• That on July 1, 1955, the Archdiocese of Washington, D.C. purchased 11.417 acres of land on Livingston Road in Oxon Hill as the site for the building of Saint Columba Church and school?
• That Archbishop O’Boyle decreed the “canonical erection” of the parish as of June 18, 1960?
• That St. Columba was formed from St. Ignatius Parish and had a population of about 322 families at that time?
• That more than a century prior to the establishment of St. Columba Parish, Catholics in the Oxon Hill area were served by the same clergy who served St.Ignatius Church?
• That one of the principal fundraisers for the church was Mary Surratt, a convert, who later became the first woman hanged by the federal government because of her involvement in the Lincoln assassination?
• That Father Milton A. Schellenberg was the first pastor of St. Columba who served from 1960 to June 1974?
• That by arrangement with the Prince George’s County Board of Education, the auditorium of the Oxon Hill Junior High School was used for Sunday mass until a church could be built? Father Schellenberg said the first two Masses on June 19, 1960.
• That a private home at 6738 Prentice Street served as the parish rectory?

Did You Know? (People)

• Father Milton S. Schellenberg was the first Pastor of St. Columba and Father Joseph R. Schubert was Associate Pastor (July 1962)
• Fr. Schellenberg retired on June 29, 1974
• Fr. Lawrence J. Wempe from St. Thomas More became Pastor on June 25, 1974
• Fr. Francis X. Caron was in residence at parish (Aug. 1974)
• Dr. Lawrence Ziemanski, DDS was the First Permanent Deacon (Oct. 1974)
• Fr. Caron returned to his New York diocese (Aug. 1975)
• First Eucharistic Ministers were Rick Fisher, Joe Weller, Fred MacIntyre and Dave Schwartz (Nov. 1975)
• Dee Dolesh succeeds her husband as Director of Religious Education (DRE) for CCD/now PSR (Feb. 1978)
• John Ritch awarded “Outstanding Altar Boy”, first award (May 1978)
• Fr. Wempe celebrated his 70^th birthday (Sept. 9, 1979)
• Fr. Wempe retires on June 3, 1980
• Fr. John T. Dewan became Pastor and Fr. Martin Gerber as Associate Pastor on June 15, 1980
• Fr. Gerber transferred to St. Mary’s Landover (Sept. 21, 1983)
• Fr. Fidel de Ramos assigned to parish (Dec. 11, 1983)
• Fr. Wempe’s golden jubilee (June 8, 1986)
• Fr. Dewan suffers two strokes (Oct. 1988)
• Fr. Walter Lawrence arrives as Parochial Administrator (Oct. 30, 1988)
• Fr. Dewan moved to rehab center (Nov. 1988)
• Fr. Dewan dies on May 4, 1989
• Fr. Lawrence accepts pastorate on June 11, 1989
• Deacon Fred MacIntyre leaves for the seminary (Aug. 1989)
• Fr. Fidel de Ramos formally incardinated in the Archdiocese of Washington (Nov. 1, 1989)
• Fr. de Ramos celebration: 50 years old, 25 years as a priest; incardinated and a US citizen (Dec. 17, 1989)
• Fr. Wempe dies on July 16, 1990. Buried in Cumberland, MD on August 20)
• Fr. Lawrence transferred to Holy Redeemer, Kensington, MD on June 29, 1993
• Fr. Godfrey T. Mosley became pastor on July 1, 1993
• Mary Baillie, DRE retires on June 15, 1997
• Fr. de Ramos took a 6-month sabbatical leave and then reassigned (Sept. 1, 1997)
• Fr. Seraphim Molina, ST, named Associate Pastor (part time) (Sept. 28, 1997)
• Mrs. Arliene Lynn, school principal retires. Donna Potenza as new principal (May 1998)
• Fr. Mosley is now Monsignor Mosley (Jan. 6, 2000)
• Fr. Molina transferred to Chicago (Sept. 2000)
• Msgr. Mosley becomes Vicar General for the Archdiocese of Washington and leaves St. Columba on March 16, 2001
• Fr. Patrick E. Dempsey assigned as administrator (March 15, 2001)
• Fr. Dempsey leaves and Fr. Charles Muzzey arrives as administrator. (May 7, 2001)
• Fr. Muzzey leaves. Fr. Michael J. King becomes Pastor (May 16, 2001)
• Deacon Steven Ciric, CSP, transitional deacon, joins staff; Fathers John Hurley, CSP and Ken France Kelly, O.P., joins staff (Oct. 6, 2001)
• John Morgan, Hall manager retires. Ken Hall, new Director of Music (Feb. 10, 2002)
• Chapel roof collapses from heavy snow and rains (22 Feb 2002).
• Deacon Rick Fisher’s 25^th anniversary of ordination to diaconate (April 28, 2002)
• Fr. Mike’s 25^th anniversary of ordination (May 18-19, 2002)
• Rev. Mr. David Hoen joins staff as deacon (June 9, 2002); Father Hurley and Deacon Ciric reassigned.
• Mary O’Haver, long-time parish secretary retires (June 30, 2002).
• Notice of new school starting hour of 8:15am (14 July 2002).
• Mrs. Leah Flores becomes our new parish administrator.
• John Morgan dies (27 November 2002).
• Chapel roof finally fixed and chapel in use (6 April 2003).
• 1^st Easter sunrise Mass at 6:00am, celebrated by Fr. Ken France-Kelley and assisted by Deacon Rick Fisher.
• New carpeting in the chapel and daily Mass returns there (8 June 2003).
• Transformer blows during 8a Mass! Masses in the dark and w/o a.c! (17 August 2003) New transformer installed (18 Aug 03).
• Hurricane Isabel hits, causing power outages for 3 days. Tree near chapel uprooted but no damage (18 September 2003).
• Dedication of the outdoor statue of San Lorenzo Ruiz (28 Sep 2003).
• The new electric sign installed (27 October 2003).
• Deacon Mac Smith ordained (June 2004).
• Fr. Roberto Gaa helping during the summer months (June 2004). Fr. France-Kelly reassigned.
• Deacon Mac Smith transferred to St. Agustine in SE DC (July 2004).
• New a/c installed in the altar area (August 2004).
• Fr Gaa returns to classes in Rome, Fr. Ken Botack CSP is new weekend assistant (12 Sep 2004).
• Elmer Fernandez is an Acolyte. Boiler system repaired (Sep 2004).
• Cardinal James Hickey (ret) dies at the age of 84 (25 Oct 2004).
• Music Director Ken Hall accepts new position in VA parish (Jan 2005).
• Fr. Mike King transferred to Jesus the Good Shepherd parish in Dunkirk MD. Rev. Msgr. Thomas Kane (ret) is our administrator (1 July 2005).
• Fr. Gaa returns for the summer.
• Fr. Robert Buchmeier arrives from St. Nicholas parish as new pastor (2 August 2005).

St. Columba Church Celebrates 50th Anniversary