About St. Charles Borromeo · Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
St. Charles Borromeo is a Roman Catholic parish in South Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, founded in 1868 to serve the largely Irish immigrant working-class population of the Moyamensing and Passyunk neighborhoods. The parish sits at the southwest corner of 20th and Christian Streets, in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia's South Philadelphia and East Deanery. Today the parish is home both to a traditional Catholic congregation and to communities of the Neocatechumenal Way, a Catholic ecclesial movement from Spain. Its mission statement commits parishioners to 'be the light, the salt, and the leaven of the world' through attentive listening to the Word, living worship, the building of Christian community, and service to all.
- Established
- 1868
- Patron
- St. Charles Borromeo
- Rector
- Rev. Wellington M. Munoz (Parochial Administrator)
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Philadelphia
Why belong here
St. Charles Borromeo is a long-standing South Philadelphia parish that welcomes anyone who wishes to worship and grow in faith together. The parish offers daily and Sunday Mass, regular Eucharistic Adoration, Lectio Divina, and a Youth Scrutatio that gathers young people from across the area for prayer before the Blessed Sacrament. It runs the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) each September for those exploring Catholicism, and parishioners can register for Sacramental preparation, including infant Baptism (held the first Sunday of each month) and a monthly Baptism Preparation Session. For over 150 years it has been a place where Catholics of many backgrounds — Irish, African American, and Latin American — have built community, served one another, and shared the Gospel.
Mass times at St. Charles Borromeo
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Monday–Friday: following the daily 8:30 AM Mass
- Sunday: one-half hour before the 10:30 AM Mass
- Anytime by appointment (call 215-735-0600)
Adoration times
- Wednesday 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM (Eucharistic Adoration, with Evening Prayer 5:40–6:00 PM)
About St. Charles Borromeo Parish
St. Charles Borromeo is a Roman Catholic parish rooted in South Philadelphia since 1868. According to the parish's own About Us page, 'we are dedicated to serving the Lord and spreading His word to all people,' working 'to create a welcoming environment where all are welcome to worship and grow in faith together.' The parish's vision is to 'build a community of faithful followers who are committed to serving God and our neighbors' through prayer, worship, and service. The parish's published mission statement reads: 'We, the parishioners of St. Charles Borromeo Parish, believe in Jesus Christ and embrace his teachings. Inspired by his mission, we accept the call to be the light, the salt, and the leaven of the world through the attentive listening of the Word of God, a living worship, the building of christian communities and service to all.' The parish sits at the southwest corner of 20th and Christian Streets in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia's Philadelphia South and East Deanery.
- Parochial Administrator: Rev. Wellington M. Munoz
- Deanery: Philadelphia South and East (Archdiocese of Philadelphia)
- Office Hours: Monday–Friday, 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM (closed weekends and holidays)
Parish History
The parish was created by Bishop James Wood in 1866 when he bought a lot at the corner of 20th and Christian Streets to serve the swelling Irish Catholic population in the Moyamensing and Passyunk area. On July 4, 1868, the parish was formally established; within two weeks a wooden frame chapel was standing and the cornerstone of a permanent church had been laid. The permanent church was dedicated on May 7, 1876, and has been in continuous use ever since. The first three pastors — Rev. James O'Reilly, Rev. Nicholas A. Walsh, and Rev. James P. Sinnott — were all Irish-born. Father Sinnott, a Rome-trained priest and 38 when he became pastor in 1888, served until his death in 1925 and is buried in the rectory yard. The parish became a center of South Philadelphia Catholic life through a parochial school, Scouts, a skating rink, and a gym used for parish leagues, and since the latter 20th century has been one of Philadelphia's historically Black Catholic parishes.
- 1866 — Bishop James Wood purchases the lot
- July 4, 1868 — Parish founded; foundation pastor Rev. James O'Reilly
- May 7, 1876 — Present church dedicated
- 1888–1925 — Rev. James P. Sinnott serves as pastor; buried in the rectory yard
- June 30, 2014 — Rev. Esteban N. Granyak assigned as Parochial Administrator; begins Neocatechumenal Way
Sacraments
The parish prepares Catholics for and celebrates all seven sacraments. Infant Baptism is celebrated once a month, usually the first Sunday at about 12:00 PM following the 10:30 AM Mass, and parents must attend a Baptism Preparation Session — typically the third Friday of each month from 6:00–7:00 PM in the parish office. The parish also issues Certificates / Letters of Eligibility for registered parishioners who wish to serve as sponsors for Baptism or Confirmation. The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) begins each September and welcomes three groups: adults who have never been baptized, baptized Christians from another tradition exploring full communion with the Catholic Church, and baptized Catholics who have not yet made First Communion and Confirmation. The parish also arranges Anointing of the Sick, Holy Orders, and Matrimony on request; anyone interested is invited to contact the Parish Office at 215-735-0600 or [email protected].
