The Church of the Visitation is well-named. Since our inception, our church has been privileged to welcome visitors from our local area, from all over the United States, and even from other countries. We have celebrated Mass with our guests and invited them to feast at our table, even publishing three cookbooks in order to share our hospitality. This is our story.
Until 1981, Catholics residing in Middlesex County, Virginia had to make a choice on Sunday morning. They could drive many miles to Catholic churches in Gloucester, Kilmarnock, West Point or Tappahannock. They could worship with their non-Catholic friends and neighbors at the church of another faith. Or they could stay at home.
Many years previously there had been attempts to bring the Catholics of the community together, beginning in the late 1940's when a priest from West Point would spread the word from a truck with a loudspeaker. During the 50's and early 60's, a Mass was held in Urbanna, first in the movie theater, which was sometimes in sorry shape after the Saturday night movie, and later at the Urbanna firehouse. There, Jennie Sale would get up at 4:30 AM to set up chairs for the 7:00 AM Mass. Mary Bray and Florine Erdt were in charge of setting up the altar. Father Wharton, Father Jackowicz and Father Bogart all gave these services to the Catholics of Middlesex to help them have a Mass in their county. However, by the 1970's Catholic services in Middlesex were not consistent.
The first hint that a permanent Church in Middlesex might be possible came in the summer of 1980. This promise arrived thanks to the efforts of the new assistant pastor of St. Therese Church in Gloucester and the spirit that he found among the small group of Catholics in Middlesex. Father Jack Dougher donned his Panama hat, climbed on his moped, and conducted a door-to-door survey of Middlesex County in an effort to learn how many Catholics truly lived here and to gauge their level of commitment for the tremendous task of building of church of their own.
They took the first step in September 1980. A Saturday evening Mass was held at Zoar Baptist Church in Deltaville. Seventy-five people attended. The Catholic Mass had come to Middlesex, if only on the second Saturday of every month. Two months later, a second Mass was added at Christchurch School Chapel on the fourth Saturday. In early summer 1981, a weekly Mass was begun at Lower Methodist Church in Hartfield.
Until this time, decisions such as who would read at Mass or what hymns would would be sung were decided by Father Dougher and assigned just before Mass. New committees were formed which took charge of these functions, bringing in a new level of organization. Father Dougher taught each new ministerial group their procedures and was the spiritual leader of the fledgling mission.
On October 20, 1981, the Middlesex Catholic Community, as they were now known, was able to worship on Sunday morning when they moved to the newly renovated Freeshade Community Center in Syringa. The arrangement with Freeshade allowed them to use the facility for the entire day. Thus, most committee meetings and social gatherings were scheduled for Sunday to get maximum use of their rental dollar. They were also permitted to leave one piece of furniture in the building all the time. John Baker made a movable altar with interior shelves to hold the growing belongings of the new church. At Freeshade, worship meant much more than attending Mass. People arrived early to set up the altar and chairs. After Mass, which was celebrated by Father Dougher, the parishioners would get up and pass the time of day while taking their folding chairs to stack against the wall to get ready for coffee and a social hour. Everything was put back inside the altar and moved out of harm's way. Freeshade may have been the church on Sunday by rental arrangement; however it still was not the church's building. Since it was not available on holy days, Father Jack held those Masses wherever he could, at other churches or in the homes of parishioners. The Catholic Community was particularly warmly welcomed by Edward Meeks "Pope" Gregory, Christchurch School Chaplain. Children and their parents remember fondly his surprise of an Easter egg tree at the altar.
Many of the present traditions began at Freeshade. The children's Christmas pageant began there with homemade nativity figures made from poster board. No one who was there will forget the year of the blizzard. Strong winds shook the building and kept blowing the door open during Mass, knocking the nativity figures over. It was so cold that the poinsettias did not survive the Mass. The first real music program began at Freeshade. On stage every Sunday were the "Edna Duel Singers" led by Chuck Walsh. The piano at Freeshade was not quite of concert quality; however Earl Fitchett, the Baptist husband of a parishioner, could really coax the hymns out of it. People in the county still talk about the first fund-raiser, the famous quail dinner. Alma and Frank DeLaura had lots of quail running around as a result of one of Frank's projects. They donated the quail to the church and women of the parish spent weeks plucking and freezing quail in preparation for gourmet dining and take-out.
On November 24, 1981, the Development /Planning Committee met to start the process of becoming a parish. The site of the future church was purchased a month later. The seller was in a rush to sell and willing to take a lower offer from a church. So attractive was the price that Father Schaefer of St. Therese purchased the land with that year's Cathedraticum. Visitation subsequently repaid the loan by paying St. Therese's Cathedraticum to the Diocese.
