"These mergers are the result of ongoing restructuring that will ultimately strengthen parish communities throughout the Archdiocese positioning them for future growth and sustainability. It is hoped that the result will be revitalized parishes throughout the Archdiocese that are better equipped to meet the spiritual and pastoral needs of future generations," the Archdiocese of Philadelphia said in a statement.
Here is the list of the mergers as stated in the archdiocese's news release:
Delaware County Parish Announcements Effective July 1, 2013:
Eastern Delaware County:
Saint Laurence (Upper Darby) and Saint Alice (Upper Darby) Parishes will merge at the location and keep the name of Saint Laurence Parish. The two parishes are located 1.5 miles from each other. The Saint Alice church building will still be maintained as a worship site for the time being.
As a result of the merger, the newly formed parish is projected to have over 6,000 registered parishioners and approximately 2,000 regular attendees at Sunday Mass.
Saint Laurence Parish: 2007 / 2011
Infant Baptisms 46 / 36
Marriages 20 / 8
Weekend Mass attendance.1157 / 1110
Saint Alice Parish 2007 / 2011
Infant Baptisms.45 / 4
Marriages 10 / 15
Weekend Mass attendance 1016 / 923
Saint Philomena (Lansdowne) and Saint Cyril of Alexandria (East Lansdowne) Parishes will merge at the location and keep the name of Saint Philomena Parish. The two parishes are located .86 miles from each other. The Saint Cyril of Alexandria church building will still be maintained as a worship site for the time being.
As a result of the merger, the newly formed parish is projected to have over 4,000 registered parishioners and approximately 650 regular attendees at Sunday Mass.
Saint Philomena Parish 2007 / 2011
Infant Baptisms 13 / 7
Marriages 8 / 6
Weekend Mass attendance 471 / 379
Saint Cyril of Alexandria Parish 2007 / 2011
Infant Baptisms 27 / 33
Marriages 16 / 14
Weekend Mass attendance 378/ 275
Blessed Virgin Mary (Darby) and Saint Louis (Yeadon) Parishes will merge at the location and keep the name of Blessed Virgin Mary Parish. The two parishes are located 1.5 miles from each other. The Saint Louis church building will still be maintained as a worship site for the time being.
As a result of the merger, the newly formed parish is projected to have over 2,500 registered parishioners and approximately 500 regular attendees at Sunday Mass.
Blessed Virgin Mary Parish 2007 / 2011
Infant Baptisms 8 / 12
Marriages 10 / 8
Weekend Mass attendance 438 / 395
Saint Louis Parish 2007 / 2011
Infant Baptisms 5 / 3
Marriages 5 / 3
Weekend Mass attendance 295 / 152
Western Delaware County:
As a result of the merger, the newly formed parish is projected to have over 9,000 registered parishioners and approximately 1,500 regular attendees at Sunday Mass.
Saint John Fisher Parish 2007 / 2011
Infant Baptisms 57 / 49
Marriages 12 / 5
Weekend Mass attendance 750 / 780
Holy Saviour Parish 2007 / 2011
Infant Baptisms 43 / 21
Marriages 11 / 10
Weekend Mass attendance 570 / 497
Immaculate Conception Parish 2007 / 2011
Infant Baptisms.7 / 9
Marriages.4 / 7
Weekend Mass attendance 430 / 311
As a result of the Pastoral Planning Area initiative it has been determined that the following will remain free standing parishes at this time:
Saint Joseph (Aston), Saint Francis de Sales (Lenni), Our Lady of Charity (Brookhaven) and Saint Katharine Drexel (Chester).
Philadelphia Parish Announcements Effective July 1, 2013
Northwest Philadelphia:
Saint Athanasius (West Oak Lane) and Saint Benedict (Ogontz/Belfield) Parishes will merge at the location and keep the name of Saint Athanasius Parishes. The two parishes are located one mile from each other. For the time being, the Saint Benedict church building will still be maintained as a worship site.
As a result of the merger, the newly formed parish is projected to have over 1,700 registered parishioners and approximately 500 regular attendees at Sunday Mass.
