About St. Matthew · Baltimore, Maryland
Saint Matthew Catholic Church is a diverse, welcoming parish in the Northwood neighborhood of northeast Baltimore, Maryland, in the Archdiocese of Baltimore. Founded in 1949 to relieve overcrowding at three nearby parishes, it has grown into a parish of nearly 1,100 registered families representing more than 40 countries and is widely recognized for its social-justice outreach, especially to immigrants and LGBT Catholics. Today it serves as the home parish for a merged community that includes Blessed Sacrament, St. Francis of Assisi, St. Dominic, Shrine of the Little Flower, St. Anthony of Padua, and Most Precious Blood under the Archdiocese's 'Seek the City' initiative.
- Established
- 1949
- Patron
- St. Matthew the Apostle
- Rector
- Rev. Patrick M. Carrion
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Baltimore
Why belong here
St. Matthew is a parish where 'All are Welcome' is more than a slogan — it is the way the community lives. The parish intentionally welcomes Catholics of every race, background, country of origin (more than 40 are represented), and LGBT Catholics through the LEAD ministry, making it a rare parish where diversity is celebrated as a gift. Pastoral outreach runs deep through the Immigration Outreach Service Center, which walks immigrants through citizenship and resettlement, and through ministries like BUILD, CARES, Our Daily Bread, Prison Ministry, Fair Trade, Stephen Ministry, and a Wellness Ministry. Music ministry is rich — with a Contemporary Choir, Gospel Choir, Youth Choir, and cantors — and there are active faith formation programs for children, youth, and adults, plus fellowship groups like the Sodality of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Mass times at St. Matthew
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 4:00 PM to 4:30 PM (at St. Matthew)
- By appointment with Fr. Carrion or Fr. Nick
Adoration times
- Saturday 8:30 AM to 9:00 AM (typically following the 8:00 AM daily Mass at St. Francis of Assisi)
Parish History
St. Matthew was founded in 1949 in northeast Baltimore's Northwood / Alameda section to relieve crowding at Blessed Sacrament, St. Dominic, and St. Bernard parishes. In its first year 4,000 families registered; the parish school opened in 1951. Over the decades the parish has evolved from a largely white community (1949–late 1960s), to a white-and-African-American community, to today's internationally diverse and LGBT-welcoming family of faith. The Archdiocese of Baltimore's 2024 'Seek the City' initiative made St. Matthew the home parish for a large consolidation that includes Blessed Sacrament, St. Francis of Assisi, St. Dominic, Shrine of the Little Flower, St. Anthony of Padua, and Most Precious Blood.
Clergy & Pastoral Staff
The parish is currently served by Rev. Patrick M. Carrion as Pastor and Rev. Nicholas (Nick) Mwai as Associate Pastor. Parish operations are supported by Music Director Sean O'Connor, Director of Music/Administrator Patty DeLisle, and Susan Keating, Director of the SS. Matthew & Thomas More Center for Religious Education and Youth Ministry. Funeral arrangements are handled directly through Fr. Carrion or Fr. Nick.
Music Ministries
St. Matthew's music program is one of the parish's most distinctive gifts, with a Contemporary Choir leading song at the 11 AM Mass on the 1st, 2nd, and 4th Sundays, a Gospel Choir at the 11 AM Mass on the 3rd Sunday, a Youth Choir (open to children age 4 and up) for Christmas Eve and special occasions, and trained cantors for the Psalm and liturgy.
- Contemporary Choir
- Gospel Choir
- Youth Choir
- Cantors
- Contact: Sean O'Connor or Patty DeLisle, 410-433-2300 ext. 106
Liturgical Ministries
Parishioners serve as liturgical ministers throughout the year, with the Liturgy Committee coordinating seasonal environment and banners and the Children's Liturgy of the Word program offering an age-appropriate Liturgy of the Word for pre-K through 5th grade children on selected Sundays.
- Liturgy Committee
- Altar Servers (ages 10+)
- Altar Society
- Children's Liturgy of the Word (CLOW)
- Eucharistic Ministers
- Hospitality Ministry
- Lectors
- Medical Response / Safety
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Faith formation for the merged parishes is coordinated through the SS. Matthew & Thomas More Center for Religious Education and Youth Ministry, directed by Susan Keating. The office, at 6806 McClean Boulevard, supports families from St. Matthew and St. Thomas More with ongoing religious education, Reconciliation, First Eucharist, and Confirmation preparation.
- Religious Education (PreK–8)
- Confirmation preparation
- Reconciliation preparation
- Eucharist preparation
- Monthly and youth calendars
- Faith-Full Families newsletter
Outreach & Social Justice
St. Matthew has long identified as a social-justice parish. The Immigration Outreach Service Center (IOSC), founded on parish grounds in 2000, is now an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit that helps immigrants of any status with citizenship, green cards, family reunification, English and computer classes, financial assistance, legal aid, and women's housing. Parishioners also participate in BUILD, CARES, Fair Trade, Our Daily Bread, Prison Ministry, Right to Life, Stephen Ministry, and a Wellness Ministry, and the parish maintains an active Racial Justice team.
- Immigration Outreach Service Center (IOSC) — open Tue–Fri, 10 AM–3 PM
- BUILD (Baltimoreans United in Leadership Development)
- CARES (Civic and Religious Emergency Services)
- Fair Trade
- Our Daily Bread
- Prison Ministry
- Right to Life
- Stephen Ministry
- Wellness Ministry
- Racial Justice team
LGBT Ministry — LEAD
LEAD (LGBT Educating and Affirming Diversity) was founded in 2010 under then-pastor Father Joseph Muth to welcome lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender Catholics, their families, and allies. The group enables members to share their stories, pray for those on their journey, and know they have a home in the Catholic Church.
Fellowship & Spiritual Life
Beyond the social-justice ministries, St. Matthew offers smaller fellowship communities. The Sodality of the Blessed Virgin Mary gathers at 10 AM on the first Sunday of each month to promote devotion to the Blessed Mother, supports prayer services, retreats, and a Spring bingo and luncheon fundraiser. The Men's Fellowship provides another gathering point for parish men.
- Sodality of the Blessed Virgin Mary — 1st Sunday, 10 AM
- Men's Fellowship
- Complementary rosaries available at the Blessed Mother's Altar
Funerals & Bereavement
Funerals are arranged by contacting Fr. Carrion or Fr. Nick by email or by calling 410-433-2300 ext. 102. The priest will meet with the family to review date, time, fees, and church rules before anything is set, to ensure both priest and facility availability.
- Contact: Fr. Carrion or Fr. Nick, 410-433-2300 ext. 102
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Joseph L. Muth Jr.through 2009–retirement
Long-serving pastor who championed immigrant welcome and founded the LEAD (LGBT) ministry in 2010
- Father Matthew Bueningapproximately 2021–2024
Served as pastor of merged St. Matthew and Blessed Sacrament parishes; led 75th anniversary celebration in 2024
- Rev. Patrick M. Carrioncurrent
Current pastor; offered the blessing before the 150th Preakness Stakes