Philadelphia’s First Catholic Cathedral

...ad authority to appoint priests to a church would continue into Bishop Conwell’s tenure. The Hogan schism under Conwell was such a problem that the issue would go all the way to the Pope to be resolved in 1822. Nevertheless, when Bishop Kenrick (then coadjutor bishop) appointed himself as pastor

Continue reading

Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception

...ception; CHRC While mainly a story of the Church in Washington D.C., Philadelphia would have a number of important connections to the building of the shrine, including Reverend Bernard McKenna, who acted as Shahan’s secretary from 1915-1929 and then as the first director of the shrine from 1929-1933.[6] McKenna was

Continue reading

Parish and School Closing

...2, Anthony Cardinal Bevilacqua announced plans to examine the closing of a number of parishes in North Philadelphia and the city of Chester. Both areas saw a major decrease in parishioners, with both areas losing around 60% of registered members from 1970 to 1990. Due to this and lingering financial

Continue reading

Archbishop Ryan

...ee of the Most Reverend Patrick John Ryan, D.D., LL.D. Archbishop of Philadelphia, (Philadelphia: St. Dominic’s Rectory, 1897), 215. [4] Cowley, Silver Jubilee, 215. [5] Kirlin, Golden Jubilee, 12. [6] Kirlin, Golden Jubilee, 32 & 34. [7] Ryan, His Life and Times, 172 [8] “Dedication of The Roman Catholic High

Continue reading