About Holy Spirit · Joppa, Maryland
Church of the Holy Spirit is a Catholic parish in the Joppatowne section of Joppa, Harford County, Maryland, belonging to the Archdiocese of Baltimore. Since its founding in 1963, the parish has grown from about 100 families worshipping in a builder's sales office to a thriving community in a pastorate with St. Stephen in Bradshaw. Today it celebrates Sunday Mass at 9:30 and 11:00 a.m., a daily 9:00 a.m. Mass, and offers Saturday confession, a daily Rosary, and a number of parish ministries out of its campus at 540 Joppa Farm Road.
- Established
- 1963
- Patron
- The Holy Spirit (Third Person of the Holy Trinity)
- Rector
- Rev. George Gannon
- Diocese
- Metropolitan Archdiocese of Baltimore
Why belong here
Holy Spirit offers the rhythm of a classic parish: a daily 9:00 a.m. Mass with a Rosary beforehand (8:40 a.m.), Saturday Vigil Mass, two Sunday Masses, Saturday confessions, and a chaplain-father who also serves as chaplain at Franklin Square Hospital — making the sacraments and anointing readily available. Parishes belong to a two-parish pastorate with St. Stephen in Bradshaw under Father George Gannon, sharing priests and ministries so that the community can stay small enough to know one another while offering faith formation, sacraments, and outreach to the Joppatowne/Joppa area of Harford County.
Mass times at Holy Spirit
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday: 4:15 PM – 4:45 PM
- Upon request
About the Parish
Church of the Holy Spirit is a Catholic parish of the Archdiocese of Baltimore serving the Joppatowne area of Joppa in southern Harford County, Maryland. Since 2022 it has been twinned in a pastorate with St. Stephen in Bradshaw (Kingsville), with a shared pastor and clergy team. The parish welcomes area Catholics to its daily Mass, weekend Masses, Saturday confessions, faith formation, and parish ministries at 540 Joppa Farm Road.
- Pastoral identity: Roman Catholic, Archdiocese of Baltimore
- Pastored in common with St. Stephen, Bradshaw (Kingsville)
- Parish office hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 AM – 4:00 PM
History of Church of the Holy Spirit
The parish was created in 1963 by Archbishop Lawrence J. Shehan to serve the fast-growing Joppatowne community. Father Charles W. Dausch was appointed founding pastor and began worship in a builder's sales office on Averill Road before moving the parish through 820 Foxwell Road to the newly built Rectory & Parish Center at 540 Joppa Farm Road, dedicated August 8, 1965. Father Dausch died of cancer in 1982, and Father Joseph C. Simmons took over the parish on October 24, 1982. Under Father Simmons the present church was built in 1988 and the Parish Center was completely rebuilt after the December 2009 electrical fire, reopening in 2012 at a cost of $1.9 million.
- June 15, 1963 — Father Charles W. Dausch appointed founding pastor
- June 30, 1963 — First Mass in the 'Little Red Theater' on Averill Road
- October 30, 1964 — First Mass at 820 Foxwell Road
- August 8, 1965 — Rectory & Parish Center at 540 Joppa Farm Road dedicated
- April 1970 — 'Rear wing' addition completed
- 1987 — Four acres along Riviera Drive sold to Harborside Apartments
- 1988 — New church building constructed under Father Simmons
- December 2009 — Electrical fire destroys much of Parish Center
- 2012 — Rebuilt Parish Center completed ($1.9 million)
- June 30, 2022 — Father Simmons retires after 40 years at Holy Spirit
- February 25, 2023 — Father Simmons dies at age 89
Mass and Sacramental Schedule
The parish offers a daily Mass at 9:00 AM Monday through Friday, preceded by the daily Rosary at 8:40 AM in the Chapel. Saturday is the Vigil at 5:00 PM; Sundays offer Masses at 9:30 and 11:00 AM. Confessions are heard Saturday from 4:15 to 4:45 PM and at other times on request. Holy Days are celebrated at 9:00 AM and 7:00 PM; First Friday Mass is at 9:00 AM.
- Daily Rosary: 8:40 AM Monday–Friday
- Weekday Mass: 9:00 AM Monday–Friday
- Saturday Vigil Mass: 5:00 PM
- Sunday Masses: 9:30 AM and 11:00 AM
- Confessions: Saturday 4:15–4:45 PM and on request
- Holy Day Masses: 9:00 AM and 7:00 PM
- First Friday Mass: 9:00 AM
Clergy and Staff
Holy Spirit is staffed by a pastor who also serves St. Stephen, an associate pastor who is also chaplain at Franklin Square Hospital, a second associate/chaplain, and a deacon, supported by a business manager, administrative assistants, and a facilities director.
