About Transfiguration Roman Catholic Congregation · Baltimore, Maryland
Transfiguration Roman Catholic Congregation was a Catholic parish serving the Southwest Baltimore neighborhoods of Pigtown (Washington Village), Franklin Square, and Hollins/Poppleton. It was created on July 1, 2004 by merging three historic parishes — St. Peter the Apostle (1842), St. Martin of Tours (1865), and St. Jerome (1887) — and was the first consolidated parish in the Archdiocese of Baltimore. Its home church, St. Jerome's at the corner of Scott and Hamburg streets, stood about three blocks from M&T Bank Stadium in the shadow of the Ravens' home. The parish was led from 2010 by Father Augustine Etemma Inwang, MSP, of the Missionary Society of St. Paul of Nigeria. As part of Archbishop William E. Lori's 'Seek the City to Come' pastoral realignment, Transfiguration was canonically merged into Our Lady of Victory Parish effective December 1, 2024; the Transfiguration church is no longer open for worship, and the former congregation is now served at the Our Lady of Victory campus (4414 Wilkens Ave.) with St. Joseph's Monastery (3801 Old Frederick Rd.) retained as a worship site.
- Established
- 2004
- Patron
- The Transfiguration of the Lord
- Rector
- Rev. Augustine Etemma Inwang, MSP
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Baltimore
Why belong here
Transfiguration Catholic Community was a small, close-knit parish that called itself 'a corner stone of Catholicism in Southwest Baltimore.' It offered Religious Education, Youth Ministry, and a wide range of spiritual activities and parish groups — Ladies of Charity, Legion of Mary, Holy Name Society, Homebound and Senior Ministry, the St. Vincent de Paul Society, two choirs (Contemporary and Gospel), and a yearly Christmas Basket Project reaching out to neighbors in the 21230 zip code. Today, former parishioners are welcomed at the merged Our Lady of Victory parish, which continues a diverse, multicultural Catholic community in the same region of Baltimore.
Mass times at Transfiguration Roman Catholic Congregation
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Tuesday 6:00 PM – 6:45 PM (OLV Campus)
- Saturday 3:00 PM – 3:45 PM (OLV and SJM campuses)
- Or by appointment through the parish office
Adoration times
- Monday after 8:00 AM Mass (OLV Campus)
- Tuesday after 8:00 AM Mass and 6:00 PM – 6:55 PM (OLV Campus)
- Wednesday after 8:00 AM Mass (OLV Campus)
- Thursday after 8:00 AM Mass (OLV Campus)
- Friday after 8:00 AM Mass (OLV Campus)
About Our Parish
Transfiguration Catholic Community was a small, close-knit and welcoming Catholic parish that described itself as a cornerstone of Catholicism in Southwest Baltimore. Its mission was to promote spiritual and human growth through word, works, sacrament, and diversity. The parish offered Religious Education, Youth Ministry, and a variety of spiritual activities and ministries including Ladies of Charity, Legion of Mary, Holy Name Society, Homebound and Senior Ministry, and the St. Vincent de Paul Society. It reached out to the community through its yearly Christmas Basket Project and, in 2024, became part of a new merged parish under the Archdiocese's 'Seek the City to Come' plan.
- Cornerstone of Catholicism in Southwest Baltimore
- Mission: spiritual and human growth through word, works, sacrament, and diversity
- Served the neighborhoods of Pigtown, Franklin Square, and Hollins/Poppleton
- Merged into Our Lady of Victory Parish effective December 1, 2024
History of Transfiguration Catholic Church
Transfiguration was formed by recognizing the spiritual needs of a declining population in three historic urban parishes of Southwest Baltimore. The parish drew together the legacies of St. Peter the Apostle (1842, Irish Catholics at Hollins and Poppleton streets), St. Martin of Tours (1865, Irish and German immigrants in Franklin Square), and St. Jerome (1887, German immigrants in Pigtown / Washington Village). The three became the first parishes in the Archdiocese of Baltimore to enter a canonical merger, joining on July 1, 2004 under the patronage of the Transfiguration of the Lord.
- St. Peter the Apostle, founded 1842 — Irish congregation at Hollins/Poppleton streets
- St. Martin of Tours, founded 1865 — Irish and German families in Franklin Square
- St. Jerome, founded 1887 — German immigrants in Pigtown (Washington Village)
- St. Jerome's Church, 1001 Scott Street, became the home of Transfiguration in 2004
- First parish merger of its kind in the Archdiocese of Baltimore
The Three Became One — The 2004 Merger
On August 29, 2004, after the 10:00 a.m. Mass at St. Martin of Tours, celebrated by Cardinal William H. Keeler, Archbishop of Baltimore, and concelebrated by Father John Harvey, O.F.M. Cap., the pastor, parishioners processed to St. Peter the Apostle at 13 Poppleton Street and finally to St. Jerome's Church at 1001 Scott Street, the new home of Transfiguration Catholic Community. The day marked both mourning for the loss of canonical identity and joy at becoming 'a strong and vibrant parish with a new name and a new identity,' in the words of the Gospel: 'unless the grain of wheat falls to the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much fruit' (Jn. 12:24).
- Merger formally effective July 1, 2004
- Celebration Mass with Cardinal William H. Keeler, August 29, 2004
- Procession through all three former church sites ending at St. Jerome's
- The Gospel of John 12:24 chosen as the parish's founding Scripture image
Sacramental Heritage and Records
The parish inherited 88 hand-bound sacramental registers from its three founding communities, recording baptisms, communions, confirmations, and marriages from 1842 onward. Because the ink was fading, pages were crumbling, and bindings were wearing, Fr. Augustine Inwang commissioned a professional digitization of the volumes to preserve them and to make genealogical and sacramental research easier for staff and parishioners.
