Churches try to retrieve grand trappings of past

Ornamentation lost to Vatican II reforms uncovered, restored

For many parishioners, the changes to their beloved church were upsetting.

"It was devastating to a lot of people and still is to some people who remember what the church looked like at one time," said Mary Frances Garland, a lifelong parishioner.

But not all was lost. This year, parishioners cleaning out a junk-filled garage behind the church found an old baptismal font on the floor - in pieces. After a maintenance man gave it an acid wash and reassembled it, Malia put it in the front of the church for Easter baptisms, a sign of things to come.

It is not just the old-timers who are heartened by the retrieval of St. Mary's past. Some of the most enthusiastic responses have been from the rapidly growing numbers of younger parishioners in their 20s and 30s who have moved into the area, attracted to the rowhouses and rooftop decks of Federal Hill.

"This is exciting to the young people because they're looking for content in their lives, something that isn't disposable," Malia said. "That's why [the discovery of] this baptismal font was so exciting. It represents the continuity between the community of the 19th century and the community of the 21st century."