July 4, 2020

Dear Friends in Christ,

As we celebrate our nation’s 244th Independence Day today, our celebrations are no doubt quieter than usual and smaller in scale. It is just as well, as Montgomery County recorded its 14,899th coronavirus case as of Thursday. Even as our parish community begins adding on a few additional liturgies, it is prudent to take things slowly and add on only what we can responsibly handle so that our clergy, ministers, and parishioners can worship as safely as possible.

In honor of the Fourth of July, I wanted to share a tidbit that our Director of Social Concerns Tony Bosnick sent me that reminds me of both our pride as members of one Catholic Church and our complexity as human beings. According to Simply Catholic, there was a lone Catholic signer of the Declaration of Independence – Charles Carroll, a member of a notable Catholic family from Annapolis and cousin to America’s first bishop, John Carroll of Baltimore. Educated primarily in Europe, Charles Carroll returned to Maryland in his late 20s and advocated for calls to separate from the British king. He helped secure our state’s support for the Declaration of Independence and assisted luminaries, such as Benjamin Franklin, in rallying diplomatic support for the American Revolution from the French Canadians.

Carroll occupied a lofty perch in colonial and early American history: a member of the Continental Congress, a founder of Maryland state government, one of the Old Line State’s first state senators and, eventually, one of its U.S. senators, too. But this successful politician and elected representative was also a complicated human being, as an advocate for the gradual abolition of slavery who never freed his family’s own slaves.

Today, Carroll’s statue is one of two representing Maryland in the National Statuary Hall collection in the U.S. Capitol, cementing his legacy as one of the most influential citizens our state has produced. He accomplished much in his time on earth, but as is true with us all, will be remembered for how he treated the least of his brothers and sisters in the eyes of Jesus Christ.

Speaking of great men, Deacon Jim Datovech has hosted a virtual Morning and Evening Prayer for the parish since late March. Now, that the church is slowly reopening and Deacon Jim is returning to his full-time work schedule, he will need to take a break from the daily commitment of hosting the prayers and will host his final Morning and Evening Prayer on Sunday, July 5. I know that Morning and Evening Prayer unified many of those who gathered for them, allowing us to open and close each day with praise for God on our lips and keeping us connected as a parish. Thank you, Deacon Jim, for offering this wonderful gift to our parish for over 100 days this past spring and early summer.

I wish you all a Happy and blessed Fourth of July weekend!

Yours in Christ,

Fr. John