Cornelia Connelly, S.H.C.J.

Since March 8th is International Women's Day, it felt right to share the story of one of Philadelphia’s own: Cornelia Connelly, Foundress of the Society of the Holy Child of Jesus. Cornelia Augusta Peacock Connelly was born on January 15, 1809, to Ralph Peacock and Mary Swope Bowen. Tragedy struck

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Philadelphia’s First Catholic Cathedral

  Old St. Mary’s traces its history to 1763, when a second church was needed for the growing number of Catholics in the city. Built on land originally bought to serve as a cemetery for Old St. Joseph’s, Old St. Mary’s was referred to as “Mission Number 1” as St.

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St. Peter Claver

On March 26, 1889, Archbishop Patrick Ryan wrote to Mother Katharine Drexel to inform her that he had secured a priest to minister to the Black Catholics in Philadelphia.[1] There had been a growing need for a dedicated ministry for some time. Throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, Black Catholics

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Day of Great Joy: Sisters of St. Joseph in Philadelphia

Bishop Kenrick wrote that May 4, 1847 was a day of great joy for the Diocese of Philadelphia because it was on that day after weeks of traveling across the country from St. Louis, the Sisters of St. Joseph arrived to take control of St. John’s Orphanage.[1] Bishop Kenrick had

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