St. Patrick in Have de Grace celebrates 175th anniversary

Its 175th anniversary couldn’t have been timed more perfectly for St. Patrick in Havre de Grace.

Arriving on the heels of a pandemic, the anniversary has helped reinvigorate the church’s mission and ministries.

Sitting just a short walk from the confluence of the Susquehanna River and the Chesapeake Bay, St. Patrick’s campus is a picture of the past, present and future. A beautiful stone church, which one of its former pastors helped build in 1907, graces the eastern corner; a spacious modern hall dots the western end; and a former convent being converted into an updated rectory sits at the center.

“The 175th anniversary has given us an opportunity to really reestablish ourselves as a parish after the pandemic,” said Joe Schmitz, a member of the organizing committee for the anniversary. “It’s allowed us to preserve our history, but also really bring our mission of outreach back into focus after a lot of people were away for so long.”

The earliest Mass was offered in Havre de Grace in a private home in the early 1800s. The first St. Patrick church structure was built in 1847 at the corner of Stokes and Warren Streets. The current church, erected in 1907, celebrated its opening Mass June 28, 1908, located at Stokes Street and Congress Avenue. 

The St. Patrick church cornerstone was set by Father James Fitz-Gerald, a stone mason, in 1907 and he was actively involved in its construction, which used granite blocks from Port Deposit ferried from across the Susquehanna River. The church was formally dedicated by Cardinal James Gibbons in 1908. St. Patrick School opened its doors in 1953 and served the children of the community until the early 1970s and was staffed by the Sisters of the Holy Union of the Sacred Hearts. 

St. Patrick’s 175-year history is testimony to the steadfast faith of its religious and lay people, and continued presence of the parish in the community. The parish features a vibrant ministry to the needy in the area. It sits in one of the most historic towns in Maryland in an area that is also one of the most growing communities in the state.

Parish administrator Father Francis Ouma said the parish’s welcoming nature is what struck him when he first arrived last summer and still resonates with him.

“You have a deep sense of ownership here,” Father Ouma said. “Everyone always says, ‘welcome to our parish,’ from Day 1. It’s the commonality of worshiping Jesus. There’s an incredible spirit of volunteerism here. There are things in our budget that just couldn’t function without our many volunteers.

“Our entire compound here, I don’t think we’ve ever spent a dime on the up-keep of the grounds. Everything is donated and done by volunteers.”

Ron Pojunas said he joined the parish three years ago and that he and his wife have felt a sense of belonging that they didn’t experience before in previous parishes.

“There’s a connection that I haven’t seen in my 40-plus years of going to church,” Pojunas said. “It’s the openness and welcoming feeling. There are so many opportunities to get involved in small ministries.”

The church is involved in several food-related outreaches as well as providing services for expectant mothers. It has an extensive mission to serve the elderly and shut-ins, which it plans to expand even further with the easing of pandemic restrictions.

St. Patrick volunteers also plan to boost their youth ministry outreach, especially with a growing number of young families attracted to the historic waterfront community.

“The fellowship and continuity is what strikes me the most,” said John Hamilton, a parishioner for 25 years. “We’ve had five pastors since I’ve been here, and the sense of community has always been the same.”

An opening Mass with Archbishop William E. Lori as celebrant and a St. Patrick’s Day Dinner were held March 20. St. Patrick continued the celebration with a parish picnic May 22. The St. Patrick’s Faith Expo will be held  Sept. 17. The parish also plans to have a presence, displaying its many ministries, at the community’s First Friday festivals that run from May through October. It will conclude a yearlong celebration of the 175th year of the church with a closing Mass and celebration dinner May 20, 2023. 

Email Gerry Jackson at gjackson@CatholicReview.org

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