Archbishop William E. Lori announced clergy appointments for the Archdiocese of Baltimore.

“I’ve never wanted to be anything else but a parish priest,” said Father Ruane, 78. “I’ve enjoyed being with people during significant transitions in their lives – mostly through administering the sacraments, visiting the sick, preaching and teaching.”

Monsignor James P. Farmer, who has served as pastor of several parishes and who has been a tireless advocate for the rights of the unborn throughout his priesthood, will retire soon, but doesn’t plan to slow down too much.

Father Michael Roach’s life could best be summed up by one of his favorite quotations, by St. Clement of Alexandria: “All life is a holy festival.”

During his time at Holy Spirit, Father Joseph Simmons oversaw the building of a new church (dedicated in 1988) and the construction of a $1.9 million parish center after a fire destroyed the original one Dec. 16, 2009.

As he prepares for retirement, Monsignor Carl Cummings said he has been gratified to help people join the Catholic faith – or return to it in the sacrament of penance.

The Catholic Review spotlights four of Archdiocese of Baltimore’s distinctive scholars from the region’s 18 Catholic high schools.

Archdiocese of Baltimore Catholic high school graduation by the numbers.

“The church has a beautiful vision of the dignity of human life from conception until natural death,” Archbishop Lori said.

The Basilica of the National Shrine of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Baltimore temporarily closed June 24 on the same day the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the Roe v. Wade decision legalizing abortion