Immaculate Conception Roman Catholic Church (Northern Liberties), Philadelphia
Encyclopedia
The Immaculate Conception Roman Catholic Church is located at Front and Allen Streets in Philadelphia, PA 19123 in the Northern Liberties, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
section of the city. The parish was founded in 1869, under the leadership of Bishop James Frederick Wood
. Twenty-five years earlier, two Catholic parishes within about a mile of the church—St. Augustine Church, Philadelphia
at 4th and Vine and St. Michael http://www.saintmichael.catholicweb.com/ at 2nd and Jefferson—were burnt to the ground in violent anti-Catholic nativist riots
.
At the time of its founding, the area surrounding the church was largely composed of row houses which were home to Irish immigrants (although the ground for the church complex itself had earlier housed a spoke factory at Front and Canal (now Allen) Streets). Later the area became industrialized through the early part of the twentieth century.
In the early 1970s, much of it was gutted by the construction of Interstate 95 in Pennsylvania
which emptied five blocks in the parish of houses and caused the demolition of houses on many other blocks in the way of the road. Now the area is undergoing gentrification with thousands of newly constructed and rehabilitated housing units as well as an increased workforce with the arrival, about three blocks from the church, of the SugarHouse Casino which anticipates an ultimate workforce of 1,500 full and part time positions and is planning an onsite hotel. (As for housing, the local Northern Liberties Neighborhood Association estimates an increase of close to 10,000 new residents in the area since 2000.)
In the spring of 2000, Immaculate Conception was twinned with St. Michael's parish (two of the 22 parishes twinned at the time) and a single pastor was appointed for both churches.
In February 2011, it was announced by the then-parochial administrator, Reverend Eugene C. Wilson, and the Vicar for the Philadelphia-South portion of the Archdiocese, Monsignor Kevin Lawrence, that the status of the church would be changed from that of a twinned parish to that of a worship site of St. Michael's; this means that, while the church would be used for Sunday Masses, and occasional sacramental celebrations, such as weddings, funerals and baptisms, it would no longer be an independent parish. This change, described in the parish bulletin, was completed as of July 1, 2011. The last administrator of the parish was Msgr. John J. Miller, who filled the same position at St. Michael's Parish.
There was no immediate change in the Mass schedule because of the change from parish to worship site: Mass at Immaculate Conception is said once each week, at 10 a.m. on Sundays in the church; on holydays from Monday through Friday, there is a noon Mass in the church. The daily Mass chapel in the rectory had been unavailable for some time, prior to the suppression, because Auxiliary Bishop John McIntyre
of Philadelphia had begun to reside in the former parish rectory.
Immediately prior to its suppression, the parish boundaries encompassed the area from Delaware River at Susquehanna Ave. south to Green St. then west to 3rd St., north to Girard Ave. and east to Susquehanna Ave. to Delaware River. Any Catholic living in this area would normally have been a member of the parish. In addition to the portion of the parish in Northern Liberties, much of it was in Fishtown, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
.
References:
Northern Liberties, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
-Boundaries:Northern Liberties is located north of Center City and is bordered by Girard Avenue to the north; Callowhill Street to the south; North 6th Street to the west; and the Delaware River to the east...
section of the city. The parish was founded in 1869, under the leadership of Bishop James Frederick Wood
James Frederick Wood
James Frederick Bryan Wood was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He was the fifth Bishop and first Archbishop of Philadelphia, serving between 1860 and his death in 1883.-Early life:...
. Twenty-five years earlier, two Catholic parishes within about a mile of the church—St. Augustine Church, Philadelphia
St. Augustine Church, Philadelphia
St. Augustine Catholic Church, also called Olde St. Augustine's, is a historic Catholic church in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Consecrated in 1848, the Palladian-style church was designed by Napoleon LeBrun. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.The church was...
at 4th and Vine and St. Michael http://www.saintmichael.catholicweb.com/ at 2nd and Jefferson—were burnt to the ground in violent anti-Catholic nativist riots
Philadelphia Nativist Riots
The Philadelphia Nativist Riots were a series of riots that took place between May 6 and 8 and July 6 and 7, 1844, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, and the adjacent districts of Kensington and Southwark...
.
At the time of its founding, the area surrounding the church was largely composed of row houses which were home to Irish immigrants (although the ground for the church complex itself had earlier housed a spoke factory at Front and Canal (now Allen) Streets). Later the area became industrialized through the early part of the twentieth century.
In the early 1970s, much of it was gutted by the construction of Interstate 95 in Pennsylvania
Interstate 95 in Pennsylvania
Interstate 95 is an Interstate highway running from Miami, Florida north to Houlton, Maine. In the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, the route is known by many as the Delaware Expressway, but is officially named The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway. and locally known as "95"...
which emptied five blocks in the parish of houses and caused the demolition of houses on many other blocks in the way of the road. Now the area is undergoing gentrification with thousands of newly constructed and rehabilitated housing units as well as an increased workforce with the arrival, about three blocks from the church, of the SugarHouse Casino which anticipates an ultimate workforce of 1,500 full and part time positions and is planning an onsite hotel. (As for housing, the local Northern Liberties Neighborhood Association estimates an increase of close to 10,000 new residents in the area since 2000.)
In the spring of 2000, Immaculate Conception was twinned with St. Michael's parish (two of the 22 parishes twinned at the time) and a single pastor was appointed for both churches.
In February 2011, it was announced by the then-parochial administrator, Reverend Eugene C. Wilson, and the Vicar for the Philadelphia-South portion of the Archdiocese, Monsignor Kevin Lawrence, that the status of the church would be changed from that of a twinned parish to that of a worship site of St. Michael's; this means that, while the church would be used for Sunday Masses, and occasional sacramental celebrations, such as weddings, funerals and baptisms, it would no longer be an independent parish. This change, described in the parish bulletin, was completed as of July 1, 2011. The last administrator of the parish was Msgr. John J. Miller, who filled the same position at St. Michael's Parish.
There was no immediate change in the Mass schedule because of the change from parish to worship site: Mass at Immaculate Conception is said once each week, at 10 a.m. on Sundays in the church; on holydays from Monday through Friday, there is a noon Mass in the church. The daily Mass chapel in the rectory had been unavailable for some time, prior to the suppression, because Auxiliary Bishop John McIntyre
John J. McIntyre (bishop)
John J. McIntyre is an American Roman Catholic priest. He was appointed an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia by Pope Benedict XVI on June 8, 2010 and ordained on August 6, 2010.-Biography:...
of Philadelphia had begun to reside in the former parish rectory.
Immediately prior to its suppression, the parish boundaries encompassed the area from Delaware River at Susquehanna Ave. south to Green St. then west to 3rd St., north to Girard Ave. and east to Susquehanna Ave. to Delaware River. Any Catholic living in this area would normally have been a member of the parish. In addition to the portion of the parish in Northern Liberties, much of it was in Fishtown, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Fishtown, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Fishtown is a neighborhood in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Located immediately northeast of Center City, its borders are somewhat disputed today due to many factors, but are roughly defined by the triangle created by the Delaware River, Frankford Avenue, and York Street...
.
External links
- Archdiocesan Website Listing of Parish
- Facebook Page Devoted to Parish History and Current Events
- Map and Photo of Church from Google Maps
- Photos of Church and Architecture
References:
- Available at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary Parish History Collection CALL NUMBER: PH0062
- Celebrating Our 125th Anniversary, 1869 - 1994: Immaculate Conception Parish.” (1995.023)
- Immaculate Conception Parish Centennial, 1869-1969. (MC84)
- Website listing materials in seminary collection for parish