Most popular stories and commentaries of 2022 on CatholicReview.org

Here are the most-read local stories and commentaries on CatholicReview.org for 2022:

Local Stories

1. 5 things to know about the Act of Consecration of Ukraine and Russia to the Immaculate Heart of Mary (Mary 23, 2022)

Pope Francis invited all bishops to join him in an Act of Consecration of Ukraine and Russia to the Immaculate Heart of Mary on the Feast of the Annunciation on March 25. Archbishop William E. Lori hosted a Mass the Cathedral of Mary Our Queen in Homeland.

The Catholic Review’s article explained just what the consecration was. Pope Francis presided in St. Peter’s Basilica for the celebration of penance, at which time he consecrated Russia and Ukraine to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, praying for the end of the war between the countries. Unfortunately, the war between Russia and Ukraine in Eastern Europe continues.

— Catholic Review Staff

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2. Monsignor Luca, longtime pastor of Howard County parishes, dies at 79 (Oct. 1, 2022)

Remembered as a dedicated shepherd to his flock, Monsignor Joseph Luca, pastor emeritus of St. Louis in Clarksville and St. Francis of Assisi in Fulton, died Oct. 1 after a long battle with cancer. He was 79.

Monsignor Luca was the longtime pastor of St. Louis, a burgeoning Howard County parish of more than 4,000 families, from 1996 until his retirement in 2021. When St. Francis of Assisi, Fulton, became part of a pastorate with St. Louis in 2018, Monsignor Luca also provided leadership for that 800-family church. He had previously served as pastor of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Essex.

— Mary Tilghman

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3. Emmitsburg grotto awaits return of statue of Blessed Virgin Mary (May 5, 2022)

A bronze, gold-leafed statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary looked over the campus of Mount St. Mary’s University for nearly six decades. After 57 years of sun, wind and rain taking their toll, the Emmitsburg college looked after that 25-foot iconic figure with a yearlong refurbishment that was finally completed in August.

The statue returned to its high perch at the National Shrine Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes overlooking the campus and surrounding countryside and a ceremony was held to make the return in October.

“It’s lonely up here,” joked Dawn Walsh, director of the National Shrine Grotto, while the statue was being refurbished. “Not seeing Our Lady up on that hill is just a little strange.”

The grotto complex is at the entrance to the National Shrine Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes at the site of the old Church of St. Mary, also known as the Church on the Hill, which was erected in 1805 by the university’s founder, Sulpician Father John Dubois; it was the place of worship for St. Elizabeth Ann Seton.

— Gerry Jackson

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4.St. Frances mourns death of football player Lamar Patterson (Feb. 3, 2022)

For the second time in 10 months, the St. Frances Academy community mourned the death of a player from its nationally renowned football team. Lamar Patterson, a junior, died Feb. 2 in a car crash, reportedly while driving to school. In April, Aaron Wilson, a 17-year-old senior, died of brain cancer.

The school implemented an “emergency response plan” after Patterson’s death, dismissing school early at 1 p.m. and canceling after-school activities Feb. 2. School staff also made counselors available to students.

“St. Frances is really one big family, and this is a tough day,” said Melissa D’Adamo, associate head of school. “We are doing our best to take care of each other. We have only 206 students and everyone knows everyone; so we’re here doing what we do – binding together and taking care of one another.”

— Gerry Jackson

Read the full story here.

5. New Glen Burnie church to complete Monsignor Slade’s dream (Jan. 11, 2022)

When Monsignor Arthur Slade was pastor of Holy Trinity in Glen Burnie in the 1960s, he dreamed of building a bigger church. Instead, two missions that eventually became their own parishes formed: Church of the Good Shepherd and Church of the Crucifixion.

Today, all three of those communities are united as a single parish known as Christ the King, worshipping at the former Holy Trinity Church and in the auditorium of Monsignor Slade School. 

