St. Jane Frances de Chantal

About the Parish

St. Jane Frances de Chantal is a large parish in northern Anne Arundel County, part of the Archdiocese of Baltimore and now in a pastorate with Our Lady of the Chesapeake. The parish describes itself as 'a vibrant and welcoming Catholic community that brings people to Christ, forms loving, joyful disciples, and sends them out to transform the world.' Parishioners commit to Worship, Serve, Form Relationships, Grow in Faith and Holiness, Give, and Proclaim the Gospel. New parishioners can register by calling 410-255-4646, picking up a form at the back of the church, downloading a PDF from the website, or registering online.

History of the Parish

The community began as a 1925 mission church served from Brooklyn, became a parish in 1946 under Father Raymond P. Kelly, and grew to nearly 8,000 families within twenty years. It built a school staffed by the School Sisters of Notre Dame, a convent, a parish hall, a rectory, and its present church (completed 1961). Eight pastors have served the parish, including Msgr. Charles F. Muth (who added the Blessed Sacrament Chapel and the Muth Room in 1986), Msgr. Carl F. Cummings (2009–2022, now Pastor Emeritus), and Rev. Stephen M. Hook, who led the parish into the Pastorate of the Visitation on July 1, 2022.

• 1925: First Masses offered on a Riviera Drive lawn
• 1945: WWII surplus barracks building erected as parish hall
• November 22, 1946: Canonically established with Fr. Raymond P. Kelly as first resident pastor
• 1948: Parish school opens with 105 pupils in three grades
• 1961: Present church completed
• 1986: Chapel and Muth Room added for 40th anniversary
• November 14, 2021: 75th anniversary Jubilee Mass
• July 1, 2022: Becomes part of the Pastorate of the Visitation
• 2020: St. Jane Frances School closes after pandemic-driven enrollment drop

Our Patroness — St. Jane Frances de Chantal

Jane Frances Fremiot, Baroness de Chantal, was born in Dijon, France on January 28, 1572 and died at the Visitation Convent in Moulins on December 13, 1641 at the age of sixty-nine. She is honored by the Church for the holiness of her youth, her married life, her widowhood, and her life in religion. She was the foundress and first Mother Superior of the Order of the Visitation, and was canonized by Pope Clement XIII in 1767. In the United States her memorial is observed on August 12; elsewhere it is December 13.

Mass & Liturgical Schedule

The Pastorate of the Visitation publishes a combined schedule. At St. Jane Frances de Chantal, Sunday Masses are at 8:00 am (quiet), 10:00 am (Organ & Choir) and 11:30 am (Organ & Cantor); the Saturday Vigil is at 5:00 pm. Weekday Mass is at 8:30 am on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. Music at the 10:00 am Sunday Mass features the parish's adult choir under Director of Music and Principal Organist Robert Henry.

Sacraments

The parish prepares parishioners for Baptism (infants: 1st and 3rd Sundays at 12:45 pm, required parent preparation class the first Monday of the month at 7:30 pm; not celebrated in Lent), First Eucharist (typically Grade 2), Confirmation (annual program for grades 9–17; adults via RCIA), Marriage (six-month notice and required preparation classes), and Anointing of the Sick (twice yearly plus on request). Adults seeking initiation enter the Church by Baptism or Profession of Faith at the Easter Vigil following a year-long RCIA Catechumenate.

Faith Formation & Religious Education

The Director of Family Faith Formation, Marie Griffiths, coordinates a twice-monthly Sunday program serving PK through 8th grade and the adults in the family. The program uses the Gospel Weeklies curriculum keyed to the Sunday Gospel. On the first Sunday, parents stay for adult formation while children attend class; light snacks are served starting at 8:10 am, classes run 8:30–9:40 am, and the program ends in time for families to attend the 10:00 am Mass together. Scholarships and fee waivers are available so that no family is turned away because of finances.

• Coordinator: Marie Griffiths ([email protected], 410-255-4646 ext. 1404)
• Uses Gospel Weeklies from Pflaum Publishing
• First Reconciliation / First Eucharist preparation typically in Grade 2
• High-school youth are encouraged to serve as volunteer catechists (with VIRTUS/child-protection certification)

High School Youth Ministry

Open to 9th–12th graders from both parishes, High School Youth Ministry meets on Sunday evenings 6:30–8:30 pm from September through April. The year is divided into three 4-week sessions plus a 2-week mini-session; sessions alternate between St. Jane Frances and Our Lady of the Chesapeake. Two retreats (Fall and Spring), week-long service/mission trips, and summer activities are offered. The Associate Youth Minister is Carrie Hilmer ([email protected], ext. 1402). Adults are invited to serve as catechists.

Parish Staff & Pastoral Team

The Pastorate of the Visitation staff serves both St. Jane Frances de Chantal and Our Lady of the Chesapeake. Key contacts (at St. Jane Frances unless noted) include:

• Rev. Stephen Hook — Pastor ([email protected], 410-255-3677 x103)
• Rev. John Bilenki — Associate Pastor ([email protected], ext. 1405)
• Rev. Kevin Farmer — Associate Pastor (effective July 1, 2026)
• Deacon Howard Klohr — Permanent Deacon ([email protected])
• Mike Downes — Director of Pastorate Operations ([email protected], ext. 1408)
• Marie Griffiths — Director of Family Faith Formation ([email protected], ext. 1404)
• Carrie Hilmer — Associate Youth Minister ([email protected], ext. 1402)
• Robert Henry — Director of Music / Principal Organist ([email protected])
• Tracey Laber — Parish Secretary ([email protected], ext. 1400)
• Gina Bujanowski — Office Manager & Baptism Prep ([email protected], ext. 1406)
• Don Summers — Facilities Manager ([email protected], ext. 1414)

Serve — Ministries & Outreach

The parish organizes its ministry opportunities under Liturgical Ministries, Hospitality Teams, Support Teams, and Social Concerns. Volunteer positions that involve contact with children require VIRTUS certification. Outreach partners include the North County Emergency Outreach Network (NCEON), Our Daily Bread (casserole ministry), the St. Vincent de Paul Society, the parish Giving Tree (Christmas), and periodic blood drives.

• Liturgical: Adoration, Altar Servers, Adult Choir, Extraordinary Ministers, Lectors, Music, Sacristans, Sanctuary Society, Environment
• Hospitality: Greeters, Ushers, Fellowship
• Social Concerns: Blood Drive, Giving Tree, NCEON, Our Daily Bread, St. Vincent de Paul

The Pastorate of the Visitation

On July 1, 2022, St. Jane Frances de Chantal and Our Lady of the Chesapeake were united as a single Pastorate — the Catholic Churches of Pasadena — under Rev. Stephen M. Hook, with Rev. James Bors as the first Associate Pastor (now Priest-Secretary to Archbishop Lori). Fr. Hook named the union the Pastorate of the Visitation, reflecting both patronesses: at the Visitation (Luke 1:39–45) the Holy Spirit proclaims Jesus as Lord and declares Mary Mother of God, and Saint Jane Frances de Chantal later founded the Order of the Visitation, serving as its first Mother Superior.

Contact & Visit

Parish Office: 8499 Virginia Ave., Riviera Beach, MD 21122-3097. Phone: 410-255-4646. Email: [email protected]. Office hours are Monday through Thursday 9:00 am–4:00 pm; the office is closed Friday through Sunday. After-hours emergencies requiring a priest should use 410-905-8539. New parishioners can pick up a registration form at the back of the church, download a PDF, or register online at stjane.org.