Dear Family and Friends of St. John the Baptist, 
It has been a delightful first week in the parish! Already, it was a surprise and joy to discover several old friends from High School, College, and previous assignments who belong to the parish family. Exploring the grounds and surrounding fields have been an adventure from encountering the kids in Summer Camp to chatting with, whom I considered, World-Cup quality soccer players I met from Cameroon. Growing up not all too far away near Rock Creek Park, I was very grateful to find
 St. John’s within running distance of the Paint Branch Trail.  
Each person is an ocean with great depth, but to relay some things on the surface: I grew up in NW DC attending Blessed Sacrament Parish with two older brothers. I went to the Heights School in Potomac Maryland from 5th grade through High School. After completing a BA in Theology at The Catholic University of America, I became a Metropolitan Police Officer from 2013-2015 before I went back to The Heights to teach 4th grade as the home room teacher. In 2017, I entered St. John Paul II Seminary in DC, and then completed formation at Mount St. Mary’s Seminary in 2024, when I was ordained to the priesthood. Playing guitar, Irish flute and penny whistle, letter writing, reading (namely fantasy and myth), and hiking are all things I enjoy. 
As you would suspect, Fr. Andrew and Msgr. Mike have been so gracious and fraternal with praying and having meals together. Although learning names will take time, I do very much appreciate hearing your names. Hearing your names makes me consider a favorite point I paraphrase here from Dr. Peter Kreeft’s talk titled, Language of Beauty: “Proper Names are sacred because they are the linguistic expression of persons, and persons are made in the image of God.” Thank all you who have introduced themselves to me and have provided so warm a welcome.
 I look forward to being with you and hope to serve you as Our Lord Wills. My prayers go up for you as do yours for me; in Christ, we keep each other up! 
 Fr. Conor Edmund Hardy
“I have no more to say but to recommend your case and mine to Almighty God, the Searcher of Hearts, who send us his grace, and see us at accord before the day of payment, to the end we may at last be friends in heaven, when all injuries shall be forgotten.” – St. Edmund Campion, S.J.