Delco Catholics worry about parishes’ future

Lower Chichester Catholics got news last Sunday that their parish, Holy Saviour Church, is going to close.

The Delco Times reports that though the church will be turning 100 next year, the Archdiocese’s decision is probably due to “a lot of longtime parishioners [dying] and really, young people not joining churches like years ago,” as one parishioner put it.

 

The announcement was part of an Archdiocese of Philadelphia plan to merge several parishes around Philadelphia and Delaware counties. More mergers are expected.

The residents living in west end of Chester, Linwood, Trainer and Marcus Hook now have no church within walking distance, and will be forced to join a parish in Upper Chichester or other surrounding counties.

The closing of the church will also put an end to many of the functions that Holy Saviour Church performs — including preschool and a food pantry.

Editor’s Note: an earlier version of this story did not include information about the future of the food pantry and the preschool.