About Immaculate Heart of Mary · Scranton, Pennsylvania
The Immaculate Heart of Mary Chapel (IHM Chapel) is a small mission chapel in West Scranton, Pennsylvania, at 1605 Oram Street in the Tripp Park neighborhood. It serves as a secondary worship site of St. Patrick Parish, 1403 Jackson Street, in the Diocese of Scranton. Dedicated in December 1953 under Bishop William J. Hafey, the chapel was originally conceived as a shared worship space for both Roman Catholic and Maronite Catholic faithful after St. Ann's Maronite Church was destroyed by fire in November 1952. The Diocese of Scranton, under Bishop Joseph C. Bambera, decreed in June 2026 that the chapel would close, with the final Mass celebrated June 27, 2026.
- Established
- 1953
- Patron
- Immaculate Heart of Mary
- Rector
- Rev. Richard E. Fox (Pastor of St. Patrick Parish, Scranton)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Scranton
Why belong here
The IHM Chapel was prized by its longtime parishioners for its intimacy — Father Fox described it as 'more intimate than St. Patrick's Church.' Regular worshippers had lifelong ties to the chapel, either growing up in the Tripp Park neighborhood or living close enough to walk to it. As a mission chapel of St. Patrick Parish, IHM offered weekday and Saturday Vigil Masses in a smaller, neighborhood-scale setting. Note: the chapel was closed in June 2026; parishioners and visitors are now directed to St. Patrick Church, 1403 Jackson Street, West Scranton.
Mass times at Immaculate Heart of Mary
Weekly Mass schedule
About the IHM Chapel
The Immaculate Heart of Mary Chapel, commonly called the IHM Chapel, was a small mission chapel at 1605 Oram Street in the West Scranton / Tripp Park neighborhood. It operated as a secondary worship site of St. Patrick Parish, whose primary church stands at 1403 Jackson Street. The chapel was a Catholic (Roman-Latin rite) mission church within the Diocese of Scranton, pastored through St. Patrick's.
History
The IHM Chapel was dedicated in December 1953 after Bishop William J. Hafey authorized its construction in the wake of the November 1952 fire at St. Ann's Maronite Church. The bishop envisioned it as a shared worship home for both Roman and Maronite Catholics. It served the Tripp Park neighborhood for more than 70 years, with daily Masses in its busiest period.
- Dedicated December 1953 under Bishop William J. Hafey.
- Built following the November 1952 fire that destroyed St. Ann's Maronite Church.
- Originally intended for use by both Roman Catholics and Maronite Catholics.
- Operated as a mission chapel of St. Patrick Parish, West Scranton.
Closure in 2026
On June 14, 2026, the Most Rev. Joseph C. Bambera, Bishop of Scranton, issued a decree closing the Immaculate Heart of Mary Chapel. The final Mass was celebrated June 27, 2026, with longtime parishioners locking the doors at the end. The parish plans to sell the building. The closure followed years of declining attendance and operating losses.
- Decree issued by Bishop Joseph C. Bambera on June 14, 2026.
- Final Mass: June 27, 2026.
- Average Mass attendance fell 66% from 2017 to 2025 (157 → 54).
- Annual upkeep ~$27,920 vs. collections ~$24,000; ~$90,000 in deferred maintenance.
- St. Patrick Parish plans to sell the building.
Parent Parish: St. Patrick, West Scranton
The IHM Chapel was a mission site of St. Patrick Parish at 1403 Jackson Street, West Scranton. St. Patrick is one of the oldest Catholic communities in the Scranton area — its earliest Catholic settlement dates to 1855, with visiting priests saying Mass in family homes. The current St. Patrick Church was dedicated in 1917 under Father Owen Degan, and a time capsule was buried under its cornerstone. On December 3, 2021, St. Patrick and St. Lucy parishes were consolidated under the Diocese of Scranton's Vision 2030 pastoral planning process, with the Rev. Richard E. Fox as pastor.
- St. Patrick Church: 1403 Jackson Street, Scranton, PA 18504
- Parish phone: (570) 344-2679
- Pastor: Rev. Richard E. Fox (also appointed pastor of St. Lucy's Parish effective Sept. 6, 2023).
- St. Patrick and St. Lucy parishes consolidated Dec. 3, 2021.
- Current St. Patrick Church dedicated 1917 (Father Owen Degan).
The Tripp Park Community
The IHM Chapel sat in the Tripp Park neighborhood of West Scranton, where it served as a walking-distance parish for many families. Father Fox noted that those who continued to attend had a lifelong connection to the chapel — either growing up there or living close enough to walk. As demographics shifted, the chapel's regular congregation gradually shrank, and the parish concluded the building could no longer be sustained.
- Chapel served the Tripp Park neighborhood of West Scranton.
- Many parishioners had multi-generational ties to the chapel.
- Smaller, intimate setting compared to St. Patrick's main church on Jackson Street.
Visiting & Contact
Note: As of June 27, 2026, the Immaculate Heart of Mary Chapel has been closed by decree of the Bishop of Scranton. Visitors and parishioners should contact St. Patrick Parish directly for current Mass and sacramental schedules.
- Chapel address (now closed): 1605 Oram Street, Scranton, PA 18504
- Parish phone: (570) 344-2679
- Parish listed under Diocese of Scranton 'Find a Parish': St. Patrick Parish, Scranton
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Richard E. FoxPastor of parent St. Patrick Parish at time of chapel's closing in 2026
Longtime pastor of St. Patrick Parish who oversaw IHM Chapel and communicated its closure to parishioners.