On February 6, 1982, Bishop Sullivan came to Middlesex to meet with members of the new Middlesex Catholic Community and St. Therese to discuss plans for the new church and to visit the site. The Bishop needed to be convinced. At a lunch meeting at the home of Lynn and John Baker, the Bishop was served oyster stew, known to be his favorite. Lynn told him that in addition to all their other resources, they had a group of skilled people who were willing to work. Bishop Sullivan gave the Middlesex Catholic Community official designation as a mission of St. Therese and directed the members to elect a Parish Council. On February 21st, the congregation met after Mass to discuss the meeting with Bishop Sullivan, plans for the election of the Council and the task of raising funds. The first Parish Council, elected soon afterward, consisted of the following:
Lynn Baker, President
Marie Staib, Vice President
Robert Nielsen, Administration Committee
Beryl O'Connor, Liturgy Committee
Charles Walsh, Christian Education Committee
Al Watkins, Social Ministry Committee
Joseph Hock, Jr., Youth Committee
Mike McMahon, Member at Large
Father Jack Dougher
On September 26, 1982, the Middlesex Catholic Community held a Family Picnic at Freeshade Community Center. They extended an invitation to all area Catholics, their families and houseguests. Softball, volleyball and horseshoes were to have been the order of the day but rain sent everyone indoors. And the group continued to grow.
On July 1, 1983, the Middlesex Catholic Community officially became a Parish, and Bishop Sullivan named the new church Church of the Visitation. By this time the Catholics in Mathews had sought identity for a church of their own. The two counties became independent parishes served by one pastor. A bishop had once told Father Dougher that he was the only priest in the state with two missions and no church.
In March 1985, work began on the new church. The plans, drawn by Brooks & Elliott of Tappahannock, were for a 4,400 square foot building which would include the sanctuary and sacristy, a small chapel, an office for the pastor, a conference room and a kitchen. The parishioners fulfilled Lynn Baker's promise to the Bishop that they would contribute their own labor, skill and energy, as well with overseeing the planning and construction. The building progressed at a rapid pace. The site was prepared on March 10 and the footings and foundation poured the following week. By April 7 the sanctuary slab was poured. The first load of lumber arrived on April 20, and the framing was almost completed by the end of the month. The trusses were installed, spaced and reinforced during the first five days of May. The back shingles were completed on May 15. By May 20, half of the front wall had been bricked and electrical decisions were being made.
The first social event occurred on June 30th when members of the Church of the Visitation gathered for a reception in their unfinished church. Plans were made for the dedication. Brooks & Elliott had finished their work; now it was the parishioners' project. Carl Lorber and John Baker built all the interior fittings. Many hours were spent getting the kitchen equipped and organized. The Stations of the Cross were hung. The altar, built by Paul Sherwood, was installed, and the hymns rehearsed. On September 8, 1985, the Dedication Mass was celebrated by Bishop Sullivan, with the children of the parish helping to lead the Entrance Processional. Carl Lorber presented the key to the Church and the building plans to Bishop Sullivan. Following the Mass was a reception and the following Sunday an Open House was held for the community. The words "May Christ find a dwelling place of faith in our hearts" summarized the emotions felt by members of OUR new church.
Since the dedication of the Church of the Visitation, there have been many changes and much growth. As the number of families multiplied, it became evident that God was truly blessing our growing community. Each new parishioner came with his or her own special talent or gift, which was always just what the young parish needed at that time. From those early committees, active, living ministries have evolved. The Liturgy/ Worship Committee now includes Greeters who welcome us with smiles each Sunday, Ushers, Lectors, Community Leaders, and Sacristans, as well as Eucharistic Ministers, Altar Servers, and an Adult and Children's Choir. Music has developed into a fine group of singers, often accompanied by an ensemble. From the original two altar boys who served until they had both grown taller than the priest, the church has had a succession of young men and women who have handled this responsibility, and then gone on to serve the church in other ministries. The Education Program includes Adult R.C.I.A., and the CCD program has developed from home instruction to a regular program in an added wing of classrooms, with activities that include Christmas gift projects and soup kitchens, giving the parish children and youth perspective beyond our rural community. Parish Life has grown from a few women serving coffee after Mass to a group which routinely puts on fundraisers and hosts large receptions for parish celebrations and funerals. Our Peace and Justice Committee includes active participation in a food pantry for the needy, in Hands Across Middlesex, in a developing prison ministry, a domestic violence program, and in the Haiti Twinning Project with the parish of St. Michaels in Boucan Carre, Haiti where we have helped sponsor a water system, a bakery, and schoolchildren's uniforms and lunches. Our ministry of Church Facility and Grounds involves some of those individuals who helped build the original church, but now includes many families who participate in the "Adopt-a-Garden" program. Our Ministry to the Sick and Homebound makes sure that those who cannot attend our church in person are nevertheless included in our faith community. We have been led by an active Parish Council, which has overseen continued growth. We have added a classroom wing for our growing youth population, an outdoor pavilion for our wonderful community picnics, and several outbuildings where we can store donations for our famous summer yard sale. Our cemetery, which opened in 1985, serves not only Middlesex but Catholics in Gloucester and Matthews as well. We built a rectory jointly with Mathews St. Frances De Sales in 1986, and then, as the parishes expanded, purchased a new rectory in 2001.
Father Dan Bond took the place of our first pastor, Father Dougher, in October 1989. Father John Boddie became our third priest in June of 1997.
At the time of our 20th Anniversary in September of 2005, we had grown from our original forty families to 156. Today we are bursting at the seams of our repainted, re-carpeted, multi-purpose worship space. We have celebrated funerals of beloved parishioners, weddings of children who have grown up in the community, and baptisms of their children and grandchildren. It is a living, growing community. The spirit which built the Church of the Visitation continues, and we have embarked on an expansion project.
