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Priests who served at St. Thomas the Apostle Parish at Ivy Mills *
(prior to 1856 known as the Ivy Mills or Concord Mission)

This preliminary listing was compiled from information available at this time.** It may not be complete and in some instances dates are approximate or are altogether unknown. Visiting missionary priests are indicated by italic type. Pastors are indicated by bold type. Assistants are indicated by plain type.

Before 1856, it is not always possible to pinpoint the year of a priest's arrival. Some assistants overlapped with others. No attempt is made to note their lengths of stay. The arrival date of a Pastor is also the departure date of the previous Pastor.  

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Arrival
Date

 

1704
1720
1729
to
1790


St. Francis Xavier Mission at Bohemia Manor, Md. established by English Jesuits.
Fr. Joseph Greaton, S.J. 1st priest identified serving at Ivy Mills, from Bohemia. Later founded Old St. Joseph Church, Phila.
Official date of the founding of St. Thomas the Apostle Parish.
Rev. Henry Neal, S.J.

?
?
?
?
Rev. Robert Harding, S.J.
Rev. Ferdinand Farmer, S.J.
Rev. Francis Beeston, S.J.
Rev. Robert Molyneaux, S.J.

1791
1794
1805
1840

Rev. John Rosseter, O.S.A. (first priest from White Clay Creek, DE, later known as "Coffee Run")
Rev. Charles Whelan, O.F.M. Cap.
Rev. Patrick Kenny (last priest from DE)
Rev. Bernard McCabe (first priest from Philadelphia)

?
?
?
?
?
?
?
?
?
?
?
?
?

Rev. Edward J. Sourin
Rev. Patrick F. Sheridan
Rev. Hugh P. Fitzsimmons
Rev. Alexander Frasi, C.M.
Rev. Matthew G. Gibson
Rev. Bartholomew Rollando, C.M.
Rev. Anthony Penco
Rev. William O'Hara
Rev. Daniel F. Devitt
Rev. Mariano Maller, C.M.
Rev. Andrew Rossi
Rev. Thaddeus Amat, C.M.
Rev. John B. Tornatore, C.M.

1850

Rev. Arthur P. Haviland (pastor, St Michael's, Chester, ministered to St. Thomas with assistants)

?
?
?
?
?
?
?
Rev. Edward J. Sourin
Rev. John B. Tornatore
Rev. Athanasius Delle Piane
Rev. Patrick Creighton, S.J.
Rev. Joseph V. Balfe
Rev. Patrick Fitzmaurice
Rev. Charles McEnroe

1856

Rev. Charles J. Maugin, (or Mangin), Pastor (First pastor of St.Thomas the Apostle, resided at Ivy Mills Homestead)

1858

Rev. Nicholas Walsh, Pastor (First pastor to live in Parish rectory).

1861

Rev. Thomas A. Kyle, Pastor

1863

Rev. Henry L. Wright, Pastor

1867

Rev. Michael A. Mullin (1 month only)
Rev. John Wall, Pastor

1871

Rev. John J. McElroy, Pastor
Rev. James Kelly

1872

Rev. John Cox, Pastor

1873

Rev. William Walsh, Pastor
Rev. John Ward, Pastor

1874

Rev. Andrew Gallagher, Pastor

1876

Rev. Francis X. McNamee

1877

Rev. William F. Cook, Pastor

1882

Rev. William A. Power

1885

Rev. Joseph F. Nagle
Rev. John H. Loughran

1886

Rev. Joseph V. O'Connor

1887

Rev. Henry S. Hasson
Rev. John Dolan

1888

Rev. Joseph Dwyer

1889

Rev. James J. Smith

1891

Rev. Francis A. Brady

1892/4

Rev. Charles P. Riegel

1892

Rev. James Brennan

1893

Rev William Meahger
Rev. James P. Noone
Rev. Joseph L. Kirlin

1894

Rev. Peter A. Quinn
Rev. Edward J. Tucker
Rev. Joseph V. Sweeney

1896

Rev. Maurice A. Fitzgerald
Rev. Joseph A. Osborn

1897

Rev. Edmond V. Rowan
Rev. Joseph F. Monville

1899

Rev. Andrew T. McCue

1900

Rev. John J. Walsh, Pastor

1905

Rev. Richard J. Branton, Pastor

1906

Rev. Charles J. Mullin, Pastor
Rev. Hugh P. Reed

1907

Rev. Charles Kinslow

1908

Rev. James B. McShea

1909

Rev. John P. McHugh

1912

Rev. Joseph A. McDonald
Rev. Daniel A. Dener, Pastor
Rev. James J. Devine
Rev. Henry A. Kuss
Rev. John G. Fitzgerald