- 88 hand-bound register volumes preserved
- Coverage from 1842 (St. Peter the Apostle) onward
- Digitized under Fr. Augustine Inwang to save the originals
Parish Pastoral Council and Finance Council
The Parish Pastoral Council is a body of parishioners who provide spiritual support to the pastor and help discern the spiritual development and needs of the parish community. Membership is open to any active registered parishioner in good standing over the age of 21 who is a baptized Roman Catholic, committed to prayer and formation, a team player, and able to use discernment for decision-making. The Finance Council, appointed by the pastor, meets at least four times a year to review the parish budget, quarterly financial reports, and the financial impact of the parish's mission and ministry.
- Parish Council Chair: Ms. Christiana Engerman — (410) 685-1699; [email protected]
- Finance Council Chair: Mr. James Peeble — (478) 454-7003
- Finance Council meets at least four times a year
Parish Corporators
The parish corporation is the legal vehicle for managing the affairs of the parish. Corporators include the Archbishop (President), the Vicar Bishop (Vice President), the Pastor (Secretary-Treasurer), and two qualified lay persons nominated by the pastor and approved by the Archbishop for a typical five-year term. The Corporators meet four times a year.
- Lay Corporator: Ms. Betty Boritz — (410) 379-8095; [email protected]
- Lay Corporator: Mr. John Murphy — (410) 625-4828; [email protected]
Ministries and Parish Groups
Transfiguration offered a broad range of spiritual, social, and outreach ministries. Groups met in the lower hall of the parish and were coordinated by named contact persons.
- Religious Education
- Youth Ministry
- Ladies of Charity — open to women 18+; arts, crafts, sewing, Flower Mart, Christmas Bazaar, nursing home visits
- Legion of Mary
- Holy Name Society — open to men and women 21+; second Saturday of each month, 9:30 AM
- Homebound and Senior Ministry
- St. Vincent de Paul Society
- Seniors Club — men and women 55+; second Tuesday of each month in the lower hall
- Christmas Basket Project — contact Jane Buccheri, (410) 685-5044 ext. 5
St. Vincent de Paul Society and Outreach
Members of the St. Vincent de Paul Society grow spiritually by offering person-to-person service to those in need, providing tangible assistance with emergencies such as utility shut-offs, a food drive for the poor, and referrals to other service centers. Because of the overwhelming needs across the city and limited resources, the Transfiguration conference restricted its direct service to the 21230 ZIP code. Help was available Tuesdays and Thursdays 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM, and the food pantry at the rear of 765 W. Hamburg Street was open the third Saturday of each month (January through November) from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM.
- Service limited to ZIP code 21230
- Emergency assistance: Tuesdays and Thursdays, 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM
- Food pantry: third Saturday of each month (Jan–Nov), 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM, 765 W. Hamburg Street
- Christmas Basket applications: first Saturday of November, 10:00 AM – 12:00 noon, lower hall
- Contact: Rochelle Butler, (410) 685-5044 ext. 1
Liturgical Ministries
The parish invited parishioners to serve in the celebration of the liturgy as Lectors, Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, altar Servers, and Ministers of Hospitality (Greeters and Ushers). The parish drew on the words of 1 Peter 4:9–10: 'Be hospitable to one another without complaining. As each one has received a gift, use it to serve one another as good stewards of God's varied grace.'
- Lectors — proclaimers of the Word of God
- Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion
- Altar Servers
- Ministers of Hospitality (Greeters and Ushers)
- Contact (Hospitality): Tom Bell, (443) 728-7643
Music Ministry
The parish offered two choirs for Sunday liturgy — the Contemporary Choir and the Gospel Choir — reflecting the cultural diversity of the Southwest Baltimore community the parish served.
- Contemporary Choir Director: Nancy McCormick — (410) 294-1593
- Gospel Choir Director: Mr. Jermaine Towns
The 'Seek the City to Come' Merger (2024)
In 2022 the Archdiocese of Baltimore launched the 'Seek the City to Come' pastoral planning initiative, a two-year prayerful and consultative process that engaged nearly 6,000 people in reimagining the Church in Baltimore City and some surrounding areas. In May 2024, Archbishop William E. Lori released the final plan, which realigned 61 parishes into 30 worship and ministry sites. Transfiguration Catholic Community was identified for merger into Our Lady of Victory Parish, with St. Joseph's Monastery retained as a worship site. On September 28, 2024, the Archbishop issued the official decree, and on December 1, 2024 the merger took effect. The Transfiguration church building is no longer open as a worship site, and the former congregation is now served at Our Lady of Victory (4414 Wilkens Avenue) and St. Joseph's Monastery (3801 Old Frederick Road).
- 'Seek the City to Come' launched 2022; nearly 6,000 people engaged
- Final plan released May 2024; 61 parishes → 30 worship/ministry sites
- Official decree issued by Archbishop Lori on September 28, 2024
- Merger effective December 1, 2024
- Transfiguration church at 775 W. Hamburg Street no longer open for worship
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. John Harvey, O.F.M. Cap.2004–2005
First pastor of the consolidated Transfiguration parish; had been pastor of St. Martin's since 1978 and then of the Tri-Parishes before the 2004 merger.
- Rev. Mark Carter, O.F.M. Cap.2005–2008
Capuchin Franciscan; administered the parish as pastor.
- Rev. Roger White, O.F.M. Cap.2008–2010
Capuchin Franciscan; pastor until the Capuchin order exited the parish at the end of June 2010.
- Rev. Augustine Etemma Inwang, MSP2010–2024
Member of the Missionary Society of St. Paul of Nigeria; appointed pastor July 1, 2010; oversaw the parish through the 'Seek the City to Come' merger.