Catholic Churches In Mt. Airy, Elsewhere Could Close In July

A letter sent from the Archdiocese of Philadelphia to parishes throughout the northwest section of the city recommends that at least two Mt. Airy parishes be closed or restructured by July.

The letter, which was obtained by Mt. Airy Patch, was sent to parishes throughout the area that would be affected by the move. (You can see the letter at right; the name of the church the letter was sent to has been redacted.)

It recommends that (6611 Ardleigh St.), which is in East Mt. Airy, close by July 1. It also said it wants in West Mt. Airy (at 6440 Greene St.) to either close or become a worship site.

Once a church is a worship site, it can be open for special Masses like weddings or funerals. But it likely wouldn't be open for regular Sunday Mass like it is now.

Instead, St. Madeline Sophie parishioners would attend regular Mass at (144 E. Mt. Airy Ave.) nearby. St. Therese parishioners would also go to Holy Cross or to St. Raymond of Penafort (1350 Vernon Rd.) on Sunday mornings.

If St. Therese were to close entirely, according to sources familiar with the situation, it's unclear whether its building on Ardleigh Street would have a tenant set up for next year.

, which rents its space from St. Therese right now, is in Roxborough next school year. The School District of Philadelphia has said it doesn't want to pay the more than $200,000 in rent it costs to lease the St. Therese space each year.

If St. Therese were to close, the sources said, the building would be up for grabs.

To read the rest of the story, please go to the Mt. Airy Patch.