Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Basic information
Archdiocese of Philadelphia
Archidioecesis Philadelphiensis
Cathedral-Basilica of SS. Peter & Paul
Location	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
Territory	Philadelphia City and County, Counties of Bucks, Chester, Delaware, and Montgomery, Pennsylvania
Population	1,486,058 Catholics
Rite	Roman Rite
Patron	St. Peter and St. Paul
Ecclesiastical province	Archdiocese of Philadelphia
Established	February 12, 1875
Cathedral	Cathedral-Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul
Bishop	Roman Catholic Archbishop of Philadelphia
Website	Archdiocese of Philadelphia
Current leadership
Pope	Benedict XVI
Metropolitan	Justin Francis Rigali Archbishop of Philadelphia
Diocesan Bishop	Justin Francis Rigali Bishop of Philadelphia
Auxiliary bishops	Joseph R. Cistone, Robert P. Maginnis, Joseph P. McFadden, Daniel E. Thomas Auxiliary Bishops of Philadelphia

Philadelphia Portal

The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia covers the City and County of Philadelphia as well as Bucks, Chester, Delaware, and Montgomery counties in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

It is the Metropolitan See of the Ecclesiastical Province of Pennsylvania, which includes the suffragan bishopric sees of Allentown, Altoona-Johnstown, Erie, Greensburg, Harrisburg, Pittsburgh, and Scranton.

The seat of the archbishop is the Cathedral-Basilica of SS. Peter & Paul. In addition to being patrons of the cathedral, SS. Peter & Paul are also the patrons of the archdiocese.

As of a 2004, the archdiocese numbered 1,486,058 Catholics, which was 38.4% of the total estimated population.

[edit] History

Pope Pius VII erected the Diocese of Philadelphia on April 8, 1808 from territories of the Archdiocese of Baltimore. Originally the diocese included all of Pennsylvania, Delaware, and 7 counties of New Jersey.

The diocese lost territory with the creation of the Diocese of Pittsburgh on July 29, 1853 and the dioceses of Harrisburg, Scranton and Wilmington on March 3, 1868.

The diocese was raised to the dignity of an archdiocese on February 12, 1875. On January 21, 1961 the archdiocese lost territory with the erection of the Diocese of Allentown.

[edit] Ordinaries of the See of Philadelphia

Ordinaries of the See of Philadelphia, and their terms of service:

The Most Reverend Michael Francis Egan, O.F.M., Bishop (1808-1814)
The Most Reverend Henry Conwell, Bishop (1819-1842)
The Most Reverend Francis Patrick Kenrick, Bishop (1842-1851)
The Most Reverend St. John Nepomucene Neumann, C.SS.R., Bishop (1852-1860)
The Most Reverend James Frederick Bryan Wood, Bishop (1860-1875), Archbishop (1875-1883)
The Most Reverend Patrick John Ryan, Archbishop (1884-1911)
The Most Reverend Edmond Francis Prendergast, Archbishop (1911-1918)
His Eminence Dennis Joseph Cardinal Dougherty, Archbishop (1918-1951)
His Eminence John Francis Cardinal O'Hara, C.S.C., Archbishop (1951-1960)
His Eminence John Joseph Cardinal Krol, Archbishop (1961-1988), Archbishop Emeritus (1988-1996)
His Eminence Anthony Joseph Cardinal Bevilacqua, Archbishop (1988-2003), Archbishop Emeritus (2003-present)
His Eminence Justin Francis Cardinal Rigali, Archbishop (2003-present)

[edit] Current Auxiliary Bishops

As of January 3, 2007 there are six auxiliary bishops:

The Most Reverend Martin N. Lohmuller, D.D., J.C.D.(Retired)
The Most Reverend Louis A. DeSimone, D.D.(Retired)
The Most Reverend Robert P. Maginnis, D.D., V.G.
The Most Reverend Joseph R. Cistone, D.D., V.G.
The Most Reverend Joseph P. McFadden, D.D., V.G.
The Most Reverend Daniel E. Thomas, D.D., S.T.L., V.G.

[edit] The parish structure

The diocese is sub-divided into 6 Vicariates, each administered by a Regional Vicar. (Presently each Vicar holds the honorary title of Monsignor).

