Pressing a flat hand against the shining top of a new white altar at St. Joseph Church in Cockeysville March 21, Archbishop William E. Lori solemnly anointed every corner of the marble structure with sacred chrism.

Auxiliary Bishop Bruce A. Lewandowski, C.Ss.R., vicar for Baltimore City, encouraged those in attendance March 22 for the archdiocese’s third and final modeling session for parish planning to repeat after him: “Drafts, not decisions. Drafts, not decisions.”

A funeral Mass for Franciscan Sister ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­Eleanor Horneman (formerly Sister John Magdalen) was offered March 22 at Assisi House in Aston, Pa. Sister Eleanor died March 14. She was 96 and had been a professed member of the Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia for 75 years.

The married couples and family ministry at Ss. Philip and James aims to help couples mirror that communion and to grow in holiness in marriage and family.

St. Joan of Arc celebrated its new parish life center March 10, when it was blessed by Archbishop William E. Lori.

Carrie Stumpf meticulously wrote notes as a group of parishioners from parishes across Western Maryland and bordering Frederick County spoke at a circular table in St. Joseph Catholic Church’s auditorium March 12. She was among a group of people who met at the Hagerstown parish for the Interim Stage Diocesan Consultations, as a part of the XVI General Ordinary Assembly of the Synod of Bishops. The goal of the synod is to bring dialogue from clergy, religious and laity to pray, ascertain, communicate and hear each other out.

The Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors in the Archdiocese of Baltimore’s Chapter 11 reorganization case has asked bankruptcy court Judge Michelle M. Harner to allow victims of clergy abuse to present survivor statements at upcoming hearings in April and May.

The Archdiocese of Baltimore’s 2024 Chrism Mass will be held Monday, March 25, 7:30 p.m., at the Cathedral of Mary Our Queen, 5200 N. Charles St., Baltimore, MD 21210.

As the new associate director for Respect Life Advocacy at the Maryland Catholic Conference, Diane Arias has jumped with both feet into the legislative session that began in January.

Andrew “Andy” Ciofalo, founder of what would become the communications department at Loyola University Maryland and a longtime member of the board of directors of the Cathedral Foundation that once oversaw the Catholic Review, died March 7 in Moscow.