George P. Matysek Jr.

George Matysek, a member of the Catholic Review staff since 1997, is managing editor of Catholic Review Media. He oversees news coverage of the Archdiocese of Baltimore and is a host of Catholic Review Radio.

George has won more than 150 national and regional journalism and broadcasting awards from the Maryland-Delaware-DC Press Association, the Catholic Media Association, the Associated Church Press and National Right to Life. The Catholic Media Association named him both Editor of the Year and Podcaster of the Year in 2024. He has reported from Guyana, Guatemala, Italy, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland.

A native Baltimorean, George is a graduate of Our Lady of Mount Carmel High School in Essex. He holds a bachelor's degree from Loyola University Maryland in Baltimore and a master's degree from UMBC. George, his wife and six children live in Rodgers Forge. He is a parishioner of the Cathedral of Mary Our Queen in Homeland.

Archbishop Lori to offer consecration prayers entrusting United States to Mary

April 28, 2020
By George P. Matysek Jr.
Filed Under: Archbishop's Ministry, Coronavirus, Feature, Local News, News

Archbishop Lori’s consecration prayers will be streamed from the Cathedral of Mary Our Queen in Homeland at 3 p.m. on the Archdiocese of Baltimore’s Facebook page and its online Mass page

Franciscan Center triples the amount of people it feeds during pandemic

April 22, 2020
By George P. Matysek Jr.
Filed Under: #IamCatholic, Coronavirus, Feature, Local News, News

The Franciscan Center in Baltimore has more than tripled the number of people it feeds during the coronavirus pandemic and expects those numbers to keep climbing as more people experiencing poverty or homelessness struggle with access to food.

Our Daily Bread keeps up with surge in demand

April 17, 2020
By George P. Matysek Jr.
Filed Under: #IamCatholic, Catholic Charities, Coronavirus, Knights of Columbus, Local News, News

Even though Our Daily Bread Employment Center’s flow of donated casseroles has dwindled over the last few months and it had to suspend the use of volunteers, the Catholic Charities-run outreach has kept up with a substantial increase in demand for meals during the coronavirus pandemic.

Archbishop Lori to lead livestreamed Divine Mercy Mass and Chaplet from Baltimore Basilica

April 16, 2020
By George P. Matysek Jr.
Filed Under: Coronavirus, Knights of Columbus, Local News, News, Uncategorized

Baltimore Archbishop William E. Lori, supreme chaplain of the Knights of Columbus, will celebrate a special livestreamed Mass for Divine Mercy Sunday on April 19 at 3 p.m. at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Baltimore.

Baltimore Archdiocese offers memorial page for victims of coronavirus

April 13, 2020
By George P. Matysek Jr.
Filed Under: Coronavirus, Feature, Local News, News

The Archdiocese of Baltimore launched a page on its website April 13 for people throughout the archdiocese to memorialize loved ones who have died of the coronavirus and to offer the prayers and support of the entire Catholic community.

Spiritual communion helps connect Catholics to Christ

April 2, 2020
By George P. Matysek Jr.
Filed Under: #IamCatholic, Coronavirus, Feature, Local News, News

“It’s a sincere prayer saying that you believe that Jesus is present in the holy sacrament,” Father Poston explained, “and you desire to receive him and love him. But since you can’t, you invite Jesus to come into your heart and soul and be with you.”

In the footsteps of St. Isaac Jogues

April 2, 2020
By George P. Matysek Jr.
Catholic Review Filed Under: #IamCatholic, Amen, Amen Matysek Commentary, Commentary, Coronavirus

We can find solace in knowing that holy people such as St. Isaac Jogues have also been separated from reception of the Blessed Sacrament. Maybe we can find courage and perseverance in their example.

Hospital CEO conducts virtual meeting with Baltimore priests on coronavirus

March 31, 2020
By George P. Matysek Jr.
Filed Under: Coronavirus, Feature, Local News, News

Speaking to more than 50 priests of the Archdiocese of Baltimore during a March 31 online presentation, Smyth pointed out that most COVID-19 patients exhibit no symptoms in the first two to five days after they are infected. That’s when the risk of spreading the virus is greatest, he said.

‘God’s perfect plan’

March 30, 2020
By George P. Matysek Jr.
Filed Under: Blog, Coronavirus, The Narthex

“We all cried big, floppy tears and sang with broken voices to try and tell him how much he was adored,” Jordan Tippett said.

Courage ministry offers support for those with same-sex attraction

March 10, 2020
By George P. Matysek Jr.
Catholic Review Filed Under: Feature, Local News, News

Courage, an international apostolate of the Catholic Church endorsed by the Pontifical Council for the Family, emphasizes both the clarity of church teaching on human sexuality and charity to the person coming for help, Monsignor Farmer said.

Beer and pretzels: the ‘official beverage and food’ of Lent

February 28, 2020
By George P. Matysek Jr.
Filed Under: #IamCatholic, Feature, Lent, Local News, News

While beer and pretzels might be most closely associated with oom-pah music, polka dancing and Oktoberfests, they have a much older and more spiritual pedigree as the “official beverage and food of Lent,” according to Father William Saunders.

Father George Coyne, Vatican astronomer from Baltimore, dies at 87

February 13, 2020
By George P. Matysek Jr.
Filed Under: Feature, Local News, News, Obituaries, World News

Jesuit Father George V. Coyne, a Baltimore native who led the Vatican Observatory as its director for 28 years, got his start in the field of astronomy as a young student in formation for the priesthood by secretly studying under his blanket, flashlight in hand.