Present Vicariates and their Administrators:

[edit] Philadelphia North - Rev. Msgr. Herbert A. Bevard

St. Adalbert (Polish), Philadelphia
All Saints, Philadelphia
All Saints Chapel (1877-1977), Philadelphia
St. Ambrose, Philadelphia
St. Anselm, Philadelphia
Ascension of Our Lord, Philadelphia
St. Athanasius, Philadelphia
St. Bartholomew, Philadelphia
St. Benedict, Philadelphia
St. Bernard, Philadelphia
St. Bridget of Sweden, Philadelphia
St. Cecilia, Philadelphia
Christ the King, Philadelphia
St. Christopher, Philadelphia
St. Dominic, Philadelphia
St. Francis of Assisi, Philadelphia
St. George (Lithuanian), Philadelphia
St. Helena, Philadelphia
St. Henry (German) (1916-1993), Philadelphia
Holy Angels, Philadelphia
Holy Child (1909-1993), Philadelphia
Holy Cross, Philadelphia
Holy Family, Philadelphia
Holy Innocents, Philadelphia
St. Hugh of Cluny, Philadelphia
Immaculate Conception, Philadelphia
Immaculate Heart of Mary, Philadelphia
Incarnation of Our Lord, Philadelphia
St. Jerome, Philadelphia
St. Joachim, Philadelphia
St. Joan of Arc, Philadelphia
St. John Cantius (Polish), Philadelphia
St. John the Baptist, Philadelphia
St. John Nuemann, Philadelphia
St. Josaphat (Polish), Philadelphia
St. Katherine of Siena, Philadelphia
St. Ladislaus (Polish) (1906-2003), Philadelphia
St. Leo, Philadelphia
St. Lucy (Italian), Philadelphia
St. Madeleine Sophie, Philadelphia
St. Martha, Philadelphia
St. Martin of Tours, Philadelphia
St. Mary of the Assumption (German), Philadelphia
Mater Dolorosa (Italian), Philadelphia
Maternity B.V.M, Philadelphia
St. Matthew, Philadelphia
Mother of Divine Grace (Italian), Philadelphia
Nativity B.V.M., Philadelphia
Our Lady Help of Christians (German), Philadelphia
Our Lady of Calvary, Philadelphia
Our Lady of Consolation, Philadelphia
Our Lady of Hope, (now on Holy Child's property) Philadelphia
Our Lady of Pompeii (Italian) (1914-1993), Philadelphia
Our Lady of Ransom, Philadelphia
Our Lady of the Holy Souls (1909-1993), Philadelphia
Our Mother of Consolation, Philadelphia
St. Raymond of Peñafort, Philadelphia
Resurrection of Our Lord Church, Philadelphia
St. Stephen (1843-1993), Philadelphia
St. Therese of the Child Jesus, Philadelphia
St. Timothy, Philadelphia
St. Veronica, Philadelphia
St. Vincent de Paul, Philadelphia
St. William, Philadelphia

