About St. Mary · Pylesville, Maryland
St. Mary of the Assumption is a Roman Catholic parish in Pylesville, Maryland, located in the northern reaches of Harford County near the Pennsylvania border. The parish belongs to the Archdiocese of Baltimore and serves Catholics across rural Northern Harford County and Southern York County, PA. Its mission statement reads: "By learning and living God's Word, we are inspired through worship to serve one another with love, acceptance, and forgiveness. We continue Christ's mission by proclaiming the Eucharist as the center of our faith." The current pastor is Rev. John Rapisarda, assisted by deacons, retired priests, and a lay staff that coordinates faith formation, music, youth ministry, religious education, and a monthly food pantry.
- Established
- 1855
- Patron
- Mary, Mother of God (under the title Our Lady of the Assumption)
- Rector
- Rev. John Rapisarda
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Baltimore
Why belong here
St. Mary of the Assumption is a country parish where almost every member of the family can find a way to belong: weekday and Sunday Masses in English (including a contemporary-music Sunday Mass), daily Rosary before Mass, weekly Eucharistic Adoration, frequent Confession opportunities, free Children's Faith Formation (CFF), OCIA for adults exploring Catholicism, a vibrant youth ministry and Confirmation program, the Eight Fifteen Pylesville Fund that scholarships high-schoolers to retreats and service camps, and a parish Food Pantry serving up to 21 local families every third Saturday. With a thriving music ministry, Knights of Columbus council, Respect Life ministry, Vacation Bible School, and 13.5 acres of grounds, St. Mary's offers the rare combination of a historic rural setting and a full schedule of faith, formation, and service opportunities.
Mass times at St. Mary
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Tuesday: 6:30 PM – 7:00 PM
- Friday: 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM (First Fridays only)
- Saturday: 3:15 PM – 3:45 PM
- Saturday: 8:30 AM – 9:30 AM (First Saturdays only)
Adoration times
- Sunday: 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM
- Sunday: 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM (First Fridays)
- Monday – Friday: 8:00 AM – 9:00 AM (before daily Mass)
- Tuesday: 2:00 PM – 8:00 PM (extended)
- Friday: 9:30 AM – 10:30 AM (after Mass)
- First Fridays: 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
- First Saturdays: 8:00 AM – 10:00 AM
About St. Mary of the Assumption
St. Mary of the Assumption Catholic Church is a parish of the Archdiocese of Baltimore serving the rural communities of Northern Harford County, Maryland and Southern York County, Pennsylvania. Located at 1021 St. Mary's Road in Pylesville, the parish sits on 13.5 acres of fields, meadows, and wooded hills. Its mission is to learn and live God's Word through worship, love, acceptance, and forgiveness, with the Eucharist as the center of parish life.
- Address: 1021 St. Mary's Road, Pylesville, MD 21132
- Office Hours: Mon, Wed, Fri 9:45 AM – 3:00 PM; Tue, Thu 9:45 AM – 1:00 PM
- Parish phone: (410) 879-4015; Pastor line: (410) 452-5166 ext. 28
- Email: [email protected]
- Pastor: Rev. John Rapisarda
Parish History
Catholic life in the Pylesville area began with families in the Barrons / Clermont Mills crossroads who relied on infrequent visits from the pastor of St. Ignatius in Hickory. Captain Henry Macatee's 1844 will set aside an acre for a future church; his descendants later expanded the gift to multiple acres. The first St. Mary's, a brick church seating 300, was completed in 1855–1856 and dedicated by Archbishop Francis Patrick Kenrick. The present stone church, with cornerstone laid in 1890, was dedicated by Cardinal Gibbons on September 15, 1895. The original brick church was dismantled in 1995 to make room for cemetery expansion, and the property has grown to about 13.5 acres through Macatee-family gifts and subsequent purchases.
