Set along Harpersville Road in Newport News, Virginia, Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Church has been a fixture of Catholic life on the Virginia Peninsula since 1953. The parish stretches from the original Carmelite foundations that gave the church its name through a thriving present that includes a parish school, bilingual liturgy, an extensive outreach to the poor, and an active youth ministry. Its motto, We find Christ here. We bring Christ to the world., captures the rhythm of a parish that gathers daily at the altar and then sends parishioners out to serve their neighbors in Newport News and beyond.
A Parish Shaped by Three Religious Communities
Our Lady of Mount Carmel was established in 1953 by the Carmelite Fathers under its first pastor, Father Norbert Piper. The parish school opened the following year and has been guided since then by the Dominican Sisters of Saint Cecilia of Nashville. During the same period, the Poor Clares established a monastery just down the road, and for nearly fifty years the enclosed sisters were part of the religious life of the parish and surrounding community. Three distinct religious communities (Carmelites, Dominicans, and Poor Clares) shaped the parish's first half-century, an arrangement highly unusual within the Diocese of Richmond.
For its first decade the parish worshipped in an unfinished wing of the school; for roughly twenty-five years afterward, Mass was celebrated in the school gymnasium. The present church building was constructed and dedicated in 1986, with seating for more than 800 and a distinctive architecture. In 2004 the parish added Saint Michael Hall, a large parish hall named for the patron archangel that serves both parish functions and community organizations seven days a week. Recent renovations to the church created a more reverent Adoration chapel, a redesigned nursery for children during Mass, and updated restrooms.
A succession of Carmelite pastors led the parish from 1953 until 1990, when Monsignor Michael McCarron became the first non-Carmelite pastor. Subsequent pastors have been Father Ken Wood (2005), Father John David Ramsey (2012), and the present pastor, Father Dan Beeman, who was named pastor in 2019.
Mass Across the Week
The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is offered every day of the week. The Sunday schedule begins with the Saturday vigil at 5:00 p.m. On Sunday, Mass is celebrated at 8:00 a.m., 10:00 a.m., 12:00 p.m., 2:00 p.m. (in Spanish), and 5:00 p.m. The 12:00 p.m. Mass is held at the Pope Chapel on the campus of Christopher Newport University when university classes are in session, providing a convenient option for students.
Weekday Masses follow a steady rhythm: Monday at 5:30 p.m., Tuesday at 9:00 a.m., Wednesday at 6:30 p.m., Thursday at 8:00 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. (in Spanish), and Friday at 7:00 a.m. The Most Blessed Sacrament is reserved in the Blessed Sacrament Chapel and is available for private prayer whenever the parish is open.
The Sacrament of Penance and Eucharistic Adoration
Confessions are heard on Saturday afternoons at 3:00 p.m. and on Wednesday evenings at 5:00 p.m. A priest is also available in Spanish on Thursday afternoons at 5:30 p.m.
Eucharistic Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament is offered weekly on Wednesday evenings from 5:00 to 6:30 p.m. in the church and on Thursdays from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. The parish also gathers for a longer holy hour on the first Friday of each month, beginning at 3:00 p.m. and continuing through the night until 6:00 a.m. Saturday. The Adoration chapel is always looking for committed weekly adorers and invites anyone interested in a regular hour to email adoration@olmc.org.
Sacraments at OLMC
Baptism. Baptisms are celebrated on Sundays throughout the year, either within Sunday Mass or separately, often on the third Sunday of the month. Parents are asked to attend a preparation session before the baptism of their first child. Godparents must be practicing Catholics at least 16 years of age who have received Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist. Preparation classes are typically offered on the first Wednesday evening of each month and are coordinated by Lisa Wienhoff in the parish office.
First Penance and First Communion. Catholic children may begin preparation at age seven or in the second grade, either through OLMC Catholic School or through the parish CCD program. Children and parents are required to attend parent workshops for both sacraments.
Confirmation. High school students preparing for Confirmation participate in the Life Teen program and attend a Confirmation retreat and interview with the youth minister. The parish also offers an Adult Confirmation process in the fall and spring for Catholics 19 and older who have been baptized, received First Communion, and wish to complete their initiation.
