About St. Mary's Church · Annapolis, Maryland
St. Mary's Parish in Annapolis, Maryland is a historic Catholic congregation served by the Redemptorist Order (Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer, C.Ss.R.) at the heart of Maryland's capital city. The parish includes two worship sites — St. Mary's Church at 109 Duke of Gloucester Street in downtown Annapolis and the St. John Neumann Mission Church on Bestgate Road — and operates both a parish elementary school and a high school serving Pre-K through 12. With roughly 10,000 registered members, including about 2,000 Hispanic parishioners, and over 100 ministries, St. Mary's is one of the largest and oldest Catholic parishes in the Archdiocese of Baltimore, claiming a Catholic presence in Annapolis dating to 1704 and a permanent parish from 1853.
- Established
- 1853
- Patron
- The Blessed Virgin Mary (St. Mary)
- Rector
- Very Rev. Patrick Woods, C.Ss.R.
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Baltimore
Why belong here
St. Mary's is a vibrant downtown parish where history and Redemptorist missionary tradition meet a living Catholic community. Weekend Masses regularly fill the historic Gothic church, and worshippers can choose from multiple Sunday and daily Masses (with additional Masses in Spanish at the St. John Neumann Mission on Bestgate Road). With two parish schools serving Pre-K through 12, more than 100 ministries, a thriving Hispanic Ministry, a St. Vincent de Paul conference helping roughly 1,000 families a year, environmental stewardship, marriage and family support, youth and young adult ministry, and a pastoral team that brings the Eucharist to hospitals, nursing homes and prisons, St. Mary's is built for families and individuals who want to put their faith into action in Annapolis.
Mass times at St. Mary's Church
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Tuesday: 7:45 a.m. (before 8:00 a.m. Mass)
- Thursday: 7:45 a.m. (before 8:00 a.m. Mass)
- Saturday: 7:45 a.m. and 4:15 – 4:45 p.m.
- St. John Neumann Mission: Saturday 3:45 – 4:15 p.m. and weekdays before the 8:00 a.m. Mass
Parish Overview
St. Mary's Parish is a downtown Annapolis Catholic congregation served by the Redemptorist Fathers (C.Ss.R.) since 1853. It encompasses two worship sites — St. Mary's Church on Duke of Gloucester Street and the St. John Neumann Mission Church on Bestgate Road — and operates both a parish elementary school and a high school on the historic Carroll family campus. The parish identifies itself as 'anchored in faith, rooted in tradition, and committed to excellence,' with an active pastoral team and more than 100 ministries, clubs, and organizations.
- Served by the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer (Redemptorists / C.Ss.R.)
- About 10,000 members, including about 2,000 Hispanic parishioners
- Two Mass sites: St. Mary's Church and St. John Neumann Mission
- Pre-K through 12 Catholic schools on the same campus
History of St. Mary's
Catholic life on the present property goes back to the Carroll family of colonial Annapolis. After the original one-room brick church of 1823, the Redemptorists arrived in 1853 to establish the permanent parish, blessed the cornerstone of the present Gothic church in 1858 with St. John Neumann himself, and dedicated the current building in 1860. Over the next 170 years the parish grew to include a cemetery (1858), parish school, high school, and the St. John Neumann Mission Church, while remaining under Redemptorist pastoral care.
- 1694: Charles Carroll the Settler arrives in Anne Arundel County
- 1704: First recorded presence of Jesuits in Annapolis (mission station)
- 1821: Charles Carroll transfers land to granddaughter Mary Anne Caton Patterson
- 1823: First St. Mary's Church opens, served monthly by Jesuits
- 1852: Carroll granddaughters gift the property to the Redemptorists
- 1853: Permanent parish established; first Redemptorists arrive
- 1855: Bishop (St.) John Neumann, C.Ss.R. visits the novitiate
- 1857: Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos, C.Ss.R. serves as superior and novice master
- 1858: St. John Neumann blesses cornerstone and bell; St. Mary's Cemetery established on West Street
- 1860: Present Gothic church dedicated; college building (now Rectory) occupied
- 1862–1863: Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos returns as rector
- 1878: 25th anniversary of Redemptorist arrival
- 1918: New stained-glass windows installed
- 1953: 100th anniversary of the permanent parish
- 1979: St. John Neumann and Blessed Francis X. Seelos memorial windows installed
- 2003: 150th anniversary celebrated
- 2010: 150th anniversary of the dedication of the present church
- 2023: Bicentennial of the original 1823 church
The Redemptorists at St. Mary's
St. Mary's has been continuously staffed by the Redemptorists since 1853, when they replaced the Jesuits as the parish's permanent clergy. The Carroll granddaughters' gift of 1852 required the property to 'always be consecrated to Religion' and established a monthly Mass for the donors, their parents, and Charles Carroll of Carrollton — a tradition St. Mary's keeps to this day. Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos, later beatified, served here in 1857 and as rector in 1862–1863, and St. John Neumann blessed the cornerstone of the present church. The Redemptorist devotion to Our Mother of Perpetual Help is honored in a side chapel shrine.