Now, after some 60 years, the dream of building a bigger church in Glen Burnie will become reality. Parish leaders are moving forward with a plan to sell the church buildings at Crucifixion, Good Shepherd and the former Holy Trinity to erect a new church that will greatly alleviate a space crunch.

— Priscila González de Doran

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6. Leadership transition coming to Baltimore Basilica as Father Boric prepares to enter Carmelite hermitage (June 23, 2022)

As Father James Broic felt he was following God’s call through active parish ministry, an attraction to a monastic life kept tugging on his heart. The yearning began when he was first exploring a religious vocation and didn’t go away after he was ordained a priest of the Archdiocese of Baltimore in 2014.

After much discernment and with the blessing of Archbishop William E. Lori, Father Boric left the archdiocese this past summer to become a postulant with the Hermits of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel at their Carmelite hermitage in Lake Elmo, Minn. His final Mass at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary was June 26. Father Brendan Fitzgerald, associate pastor of Sacred Heart in Glyndon, succeeded Father Boric as basilica rector July 1.

“I feel God just calling me to a hidden life of interceding for the world and the church,” Father Boric explained, “but ultimately a vocation of love – receiving the love of the Father and then loving him in return. That’s what the contemplative vocation is.”

— George P. Matysek Jr.

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7. Seminarians evangelize Towson University (April 5, 2022)

Eighteen seminarians from Mount St. Mary’s were on Towson University’s campus Feb. 27 to March 1 at the invitation of the university’s Catholic campus ministry based at the Newman Center.

With permission from the secular university, they had opportunities for faith sharing not only with Catholic students, but also with students of many different religions – and of no religion at all. The seminarians, representing a variety of dioceses around the country, mingled with young adults in the student union building, answered questions about Catholicism and invited believers and nonbelievers alike to experience adoration.

They also gave talks on angels, demons and ghosts, as well as presentations on Jesus Christ, the Catholic Church and God’s existence. A highlight was a eucharistic procession beginning at the student union building, crossing York Road and ending at the Newman Center. Seminarians took turns carrying the Blessed Sacrament while chanting eucharistic hymns. A handful of Catholic students knelt as the procession passed, while most onlookers stared in silence.

— George P. Matysek Jr.

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8. Nearly 1,000 Catholic women find peace in the midst of anxiety (April 11, 2022)

A local women’s Bible study led by Catholic convert Lisa Brenninkmeyer started its journey in 2002 with eight participants in the basement of St. Andrew by the Bay in Annapolis. “Walking with Purpose” (WWP) now has 23 parish Bible studies throughout the Archdiocese of Baltimore and 460 throughout the world, caring for 42,000 Catholic women of all ages in 2022.

Nearly 1,000 women gathered at St. John Neumann in Annapolis April 7 to hear the ministry’s founder give a presentation titled “Hallelujah Anyway: Discovering Good Despite Anxiety.” According to the American Psychological Association, rates of anxiety and depression among U.S. adults are about four times higher now than they were before the COVID-19 pandemic.

— Priscila González de Doran

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9. 5 things to know about the St. Bernadette relics tour stop in Baltimore (May 7, 2022)

A national tour of relics of St. Bernadette made a stop in Baltimore May 12-15 at the Cathedral of Mary Our Queen in Homeland. The relics were available for viewing most of the day for three straight days at the cathedral, 5200 N. Charles St. It was the only stop of the relics in the Mid-Atlantic.

The tour started in Florida April 7 and visited 23 other dioceses, stopping at 34 churches, cathedrals and shrines. The last stop was St. Bernadette Church in Los Angeles, July 31-Aug. 4.

The Catholic Reviews article detailed the stop in Baltimore as well as providing information on St. Bernadette and her extraordinary life.

— Catholic Review Staff

Read the full story here.

