St. Madeline Catholic Church has stood on the corner of Penn and Tome streets in Ridley Park, Pennsylvania, since 1908, when a small stone neo-Gothic chapel was dedicated to God under the patronage of Saint Madeline in honor of the wife of founding benefactor Frederick J. Mitchell. A century later, the parish still gathers the Catholic families of Ridley Park, Folsom, parts of Glenolden, Ridley Heights, and Holmes around its current 1965 church at the corner of Penn Street and Morton Avenue, four blocks west of the rectory at 110 Park Street that anchors the parish offices.
Mass Times and the Rhythm of the Week
Sunday Masses at St. Madeline are celebrated on Saturday evening at 4:00 PM (the Vigil Mass) and on Sunday morning at 8:30 and 11:00 AM, with an additional 5:00 PM evening Mass. Weekday Masses are held Monday through Friday at 8:00 AM in the church. Confessions are heard on Saturday afternoons from 3:00 to 3:45 PM, or by appointment through the rectory.
The parish keeps a steady rhythm of Eucharistic devotion outside of Mass. Eucharistic Adoration takes place every Monday from 8:30 AM to 12:30 PM in the St. John Neumann Chapel at the rectory, and the same chapel is open for personal prayer every day from 7:00 AM to 9:00 PM. The Rosary is recited after the 8:00 AM daily Mass, followed by the Divine Mercy Chaplet.
The Sacraments
St. Madeline prepares parishioners for the seven sacraments in their proper seasons. Baptisms are scheduled immediately after the 11:00 AM Sunday Mass on a handful of Sundays spaced through the year, with parents expected to be active members of the parish and to complete a Pre-Jordan online course before the ceremony. Godparents must be practicing Catholics at least sixteen years old, confirmed, and married in the Church if married.
Confirmation is celebrated in the parish each fall at the 11:00 AM Mass, with two required classes and a retreat for candidates beforehand. Sponsors follow the same eligibility requirements as godparents. First Reconciliation and First Communion are prepared through the Parish Religious Education Program (PREP) and the Family Catechesis program.
Couples preparing for marriage are asked to contact the rectory no less than six months before the intended date, with a PreCana seminar required as part of that preparation. The parish also keeps a full funeral planning packet for families walking through the death of a loved one, with the readings, music, homily points, and other liturgical choices coordinated in a meeting with the pastor after the funeral home has been contacted.
A Parish Steeped in Ridley Park History
St. Madeline was the second Catholic parish organized in this part of Delaware County, founded by laymen who could see that the closest Catholic church, St. Rose of Lima in Eddystone, was a forty-minute walk from Ridley Park. In November 1906, Frederick J. Mitchell, the owner of an empty lot at Penn and Tome streets, gathered a committee of Catholic laymen at his home to raise funds for a new church, with the blessing of Father Thomas F. Ryan, pastor of St. Rose of Lima. Michael J. Comerford, George F. Messick, Henry A. McCarthy, and James Francis Stewart joined Mitchell as the founding laymen; Mitchell contributed more than half the cost himself, and the group named the new church in honor of his wife, Madeline Mitchell.
The cornerstone of the original one-story gray Chestnut Hill stone church, built in the neo-Gothic style, was laid on September 8, 1907, the birthday of the Blessed Mother, by Bishop Most Reverend Edmond F. Prendergast. The church opened for worship on October 15 of that year and was formally dedicated on February 2, 1908, the Feast of the Purification of the Blessed Mother. The Right Reverend Monsignor James P. Turner, Chancellor of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, officiated at the dedication, and Solemn High Mass followed under the Reverend Thomas J. Ryan.
Within a year the mission was large enough to stand alone. In February 1909 the Archdiocese declared the church a separate parish with boundaries covering Ridley Park, Folsom, parts of Glenolden, Ridley Heights, Holmes, and the Mission Church of St. Gabriel in Norwood. Reverend Francis P. Bradley, who served from January 1909 to June 1912, was the first resident pastor, remembered by early parishioners as a humble, gentlemanly priest with a ready sense of humor. He supervised the building of the rectory on Tome Street, completed in July 1909, and was followed by Reverend William J. McCallen, Ph.D., a former student at the University of Pennsylvania and the first Catholic priest to earn a doctorate there.
