Saint Mary's Catholic Church was founded on May 25, 1962 under the leadership of the pastor, Father John W. Rea. The first parishioners come from the neighboring parish, Saint Bridget. At the groundbreaking ceremony, Bishop John H. Russell stated that this new parish was the namesake of many of the other historic churches in the diocese - Saint Mary's in Alexandria (1798), the first permanent Catholic Church in Virginia, Saint Mary's in Norfolk (1858), and the old Saint Mary's in Richmond, which was the city's second Catholic Church.

This video features parishioners who, through their own words, tell the story of the founding of Saint Mary's and the growth that it has experienced over the years.