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HISTORY
OF HOLY TRINITY CHURCH Our parish was founded in 1919 when the ground was broken at Annapolis and Drum Point Roads. The basement was completed in March of 1920. The plans were to erect the new church on this foundation, but it was covered with a roof and further construction was delayed until more funds could be accumulated. On March 14, 1920, at 9 AM, the first Mass was celebrated in the “basement church”. The church served the Catholics in Glen Burnie for ten years. As Glen Burnie developed in population, the Catholic numbers increased also. The site of the original church was fast becoming a commercial area. There was not enough land to build a rectory to go with the church, which was not large enough to accommodate the increasing numbers that were attending. Thus, in 1925, a new site was obtained by the congregation on Annapolis Road west of Light Street Road (Crain Highway) and extending from Oak Lane to Maple Lane. Holy Trinity Church was completed in 1931, and the priests from St. Rose’s continued to serve the area. Father Ripple, who was then St. Rose’s Pastor, was assisted over the years by Fathers Wachowiak, Froelich, Brooks, Lannon, Brown, and Bowling. In November of 1946, Father Arthur C. Slade was assigned by Archbishop Curley as the first Pastor of Holy Trinity Church in Glen Burnie. At the same time, our neighbors at St. Jane Frances Church in Rivera Beach also became an independent parish. St. Rose of Lima in Brooklyn was directly responsible for both of these mission churches until this time. Now there was an independent church and a pastor, but no rectory. Father Slade lived for two years with Mr. & Mrs. John DeGrange on B&A Blvd. and Linden Lane while waiting for the rectory to be completed. Within the next four years, two more priests were added to the staff. The rectory was completed in 1948, and in the same year Father Anthony Sauerwein was ordained and assigned to this parish. In 1952, Father Elbert Hebert was ordained and assigned to Holy Trinity. Further indication of the continuous growth that the church was experiencing was the decision to break ground for a 20-room school in 1952. The school was to be located on Dorsey Road at Central Avenue and was fully staffed by the Sisters of Notre Dame DeNamur. According to Mr. Ward DeGrange, who served as the chairman of the very successful parish carnival for sixteen years, its main purpose was to eliminate the school debt. In 1966, the High School that began in the Holy Trinity school basement was moved south to the New Cut Road area and became Archbishop Martin Spalding High School. The farsighted Father Slade had purchased this land years earlier. Father Slade retired after 22 years at Holy Trinity. He lived with his sister in Baltimore, and then became Pastor of his original hometown parish of St. Ignatius in Hickory, MD. Father Slade died on November 12, 1971 and is buried in the parish cemetery of St. Ignatius. Father Robert Bozel became the next Pastor and assisted Holy Trinity for several years when it was faced with a very difficult decision concerning future financial support of Holy Trinity School. He then became Pastor of St. Michael’s in Mt. Airy. In June of 1974, Father John Auer was named as the third Pastor of Holy Trinity Church in Glen Burnie. One of the major events in the Parish during Father Auer’s time was the dedication of the Parish Center. Father Marty Hammond was named the fourth Pastor in 1984. He assisted the parish and staff in utilizing their gifts to provide the people with the programs and educational resources that would best promote their spiritual growth. In 1993, Father Eugene Nickol was named as the fifth Pastor of Holy Trinity. Prior to his assignment here, he was at St. Peter’s in Libertytown , at St. Agnes in Catonsville for eight years, and originally assigned to St. Joseph’s in Fullerton after his ordination. Our current Pastor, Father J. Bruce Jarboe is the sixth Pastor of Holy Trinity. Prior to his assignment here, Father Jarboe was Director of the Archdiocesan Division of Clergy Personnel in Baltimore. |
Church:
7436 Baltimore & Annapolis Blvd. • Glen Burnie, MD 21061 |
