About St. Patrick · Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
St. Patrick Parish is a Roman Catholic parish at 242 South 20th Street (at 20th and Locust Streets) in the Rittenhouse Square neighborhood of Center City Philadelphia. Founded in 1839 to serve Irish families working along the Schuylkill River, it is one of the oldest parishes in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia and has been staffed by the Dominican Friars (Order of Preachers) since July 2018. The parish is known for its historic Napoleon LeBrun-designed church, its daily traditional Mass schedule, an active lower chapel for prayer, and a deeply rooted Irish Catholic identity serving the surrounding Rittenhouse Square community.
- Established
- 1839
- Patron
- St. Patrick
- Rector
- Rev. Hyacinth Cordell, O.P.
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Philadelphia
Why belong here
St. Patrick's offers daily traditional Mass and confession in the heart of Center City Philadelphia, with an unusually rich liturgical schedule — including a daily 7:30 AM and 12:05 PM Mass Monday through Friday, a Saturday Vigil Mass at 5:15 PM, three Sunday Masses, Night Prayer (Compline) every evening at 9 PM, and a Thursday Holy Hour with confessions. The Dominican friars bring centuries of preaching and teaching, while lay-led liturgical ministries (acolytes, lectors, extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion, the St. Clare Crew livestream team, and the Beautifying the Bride decorating team) make active participation easy. A current capital campaign is also underway to install a new HVAC system, an elevator, accessible restrooms, and to restore the parish's stained glass windows.
Mass times at St. Patrick
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Friday 12:30–12:45 PM
- Saturday 4:30–5:00 PM
- Sunday 10:30–10:50 AM
- Sunday 5:45–6:15 PM
- Thursday during 7:00 PM Holy Hour
Adoration times
- Thursday 7:00 PM Holy Hour (with confessions, followed by Night Prayer)
Parish History
St. Patrick's traces its origin to December 22, 1839, when a small group of Irish Catholic families living on the western edge of Philadelphia — then 'Out Schuylkill,' along the river where coal barges were unloaded — gathered at the home of law clerk Paul Reilly to petition Bishop Francis Patrick Kenrick for a parish of their own. They chose St. Patrick as patron, both out of Irish heritage and as a subtle appeal to the bishop's own middle name. The first Mass was celebrated in a leased former Navy Yard house (previously a carpenter's shop and vinegar factory) by Fr. Daniel F.X. Devitt, the diocese's first native-born ordained priest. Just eighteen months later, on July 4, 1841, Kenrick laid the cornerstone for a proper brick church designed by Napoleon LeBrun. Dedicated that December 5 as 'Old St. Patrick's,' it was 60 by 100 feet, took 23 years to pay off, and initially had no stained glass and no pews — only benches. The present larger church at 20th and Locust Streets was eventually built to the same architect's design and consecrated in 1871. As Philadelphia grew, the parish's original vast territory — extending to Cape May and all of West Philadelphia — was gradually carved up into daughter parishes, leaving today's compact Center City boundaries centered on Rittenhouse Square.
- Founded December 22, 1839
- Founded by Bishop Francis Patrick Kenrick
- First pastor: Fr. Daniel F.X. Devitt
- Architect: Napoleon LeBrun
- Old St. Patrick's dedicated December 5, 1841
- Present church consecrated 1871
- A 2024 documentary film chronicled the parish's 185-year story
Dominican Friars (Order of Preachers)
Since July 1, 2018, pastoral care of St. Patrick's has been entrusted to the Dominican Friars of the Province of Saint Joseph, at the invitation of then-Archbishop Charles Chaput. The Dominicans — the Order of Preachers, founded by St. Dominic in 1216 — had last served in Philadelphia at Holy Name of Jesus Parish for nearly a century (and on the faculty of La Salle University), leaving in 1998. Their return marked a providential homecoming, since the founder of American Dominicans, Edward Dominic Fenwick, O.P., was one of those who consecrated Bishop Kenrick in 1830, the same bishop who founded St. Patrick's. The founding date of the parish (December 22) is also the founding date of the Dominican Order itself.
- Dominican Friars of the Province of Saint Joseph
- Arrived at St. Patrick's July 1, 2018
- Order of Preachers, founded by St. Dominic in 1216
- Provincial at the time of arrival: Very Rev. Kenneth Letoile, O.P.
Clergy & Staff
The parish is served by a community of Dominican friars under Pastor Fr. Hyacinth Cordell, O.P., who arrived in July 2020 from two years as pastor of St. Dominic in Washington, D.C. He is a former drummer and University of North Texas music student, with degrees from St. Louis University and the Dominican House of Studies in Washington, who evangelizes through percussion on Instagram as @benedictusesdomine. The community also includes a parochial vicar, two friars 'in residence' serving other archdiocesan ministries (the Cathedral Basilica and the Pink Sisters), and a Dominican brother who teaches at St. Hubert Catholic High School for Girls.
