About Church of The Annunciation · Baltimore, Maryland
Church of The Annunciation is a Roman Catholic parish in the Rosedale community of northeastern Baltimore County, Maryland, in the Archdiocese of Baltimore. Founded in 1968 to serve a rapidly growing suburban population, the parish has been staffed by Conventual Franciscan Friars (O.F.M. Conv.) since 2009 and currently shares pastoral leadership with neighboring St. Michael the Archangel (Overlea) and St. Clement Mary Hofbauer (Rosedale) in a three-parish "Pastorate" known locally as the MAC Pastorate. Parishioners worship at 5212 McCormick Avenue, where a church building completed in 1970 still anchors a multigenerational community once described as carrying 'five generations of people' through its five decades.
- Established
- 1968
- Patron
- The Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary
- Rector
- Rev. Carl Zdancewicz, O.F.M. Conv. (part of the MAC Pastorate with St. Michael the Archangel, Overlea, and St. Clement Mary Hofbauer, Rosedale)
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Baltimore
Why belong here
Church of The Annunciation offers a multigenerational Catholic community in Rosedale served by Conventual Franciscan Friars who have ministered there since 2009. Parishes in the MAC Pastorate benefit from shared faith formation, youth and young-adult ministry, collaborative sacramental preparation, and a Spanish-language presence supported by Franciscan friars from Archbishop Curley High School, all within a parish whose history traces back to its 1968 founding and its pioneering worship in a farmhouse.
Mass times at Church of The Annunciation
Weekly Mass schedule
About Church of The Annunciation
Church of The Annunciation is a Roman Catholic parish in the Rosedale neighborhood of northeastern Baltimore County, belonging to the Archdiocese of Baltimore. Founded in 1968, it has been ministered to by Conventual Franciscan Friars since 2009 and today forms one leg of the MAC Pastorate, alongside St. Michael the Archangel in Overlea and St. Clement Mary Hofbauer in Rosedale. The parish worships at 5212 McCormick Avenue, the same site where its first church building was completed in 1970.
- Roman Catholic parish
- Rosedale, Baltimore County, MD
- Archdiocese of Baltimore
- Served by Conventual Franciscan Friars (O.F.M. Conv.) since 2009
- Member of the MAC Pastorate
Parish History
Cardinal Lawrence Shehan created the parish on June 8, 1968 and appointed Father A. Leo Abendschoen as founding pastor in response to explosive residential growth in northeastern Baltimore City and surrounding Baltimore County. Early Masses were said in a farmhouse on the property and then at Elmwood School Hall while the permanent church was under construction; it was completed in October 1970. The 50th anniversary (golden jubilee) was observed on October 20, 2018 with a Mass celebrated by Archbishop William E. Lori and a banquet at Rosedale Gardens.
- Founded: June 8, 1968
- Founding pastor: Rev. A. Leo Abendschoen
- First worship site: a farmhouse on the property, then Elmwood School Hall
- First church building completed: October 1970
- 50th anniversary Mass: October 20, 2018, Archbishop William E. Lori
Pastorate Collaboration (MAC Pastorate)
Since September 2019 the parish has formally shared a Pastorate with two neighboring parishes: St. Michael the Archangel in Overlea and St. Clement Mary Hofbauer in Rosedale — together called the MAC Pastorate. This collaborative model, supported by the Archdiocese's Office of Parish Renewal (formerly the Office of Pastoral Planning and the Institute for Evangelization), has produced a unified staff structure (with 19 lay staff members led by friars and Sister Susan Engel, MHSH), a Collaborative Committee of three Pastoral Councilors from each parish, and a monthly Pastoral Administrative Team (PAT).
- Partner parishes: St. Michael the Archangel (Overlea) and St. Clement Mary Hofbauer (Rosedale)
- Pastorate formally activated: September 2019
- Collaborative Committee: three councilors from each parish
- Monthly Pastoral Administrative Team (PAT) meetings
- Approximately 19 lay staff members across the Pastorate
Clergy and Staff
Conventual Franciscan Friars lead the Pastorate, supported by the Mission Helpers of the Sacred Heart and lay staff. Father Carl Zdancewicz, O.F.M. Conv., is the current Pastor of Church of the Annunciation; Father John Ruffo, O.F.M. Conv., was named Administrator of the MAC Pastorate effective November 20, 2021. Sister Susan Engel, MHSH, has served as pastoral associate for more than three decades and was honored at the 50th anniversary for her five-generation ministry. Father Timothy P. Dore, O.F.M. Conv., who led the formation of the Pastorate (2018–2022), has since moved to the Shrine of St. Anthony in Ellicott City. Father Thomas Walsh, O.F.M. Conv., pastor from 2009 to 2016, is remembered as a beloved teacher at Archbishop Curley High School.