- 1844 — Captain Henry Macatee bequests land for a church
- 1855 — Brick church built; cornerstone laid August 19
- 1856 — Dedicated October 19 by Archbishop Kenrick
- 1870 — Macatee family donates 3 additional acres; first rectory built
- 1872 — Rev. Joseph A. Gallen appointed first resident pastor
- 1889–1895 — Stone church built; dedicated by Cardinal Gibbons, Sept. 15, 1895
- 1986 — John H. Simpson, Jr. ordained first parish permanent deacon (Sept. 13)
- 1992 — Simon Driesen ordained parish's second permanent deacon (March 21)
- 1995 — Original 1855 brick church dismantled for cemetery expansion
- 2003 — Pew restoration; later bell tower and education building upgrades
Faith Formation
Faith formation at St. Mary's is treated as a lifelong journey. Children's Faith Formation (CFF) — including the GIFT family catechesis program and weekly Tuesday classes — is offered at no cost to parish families, sustained by the parish's Free Tuition Mission appeal. OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults) meets in the Conference Room of the Parish Hall, Room 208, and welcomes the unbaptized, baptized Catholics missing sacraments, and Catholics seeking deeper formation.
- Children's Faith Formation (CFF) — Coordinator: Karen Dietz, [email protected], ext. 24
- GIFT family catechesis — meets select Sundays 9:00–10:20 AM
- Tuesday CFF classes — 5:30–7:00 PM during the school year
- OCIA — meets in Parish Hall Conference Room, Rm. #208
- Vacation Bible School — summer week of faith, fun, music, crafts, and games
Youth Ministry & Confirmation
Rachel Bittner serves as Coordinator of Youth Ministry and Confirmation, walking teens through the sacrament and accompanying them to retreats and service opportunities. The parish's Eight Fifteen Pylesville (EFP) Fund, named for August 15 — the Feast of the Assumption — provides full or partial scholarships so high-school parishioners can attend retreats, service camps, conferences, and other faith-formation events.
- Youth Ministry & Confirmation — Rachel Bittner
- Eight Fifteen Pylesville (EFP) Fund — scholarships for high-school retreats and service camps
- Applications available in the back of church or on the parish website
- Contributions: make checks to 'St. Mary's Parish' with 'Eight Fifteen Pylesville Fund' in the memo line
Liturgy & Music
Liturgical life is supported by a roster of trained liturgical ministers (including altar servers) and a Music Ministry under Director Paula Benalcazar. The parish offers a contemporary-music Sunday Mass at 10:30 AM alongside traditional Masses, and the choir was historically funded in part by community fairs going back to the 1850s.
- Liturgical Ministers — Altar Servers, lectors, Eucharistic ministers
- Music Ministry — Paula Benalcazar, Director
- Contemporary Mass — Sundays at 10:30 AM
- Quiet Mass — 12:15 PM during Lent
Outreach & Charity
Service to neighbors is a visible expression of parish identity. The St. Mary's Food Pantry, located on the ground floor beneath the Parish Center Hall, distributes food to up to 21 families on the third Saturday of each month, with larger food drives replacing regular distributions in Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas months. The Respect Life Ministry works to build a culture of life through the annual March for Life, a Spiritual Adoption Program, and support for Choose Hope Women's Center.
- Food Pantry — open 3rd Saturday of each month, 10:00 AM – 12:00 noon; Coordinator Sue Pardo, (410) 456-7882
- Food Pantry supporters — Curling Iron, Belles of St. Mary's, Knights of Columbus, Boy Scouts of Jarrettsville
- Respect Life Ministry — March for Life, Spiritual Adoption Program; Chair Aaron Burkindine, (443) 417-0873
- Choose Hope Women's Center — supported through parish donations
Parish Life & Organizations
Parishioners find fellowship and service through a number of lay organizations. The Knights of Columbus are organized locally as Mason Dixon Council #10100. The Belles of St. Mary's support the Food Pantry and other parish projects, and Virtus-compliant volunteer screening is coordinated by Paula Mackey to keep parish ministry safe for children and vulnerable adults.
