NATIVITY BVM PARISH INFORMATION

STAFF
OFFICE HOURS AND CONTACT INFORMATION
MASS TIMES
DIRECTIONS
HISTORY OF NATIVITY BVM PARISH
PHOTO TOUR




STAFF

Rev. Edward H. Bell, Pastor
Rev. Daniel Cavanaugh, Senior Priest, Parochial Vicar
Rev. Msgr. Charles V. Devlin, Retired, In Residence

Donna Maddox, Secretary
Cookie Magee, Parish Services Director
Christiane Manko-Morgan, Liturgical Music Director
David Minnick, Business Manager
Victoria Walsh, Administrative Assistant

Visiting Priests
Rev. Msgr. Kevin T. McMahon
, St. Charles Seminary
Rev. Augustine M. Esposito O.S.A., President Msgr. Bonner High School/Archbishop Prendergast High School
Rev. Dennis Weber, Cardinal Krol Center

School
Mary Anne Johnston
, Principal of the School

 

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CONTACT INFORMATION

Nativity BVM Rectory
Office Hours: 9:00 AM to 9:00 PM, Monday - Thursday
                       9:00 AM to 7:00 PM, Friday
                       9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Saturday
                       9:00 AM to 2:00 PM, Sunday
Phone: 610-566-0185
Fax: 610-566-2873
Address: 30 East Franklin Street, Media, PA 19063

Nativity BVM School
Office Hours: 7:30 AM to 3:30 PM, Monday - Friday
Phone: 610-566-6881
Fax: 610-566-3910
Address: Franklin and Gayley Streets, Media, PA 19063

 

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MASS TIMES

Weekdays
8:00 a.m.

Saturday
8:00 a.m.
Vigil 5:00 p.m.

Sunday
7:00 a.m.
8:00 a.m.
9:00 a.m.
10:15 a.m.
12:00 noon

Holy Days of Obligation
Vigil 7:00 p.m.
8:00 a.m.
12:05 p.m.
7:00 p.m. on the Holy Day

 

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DIRECTIONS

To Nativity BVM Church
We are located at 30 East Franklin Street in the heart of Media, PA.

Directions from Interstate 476 (the Blue Route),

  • Take exit #3 towards Media (you will merge onto Baltimore Pike going south)
  • Drive on Baltimore Pike for 1.2 miles
  • Make a left onto S. Monroe Street.
  • Make first right on Franklin Street and Nativity BVM is on your left.

    To Nativity BVM School
    We are located at Franklin and Gayley Street in the heart of Media, PA.

Directions from Church (walking directions)
As you exit Nativity BVM Church, you would make a right to walk one block down Franklin Street
Make a right onto Gayley Street
Nativity BVM School is on your left.

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HISTORY OF NATIVITY BVM PARISH

The parish of Nativity BVM came into being through necessity. Chester County, which had been founded in 1682 by William Penn, was divided in 1786 and the southeastern section was separated and called Delaware County with Chester being the county seat. In 1851 the court records were moved to Media. There were several years of debate and even the Supreme Court became involved before Media was recognized as the county seat of Delaware County.

As the population grew, so did the religious needs of the people. Even though the Catholics represented a small percentage of the population, they were very determined to practice their religion openly. To serve their needs, the Jesuits from St. Joseph's Church in Philadelphia had established mission stations at various points outside of the city. One was at Ivy Mills, the estate of Thomas Wilcox on the West Branch of Chester Creek. Mass was said there by traveling missionaries from 1720 until 1852 when the present parish of St. Thomas the Apostle was established and a permanent pastor, Reverend Thomas Kyle, O.S.A., was appointed. Once a month he would travel to Media to the parish mission which was called the Holy Name of Mary Mission. In 1862 a piece of land in the center of Media Borough was purchased and the first church (the present day "Brick Building") was erected and dedicated in September of that year. Media continued to be a mission station of St. Thomas until November 1868 when Father Henry L. Wright left Ivy Mills and became the pastor of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish in Media.

Within a few months a three-story brick rectory was built. In May of 1869 the sacrament of Confirmation was conferred in the parish for the first time and its first Forty Hours Devotion was held the following week during the feast of Corpus Christi.
Media continued to expand, its reputation as a resort town brought the wealthy Philadelphians to its quiet, peaceful streets during the summer months. In 1873 Father Wright purchased adjoining property with the intent of building a new Church. The newly constructed gray stone and blue granite church was dedicated on November 5, 1882 with Bishop William O'Hara of Scranton, Pennsylvania officiating. After 30 years of dedication to the people of his fledgling parish, Father Wright's health declined and in 1894 he was succeeded by Father Francis Aiden Brady.

Growth continued under Father Brady's pastorship. A horse and buggy and a stable in the back of the rectory were added. A new rectory was built to replace the one burned down in the fire of 1903. The Esbey mansion and adjoining land on the corner of Baltimore and Monroe Streets were purchased and turned into the parish school. This was dedicated and opened in 1912. It had two lay women teachers. Later the Sisters of St. Fancis from the Glen Riddle Convent came to staff the school. Although the numbers of parishioners continued to increase, its boundaries became small with the establishment of St. Francis in Lenni in 1894, Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Morton in 1907, and St. Anastasia in Newtown Square in 1912. In 1916 Father Brady was transferred to St. Coleman's in Ardmore. His successor was Monsignor James P. McCloskey, recently returned from Jaro in the Philippines Islands where he had been vicar general to Bishop Dennis Dougherty. Several months later His Holiness, Pope Benedict XV appointed him to the Bishopric of the Diocese of Zamboanga, the Philippines, and Bishop McCloskey was succeeded in Media by the Reverend Lawrence Deering. His pastorate lasted thirty years and was notable for the kindness and caring he extended to his flock. It was during his time at Nativity that the yellow fever epidemic struck in the area in 1918. Father Deering, the seminarians who came to assist the doctors and nurses at Elwyn, and the sisters from the parish engraved their names on the hearts of many in Media because of their untiring efforts during this difficult time. Another parish purchase was made, the old annex of the Shortlidge Academy, then the home of Dr. Wolfe, which now became the convent for the Sisters of St. Francis.