[edit] Philadelphia North High Schools

[edit] Philadelphia South - Rev. Msgr. Daniel J. Sullivan

Cathedral-Basilica of SS. Peter & Paul, Philadelphia
St. Agatha-St. James Major, Philadelphia
St. Agnes-St. John Nepomucene (Slovak), Philadelphia
St. Aloysius (German) (1894-2003), Philadelphia
St. Andrew (Lithuanian), Philadelphia
St. Anne, Philadelphia
Annunciation B.V.M., Philadelphia
St. Anthony of Padua (Italian) (1886-1999), Philadelphia
Assumption B.V.M. (1845-1995), Philadelphia
St. Augustine, Philadelphia
St. Barbara, Philadelphia
St. Barnabas, Philadelphia
St. Bonaventure (1889-1993), Philadelphia
St. Callistus, Philadelphia
St. Casimir (Lithuanian), Philadelphia
St. Charles Borromeo, Philadelphia
St. Clement (1865-2004), Philadelphia
St. Columba (1895-1993), Philadelphia
St. Cyprian, Philadelphia
Divine Mercy, Philadelphia
St. Donato (Italian), Philadelphia
St. Edmond, Philadelphia
St. Edward the Confessor (1865-1993), Philadelphia
Epiphany of Our Lord, Philadelphia
St. Francis de Sales, Philadelphia
St. Francis Xavier (The Philadelphia Oratory), Philadelphia
St. Gabriel, Philadelphia
Gesu, Church of the (1868-1993), Philadelphia
Good Shepherd (1925-2004), Philadelphia
St. Hedwig (Polish) (1907-2000), Philadelphia
Holy Name of Jesus, Philadelphia
Holy Spirit, Philadelphia
Holy Trinity (German), Philadelphia
St. Ignatius of Loyola, Philadelphia
Immaculate Conception, Philadelphia
St. Irenæus (1966-2004), Philadelphia
St. John the Evangelist, Philadelphia
King of Peace (Italian) (1926-2004), Philadelphia
St. Laurentius (Polish), Philadelphia
St. Malachy, Philadelphia
St. Martin de Porres, Philadelphia
St. Mary Magdalen De Pazzi (Italian) (1852-2000), Philadelphia
St. Mary of Czestochowa (Polish) (1927-2000), Philadelphia
St. Michael, Philadelphia
St. Monica, Philadelphia
Most Blessed Sacrament, Philadelphia
St. Nicholas of Tolentine (Italian), Philadelphia
Old St. Joseph's Church, Philadelphia
Old Saint Mary's, Philadelphia
Our Lady of Loreto (Italian) (1932-2000), Philadelphia
Our Lady of Lourdes, Philadelphia
Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Philadelphia
Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament, Philadelphia
Our Mother of Sorrows, Philadelphia
St. Patrick, Philadelphia
St. Paul, Philadelphia
St. Peter the Apostle (German), Philadelphia
St. Philip Neri, Philadelphia
St. Richard, Philadelphia
St. Rita of Cascia, Philadelphia
St. Rose of Lima, Philadelphia
Sacred Heart of Jesus, Philadelphia
St. Carthage (1915-2000), Philadelphia
St. Stanislaus (Polish) (1891-2006), Philadelphia
Stella Maris, Philadelphia
St. Thomas Aquinas, Philadelphia
Transfiguration of Our Lord (1905-2000), Philadelphia
Visitation B.V.M., Philadelphia

[edit] Philadelphia South High Schools

[edit] Bucks County - Rev. Msgr. James Beisel

St. Agnes, Sellersville
St. Andrew, Newtown
St. Ann (Italian), Bristol
Assumption B.V.M., Feasterville
St. Bede the Venerable, Holland
St. Charles Borromeo, Cornwells Heights (Bensalem)
St. Cyril of Jerusalem, Jamison
St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, Eddington (Bensalem)
St. Ephrem, Cornwells Heights (Bensalem)
St. Frances Cabrini, Fairless Hills
Holy Trinity, Morrisville
St. Ignatius of Antioch, Yardley
Immaculate Conception B.V.M., Levittown
St. Isidore, Quakertown
St. John Bosco, Hatboro
St. John the Baptist, Ottsville - Revere
St. John the Evangelist, Lower Makefield
St. Joseph, Warrington
St. Joseph the Worker, Fallsington
St. Jude, Chalfont
St. Lawrence, Riegelsville
St. Mark, Bristol
St. Martin of Tours, New Hope
St. Michael the Archangel, Levittown
Nativity of Our Lord, Warminster
Our Lady of Fatima, Eddington (Bensalem)
Our Lady of Good Counsel, Southampton
Our Lady of Grace, Penndel
Our Lady of Guadalupe, Buckingham
Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Doylestown
Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, Hilltown
St. Patrick Mission (1944-1979), Dublin
Queen of the Universe, Levittown
St. Robert Bellarmine, Warrington
St. Thomas Aquinas, Croydon
St. Vincent de Paul, Richboro

[edit] Bucks County High Schools

[edit] Chester County - Rev. Msgr. Joseph T. Marino

St. Agnes, West Chester
St. Ann, Phoenixville
Assumption B.V.M., West Grove
St. Basil the Great, Kimberton
St. Cecilia, Coatesville
St. Cornelius, Chadds Ford
St. Elizabeth, Upper Uwchlan
St. Gabriel of the Sorrowful Mother, Avondale
Holy Trinity (Polish), Phoenixville
St. Isaac Jogues, Wayne
St. Joseph, Downingtown
St. Joseph, Spring City
St. Joseph (Slovak), Coatesville
St. Malachy, Cochranville
St. Mary of the Assumption, Phoenixville
St. Maximilian Kolbe, West Chester
St. Monica, Berwyn
St. Norbert, Paoli
Our Lady of Consolation, Parkesburg
Our Lady of the Assumption (Italian), Strafford
Our Lady of the Rosary, Coatesville
St. Patrick, Kennett Square
St. Patrick, Malvern
St. Peter, West Brandywine
SS. Peter and Paul, East Goshen
SS. Philip and James, Exton
Sacred Heart, Oxford
Sacred Heart (Slovak), Phoenixville
SS. Simon and Jude, West Chester
St. Stanislaus Kostka (Polish), Coatesville
St. Thomas More, South Coventry

