Basilica of Saint Mary Podcast

Father James Searby, a parochial vicar, shares a homily during the First Sunday in Advent. It was given in the Basilica on November 30, 2025.

Father Hathaway shares a Thanksgiving message with Basilica parishioners.

In other important news: the Parish Offices will close today, November 26th, at 1 p.m. and will remain closed on November 27th and 28th for the holiday. There will be one Mass on Thanksgiving Day – at 9 a.m. There will be no 6:30 a.m. Mass on Friday, November 28th, but the 8 a.m. and 12:10 p.m. Masses on that day will occur. For those who attend the Thanksgiving Day Mass: please bring grocery bags of non-perishable food items that will be donated to help feed the needy. They will be brought up during the offertory.

Please also consider signing up to adore the Lord in the Most Blessed Sacrament next week during our 40 Hours Devotion from Dec. 4-6, 2025. Click here to sign up and to find out more: https://bit.ly/4iaD2D4

Faith Matters is a weekly podcast for the Messenger newsletter of the Basilica School of Saint Mary, which gets distributed to Basilica School families. It features Father Edward Hathaway, the rector of the Basilica. In this week's episode, Fr. Hathaway shares about issues two upcoming feast days: the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary tomorrow and Christ the King on Sunday. He also reflects about his recent pilgrimage to Italy with a group of Basilica parishioners.

To learn more about Father's pilgrimage to Italy, click here for Facebook or click here for Instagram.

Reminder:

The Parish Offices will close Wednesday, November 26th, at 1 p.m. and will remain closed on November 27th and 28th for the holiday. There will be one Mass on Thanksgiving Day – at 9 a.m. There will be no 6:30 a.m. Mass on Friday, November 28th, but the 8 a.m. and 12:10 p.m. Masses on that day will occur. For those who attend the Thanksgiving Day Mass: please bring grocery bags of non-perishable food items that will be donated to help feed the needy. They will be brought up during the offertory.

The Basilica will be adopting new Sunday Mass times starting next Sunday, November 30th. The 11:30 a.m. Mass will begin at 12 (noon), and the 1 p.m. Mass will start at 1:30 p.m. All other Mass times on Sunday will remain the same. The Sunday Vigil Mass at 5 p.m. will also remain the same. The two shifts in time will allow more time for worship and fellowship and to help ease the parking transitions between two of our Masses, including our standing-room only High Mass at 10 a.m.

Father Royston Price, a Redemptorist priest who will be preaching the Basilica's Parish Mission later this week, shares a homily during the Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica. It was given in the Basilica on November 9, 2025.

Click here to learn more about the Nov. 12-14 Parish Mission, which all are invited to attend: https://stmaryoldtown.org/parishmission2025/

The monthly series called "What Are the Sisters Reading?" continues. The guest for the month of November is from the Daughters of Saint Paul. Sister Kathryn Hermes, FSP, reflects about Fr. John Riccardo's book called "Rescued: The Unexpected and Extraordinary News of the Gospel," which shares that the Gospel is not merely good news but explosive, life-changing news that will help us see the world through God's lens, with a clear vision of the future.

To check out more books on the Catholic faith and religious items of interest at the Pauline Books and Media Center at 1025 King Street in Alexandria, please click here.

Faith Matters is a weekly podcast for the Messenger newsletter of the Basilica School of Saint Mary, which gets distributed to Basilica School families. It features Father Edward Hathaway, the rector of the Basilica. In this week's episode, Fr. Hathaway shares about issues of importance to Catholics in the upcoming Virginia elections and the importance of voting with your conscience according to Catholic teachings.

He also shares about how the parish's giving platform will shift, starting on Nov. 5, 2025, from Faith Direct to ParishSoft Giving. Click here to learn more. He adds that he will be praying for all parishioners and school families during his upcoming pilgrimage to Rome with a group of Basilica parishioners. To submit your prayer requests to him and the pilgrims, share your request by clicking here by Friday, Oct. 31, 2025, at noon.

To access the Virginia Catholic Conference to learn more about the issues at stake in the upcoming elections, click here.

Faith Matters is a weekly podcast for the Messenger newsletter of the Basilica School of Saint Mary, which gets distributed to Basilica School families. It features Father Edward Hathaway, the rector of the Basilica. In this week's episode, Fr. Hathaway shares about October being the Month of the Rosary and the importance of praying the Rosary as a family.

He also invites the public to attend a free concert to celebrate our new organ, which will be held in the church tomorrow evening, October 24th, at 7 p.m. The concert will feature Paul Jacobs, a Grammy-award winning organist. Click here for more information and to reserve your seat(s).

Father Peter Clem, a parochial vicar, shares a homily during the Twenty-Ninth Sunday of Ordinary Time. It was given in the Basilica on October 19, 2025.

Faith Matters is a weekly podcast for the Messenger newsletter of the Basilica School of Saint Mary, which gets distributed to Basilica School families. It features Father Edward Hathaway, the rector of the Basilica. In this week's episode, Fr. Hathaway shares about Pope Leo's recent video on World Mission Sunday and the importance of being a missionary. (You can check out the video by clicking here.)

Tickets are still available for "Divine Libations," an evening of faith, gourmet food and delicious wine pairing on Oct. 18 from 6:30-9 p.m. in our Lyceum Auditorium, 313 Duke Street. Tickets are $75, but they are going fast, so buy yours today. Click here to find out how to get your tickets today.

Father Hathaway also invites the public to attend a free concert to celebrate our new organ, which will be held in the church on Friday evening, October 24th, at 7 p.m. The concert will feature Paul Jacobs, a Grammy-award winning organist. Click here for more information and to reserve your seat(s).