By Julie Baughman
July 2, 2013
CATONSVILLE, MARYLAND---St. Timothy's Church of Baltimore County held its last Sunday service in its building on Ingleside Avenue — which they have occupied since 1844 — June 30 after voting as a parish on Feb. 10 to switch faiths from Episcopalian to Roman Catholic.
Those congregation members who chose to convert to Catholicism will move to St. Mark Church's building on Melvin Avenue for the time being as they search for a new, permanent home in the area.
Emory Stagmer,a member of St. Tim's for more than 20 years, and was among the parishioners who voted to switch.
He said the group negotiated with the Episcopal Diocese of Maryland, which owns the church property, but was unable to retain their worship space.
"We went to the Episcopal Diocese with a lease, with an option to buy proposal and they turned it down and said that they were not going to make us a counter offer," Stagmer said. "We know going into this entire process that ... it was a distinct possibility (to lose the church building.)"
"The new Roman Catholic congregation was allowed to maintain a presence in the Catonsville church property during their transition through a cooperative arrangement with the Episcopal Church," said the statement from the Rev. Scott Slater, canon to the ordinary of the Episcopal Diocese of Maryland. "The new Catholic community will be leaving the property effective June 30, 2013.
"The buildings and grounds remain the property of the Episcopal Diocese of Maryland and we are currently discerning future uses of this space," the statement said. "As we have said from the start, our goal is to maintain an Episcopal presence in Catonsville. This is a strong community and we plan to be here for a very long time."
Stagmer said the group is thankful to St. Mark's parish for welcoming them into their church home, and is looking at property at both St. William of York Catholic Church on Cooks Lane and Mount de Sales Academy on Academy Road for a long-term spot...
Read the rest at the Baltimore Sun.
Hat tip to Mary Ann Mueller.
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Sad news indeed. Win one, Saint Barnabas, lose one, Saint Timothy. May the congregation find a permanent home soon and be a Blessing to the Catonsville, Maryland community.
ReplyDeleteThese "dioceses" are money-grubbing monsters. Maybe they can put an earth-worshipping Wiccan priestess in there. That's what these Episcopalians believe now, right?
ReplyDeleteActually, the Episcopal diocese of Maryland has been much easier to deal with than most, although they did extract a price for Mount Calvary and St. Luke's. I guess three parishes, along with the sisters in Catonsville, was too much to take. But from all reports, the Episcopal bishop has been a breath of fresh air compared to his counterparts in some dioceses. While it is indeed sad for St. Timothy's to lose the building, the important thing is that the people have entered full communion and will go on to evangelize and build up the Church.
ReplyDeleteI can't complain. The Episcopal Church has the rights to its property and to govern itself. And Steve Cavanaugh's right. Prayers and good wishes for Catonsville's newest Catholic parish; may it continue the good work that Pope Benedict started throughout the Roman Rite.
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