A Little Early History of St. Elizabeth Catholic Church - Rev. Thomas Edward Mitchell, Third Pastor Of St. Elizabeth's ~ Letter provided by Fr. Jim

 

 

July 27, 2025

Dear Fr. Arsenault,

Although I reside in Northern Virginia, I receive St. Elizabeth's bulletin by email weekly and enjoy reading of parish activities.  That interest accrues from the fact that my maternal uncle, Thomas Edward Mitchell, was the third pastor of the church from 1947 until his death in 1950.  Before that assignment, he was the first Dean of Social Work at the Catholic University of America, Director of Catholic Charities of the Richmond Diocese, Parochial Vicar in several Virginia parishes and a seminarian at St. Mary's in Baltimore and the North American College in Rome.  He was ordained at St. John Lateran's Church in Rome in 1927.  I am  attaching several articles from "The Catholic Virginian" written about him at the time of his death.

When he was on the faculty at Catholic University, "Uncle Tom" became an important presence in my life during my growing up in Staunton and Washington.  I admired him greatly.  I am writing a short account of his priestly life, that includes a brief but productive time at St. Elizabeth's, when he reopened the parochial school.  Research for that work will take me to Richmond in the coming months, at which time I hope to make your acquaintance.

(Final paragraph omitted since not relevant to the history of St. Elizabeth)

I join Uncle Tom in asking God's blessings upon you and your parishioners of St. Elizabeth of Hungary.

(Mr.) Ashley L. Hawken