A school of gray Chestnut Hill stone, with first-floor classrooms and second-floor convent quarters, opened in September 1924 under Reverend Patrick J. Gallagher, who served the parish for twenty-eight years. After Father John A. Kane arrived in August 1952, he replaced the inadequate school lighting, bought a new organ, and dedicated a new school building at Tome and Rogers Streets on Thanksgiving Day 1954, then added a second story in 1956. His dream of a new Gothic church to seat 1,200 on the old site was realized by his successor, Reverend Francis J. Walsh, who arrived in 1962 and shepherded the construction of the current church and rectory complex completed in August 1965, with a school addition and a new convent following shortly thereafter. The parish continued to expand its ministries through the post-war baby boom, and by the 1960s the Holy Name Society had organized parish carnivals, summer collections, the Boy Scout troop of St. Madeline's, and the St. Vincent de Paul Society at the parish.
Clergy and Staff
The parish is led by Reverend Seán Loomis, Pastor. He is assisted by Deacon Michael Alexander, who also serves as coordinator of the Christian Initiation process for adults. Christopher Avery serves as Director of Parish Services. Sean Zaleski is the Liturgical Music Coordinator and Parish Organist. The parish choir, which sings at the 8:30 AM Sunday Mass, rehearses every Thursday evening at 7:00 PM in the choir loft under Choir Director Chrissy Sim.
Rectory office hours run Monday through Thursday from 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM and on Friday from 8:30 AM to noon, with a phone line open at 610-532-6880 and email at office@stmadeline.org.
Liturgical Music
St. Madeline Parish describes its own music ministry as vibrant, with gifted cantors leading the congregation in hymns, psalms, and acclamations at every Sunday Mass and at other liturgical celebrations through the year. The parish choir rehearses every Thursday evening at 7:00 PM in the church choir loft and sings at the 8:30 AM Sunday Mass, with new members welcome at any time. Couples preparing for marriage are asked to contact Sean Zaleski to plan music for either a Nuptial Mass or a Nuptial Ceremony, and funeral music is coordinated in the meeting between the family, Father Loomis, and the rectory after the funeral home has been engaged.
Family and Youth Ministries
Children in grades four through eight may serve on the altar at Mass as altar servers, with rotating assignments to weekend Masses and other liturgical celebrations. During the 11:00 AM Sunday Mass, children ages four through seven are invited to leave after the Opening Prayer for Children's Liturgy of the Word in the church hall, returning to their families during the Offertory. The 11:00 AM Mass on the second Sunday of each month is celebrated as a Youth Mass, with young parishioners invited to take the roles of choir members, greeters, peacemakers, and ushers.
The parish Youth Group for high school students in grades nine through twelve meets monthly for fellowship, food, and service activities. Cub Scout Pack 264, chartered by the Boy Scouts of America, meets Monday evenings at 7:00 PM in the church hall for boys in grades one through five.
CYO Sports and Summer Camp
The parish fields Saint Madeline CYO teams in basketball (varsity and junior varsity), volleyball (varsity and junior varsity), baseball, softball, track, cross-country, soccer, and cheerleading. The CYO Board oversees the program and ensures that all coaches, assistant coaches, and volunteers meet the Archdiocese of Philadelphia's safe-environment requirements before working with the children, with a 90-day grace period allowed for first-time volunteers to complete training.
For younger children, the parish hosts a Summer Camp each summer at the St. James Regional Gym from late June through mid-August, with daily hours from 7 AM to 6 PM for children ages four through ten. Registration is by the week, with reduced rates for additional children in a family and a flat family registration fee.
Parish Religious Education (PREP)
The Parish Religious Education Program at St. Madeline provides religious instruction for parishioners from ages three through twelve in two formats. The Traditional Program meets weekly on Tuesday afternoons from 4:00 to 5:30 PM at St. James Regional Catholic School, while the Family Catechesis program meets once a month on Tuesday evenings from 6:00 to 7:30 PM, also at St. James Regional. Both follow the Archdiocese of Philadelphia's Curriculum of Religion, with grade-by-grade topics ranging from the basic prayers and the Blessed Trinity in Level 1 to Confirmation in depth and the Holy Spirit in Level 6. Catechists and aides serve the children of both programs, and the parish publishes a parent handbook each year for enrolled families.