- Knights of Columbus — Mason Dixon Council #10100
- Belles of St. Mary's
- Virtus Volunteer Screening — Paula Mackey
- Liturgical Ministers — open registration on the parish website
- Parish Newsletter — sign up via archbalt.org/myarch/ or email [email protected]
Parish Staff
Parish ministry is shared among clergy, deacons, retired priests, and a dedicated lay staff. Rev. John Rapisarda serves as pastor and is assisted by Rev. Brian Olsen and Rev. Phil Seneschal, with Msgr. Richard Tillman in retired priest ministry and deacons (current and retired) supporting parish life.
- Rev. John Rapisarda — Pastor (ext. 28)
- Rev. Brian Olsen
- Rev. Phil Seneschal
- Msgr. Richard Tillman — Retired Priest
- Deacon (current)
- Deacon (Retired)
- Rachel Bittner — Coordinator of Youth Ministry and Confirmation (ext. 22)
- Karen Dietz — Coordinator of Religious Education (ext. 24)
- Linda Midwig — Business Manager
- Christy Eller — Office Manager (ext. 23)
- Paula Benalcazar — Director of Music Ministry
- Paula Mackey — Virtus Volunteer Screening Coordinator
- Tiffany Schleupner — Coordinator of Special Projects
- Michael Schleupner — Maintenance (ext. 20)
Getting Involved & New Parishioners
Anyone interested in joining the parish or learning more about ministries can sign up through the parish office or by joining the parish newsletter. The parish regularly invites new members, ministry leaders, and catechists to share their gifts — the website notes, 'Whatever your gifts, there is a place for you here.'
- New Parishioner registration — contact the parish office at (410) 879-4015
- Join a Ministry — sign-up form linked from the parish homepage
- Parish Newsletter — archbalt.org/myarch/ or email [email protected]
- Watch Mass live on Facebook Live or YouTube
Sacraments
St. Mary's prepares parishioners for the seven sacraments through dedicated formation. Baptisms and marriages are arranged through the parish office; Confirmation is coordinated through Youth Ministry; the Anointing of the Sick is available, especially on First Fridays; adults seeking full communion with the Catholic Church journey through OCIA.
- Baptism — preparation through parish office
- Confirmation — Youth Ministry & Confirmation program
- Eucharist — daily and Sunday Masses, First Friday devotions
- Reconciliation — Tuesday, Saturday, First Friday, First Saturday schedules
- Marriage — Marriage Preparation in the Archdiocese of Baltimore
- Anointing of the Sick — available on request
- OCIA — for adults becoming Catholic or completing sacraments
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. J. A. Walter
Pastor of St. Ignatius, Hickory; officiated at laying of the 1855 cornerstone
- Rev. Patrick O'Conner1870
Supervised construction of the first rectory (cost ~$4,000)
- Rev. Joseph A. Gallen1872
First resident pastor of St. Mary's; finished rectory, established a day school, added belfry and bell, made parish self-supporting
- Rev. J. Alphonse Frederick1876–1880 and 1883–1889
Second pastor (two terms); purchased five adjoining acres in 1876 for $500, furnished the rectory, fitted sanctuary, graded grounds, planted shade trees
- Rev. John J. Conway1880–1883
Served between Frederick's two terms; enlarged the sanctuary of the old brick church and added a sacristy
- Rev. Gerard H. Nysson1889
Built the present stone church (cornerstone 1890, dedicated 1895)
- Rev. Richard Paul Kanefrom 1899
Increased parish land to ~13.5 acres and founded a Catholic high school scholarship fund
- Rev. A. Henry Kunk, IIIfrom 1993
Oversaw 1995 dismantling of old brick church and later facilities projects
- Msgr. Simon E. Kenny
Installed as Monsignor September 26, 1982; buried in St. Mary's cemetery