Jesuit Father Francis M. O’Connor, who served at St. Ignatius in Baltimore and was a former rector at what is now Loyola University Maryland, died Dec. 23. He was 99.

A funeral Mass for Redemptorist Father Andrew W. Carr was offered Dec. 11 at Sacred Heart of Jesus-Sagrado Corazón de Jesús in Highlandtown. Father Carr, whose last assignment was at Sacred Heart of Jesus, died Dec. 7 at the St. John Neumann Community at Stella Maris in Timonium. He was 94.

Agnes Welch, a devout member of St. Edward Parish and former member of the Baltimore City Council from West Baltimore, died Dec. 26 at the age of 99 at the University of Maryland Medical Center.

Robert Wittman, who grew up in Baltimore’s Hamilton neighborhood and received the sacraments at nearby St. Dominic Church and his grade school education at the former parish school, has recovered countless artifacts and pieces of art, including works by Rembrandt, Goya, Manet and Rodin.

Check out the most-read local stories and commentaries on CatholicReview.org for 2023.

The Sisters of Life and Knights of Columbus announced Dec. 21 that they will be teaming up for a second year to host Life Fest in conjunction with the National March for Life in Washington in January.

What is the meaning of the Incarnation and the significance of Christmas? Catholic Review Editor Christopher Gunty talked with Father Tyler Kline about how we take the message of Christmas and apply it to our lives every day, not just during the Christmas season.

Leaders of the Maryland Catholic Conference say the state will face another big push for physician-assisted suicide, which is opposed by church teaching, when the 2024 General Assembly session begins Jan. 10.

The Anne Arundel County sanctuary operates on a core principle – rescuing, rehabilitating and rehoming senior dogs. Even if a furry resident doesn’t find a forever home, the sanctuary ensures it becomes the dog’s haven for the rest of its life.

De La Salle Christian Brother Edward Gallagher, who taught at St. Frances Academy in Baltimore from 1987-1992 and 1999-2008, died Dec. 17. He was 93.