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Historic church with saintly ties may be demolished - Philadelphia

Church has structural problems and its private owner is worried about liability.

A Philadelphia church set for demolition has received a stay of execution from the city's Licenses and Inspections Review Board. The Church of the Assumption on Spring Garden Street is due to be demolished.

The beautiful Church of the Assumption is set for demolition.

The beautiful Church of the Assumption is set for demolition.

PHILADELPHIA, PA (Catholic Online) - The historic church was built in 1848, and has ties to two historic saints, St. John Neumann and St. Katherine Drexel. Since 2010, a private owner has fought to demolish the structure.

Throughout the decades, the church fell into disuse and disrepair. It was eventually acquired by John Wei, who said he would preserve the structure, but later changed his mind.

Wei originally planned the convert the church to apartments, but the city did not approve his permit for structural reasons. After that, Wei decided to demolish the church to protect himself from liability.

The fate of the church will be reviewed on Jan. 8, and it may yet be demolished.

© 2012, Distributed by NEWS CONSORTIUM.

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Pope Benedict XVI's Prayer Intentions for January 2013
General Intention:
The Faith of Christians. That in this Year of Faith Christians may deepen their knowledge of the mystery of Christ and witness joyfully to the gift of faith in him.
Missionary Intention: Middle Eastern Christians. That the Christian communities of the Middle East, often discriminated against, may receive from the Holy Spirit the strength of fidelity and perseverance.

Keywords: John Wei, church, Neumann, demolished, Church of the Assumption

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1 - 2 of 2 Comments

  1. blacksheep09
    6 months ago

    Philly has many Church's abandoned as the people harden thier hearts too bad. Lord send a Jonah to clear speak your word too soften hard hearts and loosen stiff necks, amen.

  2. Dorothy
    6 months ago

    It is sad when an historic structure does not obtain preservation assistance from an entire community. Perhaps the church could be restored as a museum? If it does hold historic or architectural value, then certainly there should be interest on the part of academic, religious or or charitable institutions in maintaining it for the benefit of future generations?

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