Saint Athanasius Parish 2007 / 2011
Infant Baptisms 15 / 8
Marriages 3 / 3
Weekend Mass attendance 387 / 268
Saint Benedict Parish 2007 / 2011
Infant Baptisms 7 / 10
Marriages 0 / 2
Weekend Mass attendance 208 / 212
Holy Cross (East Mount Airy) Saint Madeleine Sophie (West Mount Airy) and Saint Therese of the Child Jesus (East Mount Airy) Parishes will merge at the location and keep the name of Holy Cross Parish. Holy Cross is located 1.2 miles from Saint Madeleine Sophie and 1.5 miles from Saint Therese of the Child Jesus. For the time being, the Saint Madeleine Sophie and Saint Therese of the Child Jesus church buildings will still be maintained as worship sites.
As a result of the merger, the newly formed parish is projected to have over 2,400 registered parishioners and approximately 460 regular attendees at Sunday Mass.
Holy Cross Parish 2007 / 2011
Infant Baptisms 10 / 5
Marriages 3/ 2
Weekend Mass attendance 298 / 222
Saint Madeleine Sophie Parish 2007 /2011
Infant Baptisms 4 / 2
Marriages 3 / 0
Weekend Mass attendance 210 / 88
Saint Therese of the Child Jesus Parish 2007 / 2011
Infant Baptisms 0 / 0
Marriages 1/ 0
Weekend Mass attendance 363 / 157
As a result of the Pastoral Planning Area initiative it has been determined that the following will remain a free standing parish at this time:
Saint Vincent de Paul (East Germantown, Morton, Wister).
Northeast Philadelphia:
Our Lady of Consolation (Tacony/Wissinoming) and Saint Leo the Great (Tacony/Wissinoming) Parishes will merge at the location and keep the name of Our Lady of Consolation Parish. The two parishes are located .75 miles from each other. For the time being, the Saint Leo the Great church building will still be maintained as worship sites.
As a result of the merger, the newly formed parish is projected to have over 5,500 registered parishioners and approximately 650 regular attendees at Sunday Mass.
Our Lady of Consolation Parish 2007 / 2011
Infant Baptisms 28 / 33
Marriages 10 / 5
Weekend Mass attendance 621 / 312
Saint Leo the Great Parish 2007 / 2011
Infant Baptisms 17 / 21
Marriages 5 / 6
Weekend Mass attendance 555 / 342
As a result of the Pastoral Planning Area initiative it has been determined that the following will remain free standing parishes at this time:
Saint Bartholomew (Frankford), Saint Bernard (Mayfair), Saint Matthew (Mayfair), and Saint Timothy (Mayfair).
Lower Northeast Philadelphia:
Holy Innocents (Juniata Park/Feltonville), Saint Joan of Arc (Harrowgate), Mater Dolorosa (Frankford) and Saint Joachim (Frankford) Parishes will merge at the location and keep the name of Holy Innocents Parish. Holy Innocents is located less than 1.5 miles from Saint Joan of Arc, Mater Dolorosa and Saint Joachim. For the time being, the Saint Joan of Arc, Mater Dolorosa, and Saint Joachim church buildings will still be maintained as worship sites.
As a result of the merger, the newly formed parish is projected to have over 8,800 registered parishioners and approximately 1,600 regular attendees at Sunday Mass.
Holy Innocents Parish 2007 / 2011
Infant Baptisms 44 / 64
Marriages 16 / 22
Weekend Mass attendance 965 / 1187
Saint Joan of Arc Parish 2007 / 2011
Infant Baptisms 9 / 5
Marriages 2 / 0
Weekend Mass attendance 149 / 111
Mater Dolorosa Parish 2007 / 2011
Infant Baptisms 6 / 8
Marriages 3 / 3
Weekend Mass attendance 153 / 194
Saint Joachim Parish 2007 / 2011
Infant Baptisms 9 / 4
Marriages 5 / 0
Weekend Mass attendance 324 / 197
West Philadelphia:
Saint Barbara (Wynnefield) and Saint Rose of Lima (Haddington/Carroll Park) Parishes will merge at the location and keep the name of Saint Barbara Parish. The two parishes are located 1.2 miles from each other. For the time being, the Saint Rose of Lima church building will still be maintained as worship sites.
As a result of the merger, the newly formed parish is projected to have over 1,400 registered parishioners and approximately 260 regular attendees at Sunday Mass.