Marriage. Couples must contact the pastor at least six months before their proposed wedding date. The parish celebrates the Rite of Matrimony according to the Roman Rite, with Mass for two Catholics and a rite outside of Mass when one party is a non-Catholic Christian. Devotions to the Blessed Virgin Mary, including the lasso and veil, may be included; the unity candle is not part of the Catholic rite. The parish charges no fee for weddings of registered, practicing members and welcomes military couples, including those whose engagement has been interrupted by deployment.
Forming the Young: CCD, Edge, and Life Teen
Our Lady of Mount Carmel offers Christian formation for every stage of childhood and adolescence. Children in PreK through grade 5 who do not attend the parish school gather for CCD (Confraternity of Christian Doctrine) on Sunday mornings from 9:00 to 9:50 a.m., between the 8:00 and 10:00 a.m. Masses, in the middle school classrooms of OLMC School. Catechists teach in English using fully bilingual books so that families can see what their children are learning.
Middle schoolers in grades 6 through 8 are welcomed into Edge, the middle school ministry of Life Teen. Edge meets on Monday evenings for large group teaching followed by small group time led by a trained Core Team of adult leaders. The program combines catechesis with activities, summer camps, and opportunities to grow in the sacramental life of the Church.
High school students in grades 9 through 12 participate in Life Teen, an international Catholic youth ministry that leads teens closer to Christ through weekly Life Nights, retreats, and youth group activities. Sacramental preparation for Confirmation is built into the Life Teen program, and a Core Team of adult parishioners walks with the teens throughout the year. Mari Tere (MT) Adinaro, the parish's Life Teen and Confirmation coordinator, can be reached at Madinaro@olmc.org.
Adults, Young Adults, and Bible Study
Adults find a full slate of formation opportunities. That Man Is You, a men's faith development program, meets Saturday mornings for spiritual formation, small group reflection, and fraternity. Women of the parish are invited to a weekly Bible study, with morning sessions offered throughout the program year. Both men and women can join additional Bible studies and faith formation programs offered on Wednesday evenings, Thursday afternoons, and Sunday mornings throughout the year.
OLMC Young Adults gathers men and women in their twenties and thirties around a weekly small group that meets in Manion Hall on Tuesday evenings from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m., along with periodic social events. The young adult leadership team of Josh and Lauren Stout and Alex and Natalie Bowback can be reached at ya@olmc.org.
Becoming Catholic and Coming Home
Adults who have never been baptized, Christians from other traditions, and baptized Catholics who have not been fully initiated are invited to explore the Catholic Church through the OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults) process. The parish hosts a three-part "Come and See" series each year for those who simply want to learn more, beginning with a Wednesday evening Mass and continuing in Saint Michael Hall.
For Catholics who have been away, Awakening Faith offers six small-group sessions of conversation and reflection on spirituality, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, mercy, the Mass, and the Church. The sessions meet weekly in a confidential setting and serve as a bridge back into the wider parish community. Lisa Wienhoff coordinates both OCIA and Awakening Faith.
SPRED: A Place Where Everyone Belongs
OLMC's SPRED (Special Religious Development) ministry prepares persons with intellectual disabilities to fully belong in the liturgical life of the parish. Adults with and without disabilities form a small faith community that gathers for a centering activity (clay, painting, or another calming practice) before sharing the Word of God, reflecting on lived experience through symbols, and sharing a simple meal with a mentor or helper catechist. SPRED fosters spiritual and personal growth for friends of all abilities and welcomes new volunteers and supporters.
Music and Liturgical Volunteers
The Music Ministry invites parishioners of all ages to serve the liturgy. The Adult Choir provides music at the 10:00 a.m. Sunday Mass and at major solemnities such as Christmas, Holy Week, and Easter, drawing on a range of styles from chant to modern choral literature. Rehearsals are held on Wednesday evenings from 7:30 to 9:00 p.m., September through June. Cantors prayerfully lead the congregation in song and undergo an audition before being entrusted with the psalm and antiphons. Music Coordinator Johanna Smith can be reached at jsmith@olmc.org.
A wide array of liturgical ministries surrounds the altar. Altar servers (open to boys from fourth grade through high school), extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion, lectors, ushers, sacristans, Mass coordinators, and members of the Art and Environment, Linens, and Funeral ministries all support the celebration of Mass and other rites. The Director of Liturgy and Worship, Heber Dunkle, coordinates much of this work, with dedicated coordinators for each ministry.
