Sacred Heart Church Building in Phoenixville Closes For Worship

PHOENIXVILLE, PA —The Sacred Heart Church will no longer be used for worship due to the high cost of maintaining the 122-year old building at 148 Church St, effective Jan. 23, according to a decree signed by the Rev. Nelson J. Perez, Archbishop of Philadelphia.

The Sacred Heart parishioners will continue to worship at Saint Ann Chapel, 604 S. Main St.,
as they have since the pandemic broke out in March 2020 to enhance parish unity and help parishioners focus on the future, the order stated.

Ten years ago, the Sacred Heart Church was designated as a place of worship by St. Ann Parish in Phoenixville.

At that time, St. Ann’s Parish, 502 Main St., took ownership of Sacred Heart as an alternative place or worship.

In 2018, the regularly scheduled Mass and confessions ceased taking place at Sacred Heart, but wedding and funerals continued.

Other buildings on the campus of Sacred Heart are rented to nonprofit agencies to help those in need.

Financial impact

According to the decree:

• The cost of maintaining the Sacred Heart building had a financial impact on St. Ann Parish.
• In the last year, the parish spent $90,000 for mandated concrete and brick repairs.
• A new roof is needed, which in 2021 was estimated to cost $106,000.
• The combined maintenance cost of two campuses significantly impacted the financial stability of the two campuses.

Long History

Since 1900, the Sacred Heart Parish has played a role in serving Phoenixville’s Slovak-speaking community.

At the Phoenixville borough council meeting Monday night, Councilman Richard Kirkner expressed sadness that the church building was closing.

“Personally, I say this because my father-in-law, my children and my wife all had their sacraments there,” he said. “I got married there 38 years ago. Sacred Heart is a foundation of the Slovak community in this town.

“I hope we hear something about a good reuse there, but for now it’s a sad day.”