Sunday, April 14, 2024

For the past two years, our parish has been participating in the initiative “Seek the City to Come,” as the Archdiocese of Baltimore has sought to revitalize parish ministry, evangelization, and outreach in the city. For quite some time, the ability to provide effective and fruitful Catholic witness and ministry has been hindered by declining populations, aging facilities, and a shortage of resources needed, not just to maintain the Church as-is, but to see the Church and its impact—our ability to bear witness to Christ in the world—grow and thrive.

Presently, in terms of Sunday worship in Baltimore City, there are 62 churches, with a collective capacity of over 60,000 worshippers, serving less than 6 thousand Catholics on an average weekend. A drastic change to the landscape of parish ministry—specifically, where the liturgies and sacraments take place—is needed throughout the city. 

As the Catholic Community of South Baltimore parish, we have been blessed to grow a vibrant and engaged community. The work of forming one parish has spanned decades, and has not been without its share of challenges. And yet, we are here through resilient and collaborative effort. We have met these challenges with faith and determination.  

What are our present challenges? While our community has integrated on so many levels, in the sacramental celebration—the very reason and foundation of our unity in community—there is separation, and the challenges to vibrant worship that come with it. Also, while we are presently well equipped to meet day-to-day operational and ministerial needs, each church requires extensive capital improvements, with an estimate totaling over 8 million dollars. This includes deteriorating slate roofs, lack of accessibility, and inoperable air conditioning, just to name a few. We do not have the ability to carry three separate worship sites in perpetuity, each with significant maintenance needs. 

Furthermore, the reconfiguring of parish boundaries across the city, in moving from 62 worship sites to approximately 20, would mean that our parish boundaries may expand to include nearby parishes. (The Archdiocese uses the term “worship sites” because there are various iterations of what constitutes a “parish,” with many, like ours, having more than one church building.)

Today, the Archdiocese released its proposal for citywide parish ministry and worship. Amidst the difficult prospect of dozens of parishes closing in their entirety, the good news is that there is a parish designated for the South Baltimore peninsula; however, the archdiocesan proposal recommends that our liturgies be celebrated at one centralized location, currently identified as Holy Cross Church. This would mean the closure of St. Mary’s and Our Lady of Good Counsel as worship sites.

Furthermore, it is proposed that the parish boundary and our offering of ministry include the Transfiguration Catholic Community parish to our west.  

The current proposal can be subject to change; the proposed model awaits the general public responses on April 25 and 30. At these sessions, the citywide proposal will be reviewed and open to questions. CCSB will offer van transportation to both sessions (please call or email the office to request a ride), and there will be a virtual option for both meetings as well. 

The proposal will then be reviewed by multiple Archdiocesan committees and civic partnerships for input and edit, prior to any final decision by Archbishop Lori. It is anticipated that a decision will be announced by the end of June, and implemented over the next year. Any worship sites not remaining open will not be closed immediately, but over the course of the implementation phase, which is to be determined on the parish level.

I know that there are many questions and feelings about this proposal. I encourage you to formulate your questions and recommendations and present them at the meetings on April 25 and 30; specifically, what is the feedback that will help to inform the final decision in a constructive manner, and provide opportunity to address revisions or resolutions to the proposal? If you cannot make either meeting, you can also send recommendations to https://www.archbalt.org/seekthecity/contact-us/.

I will continue to provide information to our parish community as the proposals are reviewed, any edits made, and decisions finalized. We will work through the implementation of these changes over time.

Lastly, please continue to pray for and support one another. Let us pray for our bishops, facing a daunting task. Pray for our city, and all the communities impacted by these decisions. And let us pray for our parish community and the important work that lies ahead of us.

In Christ,

Fr. Kevin