Jesuit priest celebrates Mass at Orioles’ Sunday home games

It’s Sunday morning. The stadium gates are still locked at Oriole Park at Camden Yards, while fans line up, waiting outside.

Deep inside the stadium, tucked inside a windowless room where reporters interview coaches and players after the game, a priest is getting ready May 4 for Mass.

Jesuit Father Dennis M. Baker, president of Loyola Blakefield in Towson, has a unique ministry where he celebrates 13 scheduled Masses in the media room of Oriole Park at Camden Yards for staff and players when the Orioles play at home on Sundays. (Kevin J. Parks/CR Staff)

Jesuit Father Dennis Baker unpacks a bag of vestments, a plastic container of unconsecrated hosts, a small Perrier bottle holding wine, a chalice and a paten. When the Orioles have a home game in Baltimore on a Sunday, Father Baker is at the park, bringing everything he needs for Mass.

He never knows who will attend, but the Mass is open to anyone associated with the home and visiting teams. There might be players and coaches and members of the staff who bring the game to life for those present and watching from home.

The Mass at Oriole Park is just one of many offered in Major League Baseball stadiums across the country, as a network of priests serve the teams and those who support them through an organization called Catholic Athletes for Christ.

How It started

Father Baker’s path to his role at Camden Yards began at Fordham University, where he was earning his master’s degree in philosophy. There, he met a fellow student, Nick Martinez, who would go on to play for the San Diego Padres.

Years later, when the Padres were visiting the Mets, Martinez told him the teams were struggling to find a priest for Mass. Father Baker agreed to help, thinking it was a one-time event.

After moving to Baltimore in January 2024 to become president of Loyola Blakefield in Towson, Catholic Athletes for Christ asked him to take on Sunday Masses at Oriole Park.

Fitting the 13 Sunday games into his schedule seemed doable – and a chance to meet people.

“I’m new to this town, the Orioles know lots of people here, and it’d be good to get some local knowledge,” he said.

In addition to leading a Jesuit school and serving at the stadium, he celebrates a weekend Mass at Immaculate Heart of Mary in Baynesville.

“I have a busy life, there’s no doubt about it, but that’s how I want it,” said the 45-year-old.

He sees his busyness as part of living out his Jesuit vow of celibacy.

Members of the MLB Network were among players and staff attending Sunday Mass in the media room at Oriole Park at Camden Yards celebrated May, 4, 2025, by Jesuit Father Dennis M. Baker, president of Loyola Blakefield in Towson. (Kevin J. Parks/CR Staff)

“There are two facets to our vow of celibacy,” he said. “One is, of course, it has to be lifegiving for you. … But also part of it is being available. If you don’t have a family, you should be busy.”

Jesuits in other cities also celebrate stadium Masses – the Cincinnati Jesuits cover the Great American Ballpark.

Answering the call

Growing up in upstate New York, Father Baker met Jesuits at Canisius High School and Fordham.

“I had never met priests like this before who could quote Shakespeare and throw batting practice. … These guys were just amazing,” he said.

They reminded him of his hard-working parents and focused more on developing good people than perfect students. Still, he didn’t picture himself as a Jesuit. In his early 20s, after ending a long-term relationship, he was living in Ireland doing research.

“I thought if I were just going to try the Jesuits,” he said, “now’s the time.”

He contacted the Jesuit vocation director from his high school.

“This is going to sound crazy, but I’m thinking about the Jesuits,” he said.

The response? “It doesn’t sound crazy. Let’s give it a shot and see what happens.”

It worked. Father Baker has been a Jesuit for more than 20 years and a priest for 10. That call to the priesthood came later for him, during his Jesuit formation.

It was when he was teaching during a Jesuit stage of formation called “regency,” working with his students, that he felt the pull to become a priest and be able to offer the sacraments. It was then that he realized, he said, “They don’t need me to be a scholastic. They need me to be a priest.”

And if the members of the Orioles organization – and the opposing team – are going to get to Mass on Sunday, they need him, too.

How ’bout dem … O’s?

Before priesthood or the Jesuits, Father Baker was a Yankees fan – thanks to a mother from New Jersey and a father’s family from the Bronx.

Jesuit Father Dennis M. Baker, president of Loyola Blakefield in Towson, talks with television camera operator and St. Michael’s Church, Mount Airy, parishioner Phil Ferzacca, following a May 4, 2025, morning Mass in the media room at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. (Kevin J. Parks/CR Staff)

He grew up in upstate New York, loyal to the Yankees.

When he moved to Baltimore, students at Loyola Blakefield in Towson teased him about switching teams.

“When I moved here, the kids … said, ‘Now you’ve moved to Baltimore, you’re going to be an Orioles fan,’ and I said, ‘No.’ ”

He explained: “ ‘If you moved to New York, would you be a Yankees fan?’ and they said, ‘No way.’ I said, ‘Well, there you go.’ ”

“They respect it, and they kind of get a kick out of it.”

Mass at the park

In the makeshift chapel, Father Baker welcomes attendees, including tall opposing players who quietly take their seats. Mass begins promptly at 10 a.m.

“All right. Everybody ready?” he says.

It’s an informal liturgy, with nods to the game.

“Not exactly a perfect day for baseball. We are not perfect either,” he says during the penitential rite.

The Mass is a welcome addition to the workday for Phil Ferzacca, a camera operator for Fox Sports. On a typical Sunday, he attends Mass at his parish, St. Michael in Mount Airy, but when he’s working at an Orioles game, he appreciates having the opportunity to worship at the stadium.

Celebrating Mass on the road requires a portable kit of hosts, water and wine among other needs, as seen here in the media room at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. (Kevin J. Parks/CR Staff)

“I come every time I can, if I’m at the park on Sunday,” said Ferzacca. “It’s great.”

Team physician Dr. Sean Curtin also values the liturgy at Camden Yards. He and his wife belong to St. Ignatius in Hickory, but can’t always make Saturday evening Mass.

“If we can’t make it, it’s a tremendous service that we can go and meet the obligation and spend time with the Lord,” Curtin said. “It’s a pretty unique experience to celebrate Mass at an iconic ballpark such as Camden Yards with Father Baker. He’s a baseball fan, he’s young, he’s relatable and he gives great homilies.”

Asking the question

In high school and college, no one ever asked Father Baker whether he’d consider religious life.

“When they announced my class of novices … one of my former professors said, ‘Are there two Dennis Bakers?’ ”

Now, he’s asking the question himself.

Members of the Kansas City Royals attend the May 4, 2025, Mass celebrated in the media room at Oriole Park at Camden Yards by Jesuit Father Dennis M. Baker, president of Loyola Blakefield in Towson, while the team was in town to play the Baltimore Orioles. (Kevin J. Parks/CR Staff)

At Loyola Blakefield, 75 students came to a vocation event in November. Another 50 showed up during Lent.

“A lot of it is just asking the question, ‘Have you ever considered this?’ ” he said.

They ask – and listen.

It’s about meeting people where they are, even at a baseball stadium.

On that recent Sunday morning, as Father Baker celebrated Mass at Camden Yards, he kept his reflection on the Gospel brief, and the whole Mass only lasted about 20 minutes.

Soon enough, he was saying, “The Mass is ended. Go in peace.”

“Thanks be to God.”

The liturgy was over. But Father Baker offered one final unscripted blessing: “Play well.”

Also see: Father Bauer, Orioles’ chaplain, goes to bat for God and the O’s (2004)