About Sacred Heart of Mary · Baltimore, Maryland
Sacred Heart of Mary is a Roman Catholic parish in the Graceland Park neighborhood of Dundalk, in southeast Baltimore, Maryland, founded in 1925 to serve the area's growing Polish-American community near Bethlehem Steel and Fort Holabird. The parish is part of the Archdiocese of Baltimore and, as of December 1, 2024, was formally merged into Our Lady of Hope Church under Archbishop William E. Lori's 'Seek the City to Come' pastoral plan, with the parish now operating as the Sacred Heart of Mary–Saint Rita Pastorate from the Our Lady of Hope campus at 1727 Lynch Road. The parish is historically notable for its beloved Thanksgiving 'polka Mass,' a 50-year tradition that ended in 2024, and counts St. Louis Archbishop Mitchell T. Rozanski among its native sons.
- Established
- 1925
- Patron
- Sacred Heart of Mary
- Rector
- Rev. Kevin Mueller (Pastor of Our Lady of Hope, the seated parish into which Sacred Heart of Mary was merged)
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Baltimore
Why belong here
Sacred Heart of Mary has been a welcoming Catholic home in the Graceland Park–Dundalk area for nearly a century, with deep Polish-American roots and a tightly knit, multi-generational community of about 1,600 registered families. Even after the 2010 school closure and the 2024 merger into Our Lady of Hope, the parish continues a Children's Faith Formation Program in partnership with St. Rita and runs multiple ministries, outreach programs, and social events for parishioners of all ages. Visitors and newcomers are invited to register through the parish office and to take part in a vibrant liturgical life that has long included devotions such as the recitation of the Rosary before Sunday Mass.
Mass times at Sacred Heart of Mary
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:00 PM – 3:30 PM (Our Lady of Hope Church/Chapel)
Our Story — Sacred Heart of Mary Parish
Sacred Heart of Mary was founded in 1925 to serve the Polish-American families of Graceland Park in Dundalk, an east-Baltimore community that had grown rapidly around Bethlehem Steel and Fort Holabird. From its first Palm Sunday meeting of about 30 families to its 99th year, the parish built a school, convent, and church complex that anchored the neighborhood for generations. After the 2010 closure of its parish school and the 2024 pastoral merger, Sacred Heart of Mary continues its ministry as part of the Our Lady of Hope Pastorate.
- Founded 1925 by Father Stanislaus Wikarski
- First Mass and school site completed January 1926
- Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth arrived from Pennsylvania in June 1927
- Parish school closed June 30, 2010
- Merged into Our Lady of Hope on December 1, 2024
Sacred Heart of Mary School
Sacred Heart of Mary School opened in September 1927 with five students and was taught by the Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth for the next 73 years. Enrollment climbed through the mid-century, peaking near 600 pupils in the 1950s, 60s, and 70s, and the campus grew to include 24 classrooms, a library, an auditorium, and faculty work rooms. After Fort Holabird closed in 1980 and Bethlehem Steel downsized, enrollment fell below 300, and on June 30, 2010, after 83 years, the school was among 13 Archdiocesan schools closed.
- Opened September 1927, staffed by Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth
- Peaked at 500–600 students in the 1950s–70s
- PRIDE program (Pupils Receiving Inclusive Diversified Education) supported students with learning disabilities
- Sisters ended their 73-year tenure in 1999
- School closed June 30, 2010
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Even after the parish school closed, Sacred Heart of Mary continued to provide faith formation for children in partnership with neighboring St. Rita Parish, a collaboration that has continued under the merged Our Lady of Hope Pastorate.
- Children's Faith Formation Program (shared with St. Rita Parish)
The Thanksgiving Polka Mass Tradition
Sacred Heart of Mary was once widely known as the 'Polka Capital of Maryland,' hosting as many as 40 polka parties a year and an annual Thanksgiving Day liturgy celebrated with traditional polka music. The beloved tradition was instituted under Monsignor Richard E. Parks, who earned 35 dance certificates supporting the parish's dance lessons even though he never stepped on the floor himself. The 50th and final polka Mass was celebrated on November 28, 2024, with the four-piece ensemble of Kenneth Adamski in the choir loft.
- Tradition began under Monsignor Richard E. Parks
- Held every Thanksgiving morning for 50 consecutive years
- Ended November 28, 2024 with final polka Mass
- Formerly known as the 'Polka Capital of Maryland'
Parish Identity & Community
Sacred Heart of Mary grew up as a Polish-American parish in the Graceland Park neighborhood, with its identity shaped by industrial Dundalk, generations of parish-school families, and a strong devotion to community gatherings. It counts St. Louis Archbishop Mitchell T. Rozanski among its native sons, and has long been recognized for its warm, multi-generational membership of roughly 1,600 registered families. The parish's mission remains to nurture a diverse and welcoming community, committed to following wherever God leads, and to make Disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of Baltimore and the world.
- Polish-American heritage rooted in Graceland Park
- Approximately 1,600 registered families
- Native son: Archbishop Mitchell T. Rozanski of St. Louis
Merger into Our Lady of Hope Pastorate (2024)
As part of the Archdiocese of Baltimore's 'Seek the City to Come' pastoral planning initiative, Archbishop William E. Lori issued a decree on September 28, 2024 merging Sacred Heart of Mary into Our Lady of Hope effective December 1, 2024. The merged pastorate brings together Sacred Heart of Mary, Our Lady of Hope, St. Rita, and St. Luke parishes under a single pastorate seated at Our Lady of Hope Church at 1727 Lynch Road, with St. Rita continuing as an additional worship site. The parish phone line (410) 633-2828 and the website shmstr.org remain active points of contact.
- Decree issued September 28, 2024 by Archbishop William E. Lori
- Effective December 1, 2024
- Merged parishes: Sacred Heart of Mary, Our Lady of Hope, St. Rita, St. Luke
- Seated parish: Our Lady of Hope, 1727 Lynch Road, Baltimore, MD 21222
- Rev. Kevin Mueller, Pastor; Rev. Vincent Arisukwu, Associate Pastor
Contact & Visit
Parishioners and visitors can reach the parish office by phone, email, or in person; the historic address is 6736 Youngstown Avenue in Dundalk (21222), and the merged pastorate office is at 1727 Lynch Road, Baltimore, MD 21222. A New Church Family Registration Form is available on the parish website for those wishing to formally register with the parish.
- Historic address: 6736 Youngstown Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21222
- Merged pastorate office: 1727 Lynch Road, Baltimore, MD 21222
- Phone: (410) 633-2828 (parish); (410) 284-6600 (Our Lady of Hope)
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: shmstr.org
- Facebook: facebook.com/SHMparish
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Stanislaus Wikarski1925
Founder; proposed the parish to Archbishop Curley for the Polish community of Graceland Park.
- Father Stephen Chylinski1951–1962 (administrator, then pastor)
Oversaw the 1950 building program that added an auditorium as enrollment reached 600.
- Father Leon Warczynski1963–c.1982
Built the million-dollar school complex with 24 classrooms, library, and offices.
- Monsignor Richard E. Parks1982–2007
Elevated to Monsignor by Pope John Paul II in 1999; beloved pastor who instituted the Thanksgiving polka Mass; served 25 years.
- Father George Gannon2008–
Served as associate pastor from 2006 before being appointed pastor; oversaw school closure in 2010 and the parish's transition into the merged pastorate.