Religion
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Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary Downsizing: A 150-Year Legacy Finds New Homes for Art
After 150 years, Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary is downsizing, reports Joe Holden for CBS Philadelphia. The Catholic seminary is moving from its sprawling 73-acre campus in Lower Merion to a much smaller space in Ambler. There are a lot of moving parts in a transition this big. Some things, however, will not be moving along…
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Former Penn Valley Rabbi, Longtime Advocate in Israel, Andrew M. Sacks, Remembered
Andrew M. Sacks, former rabbi at Congregation Beth Am Israel in Penn Valley and Jewish leader in Israel, passed away in June at the age of 70, writes Gary Miles for The Philadelphia Inquirer. Sacks was known as a fierce and tireless activist for religious pluaralism, social justice, and environmental responsbility. He spent three decades…
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Renowned Wynnewood Theologian and Poetry Expert Passes Away at 92
Norman A. Hjelm, of Wynnewood, a Lutheran pastor, Christian theologian, and an expert poet, died on February 13 at Lankenau Medical Center aged 92, writes Gary Miles for The Philadelphia Inquirer. Hjelm, who was also a writer, senior editor, and educator, was an energetic intellectual who championed the union of Christian churches worldwide and said…
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Father Bill Atkinson’s Road to Sainthood Now Includes 3 Bronze Sculptures
Supporters for the canonization of Father Bill Atkinson are memorializing his legacy with three bronze sculptures. The late Father Atkinson is an Upper Darby native, and the Catholic Church’s first quadriplegic priest, writes Peg DeGrassa for the Daily Times. Atkinson was both a student and a teacher at Monsignor Bonner High School. Artist Timothy Schmalz…
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Minister in Valley Forge, Hall of Fame Distance Runner Remembered for His Passion for Both Religion and Sports
Norman M. Green Jr., retired Baptist minister and a distance runner who had a bench dedicated in his honor near the Betzwood Bridge entrance to the Schuylkill River Trail, is being remembered for both his passion for religion and for sports, writes Gary Miles for The Philadelphia Inquirer. Green, who was also a celebrated USA…
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Lansdale Catholic High School Alum Named Next Bishop of the Diocese of Harrisburg
Bishop Timothy Senior — product of multiple Montgomery County connections — has been named by Pope Francis as the next bishop of the Diocese of Harrisburg. Tyler Arnold reported the new role for the Catholic News Agency. Senior is a 1977 graduate of Lansdale Catholic High School and is currently the chancellor of St. Charles…
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Lansdale Muslim Community Celebrates Start of Ramadan, A Faith-Filled Lesson in Patience
On March 23, the Lansdale Muslim community has celebrated the start of Ramadan, the Muslim holy month, reported Rose Itzcovitz for WFMZ 69 News. For 29 days, those practicing fast from sunrise to sunset. They eat no food and drink no water before iftar, their first meal of the day, which they have at sundown.…
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Norristown Islamic Society Kicks Off Ramadan with Arts & Crafts
The Norristown Islamic Society observed the start of Ramadan last Wednesday in a crafty way. Ramadan is celebrated for a month by people who practice the Islamic faith. During this month, Muslims fast — that is, they forego all food and water from sunrise to sunset, writes Heather Khalifa for The Philadelphia Inquirer. Students…
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Remembering a Visionary Episcopal Bishop with Multiple Montgomery County Roots
Frank T. Griswold III, former Episcopal Church presiding bishop, passed at age 85. He spent much time in Montgomery County, as reported by Gary Miles for The Philadelphia Inquirer. Born in 1937, Griswold was baptized and confirmed at the Church of the Redeemer in Bryn Mawr. He earned a bachelor’s degree in English at Harvard…
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Norristown Pastor Explains the ‘St. Patrick of Sicily’
A little-known Italian saint is memorialized in Holy Saviour Church in Norristown with an oddly-ornamented statue. Rev. Gus Puleo explained why St. Calogero — called the “St. Patrick of Sicily” — is depicted with a deer. The Times Herald ran his account. Fr. Puleo, Holy Saviour’s pastor, dove into the St. Calogero backstory while in…
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Holy Trinity Armenian Church, Cheltenham, Takes Part in First Meeting of Language Council
Holy Armenian Church, Cheltenham, took part in the 2023 Armenian Language Council, a mid-Jan. online meeting. The Armenian Mirror-Spectator reported the story. The Armenian Language Council is a new initiative of the Eastern Diocese of the Armenian Church, making this virtual gathering the group’s firsr. Primate Fr. Mesrop Parsamyan and interim Director of Ministries Fr.…
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Gladwyne’s Beth David Reform Congregation Draws Members to Its ‘Synagogue in the Woods’
Beth David Reform Congregation in Gladwyne is one of the few synagogues in the region that keeps growing, wrote Jarrad Saffren for the Jewish Exponent. Since the start of the pandemic, membership at Beth David has increased to a little more than 300 households. Between 30 and 40 people are present at each weekly hybrid…
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Handcrafted Wooden Cross Helps Transition St. Charles Borromeo Seminary to Gwynedd Valley
Rob Bollinger — currently studying for the priesthood at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary — is lending a unique talent to the institution’s transition from Overbrook to Gwynedd Valley. News Net Daily carried the Catholic News Service story. Bollinger is currently in year seven of a nine-year program that will ordain him as a priest. It’s…
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King of Prussia Conference Examined the Political, Economic, Faith-Based Juncture of Catholicism and Crypto
The 2022 Catholic Crypto Conference at the Sheraton Valley Forge in King of Prussia brought together two seemingly disparate topics: religion and technocurrency. Christopher Parker chronicled the convergence in America, the Jesuit Review. The two-day forum, the first of its kind, featured speakers from Goldman Sachs, the University of Notre Dame, and other related organizations.…
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Multifaceted Lower Merion Roots Inform University of San Francisco Professor on Differences
Growing up in both South Philadelphia and suburban Lower Merion helped University of San Francisco professor Aaron J. Hahn Tapper’s career. His multifaceted upbringing was foundational to his ability to view individuals’ differences as a catalyst for either conflict or connection. Hahn Tapper’s unique view — and the benefits it precipitated — was profiled in…
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‘O Little Town of Bethlehem’ Was Written Right Here in Philadelphia
The well-known Christmas carol, “O Little Town of Bethlehem,” was divinely inspired at the Church of the Holy Trinity on Rittenhouse Square right here in Philadelphia, writes Jennifer Lin for The Philadelphia Inquirer. The carol was created by two friends, a rector and his organist, in 1868, built on procrastination and an angelic visit. Church…
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Wynnewood Resident Cuts to the Chase on Question of Jews Incorporating Christmas Trees into Dec. Décor
Despite Christmas not being a Jewish holiday, its status as a secular-sacred event has led some non-practicing Jews to incorporate Christmas trees into their Dec. décor. Vicki Polin, in The Times of Israel, solicited nationwide opinions on the trend. Polin reported receiving “…emotionally filled responses from individuals within every movement of Judaism.” Common themes emerged.…
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Live Nativity and Holiday Concerts at Neumann University
Neumann University will capture the Christmas spirit with a live nativity re-enactment on Dec. 4 and holiday concerts on Dec. 1 and 2. The university’s annual live nativity is scheduled for Sunday, Dec. 4, 6:15 PM, on the lawn of the Mirenda Center on Convent Road. The program is free and open to the public. …
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