WHEREAS, The Council of the City of Philadelphia is pleased and proud to join the community and friends and parishioners of St. Cecilia Parish in recognizing and honoring it on the great occasion of its 100th Anniversary; and
WHEREAS, St. Cecilia Roman Catholic Church was established on October 1, 1911, by The Most Reverend Edmond Prendergast, third Archbishop of Philadelphia. The Archbishop appointed Father William Sheridan, the founding pastor. At the time, Father Sheridan was serving as an assistant pastor at St. Veronica Parish, at 6th and Tioga Streets, in Philadelphia. With a large contribution from the good people of St. Veronica, Father Sheridan begun the difficult task of building his new parish; and
WHEREAS, The original parish boundaries encompassed a large area between Bleigh Street and Red Lion Road, Castor Road to Forest Avenue. In this area there lived approximately forty Catholic families. A young parishioner, James McMenamin, offered the pastor the use of his home, at the northwest corner of Jeanes and Rhawn Streets. This served as the parish rectory until April 1914 and was often used for daily mass, before the basement church was built. The first baptism at St. Cecilia was held there on October 7, 1911. After acquiring the needed land, the cornerstone for the basement church was laid by Archbishop Prendergast on June 30, 1912; and
WHEREAS, The first St. Cecilia School opened in September 1925, with an enrollment of 113 and a capacity of approximately 300. Its approximate cost was $92,000 and it was operated by the Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. June 1926 saw its first graduating class, consisting of two children from Maternity B.V.M. and Joseph McCloskey from St. Cecilia. In September 1935, a two-year Commercial High School was added but, due to declining enrollment and the Great Depression, it was closed in 1935; and
WHEREAS, An exciting new chapter in the history of St. Cecilia Parish was begun when the cornerstone for the new Church was laid on the Feast of the Assumption, in 1954. The main alter was consecrated on March 23, 1955 and an addition, gymnasium and auditorium was added in 1971. St. Cecilia School continued to grow, with another addition in 1993. Father Charles E. Bonner, was appointed St. Cecilia's seventh pastor in 2001 and he has continued to pursue excellence at the Parish and school since; now therefore be it,
RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That we hereby recognize and honor St. Cecilia Parish on the great occasion of its 100th Anniversary of outstanding service to the spiritual and educational needs of its community. We salute its very distinguished succession of pastors, priests, sisters, staff and dedicated parishioners for all they have done over a century of dedicated service; and
FURTHER RESOLVED, That an Engrossed copy of this resolution be presented to Father Charles E. Bonner, Pastor of St. Cecilia Parish, as evidence of the sincere respect and admiration of this legislative body.
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