• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Catholic Review

Catholic Review

Inspiring the Archdiocese of Baltimore

Menu
  • Home
  • News
        • Local News
        • World News
        • Vatican News
        • Obituaries
        • Featured Video
        • En Español
        • Sports News
        • Official Clergy Assignments
        • Schools News
  • Commentary
        • Contributors
          • Question Corner
          • George Weigel
          • Elizabeth Scalia
          • Michael R. Heinlein
          • Effie Caldarola
          • Guest Commentary
        • CR Columnists
          • Archbishop William E. Lori
          • Rita Buettner
          • Christopher Gunty
          • George Matysek Jr.
          • Mark Viviano
          • Father Joseph Breighner
          • Father Collin Poston
          • Robyn Barberry
          • Hanael Bianchi
          • Amen Columns
  • Entertainment
        • Events
        • Movie & Television Reviews
        • Arts & Culture
        • Books
        • Recipes
  • About Us
        • Contact Us
        • Our History
        • Meet Our Staff
        • Photos to own
        • Books/CDs/Prayer Cards
        • CR Media platforms
        • Electronic Edition
  • Advertising
  • Shop
        • Purchase Photos
        • Books/CDs/Prayer Cards
        • Magazine Subscriptions
        • Archdiocesan Directory
  • CR Radio
        • CR Radio
        • Protagonistas de Fe
  • News Tips
  • Subscribe
Archbishop William E. Lori announced the merger of three sets of parishes around the archdiocese, effective July 1.

Archbishop Lori announces mergers for three sets of parishes

June 12, 2017
By Christopher Gunty
Filed Under: Eastern Vicariate, Local News, News, Pastoral Planning, Western Vicariate

Share
Share on Facebook
Share
Share this
Pin
Pin this
Share
Share on LinkedIn

 

Archbishop William E. Lori announced the merger of three sets of parishes around the archdiocese, effective July 1.

  • Augustine Parish, Elkridge, and Ascension Parish, Halethorpe, will merge into the Catholic Community of Ascension and St. Augustine.
  • Crucifixion, Good Shepherd and Holy Trinity parishes in Glen Burnie will become Christ the King Parish.
  • Francis of Assisi, Brunswick, and St. Mary, Petersville, will formally unite as St. Francis of Assisi-St. Mary Parish.

The Glen Burnie parishes have been working together for approximately a decade, as far back as the pastorships of Monsignor J. Bruce Jarboe and Monsignor Richard J. Bozelli.

Father C. Lou Martin, pastor of the new Christ the King, said that for several years, the parishes called themselves the Catholic Church of Glen Burnie and appended “at Crucifixion,” at “Holy Trinity” or “at Good Shepherd” to the name.

Father Martin said the new parish is already considering building one new church to adequately serve the community. Each of the three current churches seats only about 250 people, necessitating 10 Masses in English and two in Spanish every weekend. Holy Trinity Church is more than 75 years old and the other two are each more than 40 years old.

He said it will be helpful to be “under one roof.”

Father Martin said the archdiocese suggested about a year ago for the parish to consider building a new church for all.

“They were not forcing it on us, … but I concur with it,” he said, noting that such a facility could foster community.

He said the groundwork was laid decades ago by previous pastors and parish pastoral and finance councils.

“The leaders got used to not being defensive about ‘my parish,’ but thinking of the community. I benefited from that when I came here,” Father Martin said.

He said a new name for the parish helps promote the feeling that “everyone is giving up something.” He wanted a strong, God-centered name for the parish, and three names were presented to parishioners for a vote. People at all 12 Masses voted for the names in the same order, with no difference between the “quiet Mass,” the youth Mass or the Spanish Masses, he said.

The paperwork Father Martin received from the archdiocese will note June 11, the solemnity of the Holy Trinity, as the date for the merger, although it’s formally effective July 1.

He acknowledged that while most people accept the changes, “you try not to hurt anybody. We’re trying to build a community of faith. We have to focus on making missionary disciples.”

Monsignor Robert J. Jaskot, pastor of St. Francis and St. Mary, said the two parishes have been operating closely for more than 30 years. “This is merely a formality to recognize that,” he said.

Along with Holy Family Catholic Community in Middletown, of which Monsignor Jaskot is also pastor, the parishes will be part of the pilot phase of pastorate planning announced by the archbishop in May.

