Many of the approximately 100 people who gathered at a cathedral adorned with yellow and white papal bunting expressed shock at the election of an American pope. But there was also a sense of excitement.

As French Cardinal Dominique Mamberti announced to the world May 8 that Cardinal Robert F. Prevost had been elected as the successor to Pope Francis, Archbishop William E. Lori and several of his closest advisors appeared visibly stunned.

Across the Archdiocese of Baltimore, a renewed call to missionary discipleship is taking root. It is most recently outlined in “A Light Brightly Visible 3.0,” a pastoral letter released Ash Wednesday by Archbishop William E. Lori, and was the foundation of the archdiocese’s Seek the City to Come pastoral planning initiative that merged 61 Baltimore-area parishes into 30 worship sites.

Baltimore Archbishop William E. Lori, supreme chaplain of the Knights of Columbus, accepted the “Gianna Beretta Molla Award” on behalf of the Knights of Columbus April 3 during the Columbia Pregnancy Center’s annual fundraising gala. 

As the first Knott Secondary Scholarship recipient from Western Maryland, Joseph Khachan fits the foundation’s mold nearly perfectly – pairing academic success with community involvement. 

Becoming foster parents for children in need was basically a no-brainer for Kevin and Rachel Okun.

Stephon Dingle, an anchor and reporter for WJZ-TV, was the keynote speaker for the Archdiocese of Baltimore’s 2025 Shine the Light Gala, which supports Catholic education. He said he was present not only as a guest but also as a “living testament to what a great Catholic education can be for you.” 

During the ordination, each new deacon promised to respect and obey the archbishop as well as his successors. Archbishop Lori laid his hands on each of them to give them the gift of the Holy Spirit and the five were vested.

University of Maryland St. Joseph Medical Center in Towson again earned an “A” Hospital Safety Grade from The Leapfrog Group, an independent national nonprofit watchdog focused on patient safety. 

As the College of Cardinals prepares for the conclave to elect a new pope May 7, Catholic Review Editor Christopher Gunty gets some inside information from Monsignor Richard Hilgartner, pastor of St. Joseph parish in Cockeysville, Md., and former executive director of the Secretariat of Divine Worship at the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.