About Holy Family Catholic Community · Middletown, Maryland
Holy Family Catholic Community is a Roman Catholic parish in Middletown, Maryland, part of the Archdiocese of Baltimore. Established as an independent mission in 1986 and raised to parish status in 1989, it is now grouped with neighboring St. Francis-St. Mary into a single pastorate of three historic congregations (St. Francis of Assisi, St. Mary, and Holy Family) serving the Middletown Valley in Frederick County. Weekend Masses are celebrated at Holy Family, with daily Mass Monday–Friday, weekly Eucharistic Adoration, and a schedule of Reconciliation. The parish is led by Fr. Michael Rubeling as Pastor and Fr. Luke Koski as Associate Pastor, supported by Deacon Scott Anderson and a staff of lay ministry and administrative coordinators.
- Established
- 1986
- Patron
- Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph
- Rector
- Rev. Michael Rubeling
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Baltimore
Why belong here
Holy Family offers a tight-knit Catholic community in the heart of the Middletown Valley with daily and weekend Mass, two weekly opportunities for Eucharistic Adoration, and a steady schedule of Reconciliation. Its Family Faith Formation program draws parents and children together every other Sunday or Monday for shared meals, catechesis, and sacramental preparation for First Reconciliation, First Communion, and Confirmation. Parish life is enriched by an active Society of St. Vincent de Paul conference that provides emergency financial help to neighbors in need, by the volunteer-led Middletown Valley People Helping People, and by ministries such as Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, lectors, and a parish music program.
Mass times at Holy Family Catholic Community
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Monday: 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM (Holy Family campus)
- Tuesday: 6:30 AM – 8:00 AM (Holy Family campus)
- Saturday: 3:30 PM – 4:30 PM (Holy Family campus)
Adoration times
- Monday: 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM
- Tuesday: 6:30 AM – 8:00 AM
- Friday: 9:30 AM – 10:30 AM (after the 9:00 AM Mass)
Welcome & Parish Identity
Holy Family Catholic Community describes itself on its homepage with the words 'Family, Community, Volunteer' and invites visitors to join the parish life. The official site (thepastorate.com) presents the community as part of the Pastorate of St. Francis-St. Mary & Holy Family, one faith community across two parishes (now three historic congregations after the 2026 merger).
- Sunday Mass: 8:00 AM and 11:00 AM
- Saturday Vigil Mass: 5:00 PM
- Daily Mass Monday–Friday at 9:00 AM
- Parish-wide call for volunteers
Our History
Holy Family began in 1986 as an independent mission under Father John C. Moore, became a parish in 1989, and dedicated its current church building on March 14, 1997. The parish center was dedicated in 2007 as the Father John Charles Moore Center. The parish is currently grouped with St. Francis-St. Mary in a single pastorate led by Fr. Michael Rubeling.
- 1986 — Mission established under Father John C. Moore
- 1989 — Mission raised to parish status
- 1997 — Church building dedicated (Noelker and Hull design)
- 2004 — Father J. Kevin Farmer installed as second pastor
- 2007 — Parish center named the Father John Charles Moore Center
- 2017 — St. Francis of Assisi church in Brunswick permanently closed due to structural failure
- 2025 — Father Michael Rubeling installed as pastor by Archbishop Lori
- 2026 — St. Francis-St. Mary merged into Holy Family Catholic Community
Faith Formation & Sacramental Preparation
Family Faith Formation (FFF) gathers parents and children every other Sunday morning (9:00–10:40 AM) or every other Monday evening (6:00–7:40 PM) for a shared meal, age-appropriate catechesis, and adult formation. A nursery is available for the youngest children. Sacramental preparation for First Reconciliation, First Communion, and Confirmation is treated as a separate track that requires a prior year of faith formation. Following an Archdiocesan update, Confirmation preparation is offered to students in 5th grade and up.
- Sunday and Monday session schedules posted for the 2026–2027 year
- Flat family fee of $350 (financial assistance available)
- Sacramental Preparation for First Reconciliation & First Communion
- Sacramental Preparation for Confirmation (5th grade and up)
- Parent attendance policy (not a drop-off program)
- Contact: [email protected]
Pastoral Team & Staff
The parish is served by two priests and a deacon, supported by a director of mission, family ministry coordinator, faith formation assistant, pastoral administrative assistant, community engagement coordinator, director of building and properties, bookkeeper, music coordinator, and maintenance staff.