Father John Williamson, pastor of the Elkridge and Halethorpe parishes, said that with 2,200 registered families at St. Augustine and 840 families at Ascension, the combined parish will be one of the largest in the archdiocese. Father Williamson has been pastor of Ascension since 2008 and also became pastor of St. Augustine in 2011. Since that time, the parishes have been working together.

“The parishioners for the most part are taking it well,” he said, noting that the two parishes took it slowly over the past five years to unite some of their ministries.

Since the parishes have been acting as one for years, formalizing the relationship via a merger will make administration easier and save on bank fees and some other expenses.

“It also helps parishes strengthen one another in that we have more activities and ministries going on now than when each parish was free-standing and had its own pastor,” Father Williamson said. “Combining has helped us be one of the larger, more vibrant parishes that we could not do separately.”

The merged parish will also be a pilot pastorate in the parish planning process announced in May.

Father Williamson announced the merger to his parishioners via the May 21 parish bulletin. “This is the final formal step to make official what we have been practicing over the past several years as we build one parish community on two campuses,” he wrote.

Father Williamson noted that parishioners “will notice very little, if any change, July 2” after the merger is formally effective.

Print Print

Share
Share on Facebook
Share
Share this
Pin
Pin this
Share
Share on LinkedIn

Primary Sidebar

Christopher Gunty

Click here to view all posts from this author

For the latest news delivered twice a week via email or text message, sign up to receive our free enewsletter.

| MOST POPULAR |

  • Conference of Major Superiors of Men Men’s religious leaders confront change with fraternity and faith

  • St. Bernardine Choir celebrates 50 years of song, spirit and community

  • Radio Interview: The true story of ‘Xavier Rynne’

  • Massacre ‘of faithful in the house of God’ in Congolese Catholic church leaves 43 dead

  • Sister Rose Sylvia Lindner, S.S.N.D., dies at 91

| Latest Local News |

Sister Rita Ann Naughton, I.H.M., dies at 88

St. Bernardine Choir celebrates 50 years of song, spirit and community

Grillo Family Reflection Space

Loyola University Maryland receives $1 million gift supporting aspiring educators, creation of reflection space

Sister Miriam Jansen, former director of international programs at Notre Dame of Maryland, dies at 86

Conference of Major Superiors of Men

Men’s religious leaders confront change with fraternity and faith

| Latest World News |

burch

Brian Burch confirmed as U.S. ambassador to the Holy See

JUBILEE-YOUTH-VIGIL

Pope Leo urges youth to find hope, friendship in Christ in uncertain times

Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar, Rep. Veronica Escobar

Amid shift in public opinion on immigration, Catholic advocates praise bipartisan attempt at reform

Planned Parenthood defunding remains in question amid legal challenges

UNESCO-EXIT-CATHOLIC-SITES

Experts see US UNESCO exit as blow to historic preservation for churches, other sites

| Catholic Review Radio |

CatholicReview · Catholic Review Radio

Footer

Our Vision

Real Life. Real Faith. 

Catholic Review Media communicates the Gospel and its impact on people’s lives in the Archdiocese of Baltimore and beyond.

Our Mission

Catholic Review Media provides intergenerational communications that inform, teach, inspire and engage Catholics and all of good will in the mission of Christ through diverse forms of media.

Contact

Catholic Review
320 Cathedral Street
Baltimore, MD 21201
443-524-3150
mail@CatholicReview.org

 

Social Media

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Recent

  • Brian Burch confirmed as U.S. ambassador to the Holy See
  • Pope Leo urges youth to find hope, friendship in Christ in uncertain times
  • Our Lady of the Snows: An unlikely patron in August
  • Amid shift in public opinion on immigration, Catholic advocates praise bipartisan attempt at reform
  • A Small Gift on a Cloudy Day
  • Planned Parenthood defunding remains in question amid legal challenges
  • Experts see US UNESCO exit as blow to historic preservation for churches, other sites
  • Thousands visit Blessed Frassati’s remains in Rome for Jubilee of Youth
  • Young teen’s relics a reminder for pilgrims that holiness ‘is not impossible’

Search

Membership

Catholic Media Assocation

Maryland-Delaware-DC Press Association

The Associated Church Press

© 2025 CATHOLIC REVIEW MEDIA, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

en Englishes Spanish
en en