Note: Five priests of the Archdiocese of Baltimore will be retiring July 1. The Review profiles the five as their parishes bid them farewell. Click here to read more retirement profiles.
Monsignor James P. Farmer, who has served as pastor of several parishes and who has been a tireless advocate for the rights of the unborn throughout his priesthood, will retire soon, but doesn’t plan to slow down too much.
The pastor of St. Thomas More in Baltimore for the last six years plans to return to his alma mater, Mount St. Mary’s Seminary in Emmitsburg, to be an assistant spiritual director. He’ll still be a strong voice in the pro-life movement and also hopes to get some fishing for perch and striped bass into his schedule.
Monsignor Farmer, who grew up in St. Clement Mary Hofbauer in Rosedale and graduated from Archbishop Curley High School in Baltimore and what is now Loyola University Maryland, earned a law degree in 1972. He then served in the Army as a captain before becoming a public defender for five years.
Feeling called to the priesthood, he studied at Mount St. Mary’s Seminary and was ordained a priest in 1979.
The priest served as the Archdiocese of Baltimore’s pro-life director from 1979 to 1989 and has been involved in supporting pro-life pregnancy centers throughout the region. His philosophy for the pro-life movement is that advocates should seek to convince rather than confront and persuade rather than provoke.
“Sixty-three million babies have died since 1973,” Monsignor Farmer said. “This is a national atrocity. Anything we can do to reverse that is needed. Also very much needed is for the woman and men who are the parents of the aborted children to feel the mercy of God in their lives.”
Pro-life pregnancy resource centers are essential, he said.
“We founded two – one in Towson and one in Westminster,” he said. “People come there for help. And also at this parish (St. Thomas More), six years ago we started Project Gabriel, and we’ve been able to save the lives of five babies right here in this neighborhood.”
Father Farmer said he believes the movement has made some progress, but said “we have a way to go.”
Monsignor Farmer’s first assignments after his ordination were as associate pastor of Immaculate Conception in Towson (1980-86) and associate director of the Monsignor O’Dwyer Retreat House in Sparks (1986-88). He then served as associate pastor of St. Clement Mary Hofbauer (1988-92) before being named pastor of St. Thomas Aquinas in Hampden (1992-2006).
Monsignor Farmer also served as pastor of St. Ursula in Parkville (2006-10) and St. John in Westminster (2010-16).
A former Baltimore City public defender, Monsignor Farmer saw firsthand the impact of drug abuse on families and the wider community. At several of his parishes, he supported extensive outreach to those suffering from addiction. He has also been active in Courage, a ministry of the archdiocese offering support for those with same-sex attraction who want to live holy lives in accord with the teachings of the Catholic Church.
Those who know him well say his legacy is best defined as being a “eucharistic priest.”
“I think that’s very descriptive,” said St. Thomas More parishioner Skip Depew, one of Monsignor Farmer’s many friends. “He loves being with Christ in the Eucharist. He loves being present to the Lord.”
Depew said Monsignor Farmer has spent numerous hours in eucharistic adoration. As Depew’s spiritual director, Monsignor Farmer encouraged his friend to find God in his daily life rather than just on Sunday when he goes to Mass.
Pregnancy Center North, Inc., during a Sept. 23, 2021 banquet in Cockeysville. (Courtesy Pregnancy Center North, Inc.)
“It has helped me on a personal level where my relationship with God should be and how,” Depew said. “I should be aware of God at all times, not just when I was doing religious activities.”
Monsignor Farmer said his fondest memories of being a priest have been when he was “leading people to Jesus, or Jesus to people.”
Depew said Monsignor Farmer has tried to leave a certain passage of Scripture behind him at every parish he’s served. It is Mark 8:36: “What profit is there for one to gain the whole world and forfeit his life?”
St. Thomas More Deacon Mike McCoy said the parish recognizes Monsignor Farmer as more than a member of the clergy.
“He’s a friend – very open, very supportive, easy to talk to,” McCoy said. “One of his strongest points is that when he finds out someone is sick or in need he’s the first there.”
Depew said Monsignor Farmer befriends people very easily and then he nurtures that friendship. He recalled that Monsignor Farmer even has friends from his old legal career who have been very supportive of various parish fundraisers. Sometimes they would be so enthusiastic that the parish would run out of tickets or tables.
Monsignor Farmer said he will help out with Masses in the archdiocese after he retires.
“I’m already lined up – have Masses the next day,” he said.
He’s looking forward to a bit more time for fishing.
“Fishing is kind of like faith,” he said. “You make a cast and never know what is going to happen.”
Click below to listen to a Catholic Review Radio interview with Monsignor Farmer about his pro-life ministry.
Monsignor James P. Farmer
Born: Feb. 7, 1947
Home parish: St. Clement Mary Hofbauer, Rosedale
Seminary: Mount St. Mary’s, Emmitsburg
Ordained: Nov. 24, 1979
Assignments: Immaculate Conception, Towson, associate pastor (1980-86); Monsignor O’Dwyer Retreat House, Sparks, associate director (1986-88); St. Clement Mary Hofbauer, Rosedale, associate pastor (1988-92); St. Thomas Aquinas, Hampden, pastor (1992-2006); St. Ursula, Parkville, pastor (2006-10); St. John, Westminster, pastor (2010-16); St. Thomas More, Baltimore, pastor (2016-22); pro-life director (1979-89)
Quote: “The priesthood is a blessed life. We lead people to Jesus and Jesus to people.”
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