Adult Faith Formation and Prayer Groups
Adults who want to deepen their Catholic faith have several weekly options. The Legion of Mary meets every Wednesday evening at 7:00 PM in the Spiritual Life Center to recite the rosary and discuss a short spiritual reading. The Sodality, a women's spiritual and social group with devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Miraculous Medal, gathers on Tuesday evenings at 7:00 PM in the Spiritual Life Center for Novena and Benediction. The Community of Disciples meets Monday evenings at 7:00 PM, also in the Spiritual Life Center, focusing on the liturgy readings and faith-sharing books.
Bible Study is offered twice a year, in the fall and in the spring, in two weekly sessions: Wednesday evenings from 7:00 to 8:30 PM and Thursday mornings from 9:00 to 10:30 AM, with Deacon Tom Taylor coordinating. Past topics have ranged from the Gospels to the biblical roots of Catholic tradition, and the sessions typically run between five and ten weeks.
Christian Initiation
Those wishing to become Catholic, those coming from other Christian traditions, and baptized Catholics seeking full communion with the Catholic Church can journey through the Christian Initiation process with the parish community. The process is coordinated by Deacon Michael Alexander, and culminates in the reception of the Sacraments of Initiation: Baptism, Holy Communion, and Confirmation. Catholics who want to learn more about their faith are also welcome to participate in the catechetical sessions and discussions.
Outreach and Service
The St. Vincent de Paul Society at St. Madeline, a Catholic lay organization devoted to spirituality, fellowship, and service to those in need, witnesses God's love by assisting neighbors in financial or other difficulties. Vincentians work in teams of two, visiting neighbors in need in their homes, and the conference meets on the second Tuesday of each month. The Knights of Columbus, a fraternity of Catholic men who promote Gospel values in their everyday lives, support the work of the parish and the pastor. The Respect Life Committee promotes a culture of life through prayer, education, faithful citizenship, and community action in conformity with Catholic teaching on the sacredness of all human life, born and unborn, and meets monthly.
The Community of Disciples also serves as an outreach group in the parish, and the Worship Committee meets periodically with the pastor to plan and prepare liturgical events, drawing on a roster that includes coordinators for Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, lectors and greeters, environment and art, cantors and choir members, Eucharistic Adoration, and ushers.
St. James Regional Catholic School
Parish children who want a parish elementary education attend St. James Regional Catholic School, which the parish describes as a center of evangelization that calls students to live the message of Jesus Christ. The school follows the curriculum guidelines of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, with academic offerings that include world language from Pre-K through grade 8, honors math, music, computer and science labs, and a library. Extracurricular activities include academic bees, a science fair, First in Math, art club, student newspaper, and drama club. The principal is Colleen McManus, and the school is located at 500 Tome Street.
Rentals and the Spiritual Life Center
The Spiritual Life Center on the parish campus at 405 Tome Street is available for rent for family celebrations such as Communion parties and rehearsal dinners. It has a full kitchen, a banquet room that holds seventy, air conditioning, handicap access, and a TV/DVD, with a fee of $300 plus a $200 security deposit. The Parish Center and Gym at 500 Tome Street, the same building as St. James Regional School, is also available for rent, with a capacity of two hundred, a full kitchen, air conditioning, and handicap access.
Visiting the Parish
The church is fully handicap accessible, with padded pews reserved in the body of the church for those with special needs. Ushers are always available to answer questions about access and to assist anyone who needs help finding a seat, and they hand out the Sunday bulletin at the end of each Mass. Three restroom facilities are located in the church, including a vestibule restroom on the St. Joseph side with a changing table for infants.
Parishioners and visitors are encouraged to register with the parish through the parish registration form, and to sign up for Flocknote for ongoing communication. Online giving is available through ParishGiving, and the parish keeps a current weekly bulletin online for those who want to follow along from home.