Mission Helper appointed to delegate to religious post

A familiar face is returning to the Archdiocese of Baltimore.

Archbishop Edwin F. O’Brien has appointed Sister Maria Luz Ortiz as his new delegate to religious. The Mission Helper of the Sacred Heart, who previously served as director of the Archdiocesan Hispanic Pastoral Center in Baltimore, will begin her new assignment Oct. 15.

“My goal is to assist religious in whatever way they need in making connections with the different services in the archdiocese,” Sister Maria said. “I’ll be looking for ways in which the archdiocese can respond to their needs.”

Sister Maria is a national consultant for catechesis with Hispanics for Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Religion Publishers. The Puerto Rico native is a former formation director for her Baltimore-based religious community. In addition to ministering in Baltimore, she has served in Venezuela, Colombia, Puerto Rico, Boston, San Antonio, Brooklyn, N.Y., Washington, D.C. and Orlando, where she is currently stationed.

Sister Maria said she has many friends in Baltimore and is familiar with archdiocesan programs.

“I worked very closely with the religious education office in the archdiocese and I have good connections there,” she said.

Sister Maria succeeds Sister Constance Gilder, a Sister of St. Joseph who left the position this summer after she was elected to a leadership position with her religious community.