Country United States Founder(s) Father John Wall Phone +1 610-444-4364 | Denomination Roman Catholic Opened 25 December 1869 | |
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Location Kennett Square, Pennsylvania Founded December 25, 1869 (1869-12-25) Address 212 Meredith St, Kennett Square, PA 19348, USA Diocese Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia Similar Episcopal Church of the Advent, Longwood Gardens, Old Kennett Meetinghouse, Kennett Flash, Saint Patrick Visitor Ce | ||
St. Patrick Church is a Roman Catholic church in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania. The church is located at 212 Meredith Street. Named in honor of Saint Patrick, it is part of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia. It was founded December, 1869.
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History
Kennett Square area Catholics attended Mass at St. Joseph's on the Brandywine in Delaware up until the mid-1800s. The Roman Catholic Diocese of Wilmington was formed in the late 1860s, leaving Kennett Square area Catholics without a church within their own diocese.
Father John Wall, a missionary from Saint Thomas the Apostle Church in Delaware County collected funding and erected the original St. Patrick Church on South State Street. It was the first Catholic parish in southern Chester County.
On Christmas Day of 1869, the first Mass was held. On September 1, 1872, Archbishop Wood dedicated the church. The building was in use for over 35 years, eventually replaced by the present building on Meredith Street which was consecrated in 1907.
Stained Glass Windows
The stained glass windows of St. Patrick were imported from Munich, Germany. They number five on either side of the building with a triple-window facing Meredith Street. The subjects of the windows were chosen by Father John H. O'Donel and are as follows:
Pews
The pews of St. Patrick are constructed of solid red oak. It is estimated that to duplicate a single pew today would cost thousands of dollars.
School
St. Patrick School wS the school of the St. Patrick parish. Formed in 1922, the original school was staffed by the Sisters of Saint Joseph. Later, the school taught grades 1 through 8 and offered kindergarten and preschool programs as well.