“Our young people don’t seem to understand the position of the church, and that makes some of them afraid to engage the secular society in some of these issues,” Father Godswill Agbagwa said. “As they graduate  and go on to the larger society, they can be able to engage their society … stand up for their faith in the public square.”

A manger scene can make people feel good at Christmas and that’s what Patty Derrick and her friends in Rehoboth Beach were aiming for when they spoke to town leaders about erecting a creche that has been part of the beach town for about a half-century.

A native of New York, Sister Mary Patricia entered the Daughters of Charity in 1952, and served as a teacher at St. John School in Baltimore, 1953-55.

Saints from the Americas constitute half of those depicted in new stained- glass windows at New All Saints in Liberty Heights.

“She shouldn’t just be (important) for our church, but for all the churches because she appeared in the Americas,” said Father Lewandowski. “What she represents as far as evangelization and a call to follow Christ is important to all people.”

Deacon Robert Katafiasz will be ordained a priest of the Archdiocese of Baltimore by Archbishop William E. Lori during a 10 a.m. Mass Dec. 15 at the Baltimore Basilica.

This year the Christmas classic “It’s A Wonderful Life” hit closer to home than ever for Managing Editor Paul McMullen.

Charity and Unity, the first two principles that guide the Knights of Columbus, were on display in equal measure at St. Ambrose in Park Heights Dec. 8.

Bishop Denis J. Madden, urban vicar and auxiliary bishop emeritus of Baltimore, will lead a prayer walk for peace Dec. 10 at Sacred Heart of Jesus-Sagrado Corazón de Jesús in Highlandtown.

Sister Elizabeth Anne Corcoran, who was born at what is now Mercy Medical Center, received a portion of her education there and over nearly six decades of service became a face of the institution, died Dec. 5 at Stella Maris Hospice in Timonium.