Religion
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Jenkintown Sisters Stand With Ukrainian Amputee Veteran
In Jenkintown, faith and friendship are helping a wounded soldier rebuild his life, writes Chris Herlinger for National Catholic Reporter. Vladislav Yaremenko, a 29-year-old Ukrainian army veteran who lost both legs in the war, is recovering while awaiting prosthetics. Regular visits from Sr. Dia Zagurska and other members of the Sisters of the Order of…
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Bill Atkinson: The Life and Impact of the Catholic Church’s First Quadriplegic Priest
Rev. Robert P. Hagan, O.S.A., was inspired to become an Augustinian priest because of Father Bill Atkinson’s own incredible relationship with God. Rev. Hagan, a Drexel Hill native, serves as the Prior Provincial at The Augustinian Province of St. Thomas of Villanova. He spoke about the life and canonization of Father Atkinson back in June…
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St. Hedwig Church in Chester Will No Longer Be a Catholic Church
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…
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St. Aloysius Academy in Bryn Mawr Celebrates 130th Anniversary
St. Aloysius Academy in Bryn Mawr is celebrating 130 years of faith and learning in the community, reports Bob Kelly for FOX 29 Philadelphia. “We’re here 130 years,” said Sister Margaret Fagan IHM, St. Aloysius Academy Principal. “What a tradition at St. Aloysius Academy.” The celebratory week was filled with fun events that ranged from…
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Villanova University VP Father DePrinzio Gets Papal Assignment in Rome
Villanova University’s Father DePrinzio has kept in touch with Robert Prevost, now Pope Leo XIV, since they met more than 20 years ago. Now, Villanova’s vice president of Campus Mission and Ministry has received a divine assignment to serve in Rome, writes Christie Illeto for 6abc. “Very humbling – it still hasn’t even quite sunk…
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Aston’s Sisters of St. Francis, Around for 170 Years, Is Fading
The Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia in Aston have been around for 170 years. They survived the Civil War, the 1918 flu, the Great Depression, two World Wars, and a dramatic shift in American culture. Now it’s unclear how much longer the 270 sisters can go on, writes Zoe Greenberg for The Philadelphia Inquirer. “It…
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Holy Redeemer Church and School’s Nearly 85-Year Legacy in Philadelphia, and Challenges Ahead
For nearly 85 years, Holy Redeemer Church and School in Callowhill has served as a beacon of light for parishioners, particularly for Philadelphia’s Chinese community, writes Kaiden J. Yu for The Philadelphia Inquirer. In October 1941, Holy Redeemer Chinese Catholic Church and School was dedicated, becoming the first Catholic church in the Western Hemisphere to…
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Religious Sisters from Ukraine Arrive in Montco to Help Host Annual Summer Camp
The Sisters of St. Basil the Great in Montgomery County welcomed religious sisters from Ukraine to help host their annual summer camp and pray for global peace, reports Matteo Iadonisi for 6abc. The visit is part of a long-standing partnership the Montgomery County order maintains with sisters around the world. “We came from Ukraine for…
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Pope Leo XIV Happily Takes Eagles Hat but Chooses Not to Wear It
Pope Leo XIV, who has spent time in Delaware County as a Villanova University student, was offered a Philadelphia Eagles hat as a gift from a Philadelphia delegation that met him in the Vatican on Wednesday morning, writes Joe Brandt for CBS News Philadelphia. His Holiness was seen smiling and shaking hands with Philadelphia Archbishop…
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This South Philadelphia Reverend First Introduced Pope Leo XIV to Rome Decades Ago
Newly-elected Pope Leo XIV recently held his first Mass in the Sistine Chapel, but this was not his first foray around Rome. In fact, it was a South Philadelphia priest who first introduced the new pope to the city decades ago, writes Joe Brandt for CBS News Philadelphia. Rev. Paul Galetto, pastor at St. Paul…
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Pope Leo XIV Turns Down Villanova Commencement Speech Invite
Villanova University President, the Rev. Peter M. Donohue, took a chance this week when he sent an email to Pope Leo XIV asking if he’d be free to speak at next year’s commencement exercises. “Very funny,” Pope Leo XIV responded. “I don’t think I’m going to be able to do that.” Still, Rev. Donohue isn’t…
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Villanova Graduate Robert Francis Prevost Named First American Pope
Robert Francis Prevost, a Villanova University graduate and a Chicago native, was chosen as the first American pope in history to lead the Catholic church as Pope Leo XIV. Prevost graduated from Villanova University with a bachelor’s degree in mathematics in 1977, writes Tom Dougherty for CBS News Philadelphia. “As an Augustinian Catholic institution, we…
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Delaware County Boy’s Life Changed After Pope’s Blessing
Conall Harvey of Delaware County received a face-to-face blessing from Pope Francis in 2015 that his family considers a miracle, writes Tracy Davidson and Emily Rose Grassi for NBC 10 Philadelphia. Harvey, now a teenager, had been a recent amputee living with Sepsis and Leukemia when he attended mass during the Pope’s 2015 visit to…
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VFTCB Sends ‘Freedom from Hunger’ Update to Pope Francis, Receives Blessedly Encouraging Reply
Publisher’s Note: This post from our archives is shared in memory of Pope Francis, who passed away this morning at age 88, honoring his lasting impact on our region and the enduring legacy of his Philadelphia visit in 2015. When the Valley Forge Tourism & Convention Board (VFTCB) started its Freedom from Hunger food drive…
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Beloved Pastor, Plymouth Meeting’s Father Kilgallon Remembered
Father John J. Kilgallon, 81, of Plymouth Meeting, a beloved Catholic priest, educator, and former pastor, died on Dec. 26 from complications of pneumonia, reports Gary Miles for the Philadelphia Inquirer. Ordained in 1969, Father Kilgallon served as a parochial vicar at several parishes, including St. Patrick in Malvern, Our Mother of Sorrows in Philadelphia,…
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Rabbanit Leah Sarna’s Historic Installation Marks Progress for Orthodox Women
This weekend, Lower Merion’s Rabbanit Leah Sarna will be installed as the first senior rabbinic leader of Kehillat Sha’arei Orah, an Orthodox synagogue in Bala Cynwyd, reports Rabba Sara Hurwitz for The Jerusalem Post. The milestone is not only a celebration for her local community but also a groundbreaking achievement for Orthodox women everywhere. Since…
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Glenside Man Appointed to Leadership Role in Archdiocese’s Child and Youth Protection Office
Robert Blake, a social worker from Glenside, is the new Assistant Director of Office for Child and Youth Protection in Archdiocese of Philadelphia, writes Gia Myers for Catholic Philly. After working in family and child case management and foster care for years, Blake now aims to “protect children and youth from harm and abuse” working…
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‘Free Exercise’ Documentary on Religious Liberty Makes Philadelphia Premiere on Tuesday
During the summer of 1844, rising anti-Catholic sentiment in Philadelphia boiled into the streets of Kensington and Southwark, leaving 14 dead and dozens injured. It was hardly an isolated incident. From the mid-19th century and well into the 20th century, Catholics were the target of nativist factions that sought to keep them from practicing…
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