MCHENRY – Tightly holding a large waterlogged sponge in his fist, 9-year-old Isaac Fike wound up like Orioles pitcher Erik Bedard and launched the soggy missile towards its target. As other children squealed with delight, Isaac hit his mark on his first try – smack in the face of Father Donald Parson, pastor of St. Peter the Apostle in Oakland. “If you want to go to heaven you’ll stop it,” shouted a smiling Father Parson, his soaked face poking through a cutout hole in a plywood angel figure topped with a halo. Father Michael Triplett, a newly ordained priest recently assigned to the parishes of Western Maryland, quickly jumped to Isaac’s defense.

As the small jet carrying 10-year-old Xavia Pirozzi’s new heart approached Philadelphia International Airport the evening of Jan. 5, there was a 20 percent chance the aircraft would not be able to land in the dense fog. Inside the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Xavia’s parents, Nicolle Borys-Pirozzi and Ralph Pirozzi, waited anxiously, knowing the fog was just one of many challenges their daughter has weathered in her short lifetime.

As at least seven women entered a Planned Parenthood abortion clinic on Howard Street in Baltimore April 10, about 200 Catholics stood on the opposite side of the street and peacefully prayed for them and their unborn children.

BALTIMORE – With at least 42 different nations represented in the congregation of St. Matthew, Bishop Denis J. Madden, urban vicar, wants the pastor of the Baltimore parish to share how he cultivated his multicultural ministry.

A funeral Mass was offered Nov. 27 for Father Robert O’Connell, S.S.J., who at 101 was the longest-lived Josephite priest, one who had served God for 66 years.

Kermit the Frog once sang “It’s not easy being green.” The leaders at the Archdiocese of Baltimore’s downtown headquarters beg to differ, however.

CUMBERLAND – Standing next to piles of neatly folded children’s shirts and dainty toddler’s dresses hanging overhead on hangers, Ellie Mantheiy was pleased with the quantity and quality of the apparel. “It’s mostly used clothing donated by parishioners,” said Ms. Mantheiy, coordinator of the children’s clothing outreach program at St. Mary, Cumberland. “Some of it is brand new. Our parishioners are very generous.” The outreach program started about three years ago to help struggling parents throughout the community clothe their children. The church accepts donations of pants, shirts, dresses, jackets and more which are then distributed free of charge to anyone who needs them.