Assumption B.V.M.

About Assumption B.V.M. Parish

Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary is a Roman Catholic parish in Feasterville (Feasterville-Trevose), Bucks County, Pennsylvania, in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. Founded November 13, 1950, the parish now serves more than 2,200 registered families and is led by Pastor Rev. John F. Wackerman. Its mission is: 'As a parish community united in Jesus and dedicated to Mary, we are called to discipleship through worship and service.' The parish is a regional hub for Catholics in lower Bucks County, with a notably rich schedule of daily and weekly devotions, multilingual Mass offerings, and a vibrant Faith Formation program that feeds into St. Katharine Drexel Regional Catholic School in Holland.

History of the Parish

The parish was canonically erected on November 13, 1950, by the Archdiocese of Philadelphia to serve the post-war Catholic population in lower Bucks County. The parish guidebook (Fall 2020) records that the present church — the parish's third — was built in 1956, indicating two earlier worship spaces served the community in its first six years. By the mid-2010s, the parish had grown to more than 2,300 registered families, and in 2025 it celebrated its 75th anniversary with a year-long series of events culminating in an 11:00 AM Mass on November 9, 2025, celebrated by Auxiliary Bishop Joseph L. Coffey.

• Founded: November 13, 1950
• Current (third) church built: 1956
• 75th Anniversary Closing Mass: November 9, 2025, with Bishop Joseph L. Coffey

Weekly Devotions & Prayer Groups

In addition to Mass, Assumption B.V.M. hosts an unusually rich calendar of weekly devotions designed to deepen prayer life and devotion to the Blessed Sacrament and the Blessed Mother. These include all-day Tuesday Eucharistic Adoration, Flame of Love prayer meetings, the Chaplet of the Divine Mercy, the Chaplet of the Precious Blood, a Thursday evening Eucharistic Prayer Meeting, the Legion of Mary, and the Wednesday Holy Spirit Prayer and Praise gathering. A monthly First Fridays Night of Reparation includes confessions at 7:00 PM and Mass at 8:00 PM.

• Rosary: Mon–Fri before 8:30 AM Mass
• Flame of Love: Mon 9:15 AM (Church); Tue 7:15 PM (Mary Chapel)
• Holy Spirit Prayer & Praise: Wed 1:30 PM (Rectory Meeting Room)
• Chaplet of the Divine Mercy: Tue 3:00 PM (Church)
• Evening Prayer & Benediction: Tue 6:45 PM (Church)
• Chaplet of the Precious Blood of Jesus: Wed 9:15 AM (Church)
• Legion of Mary: Thu 6:30 PM (St. Joseph Room)
• Eucharistic Prayer Meeting: Thu 7:30 PM (Church)
• First Fridays Night of Reparation: Confessions 7:00 PM, Mass 8:00 PM

Faith Formation & School

The parish runs a Faith Formation / Religious Education program (Parish Religious Education Program, PREP) under the direction of the Coordinator of Religious Education, Patricia A. Criniti. Children of the parish attend St. Katharine Drexel Regional Catholic School, a regional Catholic school located at 1053 Holland Road, Holland, PA 18966 (215-357-4720), which is shared with neighboring parishes.

• Director Religious Education Office: 215-357-3445
• School (St. Katharine Drexel Regional Catholic School): 1053 Holland Rd., Holland, PA 18966 — 215-357-4720

Liturgical Ministries

Parishioners are invited to participate actively in the Sacred Liturgy as Readers, Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, Sacristans, Ushers, or Altar Servers. The parish also invites families, couples, and individuals to bring up the Offertory gifts during Mass; sign-ups are located in the church vestibule or can be arranged with an usher before Mass.

• Readers
• Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion
• Sacristans
• Ushers
• Altar Servers
• Offertory Gift Bearers
• Director of Liturgical Music: Kathleen McLaughlin

Clergy & Staff

The parish is led by Pastor Rev. John F. Wackerman. He is assisted by priests in residence Rev. Lenin Fernandez (Chaplain of the Indian Latin Catholic Community) and Rev. Bipy Mathew Tharayil, and by Permanent Deacons Eric M. Umile (Parish Services Director) and Robert Stewart. The parish also maintains a substantial lay staff to support liturgy, formation, business, and facilities.

• Rev. John F. Wackerman — Pastor
• Rev. Lenin Fernandez — Resident; Chaplain, Indian Latin Catholic Community
• Rev. Bipy Mathew Tharayil — Resident
• Deacon Eric M. Umile — Parish Services Director
• Deacon Robert Stewart — Permanent Deacon
• Patricia A. Criniti — Coordinator of Religious Education
• Kathleen McLaughlin — Director of Liturgical Music
• Linda Vogel Bugglin — Business Manager
• Nancy Pinciotti — Administrative Assistant
• Chris Weidmann — Office Assistant
• Ernest Durelli — Facilities Manager

Sacraments

The parish celebrates the seven sacraments and provides preparation programs for each. Parents are encouraged to begin Baptism preparation before the child is born; a 'Meet and Greet' baptism class is required. For Matrimony, newly-registered parishioners must demonstrate a 3-month pattern of stable Mass attendance at Assumption BVM before a Letter of Eligibility (e.g., to serve as a godparent or sponsor) can be issued.

• Baptism — call Parish Office (215-357-1221) to register and meet with Deacon Eric or the Pastor; baptism class required
• First Communion & Confirmation — through Faith Formation
• Matrimony — contact Deacon Eric or the Pastor for an appointment
• Anointing of the Sick — by appointment
• Reconciliation — Sun 7:30 & 10:30 AM; Sat 3:30–4:30 PM; or by appointment

Parish Pastoral & Finance Councils

The Pastor is advised by two parish bodies: the Parish Council and the Finance Council. The Finance Council is comprised of parishioners appointed by the Pastor and serves as one of two advisory bodies to the Pastor, helping to steward the financial resources of the parish.

• Parish Council
• Finance Council — appointed by the Pastor

Outreach & Respect Life

The parish supports a local Conference of the St. Vincent de Paul Society, which provides direct assistance to neighbors in need. A Respect Life ministry promotes the Church's consistent ethic of life. The parish also serves as a spiritual home for the Indian Latin Catholic Community, with chaplaincy provided by Rev. Lenin Fernandez.

• St. Vincent de Paul Society (ABVM Conference)
• Respect Life Ministry
• Indian Latin Catholic Community chaplaincy (Rev. Lenin Fernandez)

Visiting & Contact

The rectory is located at 1900 Meadowbrook Road, Feasterville, PA 19053 (215-357-1221; fax 215-357-2283; [email protected]). Parish Office hours are Monday, Thursday, and Friday 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM, and Tuesday and Wednesday 11:30 AM – 3:30 PM. SCRP (Sunday Collection/Religious Program) hours are Monday through Friday 9:00–10:30 AM at the Rectory and before all weekend Masses. The church is accessible (accessible entrances, curb cuts, ramps) and equipped with an Assistive Listening Device (ALD) for the hearing-impaired.

• Rectory: 1900 Meadowbrook Rd., Feasterville, PA 19053
• Phone: 215-357-1221 | Fax: 215-357-2283
• Email: [email protected]
• Office Hours: M/Th/F 9–1; Tu/W 11:30–3:30
• Accessibility: Accessible entrances, ramps, accessible restroom, ALD sound system