church and school. In addition, the ministry has provided numerous health-related services to the children and adults. Over the years, numerous OLQP parishioners have traveled to Medor to provide various social services. In 2002, a delegation of OLQP teens participated in a waste management project for Medor residents. These are just a few examples of the many ministries for which OLQP is known – ministries that meet a variety of needs pertaining to social justice, spiritual development, liturgy & worship, and community building.
The history of Our Lady Queen of Peace is about dreamers and doers. Sixteen Black Catholics, with determination and faith in God, transformed their dream into a spiritual community that 65 years ago, they could not imagine or visualize. Through love, hard work and dedication, OLQP has grown and transformed into a 21st century church community of over 1,500 families who represent a beautiful tapestry of all races, cultures and nationalities. It is the reality reflecting the divine possibilities of dreamers and doers. It is a community fortified and committed to bringing the reign of God’s peace and justice to our neighborhood, our community, our nation and our world.
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Our Lady Queen of Peace
2700 South 19th Street Arlington, Virginia, 22204, USA 703-979-5580 Office 703-979-5590 Fax [email protected] Office hours: Mon-Fri, 8:30 am - 4:30 pm (closed on federal holidays) Weekend Mass Schedule Saturday: Vigil Mass at 5:30 pm Sunday: 8 am, 9:30 am, 11:15 am, 1 pm (Spanish), 6 pm (young adult) |
