saint ignatius church

We had read about this church on Trip Advisor and decided to explore St. Mary's County on a surprisingly cool summer day. When we arrived at the church, we simply had to take dozens of panoramic photos looking from the church to the Potomac River in the distance. The view was stunning, and we wandered around the historic cemetery for about 20 minutes. As we were wandering, the pastor of the church came out and gave us a personal guided tour, filling in the long history of this, the oldest continuously operating Roman Catholic parish in the United States. The Jesuit missionaries who founded it also founded the lovely, nearby tiny church called St. Frances Xavier, also worth visiting. Don't miss the small octagonal Baptistry, a room to the right of the altar. The embroideries are truly special, as is the other art. As other reviewers have noted, there are many parks in this area worth visiting, including Chapel Point and St. Mary's Lake State Park. And...if you want to follow in our footsteps for a wonderful day...stop for lunch at the Café des Artistes in Leonardtown. Check out the Trip Advisers reviews and the website menus.

St. Ignatius is a Jesuit parish nestle at the top of a hill with a beautiful view of the Potomac River. The Church is small, but has a balcony, so it almost always has enough room to accommodate everyone. There are five masses on the weekends, including one at 6pm on Sunday night, which is always nice if you miss church Saturday night or Sunday morning. The Pastor is a well-educated Jesuit priest who always offers a well-reasoned and uplifting homily that gives the historical context of the readings as well as practical application to modern living. The pews are quite old and sometimes can get a little uncomfortable, but the church recently added pew cushions, which has helped quite a bit. There's a quaint little religious gift shop in one of the outer buildings. We bought a nice little children's bible for our toddler daughter. There are bathrooms in the adjacent reception hall. The congregation is so welcoming, they even keep extra diapering supplies at the baby changing station in the women's restroom. Next to the church is a cemetery with graves from the 1700s to the present. There is a large parking lot across the road from the church. Next to the parking lot is an outdoor garden with the Stations of the Cross. It's a serene place to pray.

Saint Ignatius Church is a not to be missed gem. It's history and association with Native Americans and the Underground Railroad is fascinating. It sits on a beautiful hill and overlooks the juncture of the Port Tobacco River and the Potomac. Absolutely should tie this visit in with a trip to the Chapel Point State Park which is located at the bottom of the hill. The hiking trails and trails along the beach are delightful at any time of the year.

Beautiful old church and grounds with a awesome view of the Port Tobacco River. A photographers dream! Lots of history. A great place for a wedding and the church hall is a great location for a reception if you are on a budget.

The church was closed by the views of the water from the hill were heavenly. Wish we could have gone in. There was a rooster who was guarding the church and following us around.