Pastors of Saint Benedict Church

“[The dedication of Saint Benedict Church] is the climax of forty years of building up, continuous labor and careful saving. At the completion of a building project the pastor is often times a nervous wreck, but this operation has been one of continued pleasure for me, due to the common interest and good will displayed on all occasions by all.”
— Fr. Aloysius Luther, O.S.B.

Saint Vincent Archabbey, Founded 1846

A Benedictine Place

"The Parish of Saint Benedict...a strong core of very dedicated and involved parishioners." Archabbot Egbert Donovan, O.S.B., Saint Vincent Archabbey

Established in 1893 by His Eminence James Cardinal Gibbons and entrusted to the care of the Benedictines of Saint Vincent Archabbey, Saint Benedict Parish has been a source of great blessing to the parishioners and to the Church throughout these many years. 

At the time of its establishment, Saint Benedict Parish was an oasis for immigrants, particularly from Germany and Ireland, who arrived on the shores of America. There was no welcome wagon to greet them. They faced tremendous ethnic discrimination and religious bigotry, and were forced to live on the fringes of American society. To meet the spiritual and material needs of these early immigrants, Baltimore native, Cardinal Gibbons, turned to Saint Vincent Archabbey, the first Benedictine monastery in the United States, to staff the parish.

Having established Saint Benedict Parish in 1893, the Benedictines have been a part of the Archdiocese of Baltimore throughout these many years. From its first pastor, Fr. Stephen Lyons, O.S.B., to its current pastor, the Rt. Rev. Paschal Morlino, O.S.B., Saint Benedict Church continues to carry out the Benedictine motto of ora et labora, prayer and work, sharing the Gospel message of Jesus Christ throughout the inner-city of Baltimore.