About St. Lawrence Martyr · Hanover, Maryland
St. Lawrence Martyr Catholic Church is a rapidly-growing parish in the Archdiocese of Baltimore serving parishioners from across northwestern Anne Arundel County, Howard County, and Baltimore County in Maryland. The parish community worships at its Parkside Campus on Parkside Boulevard in Hanover, easily accessible from the Baltimore-Washington Parkway via Route 175 (Annapolis Road) and the Odenton/Fort Meade exits. St. Lawrence Martyr has been served by the Trinitarian Fathers (Order of the Most Holy Trinity, O.SS.T.) — an ancient religious order founded by Saint John of Matha — since 1978, and the parish's charism is shaped by the Trinitarian mission of ransoming captives and performing works of mercy. Known for its welcoming atmosphere, faithful sacramental worship, and generous outreach to neighbors in need, the parish offers dozens of ministries for all ages — from youth and young adult programs to senior groups, plus traditional liturgical roles (lector, usher, greeter) and opportunities to share professional or creative talents.
- Established
- 1866
- Patron
- St. Lawrence (deacon and martyr of Rome, martyred 258 AD under Emperor Valerian)
- Rector
- Rev. Thomas (Tom) Dymowski, O.SS.T., D.Min.
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Baltimore (in a pastorate with Resurrection of Our Lord)
Why belong here
St. Lawrence Martyr is a vibrant 150-plus-year-old Catholic community where daily and Sunday Mass, Eucharistic Adoration twice a week, and the regular Sacrament of Confession are central to parish life. It is a place for every age and stage — from energetic youth and young-adult ministries (Life Teen, ChristLife) to family-friendly Faith Formation for Pre-K through 6th grade and Sacramental Preparation for First Reconciliation, First Communion, and Confirmation. Parishioners are warmly invited to serve through dozens of ministries — liturgical roles like lector, usher, and greeter; outreach through the Gabriel Network for crisis pregnancies; the Knights of Columbus; the Trinitarian Third Order; parish office volunteers; and more — living out the Trinitarian charism of serving those in need across Anne Arundel, Howard, and Baltimore counties.
Mass times at St. Lawrence Martyr
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday: 4:00 PM (until 4:45 PM)
Adoration times
- Wednesday: 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM
- Friday: 9:30 AM – 12:00 PM
Parish Identity & Trinitarian Heritage
Saint Lawrence Martyr Catholic Church describes itself as a very active and rapidly-growing parish in the Archdiocese of Baltimore with a rich history spanning more than 150 years. The parish's identity is shaped by its service under the Trinitarian Fathers (Order of the Most Holy Trinity, O.SS.T.), an ancient religious order founded by Saint John of Matha whose original mission was ransoming Christian captives and which now continues through works of mercy. The Trinitarian Third Order — a lay order in which members consecrate themselves to the Trinity and minister to the poor, sick and marginalized — is also a fixture of parish life. Fr. Bill Axe, O.SS.T., the Provincial of the Trinitarians' Immaculate Heart of Mary Province, is himself a former pastor of St. Lawrence.
- Served by the Trinitarians (O.SS.T.) since 1978
- Trinitarian charism of ransoming captives and serving neighbors through works of mercy
- Active Trinitarian Third Order (lay branch)
- In a pastorate with Resurrection of Our Lord under the Archdiocese of Baltimore
History of St. Lawrence Martyr
The parish's roots reach back to 1865, when Susannah Merritt deeded one acre of land to Archbishop Martin John Spalding of Baltimore. The brick Gothic Revival church was constructed and dedicated in September 1866 in a ceremony in which Archbishop Spalding, the future Cardinal James Gibbons, and other clergy arrived by B&O train to the village then known as Jessup's Cut. From 1866 to 1921 St. Lawrence served as a mission church of St. Augustine Parish in Elkridge; in 1921 Father Andrew J. Conlon was named its first resident pastor. Cardinal Lawrence Shehan blessed a refurbished church at the centennial in 1966, and the parish center was completed in 1972. In 1978 the Trinitarian Fathers — who had long served the prisoners at the Jessup correctional complex — were invited to assume pastoral care of the parish. With thousands of new homes rising around Route 175, the parish outgrew the historic church and built the new Parkside Campus on the former site of Blob's Park, a German dancehall opened in 1933 by parishioners. Archbishop William E. Lori celebrated the first Mass there and blessed the baptismal font, altar, tabernacle, and ambry; the parish marked its 150th anniversary in 2016 with a Thanksgiving Mass.