[edit] Chester County High Schools

Bishop Shanahan High School

[edit] Delaware County - Rev. Msgr. John E Breslin

St. Alice, Upper Darby
St. Anastasia, Newtown Square
St. Andrew, Drexel Hill
Annunciation B.V.M., Brookline
St. Bernadette, Drexel Hill
Blessed Virgin Mary, Darby
St. Charles Borromeo, Drexel Hill
St. Cyril of Alexandria, East Lansdowne
St. Denis, Havertown
St. Dorothy, Drexel Hill
St. Eugene, Primos
St. Francis de Sales, Lenni
St. Francis of Assisi, Springfield
St. Gabriel, Norwood
St. George, Glenolden
St. Hedwig (1902-1993, Polish), Chester
Holy Cross, Springfield
Holy Saviour, Linwood
Holy Spirit, Sharon Hill
Immaculate Conception (Italian), Marcus Hook
Immaculate Heart of Mary(1873-1993), Chester
St. John Chrysostom, Wallingford
St. John Fisher, Boothwyn
St. John Neumann, Bryn Mawr
St. Joseph, Aston
St. Joseph, Collingdale
St. Katharine Drexel, Chester
St. Katharine of Siena, Wayne
St. Kevin, Springfield
St. Laurence, Highland Park
St. Louis, Yeadon
St. Madeline, Ridley Park
St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, Essington
St. Mary Magdalen, Media
St. Michael (1842-1993), Chester
Nativity B.V.M., Media
Notre Dame de Lourdes, Swarthmore
Our Lady of Charity, Brookhaven
Our Lady of Fatima, Secane
Our Lady of Peace, Milmont Park
Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Morton
St. Philomena, Lansdowne
St. Pius X, Broomall
Resurrection of Our Lord (1911-1993), Chester
St. Robert (1922-1993), Chester
St. Rose of Lima, Eddystone
Sacred Heart (Polish), Clifton Heights
Sacred Heart, Manoa
St Anthony of Padua (1908-1993), Chester
St. Thomas of Villanova, Villanova
St. Thomas the Apostle, Chester Heights

[edit] Delaware County High Schools

[edit] Montgomery County - Rev. Msgr. Arthur E. Rodgers

St. Albert the Great, Huntingdon Valley
St. Aloysius, Pottstown
St. Alphonsus, Maple Glen
St. Anthony of Padua, Ambler
St. Augustine, Bridgeport
Blessed Teresa of Calcutta, Limerick
St. Catherine of Siena, Horsham
St. Clare (1963-2006), Linfield
St. Colman, Ardmore
Corpus Christi, Upper Gwynedd
SS. Cosmas and Damian (Italian), Conshohocken
St. David, Willow Grove
St. Eleanor, Collegeville
Epiphany of Our Lord, Plymouth Meeting
St. Francis of Assisi, Norristown
St. Gabriel of the Sorrowful Mother, Stowe
St. Genevieve, Flourtown
St. Gertrude, West Conshohocken
St. Helena, Blue Bell
St. Hilary of Poitiers, Rydal
Holy Martyrs, Oreland
Holy Saviour (Italian), Norristown
Holy Trinity (Slovak) (1899-2004), Pottstown
Immaculate Conception B.V.M, Jenkintown
St. James, Elkins Park
St. John Baptist Vianney, Gladwyne
St. John of the Cross, Roslyn
St. Joseph, Ambler
St. Joseph, Cheltenham
St. Justin Martyr, Narberth
St. Luke the Evangelist, Glenside
St. Margaret, Narberth
St. Maria Goretti, Hatfield
St. Mary, Conshohocken
St. Mary, Schwenksville
Mary, Mother of the Redeemer, North Wales
St. Matthew, Conshohocken
St. Matthias, Bala Cynwyd
Mother of Divine Providence, King of Prussia
Our Lady Help of Christians, Abington
Our Lady of Mount Carmel (Italian), Bridgeport
Our Mother of Good Counsel, Bryn Mawr
Our Mother of Sorrows (1926-2001), Bridgeport
St. Patrick, Norristown
St. Paul, Norristown
St. Peter (1924-2006), Pottstown
St. Philip Neri, Pennsburg
St. Philip Neri, Lafayette Hill
Presentation B.V.M., Cheltenham
Presentation B.V.M., Wynnewood
Queen of Peace, Ardsley
St. Rose of Lima, North Wales
Sacred Heart, Royersford
Sacred Heart (Polish), Swedesburg
Seven Dolors (1916-2003), Glenside
St. Stanislaus, Lansdale
St. Teresa of Avila, Norristown
St. Titus, East Norristown
Visitation B.V.M., Trooper

