A Roman Catholic Anchor in Merchantville Since 1903
Saint Peter Roman Catholic Church stands on West Maple Avenue in the heart of Merchantville, New Jersey, a small borough tucked just east of Camden. Founded on September 29, 1903, the parish has served the Catholic faithful of Merchantville, Pennsauken, and the surrounding South Jersey and Philadelphia communities for more than a century. It is a parish proud of its traditional Catholic identity, anchored in the magisterium of the Church, nourished by the frequent reception of the sacraments, and sustained by what its members describe as a profound, reverential love for the Roman Catholic faith.
Under the spiritual care of the Diocese of Camden, the parish draws its strength from a devotion to the Most Blessed Sacrament expressed through perpetual adoration, a filial love for the Blessed Virgin Mary, and a commitment to Christ's command to love one another. The cornerstone of the present church was laid on November 4, 1906, by Rev. John M. Fox of Trenton, and the building was dedicated on April 26, 1908, with more than four hundred Catholics in attendance. After fire destroyed the interior on January 6, 1924, the parish rebuilt, and it has continued to expand and renew itself in the decades since.
The Sunday and Weekday Liturgical Schedule
Saint Peter offers a full schedule of Masses throughout the week. Daily Mass is celebrated Monday through Saturday at 9:00 a.m. The weekend schedule opens with the Saturday Vigil Mass at 4:00 p.m., followed by three Sunday Masses: 8:30 a.m., 10:30 a.m. (the High Mass, sung with the adult choir), and 7:00 p.m. Holy Day schedules are published in the parish bulletin.
The Sacrament of Reconciliation is offered on Tuesdays from 12:00 noon to 12:30 p.m., on Saturdays from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. (ending promptly so the priest may prepare for the Vigil Mass), and again on Saturdays from 6:30 to 7:00 p.m. Confessions are also available by appointment. There are no confessions on holiday weekends such as Memorial Day or Labor Day.
Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament is held in the Adoration Chapel Monday through Friday from 7:15 a.m. until 8:00 p.m., with the church opening at 7:10 a.m. On Sundays, the Blessed Sacrament is exposed periodically at 11:30 a.m. The recitation of the Rosary takes place Monday through Friday in the Crying Room immediately after the 9:00 a.m. Mass.
Sacraments for the Parish Family
Seven sacraments form the rhythm of life at Saint Peter. Baptism is celebrated on designated Sundays at 12:00 p.m. Parents must be registered parishioners, and godparents are required to be confirmed Catholics in good standing who attend Mass every weekend and on all Holy Days of Obligation. A Letter of Eligibility from their home parish must be presented at least a week before the ceremony. When only one godparent can be provided, a Christian witness may accompany that godparent, though a former Catholic cannot serve in that role.
The sacraments of Reconciliation, Holy Eucharist, and Confirmation are prepared through the Family of Faith religious education program. Children typically prepare for First Reconciliation and First Holy Communion during the first and second grade years of faith formation, while Confirmation preparation takes place during seventh and eighth grade, with weekly Sunday meetings from 9:15 to 10:15 a.m. and attendance at the 10:30 a.m. Mass. Children preparing for Confirmation are required to complete four Christian service projects across their seventh and eighth grade years.
Adults who have not yet received these sacraments enter through the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA). Programs begin in September or October, and registration opens in July, with participants received into the Church at the Easter Vigil. Couples preparing for marriage must contact a priest at least a year in advance, complete Pre-Cana Conferences as mandated by the Bishop, and observe a minimum six-month preparation period. Only registered parishioners may marry at Saint Peter, and only Parish Musicians are permitted to provide music. Funeral Masses are scheduled for parishioners at 10:00 a.m.; viewings are not held in the church, eulogies are not permitted during the liturgy, and again only Parish Musicians may serve.
The Anointing of the Sick is available at any time, day or night, by calling the priests, who also bring Holy Communion to the sick upon request. Names of the sick may be added to the parish prayer list through the rectory. The parish encourages those considering Holy Orders or consecrated life to speak with one of the priests or contact the Diocese of Camden Office of Vocations.
