About St. Augustine · Elkridge, Maryland
St. Augustine Catholic Church is a historic parish in Elkridge, Maryland, served today as the Elkridge campus of the Catholic Community of Ascension and St. Augustine (CCASTA), a two-campus Catholic community the parish shares with the Church of the Ascension in Halethorpe. Located on Old Washington Road, the parish was founded in 1844 and traces its origins to the Catholic families who settled around the old Elk Ridge Landing port on the Patapsco River. It is part of the Archdiocese of Baltimore and is led today by Pastor Fr. Dale Picarella, with two deacons and a retired priest in residence. The parish runs its own school, an active faith formation program for children and youth, a columbarium and historic cemetery, and ministries to grief, family faith, and adult discipleship.
- Established
- 1844
- Patron
- St. Augustine (of Hippo)
- Rector
- Rev. Dale Picarella
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Baltimore
Why belong here
Parishioners at CCASTA's St. Augustine campus find a historic Catholic community that still worships in the church consecrated by Cardinal Gibbons in 1902, while benefiting from the resources of a two-campus parish with an active school and faith-formation programs for every age. Weekend Mass is offered four times on Sunday and once on Saturday at St. Augustine, alongside daily Mass on Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings, Saturday confessions, and an extensive faith-formation track — Walking with Jesus (grades 1–5), Break Away (middle school), Jesus and Me, and Children's Liturgy of the Word — that runs during the school year. The parish also runs a columbarium and historic cemetery, a grief and member-care ministry, and outreach supported by its staff of directors for adult discipleship, family faith formation, and member care, making it easy for newcomers to find a next step whether they are cradle Catholics, returning Catholics, or new to the faith.
Mass times at St. Augustine
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 4:15 PM (St. Augustine, Elkridge)
- Saturday 3:15 PM (Ascension, Halethorpe)
History of St. Augustine Parish
St. Augustine Parish traces its origins to the colonial port community of Elk Ridge Landing on the Patapsco River, where tobacco was rolled down present-day Rolling Road to the wharves. Mission priests first celebrated Mass in local homes, and Catholic families often traveled to Ellicott City for the Eucharist. The cornerstone of the first St. Augustine church was laid on October 22, 1844, and the modest brick building — high on a hill not far from the Patapsco on the main pike between Baltimore and Washington — was completed six months later at a cost of $2,200. Father Bernard Piot, the first pastor, came up from Ellicott City about once a month to celebrate the sacraments.
- First church: modest brick building, 1845, sited on a hill near the Patapsco River
- Founding pastor: Father Bernard Piot
- Cornerstone laid: October 22, 1844
Redemptorist Years and St. John Neumann
In 1846, Bishop Samuel Eccleston asked the Redemptorists to take over ministry at St. Augustine. For about twenty years, priests traveled up from St. Alphonsus Church in Baltimore to serve the parish. Among those Redemptorist pastors was Father John Neumann, who served the people of St. Augustine from 1849 until 1851, just before he was reluctantly named Bishop of Philadelphia. Neumann was canonized in Rome on June 19, 1977.
- Redemptorist ministry: 1846 – c. 1866
- St. John Neumann served here 1849–1851; canonized June 19, 1977
Archdiocesan Era, School, and Present Church
After the Civil War, in 1866, the Archdiocese of Baltimore resumed assigning pastors and placed the parish's first resident pastor. The parish opened one of the first parochial schools in Howard County and in the Archdiocese of Baltimore, and in 1892 the School Sisters of Notre Dame took charge of the school and have remained ever since. The present brick church was begun in 1894 with donated funds and consecrated by Cardinal James Gibbons on November 23, 1902; the same church is still in use today. The rectory was built in 1915, the school building and convent were dedicated together in 1957, and St. Augustine Hall was dedicated in 1961.
- Archdiocese resumes pastor assignments: 1866
- School Sisters of Notre Dame arrive at the school: 1892
- Present church consecrated by Cardinal Gibbons: November 23, 1902
- Rectory built: 1915
- School building and convent dedicated: 1957
- St. Augustine Hall dedicated: 1961
Clergy and Pastoral Staff
The parish is led by Pastor Fr. Dale Picarella, who was appointed to CCASTA effective July 1 (previously pastor of St. Patrick, Havre de Grace) and brings more than three decades of ordained ministry to the community. He is assisted by two permanent deacons and a retired priest in residence. Pastoral staff include a Director of Adult Discipleship, a Director of Family Faith Formation, and a Director of Member Care who coordinates the parish grief ministry.
