About Holy Angels Church · Avenue, Maryland
Holy Angels Catholic Church is a small parish in Avenue, in Southern Maryland's St. Mary's County, canonically established in 1906 and now part of the Archdiocese of Washington. The parish sits a few miles from St. Clement's Island, where Jesuit Father Andrew White celebrated the first Catholic Mass in the English-speaking colonies on March 25, 1634, giving the parish a direct spiritual link to the very roots of Catholicism in America. Holy Angels is served jointly with neighboring Sacred Heart Parish in Bushwood, sharing a pastor, a deacon, and a religious-education program, and it worships in a church built in 1962.
- Established
- 1906
- Patron
- Holy Angels (the Guardian Angels)
- Rector
- Rev. Timothy Baer
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Washington
Why belong here
Holy Angels is a close-knit country parish in Southern Maryland that lives out its roots as a 'descendant of the oldest of the Maryland Jesuit missions.' Beyond Sunday Mass, parishioners gather for parish dinners, Bible study, a youth group, an annual parish bonfire, and Vacation Bible School, and they put their faith into action by hosting the WARM (Wrapping Arms 'Round Many) homeless shelter for a full week each winter. Faith formation runs jointly with Sacred Heart Parish in Bushwood, and every parishioner has free access to Franciscan At Home, a robust online formation program.
Mass times at Holy Angels Church
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Sunday: 10:00 AM – 10:20 AM
- Wednesday: 6:00 PM – 6:45 PM
- Wednesday: 8:30 AM – 9:30 AM (during Adoration)
- Saturday: 3:30 PM – 4:15 PM
- 1st Saturday: 8:00 AM – 8:50 AM
- Additional times available at Sacred Heart, Bushwood; also by appointment
Adoration times
- Wednesday: 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM
- Wednesday: 8:00 AM – 9:00 AM
- 1st Saturday: 8:00 AM – 9:00 AM
- Additional opportunities available at Sacred Heart, Bushwood
History of Holy Angels Parish
Holy Angels has deep roots in the earliest Catholic history of what would become the United States. A few miles from the parish, on St. Clement's Island, Jesuit Father Andrew White celebrated the first Catholic Mass in the English-speaking colonies on March 25, 1634, shortly after the Maryland colonists landed from the Ark and the Dove. The neighboring Sacred Heart mission in Bushwood began ministering to this area in 1770, and in those early years Jesuit priests said Mass in parishioners' homes. The first Mass in the newly built Holy Angels chapel was celebrated on the feast of the Guardian Angels, October 2, 1904, and the parish was canonically established in 1906. The present church was built in 1962. On October 25, 2020, the parish marked the 250th anniversary of its founding with a special Mass at which Cardinal-designate Wilton D. Gregory — named a cardinal by Pope Francis that same morning — was the main celebrant.
- 1634: First Catholic Mass in English-speaking colonies at nearby St. Clement's Island
- 1770: Sacred Heart mission begins serving the area; Jesuits celebrate Mass in private homes
- 1904: First Mass in the new Holy Angels chapel on the feast of the Guardian Angels (Oct. 2)
- 1906: Parish canonically established
- 1962: Current church building constructed
- 2020: 250th anniversary celebrated with Cardinal Wilton D. Gregory
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Faith Formation at Holy Angels is a joint program with neighboring Sacred Heart Parish, with in-class instruction on designated Sundays at 9:10 AM at the Holy Angels Sacred Heart School in Avenue, Maryland. Classes for the 2025–2026 year began Sunday, September 7, 2025. The program follows the Archdiocese of Washington's Forming Disciples for the New Evangelization curriculum, organized around six standards: knowledge of the faith, liturgy and sacraments, morality, prayer, life in the Christian community, and evangelization/apostolic life. Parents are the primary formators, with the parish program supporting and building on faith lived at home.
