• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Catholic Review

Catholic Review

Inspiring the Archdiocese of Baltimore

Menu
  • Home
  • News
        • Local News
        • World News
        • Vatican News
        • Obituaries
        • Featured Video
        • En Español
        • Sports News
        • Official Clergy Assignments
        • Schools News
  • Commentary
        • Contributors
          • Question Corner
          • George Weigel
          • Elizabeth Scalia
          • Michael R. Heinlein
          • Effie Caldarola
          • Guest Commentary
        • CR Columnists
          • Archbishop William E. Lori
          • Rita Buettner
          • Christopher Gunty
          • George Matysek Jr.
          • Mark Viviano
          • Father Joseph Breighner
          • Father Collin Poston
          • Robyn Barberry
          • Hanael Bianchi
          • Amen Columns
  • Entertainment
        • Events
        • Movie & Television Reviews
        • Arts & Culture
        • Books
        • Recipes
  • About Us
        • Contact Us
        • Our History
        • Meet Our Staff
        • Photos to own
        • Books/CDs/Prayer Cards
        • CR Media platforms
        • Electronic Edition
  • Advertising
  • Shop
        • Purchase Photos
        • Books/CDs/Prayer Cards
        • Magazine Subscriptions
        • Archdiocesan Directory
  • CR Radio
        • CR Radio
        • Protagonistas de Fe
  • News Tips
  • Subscribe
Archbishop William E. Lori rings the ceremonial first school bell during Aug. 6 dedication ceremonies for the new Mother Mary Lange Catholic School in West Baltimore as emcee Tim Tooten of WBAL-TV looks on. (Kevin J. Parks/CR Staff)

Miracle on MLK Boulevard

September 4, 2021
By Archbishop William E. Lori
Catholic Review
Filed Under: Charity in Truth, Commentary, Schools

Share
Share on Facebook
Share
Share this
Pin
Pin this
Share
Share on LinkedIn

Perhaps you have seen the 1947 movie, “Miracle on 34th Street.” A department-store Santa Claus (Kris Kringle), recruited during a Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade, claims in fact to be Santa Claus. As the movie unfolds, Kringle’s claim is put to the test – and so are the beliefs and convictions of all those involved in sorting out his situation. In the process, this mysterious man opens the hearts of hard-nosed, skeptical people to lessons of hope and generosity.

A miracle of sorts occurred Aug. 6 on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard here in Baltimore. It was the blessing and opening of the Mother Mary Lange Catholic School. Santa Claus was not involved in the miracle but rather a saintly woman – Mother Mary Elizabeth Lange – for she is the one who inspired and continues to inspire this entire project.

When the idea of building a new Catholic school in West Baltimore was first proposed, more than a few said it was an impossible dream – and to this day, some remain skeptical. Just so, when Mother Lange made her way from Cuba to Baltimore and, as a woman of color, opened a school for young women of color in her modest home in Fells Point, many were skeptical, if not outright opposed. Mother Lange pressed on because she passionately believed in and loved God and she believed in and loved her students. Obstacles such as racism and poverty did not daunt her.

Such faith and love are the secret ingredients of Catholic education. The newly completed Mother Mary Lange Catholic School is truly beautiful. I often speak glowingly of its multimedia library, its playing fields and gym, its maker space, science lab and music room. Yet, a beautiful building is not enough.

This school will take its rightful place among all our Catholic schools because it is destined to be a place of faith and love. It is to be a place where God is believed in and loved, a place where our students are believed in and loved – and taught to overcome cheerfully and persistently the obstacles they too will encounter as they grow towards adulthood.

Mother Lange’s strong and determined faith combined with her passionate love put our assumptions and beliefs to the test. Looking at our Catholic schools as a business model, some would conclude that the whole enterprise is unsustainable. Others might say that the days of making a difference in the lives of our students are over; that there are just too many countervailing influences.

Mother Lange’s wisdom and courage should prompt us to re-examine any lingering doubt we might have about the efficacy of our schools and about the deep desire of our students to attend schools where they can know God’s love, experience respect, make life-long friends, and where they can excel – as students and indeed as persons.

If you visit our schools while they are in session, you will witness small miracles in the making all around you as our heroic and dedicated teachers help their students develop their God-given gifts and talents and introduce them to new worlds of knowledge and skill.

Our young people grow physically, emotionally, socially and intellectually – and most important of all, they are immersed in an atmosphere in which they can encounter the God who is the source of their dignity, creativity and freedom. They are equipped to rise above the fads, and ideologies of right and left, in order to become the young people God intends them to be. We can be confident that God’s will for our young people corresponds with their inmost desires for happiness.

When God works miracles, of course, he works through others. I want to thank the Lord’s co-workers in making these miracles happen – our great educators, our educational leaders, our benefactors, our clergy and religious, and our parents – and most of all our students.

May God bless you as this new academic year begins!

Also see

school choice

ANALYSIS: ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ gives school-choice advocates partial victory with more to do

DUAL ENROLLMENT

Double the learning: Dual enrollment provides college credit to high school students

2025 Stellar graduates

2,156 seniors graduate from Catholic high schools in the Archdiocese of Baltimore

Thank you to a one-of-a-kind teacher

Radio Interview: Dominican sister at Mount de Sales shares faith journey from astrophysics to religious life

Copyright © 2021 Catholic Review Media

Print Print

Share
Share on Facebook
Share
Share this
Pin
Pin this
Share
Share on LinkedIn

Primary Sidebar

Archbishop William E. Lori

View all posts from this author

| Recent Commentary |

Expert discusses serious harms of smartphones for children and how to limit their use

Cupcakes with 2025 graduation toothpicks in them and a bowl of cookies

Our 31-hour Road Trip

St. Paul and discovering that sin is ‘missing the mark’

Six lit candles on a chocolate birthday cake

Making a birthday wish come true

Pilgrims of Hope: Walking the Way of St. Francis in the Year of Jubilee

| Recent Local News |

Archbishop Lori announces clergy appointments, including pastor and associate pastors

DUAL ENROLLMENT

Double the learning: Dual enrollment provides college credit to high school students

St. Mary’s purchases former Annapolis Area Christian School

Radio Interview: Exploring the Nicene Creed – Part Two

St. Clement Mary Hofbauer adapts to times, cultures as it celebrates 100th anniversary

| Catholic Review Radio |

CatholicReview · Catholic Review Radio

Footer

Our Vision

Real Life. Real Faith. 

Catholic Review Media communicates the Gospel and its impact on people’s lives in the Archdiocese of Baltimore and beyond.

Our Mission

Catholic Review Media provides intergenerational communications that inform, teach, inspire and engage Catholics and all of good will in the mission of Christ through diverse forms of media.

Contact

Catholic Review
320 Cathedral Street
Baltimore, MD 21201
443-524-3150
mail@CatholicReview.org

 

Social Media

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Recent

  • Expert discusses serious harms of smartphones for children and how to limit their use
  • Movie Review: Superman
  • Judge blocks Trump birthright citizenship order as part of class action lawsuit
  • Ukraine religious leaders issue ‘desperate cry’ to world to end Russia’s war
  • Pope Leo wears Chicago-made vestments to July 9 ‘care of creation’ Mass
  • Movie Review: Sorry, Baby
  • ICE deports Iowa parishioner to Guatemala homeland as supporters pray for his release
  • Come away and rest awhile
  • French woman hopes sharing mystical encounter with Minnesota Benedictine helps sainthood cause

Search

Membership

Catholic Media Assocation

Maryland-Delaware-DC Press Association

The Associated Church Press

© 2025 CATHOLIC REVIEW MEDIA, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

en Englishes Spanish
en en