- Rev. Hyacinth Cordell, O.P. — Pastor (since July 2020)
- Rev. Christopher (Mark) Daniel, O.P. — Parochial Vicar
- Rev. Matthew P. Carroll III, O.P. — In Residence; Parochial Vicar at the Cathedral Basilica of Ss. Peter and Paul
- Rev. Jordan (James) Kelly, O.P. — In Residence; Chaplain to the Pink Sisters at the Convent of Divine Love
- Br. James Wallace, O.P. — In Residence; Teacher at Saint Hubert Catholic High School for Girls
- Loretta A. Colucci — Parish Business Manager ([email protected])
Devotions & Hours
Beyond the Mass schedule, the lower chapel is open every day from 7:00 AM to 9:00 PM for personal prayer, and the upper church is open from 6:00 PM to 9:20 PM daily between mid-March and Advent. The parish prays Night Prayer (Compline) together every evening at 9:00 PM (lower church from Advent to mid-March, upper church from mid-March to Advent), and on Thursdays the 7:00 PM Holy Hour combines Eucharistic adoration, confessions, and Night Prayer to close the day.
- Night Prayer (Compline) — daily at 9:00 PM
- Thursday Holy Hour with Confessions — 7:00 PM
- Lower Chapel hours — 7:00 AM to 9:00 PM, every day
- Upper Church hours — 6:00 PM to 9:20 PM, mid-March to Advent
Liturgical Ministries
Lay people serve at the altar and throughout the liturgy in several established ministries at St. Patrick's. All require being a practicing Catholic in good standing, plus training (and for extraordinary ministers, archdiocesan approval). Acolytes assist the priest at chair and altar, carry the processional cross and candles, and manage incense. Lectors proclaim the Word of God at Mass. Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion assist with distributing the Eucharist and bringing Communion to the sick, elderly, and homebound. Two parish-wide volunteer teams keep the liturgy beautiful and accessible: 'Beautifying the Bride' handles church decorating for feasts, and the 'St. Clare Crew' runs livestreaming for Sunday Masses, young adult meetings, weddings, baptisms, and funerals.
- Acolytes
- Lectors
- Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion (EMHC)
- Beautifying the Bride (decorating team)
- St. Clare Crew (livestream team)
- Choir & Cantoring
Stained Glass & Architecture
St. Patrick's present church at 20th and Locust Streets was designed by Napoleon LeBrun, the Philadelphia architect also responsible for the Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul and the Academy of Music. The parish is especially proud of its stained-glass program, organized as a 'Salvation History' tour through the upper church: windows depicting the early life of Jesus and Mary, the Public Ministry of Christ, and the History of the Church, plus the Twelve Apostles in the stairwell and the Baptismal Font window showing the Life of St. John the Baptist. The parish has published a Rosary booklet pairing each decade's prayers with these windows, available for $10 from the parish office. The parish's capital campaign is currently raising funds to restore these windows.
- Architect: Napoleon LeBrun
- Salvation History windows — Upper Church
- 12 Apostles stairwell windows
- Baptismal Font window — Life of St. John the Baptist
- Rosary booklet featuring stained-glass windows — $10 from the parish office
Sacraments
St. Patrick's celebrates the sacraments of Baptism and Marriage (by appointment), and sacramental preparation is offered through the parish office. For those in immediate danger of death, the Anointing of the Sick / Last Rites can be requested by calling the emergency line at 401-286-5534. The Archdiocese of Philadelphia also publishes spiritual resources online at archphila.org/resources.
- Baptism
- Marriage (by appointment)
- Anointing / Last Rites — 401-286-5534
Capital Campaign & Parish Support
The parish is currently running a capital campaign to fund major building improvements: a new heating and cooling system, installation of an elevator and accessible restrooms, and the renovation of the church's stained-glass windows. In addition to mailing envelopes or writing checks, parishioners and friends can support the parish through automatic bill pay, Parish Giving, or Venmo (@saintpats).
- New HVAC system
- Elevator and accessible restrooms
- Stained-glass window restoration
- Donations via Parish Giving, mail, or Venmo (@saintpats)
Visiting & Contact
St. Patrick's is located at 242 South 20th Street (at 20th and Locust Streets) in Center City Philadelphia, just around the corner from Rittenhouse Square. The rectory/office is in the building directly next door to the church, marked with a bronze 'RECTORY' plaque. Office hours are 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM weekdays, with weekend visits by appointment. The parish is wheelchair-accessible (the church restroom is adapted with proper door size, enlarged stall, grab bars, clearance, and accessible fixtures/sink) and the confessional has an assistive listening device for the hearing impaired.
- Address: 242 South 20th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103
- Phone: (215) 735-9900
- Email: [email protected]
- Office hours: Mon–Fri 9:00 AM–4:00 PM; weekends by appointment
- Wheelchair-adapted restroom
- Assistive listening device in confessional
- Facebook: facebook.com/StPatrickPhilly
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Daniel F.X. Devitt1839–
First pastor; diocese's first native-born ordained priest; celebrated the first Mass on Dec. 22, 1839; built Old St. Patrick's in 1841.
- Rev. Daniel Mackle2004–2018
Served as pastor from June 2004 until the Dominicans arrived in July 2018; subsequently moved to St. Charles Borromeo Seminary as Director of Liturgy.