Parish History

1917  Pastor at St. Leo Parish gave permission for Wissinoming Catholics to begin their own school in Toomey Hall at 4630 VanKirk Street.  The school opened November 7, 1917 with 65 students. 

                  

1919 On June 6 Cardinal Dougherty officially established the new parish of St. Bartholomew.  He appointed Rev. Joseph J. Scanlon to be the founding pastor.   The pastor resided at 5703 Torresdale Avenue.

1921 On September 8 the doors St. Bartholomew School opened in the basement facility with 140 students.  A temporary parish convent was located at 4523 VanKirk Street.

1925 The rectory was the first permanent parish building.

1926 The cornerstone of the convent was blessed.  On Sunday, July 18, dedication of the new school took place.  When it re-opened in September, enrollment had grown to 512 students in first to eighth grades.  There was also a business education school, which remained open until 1940. 

1930 In September classrooms were ready.  The basement chapel opened Christmas Day.  Fr. Scanlon was reassigned and Rev. Charles McCarron became pastor.

1933 Rev. James Vallely is pastor until 1938.

                                

1938 Rev. A. Paul Lambert becomes pastor.
     

    

                 

1955 Groundbreaking for the separate church building began Sunday, May 29.

1956 Parishioners were invited to see inside the new church.  

On December 9, John Cardinal O’Hara, Archbishop of Philadelphia came to preside over the Solemn Mass of Dedication.

              

1959 The second school annex opened.  At the peak of enrollment, students occupied 32 classrooms in the school.  The school was closed in June 2005 due to low enrollment.

      

1971 Msgr. McMahon retired and was replaced by Rev. Francis J. Walsh.  A fire destroyed the school’s basement chapel.  Fr. Walsh converted it to McMahon Hall. 

1978 Fr. James J. Vizzard became pastor.  He added the statue of Katherine Drexel to the shrines in church. 

1991 Rev. Joseph P. Denny became pastor in 1991.  He presided over the parish’s 75 anniversary in 1994.  Fr. Denny died peacefully on Marcy 2, 2008. 
                            
               

     

1994 St. Bartholomew Parish celebrates its 75^th Anniversary.  

1997 Shrine to St. Peregrine, patron of suffering from Cancer and HIV/AIDS installed in St. Bartholomew Church.  This was also the year of the first St. Peregrine Triduum.

     

2006 Cardinal Rigali celebrates the opening Mass of the 10th annual St. Peregrine Triduum.

 2008 On March 2nd Fr. Denny`s battle with cancer ended and he passes from this world into God`s heavenly kingdom.  Fr. Denny`s funeral was attended by over 750 parishioners and almost 100 priests.

May 17th.  Fr. Goerner was named the 9th Pastor of St. Bartholomew Parish.

July 20th. Bishop Joseph P. McFadden installed Fr. Goerner as Pastor of St. Bartholomew Parish.  A luncheon on the parish lawn was held after the installation.