Caring for One Another: Pastoral Care
The Pastoral Care office coordinates a number of ministries that walk with parishioners through life's difficult seasons. Nourish for Caregivers gathers family caregivers monthly for practical and emotional support with a Christ-centered view. Seasons of Hope, a Catholic grief support program, centers on scripture, prayer, reflection, and simple activities that foster healing after the death of a loved one. The Emmaus Journey offers a spiritual retreat for parents whose child of any age has died by any cause. Circle of Hope provides faith-based support for those living with a cancer diagnosis or chronic illness. Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion also bring the Eucharist to parishioners who are sick or homebound, and the parish assists with funeral arrangements whether planned in advance or made at the time of a loved one's passing.
Hearts for the Poor: Social Ministry and Outreach
Our Lady of Mount Carmel lives out its call to have "a preference for the poor and vulnerable" through an expansive Social Ministry and Outreach office. The parish food pantry stocks cereal, instant oatmeal, mashed potatoes, canned tomatoes, peas, carrots, mixed vegetables, and personal products such as shampoo and deodorant. Pantry sorters move donations, organize shelves, and assist clients during weekday hours. The parish also serves the poor and homeless in the winter months and partners year-round with Bon Secours Catholic Health Ministry.
OLMC is also pro-life. The parish actively serves women, men, and families facing unplanned pregnancy through a 24-hour Pregnancy HelpLine, baby clothing distribution, and appointment support. A separate phone line, 757-870-3131, connects callers with the pregnancy outreach office. Family Service Nights invite families with children seven and older to volunteer together, and shorter one-time events offer ways to serve without a long-term commitment. Kim Taylor, Minister to the Poor and Vulnerable, coordinates this work.
Ladies of Carmel and the Knights of Columbus
The Ladies of Carmel is a parish organization of women of every age and circumstance (working, retired, young mothers, widows) gathered into ten small guilds that meet once a month from September through May. Some guilds meet during the day, others in the evening; some gather in members' homes, others in restaurants. Their mission is to foster spiritual growth, support parish activities, perform charitable works, and build friendships among the women of the parish.
Two Knights of Columbus councils serve the parish: the Walter Pollard Council #5480 for the wider Newport News Catholic community and the San Francisco de Asís Council #11781 for the Hispanic community. Both councils continue the founding principles of charity, unity, and fraternity established when Father Michael J. McGivney and his parishioners in New Haven received the order's charter from the Connecticut state legislature in 1882.
A Home for Military Families
Because Newport News sits within reach of several military installations, the parish has long welcomed sailors, airmen, marines, and soldiers and their families. Prayers for the military are offered at every Sunday and Holy Day Mass, and the pastoral staff works closely with military families who arrive mid-year or face deployment. Sacramental preparation can often be completed long-distance for those deployed, and the parish routinely makes exceptions to formation deadlines, class schedules, and sacramental dates to accommodate the realities of military life. Couples separated by deployment during engagement can typically complete marriage preparation with the priest from a distance. The church itself welcomes the U.S. and Vatican flags at weddings and allows service swords in the ceremony.
OLMC Catholic School
Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic School opened in 1954 and has been guided since its founding by the Dominican Sisters of Saint Cecilia of Nashville. Today Sister Maria Ivana, O.P., serves as principal. The school is an integral part of parish life: CCD classes meet in its middle school classrooms on Sunday mornings, and Sacramental preparation is shared between the school and the parish.
The Pastoral Team
Father Dan Beeman has served as pastor since 2019 and is assisted by Father Saúl, parochial vicar, and Deacon Francisco Anleu. Heber Dunkle directs liturgy and worship. Johanna Smith coordinates music. Lisa Wienhoff directs adult faith formation, CCD, SPRED, OCIA, and Awakening Faith. Mari Tere Adinaro directs Life Teen and Confirmation preparation. Kim Taylor ministers to the poor and vulnerable. Sister Maria Ivana, O.P., leads OLMC Catholic School as principal.
Parishioners and visitors stay connected through Flocknote, a Catholic communication platform that delivers weekly parish emails and occasional text updates. Online giving is available through Tithe.ly, with options for recurring or one-time gifts as well as planned and legacy giving. New members can register online, and the parish continues to welcome Catholics and newcomers to share in its mission: to find Christ here, and to bring Christ to the world.