• 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
          • Effie Caldarola
          • John Garvey
          • Father Ed Dougherty, M.M.
          • Guest Commentary
        • CR Columnists
          • Archbishop William E. Lori
          • Rita Buettner
          • Christopher Gunty
          • George Matysek Jr.
          • 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
  • CR Radio
  • News Tips
  • Subscribe
Pallottine Father Bernard Carman, shown in a 2018 file photo, was attacked and robbed Nov. 9 outside St. Leo the Great in Little Italy, where he is pastor. (CR file)

Pastor of St. Leo pistol-whipped during robbery

November 15, 2021
By George P. Matysek Jr.
Catholic Review
Filed Under: Feature, Local News, News

Three days after he was pistol-whipped and robbed, the pastor of St. Leo the Great in Little Italy said he has been overwhelmed by support from his parish and the wider community as he heals from his injuries and takes time to come to terms with what happened.

“My message for (the man and woman who did this) is that they should consider a change of life and look at things differently and realize that doing violence and crime just makes a bad situation worse,” said Pallottine Father Bernard Carman.

The pastor emphasized the importance of forgiveness.

“Our calling is to be better – to be different and follow the Lord and what he did,” Father Carman said. “At the very worst moment of his life, hanging on the cross, not only did he say, ‘Father, forgive them,’ but he even made an excuse saying they don’t know what they’re doing.”

Father Carman, who had been recovering from Nov. 9 vascular surgery, arrived at St. Leo around 4 p.m. Nov. 12. He was planning to assist a visiting priest with a wedding rehearsal that had been planned for that afternoon.

After getting out of his car, he was approached by a man and a woman. The man demanded the priest’s wallet before hitting him on his head with the gun. The attacker stole the wallet while his accomplice took Father Carman’s cell phone. During the assault, Father Carman fell and hit his head on a wall.

“I was surprised they didn’t shoot because that would have been possible,” said Father Carman, noting that he had about $100 in his wallet. “The man pointed the gun at me, but instead of firing, he hit me with it.”

Father Carman said bystanders aided him, along with police. He received medical attention in an ambulance and did not need to be hospitalized. He made a police report, but did not get a good look at the suspects, he said.

The priest said he has received dozens of phone messages and posts on the church’s Facebook account wishing him well.

Father Carman noted that there have been a few incidents in the neighborhood in recent months involving robberies. He has never been attacked before, he said.

“There are things happening sporadically,” he said.

Father Carman said his physical injuries are basically healed, but he is still grappling with the gravity of what happened to him.

“The injury on the top of my head is far, far better,” the priest said. “I’m just coming down from the experience. I need to take the time to process it and to heal.”

Email George Matysek at gmatysek@CatholicReview.org

Also see

Archdiocese launches anti-racism program: ‘In God’s Image: A Racial Justice Journey for All’

Archbishop Lori tells conference to look at ‘root’ of violence, poverty

Mercy on the move with athletic advancements

Make Jesus’ ‘Gospel friendship’ the heart of Catholic social ministry, says Baltimore’s Bishop Lewandowski

RADIO INTERVIEW: Celebrating Catholic Schools Week

Bilingualism is a ‘superpower’ at Archbishop Borders School

Copyright © 2021 Catholic Review Media

Print Print

Primary Sidebar

George P. Matysek Jr.

George Matysek, a member of the Catholic Review staff since 1997, has served as managing editor since September 2021. He previously served as a writer, senior correspondent, assistant managing editor and digital editor of the Catholic Review and the Archdiocese of Baltimore.

In his current role, he oversees news coverage of the Archdiocese of Baltimore and is a host of Catholic Review Radio.

George has won more than 100 national and regional journalism and broadcasting awards from the Maryland-Delaware-DC Press Association, the Catholic Press Association, the Associated Church Press and National Right to Life. He has reported from Guyana, Guatemala, Italy, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland.

A native Baltimorean, George is a proud graduate of Our Lady of Mount Carmel High School in Essex. He holds a bachelor's degree from Loyola University Maryland in Baltimore and a master's degree from UMBC.

George, his wife and five children live in Rodgers Forge. He is a parishioner of the Cathedral of Mary Our Queen in Homeland.

View all posts from this author

For the latest news delivered twice a week via email or text message, sign up to receive our free enewsletter.

| MOST POPULAR |

  • Gov. Moore’s budget cuts BOOST, proposes phase-out of scholarship program
  • Mercy delivers Magic show in ‘Classic’ victory over Maryvale
  • Catholic pro-life activist Mark Houck acquitted of federal charges
  • Catholic schoolteachers describe what they love about their jobs
  • Former priest Frank Pavone, head of Priests for Life, faces sexual misconduct allegations

| Latest Local News |

Archdiocese launches anti-racism program: ‘In God’s Image: A Racial Justice Journey for All’

Archbishop Lori tells conference to look at ‘root’ of violence, poverty

Mercy on the move with athletic advancements

| Latest World News |

Mosque suicide bombing targets police, dozens dead

Scholars, diplomats reflect on U.S. and church’s response to the Holocaust

Pope preaches peace, cooperation, resilience to a Congo ‘gasping for breath’

| 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

  • Mosque suicide bombing targets police, dozens dead
  • Archdiocese launches anti-racism program: ‘In God’s Image: A Racial Justice Journey for All’
  • Scholars, diplomats reflect on U.S. and church’s response to the Holocaust
  • Pope preaches peace, cooperation, resilience to a Congo ‘gasping for breath’
  • Archbishop Lori tells conference to look at ‘root’ of violence, poverty
  • New translation tweaks to sacrament of penance take effect this Lent
  • Pope arrives in Congo after praying on flight for migrants
  • U.S.-born priest to lead Vatican body overseeing selection of world’s bishops
  • With national March for Life behind them, pro-life advocates plan for state marches, rallies

Search

Membership

Catholic Press Association of the United States and Canada

Maryland-Delaware-DC Press Association

The Associated Church Press

© 2023 CATHOLIC REVIEW MEDIA, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED