A Roman Catholic Parish on West Central Avenue
Holy Family Catholic Church sits on West Central Avenue in Davidsonville, in the South County of Anne Arundel County, Maryland. The parish describes itself as "a Roman Catholic and Apostolic Church located in Davidsonville, Maryland," and it belongs to the Archdiocese of Baltimore. Its mission statement captures the daily work of the parish in three short phrases: "Encounter Christ. Serve Others. Make Disciples." A longer vision statement adds the wider horizon: "Empowered by the Holy Spirit, our vision is to build a more vibrant parish where all can encounter Christ, and transform our community and the world with the joy of the Gospel."
What a visitor finds at 826 West Central Avenue is a parish that takes that mission seriously. Mass is celebrated every day of the work week and twice on Sunday. Confession is heard twice a week and by appointment. Adoration continues through most daylight in the oratory. There are ministries for toddlers, teens, college students, single adults, married couples, parents, caregivers, and seniors. There are outreach programs that feed the hungry, shelter the cold, sew for the sick, advocate for the unborn, and support a sister parish in Haiti. Holy Family is the kind of Catholic parish where the calendar is full and the building is open almost every hour of the day.
Sixty Parishioners, a Door-to-Door Survey, and a Parish of Their Own
Holy Family did not begin as a parish at all. Its roots are in the surrounding South County farmland and the determination of a small group of laypeople. According to a history written by parishioner Chuck Miller and Deacon Doug Lovejoy, Sr., in the 1970s sixty members of what was then a mission of Our Lady of Sorrows in West River decided it was time to ask the Archdiocese for independence. They divided their proposed boundaries into sixty sections, drew up assignments, and went door to door counting Catholic households. They did not promote the church; they simply documented who lived where. The numbers they gathered persuaded the Archdiocese, and Holy Family was named an independent mission in 1980 and a parish in 1982.
The little white chapel that predates the present church has a story of its own. The bell in the chapel steeple carries the Latin inscription "Ad majorum dei Gloria" along with the date "Feast of the Assumption, August 15, 1929," and identifies the building as Holy Family Church, Davidsonville, Maryland. A parishioner named Chris Gordon restored the bell to working order in 2019. Inside the chapel hangs a painting of the Holy Family that came to the parish from the Dodon Plantation; it was deeded to the Marist Brothers in 1890 and later restored, revealing the signature of the Italian artist Pietro Benvenuti and the date 1817. The chapel itself may have arrived by rail: a local historian wrote to Sears, Roebuck & Company in 1988 after oral histories suggested the chapel had been purchased from the Sears mail-order catalog and shipped to Hall's Station in Prince George's County. Although no Sears reply has been found, the chapel is part of a registered historical location in Anne Arundel County.
In 1983, the parish's first pastor, Reverend Thomas Ryan, published a small book setting out his vision for a new church building. "The history of Holy Family Church began with simple, humble origins," he wrote, "and has moved steadfastly through the years, with a dedicated, committed congregation, determined to meet changes and growth every step of the way." The present sanctuary was built to accommodate a growing parish, and inside it the eye is drawn upward to a ten-foot crucifix. The lindenwood corpus was carved in Italy by the same workshop that produced the statue of Our Lady of Grace in the church; the mahogany cross was built by Eastern Shore carpenter Dennis Smith. The crucifix is positioned so that the four central beams of the ceiling and the trough holding the sanctuary lights form a natural frame around it. Above the door hangs the antique painting of the Holy Family, and in the narthex stands an eighteenth-century crucifix that traveled from the Liebhart family of Weilheim, Germany, to Benedikt Harpfer in Gambrills, Maryland, and was given to Father Ryan in January 1992.
Mass Every Day, Confession Twice a Week
The sacramental life of Holy Family is built around the Eucharist. Saturday evening Mass is celebrated at 5:00 pm in the main church. On Sunday, Mass is offered at 8:30 am and 10:30 am. Weekday Mass is celebrated Tuesday through Friday at 9:00 am. The 10:30 am Sunday Mass and each weekday Mass are livestreamed on YouTube and Facebook, so parishioners who are homebound, traveling, or unable to attend in person can still take part.
