Archdiocese Releases Full List of Church Closures

Officials with the Archdiocese of Philadelphia revealed the fates of 46 churches in our area.

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The Archdiocese announced their decisions to merge parishes in Philadelphia, Delaware, Montgomery and Bucks counties.

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Many Catholics attending services throughout the region this weekend learned the fate of their parish as priests revealed which churches the Archdiocese of Philadelphia would close.

Earlier this week it emerged that Notre Dame de Lourdes in Swarthmore would close, a rumor that was confirmed to parishioners Saturday. The church will close June 30.

"We's been here for almost 38 years," said Laura Peterson. "So I've watched my children grow here and be baptized here and be married here!"

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The parish will merge with Our Lady of Peace, which is located in nearby Milmont Park.

A committee -- made up of lay persons, priests and Archdiocesan personnel -- presented Archbishop Charles Chaput with three possible recommendations for each parish: to merge, to complete additional evaluations in the future or maintain their current structure and develop a plan for long-term sustainability.

Here is the full list of churches and the decisions that were made:

Notre Dame de Lourdes	99 Fairview Road, Swarthmore	Delaware County	Closing; Merging with Our Lady of Peace in Milmont Park
Sacred Heart	316 E. Broadway Ave, Clifton Heights	Delaware County	Staying Open
St. Eugene	200 S. Oak Ave., Primos	Delaware County	Staying Open
St. Joseph	500 Woodlawn Ave, Collingdale	Delaware County	Staying Open
Holy Spirit Catholic Church	1028 School St., Sharon Hill	Delaware County	Closing; Merging with St. George
St. George	22 E Cooke Ave, Glenolden	Delaware County	Staying Open
Our Lady of Perpetual Help	2130 Franklin Ave, Morton	Delaware County	Staying Open
Our Lady of Fatima	1 Fatima Drive, Secane	Delaware County	Staying Open
St. Gabriel Roman Catholic Church	233 Mohawk Ave., Norwood	Delaware County	Staying Open
Our Lady of Peace	501 Belmont Ave., Milmont Park	Delaware County	Staying Open
St. Rose of Lima	1901 Chester Pike, Eddystone	Delaware County	Staying Open
St. Madeline	105 Park St, Ridley Park	Delaware County	Staying Open
St. Margaret Mary Alacoque	500 Wanamaker Ave., Essington	Delaware County	Closing; Merging with St. Gabriel
St. Luke the Evangelist	2316 Fairhill Ave, Glenside	Montgomery County	Staying Open
Queen of Peace	820 North Hills Ave., Ardsley	Montgomery County	Staying Open
St. John of the Cross	2741 Woodland Road, Roslyn	Montgomery County	Closing, Merging With Queen of Peace
St. David	316 Easton Road, Willow Grove	Montgomery County	Staying Open
Mother of Divine Providence	333 Allendale Road, King of Prussia	Montgomery County	Staying Open
Our Lady of Mount Carmel	502 Ford St., Bridgeport	Montgomery County	Closing, Merging With Sacred Heart
St. Augustine	464 Ford St., Bridgeport	Montgomery County	Closing, Merging with Sacred Heart
Sacred Heart	120 Jefferson St., Swedesburg	Montgomery County	Staying Open
St. Gertrude	209 Merion Ave., West Conshohocken	Montgomery County	Closing; Merging with Saint Matthew
St. Mary	140 W. Hector St., Conshohocken	Montgomery County	Closing; Merging with Saint Matthew
St. Matthew	219 Fayette St., Conshohocken	Montgomery County	Staying Open
SS. Cosmas and Damian	209 W. 5th Ave., Conshohocken	Montgomery County	Closing; Merging with Saint Matthew
St. Charles Borromeo	1704 Bristol Pike, Bensalem	Bucks County	Staying Open
St. Elizabeth Ann Seton	1200 Park Ave., Bensalem	Bucks County	Closing; Merging with St. Thomas Aquinas in Croydon
St. Thomas Aquinas	601 Bristol Pike, Croydon	Bucks County	Staying Open
Our Lady of Fatima	2913 Street Road, Bensalem	Bucks County	Closing, Merging with St. Charles Borromeo
St. Ann	357 Dorrance St., Bristol	Bucks County	Closing; Merging with St. Mark
St. Mark	1025 Radcliffe St., Bristol	Bucks County	Staying Open
St. Ephrem	5400 Hulmeville Road, Bensalem	Bucks County	Staying Open
Immaculate Conception B.V.M.	5201 Emilie Road, Levittown	Bucks County	Closing; Merging with Queen of the Universe
St. Michael the Archangel	66 Levittown Parkway, Levittown	Bucks County	Staying Open
Our Lady of Grace	225 Bellevue Ave., Penndel	Bucks County	Staying Open
Queen of the Universe	2443 Trenton Road, Levittown	Bucks County	Staying Open
St. Frances Cabrini	325 S Oxford Valley Road,  Fairless Hills	Bucks County	Staying Open
St. Joseph the Worker	9172 New Falls Road, Levittown	Bucks County	Closing; Merging with St. Frances Cabrini
St Charles Borromeo Parish	902 S. 20th St.	Philadelphia	Staying Open
St. Rita of Cascia	1166 S. Broad St.	Philadelphia	Staying Open
St. Gabriel	2917 Dickinson St	Philadelphia	Staying Open
St. Thomas Aquinas	1719 Morris St.	Philadelphia	Staying Open
St Edmond Parish	2130 S. 21st St.	Philadelphia	Closing, Merging with St. Monica
St. Monica	2422 S 17th St	Philadelphia	Staying Open
St. Richard	3010 S. 18th St	Philadelphia	Staying Open
Holy Spirit	1845 Hartranft St.	Philadelphia	Closing, Merging With St. Richard

After the mergers become effective, there will be 219 parishes in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.

"The mergers being announced today are due to a number of factors including a shift in Catholic population, a high density of parishes in a small area, as well as declines in Mass attendance, Sacramental activity, the availability of priests to staff parishes, and a review of facilities," said Archdiocese spokesman Kenneth Gavin in a released statement. "In each instance of a merger, parishioners will attend daily and Sunday Mass at the church of the newly formed parish. The church(es) of the former parish(es) will become a worship site(es). Worship sites will be utilized for weddings, funerals and feast days, as well as traditional and ethnic devotions. Sunday Mass may also be celebrated at worship sites at the discretion of the pastor and the newly formed pastoral council and depending upon the availability of clergy."