About Holy Family · Randallstown, Maryland
Holy Family Catholic Church is a parish of the Archdiocese of Baltimore located in Randallstown, Maryland, on Liberty Road in northwest Baltimore County. Founded in 1876 as a mission church serving Irish Catholic families who worked the local chrome mines, the parish traces its roots to Jesuit scholastics from nearby Woodstock College who celebrated Mass in the Harker family home on Liberty Road. Today, Holy Family describes itself as a growing intercultural parish drawing worshippers from northwest and west Baltimore County and southeast Carroll County, and is preparing to celebrate its 150th anniversary in 2026. The parish is pastored by Rev. Raymond Harris Jr., whose mission statement — to help people believe in Christ, belong to His Church, and bless their communities — shapes the parish's life of worship, faith formation, stewardship, fellowship, and service.
- Established
- 1876
- Patron
- The Holy Family (Jesus, Mary, and Joseph)
- Rector
- Rev. Raymond Harris Jr.
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Baltimore
Why belong here
Holy Family offers a warm, intergenerational home for Catholics across northwest and west Baltimore County and southeast Carroll County, with two Sunday Masses (7:30 AM spoken and 11 AM with music) plus a Saturday Vigil. The parish nurtures its members through an active faith-formation program, a Youth Ministry for ages 13–17, a Knights of Columbus council, the Sodality of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Bible study, a Respect Life Committee, and a Saint Vincent de Paul conference that runs a food pantry, helps families with rent, and provides Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter food packages. With weekday Mass, Thursday Eucharistic Adoration, Saturday confessions, and dozens of liturgical and fellowship ministries, there are many ways to belong, serve, and grow in faith here — exactly what a 150-year-old parish was built to do.
Mass times at Holy Family
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 2:45 PM (until 3:45 PM), and by appointment
Adoration times
- Thursday 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM (Eucharistic Adoration)
Parish History
Holy Family Parish was established in 1876 as the Mission of the Holy Family, serving Irish Catholic families who had come to work the chrome and copper mines around Harrisonville and Mechanicsville. Its origins go back further still: as early as 1872 Mrs. Mary Louisa Harker was running a Sunday School in the Harker family home on Liberty Road, where Jesuit scholastics from nearby Woodstock College celebrated Mass in a ground-floor chapel. The Harker home has since been recognized as a historical landmark by the Baltimore County Historical Society. In 1880 the first wood-frame church was built on land donated by Thomas Worthington and his father; the cornerstone was laid May 16, 1880 and the first Mass was celebrated on November 21, 1880, the Feast of the Presentation. The current main church at 9531 Liberty Road was opened on Christmas Eve 1960, and the parish is preparing to celebrate its sesquicentennial — 150 years — in 2026.
- 1876 — Mission of the Holy Family established
- 1878 — Rev. Salvator Brandi, S.J., appointed first pastor
- 1880 — First wood-frame church built (28 × 48 ft, ~$1,500); cornerstone May 16; first Mass November 21 (Feast of the Presentation)
- 1960 — New Holy Family Church opened on Christmas Eve at 9531 Liberty Road
- 2016 — Rev. Raymond Harris Jr. installed as pastor by Archbishop William E. Lori on the 140th anniversary
- 2026 — Planned 150th anniversary celebration
Clergy & Parish Staff
Holy Family is led by its pastor and supported by three deacons and a small lay staff. The parish secretary handles the front office, the Director of Faith Formation oversees the School of Religion and Youth Ministry, and the Director of Music leads the Adult Choir and music ministry.
- Rev. Raymond Harris Jr. — Pastor (ext. 6, [email protected])
- Deacon William 'Bill' Arther — Deacon Assistant ([email protected])
- Deacon Edmund 'Ed' Chrzanowski — Assisting Deacon
- Deacon Darron C. Woodus — Pastoral Associate / Director of Parish Operations (ext. 7, [email protected])
- Michael Oguizu — Director of Faith Formation (ext. 5, [email protected])
- Lorrie Winder — Parish Secretary (ext. 4, [email protected])
- Louis Malick — Director of Music
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Faith formation at Holy Family is directed by the Director of Faith Formation and includes the parish School of Religion for children, Bible Study for adults and youth, and a Youth Ministry for ages 13–17. The parish is always looking for adult and fully initiated teen volunteers — catechists, aides, and substitutes — to teach the next generation of disciples; all materials are provided and child-protection (Shield the Vulnerable) training is required.
