Religion
Ahead of crucial deadline, more than 450 file claims in Archdiocese of Baltimore bankruptcy case
The Archdiocese of Baltimore filed for bankruptcy right before a new law, the Child Victims Act of 2023, was set to take effect in Maryland.
Vacant and damaged, one former Catholic church may serve as warning about closures to come
St. James the Less Roman Catholic Church once anchored an East Baltimore neighborhood that was home to many German Catholics, but it has languished since the parish was dissolved in the 1980s. A lightning strike sparked a fire in the towering steeple in 2020, and now it's up for sale with a $1 million asking price.
8 Catholic churches got a reprieve from the archdiocese. 3 weren’t so lucky.
The blueprint released Wednesday closely tracks the draft plan that the archdiocese put out in April, reducing the number of parishes — or Catholic communities — from 61 to 23. The number of actual churches would shrink from 59 to 30. But Archbishop William Lori did spare eight churches initially, while delivering some late bad news to others.
Here’s which Baltimore Catholic churches are closing — and the ones that were spared
A final plan announced by Archbishop William E. Lori would reduce the number of parishes in Baltimore City and parts of Baltimore County from 61 to 23, while shrinking the number of worship sites from 59 to 30, four more than originally recommended.
Archdiocese of Baltimore to close half of Catholic churches in city, nearby suburbs
Baltimore Archbishop William E. Lori on Wednesday announced a final church consolidation plan that would reduce the number of worship sites from 59 to 30. Many churches would get folded into merged parishes.
8 survivors speak during special hearing in Archdiocese of Baltimore bankruptcy case
“Today, the court will provide time and space for listening,” U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Michelle M. Harner said on Monday at the beginning of a hearing in the case.
Latino immigrants fill pews even as Baltimore Catholic churches empty
The Archdiocese of Baltimore is set to finalize its plan to close churches next month. That includes some where Hispanic congregations worship.
Its congregation moved away. Now the ‘Shul in the Park’ will serve a new purpose.
The landmark Shaarei Tfiloh Synagogue by Druid Hill Park will get a new lease on life as a kind of community center rooted in Jewish traditions.
Commentary: How Peabody honors Duke Ellington’s musical, cultural impact
The 125th anniversary of Duke Ellington’s birth presents an opportunity for the Peabody Conservatory to ensure that another generation of musicians appreciates the meaning and significance of his work, says trumpeter and composer Sean Jones, who chairs Peabody’s jazz program.
The Climb: Mount St. Joseph’s seniors embark on century-old rite of passage
Mount St. Joe’s seniors take part in a rite of passage stretching back to the early 1900s as they prepare to embark on life after graduation.
Souls to the Polls: Black churches say election stakes have never been higher
Maryland clergy leaders, who reach thousands on a weekly basis, are using the pulpit to emphasize the need to vote.
Commentary: Needed church closures won’t mean parishioners are forgotten
A plan by the Baltimore Archdiocese that includes church closures was made necessary by financial considerations and demographic changes, a member of the archdiocese’s board of financial administration says.
Baltimore Catholics plead to keep churches open at packed ‘listening session’
People begged the archdiocese to keep beloved churches open at a public meeting Thursday night on a proposal from the archdiocese to close a significant portion of Baltimore’s Catholic churches.
A new use for a closed school in West Baltimore
Catholic Charities unveiled plans Thursday for a resource center at a shuttered school in the Franklintown Road neighborhood.
Want your Catholic church to stay open? Here’s your chance to speak out.
The Archdiocese of Baltimore will hold a listening session Thursday evening about a plan to close dozens of churches and reduce the number of Catholic parishes by two-thirds. Two more such sessions are also scheduled, and a final plan is set to be announced in June.
Archdiocese of Baltimore proposes closing dozens of churches in the city
The plan, which officials said was the result of two years of consideration, would cut 40 of its 61 parishes, resulting in the closure of several historic landmarks and once-thriving worship sites.
Children learn matzo making and Passover’s traditions ahead of the Jewish holiday
Rabbi Levi Raskin led them through all the steps during their “Model Matzah Factory” field trip. The major Jewish holiday commemorates the exodus of ancient Israelites from slavery in Egypt, as recounted in the Torah. Observant Jews avoid leavened grains for Passover, which starts Monday evening.
Baltimore Catholics reeling after archdiocese proposes closing 40 of 61 parishes
Baltimore Catholics, reeling from the archdiocese's proposal to close 40 churches, spent Monday mourning and preparing to battle to keep their beloved parishes open.
‘This is a day of liberation’: Survivors testify in Archdiocese of Baltimore bankruptcy case
Outside the Edward A. Garmatz U.S. Courthouse in Baltimore, Archbishop William Lori, who attended the hearing, said he was “deeply moved” from the testimony of the six survivors of childhood sexual abuse.
Survivors of clergy sex abuse can speak in Archdiocese of Baltimore bankruptcy case, judge rules
U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Judge Michelle M. Harner on Thursday signed an order setting status conferences for April 8 and May 20 during which survivors of clergy sexual abuse can address the court in the Archdiocese of Baltimore bankruptcy case.