About St. Patrick · Kennett Square, Pennsylvania
St. Patrick Roman Catholic Church is the oldest Roman Catholic parish in Southern Chester County, Pennsylvania, founded on Christmas Day 1869 in Kennett Square as a mission outreach of the (then) Diocese of Philadelphia to a rural farming region. The parish encompasses roughly 60 square miles of southern Chester County and today serves more than 1,400 registered households — close to 4,000 individuals — under the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. The current granite-and-limestone church on Meredith Street was dedicated in 1907, seats about 400, and features a bell tower and stained-glass windows imported from Munich, Germany. Worship is offered in English, with daily, weekend, and Holy Day Masses, regular confession, weekly Eucharistic adoration, an active PREP religious-education program, choirs, a Knights of Columbus council, RCIA, and outreach to families in need through Family Promise and Kennett Area Community Services (KACS).
- Established
- 1869
- Patron
- Saint Patrick
- Rector
- Rev. Mark A. Tobin (Parochial Administrator)
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia (Deanery: Chester County West)
Why belong here
St. Patrick offers the full sacramental life of a historic Catholic parish in a setting that still feels like a small town: multiple Sunday Masses including a livestreamed 9 AM Mass, daily Mass Monday through Saturday, Saturday and Wednesday confession, and a robust Eucharistic adoration schedule (every Monday from 8 AM to 7 PM plus First Fridays). Parishioners of every age can grow in faith through the Parish Religious Education Program (PREP) for K–7, the RCIA journey for adults, choirs for children and adults, and the Respect Life, Knights of Columbus, Family Promise, and KACS food-drive ministries — making it an ideal parish both to visit and to call home in southern Chester County.
Mass times at St. Patrick
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturdays 3:30 – 4:30 PM (Reconciliation Room in the Narthex)
- Wednesdays 6:00 – 6:45 PM
Adoration times
- Mondays 8:00 AM – 7:00 PM (Rosary begins at 7:00 PM followed by Benediction)
- First Fridays 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Parish History
St. Patrick Parish was created on Christmas Day, December 25, 1869, the year the Diocese of Wilmington was carved out of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. Father John Wall, a missionary from St. Thomas the Apostle in Delaware County, gathered funds and erected a small wooden church on West South Street; Archbishop Wood, the fifth bishop of Philadelphia, dedicated that first building on September 1, 1872. After nearly forty years, the parish outgrew it: ground was broken on Meredith Street in 1906 and the present granite-and-limestone church, with its bell-tower and capacity of 400, was dedicated in 1907. The Munich-made stained-glass windows, the subjects of which were chosen by Father John H. O'Donel, and the solid red-oak pews remain signature features of the sanctuary. A parish school opened in 1918, was built in 1927 under the Sisters of St. Joseph, and ultimately closed in 2012 due to low enrollment and fiscal pressures. For most of its history St. Patrick's served a rural, agricultural community — Kennett Square is the heart of the mushroom capital of the world — but rapid residential and commercial growth since the 1990s has transformed both the town and the parish. Today St. Patrick ministers to more than 1,400 registered households (approximately 4,000 individuals) across some 60 square miles of southern Chester County.
- Founded December 25, 1869 — oldest Catholic parish in Southern Chester County
- Founder: Father John Wall (missionary from St. Thomas the Apostle, Delaware County)
- First wooden church: West South Street, dedicated by Archbishop Wood in 1872
- Present church: Meredith Street, dedicated 1907; granite with limestone trim; bell-tower; 400 seats
- Stained glass: F.X. Zettle, Munich, Germany; subjects chosen by Father John H. O'Donel
- School: opened 1918, built 1927, staffed by Sisters of St. Joseph; closed 2012
- Parish boundaries: ~60 square miles of southern Chester County
- Today: 1,400+ registered households, ~4,000 individuals
Parish Staff
The parish is led by Rev. Mark A. Tobin as Parochial Administrator, with Rev. Andres Garcia Arambula in residence (also serving as Parochial Vicar of St. Rocco, Avondale). Two permanent deacons assist: Deacon Alan T. Haley and retired Deacon James K. Madonna. The laity and religious who keep the parish running day to day include the Director of Religious Education, Director of Parish Engagement, Business Manager, Music Director, Parish Facilities, Administrative Assistant, and Cemetery Coordinator.
