St. Andrew Apostle Catholic Church

Military Outreach

“May the LORD give might to his people; may the LORD bless his people with peace!”

(Psalm 29:11)

Are you an active duty servicemember?

Do you have a relative that is an active duty servicemember?

Are you a veteran of the armed services?

We would like to introduce you to other members of our military community at Saint Andrew’s and offer support through cards, prayers, and other gestures of appreciation and encouragement.

Get Involved!

If you are a military family, we ask that you register and get involved in our parish right away. Registration information is <HERE>. Even if your stay is brief, we welcome you into our community. This is a very vibrant and active parish, with much to offer you during your time with us. Check out the rest of our website for more information on the many ministries and activities that are available to you.

Outreach Activities

Serving at Walter Reed’s Fisher House

Saint Andrew’s prepares and serves dinner periodically for about fifty patients and family members staying at the five Fisher Houses at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. The Fisher Houses at Walter Reed and other military and VA medical centers provide lodging for military and veterans’ families where they can stay while they receive medical treatment. This is a nonprofit organization outside of the Department of Defense that depends on donations and volunteer support.

Our quarterly dinners at Fisher House are currently suspended due to COVID-19 concerns. We remain in contact with many of the residents we have served in the past and offer our prayers during this time. Sign up for our Military Outreach Flocknotes <HERE> for updates on our initiatives to support these men and women and their families.

Fisher House requires that volunteers be 16 or older to serve, and we are limited to only 10 servers per event. Contact Lisa Longacre at lisalongacre@yahoo.com for more information.

H.E.R.O.E.S. Care

Saint Andrew’s has several Stephen Ministers who are trained in caregiving and the deployment cycle as Hometown Support Volunteers in H.E.R.O.E.S. Care. This program is a collaborative effort among well established non-governmental organizations designed to provide complete and proactive support for members of all branches of the military and their families through pre-deployment, deployment, family reintegration and post-deployment. This program is available to post 9/11 servicemen and -women, veterans, and their families in the community where they live. More information on H.E.R.O.E.S. Care is available <HERE>. Contact Faye McAneny at 301-806-0960 or fayemcaneny@hotmail.com if you are interested in learning more about the program at Saint Andrew’s.

Veterans Day

“To us in America, the reflections of Armistice Day will be filled with solemn pride in the heroism of those who died in the country’s service and with gratitude for the victory, both because of the thing from which it has freed us and because of the opportunity it has given America to show her sympathy with peace and justice in the councils of the nations.” -President Woodrow Wilson, November 11, 1919

With these words, November 11, 1919 became the first commemoration of Armistice Day, one year after the armistice that ended World War I had gone into effect. It eventually became a legal holiday and, after World War II, the law was amended to change the name to Veterans Day. November 11 became a day to honor veterans of all American wars and honor the cause of world peace.

We continue efforts to recognize all of our parishioners who have ever served in the United States Armed Services on Veterans Day.

Armed Forces Memorial Mass

Military memorial mass

Each year in May, the Archdiocese of Military Services honors living and deceased members of the United States Armed Forces with a Memorial Mass held in the Great Upper Church at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. We arrange to have a reserved section for Saint Andrew’s parishioners.

We will plan to attend as a parish again in 2022.

Directions to the Basilica

The names of those members of our military who have lost their lives within the previous week

are included in the Prayers of the Faithful at all Sunday Masses each week at Saint Andrew’s.

Please pray for our troops.

Saint Michael the Archangel defend us in battle.

Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil.

May God rebuke him, we humbly pray,

and do thou O Prince of the Heavenly Host, by the divine power of God,

cast into hell, Satan, and all the evil spirits

who roam around the world seeking the ruin of souls.

Amen.