Philadelphia Archdiocese relegates St. Hedwig Church in Chester to nonreligious use

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The Archdiocese of Philadelphia announced that the St. Hedwig Church building in Chester will no longer be used as a Catholic church.

Philadelphia Archbishop Nelson J. Pérez approved the relegation on Sunday of the more than century-old church to “profane but not sordid use” effective Jan. 1, 2026, meaning it will no longer be designated as a Roman Catholic church — and instead can be used for regular, nonreligious purposes considered appropriate by the church.

The church was founded in 1902 and had been holding Mass for more than 125 years, until a boiler failure in 2023 caused more than $60,000 in repairs, leaving the parish in financial distress.

Attendance at the church has also dwindled over the years, with reports indicating only around 30 to 40 people were in the pews in its later stages, according to the Archdiocese.

The Archdiocese suspended services on Dec. 31, 2023, citing the church’s proximity near multiple other places of worship, including the Church of St. Joseph in Aston.

The church received pastoral care from Sacred Heart Parish, which itself had accrued an operating deficit of $74,357 in 2024. Future decisions regarding the church building will be made by their pastor.

In 2022, the Archdiocese of Philadelphia closed multiple churches in Philadelphia, as well as in Chester and Montgomery counties. In 2021, two Catholic high schools in the region were also shuttered.

In 2023, a $3.5 million settlement was reached with the Archdiocese of Philadelphia following a civil case involving child sexual abuse committed by Monsignor John Close, a now-deceased priest. The lawsuit stated the church was aware of similar reports about the priest dating back to the 1970s.