- 1865 — Susannah Merritt deeds 1 acre to Archbishop Martin John Spalding
- 1866 — Brick Gothic Revival church constructed and dedicated in September
- 1921 — Elevated from mission to independent parish; Father Andrew J. Conlon first resident pastor
- 1966 — Centennial; Cardinal Shehan blesses refurbished church
- 1972 — Parish center completed
- 1978 — Trinitarians assume pastoral care; Knights of Columbus council named for first Trinitarian pastor, Fr. Bernard Harding
- 1989 — New rectory built on Clark Road, Hanover
- 2010s — New worship space and parish center built on former Blob's Park site; Archbishop Lori celebrates first Mass there
- 2016 — 150th anniversary celebrated
Worship & Liturgical Schedule
All events take place at the Parkside Campus. The parish offers a full schedule of Sunday and weekday Masses, plus regular times for the Sacrament of Confession and Eucharistic Adoration twice each week. Morning Prayer precedes each Daily Mass at 8:30 AM, and the Holy Rosary is prayed immediately after each Daily Mass — small but beloved devotions that frame the parish's liturgical day. Livestream Mass is available through the parish website for the Saturday Vigil and the three Sunday Masses.
- Sunday Masses: 8:00 AM, 10:00 AM, 12:00 PM
- Saturday Vigil Mass: 5:00 PM
- Weekday Mass: Monday–Friday 9:00 AM (preceded by Morning Prayer at 8:30 AM)
- Rosary prayed after each Daily Mass
- Livestream Mass available for weekend Masses
Faith Formation for Children (Pre-K through Grade 6)
St. Lawrence Martyr has moved to a family approach to Faith Formation: the parish supports parents as the primary formators of their children in the Catholic faith. Parents attend parish sessions with their child on scheduled Sundays and complete assigned activities at home, with parent-only sessions provided to help parents lead those at-home discussions. Programs serve Pre-K through 6th grade, including a separate Sacramental Preparation track for First Reconciliation, First Communion, and Confirmation. The parish welcomes children with special needs into its catechetical programs and invites families to contact the Parish Office of Faith Formation at 410-799-1970 to discuss accommodations.
- Pre-K (ages 4+): 1st & 3rd Sundays, 10:00–11:15 AM
- Kindergarten (ages 5+): 1st & 3rd Sundays, 8:30–9:45 AM
- Grades 1–6 (Parent & Child): 1st Sundays, 8:30–9:45 AM (students in classrooms, parents in Parish Hall)
- Sacramental Preparation (First Reconciliation, First Communion, Confirmation): 2nd & 4th Sundays, 8:30–9:45 AM
- Inclusion of children with special needs by arrangement
Adult Faith Formation
Faith formation doesn't end at Confirmation. The parish supports adults on their lifelong journey of faith through a Lenten Soup and Speaker series, small groups, Bible studies, and the many parish ministries. Additional opportunities are announced in the bulletin as they become available.
- Lenten Soup and Speaker series
- Small faith-sharing groups
- Bible studies
- Bulletin-announced seasonal offerings
Youth, Young Adult & Family Ministries
The parish is home to particularly energetic youth and young adult ministries, including Life Teen (the middle- and high-school youth program) and ChristLife, alongside young adult gatherings and young-family get-together groups. Ministry leaders under Fr. Victor Scocco and Fr. Binoy (Akkalayil) emphasized ministry to young people as a hallmark of the parish's recent pastoral life. There are also 55-and-over groups for older parishioners, reflecting the parish's commitment to ministry across every life stage.
