Saint Francis de Sales

Was Saint Francis de Sales Church always this… peculiar?  The peeling paint and unfinished facade of Saint Francis de Sales whisper a story of resilience and unexpected grace. This church, tucked away on Rhode Island Avenue, holds a history older than the nation’s capital itself. Its congregation, one of the oldest continuing Catholic congregations in Washington, D.C., first gathered not in a grand edifice, but in the warmth of a family home. Long before the Revolution, in 1722, the Queen family opened their mansion to Catholic worshippers, creating a sanctuary known as the Queen Family Chapel. This act of faith would set the stage for centuries of worship, despite adversity. The original chapel, located near present-day Queen’s Chapel Road, faced its share of trials. It burned down not once, not twice, but three times, falling victim to the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, and the Civil War. Each time, the congregation’s faith remained unyielding. They rebuilt, their devotion mirroring the enduring spirit of the Church itself. In 1908, a new church arose on the site of the old Queen’s Chapel, finally bearing the name Saint Francis de Sales. However, this wasn’t the end of the journey. A new location on Rhode Island Avenue beckoned. In 1927, the church moved, leaving behind its freshly built structure. The move wasn’t without controversy. Many parishioners, angered by the abandonment of their hand-built sanctuary, watched as their new church faced a different kind of challenge: The Great Depression. The grand upper church envisioned never materialized. What remains is the sturdy basement church, a testament to the congregation’s unwavering faith. It’s a space described by some as a “hotel conference room,” by others as reminiscent of the catacombs. Regardless of descriptions, within these walls, the sacramental life of the church thrives.  The peeling paint and unfinished facade? They are not signs of neglect, but emblems of a parish shaped by time and circumstance. Saint Francis de Sales is not a picture of architectural perfection, but rather a reflection of the Church itself: always a work in progress, sometimes off-putting, yet always filled with the grace of God. It’s a place where, amid the gurgles of children and the whoosh of the HVAC system, one can find quiet prayer and a connection to something larger than oneself.  This, then, is the story of Saint Francis de Sales: a story of resilience, of unwavering faith, and of a church that, despite its unusual appearance, has served as a spiritual home for generations.