Saint Joseph Pro-Cathedral

Did you know Camden has two St. Joseph’s? Right here stands Saint Joseph Pro-Cathedral. It’s not the only St. Joseph’s in town. The other is St. Joseph Polish Catholic Church. Saint Joseph Pro-Cathedral’s story began humbly in the early 1890s as a mission. Franciscan friars from Sts. Peter and Paul Church held the first mass at Wright’s Hall on Marlton Pike near Federal Street on February 7, 1892. The following year, the parish officially formed. The first church building, designed by John D’Arcy, opened on December 16, 1893, at 25th and Howell Streets. Reverend Alphonse Lehrscholl led the congregation. Disaster struck in 1915 when a fire damaged the church. Although repaired, it was later abandoned in 1929 after a new school was built on Westfield Avenue. The old church met its end ten years later, deemed a fire hazard. The current Saint Joseph Pro-Cathedral rose in 1952. Interestingly, it sits on the former site of St. Patrick’s Cemetery. The bodies were moved to Calvary Cemetery to make way for the modern structure. It became a pro-cathedral due to the small size of the main Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception downtown. In 1998, the former convent became the Romero Center Ministries, an urban retreat center focused on serving the poor. It was founded on the anniversary of Archbishop Óscar Romero’s assassination. There was a proposed merger with St. Cecilia and St. Veronica Parishes in 2008. Ultimately, Saint Joseph Pro-Cathedral remained independent. It continues to serve the community.