[edit] Montgomery County High Schools

[edit] Private High Schools

Though not funded or operated by the Diocese, the following independent schools operate with the blessing and spiritual support of the Diocese:

Academy of Notre Dame de Namur, Villanova
Country Day School of the Sacred Heart, Bryn Mawr
Devon Preparatory School, Devon
Gwynedd Mercy Academy High School, Gwynedd Valley
Holy Ghost Preparatory School, Bensalem
La Salle College High School, Wyndmoor
Malvern Preparatory School, Malvern
Mercy Vocational High School, Philadelphia
Merion Mercy Academy, Merion
Mount Saint Joseph Academy, Flourtown
Nazareth Academy High School, Philadelphia
Saint Joseph's Preparatory School, Philadelphia
Villa Joseph Marie High School, Holland
Villa Maria Academy, Malvern

[edit] Trivia

Trivia sections are discouraged under Wikipedia guidelines.
The article could be improved by integrating relevant items and removing inappropriate ones.

It is the only Metropolitan See in the United States that had two residents, Bishop John Neumann and Mother Katharine Drexel, elevated to sainthood. Philadelphia can also lay partial claim to Mother Cabrini, for whom the suburban college is named and who visited on numerous occasions. She started an orphanage and an Italian national parish that still is functioning today, St. Donato's in West Philadelphia.
Every Bishop, Archbishop, or Cardinal-Archbishop who reigned before 1961 has had a secondary (high) school named in his honor.
Through the tireless work of St. John Neumann the first unified system of Catholic education under a diocesan board began in Philadelphia in 1852.
Philadelphia is site of the first free Catholic high school for boys, and girls, in the United States. The "Roman Catholic High School for Boys" was founded for the education of boys in 1890 (often referred to frequently as "Roman Catholic", occasionally as "Catholic High", or most commonly as "Roman"). The "Catholic Girls High School" was founded in 1911. Mrs. Mary McMichan, one of the schools founders, requested in her last will that the school be renamed in honor of her brother. The school became "John W. Hallahan Catholic Girls High School" after her death. Both schools are still in existence.
In 1934 Dennis, Cardinal Dougherty banned all Catholics in the archdiocese from entering a movie theater "under pain of mortal sin" due to what was then perceived as increasing licentiousness in American films. The ban was never officially lifted. (As found in, "A faith in flux," Philadelphia Inquirer, Sun, Jun. 04, 2006.
Due to the beatification and sainthood of Bishop Neumann and a later school merger, Saints John Neumann and Maria Goretti High School has had more name changes than any other diocesan high school. Its previous names include: South Catholic High School, Bishop John Neumann High School, Blessed John Neumann High School, and St. John Neumann High School.

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

Archdiocese of Philadelphia Website
Roman Catholic High School
John W. Hallahan Catholic Girls High School
Saints John Neumann and Maria Goretti High School
Listing on Catholic-Hierarchy.Org
Coat of Arms of His Eminence Justin, Cardinal Rigali
"Archdiocese of Philadelphia". Catholic Encyclopedia. (1913). New York: Robert Appleton Company.

v • d • e

Roman Catholic Ecclesiastical Provinces in the United States

Anchorage · Atlanta · Baltimore · Boston · Chicago · Cincinnati · Denver · Detroit · Dubuque · Galveston-Houston · Hartford · Indianapolis · Kansas City · Los Angeles · Louisville · Miami · Milwaukee · Mobile · New Orleans · New York · Newark · Oklahoma City · Omaha · Philadelphia · Portland · Saint Louis · Saint Paul and Minneapolis · San Antonio · San Francisco · Santa Fe · Seattle · Washington

Categories: Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia | Christianity in Philadelphia | Religious organizations established in 1808

Hidden category: Articles with trivia sections from July 2007