Pastor: Rev. Donald J. Planty, Jr.  

Biography

Reverend Donald J. Planty Jr.  was born on October 3rd, 1966 in Albuquerque, New Mexico and was raised all over the world.  Father resided in Panama, Chile, Mexico, Italy, Spain, France,  Egypt and Ethiopia, but best of all is Northern Virginia.  

Father Planty has a great gift with languages and is fluent in English, Spanish, French and Italian.  His interests include Music (especially American Folk, Gospel and Jazz), but he loves to get out and go hiking, play frisbee, or travel abroad.  

Father received his B.A. in government and French from the college of William and Mary, where he  traveled abroad to France his Junior Year.  

Father Planty  entered the Seminary and received his Masters in Divinity Summa Cum Laude, from St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in Philadelphia, PA.  In 1993 he received a M.A. from St. Charles and went  to his first assignment as parochial vicar at St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church in Arlington Virgin from 1993-1995.  Father Planty's second assignment was at St. Thomas More Cathedral in Arlington, VA.  

After this short stint in Northern Virginia Father got the opportunity to study in Rome at the Pontifical Gregorian University.  While there Father received his J.C.L. (Licentiate in Canon Law) Magna Cum Laude.  Father Planty is also a  candidate for a Doctorate in Canon Law in which he is doing his Dissertation on The Law of the Church and the Building of Churches: Canon 1216 and Sacred Architecture.   Translated that means studying the law of the church and how it relates to the truth, goodness, and beauty found in the architecture and design of Churches.  

Father Planty then served as the Deputy Head of Mission from 2000-2002 for the Apostolic Nunciature in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.  This was a great experience learning a new language and culture and getting to serve the Church in Africa.  

Finally  Father requested to come back to the Diocese of Arlington to serve as a parish priest and that is how many of you have come to know him.  Father was assigned parochial vicar here at Holy Family in 2003 and he became the Administrator in 2005.  This past summer Father Donald J. Planty Jr. was made Pastor for the first time on July 28th, 2007 here at Holy Family.  

His Vocational Spotlight is coming soon...