The Order of Christian Initiation of Adults
Saint Peter's OCIA program is designed both for non-Catholics who wish to become Catholic and for baptized Catholics who have not yet received First Communion or Confirmation. Through careful catechesis rooted in the Catechism of the Catholic Church and in the timeless traditions of the faith, candidates are prepared to receive the Sacraments of Initiation at the Easter Vigil. The parish emphasizes that OCIA is also a journey of companionship, providing opportunities for those on the path to be integrated into parish life through liturgical functions and parish events.
Family of Faith: Religious Education for Children
The Office of Religious Education, directed by Coordinator Amy Handlon with Associate Coordinator Anne Moretti, fosters the faith formation of children from age four through eighth grade. Its Family of Faith program is a whole-family catechesis model designed to equip parents to teach and live the faith at home, with parish classes supplementing that work. Parents and children in kindergarten through sixth grade meet two Sunday mornings a month, gathering for hospitality at 8:45 a.m. with class running from 9:00 to 10:15 a.m. Parents attend catechism in Pastor's Hall while children join their grade-level catechists at the school. Seventh and eighth graders preparing for Confirmation meet weekly.
The office is located in the gym building; families are directed to use the double doors and the buzzer. Registration forms are due by July 31 for the following academic year, and tuition is $150 for one child or $200 for two or more. Sacramental preparation in second grade and eighth grade carries an additional $75 fee each, and tuition waivers are available. The parish relies on catechists, hospitality volunteers, and adult babysitters to keep the program running, and offers a partial tuition waiver in gratitude to those who volunteer.
The St. Paul Food Pantry
The St. Paul Ministry operates the parish food pantry and provides direct assistance to neighbors in need. Goods are distributed on the third Saturday of each month from 10:30 a.m. until noon. The pantry maintains a steady list of needed items including cereal, macaroni and cheese, pasta, pasta sauce, brownie and cake mixes with icing, canned corn, green beans, peas, beans, soup, and fruit, along with peanut butter, jelly, tuna, cookies, boxed potatoes, coffee, tea, and hot chocolate. Poor boxes at the entrances of the church directly support the work.
Anyone in need of assistance may reach the St. Paul Ministry through its hotline at 856-904-7397 (callers must remove caller block before dialing). The hotline also allows parish volunteers to respond to requests from neighbors facing difficult circumstances.
Music at the High Mass
Music holds a central place in Saint Peter's liturgical life, particularly at the 10:30 a.m. Sunday High Mass. The Adult Choir, currently led by Dr. Nancy Rawlins, sings at this Mass and performs for many special services throughout the year; rehearsals are held on Thursdays at 7:00 p.m. The Schola, the parish's youth choir, provides a blend of traditional Latin and English hymns and rehearses at 6:00 p.m. on Sundays before the 7:00 p.m. Mass; it is directed by Gina Foster. The Children's Choir, made primarily of students from Saint Peter School and led by Mrs. Sarah Pearson, has performed in local malls, at nursing homes, and even sung the national anthem at a Philadelphia Phillies game. Rehearsals for the children's choir are held on Thursdays at 2:30 p.m.
The Knights of Columbus Council #6735
The Knights of Columbus were organized in Merchantville on June 17, 1923, and the current council, Council #6735, has been in continuous operation since December 5, 1975. Catholic men aged eighteen and older who wish to help those in need, serve the parish, and grow in faith are invited to join. The local council can be reached through Bob Kates at 856-912-9244 or Grand Knight John McDonnell at 609-315-1669. The Knights play a large role in parish life, organizing the annual Pig Roast, coordinating Christmas tree setup on the front grounds of the church, and joining seasonal clean-up days.
