About Holy Redeemer · Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Holy Redeemer Chinese Catholic Church is a Catholic mission parish in the Callowhill/Chinatown area of Philadelphia, founded in 1941 by Cardinal Dennis Dougherty as the first Catholic church built specifically for Chinese Americans in the Western Hemisphere. Administered as a succursal (mission) church of St. John the Evangelist parish, it serves a trilingual community through Sunday Masses in Cantonese, English, and Mandarin. The parish grounds also house Holy Redeemer Chinese Catholic School and a parish center, and the church has long been a center for Chinese Catholic life, immigrant outreach, and Philadelphia Chinatown activism.
- Established
- 1941
- Patron
- Holy Redeemer (Our Most Holy Redeemer)
- Rector
- Rev. Thomas (Tom) Betz, O.F.M. Cap. — Coordinator of the Chinese Apostolate and pastor at Holy Redeemer since 1991
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Philadelphia
Why belong here
Holy Redeemer is the only Catholic parish in the greater Philadelphia region that regularly celebrates Mass in Mandarin Chinese, alongside Cantonese and English, making it a spiritual home for first-generation immigrants, longtime American-born Chinese Catholics, and anyone drawn to a vibrant, multilingual community. The parish grounds include Holy Redeemer Chinese Catholic School (K–8), a free community health clinic, English-language classes, and active civic engagement through the Philadelphia Chinatown Development Corporation. For families seeking a church that is genuinely Catholic, deeply Chinese in heritage, and committed to serving the broader Chinatown neighborhood, Holy Redeemer offers a rare and living witness.
Mass times at Holy Redeemer
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- After Sunday Masses
Parish History & Heritage
Founded in 1941 by Cardinal Dennis Dougherty and designed by Henry Dagit and Sons, Holy Redeemer is the first Catholic church in the Western Hemisphere built specifically for Chinese Americans. Its dedication in October 1941 by both Cardinal Dougherty and Cardinal Thomas Tien Ken-Sin of Peking marked the parish's place within the universal Church and the Chinese Catholic diaspora. The community grew rapidly — 649 baptisms and 86 marriages by 1966 — and parishioners led the historic fight that saved Chinatown from the Vine Street Expressway, giving rise to the Philadelphia Chinatown Development Corporation (PCDC).
- Visited in 1939 by exiled Archbishop Paul Yu Pin of Chungking — the visit that sparked the mission
- Original catechism center on 15th Street and chapel at CYO 18th & Arch
- Dedicated October 5, 1941 by Cardinal Dougherty and Cardinal Thomas Tien Ken-Sin of Peking
- Architects: Henry Dagit and Sons (also St. Francis de Sales, St. Malachy's)
- 75th anniversary celebrated in 2016
- 20-year fight against the Vine Street Expressway, resolved in 1983
- Opposition to the proposed Chinatown sports stadium
Clergy & Staff
Holy Redeemer is staffed by Capuchin Franciscan Father Thomas (Tom) Betz, O.F.M. Cap., who has served as pastor and Coordinator of the Chinese Apostolate since 1991. He also serves the sister parish of St. John the Evangelist. Linda Mei Hing Leung serves as Director of Parish Services. The parish works closely with the Archdiocese of Philadelphia and the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin.
- Rev. Thomas (Tom) Betz, O.F.M. Cap. — Pastor & Coordinator of the Chinese Apostolate (since 1991)
- Linda Mei Hing Leung — Director of Parish Services
- Sister parish: St. John the Evangelist, 21 South 13th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107
Liturgy, Devotions & Prayer
Beyond the Sunday Masses, the parish gathers for an annual Day of Prayer for China and May Procession in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and an annual summer picnic that brings together English-, Cantonese-, and Mandarin-speaking parishioners. The parish also publishes a weekly bulletin with Sunday Scripture reflections, often quoting saints such as St. Padre Pio.
- Annual Day of Prayer for China and May Procession
- Annual HR Summer Picnic
- Weekly Sunday bulletin with Scripture reflections
Holy Redeemer Chinese Catholic School
Holy Redeemer Chinese Catholic School, located at 915 Vine Street, is a parish-based K–8 elementary school and one of only a handful of schools in the United States offering rigorous American academics alongside Mandarin and Cantonese language instruction. Open to Catholic and non-Catholic children alike, it has been recognized by the Archdiocese as a School of Distinguished... and serves a growing number of first-generation immigrant families. Susan Chan succeeded Dr. Lisa Cancelliere as principal in 2025.
- Located at 915 Vine Street (same campus as the parish)
- Phone: (215) 922-0999
- Principal: Susan Chan (since 2025)
- Lay faculty; teaches English, Mandarin, and Cantonese
- Recognized by the Archdiocese as a School of Distinguished...
- Open to Catholic and non-Catholic students
Parish School of Religion & Faith Formation
Faith formation for parish children is coordinated through Sunday School and parish catechesis, including preparation for the sacraments. Families are invited to register through the parish office at (215) 922-0999.
- Sunday School / parish catechesis
- Sacraments of initiation and ongoing faith formation
- Registration through the parish office
Community Outreach & Social Ministry
Holy Redeemer has long served the broader Chinatown neighborhood — not only its Catholic parishioners — through a free community health clinic and English-language classes for immigrants. Parishioners have also been at the forefront of civic activism through the Philadelphia Chinatown Development Corporation (PCDC), which grew out of the parish's fight against the Vine Street Expressway.
- Free health clinic for the Chinatown community
- English-language classes for immigrants
- Active engagement with the Philadelphia Chinatown Development Corporation (PCDC)
Visit, Accessibility & Contact
Holy Redeemer is located just outside the main Chinatown commercial strip in Center City Philadelphia. Per the Archdiocesan accessibility listing, the church, meeting rooms, restrooms, and parking are ADA compliant. Visitors are encouraged to join the parish for any of the three Sunday Masses or to call the parish office at (215) 922-0999.
- 915 Vine Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107
- Phone: (215) 922-0999
- ADA-accessible church, meeting rooms, restrooms, and parking
- Closest sister parish office: St. John the Evangelist, 21 S. 13th Street
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Thomas (Tom) Betz, O.F.M. Cap.1991–present
Coordinator of the Chinese Apostolate; long-serving pastor who has led the parish through its recent trilingual growth and its 75th anniversary in 2016.