The Philadelphia Archdiocese has declared that St. Hedwig Church in Chester will no longer be used as a Catholic church, writes Cory Sharber for WHYY.
Philadelphia Archbishop Nelson J. Perez approved the relegation on Sunday of the 100+-year-old church to “profane but not sordid use,” effective Jan. 1, 2026.
That means it will no longer be designated as a Roman Catholic church and can be used for nonreligious purposes considered appropriate by the church.
Future decisions regarding the church building will be made by their pastor.
St. Hedwig was founded in 1902. It has been holding Mass for more than 125 years.
The parish was hit with a boiler failure in 2023, requiring $60,000 in repairs that it could not afford.
Attendance has also been dropping, with only 30 to 40 people in the pews in more recent years.
The Archdiocese suspended services on Dec. 31, 2023, indicating there were other places nearby to worship, including the church of St. Joseph in Aston.
The Archdiocese of Philadelphia closed several churches in Philadelphia, Chester, and Montgomery counties in 2022. Two Catholic high schools in the region were also closed in 2021.
Read more about the status of St. Hedwig Church in Chester at WHYY.
