The Archdiocese of Philadelphia announced today that Ascension of Our Lord Parish in the city’s Harrowgate section will close as part of the church’s restructuring process.
The church building, which had been closed for some time due to safety issues and low mass attendance, is in need of $3 million in repairs. The recommendation to close the parish was accepted by Archbishop Charles Chaput from the Archdiocesan Strategic Planning Committee.
Parishioners will be welcomed at the nearby Holy Innocents Parish or Visitation BVM. Those two parishes will divide the assets, debts, buildings and records for Ascension.
The Archdiocese is examining all 257 parishes in the five-county area to assess their viability in the future. Additional parish announcements are expected in the spring of 2013 and 2014.