1914

Rev. Charles W. Vodges

1915

Rev. David C. Munyon, Pastor
Rev. Donald J. Kane

1916

Rev. David F. McMenamin

1918

Rev. Joseph M. Smith

1919

Rev. Clarence J. Ganter

1920

Rev. John J. Ford

1922

Rev. Michael A. Colahan
Rev. Francis L. Hub

1927

Rev. Clarence M. Gregas
Rev. Joseph V. Sweeney, Pastor

1928

Rev. Leo J. Fahey, Pastor
Rev. Ignatius F. Bash

1929

Rev. J. Leo Boyle

1932

Rev. Joseph F. Rodgers
Rev. John M. Crossan, Pastor

1934

Rev. Edward T. Ford

1935

Rev. Gerald W. Chambers

1936

Rev. William J. Humes
Rev. Sylvester McCarthy, Pastor

1941

Rev. Elmer J. Leonard

1942

Rev. Eugene E, Lanshe

1944

Rev. James L. Scott

1947

Rev. Martin O'Halloran
Rev. Peter J. Cronin

1951

Rev. James B. Sheridan

1952

Rev. Henry C. Graf
Rev. Aloyisius H. Vath

1953

Rev. Richard LaHart

1954

Rev. Charles Diegel, Pastor

1955

Rev. James M. Boyce

1958

Rev. Thomas Dougherty

1958

Rev. Thomas Dougherty, Pastor
Rev. Joseph M. Gillespie
Rev. Thomas J. Scanlon

1961

Rev. John A. Bruggeman

1962

Rev. Thomas A. McKelvey
Rev. Joseph P. Wagner

1968

Rev. Msgr. Michael J. Dean, Pastor

1974

Rev. Charles J. McDevitt, Pastor
Rev. James J. Melle (summer)
Rev. John Kilgallon (part-time assistant)

1975

Rev. Louis Ciaudelli

1980

Rev. Francis X. Griffin, Pastor
Rev. Daniel E. Mackle

1982

Rev. Hugh J. Dougherty

1983

Rev. Michael T. Dobrowski

1988

Rev. Kevin Trautner

1989

Rev. Francis J. Corkery

1990

Rev. Richard C. Williams

1991

Rev. Richard C. Williams, Pastor
Rev. Anthony G. Flynn
Rev. Francis J. Cauterucci

2005

Rev. Paul J. Stenson

2008

Rev. John Roebuck

2011

Rev. Francis Groarke, Pastor

   

*

Several religious orders of priests served Ivy Mills and Saint Thomas, chiefly in the 18th century. Initials following priests' names indicate to which order they belonged. The following orders were represented:
C.M. - Congregation of the Mission (Vincentians; also known in the mid-19th century as Lazarists)
O.F.M. Cap. - Order of Friars Minor, Capuchin (Capuchins)
O.S.A. - Order of Saint Augustine (Augustinians)
S.J. - Society of Jesus (Jesuits)

**

List compiled for the most part from "St. Thomas the Apostle Parish, Ivy Mills", by Rev. Louis P. Ciaudelli, (MS, n.d.). The bibliography contained therein lists twenty references, including Joseph Willcox, Ivy Mills (1911); Sister William Josephine Ludwick, "The Early History of St. Thomas the Apostle Church, Chester Heights" (MS, 1969); along with St. Thomas Parish Baptismal Registry (1805 to c. 1900). Further research is needed.

Last Updated: August, 2011


 

P. O. Box 19 . Chester Heights, Pennsylvania 19017 . (610) 459-2224
Email:  FOST at fost.us

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