Community Corner

Archdiocese: All Parishes Will Be Re-Evaluated in Coming Years

Parishes in the Philadelphia area will also be re-evaluated for restructuring and merging in the next couple of years.

Archdiocese of Philadelphia officials said Friday that all parishes will be examined for potential restructing in the next two to four years.

A letter was already sent to area parishes that was obtained by Mt. Airy Patch recommends that St. Therese of the Child Jesus (6611 Ardleigh St.), which is in East Mt. Airy, close by July 1. It also said it wants St. Madeline Sophie in West Mt. Airy (at 6440 Greene St.) to either close or become a worship site.

However, Archdiocese spokesman Kenneth Gavin said in an email that "all parishes will be examined over the next two to four years." There are two parishes in the Marple Newtown Patch area– in Newtown Square and in Broomall.

Find out what's happening in Marple Newtownwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

He told Patch that he didn't think an immediate announcement would be made about the parishes in question in the letter.

A news release from the Archdiocese indicated that parishes in 22 of 44 planning areas would begin to consider strategic changes over the course of the next three years.

Find out what's happening in Marple Newtownwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The process, according to the release, is supposed to be one in which each parish "clearly defines its identity, mission, and goals while working to determine if it has the resources required for sustained operation."

The letter, however, gives a more immediate timetable than that, since it says some churches could close by the early July date.

To read the full letter, click .


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