- Rev. Mark A. Tobin — Parochial Administrator
- Rev. Andres Garcia Arambula — In Residence
- Deacon Alan T. Haley
- Deacon James K. Madonna (Retired)
- Rev. James T. McCabe & the Oblates of St. Francis DeSales — Sunday Assistance
- Maria Miller — Director of Religious Education
- Jen Keller — Director of Parish Engagement
- Marie Elliott — Business Manager
- Jessica Tanner — Music Director
- Kurt Smith — Parish Facilities
- Candace Malchione — Administrative Assistant
- Annemarie & Dave Kane — Cemetery Coordinators
Worship Schedule & Sacraments
St. Patrick offers Mass in English every day of the week. Weekend Masses are Saturday Vigil at 5:00 PM and three Sunday Masses (7:30 AM, 9:00 AM livestreamed, and 11:00 AM). Weekday Masses are 7:30 AM Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday; 7:00 PM Wednesday; and 8:00 AM Saturday. Holy Days generally have a vigil Mass at 5:00 PM, a 7:30 AM Mass on weekdays, and a 7:00 PM Mass.
- Confession: Saturdays 3:30–4:30 PM and Wednesdays 6:00–6:45 PM, in the Reconciliation Room in the Narthex
- Eucharistic Adoration: Mondays 8:00 AM–7:00 PM (Rosary at 7:00 PM followed by Benediction)
- First Fridays: Adoration 7:00–8:00 PM
- Holy Days: see current bulletin for times
Faith Formation & Religious Education (PREP)
The Parish Religious Education Program (PREP) provides Catholic faith formation for registered St. Patrick parishioners whose children attend public or non-parochial schools, ages four through seventh grade. The program follows Canon Law 774 §2 by supporting parents — the primary catechists — in handing on the faith, and runs from September through April with two delivery options: a traditional weekly option and a Family Catechesis option for Levels 3–6. Sacramental preparation for First Penance, First Holy Communion (after Level 1) and Confirmation (after Level 7) is built into the program; children with special needs are welcomed with appropriate accommodations. Catechist training, background checks and Safe Environment training are required of all volunteers.
- Traditional weekly option: Sunday mornings K, 1, 2 & 7 (10:05–11:35 AM) or Monday afternoons Levels 1–6 (4:45–6:15 PM)
- Family Catechesis option for Levels 3–6 — Sundays after the 9:00 AM Mass
- Sacramental prep for First Penance/First Communion (after Level 1) and Confirmation (Level 7)
- Registration for returning families opens April 15, 2026
- Director of Religious Education: Maria Miller — 610-444-2214, [email protected]
RCIA — Becoming Catholic
The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) at St. Patrick is directed by the priests and a team of parishioners dedicated to welcoming inquirers, sharing faith stories, and walking together through the Gospel. The four-stage journey — Inquiry, Catechumenate, Rite of Election, and Mystagogy — includes three retreats placed at the intersection of the stages. There is no commitment at the Inquiry stage: people are free to "come and see" or "come and go."
- Stage 1: Inquiry — looking, listening, asking questions
- Stage 2: Catechumenate — more serious involvement
- Stage 3: Rite of Election
- Stage 4: Mystagogy — seven weeks after reception into the Catholic faith
- Contact: 610-444-4364
Music & Liturgical Ministries
Music is central to worship at St. Patrick. The Adult Choir, open to high-school-age parishioners and up with no audition required, rehearses Thursday evenings from 7:00 to 8:30 PM and sings two weekend Masses each month plus Christmas, Holy Week, Confirmation, and special occasions. The Children's Choir, open to grades K through 8, rehearses Thursdays from 6:00 to 7:00 PM and sings one Sunday Mass a month in addition to holidays and special events. A Guitar Group and Youth Ensemble welcome instrumentalists of all kinds — flutes, trumpets, violins, percussion — to play for liturgies, weddings, and funerals.
