Father Hathaway’s Column — June 30, 2024

INDEPENDENCE DAY & TRUE FREEDOM

As our nation celebrates Independence Day on Thursday, July 4, I encourage you to reflect on the religious freedom promised to us as our forebearers established a new nation where they, and we, could worship freely. The true source of our freedom is not a man-made Constitution but God. He invites each of us to use that freedom to make good choices so we may someday become saints in heaven.

Our Parish Offices will be closed on July 4 and July 5 with one Mass on July 4 at 9 a.m. Our regular daily Masses will take place on July 5 at 6:30 a.m., 8 a.m. and 12:10 p.m. On behalf of the priests and staff of the Basilica, I wish you and your family a very happy, safe Fourth of July. May God bless America!

WELCOME TO FATHER SEARBY

We officially welcome our new parochial vicar, Father James Searby, this weekend. I’ll let him introduce himself.

My Dear Basilica of Saint Mary parishioners,

Some months ago, I went on a bike ride from Old Town Alexandria to Mount Vernon and back. The beauty of Alexandria, the peace of the river and the history of the area have long been one of my favorite day-off activities. After the ride, I sat down to rest and do my afternoon mental prayer on Jones Point. As I sat there, I mentioned to the Lord that, someday, if He would like, I would love to be assigned to Saint Mary. Then I asked my Blessed Mother, if she would like to do so, to help with that one. Well, she has her ways. I am her’s and now, it appears, I am yours.

I look forward to being here at the Basilica and serving you all. I’m particularly overjoyed to be working with great priests here, Father Hathaway particularly. He has been like the big brother I never had (I’m the oldest of seven) for the last 26 years, since I first began to discern the call to the priesthood. He has been a constant support and now I get to serve with him.

Allow me to tell you a little bit about myself. I was born and raised in Queens, New York, till I was eight years old. Our growing family then moved to Vienna, Virginia, when my father began to work for President Reagan. I’ve attended The Heights, Our Lady of Good Counsel (junior high) and Bishop O’Connell (first three years of high school). I finished high school at Northridge Preparatory School in Chicago and went on to attend my beloved University of Dallas, earning a BA in history in 1995.

After university, I worked in a variety of jobs in the tech world, in marketing and sales, in the DC area. Eventually, I ran away with the circus (literally) and worked for Ringling Brothers, Barnum & Bailey (and Disney on Ice) in New York City. It was during that time I began to discern a call to the priesthood, and I returned to the Arlington Diocese to work, pray and continue to discern. I entered Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary in Philadelphia for the Diocese of Arlington in 1999 and was ordained a priest in 2005. In these incredible 19 years of priestly ministry, I have served at Holy Spirit in Annandale, Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton in Lake Ridge, Saint Charles Borromeo in Clarendon, George Mason University (as chaplain) and Saint Timothy in Chantilly.

I honestly have more interests than I can count. I have a passion for the arts (fine and performing), travel and all things cultural. I oil paint as a regular hobby. I also have a podcast called Holiness for the Working Day (available on all podcast platforms) where I broadcast homilies, talks, classes and conversations on a variety of topics. I look forward to meeting you, serving you and walking with you on this adventurous pilgrimage of life. Please keep me, and all t e priests of Saint Mary, in your prayers. — Yours in Christ, Father James Searby