Chaput: More study needed on five city church closings; nine in suburbs to remain independent

The Archdiocese of Philadelphia needs more time to consider the fates of five churches in the Lower Northeast, part of a long-term study of how to stabilize and sustain parishes while demographics shift, finances and congregations dwindle, and buildings leak and crumble.

In an announcement read Sunday to congregants at Mother of Divine Grace, Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish, Our Lady Help of Christians, Saint Adalbert Parish, and St. George Parish, all largely in or near Port Richmond, Archbishop Charles J. Chaput acknowledged that the "complex and difficult issues . . . will require further study and discussion before any final decisions are made."

Meanwhile, he delivered definitive news regarding nine suburban parishes - three in Delaware County and six in Montgomery County, declaring they would continue on independently.

Chaput's decision to further analyze conditions at five Philadelphia parishes reflects the conundrums faced by parish pastors who met with archdiocesan officials over several months in the fall and winter to come up with a plan that might reduce the five to two or three.

In the end, the leaders determined the complex interweaving of parish size, ethnicity, finances, and other factors made a decision virtually impossible to render.

They agreed to accept whatever decision the archdiocese might make.

"It's an extremely unique situation," said the Rev. Dennis Z. Fedak, who serves as pastor of both Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Our Lady Help of Christians, and who has participated in the lengthy study.

"I know we'll survive. What it looks like down the road, who knows?" he said. "But we have an advantage here in that these are all neighborhood parishes. Everyone knows everyone. They might not be best friends, but everyone knows each other."

Fedak said there was no simple solution for the archdiocese in looking at the neighborhood. That said, he believed all the parishes could survive.

Kenneth A. Gavin, archdiocesan spokesman, said Sunday the "parishes in the city are not in an emergency situation in that there need to be mergers."

He said Chaput's decision essentially gave more time to study the situation. That wasn't needed in the case of the suburban parishes.

In Delaware County, Holy Cross, St. Francis of Assisi, and St. Kevin, all in Springfield, "will remain open and independent but will need to continue to look at ways they can address the challenges they face," Chaput announced.

In Montgomery County, Holy Martyrs in Oreland, St. Alphonsus in Maple Glen, St. Anthony of Padua in Ambler, St. Catherine of Siena in Horsham, St. Genevieve in Flourtown, and St. Joseph in Ambler all "currently appear to be financially and pastorally viable." No mergers are contemplated there.

The announcement read in parishes Sunday was part of a church planning process that dates to 2010.

Since then, the five-county archdiocese has been cut from 266 parishes to 219.

Gavin said the diocese was "not looking to pare down to a set number" of parishes.

He said the next round of deliberations and consultations should begin in the fall, as the archdiocese methodically looks at all of its parishes.

The process should be complete in the next few years, he said.

Fedak said he tried to explain to his parishioners that the future was still uncertain.

That may be, but "they seemed pretty pleased not to be closing in July."

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