Saint Barbara Parish 2007 / 2011
Infant Baptisms 2 / 3
Marriages 0 / 0
Weekend Mass attendance 138 / 126
Saint Rose of Lima Parish 2007 / 2011
Infant Baptisms 3 / 0
Marriages 0 / 0
Weekend Mass attendance 184 / 143
North Philadelphia, South Philadelphia, Olde City, Center City:
Holy Name of Jesus (Fishtown/Northern Liberties) and Saint Laurentius (Fishtown/Northern Liberties) Parishes will merge at the location and keep the name of Holy Name of Jesus. The two parishes are located a half mile from each other. For the time being, the Saint Laurentius church building will still be maintained as a worship site.
Holy Name of Jesus Parish 2007 / 2011
Infant Baptisms 21 / 19
Marriages 8 / 5
Weekend Mass attendance 407 / 276
Saint Laurentius Parish 2007 / 2011
Infant Baptisms 11 / 10
Marriages 7 / 2
Weekend Mass attendance 418 / 326
Incarnation of Our Lord Parish (Olney) will be divided and merge with Saint Helena (Olney) and Saint Veronica (Hunting Park) Parishes. These parishes were not previously engaged in the Parish Pastoral Planning area initiative. However, earlier this year serious concerns regarding the financial condition of Incarnation of Our Lord Parish were brought to the attention of the Archdiocesan Strategic Planning Committee. After a thorough review of the situation and ongoing dialogue between the Archdiocese and leadership from Incarnation of Our Lord Parish, it was determined that the parish did not possess the resources to sustain itself any longer. Incarnation of Our Lord Parish is 1.1 miles from Saint Helena Parish and 1.8 miles from Saint Veronica Parish. Parishioners who live north of the Roosevelt Boulevard will attend Mass at Saint Helena Parish. Parishioners who live south of the Roosevelt Boulevard will attend Mass at Saint Veronica Parish. The Incarnation of Our Lord church building will remain open as a worship site of Saint Helena Parish for the time being.
Saint Helena Parish 2007 / 2011
Infant Baptisms 66 / 41
Marriages 13 / 16
Weekend Mass attendance 1282 / 1124
Saint Veronica Parish 2007 / 2011
Infant Baptisms 18 / 10
Marriages 9 / 5
Weekend Mass attendance. 742 / 691
Incarnation of Our Lord Parish 2007 / 2011
Infant Baptisms 48 / 20
Marriages 12 / 9
Weekend Mass attendance 1210 / 685
As a result of the Pastoral Planning Area initiative it has been determined that the following will remain free standing parishes at this time:
Saint Agnes-Saint John Nepomucene (Fishtown/Northern Liberties), Saint Augustine (Center City East), Saint Michael (Fishtown/Northern Liberties), Old Saint Joseph's (Center City East), Old Saint Mary's (Center City East), and Saint Peter the Apostle (Fishtown/Northern Liberties).
(End of list)
These decisions have upset some parishioners.
Sunday morning mass at St. Laurentius Church in Fishtown will soon be no more.
The Archdiocese of Philadelphia has decided that the oldest Polish church in the city will be merging with Holy Name of Jesus a few blocks away.
"I think it's senseless," said Susan Phillips.
Phillips is a 40-year member of the church. She and many members have fought to keep St. Laurentius School off the chopping block twice before but now they're losing their home parish.
"We have been here as a community and as a parish. We have done nothing but rally around to make sure that we have this, have what we are identified by: that's our parishes," said Phillips.
Similar angst and frustration is being felt in Tacony where parishioners gathered on the steps of St. Leo the Great Church. They expressed their strong opposition to a merger with Our Lady of Consolation less than a mile away.
In Delaware County, St. Cyril of Alexandria Church is slated to merge with nearby St. Philomena.
Nearly 30 churches in Philadelphia and Delaware counties are affected by this latest restructuring within the Archdiocese.
"It's hard. We're sad but we still thank the Lord that the school is staying open," said Donna Brown.
Reverend James Olson is asking people to treat these changes as a new beginning for the church.
"Give it a chance. Give the church a chance, the new pastor a chance, give the Lord a chance to work it in their lives and I assure you that will happen," said Reverend Olson.
In a statement, an archdiocese spokesman said "Additional parishes are expected to begin the process of study and review this fall. More mergers could be announced in the spring of 2014."
