Margaret Brogden, a ‘force’ in Baltimore-area youth ministry, dies at 57

Margaret Brogden, a former Mission Helper of the Sacred Heart who was a champion of youth ministry in the Archdiocese of Baltimore, died of cardiac arrest March 4. She was 57.

For many years, Brogden was a nationally known coordinator of youth ministry formation for the Archdiocese of Baltimore – leading adolescent leadership training programs, directing formation opportunities for youth ministers and assisting with the archbishop’s Youth and Young Adult Pilgrimage.

“It’s such a big loss,” said D. Scott Miller, director of youth ministry at St. John the Evangelist in Columbia and Brogden’s supervisor when they both worked at the archdiocese’s central offices. “She had such a big impact and was such a loving and caring person.

“Margaret was just authentic, and the kids picked up on that and appreciated that,” Miller said. “She adored and loved young people. Margaret was thoughtful and very intentional. She never winged it. She had a plan. She did so much for the youths of this archdiocese, and she’s gone way too soon.”

At the time of her death, Brogden was serving as the director of youth and young adult ministry as well as the school liaison at the pastorate of St. Michael the Archangel in Overlea, Church of the Annunciation in Rosedale and St. Clement Mary Hofbauer in Rosedale. Brogden also taught religion classes at St. Michael-St. Clement School.

“She had a huge impact on the pastorate,” said Amy Smith, executive secretary of the East Baltimore County pastorate. “She was such a presence and force. Everyone knew when Margaret was around. She made her presence known, and I mean that in a good way. 

“She was so good with the kids,” noted Smith, who was led through the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults by Brogden and became a close friend. “Some people are good with the little ones, others with teenagers. She was great with all of them and such a guiding force. All of these teenagers could have been out getting in trouble; instead, they were at church with Margaret.”

Brogden, raised a Baptist in the Cherry Hill neighborhood of Baltimore, converted to Catholicism at 19 after attending Mass at St. Veronica in southwest Baltimore. According to a 1992 profile in The Baltimore Sun, she became a sister with the Mission Helpers of Sacred Heart because she wanted to work on issues associated with the poor in cities such as Baltimore. 

In a 2007 column in the Catholic Review, Brogden said she loved the diversity of the Catholic Church.

“I love being Catholic because, in a world that is often torn apart by ethnic and political differences, we stand united in the mission of our church and understand that we are able to use our gifts and cultural customs to help fulfill that mission,” she wrote. “We are united in faith. We are united in our diversity. We are connected to one another through our baptism, confirmation and common worship.”

Brogden left the Mission Helpers and adopted her cousin’s son, Malik, when he was 8 in 2008 after his father died of an overdose. She was a member of the Transfiguration Catholic Community in West Baltimore, but later joined St. Clement in eastern Baltimore County.

“She gave up one vocation for another vocation,” Miller said of Brogden, who had a degree in economics from UMBC and a master’s in pastoral ministry from Washington Theological Union.

Her son, now 21, said his mother devoted her life to others, especially children and young adults.

“My mom was a walking angel,” said Malik Brogden, a budding entrepreneur. “She was a joy to be around and all positivity. She’s the best thing that ever happened to me. Given my circumstances, things could have turned out much differently for me. She made such a sacrifice for me. Her whole life’s work was about others and about looking after kids.”

Rena Black, youth minister at St. Bernadette in Severn and Christ the King in Glen Burnie, first met Brogden when Black was a student at South River High School and a 16-year-old parishioner at Holy Family in Davidsonville. 

“She was still Sister Margaret then and she had a profound impact on my life,” said Black, who met Brogden during a High School Leadership Institute event. “She had a great sense of her own calling and affirming that people are called in different ways. Her constant refrain was ‘you are called to respond to his love.’ ”

Black, who has been working in youth ministry for the past 10 years in Anne Arundel County, said Brogden was a guiding force. 

“I haven’t encountered anyone who was as joyful as Margret was about sharing her story and her love,” Black said.

Craig Gould, director of the Office of Family, Youth and Young Adult Ministry for the Archdiocese of Baltimore, wrote in an email to Catholic Center staff: “For all of her devotion to young people it was always clear that Margaret’s pride and joy was her family and most of all her son, Malik. Margaret and Malik’s story is a beautiful witness to the way God calls people to each other. As Margaret said in an interview with the Catholic Review, ‘He was the child of my heart.’ With Malik, her young granddaughter and her many other family members, Margaret always drew her deepest happiness from being able to share her life with them.”

A wake for Brogden will be held March 23 at 10:30 a.m. at the Church of the Annunciation, followed by a funeral Mass at 11 a.m. with Conventual Franciscan Father Vincent Gluc celebrating. Interment will follow at Loudon Park Cemetery in west Baltimore.

In addition to her son, she is survived by a granddaughter, Melanie Brogden. She also is survived by sisters Donna Riley and Denise Brogden and a brother, Sean Brogden, as well as five nieces and nephews.

Email Gerry Jackson at gjackson@CatholicReview.org

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