- School of Religion (parish faith formation for children)
- Youth Ministry (ages 13–17)
- Bible Study (morning sessions, evening sessions, and a Sunday youth session)
- Volunteer catechists, aides, and substitutes always needed (Shield the Vulnerable training required)
Liturgical Ministries
A vibrant group of lay liturgical ministers assist at Sunday and weekday Masses. Most ministries are open to practicing Catholics age 18 and over who regularly attend Sunday Mass and have received the Sacraments of Baptism, Penance, Eucharist, and (where applicable) Confirmation. The Adult Choir serves at the 11 AM Mass on the 1st and 3rd Sundays of the month from September through June.
- Altar Servers — rising 4th graders through high school
- Lectors
- Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion
- Ushers
- Adult Choir — 18 and over; rehearses Sunday mornings
Parish Organizations & Fellowship
Holy Family has a rich network of parish organizations that combine service, faith, and fellowship. These include the parish's Saint Vincent de Paul conference, which runs a year-round food pantry and helps families with rent and holiday food; the Knights of Columbus St. Charles Borromeo Council; the Sodality of the Blessed Virgin Mary; the Faith in Action Committee (which organizes Welcome Sundays and seasonal events like the Pancake Breakfast, Lenten Fish Fry, and Crab Feast); and the Respect Life Committee.
- Saint Vincent de Paul Society — food pantry, rent assistance, holiday food packages, Advent Giving Tree, Beans and Bread casseroles (meets monthly Sept–May, 7:00 PM)
- Faith in Action Committee — Welcome Sunday, Breakfast with Santa, Pancake Breakfast, Lenten Fish Fry, Crab Feast
- Sodality of the Blessed Virgin Mary — meets 3rd Sunday of the month, 10:15 AM, Multipurpose Room
- Knights of Columbus — St. Charles Borromeo Council #3960 (kofc3960.org)
- Respect Life Committee — events during Respect Life Month (October) and year-round
Parish Leadership & Councils
In addition to the pastor and deacons, parish governance is supported by the elected Pastoral Council, which helps evaluate and plan how the parish fulfills its mission, and the Finance Committee, which advises the pastor on the annual budget and Archdiocesan financial policies. The parish is also part of Archdiocese-wide collaborative councils.
- Pastoral Council — helps the pastor evaluate and plan parish mission; members usually elected
- Finance Committee — advises on budget and internal controls; appointed by the pastor
- Collaborative Councils with neighboring Archdiocesan parishes
Sacraments
Holy Family celebrates the seven Catholic sacraments. Couples preparing for marriage work with the parish and the Archdiocese of Baltimore's Marriage Preparation program. Children preparing for First Communion and Confirmation take part in the parish's religious education program and receive the sacrament of Reconciliation as part of their preparation.
- Baptism — infant and adult (RCIA)
- Eucharist / First Communion — with parish preparation
- Confirmation — with parish preparation
- Penance / Reconciliation — Saturday 2:45–3:45 PM and by appointment
- Matrimony — Archdiocesan marriage preparation required
- Anointing of the Sick — by request
- Funeral Masses
- Low-gluten hosts (.01%) available for those with celiac disease or gluten intolerance
Buildings, Cemetery & Campus
The parish maintains two distinct sites on Liberty Road in Randallstown. The main church and Parish Office are at 9531 Liberty Road, while the original 1880 wood-frame church — now called the 'Old Church' — and the parish cemetery are located at 10636 Liberty Road. The Old Church is a tangible link to the parish's founding era and is preserved as part of the parish's heritage.
- Main Church & Parish Office — 9531 Liberty Road, Randallstown, MD 21133 (opened Christmas Eve 1960)
- Old Church — 10636 Liberty Road (the original 1880 wood-frame church)
- Parish Cemetery — adjacent to the Old Church at 10636 Liberty Road
- Parish Hall, SVDP office near the Parish Hall, Multipurpose Room
Getting Involved & Contact
Parishioners and newcomers are warmly invited to become involved in any of the parish's liturgical ministries, faith-formation programs, or service organizations. The Parish Office is open Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, and Father Harris welcomes direct contact from anyone with questions about the Catholic faith or the parish's life.
- Parish Office hours: Monday–Friday, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Phone: (410) 922-3800 (with staff extensions)
- Parish email: [email protected]
- Pastor's email: [email protected]
- Facebook: facebook.com/HFCRandallstown
- Welcome Sunday gatherings after the 10:30 AM Mass (1st Sunday, September–June)
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Salvator Brandi, S.J.1878–
First pastor of the Mission of the Holy Family; Italian Jesuit of the Neapolitan Province; oversaw construction of the first wood-frame church (1880) and celebrated its first Mass on November 21, 1880.
- Rev. Raymond Harris Jr.2016–present
Installed as pastor on October 9, 2016, by Archbishop William E. Lori, on the occasion of the parish's 140th anniversary.