Reconciliation is heard on Wednesdays from 5:00 to 6:00 pm and on Saturdays from 3:30 to 4:45 pm, with additional times by appointment. During Lent the parish adds extra confession times.
The Rosary is prayed three times a week. It is recited in the church on Saturdays at 4:30 pm and on Wednesdays at 5:00 pm, and in the chapel on Mondays at 6:30 pm. Healing prayer teams are available in the church after each Mass on the first weekend of every month for anyone who wishes to pray with them, and prayer requests can be submitted online.
A Daytime Oratory and a Family Hour of Adoration
Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament is woven into the rhythm of the parish day. The oratory is open Monday through Thursday from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm and on Friday from 8:30 am until noon, allowing parishioners to step away from work or errands for a quiet visit. The parish also maintains a perpetual adoration program for those who commit to a specific hour of prayer.
On Sunday mornings from 10:00 to 11:00 am, the oratory becomes a Family Adoration Hour. Parents and children come for ten minutes or the full hour. The Blessed Sacrament is exposed in a monstrance; quiet prayer is the norm, with praise and worship music sometimes played in the background. The parish explains that "one of the best parts about Family Holy Hours is that everyone else will probably have a fussy baby too," and small prayerful activities are provided for younger children so that parents can find their own moment with the Lord.
Children's Faith Formation, Library, Nursery, and CLOW
Faith formation at Holy Family begins early. The nursery is open during the 8:30 am and 10:30 am Sunday Masses for children ages two through five, and paid caregivers are needed to staff it. Children's Faith Formation offers programs for children from Pre-K4 through eighth grade, with sessions on Sunday mornings and Monday afternoons. Second-grade Faith Formation is integrated with First Reconciliation and First Holy Communion preparation, so families registering for First Sacraments register through the same combined form. Catechists receive free tuition for their own children; group aides receive discounted tuition. "No child is turned away due to financial obligations," the parish says, and confidential waivers are available.
Three times a year the whole family meets together for Family Faith Formation Sessions in Unity Hall. "You are your child's first teacher in the school of life and faith," the program reminds parents, and the parish encourages weekly Mass attendance, daily family prayer, regular attendance at Faith Formation sessions, and informal faith sharing at home.
Children's Liturgy of the Word (CLOW) brings the Sunday scripture readings to children ages four through ten at the 10:30 am Mass on a level they can understand. Children are simply invited forward from their seats when it is announced; no registration is required. The Children's Library, located next to the JMJ Cafe outside Unity Hall, lets families borrow Catholic picture books and other resources on the honor system. "Making Music, Praying Twice" is a music class for young children that meets during the week. In summer, Vacation Bible Camp brings elementary-aged children back to the campus for a week of crafts, games, and faith.
Youth Ministry: IGNITE for High School and EDGE for Middle School
The parish youth ministry, led by Youth Minister Valeria Henderson, runs two parallel programs. IGNITE is the high school group for grades nine through twelve, meeting the first Saturday of every month from 6:00 to 7:00 pm in the Youth Room, beginning in September. EDGE is the middle school group for grades six through eight, run in partnership with the nationwide Life Teen EDGE program. The aim, the parish writes, is "a Eucharist-centered movement" that "leads teens and their families into a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ and His Church." Both groups offer faith, fellowship, food, games, service, and "deeper conversations" about growing in Christ.
Confirmation candidates are required to complete fifteen service hours by mid-April, with at least ten of those hours served at Holy Family and five outside the parish. Opportunities include serving as an altar server, helping in the nursery or in the Children's Liturgy of the Word, assisting with Family Mass Greeters, helping prepare materials for Advent, and serving as a sacristan for those fifteen and older. During Lent the teens present the Stations of the Cross, with prayer, readings, and reflections offered by the young people of the parish.
Adult Faith Formation: Studies, Small Groups, and Becoming Catholic
Margaret Wood, the parish's Director of Adult Faith Formation, oversees a year-round slate of adult studies. Each fall the parish offers several programs at different times and locations to fit working and family schedules. Recent offerings have included Foundations of the Faith: A Journey Through the Catechism of the Catholic Church, an eight-week women's study on the Letter to the Ephesians, and a philosophical discussion group called "Disciples in Christ" that reads and discusses the works of Thomas Merton, Bishop Barron, Richard Rohr, Pope Francis, and others. The women's retreat program Grace Within runs as an eight-week journey for women who want to discern their spiritual gifts.