- Redemptorist Fathers and Brothers staff the parish
- Redemptorist novitiate was located at St. Mary's (1852 onward) and later moved to Ilchester
- Our Mother of Perpetual Help icon is enshrined in a side chapel
- Multiple Redemptorist priests are listed on the parish staff
Sacraments
The parish prepares parishioners for the three sacraments of initiation (Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist) and the sacraments of service (Matrimony, Holy Orders), and brings the sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick to the sick and homebound. Spanish-language preparation is offered through the Hispanic Ministry Office.
- Baptism in English — Sundays 1:30 p.m. at St. Mary's Church
- Baptism in Spanish — last Sunday of the month, 12:15 p.m. at St. John Neumann Church
- Baptism Class — 2nd Tuesday of each month, 7:00 – 8:00 p.m. at St. John Neumann Church
- First Reconciliation and First Eucharist (Faith Formation Office: 410-990-4062)
- Confirmation (Faith Formation Office: 410-990-4062)
- Marriage — meet with priest or deacon one year in advance; Pre-Cana weekends and Engaged Encounter required
- Anointing of the Sick and Reconciliation brought to hospitals, nursing homes, and assisted living facilities
Schools: St. Mary's Elementary & High School
St. Mary's Parish operates both a Catholic elementary school and a high school on its downtown Annapolis campus, providing Catholic education from Pre-Kindergarten through 12th grade. The parish describes these schools as 'anchored in faith, rooted in tradition, and committed to excellence,' building 'lifelong learners who are servant leaders.' The historic 1879–80 primary school building still stands on the original 1823 church site.
- St. Mary's Elementary School
- St. Mary's High School
- Pre-K through 12 on the downtown Annapolis campus
- Faith-based college-preparatory program
Faith Formation & Religious Education
St. Mary's takes a family approach to faith formation: parents are expected to attend parish sessions with their children and complete assigned activities at home. The Office of Faith Formation coordinates Family Faith Formation (PK4–Grade 8), High School Faith Formation, and the Sacramental Preparation programs for First Reconciliation, First Eucharist, and Confirmation. No child is denied Faith Formation due to lack of funds, and the office welcomes families needing accommodations for children with disabilities.
- Family Faith Formation (PK4 – Grade 8)
- High School Faith Formation
- First Reconciliation and First Eucharist preparation
- Confirmation preparation
- Director of Faith Formation: Michele Dougherty — 410-990-4062
- Payment plans and financial assistance available
Pastoral Care & Outreach
St. Mary's outreach ministries serve the broader Annapolis community through direct charity, visitation, and advocacy. The St. Vincent de Paul Society (St. Mary's Most Holy Redeemer Conference) is the parish's primary charitable instrument, providing emergency financial assistance, counseling, and social service coordination to about 1,000 families per year. Other outreach ministries bring the Eucharist to the sick, support the homeless, and care for God's creation.
- St. Vincent de Paul Society — emergency financial help for Annapolis residents
- Light House Shelter outreach — original co-founder (1991) and ongoing partner
- Hospital Visitation Ministry — Anne Arundel Medical Center and other institutions
- Nursing Home / Assisted Living Ministry — approximately 15 institutions served
- Prison Ministry
- Birthright
- Gabriel Network
- Our Lady of Guadalupe Advocacy
- Bethany Bereavement
- Anne Arundel Single Adult Catholics
- Greater Annapolis Interfaith Network (GAIN)
- Environmental Stewardship Committee (founded 2007)
Community & Family Life
St. Mary's hosts parish chapters of national Catholic organizations and runs programs for families, seniors, and single adults. The Silver Saints Ministry advocates for senior parishioners, while Marriage Encounter, Natural Family Planning, and the Welcoming Committee support couples and newcomers. The Divine Mercy Home School Support Group encourages Catholic homeschooling, and the Ancient Order of Hibernians keeps an Irish-Catholic presence in the parish.
- Welcoming Committee — calls new parishioners and hosts twice-yearly receptions
- Silver Saints — monthly breakfast meetings, 3rd Wednesday, 7:30 – 9:00 a.m.
