How could a church vanish? Old St. Joseph’s Church seems to do just that. It stands here on Willings Alley. Yet, it’s almost impossible to spot from the street.
Old St. Joseph’s Church is Philadelphia’s first Roman Catholic church. It was founded in 1733. This current building was dedicated in 1839.
Let me tell you a little more. Father Joseph Greaton, an English Jesuit, founded Old St. Joseph’s Church. He came from Maryland in 1729 to start a mission. Initially, he celebrated Mass in his own house. That house was right here on Willings Alley.
In 1733, Father Greaton built the first chapel. It was likely attached to his residence. But not everyone was happy about this. In 1734, the deputy governor challenged the right of Catholics to worship here. The Pennsylvania Provincial Assembly stepped in. They cited William Penn’s Charter of Privileges. This charter allowed religious tolerance. So, Mass continued. Philadelphia became a unique place. It was a place where Catholics could worship more freely than anywhere else in the Thirteen Colonies.
The chapel was replaced by a larger church in 1757. The Marquis de Lafayette and the Comte de Rochambeau worshiped at Old St. Joseph’s. American and French soldiers celebrated Mass here after their victory at Yorktown.
Old St. Joseph’s Church played another important role. During the yellow fever epidemic of 1793, it established an orphanage. Many children were left without families. Fathers Egan, Carr, and Hurley, and other benefactors cared for these orphans. The church also became racially integrated in the 1790s. Slaves fleeing revolution in Santo Domingo settled in Philadelphia. Some joined Old St. Joseph’s. St. Mary’s Charity School educated these immigrants. This eventually led to St. Peter Claver School.
Nearby St. Mary’s Church was built in 1763. It was used for grander events. Public figures like George Washington and John Adams visited it.
Now, about that disappearing act. The church structure is hard to see from the street. Legend says Benjamin Franklin advised Father Greaton to protect the church. Religious prejudice was common in the largely Quaker city. The front wall of Old St. Joseph’s is a party wall. It’s attached to a neighboring building. So, there’s no direct entrance from the street. To enter, you must walk through a narrow arch with iron gates. This arch opens into a courtyard. The courtyard conceals the church. Quakers even helped defend the original chapel from Protestant mobs in 1740 and 1755. Today, the entrances are on the sides, towards the back.
Parishioner John Darragh designed the current church. Major renovations occurred in 1886 and 1904. Inside, look up. Filippo Costaggini’s painting “The Angelic Exaltation of St. Joseph into Heaven” adorns the ceiling. Sylvano Martinez painted the large Crucifixion above the altar around 1840.
Old St. Joseph’s Church has a lasting legacy. Eight Catholic dioceses trace their roots to Jesuit missionaries from here. St. John Neumann founded the Beneficial Savings Fund Society at Old St. Joseph’s in 1853. St. Joseph’s University and St. Joseph’s Preparatory School were also founded here.
Today, Old St. Joseph’s Church remains an active parish. It is run by Jesuit fathers. Daily Mass is still held. Remember William Penn’s Charter of 1701. It granted religious toleration. A plaque here pays tribute to him. It notes that Old St. Joseph’s was once the only place in the English-speaking world. Here, the public celebration of Mass was permitted by law. The last four digits of their phone number is 1733, the year the church was originally built.