Small Groups are a key part of parish life. Five to ten people meet once a week, in homes, restaurants, or on Zoom, for about an hour to reflect on the Sunday readings and the weekly message. Small groups are organized by day of the week so that almost anyone can find a time that fits. The parish explains the rationale simply: "As God is a communion of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, we too are created for relationship and community."
For those who want to become Catholic, the parish runs an OCIA program (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults) for adults, and an OCIC program for children and teens who have not yet received their sacraments. Both are designed to bring people into full communion with the Church at the Easter Vigil.
Men's, Women's, Young Adult, and Single Adult Ministries
Men's Ministry meets three times a week: twice a month on Tuesdays at 7:30 pm, twice a month on Thursdays at 6:15 am in the chapel, and every Saturday morning at 7:00 am. The national men's program "That Man Is You!" runs from September through May on Saturday mornings from 6:30 to 8:00 am. The Saturday men's groups, the parish writes, offer "fraternity, discussion, and faith."
Women's Ministry hosts monthly meetings in Unity Hall for women of all ages, with additional outings to local restaurants, wineries, and movies. The women's Cursillo Friendship Group, formed in August 2018, meets weekly after daily Mass to discuss the three areas of Cursillo spirituality: piety, study, and action. A Women's Cursillo weekend through the Archdiocese is offered periodically.
Young Adults Ministry is for Catholics in their twenties and thirties seeking community, purpose, and faith. Single Adults Ministry collaborates with Our Lady of the Fields in Millersville and other area congregations to plan social and philanthropic activities for single, widowed, divorced, and never-married Catholics and Christians.
Marriage, Family, Grandparents, and the Caregivers Among Us
Engaged couples preparing for marriage at Holy Family take part in a premarital program. The Marriage Ministry continues to walk with couples after the wedding. Family and Fellowship Ministries, coordinated by Cyndi Zajic, gather the parish throughout the year: an Easter egg hunt, a Holy Week walk, May Day baskets, the Pilgrimage of Mary, the parish picnic, Trunk or Treat, a Christmas pageant, Carols and Cocoa, and the Feast of the Holy Family.
Grandparents in Faith encourages grandparents (and spiritual grandparents) to attend monthly meetings for fellowship, prayer, and sharing, and to mark July 26 as the Feast of Saints Joachim and Anne, the grandparents of Jesus. Natural Family Planning classes are offered using the Marquette Model, an evidence-based approach taught by a certified nurse midwife.
For those caring for a family member with dementia or another debilitating illness, the Caregiver Support Group meets twice a month on the first and third Tuesdays at 10:00 am in the church library. Participants are welcome to bring their loved one with them.
Spiritual Direction, the St. Dymphna Prayer Group, and Bereavement
Spiritual direction is offered by three trained directors who meet with individuals monthly for an hour, either in person at the parish, by video call, or a combination of the two. The parish also offers the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius in daily life, a retreat that takes eight to nine months with a trained guide. The St. Dymphna Prayer Group gathers those experiencing mental illness and those who love them for prayer and conversation.
The Bereavement Ministry runs in the spring for two consecutive seven-week sessions each year, plus ongoing monthly meetings on the second Wednesday of each month. Based on the book Understanding Your Grief by Dr. Alan Wolfelt, the program is open to anyone grieving a loss, regardless of parish membership or religious affiliation. The DivorceCare program offers a thirteen-week support group using videos and book studies, with new sessions beginning each fall.
Reaching Out: Food, Shelter, Sewing, and the Sister Parish in Haiti
Holy Family's service to the wider community takes many forms. The OLPH Food Pantry, jointly staffed by Holy Family and Our Lady of Perpetual Help parishioners, distributes food at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church in Edgewater on Wednesdays and Fridays. Donations can be left in the blue grocery carts outside Holy Family or in the narthex.