- Infant Baptism — first Sunday of each month, ~12:00 PM
- Baptism Preparation Session — third Friday of each month, 6:00–7:00 PM
- RCIA — begins each September
- Sponsor Letters of Eligibility — for registered parishioners
- Anointing of the Sick, Holy Orders, Matrimony — contact parish office
RCIA — Becoming Catholic
The parish's RCIA program begins each September and is the formal path for adults preparing to enter full communion with the Catholic Church. The parish welcomes three distinct groups: unbaptized adults, baptized Christians from other traditions seeking to become Catholic, and baptized Catholics who have never celebrated First Communion and Confirmation. Inquiries are directed to the Parish Office at 215-735-0600 or [email protected].
Neocatechumenal Way at St. Charles
Since June 2014 the parish has hosted communities of the Neocatechumenal Way ('The Way'), a Catholic ecclesial movement founded in Spain that the Archdiocese of Philadelphia lists among its Catholic Ecclesial Movements & New Communities. In addition to the parish's traditional schedule, a Saturday Vigil Mass celebrated by the Neocatechumenal community is offered at 8:30 PM, and the movement runs separate formation and worship services during the week. The parish's regular Wednesday Eucharistic Adoration (5:00–6:00 PM) and Wednesday Evening Prayer (5:40–6:00 PM) are also offered in this context.
- Separate Saturday Vigil Mass at 8:30 PM
- Wednesday Eucharistic Adoration 5:00–6:00 PM
- Wednesday Evening Prayer 5:40–6:00 PM
Parish Ministries and Groups
St. Charles Borromeo lists its active groups on its website and Sacraments page. Beyond the sacramental programs (RCIA, Baptism Preparation, Marriage preparation) and the Neocatechumenal Way, the parish supports a Parish Council (which helps plan worship services and religious celebrations) and ongoing formation through Lectio Divina and the monthly Youth Scrutatio. The parish website's 'Find Your Faith' section describes the parish as offering 'a variety of programs and services to help our community grow in faith and love,' from religious education to outreach.
- Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA)
- Baptism Preparation
- Neocatechumenal Way
- Youth Scrutatio (monthly youth prayer and Adoration)
- Lectio Divina (weekly Scripture prayer)
- Parish Council
- Eucharistic Adoration
Visit, Contact, and Pastoral Boundaries
The parish rectory is at 902 S. 20th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19146, on the southwest corner of 20th and Christian Streets. The phone number is (215) 735-0600, the fax is 267-687-1145, and the email is [email protected]. Office hours are Monday through Friday from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM; the office is closed Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays. The parish's territorial boundaries, as recorded by the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, run: South St. from 16th St. to Grays Ferry Ave.; to the railroad trestle at Washington Ave.; along the railroad line to the Schuylkill River; to Grays Ferry Ave.; to 28th St.; to Wharton St.; to 23rd St.; to Tasker St.; to 21st St.; to Wharton St.; to 18th St.; to Ellsworth St.; to 16th St.; to South St.
- Rectory: 902 S. 20th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19146
- Phone: (215) 735-0600
- Email: [email protected]
- Office Hours: Monday–Friday, 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM
- Deanery: Philadelphia South and East
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. James O'Reilly1868–
Founding pastor; tasked with erecting the permanent church.
- Rev. Nicholas A. Walsh
Second pastor; Irish-born.
- Rev. James P. Sinnott1888–1925
Educated and ordained at the North American College in Rome in 1876; became pastor in 1888; died at St. Charles in 1925 and was interred in the rectory yard.
- Rev. Esteban N. Granyak2014–
Assigned by Archbishop Charles J. Chaput in June 2014 as Parochial Administrator to start and lead the Neocatechumenal Way.
- Rev. Wellington M. Munoz
Current Parochial Administrator per the Archdiocese of Philadelphia listing.