St. Katharine Drexel named a parish

Cardinal William H. Keeler has recognized St. Katharine Drexel in Frederick as its own independent parish. The news was announced June 10.

Established in 2000, first as a mission of St. John the Evangelist in Frederick and later as an independent mission, the community currently worship in the new school building for St. John Regional Catholic School, located on parish property along Opossumtown Pike in Frederick. Long-term plans call for a church to be built on the site.

Cardinal Keeler congratulated the faith community for achieving full-fledged parish status in a letter to Father Keith Boisvert, St. Katharine’s administrator.

“It is my hope and prayer that this newly established parish will have a long and productive future in the church,” Cardinal Keeler said.

In celebration of its new status, the pastoral council has unveiled a new parish logo featuring a stylized cross with three hands at the center that come together to form a heart. The logo, designed by Ion Design of Frederick, includes the tag line, “Open hands, loving hearts.” The parish has distributed window displays of the new logo to families.

“The mission of St. Katharine Drexel parish is to be a Eucharist-centered, welcoming community, forming loving disciples, giving selflessly in realization of the kingdom of God,” said Father Boisvert.

St. Katharine plans to erect a small church seating 600-700 people, with groundbreaking expected in about three years. Parish offices and a larger church will also eventually be built and the small church converted into a social hall, Father Boisvert said.

There are currently 700 registered families in the parish – up from 445 in 2003.

Catholic Review

The Catholic Review is the official publication of the Archdiocese of Baltimore.