10. Deacon Mortel, who inspired many to help his homeland of Haiti, dies at 88 (April 23, 2022)

Deacon Rodrigue Mortel, who as director of the Missions Office for the Archdiocese of Baltimore inspired dozens of parishes in the archdiocese to support sister churches in his homeland of Haiti and led hundreds of Catholic high-schoolers on summer missions there, died April 22 at his home in Hershey, Pa. Deacon Mortel, 88, led a life worth examining.

As a child, he experienced homelessness in the poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere. In his professional life, he became a pioneering obstetrician, surgeon and researcher, and the first director of the Penn State University Cancer Center. In his faith life, Deacon Mortel earned the trust of leaders throughout the Baltimore Archdiocese. Some of its parishes continue to assist churches in the Diocese of Gonaïves, continuing the work of what began as the Baltimore Haiti Project. The archdiocese was among the benefactors which helped him build an elementary and high school in his hometown of St. Marc, about 50 miles north of the capital city of Port-au-Prince.

— Paul McMullen

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Commentaries

1. A lost tortoise comes home (May 2, 2022)

One August day, Dug — who’s a desert tortoise — was taking in the sunshine inside a brick enclosure in the yard when he escaped. The Bell family believes the tortoise used his long claws to climb over the brick and go out into the yard. Then he just kept moving. By the time the family realized he was gone, Dug was nowhere to be found. A search party of family and friends looking over the course of a couple days, couldn’t find the tortoise.

They did find a diamondback turtle and brought him temporarily inside, but no one was fooled. He had orange and red markings, and he wasn’t friendly like Dug. They let him go. They missed Dug, and Rory Bell thought of him often. “I prayed for him,” Rory said. “Me and my mom, when we’re riding to school, we say a decade of the Rosary. We each say a Hail Mary and pray for someone. I prayed for Dug.” During Advent, on their drive to St. Joseph’s School in Cockeysville, where Rory is in fourth grade, Rory’s first Hail Mary was always for Dug. Every day, he prayed for Dug to be OK in the wilderness. But the Bells never actually thought they would see Dug again — until one Saturday, when they were on their way to a Preakness party, and Molly happened to be looking at their neighborhood Facebook page. She was scrolling when she saw that one of her neighbors, Mary Wyak Johnson, had posted a picture of a tortoise. Mary — whose house is a little less than a half-mile away — had seen the tortoise in her garden, photographed it, and sent the picture to a friend who is an expert on turtles and tortoises. He told her it was likely a pet and encouraged her to try to find the owner. So, Mary posted the photo on Facebook for her neighbors to see — and put Dug in a box and gave him some salad.

The Bells will never know the story of what Dug experienced during his nine-month adventure. And they are marveling that a desert tortoise made it through a Timonium winter. But the St. Joseph’s Church parishioners are thrilled that he has returned to the family. “We really believe the power of the Holy Spirit was watching over him the whole way,” Molly said. “And we are really grateful for this amazing neighborhood.”

— Rita Buettner

Read the full story here.

2. We don’t talk about COVID (Jan. 15, 2022)

I’m so tired of hearing about positivity rates and hospitalization rates and vaccination rates and…

What’s that? You know where we can find home tests? What time does the shipment come in? And they put them right out on the shelves?

Wow! Hang on, I need to text my friend who’s been looking for one. And maybe I should get a few more just in case. I don’t know how many we are going to need.

But yeah, let’s not talk about COVID. I’m just so happy the children are back in school. I just can’t decide whether they should be wearing KN95s right now. They’re so much more comfortable in the other masks, and they’re in them all day, except at lunchtime. I don’t know what they do for gym class. I’ve never thought to ask. That’s the last thing we want to talk about at night. We’re so busy listing all the teachers and students who were out sick today.

— Rita Buettner

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3. A letter to my godson (March 22, 2022)

Dear Simon Ignatius:

Welcome to the Catholic Church!

Your baptism was so beautiful, and you didn’t even cry as the deacon poured water on your head. You’re already living up to the stamina and adaptability of a third child who rolls with whatever’s happening around him. I’m so proud of you already.