- Rev. Carl Zdancewicz, O.F.M. Conv. — Pastor
- Rev. John Ruffo, O.F.M. Conv. — Administrator (appointed Nov. 20, 2021)
- Rev. Timothy P. Dore, O.F.M. Conv. — Pastor, 2018–2022
- Rev. Thomas Walsh, O.F.M. Conv. — Pastor, 2009–2016
- Sister Susan Engel, MHSH — Pastoral Associate (33+ years)
- Mrs. Kathy Brotzman — Pastorate Director of Religious Education
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Faith Formation is organized at the Pastorate level. Mrs. Nikki Lux leads the unified Pastorate Faith Formation Ministry in close collaboration with Mrs. Kathy Brotzman, the Pastorate Director of Religious Education. Programs coordinate sacramental preparation across the three parishes of the Pastorate.
- Pastorate Faith Formation Ministry (Mrs. Nikki Lux)
- Pastorate Director of Religious Education (Mrs. Kathy Brotzman)
Youth & Young Adult Ministry
The MAC Pastorate runs a unified Youth and Young Adult Ministry led by Ms. Margaret Brogden, who also serves as the Pastorate Liaison to St. Michael–St. Clement School. Programming is offered across all three parishes of the Pastorate.
- Pastorate Youth & Young Adult Ministry (Ms. Margaret Brogden)
- School liaison to St. Michael–St. Clement School
Liturgy and Music
Weekend and weekday Masses are supported by Conventual Franciscan Friars from the parish and, on weekends, by Curley Friars Bart, Donald, Bryan, and Chris — a 'Franciscan presence' that spans all three MAC Pastorate parishes. Friar Chris has been especially involved in the Spanish-language ministry.
- Sunday Masses: 7:30, 9:00, 11:00 AM
- Weekday Mass Monday–Saturday: 7:30 AM
- Curley Friar support for weekend Masses
- Spanish-language ministry assisted by Friar Chris
Hispanic / Spanish-Speaking Ministry
Spanish-language pastoral needs across the MAC Pastorate are supported by Conventual Franciscans, with Friar Chris singled out in the friars' 2021 ministry report for his help with Spanish ministry throughout the three parishes.
- Spanish ministry coordinated Pastorate-wide
- Friar Chris, OFM Conv., assists
Outreach & Funeral Ministry
Outreach to the poor, the marginalized, and those who are 'different' has been a stated pastoral priority, in keeping with the Franciscan identity of the friars who staff the parish. The friars documented a sustained funeral ministry through the COVID-19 era, walking with grieving families across the Pastorate.
- Outreach to the poor and marginalized
- Funeral Ministry (documented 2020 onwards)
Visit, Contact, and Directions
Church of The Annunciation is located at 5212 McCormick Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21206, in the Rosedale area of Baltimore County. The parish office can be reached at (410) 866-4706. The traditional driving approach from I-95 North runs via Chesaco Avenue, Philadelphia Road, Hamilton Avenue, and McCormick Avenue.
- Address: 5212 McCormick Ave., Baltimore, MD 21206
- Phone: (410) 866-4706
- Fax: (410) 866-2754
- Driving route: I-95 N → Chesaco Ave. → Philadelphia Rd → Hamilton Ave. → Chesaco Ave. → McCormick Ave.
Merging with St. Michael the Archangel
Per reporting by the Catholic Review, Church of The Annunciation is identified among Archdiocese of Baltimore parishes in a 'merging' status with St. Michael the Archangel, Overlea. As always with pastoral realignments in the Archdiocese, parishioners should consult the parish office for the most current canonical and sacramental information.
- Reported as merging with St. Michael the Archangel, Overlea (Catholic Review)
- Part of the broader MAC Pastorate realignment
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. A. Leo Abendschoen1968–founding
Founding pastor appointed by Cardinal Lawrence Shehan on June 8, 1968 to shepherd the roughly 6,000 initial parishioners.
- Conventual Franciscan Friars (O.F.M. Conv.)2009–present
Order took over pastoral ministry in 2009; brought what Sister Susan Engel called 'a depth of spirituality' to the parish.
- Rev. Thomas Walsh, O.F.M. Conv.2009–2016
Installed July 1, 2009; longtime teacher and guidance counselor at Archbishop Curley High School; died of a heart attack on Feb. 18, 2016 at age 60.
- Rev. Timothy P. Dore, O.F.M. Conv.2018–2022
Led formation of the three-parish MAC Pastorate (St. Michael, Annunciation, St. Clement Mary Hofbauer); oversaw staff restructuring and the September 2019 launch of the Pastorate.
- Rev. John Ruffo, O.F.M. Conv.2021–
Appointed Administrator of the MAC Pastorate effective November 20, 2021, transitioning from Associate Pastor of the same group of parishes.
- Rev. Carl Zdancewicz, O.F.M. Conv.
Assigned as Pastor of Church of the Annunciation per an official Archdiocese of Baltimore announcement.