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 Flynn, former rector of Mount St. Mary’s Seminary, dies at 86

September 26, 2019
By George P. Matysek Jr.
Filed Under: Feature, Local News, News, Obituaries

Monsignor Farmer recalled that Archbishop Flynn often told Mount seminarians that the greatest work they would do as priests would involve the unexpected. That might involve hearing the confession of a stranger on a plane or answering a call in the middle of the night.

Archdiocese welcomes 17 new seminarians, largest group in at least 36 years

September 24, 2019
By George P. Matysek Jr.
Filed Under: #IamCatholic, Feature, Local News, News, Vocations

The addition of 17 new seminarians brings the total number studying for the archdiocese to 52.

Sister Paula Marie Phelan, a pioneer in pathology, dies at 105

September 18, 2019
By George P. Matysek Jr.
Filed Under: Feature, Local News, News, Obituaries

Mercy Sister Paula Marie Phelan, a pioneer in pathology who devoted nearly half a century to ministry at Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore, died Sept. 12. She was 105.

Former Ascension pastor and area high school principal dies at 93

August 28, 2019
By George P. Matysek Jr.
Filed Under: Feature, Local News, News, Obituaries

Father Manuel R. Roman, a native of the U.S. Virgin Islands who was a few weeks shy of his 94th birthday when he died, was pastor of Church of the Ascension in Halethorpe from 1986 to his retirement in June 2005.

Archbishop Lori promotes civility in political, church discourse

August 11, 2019
By George P. Matysek Jr.
Filed Under: Archbishop's Ministry, Feature, Knights of Columbus, Local News, News, World News

In a divided country where discussions of politics and religion seem to grow more coarse and discordant by the day, Baltimore Archbishop William E. Lori challenged his fellow members of the Knights of Columbus to model civility.

New book highlights 12 historic homilies delivered in times of crisis

June 24, 2019
By George P. Matysek Jr.
Catholic Review Filed Under: #IamCatholic, Books, Commentary, The Narthex

Spanning a time frame from the fourth century to the present, the carefully-selected works show how some of the Church’s greatest clergymen applied the word of God and the teachings of the Church to moments of crisis.

Perfect joy: Sister Celia Ashton makes final profession as Carmelite

May 30, 2019
By George P. Matysek Jr.
Filed Under: #IamCatholic, Feature, Local News, News, Vocations

Lying prostrate in the chapel of the Carmelite Monastery in Towson as a throng of family and friends chanted the Litany of the Saints over her, Sister Celia Ashton thought of all the women who came before her and the others who will follow as Carmelite nuns. The special moment was a part of her […]

Spring cleaning with the ‘Trash Bashers’

April 30, 2019
By George P. Matysek Jr.
Filed Under: #IamCatholic, Amen, Amen Matysek Commentary, Commentary, Feature

The Trash Bashers of St. Mary of the Assumption in Govans take pride in their attempts to beautify York Road.

Father Paul Reich, Marianist who welcomed hundreds into the Catholic Church, dies at 90

April 25, 2019
By George P. Matysek Jr.
Filed Under: Feature, Local News, News, Obituaries

Father Reich, a Pittsburgh native who had two uncles who were Marianists, spent all his ministry at St. Joseph leading the RCIA program that welcomes people into the Catholic Church.

Listening session will share experiences of racism in the Catholic Church

April 12, 2019
By George P. Matysek Jr.
Filed Under: Black Catholic Ministry, Feature, Local News, News

Three months after Archbishop William E. Lori published his second pastoral reflection on racism, the Archdiocese of Baltimore will offer an April 29 listening session at Notre Dame of Maryland University in Baltimore to present the firsthand experiences of invited speakers who have faced racism in the Catholic Church.

‘Sister Hildie’ was beloved presence at IND for more than six decades

March 15, 2019
By George P. Matysek Jr.
Filed Under: Feature, Local News, News, Obituaries, Schools

“She knew every nook and cranny of IND,” Sister Patricia McCarron said. “She had a window into the heart of every single IND girl. She was the spirit of IND.”

Religious sister offers hope and healing in keynote address to pastoral leaders

February 19, 2019
By George P. Matysek Jr.
Filed Under: Feature, Local News, News

“Jesus Christ did not come and suffer and die for us so that we be good little girls and boys,” she said, “He came that we might have life and have it to the full and that our life would be completely transformed unto glory.”