You have your whole life ahead of you to learn about your faith. But as you begin your life as a child of God, I wanted to share a few thoughts
with you.

You are so loved. You know this already because your parents and brother and sister take such good care of you. But I want to remind you that God loves you, too. He loved you before you even existed. He created you because he knew the world needed you – not just another person, but you, yourself, Simon. He knows and loves you completely. What an amazing gift you are to the world. We are all so happy you are here.

— Rita Buettner

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4. What a wonderful Wordle (Jan. 21, 2022)

We are all trying to solve the same challenge every day. So, when people share their results, it’s not boasting—especially when I lose or take 5 or 6 steps to solve it. It’s to show how we arrived at our guess. What was the path we took to get to the answer?

By this point in the pandemic, I’m sure everyone’s sourdough starter has 30 descendants. The spice racks are alphabetized, and the sock drawers are sorted. People are crocheting Easter baskets for the third year in a row.

Me? I’ll be over here playing Wordle, inserting five-letter words, and seeing which letters stick. And I’ll be happy as can be. Happy. Hmm. Would that be a good first guess for Wordle tomorrow? Maybe. Ooooh, maybe!

Looking forward to tomorrow.

— Rita Buettner

Read the full story here.

5. Baltimore’s strongman (July 5, 2022)

Long before Arnold Schwarzenegger made a name for himself as one of the world’s most-celebrated bodybuilders, my great-uncle was wowing crowds around the country with inventive feats of strength.

Antone Matysek’s most-famous stunt, which he performed on the Vaudeville stage, was hoisting three men over his head with one arm as they pedaled vainly on a custom-made bicycle outfitted with added weights.

A childhood immigrant from what is now the Czech Republic, Matysek grew up at St. Wenceslaus Parish in East Baltimore, where, according to his 1963 obituary, he first became interested in physical culture.

Many St. Wenceslaus parishioners were involved in “Sokol,” a Czech gymnastics and fitness organization that emphasized “a sound body and a sound mind.”

As he grew in strength and popularity, my great-uncle began a successful national mail-order physical conditioning program and was regularly featured on the pages of Strength magazine. After setting world weightlifting records in 1915 and 1917, he was crowned “America’s Strongest Man” in a 1922 competition at Madison Square Garden. He astonished the crowd by raising 2,900 pounds in a hip lift.

— George P. Matysek Jr.

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6. When St. Bernadette’s relics came to Baltimore (May 15, 2022)

I don’t honestly know what I expected from the experience, but standing in front of the relics, I was filled with awe. St. Bernadette had such an incredible life. I like to remind my children that each of us has a role to play on earth that no one else can. You can really see that in Bernadette, how God and the Blessed Mother had a specific purpose for her. At Mary’s direction, she dug out the start of the spring at Lourdes that more than 200 million pilgrims have visited—and where many have been healed. She loved and trusted Jesus so completely.

As we stood by the relics, I was struck by the reverence of the members of the Order of Malta who were there. I also loved how friendly they were, even to me, one of the last people in line at the end of what I imagine was a long weekend for them. Everyone was smiling and open, inviting us to pause to pray or take pictures. We each received a holy card that had been pressed to the relic, and—before I left the Cathedral—I went back later for three more cards for my husband and sons.

Then we moved along to a bowl of water from Lourdes. I reached into the font to bless myself, while my new friends dipped a rosary and a brown scapular into the water.

As I walked out of the Cathedral, I thought of how I had come with empty hands and very little time. But I left with a sense of joy, peace and wonder at having been part of such an extraordinary experience. I may never travel to Lourdes, but this week I had the chance to connect just a little more deeply with St. Bernadette.

And that feels like its own kind of miracle.

— Rita Buettner

Read the full story here.

