More than 160 years after Irish and Italian immigrants extracted marble from a local quarry and used it to construct St. Joseph Church in the Texas enclave of Baltimore County, parish leaders are following in their founding parishioners’ footsteps.

Catholic Charities is providing free daily gifts including holiday-themed games and trivia, mini-concerts from local standouts such as The Baltimore Ravens Marching Ravens Band, a live music concert featuring Baltimore legend Ursula Ricks, and interactive baking challenges by presenting sponsor McCormick & Company.

Parishioners may see some unfamiliar faces in church during Advent and Christmas. Instead of thinking begrudgingly that they may be sitting in “your” pew, it might be better to welcome them with open arms.

Father Mark Bialek, pastor at St. John in Westminster, joins Catholic Review Radio to talk about what Advent is all about and how we can make the best of this season of spiritual preparation.

The series will take listeners through a Maryland holiday journey, sharing Christmas experiences from Western Maryland to the Eastern Shore.

The National Shrine of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton in Emmitsburg supplied Father Brad Guillory with a first-class relic of Mother Seton, so he can bring the saint to the men and women at sea.

Calvert Hall edged Loyola Blakefield, 17-14, before an announced crowd of 8,529 at Towson University’s Johnny Unitas Stadium on Nov. 24 in the 102nd Turkey Bowl, the oldest Catholic School rivalry in the nation.

On behalf of the Archdiocese of Baltimore’s Grief Ministry, Father Gerard Francik and Sacred Heart’s parish community brought Thanksgiving meals Tuesday to Roberta’s House, a family grief support center.

The Archdiocese of Baltimore reaffirmed its commitment to transparency regarding child sexual abuse by clergy and said that it would not oppose the public release of a report by Maryland Attorney General Brian E. Frosh detailing abuse within the archdiocese over the last eight decades.

Calvert Hall put together a 21-game winning streak and finished 24-0-1 after beating John Carroll 2-1 in overtime in the MIAA A conference title game. The Cardinals also were crowned co-national champions by United Soccer Coaches with St. Benedict’s Prep in Newark, N.J., which also went unbeaten.