St. Ignatius of Loyola Parish receives land donation from Natelli Communities October 7, 2026By Jenna Mattern Catholic Review Filed Under: Feature, Local News, News, Western Vicariate As St. Ignatius of Loyola Parish in Ijamsville celebrates its 150th anniversary, the Frederick County faith community has received a property donation from Tom Natelli, president and CEO of Natelli Communities, with an estimated value of $1 million.
St. Bernadette’s relics draw hundreds of pilgrims to Emmitsburg despite heavy rain September 23, 2026By George P. Matysek Jr. Catholic Review Filed Under: Feature, Local News, News, Saints, Western Vicariate Despite driving rain and some of the worst road conditions she said she has ever encountered, Brooke White left her home in Wayne, Pa., at 6 a.m. Sept. 22 for the two-and-a-half-hour trek to Emmitsburg.
St. Francis of Assisi in Fulton rededicated September 20, 2026By Katie V. Jones Catholic Review Filed Under: Feature, Local News, News, Western Vicariate Siobhan Cooney had tears in her eyes after seeing the completed church renovations at St. Francis of Assisi in Fulton for the first time Sept. 17.
From the ‘catacombs’ to a pastorate, St. Joseph celebrates 75 years September 6, 2026By Katie V. Jones Catholic Review Filed Under: Feature, Local News, News, Parish Anniversary 2026, Western Vicariate Today, as St. Joseph celebrates its 75th anniversary, the church operates as a worship site within The Catholic Parishes of Southwest Washington County, a pastorate which also includes St. Augustine in Williamsport and St. James in Boonsboro.
Ann O’Neill remembered for her faith, devotion to Mother Seton as Archbishop Lori offers her funeral Mass July 27, 2026By Connie Connolly Special to the Catholic Review Filed Under: Feature, Local News, News, Obituaries, Saints, Western Vicariate Remembering her joyful faith journey and reminding congregants of her miraculous healing through the intercession of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, Archbishop William E. Lori offered the funeral Mass of Ann Theresa O’Neill July 25 in Emmitsburg.
Father Blaine Burkey’s new book aims to get history right July 24, 2026By Katie V. Jones Catholic Review Filed Under: Books, Feature, Local News, News, Western Vicariate Now 90, the Cumberland native has self-published “The Cumberland Mission,” a 316-page archival study of the Catholic Church’s efforts to minister to Catholics in Western Maryland during the region’s frontier period from 1778 to 1853. Father Burkey said he began writing the book about 20 years ago, drawing on archival research he had accumulated over decades.
New book fills in gaps of history of Mount St. Mary’s July 20, 2026By Katie V. Jones Catholic Review Filed Under: Books, Colleges, Feature, Local News, News, Western Vicariate For a university founded in 1808, Emmitsburg’s Mount St. Mary’s University has surprisingly few books telling its story. That bothered alumnus John Singleton, Class of 1986, enough that he wrote one himself.
St. Katharine Drexel parishioners close the school year with a gift to eliminate public school lunch debt July 20, 2026By Rita Buettner Special to the Catholic Review Filed Under: Feature, Local News, News, Western Vicariate Feeding the hungry has become an important part of the outreach at St. Katharine Drexel in Frederick. The parish is especially focused on making sure students at Yellow Springs Elementary, which is nearby, have food to eat on the weekend.
The drive that saved his life: Father J. Collin Poston returns to Carroll County parish after brush with death July 14, 2026By Jenna Mattern Special to the Catholic Review Filed Under: Feature, Health Care, Local News, News, Western Vicariate Father Poston spent two weeks in the hospital, receiving the anointing of the sick multiple times and welcoming visits from friends, family, parishioners, fellow priests and his Pomeranian, Otto. He described the experience as deeply spiritual.
WorkCamp provides ‘God’s blessings’ to central Maryland residents June 24, 2026By Christopher Gunty Catholic Review Filed Under: Feature, Local News, News, Western Vicariate, Young Adult Ministry More than 65 teens and more than 50 adult leaders converged on Camp Round Meadow in Catoctin Mountain Park for Baltimore WorkCamp, using it as a base as they spread out to nine worksites staffed by 14 crews to provide home repairs for older residents in need of assistance.
Bishop F. Richard Spencer, former Baltimore priest, retires after dedicated service to Archdiocese for U.S. Military Services June 12, 2026By George P. Matysek Jr. Catholic Review Filed Under: Feature, Local News, News, Western Vicariate Pope Leo XIV has accepted the resignation of Bishop F. Richard Spencer, a 75-year-old former priest of the Archdiocese of Baltimore who served as auxiliary bishop for the Archdiocese for U.S. Military Services since 2010.
National Eucharistic Pilgrimage arrives in Maryland June 10, 2026By Katie V. Jones Catholic Review Filed Under: Eucharist, Feature, Local News, News, Western Vicariate With the theme, “One Nation Under God,” the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage arrived in the Archdiocese of Baltimore June 9 at the site of the nation’s first monument to George Washington – a stoic stone tower just off the Appalachian Trail in Middletown.
