Burlington parish to mark church's 150th anniversary
July 29, 2019 at 12:37 p.m.
By David Karas | Correspondent
In 1864, the parish community that traces its roots back to 1798 was formally incorporated.
And on Oct. 26, the community of St. Paul Church, Burlington, will celebrate the 150th anniversary of that formal formation.
A reception will follow the 10:30 a.m. Sunday Mass, with festivities in St. Paul School school cafeteria.
The parish Altar-Rosary Society will also host a Hospitality Sunday after all Masses on Oct. 19 in the parish house located next to St. Paul Church, with refreshments and fellowship.
Parish leaders are asking those interested in attending the various celebrations to RSVP with the parish office to assist with planning.
In 2008, St. Paul Church merged with the nearby All Saints Parish, forming the combined community of St. Katharine Drexel Parish, of which it is now a part.
The legacy of St. Paul’s itself can be traced back to 1798, when the Catholic population in Burlington received spiritual guidance from the Augustinian Fathers of St. Augustine Church, Philadelphia. They remained until 1833, when what was known at the time as the West Jersey Mission was established. The mission was served by a Jesuit order until 1837, when Burlington and the surrounding parishes were given over to the Secular Clergy.
A combined church and rectory was born out of an old barracks property, and which had been used to house soldiers during the Revolutionary War, and which served as the parish hub until 1854, when the house adjacent to the converted church became its new rectory. In 1864, St. Paul Parish was formally incorporated, and in 1870 the basement of the old church property was repurposed to serve as the first Catholic school in Burlington.
In the decades that followed, parish leaders acquired additional properties and further expanded the faith community, adding educational offerings and space for prayer and celebrations. A new church, the present worship space, was also erected, and over time, waves of additions and renovations to the parish properties continued to accommodate the growing numbers of parishioners and clergy assigned to the parish.
The more recent history of the church saw the construction of a new convent, a remodeled and refurbished rectory, and various improvements to the church itself.
As the St. Paul Church community prepares to celebrate the 150th anniversary of its incorporation, the parish office is asking for assistance in arranging a display of photos and other church memorabilia. Those with items they would like to lend or donate to the parish archives are asked to contact Eileen Korang, parish secretary, at 609-386-0163, ext. 210.
For more information about St. Paul Church and the St. Katharine Drexel Parish community, visit http://www.stkatharinedrexel-nj.org/.
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By David Karas | Correspondent
In 1864, the parish community that traces its roots back to 1798 was formally incorporated.
And on Oct. 26, the community of St. Paul Church, Burlington, will celebrate the 150th anniversary of that formal formation.
A reception will follow the 10:30 a.m. Sunday Mass, with festivities in St. Paul School school cafeteria.
The parish Altar-Rosary Society will also host a Hospitality Sunday after all Masses on Oct. 19 in the parish house located next to St. Paul Church, with refreshments and fellowship.
Parish leaders are asking those interested in attending the various celebrations to RSVP with the parish office to assist with planning.
In 2008, St. Paul Church merged with the nearby All Saints Parish, forming the combined community of St. Katharine Drexel Parish, of which it is now a part.
The legacy of St. Paul’s itself can be traced back to 1798, when the Catholic population in Burlington received spiritual guidance from the Augustinian Fathers of St. Augustine Church, Philadelphia. They remained until 1833, when what was known at the time as the West Jersey Mission was established. The mission was served by a Jesuit order until 1837, when Burlington and the surrounding parishes were given over to the Secular Clergy.
A combined church and rectory was born out of an old barracks property, and which had been used to house soldiers during the Revolutionary War, and which served as the parish hub until 1854, when the house adjacent to the converted church became its new rectory. In 1864, St. Paul Parish was formally incorporated, and in 1870 the basement of the old church property was repurposed to serve as the first Catholic school in Burlington.
In the decades that followed, parish leaders acquired additional properties and further expanded the faith community, adding educational offerings and space for prayer and celebrations. A new church, the present worship space, was also erected, and over time, waves of additions and renovations to the parish properties continued to accommodate the growing numbers of parishioners and clergy assigned to the parish.
The more recent history of the church saw the construction of a new convent, a remodeled and refurbished rectory, and various improvements to the church itself.
As the St. Paul Church community prepares to celebrate the 150th anniversary of its incorporation, the parish office is asking for assistance in arranging a display of photos and other church memorabilia. Those with items they would like to lend or donate to the parish archives are asked to contact Eileen Korang, parish secretary, at 609-386-0163, ext. 210.
For more information about St. Paul Church and the St. Katharine Drexel Parish community, visit http://www.stkatharinedrexel-nj.org/.
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