Parishioners young and old gathered to greet their new pastor, Father David P. Meng, at his installation Mass at Holy Spirit Church in Annandale Aug. 6.
Bishop Michael F. Burbidge concelebrated the Mass with seven priests in addition to Father Meng. The Mass also included two ASL interpreters for parishioners who are deaf.
As a severe storm raged outside, Bishop Michael F. Burbidge shared words of encouragement amid rumbles of thunder. “We celebrate the installation of your new pastor this evening, not by some sort of chance or coincidence,” he said in his homily. “This is part of God’s plan, God’s divine plan under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, for Father Meng and for your parish community.”
Bishop Burbidge said it was providential that the installation Mass should fall on the Feast of the Transfiguration, when Christ gave three of the disciples a glimpse of his power and glory on a mountaintop.
“The disciples wanted to stay on that mountain, being reassured and reaffirmed. But Jesus said, ‘No, you can’t stay here. You’ve got to go down from the mountain. You’ve got to go out and share the good news,’ ” Bishop Burbidge said. “What a beautiful image of the life of a pastor and the priest — the need to go up the mountain, be alone, to be with God, to allow him to reassure us, reaffirm us, and then go down and proclaim his truth, his compassion and goodness to all those we are privileged to serve.”
At the end of Mass, Father Meng expressed his gratitude to his parishioners and Bishop Burbidge. He shared an amusing story about a battleship captain during World War II, who upon seeing a bright light across the waters, sent a message ordering the vessel to turn 20 degrees to avoid hitting his ship. The supposed vessel’s response? “I’m a lighthouse,” Father Meng delivered the punchline, as parishioners, priests and Bishop Burbidge laughed.
“I am profoundly grateful to each and every one of you, profoundly grateful to Almighty God. He always asks of us to guide our lives by the principle of the lighthouse,” Father Meng said. “We don’t want to run aground but always want to be faithful to Our Lord’s will.”
Parishioners then gathered in the parish hall for a reception. Wesley and Lindsay Hobbs brought their three young daughters, Ellie, Sophie and Maddie, to meet their new pastor. “It’s an important milestone for the parish, and especially for Father Meng,” Wesley said. “But it’s just something that’s important for our kids to see.”
Longtime parishioner Marsha Zamperini said she welcomes the new pastor “with open arms.”
“He’s a really good priest, a good administrator and we’re looking forward to many years with him,” she said. “I was almost in tears, when the bishop was celebrating the Mass. It was so beautiful, and it brings everyone together.”
Father Meng was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop John R. Keating May 20, 1989. After ordination, Father Meng served as parochial vicar of St. Bernadette Church in Springfield before being assigned chaplain of Bishop O’Connell High School in Arlington in 1993, residing at St. John the Beloved Church in McLean. He was then assigned as parochial vicar of St. Theresa Church in Ashburn, 1996. He served as the founding administrator of St. Matthew Church in Spotsylvania in 1999 and was named pastor in 2000. He then served as pastor of St. William of York Church in Stafford, 2004; St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Church in Lake Ridge, 2008; and St. Timothy Church in Chantilly, 2017.