- Classes meet Sundays 9:10 AM at Holy Angels Sacred Heart School
- Run jointly with Sacred Heart Parish, Bushwood
- Coordinator: Kimmie Gibson ([email protected])
- Follows Forming Disciples for the New Evangelization curriculum
Sacramental Preparation
Preparation for First Holy Communion typically begins in first grade, with the children receiving the sacrament in second grade. Children must be enrolled in a Catholic school or in the parish's Faith Formation program. Catholic adults who have not yet received the Eucharist, and adults inquiring about becoming Catholic, are invited through the parish's Becoming Catholic page. Sick and homebound parishioners may arrange a visit from clergy or an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion through the Parish Office.
- First Communion preparation begins in 1st grade, received in 2nd grade
- Contact: Kimmie Gibson, [email protected]
- Becoming Catholic / RCIA for adults
- Visits to sick and homebound available on request
Franciscan At Home
Holy Angels Parish has subscribed to Franciscan At Home, an online formation resource from the Catechetical Institute at Franciscan University of Steubenville. Every parishioner — catechist, volunteer, parent, or aspiring evangelizer — can create a free account under the parish's institutional subscription (through the Archdiocese of Washington) and access more than 200 formative workshops covering every aspect of the Catholic faith.
- Free to all parishioners via the parish's institutional subscription
- Over 200 workshops available
- Sign up at FranciscanAtHome.com under 'Archdiocese of Washington' / 'Holy Angels Sacred Heart'
Parish Life and Ministries
The parish's own Parish Life page describes Holy Angels as a community in which many parishioners can trace their roots back to the original English Catholic families of colonial Maryland, joined through the years by visitors who liked the area enough to stay. Beyond Sunday Mass, parishioners gather for parish dinners, Bible study, a youth group, an annual parish bonfire, and a joint Vacation Bible School with Sacred Heart. Outreach is a clear priority, summed up in the parish's favorite verse: 'I give you a new commandment: love one another.'
- Parish dinners
- Bible Study
- Youth Group
- Parish Bonfire (annual)
- Vacation Bible School (joint with Sacred Heart)
WARM Program — Outreach to the Homeless
Holy Angels Parish, together with Sacred Heart Parish, hosts up to 15 homeless men and women in the Holy Angels Parish Hall for seven nights during a winter month as part of the WARM (Wrapping Arms 'Round Many) program. WARM is an interfaith organization coordinated in partnership with St. Mary's County's Department of Aging & Human Services and a network of more than 50 local churches that together provide safe shelter and hot meals during the coldest months of the year. Volunteers are needed for set-up, break-down, and hosting activities.
- Hosts up to 15 guests for seven nights each winter in the Parish Hall
- Interfaith program started in 2009; over 50 St. Mary's County churches participate
- Volunteer contact: Tony Ventre, (301) 606-6315, [email protected]
Parish Staff
Holy Angels and Sacred Heart are served by a shared pastoral team that includes a pastor, an administrator who is a member of the Sulpician Fathers (P.S.S.), and a permanent deacon, supported by a Faith Formation Coordinator, an Office Manager, and a Maintenance lead.
- Pastor: Rev. Timothy Baer
- Administrator: Rev. James P. Oberle, P.S.S.
- Deacon: Deacon Joseph W. Lloyd, Jr.
- Coordinator of Religious Education: Kimmie Gibson
- Office Manager: Mrs. Jackie M. Norris
- Maintenance: Mr. Joseph 'Billy' Bowles
Visiting Holy Angels
Holy Angels is located at 21340 Colton Point Road in Avenue, in the southern part of St. Mary's County. The church and facilities are wheelchair accessible, and the parish office can be reached at (301) 769-3332 or [email protected]. Because Holy Angels shares clergy and many activities with Sacred Heart in Bushwood just up the road, visitors will find additional Masses, Confessions, and Eucharistic Adoration opportunities there throughout the week.
- Address: 21340 Colton Point Road, Avenue, MD 20609
- Phone: (301) 769-3332
- Fax: (301) 769-2999
- Email: [email protected]
- Wheelchair accessible