Archdiocese of Philadelphia history

Kenrick was consecrated on June 6, 1830.

The trustee problem at Old Saint Mary’s continued until Kenrick closed the church and the cemetery on April 16, 1831, after which the trustees capitulated to episcopal authority.

In June 1849, Kenrick opened the first Catholic hospital in Philadelphia, Saint Joseph’s, staffed by the Sisters of Saint Joseph.

He also established Saint Mary Magdalene de Pazzi Church (1852), the first parish for Italian-speaking Catholics.

He introduced in 1853 the Forty Hours Devotion to the diocese at Saint Philip Neri Church and was assiduous in visiting the parishes of the diocese.

In 1857, he was sent a coadjutor, James Wood.

Bishop Neumann died on January 5, 1860.

He established several new parishes and, in 1865, bought a parcel of land in the Overbrook section of Philadelphia, property which was to become the new site of Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary.

When Wood died in 1883, the see was vacant for a year until Rome appointed Saint Louis’ coadjutor, Bishop Patrick Ryan, the second archbishop of Philadelphia.

1890 The first Catholic high school for young men is established.

With the death of Archbishop Ryan in 1911, Edmond Francis Prendergast, who had been Ryan’s auxiliary bishop, was appointed the third Archbishop of Philadelphia.

1912 John J. Hallahan High School, the first of its kind for young women, is established.

Raised in Indiana, he was ordained a Holy Cross priest in 1916.

On November 28, 1951, John F. O’Hara, C.S.C., was appointed the ninth bishop and fifth archbishop of Philadelphia.

1955 St Lucy Day School for Children with Visual Impairment is founded.

He joined the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin, St Augustine Province, in 1965.

He was instrumental in the establishment of the Shrine of Our Lady of Czestochowa in 1966.

Archbishop Krol was named a Cardinal on May 28, 1967.

Archbishop Chaput was ordained Bishop of Rapid City, South Dakota, on July 26, 1988.

1989 The first archdiocesan regional resource room program for students with learning disabilities is established, later expanded to two programs across three secondary schools.

On May 29, 1991, he was elevated to the College of Cardinals.

After 30 years of service to the Holy See in the Vatican’s Secretary of State, Archbishop Justin Rigali was appointed Archbishop of St Louis in 1994.

On June 17, 1998, Cardinal Bevilacqua reached the age of 75 and, according to Canon Law, submitted his letter of resignation to Pope John Paul II. Five years later, his resignation was accepted by the Holy Father.

On July 19, 2011, Cardinal Rigali became Archbishop Emeritus of Philadelphia upon Pope Benedict XVI’s acceptance of his letter of resignation written the year prior when he reached the age of 75.

He was ordained a Bishop on July 25, 2012 in Saint Agnes Cathedral, Rockville Centre, NY by Bishop William F. Murphy.

Archbishop Pérez currently serves as a member of the Administrative and the Religious Liberty Committees for the USCCB. In November, 2018, Bishop Pérez began a three-year term as the bishop liaison for the National Federation for Catholic Youth Ministry (NFCYM).

In January of 2020, the Apostolic Nuncio, Archbishop Christophe Pierre, tapped Bishop Nelson J. Pérez of the Diocese of Cleveland on behalf of the Holy Father to become the 14th Bishop and 10th Archbishop of Philadelphia.