Pro-Life, Rosary, and Marian Devotion
The parish's Pro-Life Ministry gathers on the first Saturday of each month to pray the Rosary in front of the Cherry Hill Women's Center at 502 N. Kings Highway in Cherry Hill, returning afterward for the 9:00 a.m. Mass. The Intercessory Rosary Group meets in the Crying Room Monday through Friday immediately following the 9:00 a.m. Mass. The Legion of Mary keeps devotion to Our Lady of Fatima alive by visiting her statue to homes, where she remains for a week of prayer for children and country. The Seven Sisters Apostolate invites women to commit one hour, one day a week, for one year to pray before the Blessed Sacrament for the intentions of the parish priests, Fr. Timothy E. Byerley and Fr. Ernest Amadi.
Youth and Young Adult Life
The Saint Peter Youth Group welcomes high school students into the life of the parish through programs and service opportunities rooted in Catholic values. Meetings are generally held on Sunday evenings after the 7:00 p.m. Mass, with specific dates posted in the parish bulletin. The Young Adult Group brings together older parishioners for faith, fellowship, and service; those interested in working with the group or attending events may contact Bella DeFeo and Nadia Foster at stpetersyagroup@gmail.com. The Young Adult Group also coordinates the Church Decoration Team.
Altar Servers, Lectors, Ushers, and Hospitality
Young parishioners who have received First Holy Communion and are in fourth grade or older may serve at the altar, an opportunity that extends through high school and beyond. New altar servers are inducted at the Forty Hours Altar Server Induction Mass each September, with registration forms available in the bulletin during August. Lectors and Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion follow a Ministry Scheduler Pro schedule, finding their own substitutes when they cannot fulfill a commitment. Ushers assist at Sunday Masses, and Hospitality Sundays offer parishioners a chance to serve by helping with parish gatherings.
Seasonal Service and Parish Gatherings
A number of seasonal ministries bring the parish together throughout the year. Volunteers assist with fall and spring grounds clean-ups that include debris removal, leaf collection, and weeding. Christmas tree setup transforms the front property of the church into a seasonal display. The Annual Parish Family Pig Roast is one of the highlights of the parish social calendar. A Church Cleaning Team meets weekly to keep the building ready for worship, and Hospitality Sundays provide regular opportunities for fellowship after Mass.
Saint Peter School
Saint Peter School has been part of the parish since 1927 and today educates students from the parish and the wider community under the leadership of Principal Kathryn O'Callaghan. A kindergarten class was added in 1984, rounding out the early elementary program. The school shares space and mission with the parish: its students form the core of the parish Children's Choir, host service projects for Confirmation candidates, and take part in the liturgical life of the church. The school may be reached at (856) 665-5879, and the Advancement Director at (856) 662-4387.
A Parish History of Faith and Resilience
The roots of Saint Peter Parish reach back to the 1850s, when Philadelphia merchant Patrick Cunningham purchased forty-eight acres of land in Merchantville. His descendants, Peter and Francis Cunningham, worked to establish a Catholic mission there. Partnering with John J. Burleigh, who helped finance the relocation of middle-class Catholics from Philadelphia to Merchantville, the Cunninghams presented their petition to Bishop James A. McFaul of the Diocese of Trenton, who sent Rev. Patrick J. Clune to open the new parish. In 1937, the Diocese of Camden was created, and Saint Peter became part of the new diocese.
Fire marked the parish's early history. A defective fireplace destroyed the rectory on May 7, 1908; another blaze on May 11, 1917, began in the church basement, where stored movie films from the early 1900s had spontaneously ignited; and on January 6, 1924, a devastating fire gutted the interior of the church, leaving only the stone walls standing. Each time, the parish rebuilt. In 1956, the church was expanded; Msgr. Fallon Hall was completed in 1981; and in 2003, the church underwent extensive renovations and enhancements, including the addition of four bronze bells.
Practical Information for Visitors
The rectory is open Monday through Thursday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and on Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.; it is closed on weekends. The parish offices may be reached at (856) 663-1373, with fax at (856) 488-0647, or by email at saintpeterchurch43@gmail.com. The Religious Education office is reachable at (856) 663-4490 or stpeterparish.religious.ed@gmail.com. Online giving is available through ParishGiving. Mass intentions may be requested in person during rectory hours, with announced Masses at a $15 donation and unannounced Masses at $10. The parish bulletin is published online and carries announcements, schedules, and registration forms.