About St. Michael · Clear Spring, Maryland
St. Michael is a Roman Catholic mission church in Clear Spring, Maryland, situated in the western part of Washington County at 31 South Martin Street. It is part of a pastorate with its mother church, St. Mary in Hagerstown, within the Archdiocese of Baltimore. The parish traces its origins to 1866, when local families — many grieving sons lost in the Civil War — came together to lay the cornerstone for a small brick church that has served the community ever since. Today the mission celebrates one Sunday Mass each week and shares pastoral and administrative staff with St. Mary Hagerstown, including its pastorate phone line, email, and website.
- Established
- 1866
- Patron
- St. Michael the Archangel
- Rector
- Rev. James Boric (Pastor of the St. Mary Hagerstown pastorate, which includes St. Michael Clear Spring)
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Baltimore (Metropolitan Archdiocese)
Why belong here
St. Michael's offers the warmth and intimacy of a small country Catholic parish while sharing the full sacramental and pastoral resources of its larger mother church, St. Mary's in Hagerstown. The community is grounded in 150+ years of local faith tradition in Clear Spring and continues active outreach to young families, youth ministry, and sacramental preparation — Confirmation, First Communion, and Reconciliation are all celebrated here. Sunday Mass at 10:30 am, with confessions beforehand, makes it a welcoming weekly gathering point for Catholics in western Washington County and a visible 'beacon of hope' for the wider community.
Mass times at St. Michael
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Sunday 10:00 am – 10:30 am (before Mass; Archdiocese of Baltimore parish page notes 'Confessions before each Mass')
About St. Michael Parish
St. Michael is a Catholic mission church serving the Clear Spring community in western Washington County, Maryland. Administered as part of the St. Mary's Hagerstown pastorate within the Archdiocese of Baltimore, it provides Sunday Mass and the sacraments to a small, faithful congregation with deep historical roots in the area dating back to 1866. Contact and sacramental records are handled through the St. Mary's office (301-739-0390 / [email protected]), and the parish shares its website and administrative staff with the mother church.
- Type: Mission (Archdiocese of Baltimore)
- Pastorage partner: St. Mary, Hagerstown
- Sunday Mass: 10:30 am
- Address: 31 South Martin Street, Clear Spring, MD 21722
History of St. Michael's
The parish was born in the years just after the American Civil War, when local families — many mourning sons lost in the conflict — came together to build a brick church and form a new Catholic community. The cornerstone was laid on July 15, 1866, during the tenure of Archbishop Martin John Spalding. In its earliest era, St. Michael's was associated with St. Augustine Parish in Williamsport; it later came under the pastoral care of its mother church, St. Mary's in Hagerstown, an arrangement that continues today.
- Cornerstone laid July 15, 1866
- First associated with St. Augustine, Williamsport
- Now in a pastorate with its mother church, St. Mary, Hagerstown
- 150th anniversary celebrated in September 2016
150th Anniversary & Confirmation (2016)
On the weekend of the 26th Sunday in Ordinary Time in 2016, the Archdiocese of Baltimore joined St. Michael's for a combined celebration of its 150th anniversary and the conferral of the Sacrament of Confirmation by the Archbishop. The anniversary Mass brought together current pastor Father Ernest Cibelli, his immediate predecessor Father J. Collin Poston, pastor emeritus Father George Limmer, and Father Larry Adamczyk of St. Mary's. The homily honored Monsignor Alfred E. Smith for 44 years of service to St. Michael's and his 60th anniversary of priestly ordination, and thanked Father Poston for his outreach to young families and the development of the Warner Center parish facility.