- Life Teen youth ministry
- ChristLife
- Young Adult Ministry
- Young family get-together groups
- 55-and-over seniors groups
Outreach, Charity & the Trinitarian Mission
St. Lawrence Martyr is committed to abundantly generous service to neighbors in need across the surrounding communities of Anne Arundel, Howard, and Baltimore counties. The parish runs a particularly active Gabriel Network program providing free and confidential support to women facing crisis pregnancies. The Trinitarian Third Order (lay branch) is a fixture at the parish, and the Knights of Columbus Father Bernard Harding Council is named for the parish's first Trinitarian pastor. From office volunteers to gardening help on parish grounds, the parish actively invites parishioners to share their gifts — including creative, professional, and crafts-related skills — in service to the parish family and beyond.
- Gabriel Network (crisis-pregnancy support)
- Knights of Columbus Father Bernard Harding Council
- Trinitarian Third Order (lay branch)
- Parish office and grounds volunteer opportunities (gardening, office help, crafts, writing, cooking)
Liturgical Ministries & Parish Life
For parishioners who feel called to serve directly in the liturgy, the parish has a long list of welcoming, traditional roles. The parish also lists a Liturgical Committee on its website, helping organize the worship life of the community. The parish's welcome message names lectors, ushers, and greeters among the most accessible ways to be involved — alongside other 'callings' for crafters, writers, chefs, and those with green thumbs willing to share gardening expertise on parish grounds.
- Lectors
- Ushers
- Greeters
- Liturgical Committee (organized worship life)
- Crafter, writer, chef, and gardener/grounds volunteer opportunities
Catholic School Connection (Monsignor Slade)
Parish families seeking a parish-affiliated K-8 Catholic education are served by Monsignor Slade Catholic School, a regional Catholic school in which St. Lawrence Martyr is a participating parish. Founded in 1954 as the Northern Anne Arundel Regional Catholic School (renamed Monsignor Slade in 2004 in honor of its founder, Msgr. Arthur Slade), St. Lawrence Martyr joined as the school's ninth member parish during the 1994–95 school year. The school accepts applications on a rolling basis and gives priority of admission to siblings of current students and to Catholic parishioners of member parishes.
- St. Lawrence Martyr joined Monsignor Slade Catholic School in 1994–95
- Member parish of an Anne Arundel regional Catholic school serving Pre-K2 through Grade 8
- Parish Verification Form signed by pastor helps secure priority admission
Historic Church & Cemetery
The original 1866 brick Gothic Revival church and its adjoining cemetery — both on the west side of the Baltimore-Washington Parkway at 2821 Jessup Road — remain part of the parish's patrimony. The cemetery contains about 75 graves with dates from 1864 to 2003, including prominent area families such as the Blob, Egger, and others. The Maryland Historical Trust inventory (AA-20) records the site as one of the state-significant historic parish properties of Anne Arundel County.
- 1866 brick Gothic Revival church at 2821 Jessup Road
- Cemetery oldest gravemarker dated 1864
- Maryland Historical Trust inventory site AA-20
- Site of the parish before the move to the Parkside Campus
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Andrew J. Conlon1921–
First resident pastor when St. Lawrence was elevated from mission church (under St. Augustine, Elkridge) to an independent parish.
- Rev. Bernard Harding, O.SS.T.from 1978
First Trinitarian pastor when the Order assumed pastoral care of the parish; the parish's Knights of Columbus council is named for him.
- Rev. William (Bill) Axe, O.SS.T.served earlier as pastor before 2016
Former pastor; later Provincial of the Trinitarians' Immaculate Heart of Mary Province; returned for the 150th anniversary Mass.
- Rev. Victor Scocco, O.SS.T.served at least through the 150th anniversary Mass and the new-campus dedication (~2016–2017)
Led the parish through the building of the new worship space and parish center on Parkside Boulevard.
- Rev. Thomas (Tom) Dymowski, O.SS.T., D.Min.current
Current pastor (listed on the parish website and Archdiocese directory).