7. God spoke to me through my espresso (Aug. 16, 2022)

A delicious, pure, foamy espresso drips into my thirsting cup awaiting its dewfall – and my drinking of it! 

 I sipped slowly but most satisfyingly. And then I remembered Psalm 40: 

“I waited patiently for the Lord, and he inclined and heard my cry.”  

The Lord can surely teach us patience –  to wait on him and to wait for our prayers and he is sure answer to them. He did this for me through a long-delayed opening of a gift, and through a very, very slow (non-espresso pace) simple cup of espresso. So, the next time you enjoy your morning coffee, sip, savor and smile. Trust in the Lord’s good, if sometimes slow and patient work in and for you.

— Father J. Collin Poston

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8. Catholic education needed now more than ever (Nov. 9, 2022)

The importance of a child’s education cannot be overstated. It is a fact that learning – especially at an early age – is essential for cognitive and social growth, which ultimately lays the groundwork for a bright and prosperous future. Here’s another fact: Catholic education has proven time and time again that a curriculum that not only connects students with needed knowledge but also instills faith-based values and holds them to a higher standard better prepares them to overcome the countless obstacles they face during their time in the classroom and well after, truly giving them the best chance to lead a successful life.

The facts don’t lie. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Catholic schools across the country – including at St. John Catholic School in Westminster along with several others in the Archdiocese of Baltimore – saw a significant increase in enrollment. These administrations understood the urgent needs of students and quickly adapted to the unprecedented times by developing hybrid strategies that utilized both in-person and online learning, allowing them to continue to provide a quality education in a safe environment.

Just last month, we saw the results of these strategies. The National Assessment of Educational Progress released a report showing that Catholic school students performed at or near the top in reading and math compared to public and charter schools coming out of the pandemic. It is worth noting that the NAEP is considered the most consistent measure of U.S. student achievement over time and a lens into student success.

— Father Mark Bialek and Jesse Read

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9.Go to the heart of God (May 2, 2022)

People are suffering and dying every day. Jesus suffered and died. Yet, he did not stay dead, and neither will those dying with faith today.

And as we pray, we realize that we do not pray alone. We pray with, and to, Mary, the holy Mother of God. In most images of Mary, she is either holding the infant Jesus, or pointing to the adult Jesus. So if we sometimes feel overwhelmed by the images of darkness, we need to remember that Mary will help to scatter that darkness.

Mary held Jesus in her arms for a while, and always held him in her heart by prayer. You and I have Christ within us as well. Christ’s presence is fed by our reception of the Body of Christ in holy Communion, and by our daily prayer with and to Christ.

Evil is real. But the power of goodness is greater. With Christ in us, and Mary with us, we dare to overcome evil with goodness and Godness.

— Father Joseph Breighner

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10.Mother Mary Lange shows us the way (Feb. 1, 2022)

First, we need to be familiar with Mother Lange’s story and share it with everyone, especially with young people.

Second, we need to pray for Mother Lange’s canonization in every parish throughout the Archdiocese of Baltimore. Each of us should keep her prayer card at hand and pray the prayer for her canonization daily.

Third, we need to pray to Mother Lange, entrusting to her the cares of our hearts and not hesitating to ask her for special favors, including physical cures and solutions to intractable problems.

Fourth, when we receive favors, we need to report them to the Oblate Sisters of Providence. We can do this online at motherlange.org (click on Mother Lange Guild). Let us pray earnestly for Mother Lange’s canonization. That is how we not only celebrate history but also create it!

— Archbishop William E. Lori

Read the full story here.

Read More Local News

Radio Interview: New books invite children to explore faith in deeper ways

NDP student tackles expansive role as manager for Loyola Blakefield football team

Renovations in full swing at Carmelite Monastery of Baltimore

Sister Dolores “Dolly” Glick, M.H.S.H., dies at 92

Seminarian makes ‘a brave shave’ to raise funds for church playground

Mary Pat Clarke, former City Council member, remembered as fighter for social justice

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