Hagerstown parishioners step up to the collection plate

Even in a difficult economy, parishioners of St. Mary in Hagerstown are stepping up to support their church.

One year after their pastor, Father J. Collin Poston, spoke at all the weekend Masses about the real need for increased giving,  donations spiked dramatically. The parish recently reported that for the 11 months ended Oct. 31, St. Mary’s offertory was $598,898, compared to $495,411 for the same 11 months of the prior year — an increase of 20.9 percent!  That’s even more generous than what the Washington County parishioners promised to donate a year ago when Father Poston asked them to complete commitment pledges.

Kudos to the good people of St. Mary. They’re just one more example of the big-hearted spirit of Catholics in the Archdiocese of Baltimore.

For more on St. Mary, check out a recent parish profile in The Catholic Review by Jennifer Williams.