Immaculate Heart of Mary Church (Chester) will no longer serve as a worship site of Saint Katharine Drexel Parish (Chester) and will close as a Roman Catholic church.
Contextual Background
In July 1993, Saint Michael Parish, Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish, Saint Anthony Parish, Resurrection of Our Lord Parish, Saint Robert Parish, and Our Lady of Vilna Parish merged to form Saint Katharine Drexel Parish at the site of the former Saint Robert Parish.
At that time, the Immaculate Heart of Mary church building became a worship site of Saint Katharine Drexel Parish. The worship site was made available for occasional liturgical use as is customary whenever possible in the case of a parish merger.
Additional information regarding this historic merger in 1993 can be found on CatholicPhilly, the digital news agency of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia:
Today’s Announcement
Today, the Archdiocese of Philadelphia announced that Archbishop Nelson J. Pérez has issued a Canonical Decree relegating the Immaculate Heart of Mary church building to profane but not sordid use effective March 1, 2024. This formal designation means that the building will no longer serve as a worship site of Saint Katharine Drexel Parish and will close as a Roman Catholic church.
This information was shared with Saint Katharine Drexel parishioners at all Masses this weekend. A copy of the official canonical decree regarding the relegation can be found at:
Further Information Regarding Today’s Announcements
The formal request to close this worship site followed the procedure outlined in Canon Law. It originated from the pastor of the parish, together with his parish pastoral and finance councils after a period of study and consultation. The request was then reviewed by the Archdiocesan Council of Priests and presented to Archbishop Pérez, who, after a careful review of all supporting factors, made the final decision. A synopsis of the factors contributing to the necessity of the decree can be found below.
Immaculate Heart of Mary Church Building, Chester (Delaware County)
The Immaculate Heart of Mary church building has not been utilized with any frequency or regularity for liturgical purposes since 2002. Since 2023, it has been utilized for worship on only two occasions. Further, requests for the celebration of baptisms, weddings, and funerals at Immaculate Heart of Mary have greatly diminished over time. As one example, no baptisms have been celebrated there since 2017.
Saint Katharine Drexel Parish has striven to maintain the Immaculate Heart of Mary church building in good repair. However, the costs associated with ongoing and deferred maintenance for the properties of the former Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish have placed a significant financial strain upon Saint Katharine Drexel Parish. The roof of the Church building is damaged and other buildings on the property have significant mold and water damage. The Parish cannot afford to make the necessary repairs without jeopardizing its own solvency.
The Immaculate Heart of Mary church building is the property of Saint Katharine Drexel Parish. The future disposition of this building will be determined by the pastor in consultation with his parish pastoral and finance councils in a manner consistent with providing for continued parish viability and sustainability.
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Contact:
Contact: Kenneth A. Gavin
Chief Communications Officer
215-587-3747 (office)