Our Lady of Good Counsel (Diocese of Arlington)

Our Lady of Good Counsel Catholic Church
Dedication:	Our Lady of Good Counsel
Venerated Saints:	None specified
Diocese:	Diocese of Arlington
Deanery:	Deanery 3
Address:	8601 Wolftrap Road, Vienna, VA 22182
Coordinates:	38.9000, -77.2667
City:	Vienna, VA
Subdivision:	Virginia
Country:	United States
County:	Fairfax County
Website:	https://www.olgcva.org
Founded:	1955
School:	Yes
Email:

Our Lady of Good Counsel Catholic Church is a territorial parish in the Diocese of Arlington, located in Vienna, Virginia. Dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary under her title "Our Lady of Good Counsel"—an invocation associated with the miraculous fresco in Genazzano, Italy, traditionally dated to the fifteenth century and venerated for maternal guidance—the parish operates Our Lady of Good Counsel Catholic School (pre-K through grade 8) and is administered by the Oblates of St. Francis de Sales.

Established in November 1955 to serve Catholics in the Vienna area, the parish initially celebrated Masses in the Dunn Loring Firehouse before dedicating facilities in 1957. The current church was dedicated on March 10, 1973. As of December 19, 2025, Our Lady of Good Counsel serves a large community with extensive ministries, including faith formation and charitable outreach.

The parish community fosters Salesian spirituality of gentleness and optimism, inspired by St. Francis de Sales.

History

Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish was established in November 1955 by Bishop Peter L. Ireton of Richmond, with Rev. Albert P. Campbell as founding pastor, to serve 750 families in the Vienna-Pimmit Hills area.

Initial Masses were held in the Dunn Loring Firehouse. A chapel, school, and rectory were dedicated in 1957. The parish joined the Diocese of Arlington in 1974. A new church and bell tower were dedicated in 1973. Administration passed to the Oblates of St. Francis de Sales in 1983.

Expansions included a gymnasium and other facilities in 2004, and a preschool in 2018.

School

Our Lady of Good Counsel Catholic School (pre-K through grade 8) was founded in 1957, initially staffed by the Sisters of Saint Joseph.

The school provides faith-integrated education in the Salesian tradition.

Special features

• Administered by the Oblates of St. Francis de Sales, promoting Salesian spirituality
• Mary's Garden for prayer and reflection, with memorial brick path
• Outdoor Stations of the Cross

Architecture

The current church building was dedicated on March 10, 1973, with a separate three-bell tower.

A smaller chapel is used for daily Mass.

Art and devotional features

The smaller chapel features unique stained glass designed by an Oblate Brother and Stations of the Cross stained glass by Oblate Brother Mickey McGrath.

Mary's Garden provides a space for prayer surrounded by a memorial brick path, and outdoor Stations of the Cross are present on campus.

Additional details on other interior artwork, statues, or sculptures are limited in publicly available sources as of December 19, 2025.

Relics

According to established Catholic tradition, the main altar contains deposited relics, as is customary in dedicated churches. Specific details regarding the saints associated with these relics are not publicly documented in available sources. This follows common practice where first-class relics, often of martyrs, are sealed within the altar.