- Marriage Encounter
- Natural Family Planning
- Divine Mercy Home School Support Group
- Ancient Order of Hibernians
- Veterans of St. Mary's
St. John Neumann Mission Church
St. John Neumann is a mission of St. Mary's Annapolis, located at 620 Bestgate Road. Together with the historic St. Mary's Church downtown, it forms one pastorate under Fr. Patrick Woods, C.Ss.R. The mission adds a fuller daily Mass schedule, Saturday and Sunday Vigil options, a Sunday afternoon Spanish Mass (1:00 p.m.), and confessions before 8:00 a.m. weekday Masses and Saturday afternoons.
- Address: 620 Bestgate Road, Annapolis, MD 21401
- Phone: 410-266-2498
- Weekend Masses: Sat 4:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. (Spanish); Sun 7:30, 9:00, 11:00 a.m., 1:00 p.m. (Spanish), 5:00 p.m.
- Weekday Masses: Mon–Sat 8:00 a.m.; Mon–Fri 12:10 p.m.; Wed 7:00 p.m. (Spanish)
- Confessions: Mon–Fri 7:30–7:55 a.m. and 11:30 a.m.–noon; Sat 7:30–7:55 a.m. and 3:45–4:15 p.m.
Clergy & Staff
The parish is led by a Redemptorist pastor and a team of Redemptorist associate and assisting priests, supported by a deacon and a lay staff. The current pastor is Very Rev. Patrick Woods, C.Ss.R. Liturgy, music, faith formation, communications, advancement, and operations each have dedicated coordinators.
- Pastor: Very Rev. Patrick Woods, C.Ss.R.
- Associate Pastors: Rev. Santiago Fernando Cortez Matos; Rev. Hever Sanchez, C.Ss.R.; Rev. James O'Blaney, C.Ss.R.; Rev. Michael Houston, C.Ss.R.; Rev. John McKenna, C.Ss.R.; Rev. Clement Vadakkedath, C.Ss.R.
- Assisting Priests: Rev. Eric Hoog, C.Ss.R.; Rev. Alistair Elias, C.Ss.R.; Rev. Joy Poonoli, C.Ss.R.; Rev. Rodney Olive, C.Ss.R.
- In Residence: Rev. Peter Vang Cong Tran, C.Ss.R.
- Deacon Steven House
- Coordinator of Liturgy: Sharon Graham (410-990-4014)
- Director of Faith Formation: Michele Dougherty (410-990-4062)
- Music Director: Luke Russell
- Communications Coordinator: Christine Phaneuf Bervid (410-990-4228)
- Coordinator for Youth and Young Adult Ministry: Teresa Yao (410-990-4053) and Nick Breidigam (410-990-4041)
- Front Office Manager: Ann Marie Foreman (410-990-4023)
- Chief Finance & Operations Officer: Diana Conway (410-990-4110)
- Facilities: Gavin Daniels (410-990-4048)
Locations & Office Hours
Parish offices are clustered at 109, 111, and 113 Duke of Gloucester Street in downtown Annapolis. St. Mary's Church itself is open daily from 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. for personal visits and prayer. The St. John Neumann Mission Church is at 620 Bestgate Road.
- St. Mary's Church & main offices — 109 Duke of Gloucester Street, Annapolis, MD 21401 — 410-990-4100 — Fax 410-263-3027
- Parish office — 111 Duke of Gloucester Street
- Parish offices — 113 Duke of Gloucester Street — 410-263-2869
- St. John Neumann Mission Church — 620 Bestgate Road, Annapolis, MD 21401 — 410-266-2498
- Office hours: Mon–Thu 8:00 a.m.–7:00 p.m.; Fri 8:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.; Sat 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.; Sun 8:00 a.m.–noon
Cemetery
St. Mary's Cemetery was established on West Street in 1858, two years before the present Gothic church was dedicated, and remains a part of the parish's historic footprint in Annapolis.
- St. Mary's Cemetery — West Street, Annapolis (established 1858)
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Jesuit mission priests (Society of Jesus)1704–1853
Served Annapolis as a mission station, including Rev. John Bennett and others from Prince George's County.
- Rev. Charles Constantine Pise1833
First Annapolitan to become a priest; former U.S. Senate chaplain and Catholic writer; returned as resident pastor for one year.
- Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos, C.Ss.R.1857 (April 16 – May 19) and 1862–1863 (June 14, 1862 – November 17, 1863)
Served as superior and novice master, then as rector. Now Blessed.
- Rev. Patrick Woods, C.Ss.R.
Current pastor as of the parish website; a Redemptorist priest for 49 years.