- Fr. Michael Rubeling — Pastor
- Fr. Luke Koski — Associate Pastor
- Deacon Scott Anderson
- Megan Vera — Director of Mission
- Amanda Douglas — Family Ministry Coordinator
- Gemma Mochi — Faith Formation Administrative Assistant
- Jen Etzel — Administrative Assistant to the Pastor
- Kathy Hofer — Community Engagement Coordinator
- Linda Berry — Director of Building and Properties
- Joe Diederich — Bookkeeper
- John Nelson — Music Coordinator
- Matt Benson — Maintenance
Outreach & Service
The parish runs a Society of St. Vincent de Paul conference that provides emergency financial assistance for parishioners facing eviction or utility shutoff, and partners with Middletown Valley People Helping People (MVPHP), a volunteer network serving the Middletown school feeder area.
- Society of St. Vincent de Paul — emergency help line (240) 439-3932; meets 2nd and 4th Monday at 7:00 PM; contact [email protected]
- Middletown Valley People Helping People (MVPHP) — community assistance across Frederick County
- Referrals outside parish boundaries go to St. John the Evangelist, Frederick (301) 662-4676
Liturgical Ministries
Liturgical ministries at the pastorate include Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion and a parish music program under Music Coordinator John Nelson. The pastorate portal also lists other service opportunities for parishioners who want to assist at Mass.
- Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion
- Music Ministry / Parish Choir
- Lectors and altar servers (via pastorate portal)
The Pastorate of St. Francis-St. Mary & Holy Family
Since the 2010s Holy Family has shared a pastorate with the parish of St. Francis-St. Mary, made up of historic St. Francis of Assisi Church in Brunswick (founded in 1904, closed in 2017 due to foundation failure) and St. Mary Church in Petersville. In June 2026 the Archdiocese of Baltimore decreed that St. Francis-St. Mary would merge into Holy Family Catholic Community, making Holy Family the surviving canonical entity for the Middletown Valley.
- St. Francis of Assisi Church — 113 First Avenue, Brunswick (building closed 2017)
- St. Mary Church — Petersville
- Records for the closed St. Francis parish kept at the pastorate office in Middletown
- Archdiocesan decree issued June 21, 2026 merging St. Francis-St. Mary into Holy Family
Planning Your Visit
The parish office on Burkittsville Road is open Monday–Wednesday 9:30 AM – 3:00 PM and Friday 9:30 AM – 3:00 PM (closed Fridays during June–August). The church building offers full handicapped accessibility, and weekday Mass times are always subject to the pastor's schedule — the parish encourages visitors to check the bulletin for the latest updates.
- Office: 7321 Burkittsville Road, Middletown, MD 21769
- Phone: (301) 473-4800
- Email: [email protected]
- Handicapped access to entire building
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father John C. Moore1986–2004
Founding pastor; began the mission in 1986, led it to parish status in 1989, and oversaw construction and dedication of the church building on March 14, 1997. Retired 2004. Co-founded the Ministerium of the Middletown Valley. The parish center was named the Father John Charles Moore Center in his honor in 2007. Died June 24 at age 83.
- Father J. Kevin Farmer2004–c. 2013
Installed as second pastor on September 12, 2004 by Cardinal William H. Keeler's appointment. Previously served as associate director in the Archdiocese's Vocations Office, director of Monsignor O'Dwyer Retreat House in Sparks, and associate pastor at St. Mark, Catonsville and St. John, Frederick. Later named pastor of St. John the Evangelist in Frederick.
- Monsignor Robert J. Jaskotc. 2014–c. 2024
Pastor of St. Francis-St. Mary who simultaneously served as pastor of Holy Family Catholic Community as the two parishes formed a single pastorate. Led the community through the 2017 permanent closure of the 1904 St. Francis of Assisi church building in Brunswick due to structural failure of its foundation.
- Rev. Michael RubelingInstalled June 29, 2025
Current pastor of the Pastorate of St. Francis-St. Mary & Holy Family, installed by Archbishop William E. Lori on the Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul.