About St. Francis de Sales · Lenni, Pennsylvania
St. Francis de Sales Parish is a Roman Catholic parish in the village of Lenni, in Aston Township, Delaware County, Pennsylvania, within the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. Founded in 1894, the parish serves approximately 800 families (about 2,000 parishioners) from a campus that includes the original white, steeple-topped wooden church — often called 'the little cathedral on the hill' — along with a parish cemetery, a convent housing four Sisters of St. Francis, and ministry and outreach spaces. Since 2024 the parish has been led by Parish Life Director Mark Griswold, a lay pastoral leader working under a new model of parish leadership championed by Archbishop Nelson Pérez's Trust and Hope initiative. The parish continues the long Catholic tradition of worship, faith formation, and charitable outreach in the historic Lenni Mills area of Delaware County.
- Established
- 1894
- Patron
- St. Francis de Sales (Doctor of the Church, Bishop of Geneva)
- Rector
- Parish Life Director: Mr. Mark Griswold (canonical pastor: Auxiliary Bishop John J. McIntyre)
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Philadelphia (Deanery: Delaware County West)
Why belong here
St. Francis de Sales is a tight-knit Delaware County parish of about 800 families where generations have worshipped in the same hilltop church since 1894. Active parish life includes the monthly 'Praise on the Hill' evenings of Eucharistic adoration and praise music, RCIA for adults, PREP (Parish Religious Education Program) on Wednesdays at Holy Family Regional Catholic School, a Prayer Shawl Ministry, Ladies' Club, Altar Society, Cancer Care Ministry, and an active Social/Outreach committee that prepares casseroles for the Saint Katharine Drexel Food Pantry. With a Parish Life Director model welcomed by the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, the parish is intentionally focused on building relationships, engaging young people, and renewing community ties while continuing the devotions and ministries its longtime members treasure.
Mass times at St. Francis de Sales
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 4:30 PM
- Also by request
Adoration times
- Monthly 'Praise on the Hill' — second Friday of each month (September–June): Eucharistic adoration, praise and worship music, silent prayer, the sacrament of penance, and benediction
About St. Francis de Sales Parish
St. Francis de Sales is a Roman Catholic parish of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia serving about 800 families in the village of Lenni in Aston Township, Delaware County. The parish campus includes the original 1894 white wooden church on a hill above New Road, a parish cemetery, a convent that houses four Sisters of St. Francis, and the Father Walsh Center used for ministry and parish gatherings. Since 2024 the parish has been led by Parish Life Director Mark Griswold, a lay pastoral leader working alongside priests of the Archdiocese.
History
The parish traces its roots to the 1880s as a mission of St. Thomas the Apostle. The church was dedicated in 1894 with the Rev. Edward J. O'Reilly as first pastor. The 125th anniversary was marked in September 2020 by Archbishop Nelson Pérez, with Father Alan Okon as pastor. After the parish school closed in 2016 (merged into Holy Family Regional Catholic School), the Archdiocese's Trust and Hope initiative led to the introduction of the Parish Life Director model, and Mark Griswold began serving in that role in 2024.
- 1880s — began as a mission of St. Thomas the Apostle
- 1894 — church dedicated; Rev. Edward J. O'Reilly, first pastor
- 2016 — parish school closed, merged into Holy Family Regional Catholic School
- September 27, 2020 — 125th anniversary Mass with Archbishop Nelson Pérez
- 2024 — Mark Griswold installed as Parish Life Director
- September 28, 2025 — Auxiliary Bishop John J. McIntyre visits as canonical pastor
Parish Staff and Leadership
The parish is led day-to-day by Parish Life Director Mark Griswold, with canonical pastoral care provided by Auxiliary Bishop John J. McIntyre. Permanent Deacon Paul A. Quinn assists with liturgies and parish ministry. Office and program staff support administration, communications, music, religious education and finances.
- Mr. Mark Griswold — Parish Life Director ([email protected])
- Rev. Msgr. J. Brian Bransfield — Parochial Administrator (former)
- Deacon Paul A. Quinn — Permanent Deacon
- Ms. Colleen Dougherty — Administrative Assistant ([email protected])
- Mrs. Carol Cannon — Communications Secretary ([email protected])
- Mrs. Regina Streeper — Bookkeeper ([email protected])
- Mr. Jeff Braconnier — Music Director ([email protected])
- Mrs. Julie Crowell — Coordinator of Religious Education ([email protected])
- Art Kahn — Parish Business Manager (per Archdiocese listing)
Faith Formation and Religious Education (PREP & RCIA)
Parish Religious Education Program (PREP) prepares children for the sacraments; sessions meet Wednesdays 4–6 PM at Holy Family Regional Catholic School in Aston, coordinated by Julie Crowell. The parish also supports Catholic elementary education through open-enrollment assistance for families who choose a regional or parish school. Adults seeking to become Catholic or to complete the sacraments of initiation are welcomed through the RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults), coordinated by Mark Griswold (610-459-2203 x104).
- PREP — Wednesdays 4–6 PM at Holy Family Regional Catholic School
- Coordinator: Julie Crowell, 610-497-3340
- RCIA — contact Mark Griswold at 610-459-2203 x104
- Open-enrollment support for parish families choosing a Catholic elementary school
Liturgy, Music and Devotions
Music is led by Music Director Jeff Braconnier. The parish prayer/faith-sharing group meets Wednesdays at 9 AM and 7 PM in the Father Walsh Center (September through May), reflecting on the upcoming Sunday Gospel and readings. The monthly 'Praise on the Hill' event, begun in August 2024, combines Eucharistic adoration, contemporary praise and worship music, silent prayer, the sacrament of penance and benediction; 30–40 people typically attend, drawn from St. Francis and neighboring parishes.
