To say that Holy Family Parish is unique is an understatement.
Holy Family ceased to be a parish in the traditional sense decades ago. But it is and remains a “living” Christian Community that gathers weekly to be nourished by the Word of God at the Table of the Lord.
The shepherd of this vibrant community is Fr. John Baxter, who for 52 years as pastor has welcomed, nurtured, mentored, challenged, consoled and guided the flock that shows up each Sunday, now at 11 a.m., in a tangled corner of the inner city.
Do they come because it is convenient, well located, has a flexible mass schedule?
Not at all. The church is neither nearby nor easily accessible for the vast majority of its congregants. Located in a densely populated urban sprawl, parking is a nightmare in the maze of bicycle paths, permit-parking areas and never-ending road construction. Factor in inclement weather, and travel and parking are an even greater challenge. There is only one mass on Sunday morning. Those who go to Holy Family do so intentionally and work at it.
What draws people to this modest inner-city church? Many give the simplest, obvious answer: Fr. Baxter. Although true, that response describes perhaps the gift wrapping but not the gift.
The essence of priesthood for Fr. Baxter is love of the Lord: love of His Word, His Eucharistic Presence and His commands, especially “Whenever you did it to one of the least of my brethren, you did it to me.” That is the heart of Fr. Baxter’s ministry, and he spends the better part of each week preparing the Sunday liturgy so that the Lord can nourish and lead His flock through his simple but creative ministry.
The hours he spends weekly reflecting on the Sunday readings, identifying the contemporary threads, selecting and integrating images and videos that highlight the Gospel message, are all to enable God’s Word to penetrate his congregants’ lives and make a difference. Then nourished at the Table of the Lord – with the Lord’s Eucharistic Presence both in the Bread of Life and in the gathered community – those attending receive the strength to go out and bring Christ to their corner of the world.
That’s what Fr. Baxter does and why his congregation makes its way to his out-of-the-way church each Sunday.
The 50th anniversary booklet for the parish jubilee proclaimed: “Love…Liturgy…Life This must be our way of life for the next 50 years.” So parishioner Fred Sawyer penned and prophesied in 1976, and by the grace of God, it has come to pass in 2026.