The Breakfast Club prepares and serves breakfasts for those in need. The Our Daily Bread Casserole Program provides casseroles for community meals. Sew Time, a sewing ministry with more than 150 members from Holy Family, Our Lady of Perpetual Help, and the wider community, produces baby hats, walker totes, pillowcases, lap quilts for infusion patients, and other items. The annual raffle quilt benefits the feeding program for children at St. Elizabeth of Hungary Parish in Perodin, Haiti. During the pandemic the group shifted production to make more than eight thousand masks and one hundred scrub caps, shipping them to twenty-three states and as far away as France and Thailand.
Winter Relief has been a Holy Family tradition since December 2010. For one week each winter, Unity Hall is converted into overnight accommodations for women and men in Anne Arundel County who lack it. About thirty to forty guests are hosted each evening. About 250 volunteers devote nearly 1,500 hours of service during the winter hosting period, providing meals, showers, laundry, transportation, evening entertainment, and fellowship. Lazarus Ministry prepares and serves a luncheon after a funeral for the family and friends of the deceased.
The Knights of Columbus South County Council 8251, founded in 1982 at Our Lady of Sorrows and joined by Holy Family men in the mid-1990s, has 143 members from both parishes. It raises funds for Central Special School through its Tootsie Roll campaign, supports mothers in crisis through Gabriel projects, and serves at parish events from donuts to youth functions. The Secular Franciscans meet at Holy Family. The Haiti Committee sustains a relationship with a sister parish in Haiti, supporting projects to better the lives of the people there.
The Respect Life Committee, founded around 2010, maintains an information corner between the narthex and the social hall, presents the stages of fetal development, and brings 40 Days for Life and the March for Life to the parish calendar. The parish also has a Caring for Creation environmental ministry that tends the parish grounds. Nora's Knapsacks provides backpacks and supplies to children in need. Praying Through Cancer offers prayer and fellowship to those affected by cancer. Chemically Dependent Anonymous meets in the church on Thursdays at 6:30 pm.
Unity Hall, the Stained Glass, and a Fully Accessible Campus
Unity Hall is the social heart of the parish. It is an elegant 4,941-square-foot venue accommodating up to 325 guests, with elevated ceilings, hardwood floors, large arched windows, a full commercial kitchen, and a 1,922-square-foot outdoor terrace. It is available to rent for weddings, receptions, anniversaries, and other events, with the option of reserving the entire hall, two thirds of the hall, or one third. The lobby (forty-five by twenty-five feet) is a useful space for greeting, registration, or cocktails. A short walk from the hall brings visitors to the JMJ Cafe, the Children's Library, and the parish offices. The parish website features a stained glass windows pilgrimage, inviting visitors to learn about each window in the church.
Accessibility is taken seriously. "Our buildings are totally accessible," the parish says, and the website lists ADA-compliant access, ADA-compliant restrooms, and over 200 free event parking spaces. Service dogs are welcome.
Becoming a Member, Giving, and Staying in Touch
Parishioners are encouraged to register through the Become a Member page. Holy Family uses the Ministry Platform system (shared with the Archdiocese of Baltimore) to track giving history, provide contribution statements, and update household information. Online giving is available through the parish's giving portal, with options for one-time and recurring donations, including offertory, maintenance, and the poor box. Text-to-give is available by texting "Give $" to 240-269-2020. Giving by check through the mail, by stock transfer, and through qualified charitable distributions from IRAs for donors aged seventy-two and older are all supported. Parishes can also purchase Celebratory Bricks at the chapel to honor a loved one or a family milestone.
FlocksNotes is the parish email and text communication system. The parish Facebook page and Instagram account share news and photos of parish life. The bulletin, posted weekly, carries announcements of upcoming events.
Getting to Holy Family
From Bowie, take Route 50 East to Exit 16 toward MD Route 424 South, turn right on MD Route 214 (Central Avenue), and the church is on the right next to the post office. From Annapolis, take Riva Road South or Route 2 South, make a right on MD Route 214 (Central Avenue), travel about a mile past the MD Route 214 and 424 intersection, and the church will be on the right, next to the post office. The parish office is open Monday through Thursday from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm and on Fridays from 8:30 am to noon. The phone number is 410-269-0586. During inclement weather, Holy Family follows Anne Arundel County Schools: if schools are closed or delayed, the 9:00 am daily Mass is cancelled and parish activities are cancelled as well.
Welcome to Holy Family Catholic Church in Davidsonville.