- Anniversary Mass celebrated with Archbishop of Baltimore
- Confirmation conferred during the anniversary Mass
- Monsignor Alfred E. Smith honored for 44 years of service
- Warner Center developed under Father Poston's leadership
Clergy & Pastoral Care
St. Michael's has been served over the decades by a long line of priests. In modern memory the most prominent is Monsignor Alfred E. Smith, who gave 44 years to the parish and was honored at his 60th jubilee of ordination in 2016. Father George Limmer continues to serve as Pastor Emeritus. Father J. Collin Poston preceded Father Ernest Cibelli as pastor and is credited with strong youth and family ministry plus the development of the Warner Center. The parish is currently grouped in a pastorate with St. Mary, Hagerstown, whose pastor — Rev. James Boric — is listed by the Archdiocese of Baltimore as the pastor of that combined community.
- Monsignor Alfred E. Smith — 44 years of service
- Father George Limmer — Pastor Emeritus
- Father J. Collin Poston — previous pastor, youth/family outreach
- Father Ernest Cibelli — pastor at 2016 anniversary
- Rev. James Boric — current pastor (St. Mary's Hagerstown pastorate)
Mass & Sacrament Schedule
St. Michael's currently celebrates one Sunday Mass each week at 10:30 am. The Archdiocese of Baltimore parish directory notes that confessions are heard before each Mass, and Discover Mass lists the Sunday confession window as 10:00 am to 10:30 am. Because St. Michael's is a mission in a shared pastorate with St. Mary's in Hagerstown, parishioners are also able to attend the full schedule of Masses, daily Masses, confessions, and Eucharistic Adoration offered at St. Mary's Hagerstown (224 West Washington Street).
- Sunday Mass: 10:30 am
- Confessions: before each Mass (Sunday 10:00–10:30 am)
- Daily Mass, Adoration, and additional Confession times available at St. Mary, Hagerstown
Ministries & Parish Life
Although St. Michael's is a small mission, its community life is active. The parish has a strong tradition of outreach to young families and youth, sacramental preparation (Baptism, First Communion, Confirmation, and Reconciliation are all celebrated here), and the use of the Warner Center as a gathering and ministry space developed under Father Poston's leadership. The parish shares its communications and online presence with St. Mary's Hagerstown, where additional ministries, faith formation programs, and the parish school are based.
- Youth ministry and outreach to young families
- Sacramental preparation (Baptism, First Communion, Confirmation, Reconciliation)
- Warner Center parish facility
- Connection to St. Mary Catholic School, Hagerstown
Pastorate with St. Mary, Hagerstown
St. Mary's in Hagerstown is the 'mother parish' of St. Michael, Clear Spring, as well as of St. Augustine (Williamsport), St. Peter (Hancock), St. James (Boonsboro), St. Joseph (Halfway), and St. Ann (Hagerstown). The two parishes share a pastorate: they use the same phone number, email ([email protected]), and website (saintmarysonline.org). For Catholics seeking weekday Masses, expanded confession schedules, Eucharonic Adoration, a parish school (St. Mary Catholic School), and a wider array of ministries, St. Mary's serves as the central hub of the pastorate that also includes St. Michael's in Clear Spring.
- St. Mary's phone, email, and website shared with St. Michael's
- St. Mary's Hagerstown is the 'mother parish' of St. Michael's
- St. Mary Catholic School, Hagerstown, serves the wider community
- Daily Mass, Confession, and Adoration are available at St. Mary's
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Monsignor Alfred E. Smithapproximately 1956–circa 2000
Celebrated 40th anniversary of ordination among St. Michael's in 1996; recognized in 2016 for 44 years of service to St. Michael's and 60th anniversary of priestly ordination.
- Father George Limmer
Pastor Emeritus; continues to serve generously at St. Michael's after retirement.
- Father J. Collin Postonserved until recently (before 2016 anniversary Mass)
Praised for outreach to young families, youth of the parish, and development of the Warner Center.
- Father Ernest Cibellicirca 2016 assignment
Described as the 'new and energetic pastor' at the 150th anniversary Mass in September 2016; later moved within the Archdiocese.
- Rev. James Boriccurrent
Listed as Pastor of St. Mary, Hagerstown, which is in a pastorate with St. Michael, Clear Spring.