Seek the City - OLV

The Archdiocese of Baltimore launched a process a few years ago to re-envision what the Catholic Church looks like in the city of Baltimore. We heard about it periodically and prayed for the process. The Catholic population in the city has dropped dramatically as the demographics shifted to the suburbs and the Church was now left with small congregations, struggling ministries, debt and maintenance costs. After 2 years of sessions, the tone and weight of the process increased. In Fall of 2023, the mood changed. All of a sudden with the new year what we thought was impacting our neighbors was now at our front door. Despite reassurances over the years and being located in the county and being told we were paying our bills, the mood changed and it became evident that closures were coming and coming in a huge way and that OLV was in jeopardy of closing/merging. 

By the time Lent came we realized the precarious position of OLV and many parishes. Fr Bill tried to lead with charity and kept us focused on Christ.  My goal and constant reminder was to keep my heart focused on Christ, the Church building/ location/ family are all important but they are not required. I knew God had us but what that meant for Sunday worship I didn't know.

Then the Seek the City proposal came out. Apr 13, 2024  OLV was on the list to close and merge with St. Agnes. 30 out of 60 parishes would be closing. Many people felt completely blindsided. It was a struggle to not descend into bitterness, negativity, and cynicism. There was a draw to panic and so much criticism. The feeling of helplessness was immense, but strong arguments immerged, real reasons to keep us open. We could only tell our story and pray. Growing since the pandemic, a large campus, active outreach, location, and a Burmese refugee community 

List of proposed parishes with mergers in Archdiocese of Baltimore

There was good reason to be angry with the AOB. Sexual abuse and coverup. Corruption. Financial mismanagement, Abuse lawsuits. Bankruptcy. The AOB was not communicating well. 

The parish began a letter writing campaign, We held a town hall to frame our position. AOB wide listening sessions were set up and kept changing. at one point one was scheduled to be at OLV. I designed a t-shirt which the parish rush ordered.  OLV showed up at the Archdiocese Listening sessions at Curley high school and brought 3 buses to the Cathedral. OLV got good press coverage with our people and story showing up by name in multiple TV and press spots. It was weeks of rollercoaster emotions and activity. Those along with all of our charitable letters on blue stationary made an impact.

The final plan was released May 22. OLV was to remain open and St Joseph's Monastery would merge with us but remain a worship site. St Benedict's and Transfiguration would close and merge into OLV.

Seek the City- Final Plan

There was a flood of relief and tears of joy. I expected to feel so much better but that unease in my stomach didn't abate. The nauseous feeling in my stomach raged. This was going to be hard. Merger would be hard. Losing our pastor would be painful. 

The Plan was for mergers and closures to happen by Advent 2024 or Lent 2025, but for OLV we would be thrown right into it, as there was a retirement and Fr. Bill was being reassigned as of July 1. Our new pastor was the pastor of St. Joseph's Monastery. The plan was to initially have 6 months to ease into the merger, but because of the July 1 reassignment we are thrust into change without any prep. It was clear the Fr. Mike was not eager for the new position during an open house meeting during Father Bill's last week. Fr. Mike wasn't planning to move to OLV and there was apparently OLV debt that he wasn't thrilled about. It was deflating.

Then we held Fr. Bill's last Mass and threw a going away party. I got him and Jim matching socks with their faces on it. Jim had Men's Fellowship for the last time at the rectory.  We had Fr. Bill over for dinner his last weekend and he said Mass for us around our dinning room table. 

It has been months of stress and loss and it is hard.  I have to constantly refocus my heart to look to Christ. A transition team will be put in place and our parish will rework itself into something new.  Praying that we will be fruitful and glorify God.

Our Lady of Victory - Pray for us

GSHCDC 2024

 Howard County Girl Scout Day Camp has been a time honored family tradition with our crew. Each year they would head off with friends/adult volunteers and come home with songs and stories and crafts and new experiences that fit the theme. 

As they got to middle school the girls trained as PAs in the PAT unit and then helped out through high school and even as adults. This year Johanna spent her last year as a camper in Unit 6 and enjoyed the Renn Fest theme with Rachael and Bridget as volunteers. Rachael drove to and from camp each day so again I got to experience their joy without the task of the taxi. Rachael worked with the little campers in Unit 1 and they really bonded with her despite running a tight ship. Bridget worked in Leather. Megan even joined for the last day as a volunteer.

A New Summer- 2024 where are we now

 I took a break from writing but have recently been feeling drawn back.

The thought that it is only possible to restart if I "Catch up" was keeping me stuck. Catching up would be a labor for which I do not have the time or energy, so I'm letting go of that and embracing this moment. 

We are at the start of a new summer and I'm going to dive back in with an update on the family

Jim: He had his left knee replaced in January, recovered well and is thinking about having the other knee done. He is adding more hours at Guilford Hall Brewery after a slow period and a transition in sales responsibility. His summer is full of beer tastings and lots of Catonsville events. He had a great men's group at OLV and that is newly shifting with Fr. Bill moving to a parish out in Oakland MD.

Me: I've been working with the same company for 15 years but the software startup has changed many times over the years most recently with a corporate merger. I now work with a team in Germany. Business has normalized post-merger and while still being full time I feel like I am more available. 

Emma: still lives in the house on Gorsuch in Better Waverly with her 3rd floor bedroom and her college friends as roommates. She is now a Park Ranger with the State of Maryland and working in Seneca in Montgomery MD. The drive is too far and park housing fell through, so she has put in for a transfer. She is dating Ciana and it has been fun to have the 2 of them over. We don't see Emma enough.

Rachael: moved back home after a year in Cambridge, MA while she and Josh sort out next steps. She wasn't expecting to stay this long and is eager to venture out. Meanwhile she is working at CVS, got her pharmacy tech license, and is saving some money.

Megan: lives at home and she finished her semester at CCBC and is working at the farm again in the oil room. She is dating a really nice guy named Declan. We don't see her a lot in between all of the coming and going.

Bridget: Finished Junior year with great grades and some AP exams under her belt. She worked at Charlestown during the year but decided she didn't want to continue in the job with the busy end of school. she is hoping to get a new job and lots of driving practice this summer.

Johanna: Finished 5th grade at St. Mark and is excited at the prospect of being a middle schooler. She has already attended 2 weeks of UMBC summer camp, coming home full of stories and exhausted from lots of pool time.

We have 2 cats: Tara and Saoirse plus Rachael's cat Leia who stays in the basement.