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That commitment to fostering community, even in challenging circumstances, defined Father Frank Brauer’s priesthood. He died March 30 in Florida after a short time in hospice care. He was 79. (Kevin J. Parks/CR Staff)

Father Frank Brauer remembered as quiet yet fun priest dedicated to parishioners


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Catholic Review Filed Under: Feature, Local News, News, Obituaries

For much of the COVID-19 pandemic, parishioners of the Catholic Community of St. Francis Xavier in Hunt Valley gathered outdoors for Mass under the leadership of their pastor, Father Frank Brauer. An altar was set up on the grass, families brought their own chairs and, even on Christmas Eve, the community worshipped together outside, warmed by fires tended in steel drums by Boy Scout members.

“It was a lot of work,” remembered Pat Alhouse, a former pastoral associate at St. Francis Xavier. “It was lovely. It was a sharing moment of community.”

Father Frank Brauer served as pastor of Catholic Community of St. Francis Xavier in Hunt Valley before retiring in 2021. He died March 30 in Florida after a short time in hospice care. He was 79. (CR staff)

That commitment to fostering community, even in challenging circumstances, defined Father Brauer’s priesthood. He died March 30 in Florida after a short time in hospice care. He was 79.

Known for his quiet demeanor and playful sense of humor, Father Brauer had a gift for bringing people together – often in simple but meaningful ways.

When he arrived at St. Francis Xavier in February 2006, he hosted a party to meet parishioners, setting the tone for a pastorate marked by hospitality and connection, Alhouse said. Though he enjoyed gatherings and laughter, he remained a private man.

In a 2021 interview with the Catholic Review, Father Brauer said his main goal in ministry was to bring parishioners closer to Christ, but not hog the stage while doing it.

“I think it’s one of those things that you don’t want to be imposing things on people,” Father Brauer said. “You got to make them feel comfortable that they want to do this. And that’s why you dialogue with them to make sure that this is the right thing for all of us.”

Alhouse remembered him as a “gentle man,” noting that many people “didn’t get to know him” well. He loved traveling and cooking, and delighted in playfully stirring up children in religious education classes before quietly slipping away with a smile.

“Frank was a witty guy. He was fun to be with,” said Father Bill Viola, a retired priest and former pastor of St. Joseph in Odenton.

Father Brauer formed close friendships during his time at St. Mary’s Seminary in Roland Park, where he studied alongside Father Viola and Father Robert Mitchell of New Jersey.

“He was always perfect,” Father Mitchell said. “I was in every class with Frank for five years and he was meticulous at taking notes. He was also a bundle of fun.”

A parishioner greets Father Frank Brauer, pastor, following a 2021 Mass at the Catholic Community of St. Francis Xavier in Hunt Valley. (Kevin J. Parks/CR Staff)

The three often traveled together, taking trips to Ocean City, touring France and cruising to Mexico. Father Mitchell also recalled Father Brauer’s determination to host a parish dance in Baltimore despite freezing rain and icy conditions.

“He did it,” Father Mitchell said, with a chuckle. “He was a fun person. I know in his parishes, he was loved.”

Father Brauer’s friendships extended beyond the seminary. Father Viola frequently visited his home in Baltimore’s Locust Point neighborhood, where he grew close to the Brauer family.

“They became my adopted family,” Father Viola said. “I was very close to Frank and his mom and dad.”

Raised in Locust Point, Father Brauer’s home parish was Our Lady of Good Counsel in South Baltimore. He initially pursued seminary studies in high school before deciding against the priesthood. After graduating, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy Reserve ahead of being drafted.

Although he did not see combat in Vietnam, he served overseas and survived a harrowing incident at sea. In 1968, the U.S.S. Banche was anchored off the coast of Rhodes, Greece, when a powerful storm overwhelmed the aging World War II-era destroyer, according to the 2021 Catholic Review article.

“I said, ‘Well, I’d better get up to the bridge and find out what’s going on. And by the time I got up to the bridge and found out we’re abandoning ship,” Father Brauer told the Catholic Review. “Our friends always said that we just sank the ship so we could go home to our mothers.”

After his military service, Father Brauer spent about 15 years working for a Baltimore shipping company, including time based at the former World Trade Center complex in New York. During those years, he drifted away from regular church practice before eventually returning to the faith.

“That was one of those things. I sort of wandered away from going to church and I decided this isn’t right,” Father Brauer said in the 2021 interview. “And I started going back to church and just became more and more active in the church.”

He was ordained to the priesthood in 1986. He served as associate pastor of St. Ursula, Parkville (1986-90); associate pastor of the Church of the Resurrection, Ellicott City (1990-96); administrator of St. Patrick, Cumberland (1996-97); pastor of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Edgewater (1997-2006); and pastor of the Catholic Community of St. Francis Xavier Parish, Hunt Valley (2006-21).

Upon retiring in 2021, Father Brauer moved to Florida with his sister.

“He was very ready to retire,” Alhouse said. “He always wanted to be in Florida. It was his happy place.”

Funeral arrangements are pending.

Email Katie V. Jones at kjones@CatholicReview.org

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