Library transformed into new adoration chapel at Marlton parish
April 23, 2025 at 5:34 p.m.
Parishioners and staff of St. Isaac Jogues Parish, Marlton, gathered March 30 to witness the unveiling of the church’s new Adoration Chapel of the Sacred Heart. Attendees at the 11 a.m. Mass formed a procession out of the sanctuary and down the hall to the chapel for its blessing. Many of those attending expressed a range of emotions.
“I wanted to burst into happy tears,” parishioner Leslie Westhead said. “I can’t even talk about it because I’m so emotional …. I have never felt a greater love in my entire life.”
Another parishioner, Debbie Hammond, agreed that the ceremony was incredibly moving. She said the St. Isaac Jogues pastor, Father James Smith, “made a promise that he would give us a chapel, and he kept that promise. ... He’s given us so much.”
Father James Smith incenses the tabernacle in the new Adoration chapel in St. Isaac Jogues Church, Marlton. When Father Smith arrived at St. Isaac’s in July 2023, the parish was in the process of creating new offices for its staff. The room that eventually became the adoration chapel was a parish library, which had been neglected for several years. Its bookshelves were used for the new offices.
Since this left the parish with an additional room, Father Smith felt that it would be an ideal space for a new adoration chapel.
“Adoration has been such an important part of my journey to the priesthood and continues to play a big role in my life today,” Father Smith said. “Having a place where you can go to be close to the Lord is life-changing, and I wanted to provide that availability to our parishioners.”
To create the adoration chapel, slight renovations were made to the former library. A separate door was added so that the chapel could remain open beyond regular business hours. The parish already had an additional tabernacle that could be used for the space, and the altar was obtained from storage in the Diocese of Trenton’s Chancery building. The three pews, which can seat approximately nine people total, were acquired from the former adoration chapel at Our Lady of Sorrows-St. Anthony Parish, Hamilton.
Those particular pews hold special meaning for Father Smith.
“When I was in community college and still discerning the priesthood, I would visit Our Lady of Sorrows’ adoration chapel quite frequently,” he said. Upon discovering that the building housing Our Lady of Sorrows’ chapel was being sold, Father Smith contacted the pastor, Msgr. Thomas Gervasio, for permission to repurpose the pews for St. Isaac’s adoration chapel.
“It was a very full-circle moment for me,” Father Smith said.
For information on visiting the Adoration Chapel of the Sacred Heart, call the parish office at 856-797-0999.
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Parishioners and staff of St. Isaac Jogues Parish, Marlton, gathered March 30 to witness the unveiling of the church’s new Adoration Chapel of the Sacred Heart. Attendees at the 11 a.m. Mass formed a procession out of the sanctuary and down the hall to the chapel for its blessing. Many of those attending expressed a range of emotions.
“I wanted to burst into happy tears,” parishioner Leslie Westhead said. “I can’t even talk about it because I’m so emotional …. I have never felt a greater love in my entire life.”
Another parishioner, Debbie Hammond, agreed that the ceremony was incredibly moving. She said the St. Isaac Jogues pastor, Father James Smith, “made a promise that he would give us a chapel, and he kept that promise. ... He’s given us so much.”
Father James Smith incenses the tabernacle in the new Adoration chapel in St. Isaac Jogues Church, Marlton. When Father Smith arrived at St. Isaac’s in July 2023, the parish was in the process of creating new offices for its staff. The room that eventually became the adoration chapel was a parish library, which had been neglected for several years. Its bookshelves were used for the new offices.
Since this left the parish with an additional room, Father Smith felt that it would be an ideal space for a new adoration chapel.
“Adoration has been such an important part of my journey to the priesthood and continues to play a big role in my life today,” Father Smith said. “Having a place where you can go to be close to the Lord is life-changing, and I wanted to provide that availability to our parishioners.”
To create the adoration chapel, slight renovations were made to the former library. A separate door was added so that the chapel could remain open beyond regular business hours. The parish already had an additional tabernacle that could be used for the space, and the altar was obtained from storage in the Diocese of Trenton’s Chancery building. The three pews, which can seat approximately nine people total, were acquired from the former adoration chapel at Our Lady of Sorrows-St. Anthony Parish, Hamilton.
Those particular pews hold special meaning for Father Smith.
“When I was in community college and still discerning the priesthood, I would visit Our Lady of Sorrows’ adoration chapel quite frequently,” he said. Upon discovering that the building housing Our Lady of Sorrows’ chapel was being sold, Father Smith contacted the pastor, Msgr. Thomas Gervasio, for permission to repurpose the pews for St. Isaac’s adoration chapel.
“It was a very full-circle moment for me,” Father Smith said.
For information on visiting the Adoration Chapel of the Sacred Heart, call the parish office at 856-797-0999.