- Rev. George Gannon — Pastor
- Rev. Jude McPeak — Associate Pastor (Chaplain)
- Rev. Samuel Young — Associate Pastor; Chaplain, Franklin Square Hospital
- Deacon Ed Ramos
- Kathy Meneghini — Business Manager
- Steven White — Administrative Assistant
- Robin Urbanski — Administrative Assistant
- Rob Baranoski — Director of Facility Maintenance
Ministries and Parish Life
Beyond the regular liturgical schedule, the parish fosters a range of devotional and pastoral ministries — a daily Rosary before morning Mass, the Rosary and traditional hymns favored by longtime pastor Father Simmons, Bereavement Ministry and End-of-Life Planning Seminars run jointly with the Bradshaw pastorate, faith formation for children and youth, RCIA/Becoming Catholic through the Archdiocese, Flocknote digital communications, and YouTube-recorded Masses that began during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Daily Rosary devotion
- Faith Formation / Religious Education
- RCIA and Becoming Catholic (archdiocesan)
- Bereavement Ministry (joint with St. Stephen Bradshaw)
- End-of-Life Planning Seminars (attorney, financial planner, funeral director, priest, bereavement minister)
- Bulletin, Calendar, and Flocknote communications
- YouTube livestream and recorded Mass ministry
- Facility Maintenance and stewardship
Sacraments
Sacramental preparation and celebration are coordinated through the parish office and the Archdiocese of Baltimore's offices. Confession is regularly available Saturday 4:15–4:45 PM and on request; Anointing of the Sick and Viaticum are supported through pastoral care, with Father Young's chaplaincy at Franklin Square Hospital providing hospital access. Marriage preparation and Pre-Cana are offered through the Archdiocese of Baltimore.
- Baptism
- Confirmation
- Eucharist
- Penance / Reconciliation (Saturday 4:15–4:45 PM and on request)
- Anointing of the Sick
- Matrimony (with Pre-Cana preparation)
- Holy Orders (vocations through Archdiocese)
- RCIA / Becoming Catholic
Pastorate with St. Stephen, Bradshaw
Since July 1, 2022, Holy Spirit and St. Stephen in Bradshaw (Kingsville) have shared a single pastor, Rev. George Gannon, who had previously been pastor of St. Stephen. The two parishes cooperate on ministries such as Bereavement, End-of-Life Planning Seminars, and Pre-Cana, while each parish retains its own campus, Mass schedule, and identity. The phone numbers, 410-593-7162 (Holy Spirit) and 410-592-7071 (St. Stephen), share a Pastorate Office staff.
- Joint pastorate under Rev. George Gannon (since July 1, 2022)
- Shared Pastorate Office staff
- Joint Bereavement and End-of-Life Planning events at Holy Spirit
- Pastorate mailing address: 540 Joppa Farm Road, Joppa, MD 21085
Visiting, Location, and Contact
Parishioners and visitors will find Holy Spirit at 540 Joppa Farm Road, Joppatowne, Joppa, MD 21085, in southern Harford County just off the Baltimore-area interstate corridor. The Pastorate Office is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM. Visitors are warmly welcomed to all scheduled Masses and to make confession and pastoral arrangements through the office.
- Address: 540 Joppa Farm Road, Joppa, MD 21085
- Phone: (410) 593-7162
- Email: [email protected]
- Office hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 AM – 4:00 PM
- On-site parking available
- Washington Post/Archdiocese of Baltimore directory entry
- GCatholic ID: 19448
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Charles W. Dausch1963 – 1982
Founding pastor, appointed June 15, 1963 by Archbishop Lawrence J. Shehan. Built the community from ~100 families, worshipped first in the 'Little Red Theater' (Averill Road), then 820 Foxwell Road, before the 1965 Rectory & Parish Center at 540 Joppa Farm Road. Died of cancer September 7, 1982.
- Rev. Joseph C. SimmonsOctober 24, 1982 – June 30, 2022
Assigned October 24, 1982; officially installed as Pastor January 30, 1983 by Archbishop William D. Borders. Built the present church in 1988. Rebuilt the Parish Center (completed 2012, $1.9 million) after a December 2009 electrical fire. Retired at age 86 as the oldest active priest in the Archdiocese. Died February 25, 2023 at age 89; Archbishop William E. Lori celebrated his funeral Mass at Holy Spirit.
- Rev. George GannonJuly 1, 2022 – present
Appointed pastor of the Holy Spirit / St. Stephen (Bradshaw) pastorate by Archbishop William E. Lori on July 1, 2022; previously pastor of St. Stephen in Bradshaw.