Mar 22, 2021
Father John Riley gives a homily during a Mass at the Basilica for the Fifth Sunday of Lent. It was recorded on March 21, 2021. Father Riley is Parochial Vicar at Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish in Winchester and serves at San Damiano Diocesan Retreat Center in White Post.
Founded in 1795, the Basilica of Saint Mary in Old Town Alexandria is the first Catholic parish established in Virginia. Pope Francis named the church a minor basilica on December 6, 2017 due to its important role in the growth of the Catholic Church in North America.