Adam Parker

Early life and education

Parker was born on January 13, 1972 in Cleveland, Ohio. He was the son of George and Maureen Parker. He grew up in Severna Park, Maryland, and was educated at Severna Park High School. Parker studied at Virginia Tech and the University of Maryland, College Park, graduating with a bachelor's degree in communications.

He undertook formation for the priesthood at St. Mary's Seminary and University in Baltimore, the Pontifical North American College in Rome, and the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome.

Ordained ministry

On May 27, 2000, Parker was ordained to the priesthood by the Archbishop of Baltimore, Cardinal William H. Keeler.

As a priest, Parker served as Associate Pastor of St. Peter, Westernport, and St. Michael, Frostburg, from 2001-2005. He was Administrator of the Church of the Ascension, Halethorpe, from 2005-2006, and pastor from 2006-2007. He served simultaneously as associate director of the Permanent Diaconate Formation Team for the archdiocese from 2006-2007. In 2007, he was appointed by the outgoing Archbishop of Baltimore, Cardinal Keeler, to serve as priest secretary for the incoming archbishop, Edwin Frederick O'Brien. When O'Brien was named Grand Master of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre and a cardinal in 2012, Parker relocated with O'Brien to Rome. In September 2011, he was made a monsignor by Pope Benedict XVI. In 2013, Parker returned to Baltimore as Archdiocesan Vice Chancellor under Archbishop William E. Lori, and in July 2014 became Vicar General and Moderator of the Curia, with responsibility for managing the central services of the archdiocese.

Episcopal career

On December 5, 2016, Pope Francis appointed Parker and Msgr. Mark E. Brennan of the Archdiocese of Washington as auxiliary bishops for the Archdiocese of Baltimore, to replace the outgoing Bishop Denis J. Madden. Parker was also appointed Titular Bishop of Tasaccora. He was consecrated as a bishop in the Cathedral of Mary Our Queen on January 19, 2017 by Archbishop Lori.