Mother Seton Parish in Germantown, MD began with the dream of Archbishop William Baum of Washington of establishing a parish in Montgomery County. Fr. Leonard Hurley was appointed the founding pastor in December 1973. The parish, under the patronage of Mother Seton, was officially established July 1, 1974. As happened at Mother Seton Parish in Livorno, Italy, special permission was given to name the parish after Mother Seton even though her canonization was a year away.
The archdiocese purchased a corn field and farm house in February 1974 and Fr. Hurley moved in. The next month six families participated in the first Mass which was celebrated in the farm house. By July, 38 families had registered as parishioners. Fr. Hurley began looking for larger quarters. For seven years the parish utilized the Germantown Elementary School and Seneca Valley High School for

Liturgy, Religious Education classes and parish activities. On Mother Seton’s feast, a bitter cold January 4, 1981, Bishop Eugene Marino joined parish members in breaking ground for a multi-purpose building and parish house. By October the buildings were completed. In January 1982 all the parish programs moved into the new building. From the beginning, Fr. Hurley encouraged volunteers to put their gifts and talents at the service of the parish. Their generosity encouraged a sense of community and helped build the parish.

Fr. Hurley was reassigned in 1987. As a tribute to his work as founder, his successor, Fr. Paul Lavin, petitioned the Montgomery County Council to change the name of Germantown Drive to Father Hurley Blvd. Almost every day it is part of Washington’s rush hour traffic report! Under Fr. Lavin and his successor, Fr. Milton Jordan, the parish has grown to more than 1500 families. Plans were made to build a permanent church and rectory.

In honor of their patron, the sodality of the parish established ties with the Daughters of Charity in Emmitsburg. Several times a year they visit the sisters at Villa St. Michael. The members bring little gifts to the sisters who look forward to their coming. Parish pilgrimages to the Seton Shrine are scheduled periodically. One was scheduled for June 14, 2000. 

Tragically it never took place. On June 8, Msgr. Thomas Wells, appointed pastor in 1998, was murdered in the old rectory during a robbery gone wrong. During the two years he was in the parish he endeared himself to its members. In the midst of their grief, parishioners vowed to complete the dream of building the new church. Msgr. Wells had worked very hard to carry on Fr. Jordan’s work of raising money for the new buildings.
In September, Rev. Ronald A. Potts was named to succeed Msgr. Wells. Mother Seton Parish is his first assignment as a pastor. Under his leadership work will begin on the new church. The rectory was recently completed. As the church takes shape new dreams will draw the parish to continue to live the gospel.

Sister Eleanor Casey, D.C.
Emmitsburg Province