- Music Director — Jeff Braconnier
- Faith Sharing / Prayer Group — Wed 9 AM and 7 PM, Father Walsh Center
- Praise on the Hill — monthly, second Friday, Sept.–June (adoration, praise music, confession, benediction)
- 40 Hour Devotions observed periodically
Parish Ministries and Organizations
St. Francis de Sales supports a wide range of lay-led ministries and organizations, with contact persons listed in the parish bulletin. These groups cover worship service (lectors, extraordinary ministers, altar society, church environment), community life (Ladies' Club, Women's Prayer Group), pastoral care (Cancer Care Ministry, Prayer Shawl Ministry), and parish governance (Finance Committee, Pastoral Council).
- Altar Society — Phil D'Orazio, 610-459-0635
- Cancer Care Ministry — Lydia Lill, 610-358-2627
- Church Environment — Barbara Jones, 610-566-4149
- Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion — Tracy Boyle, 610-761-0177
- Ladies' Club — Belle Miller, 610-513-2920
- Lectors — Joanne Sunick, 610-517-8491
- Prayer Shawl Ministry — Trish Woznicki, 610-566-6552
- Women's Prayer Group — Carol Cannon, 610-459-2203
- Finance Committee / Pastoral Council — through Parish Office
Outreach and Charitable Works
The parish's Social/Outreach committee and individual ministries extend charity to neighbors in need. Casseroles and nonperishable food are donated to the Saint Katharine Drexel Food Pantry in Chester each Monday. The Cancer Care Ministry and Prayer Shawl Ministry bring comfort to the sick, homebound and newborns. In September 2025, the parish welcomed Deacon Paul Quinn's burial service for 28 babies lost to miscarriage as part of a ministry of hope and healing.
- Casserole ministry for St. Katharine Drexel Food Pantry (Chester)
- Cancer Care Ministry
- Prayer Shawl Ministry (knits blankets, hats, shawls)
- Miscarriage burial ministry at parish cemetery (Sept. 8, 2025)
Sacraments
Information on the celebration of the sacraments is published in the parish bulletin. Baptisms are normally celebrated after the 10:30 AM Sunday Mass, with a required Pre-Jordan class for first-time parents held on the second Tuesday of each month at 7:00 PM. RCIA welcomes adults seeking full initiation. Couples should contact the Parish Office for marriage preparation; the sick may request Anointing of the Sick.
- Baptism — after 10:30 AM Sunday Mass; Pre-Jordan class 2nd Tuesday, 7:00 PM
- RCIA — contact Mark Griswold at 610-459-2203 x104
- Marriage — arrangements through Parish Office
- Anointing of the Sick — contact Parish Office
- First Communion & Confirmation — through PREP at Holy Family Regional Catholic School
- Confession — Saturday 4:30 PM or by request
Cemetery
The Saint Francis de Sales Church Cemetery occupies the steep hillside on the parish grounds in Lenni. Parishioners and families bury loved ones in this on-campus cemetery, which is one of the parish's distinctive features. In September 2025 the cemetery was the site of a burial service led by Deacon Paul Quinn for 28 babies lost to miscarriage. Cemetery inquiries are handled by Cemetery Manager Dean Marsden through the Parish Office.
- Located on the parish hillside campus, 35 New Road, Aston/Lenni
- Cemetery Manager: Dean Marsden, 610-459-2203
- Site of September 8, 2025 burial service for babies lost to miscarriage
Facilities: Father Walsh Center and Convent
Parish activities take place in the Father Walsh Center, which hosts the Prayer Shawl Ministry, Ladies' Club, faith-sharing group, casseroles freezer and post-Mass fellowship. The Convent at 28 New Road, Aston (610-459-2501) houses four Sisters of St. Francis who minister at nearby Neumann University. The original 1894 church remains the primary place of worship.
- Father Walsh Center — ministry and gathering space
- Convent — 28 New Road, Aston, PA 19014; 610-459-2501
- Four Sisters of St. Francis in residence (serve at Neumann University)
- Former gym/field house currently serves as warehouse space
Parish Registration and Visiting
New parishioners are warmly welcomed and asked to register with the Parish Office by calling 610-459-2203. Office hours are Monday through Thursday, 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM (closed 12:30–1:00 PM; closed Fridays). The parish relies on members to keep family contact information and sacramental records up to date.
- Register by calling 610-459-2203 or emailing [email protected]
- Office hours: Mon–Thu 8:00 AM–4:00 PM (closed 12:30–1:00 PM, closed Fri)
- Parish Office: 35 New Road, P.O. Box 97, Lenni, PA 19052
- Website: www.SFDSLenni.org
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Edward J. O'Reilly1894 (founding pastor)
First pastor when the church was dedicated in 1894, after the parish began as an 1880s mission of St. Thomas the Apostle.
- Father Alan Okonc. 2020
Pastor at the parish's 125th anniversary Mass celebrated by Archbishop Nelson Pérez in September 2020.
- Rev. Msgr. J. Brian Bransfieldc. 2024
Served as Parochial Administrator and recommended Mark Griswold for the Parish Life Director role; later reassigned as pastor of St. Eleanor Parish in Collegeville.