- Pastor — Rev. Dale Picarella
- Deacon Thomas J. Yannuzzi
- Deacon Mike King
- Rev. Marty Hammond — Retired Priest in Residence
- Pat Naunton — Director of Adult Discipleship
- Annemarie Dirndorfer — Director of Family Faith Formation
- Mary Hoban — Director of Member Care
- Sean Seymour — Parish Maintenance
- Sharon Zelnosky — Administrative Assistant (St. Augustine)
Faith Formation for Children and Youth
Faith formation at St. Augustine is run through the parish's 'Gen Now' children's and youth ministries. Children's Liturgy of the Word is offered during the 9:00 AM and 10:30 AM Sunday Masses for children in Pre-K through 5th grade, who are led from the church to St. Augustine Hall to hear age-appropriate Bible stories with music, prayer, and activities, returning for the Liturgy of the Eucharist. Older children gather in dedicated programs that meet on the first and second Sundays of the month from 9:15 AM to 10:15 AM in the school building on the St. Augustine campus.
- Children's Liturgy of the Word — Pre-K to Grade 5, during 9:00 AM and 10:30 AM Masses at St. Augustine
- Walking with Jesus — grades 1–5 (Sundays 9:15–10:15 AM)
- Break Away — middle school, grades 6–8 (Sundays 9:15–10:15 AM)
- Jesus and Me (J.A.M.) — children's program
- First Reconciliation and First Communion preparation (children entering 2nd grade or older)
St. Augustine Catholic School
St. Augustine Catholic School is the parish school on the Elkridge campus, taught by the School Sisters of Notre Dame since 1892. The pastor, Fr. Dale Picarella, works closely with the school's leadership and families as part of the parish staff, and the school's website references the parish at ccasta.org for church-related information.
- Run by the School Sisters of Notre Dame since 1892
- Present school building and convent dedicated in 1957
- Pastor Fr. Dale Picarella serves the school community
Sacraments at CCASTA
The parish prepares Catholics of all ages for the sacraments. First Reconciliation and First Communion preparation is offered for children entering second grade or older who are already in the CCASTA faith formation program or enrolled in St. Augustine School. Marriage preparation begins through the parish office, and the parish's Director of Member Care, Mary Hoban, walks families through funeral planning and grief support. Reconciliation is regularly scheduled before the Vigil Masses on Saturday.
- First Reconciliation and First Communion
- Marriage preparation
- Funerals — coordinated through Mary Hoban
- Anointing of the Sick and other pastoral needs through the parish office
- Confession Saturday 4:15 PM (St. Augustine) / 3:15 PM (Ascension)
Columbarium and Historic Cemetery
The Catholic Community of Ascension and St. Augustine operates a columbarium on the St. Augustine campus, with niches available in three styles. The Wall of Remembrance on St. Joseph's side of the columbarium and a tribute wall with bronze plaques offer further ways to memorialize loved ones. The parish describes a columbarium interment as, on average, 65% less expensive than a typical cemetery burial. All funds raised through columbarium sales go exclusively to maintaining the Columbarium and the historic cemetery.
- Columbarium located on the St. Augustine campus
- Niches available in three styles (two urns per niche)
- Wall of Remembrance on St. Joseph's side
- Bronze tribute plaques available on the tribute wall
- Contact: 410-242-2292 ext. 301
Funerals and Grief Support
At CCASTA the staff brings the vision of the risen Christ to times of loss. When a death occurs in a family, parishioners are encouraged to email or call Mary Hoban, the Director of Member Care, who guides the family through grief, healing, and the parish's funeral process.
- Director of Member Care: Mary Hoban — [email protected], 410-242-2292 ext. 301
Vision, Mission, and Values of CCASTA
The Catholic Community of Ascension and St. Augustine states its vision as bringing people into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ, cultivating spiritual habits of growth, equipping parishioners to serve, and helping them discover their life mission in the world. Its strategy is to create an exceptional weekend encounter with the Lord at Mass — through engaging music, biblically-driven homilies, and an exciting children's ministry — so that people want to take next steps. Its values center on Worship, Discipleship, Ministry, Fellowship, and Mercy.
- Vision: a growing relationship with Jesus Christ for every parishioner
- Strategy: an exceptional weekend Mass encounter
- Values: Worship, Discipleship, Ministry, Fellowship, Mercy
Contact, Location, and Visiting
St. Augustine Church is located on Old Washington Road in Elkridge, Maryland, with weekday staff reachable by phone and email. The administrative assistant at the St. Augustine campus is Sharon Zelnosky. Due to security concerns, the church buildings on both campuses are kept closed during the day; visitors are asked to call ahead for access.
- Address: 5976 Old Washington Road, Elkridge, MD 21075
- Phone: 410-796-1520
- Parish email (St. Augustine campus): [email protected]
- Buildings closed during the day for security; call ahead for visits
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Bernard (B.) Piot1845–early 1840s
First pastor; traveled from Ellicott City about once a month.
- Redemptorist Fathers (from St. Alphonsus, Baltimore)1846–c. 1866
Including St. John Neumann, who served the parish 1849–1851 and was later canonized (1977).
- First resident pastor (assigned by the Archdiocese of Baltimore)1866 onward
After the Civil War, the archdiocese resumed assigning pastors; the parish school was started in this era.