- Adult Choir — Thursdays 7:00–8:30 PM, choir loft; two weekend Masses per month
- Children's Choir — Thursdays 6:00–7:00 PM; one Sunday Mass per month
- Guitar Group & Youth Ensemble
- Music Director: Jessica Tanner — [email protected]
- Substitute organists and pianists always welcomed
Outreach, Charity & Stewardship
St. Patrick's mission statement commits the parish to making the Gospel of Jesus Christ better known and loved through prayer, stewardship, and good works. Parishioners live that out through food drives for the Kennett Area Community Services (KACS) Food Cupboard at least twice a year, supporting Family Promise of Southern Chester County four weeks a year with meals, errands, and chores for families in need, and gathering in monthly Respect Life ministry meetings to proclaim the Gospel of Life through prayer, education, support, and advocacy. The Knights of Columbus council supports the parish through the principles of Charity, Unity, Fraternity, and Patriotism.
- Food Drives — at least twice a year for KACS Food Cupboard
- Family Promise of Southern Chester County — support parish four weeks a year
- Respect Life Ministry — 4th Wednesday, 7:30 PM, St. Joseph Room
- Knights of Columbus — contact Brian Eyre
- Collection Counters — weekly team, contact Doug Singo
- Coffee & Hospitality / Welcoming Ministry
- Spiritual Adoption program and Pilgrim Statue of the Expectant Madonna
St. Patrick Cemetery
St. Patrick Cemetery was established in 1904 and is located at 460 N. Union Street, Kennett Square. The property continues to be owned by St. Patrick Church and the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. A columbarium was purchased in 2019 (capacity 144 urns in large and small niches) and two additional columbariums were added in 2024 (each capacity 80 urns), giving families the option to entomb rather than bury a loved one's remains. A general cleanup of all grave sites is performed on the last Friday of each month to honor the dignity of the cemetery, with items placed in violation of cemetery regulations collected and held outside the garage for one month.
- Established 1904 — 460 N. Union Street, Kennett Square, PA 19348
- Owned by St. Patrick Church and the Archdiocese of Philadelphia
- Columbarium 1 (2019): up to 144 urns
- Columbariums 2 & 3 (2024): up to 80 urns each
- Monthly cleanup: last Friday of each month
- Contact the Parish Office at 610-444-4364 for Rules & Regulations
Getting Involved & Staying Connected
New parishioners are invited to register with the parish and become part of the St. Patrick community. Engagement is encouraged through choir, faith-formation volunteering, hospitality, the Knights of Columbus, outreach ministries, and the cemetery. To stay connected, the parish maintains a Facebook page, an Instagram account, and a Flocknote email/text list run by Director of Parish Engagement Jen Keller that delivers a weekly email with parish news, Catholic resources, and Bishop Robert Barron's Word on Fire content, plus weather-related alerts.
- Parish registration form available on the website
- Flocknote email/text sign-up: https://stpats.flocknote.com/
- Official Facebook and Instagram pages (linked from the website's 'Keep in Touch' page)
- Volunteer interest form available for catechist and classroom aides
- Summer parish office hours: Mon–Thu 9:00 AM–4:00 PM; Fri 9:00 AM–12:00 PM
Accessibility & Visiting
St. Patrick welcomes all visitors and parishioners, including those with disabilities. The church at 212 Meredith Street has accessible entrances with curb ramps, automatic doors wider than 32 inches, level approaches, and accessible parking (including van-accessible spaces with access aisles on either side) located near the accessible entrances. An Assistive Listening Device (ALD) is available — earphones or audio loops enhance the sound system for those who are hard of hearing. The Reconciliation Room is located in the Narthex, and Eucharistic adoration runs all day every Monday plus First Fridays.
- Accessible entrances, curb ramps, automatic wide doors
- Van-accessible parking near accessible entrances
- Assistive Listening Device (ALD) available for the sound system
- Reconciliation Room in the Narthex
- Parish Office: 205 Lafayette Street, Kennett Square
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father John Wall1869–
Missionary priest from St. Thomas the Apostle, Delaware County; founder of St. Patrick Parish, who collected funds and erected the original wooden church on West South Street.
- Father John H. O'Donel
Selected the subjects for the Munich-made stained-glass windows in the 1907 church.