City of Philadelphia - File #: 110539

• File #: 110539
• Version: 0
• Type: Resolution
• Status: ADOPTED
• File created: 6/23/2011
• In control: CITY COUNCIL
• Final action: 6/23/2011
• Title: Recognizing and Honoring St. Cecilia Parish On Its 100th Anniversary.
• Sponsors: Councilmember O'Neill, Councilmember Rizzo, Councilmember Green, Councilmember Miller, Councilmember Goode, Councilmember Krajewski, Councilmember Clarke, Councilmember Greenlee, Councilmember Kenney, Councilmember Tasco, Councilmember Sanchez, Councilmember Jones, Councilmember Reynolds Brown, Council President Verna, Councilmember DiCicco, Councilmember Kelly

Date	Ver.	Action By	Action	Result	Tally
6/23/2011	0	CITY COUNCIL	Introduced and Moved to Be Placed on This Week's Final Passage Calendar - Rules Suspended	Pass
6/23/2011	0	CITY COUNCIL	ADOPTED

Title
Recognizing and Honoring St. Cecilia Parish On Its 100th Anniversary.

Body
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

WH...