• 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

St. Joseph in Taneytown creatively honors 21 pastors

June 23, 2010
By George P. Matysek Jr.
Catholic Review
Filed Under: Local News, News, Saints

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

St. Joseph in Taneytown has had a host of illustrious pastors over the course of its 213-year history.

Father Demetrius A. Gallitzen, the founding pastor, earned the title “Apostle of the Alleghenies” for traveling by horseback over a 250-mile radius to minister to Catholics of the region. The son of Prince Dimitri Alexeivitch Gallitzin, envoy of Catherine the Great of Russia, he is under consideration for sainthood in Rome.

Then there’s Father Francis P. Wagner, a World War II paratrooper, who led St. Joseph from 1959-63. Father Wagner was known as the “people’s priest” who helped erect the school building.

Other pastors included Father Paul F. Dolan, a generous and anonymous donor to the poor, who bought and drove school buses during his 20-year pastorate from 1974-94.

Each of the 21 pastors who have served St. Joseph was honored in a special way when parishioners recently erected an outdoor “Pathway of the Pastors.” The name of each priest was inscribed on a 16” square brick, along with the years of his service at the Carroll County parish and a brief caption describing his ministry.

“It really gives you a sense of where our parish came from and where our parish is today,” said Linda Webster, a parishioner who came up with the pathway idea with her husband, Larry Webster.

“We didn’t just want to have a name on the bricks,” she said. “We wanted to have something of the personality of the priest – something special so people would know the man and not just the title.”

Father Joseph F. Lane, pastor from 1933-40, was described as “the happy priest” – “always smiling and jolly.” Father John T. Kerr, pastor from 1967-74, was remembered as a “gentle man” – “quiet, elegant, distinguished faithful friend.”

Monsignor Martin Feild, current pastor since 1994 and the first monsignor to lead the small faith community, was honored for his love of “food, flowers, jokes” and for establishing the Trinity Garden, among other accomplishments.

Monsignor Feild said the pathway is a great way to highlight the history of the parish.

“It will outlast a lot of people,” Monsignor Feild said. “A bit of the history is lost if it isn’t in some form where people can see it.”

Larry Webster believes the pathway, established during the Year for Priests, could not have happened at a better time. The Holy Name Society installed the pathway through the courtyard gardens.

“We spaced the bricks 24 inches apart so your eyes are drawn to that specific brick when you approach it,” Webster said. “We watched people along the pathway and they stopped at every single brick like we had hoped.”

Money for the pathway was raised through Lenten fish fries and donations.

Email George Matysek at gmatysek@CatholicReview.org

Also see:

Taneytown parish embraces Catholic legacy

Copyright © 2010 Catholic Review Media

Print Print

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

Primary Sidebar

George P. Matysek Jr.

Click here to 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 |

  • The ‘both/and’ pope

  • Patrick Brice sentenced to home detention for attacks on elderly pro-life supporters

  • Movie Review: ‘The Naked Gun’

  • Statue of Confederate general known as anti-Catholic to be reinstalled in nation’s capital

  • Gun buyback exceeds expectations, previous totals

| Latest Local News |

Gun buyback exceeds expectations, previous totals

Radio Interview: The situation in Gaza with Catholic Near East Welfare Association

Patrick Brice sentenced to home detention for attacks on elderly pro-life supporters

Notre Dame of Maryland University joins with Milwaukee college to address teacher shortage

Sister Agnese Neumann dies at 95

| Latest World News |

Petition filed at Supreme Court seeks overturn of landmark same-sex marriage ruling

Head of Spanish political party criticizes Catholic Church’s defense of Muslim community

At 80th anniversary Mass in Nagasaki, people urged to bring Christ’s love, peace to world

Trump federalizes DC police force, says homeless encampments will be removed

Statue of Confederate general known as anti-Catholic to be reinstalled in nation’s capital

| 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

  • Petition filed at Supreme Court seeks overturn of landmark same-sex marriage ruling
  • Head of Spanish political party criticizes Catholic Church’s defense of Muslim community
  • At 80th anniversary Mass in Nagasaki, people urged to bring Christ’s love, peace to world
  • Cardenal salvadoreño: ‘Queremos vivir la democracia’
  • Following deadly steel plant explosion, Pittsburgh bishop calls for prayer
  • Trump federalizes DC police force, says homeless encampments will be removed
  • Statue of Confederate general known as anti-Catholic to be reinstalled in nation’s capital
  • Advocate pleads for Vatican aid as Russian adoption database shows Ukraine’s children
  • Salvadoran Catholic leaders speaking out more amid worries over democratic erosion

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