Upon the death of Father Deering in 1943, Rev. Joseph McCaffrey came to Nativity. Ill health forced him to move to upstate Pennsylvania after a few months and Reverend George Shay, sent by Cardinal Dougherty to "fix up" Nativity, became the new pastor. Although the parish was debt-free, there were many repairs which needed to be done. General restoration of the "brick building" and then renovation of church property were first on the agenda. These were followed by the construction of a new school building and then renovation of church property were first on the agenda. These were followed by the construction of a new school building on the plot of ground adjoining the convent on Gayley Street. The new school was opened in September 1953 and student enrollment immediately increased. Just eight months later Father Shay collapsed while saying Sunday Mass. He died a month later.

The next pastor of Media, Reverend Thomas J. Kelley, came directly from St. Charles Seminary where he had been a professor for 17 years. Building, improving and rebuilding continued to be the way of parish life. The sacristy was completely revamped, a new wing was added to Father Brady's rectory and the "crying room" was built. The church steeple was reinforced and renovated. The parish area continued to shrink as new parishes were established with Our Lady of Charity in Brookhaven, St. John Chrysostom in Wallingford, St. Pius X in Broomall, St. Kevin's in Springfield, St. Mary Magdalene in Upper Providence and SS. Simon and Jude in Westtown. The school enrollment, however, increased to over 350 pupils and in May of 1961 the cornerstone was laid for a new addition to the school. Four years later the school library was established. Greater emphasis was placed on the CCD classes which were taught on both the grade school and high school levels. In 1960 the title Right Reverend Monsignor was conferred on Father Kelley.

The years continued to roll along. The 100th anniversary of the parish was celebrated in 1968 and an excellent parish history of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish was published by Father Peter D. Burke, the assistant pastor. Father Kelley retired in 1971 and Reverend James Bradley became the new pastor. General upkeep and maintenance of the parish property and facilities with ever-increasing costs continued through the 80's. The Christmas Bazaar, organized and engineered by the women of the Della Robbia group in the parish, became a yearly source of addition revenue for the pastor's projects. A Home and School Association was established in January 1972, with Andrew Polk as the first president. This is now in its 27th year and continues to be one of the most dynamic groups within the parish. Nativity School underwent its first Middle States evaluation in 1982, passing with flying colors. This achievement was repeated in 1992. Although the enrollment has lessened these past several years, the school continues to be a shining star in the Archdiocesan galaxy. The Sisters of St. Francis and the lay faculty have worked magic with their students who go on to higher education and continue to shine. Although these Sisters are no longer teaching at Nativity School, we all have fond memories and grateful appreciation for them.

Father Bradley's pastoral term ended with his retirement in 1991. Reverend Francis Giliberti, who previously had spent several years in residence at Nativity, became the new pastor with the challenge to prepare for yet another significant event in the saga of Nativity parish, the celebration of its 125th anniversary.

Our parish was truly blessed when the Sisters, Servants of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus arrived on 5 July 1994, to staff our parish school. Sister Clare Marie was named Superior and second grade teacher, Sister Jacinta Maryam taught 6th, 7th, and 8th grade classes. Sister Faustina Anne was named Principal and Sister Maria Anna assisted the principal and attended Neumann College. These Sisters also teach in our C.C.D. Program.

3 March 1996 was a sad day in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia when the announcement was made that His Eminence John Cardinal Krol had died. On 29 April 1999, Father Giliberti was named a Domestic Prelate of our Holy Father, Pope John Paul II. The investiture was held on 14 June 1999, with Anthony Cardinal Bevilacqua investing Monsignor Giliberti with his red clerical cassock at the Cathedral Basilica of SS. Peter and Paul.

In February 1999 Monsignor Giliberti announced the restoration of our parish Church to celebrate the new millennium, the parish community quickly supported this major endeavor, which included the liturgical painting of the Church, restoration of the Stations of the Cross, new doors, new chandeliers, new kneeling pads and book racks in the pews, new granite aisles, new marble sanctuary floor, sanctuary furniture, oriental carpets and the restoration of the organ and all the church candlesticks and holy water fonts. The parish was also blessed with a new Conference Room/Library addition. The Church was solemnly dedicated on 28 September 1999 by His Excellency Joseph F. Martino, Auxiliary Bishop of Philadelphia.

What is truly amazing is the fact that the new addition and the complete restoration of the Church were paid in full on 1 September 1999, thanks to the generosity, support, and sacrifices of our parish family. In June 2001, in consultation with Father Welsh, the Parish Pastoral Council, and the Finance Committee, Monsignor Giliberti proposed plans for the restoration and renovation of the school. This major endeavor began with Msgr. Giliberti presenting his plan to the entire parish community. The proposal included a three-year plan to replace the 170 windows, four new sets of doors, all new lighting, new desks and chairs for the students and work stations for the teachers, new carpets in every classroom, a new science lab and an upgraded computer lab (which was helped by our parish school winning KYW's award of ten new computers). In addition to the above work, the entire school was painted in new and vibrant colors. As always, the parish community responded with outstanding support. Within three weeks all the classrooms, Principal's Office, reception area, teachers' lounge, science lab, computer lab - a total of twenty rooms were donated by parishioners. The restoration has been a great success due to the generosity and support of the parishioners.

The parish school has been completely transformed into a magnificent institution of learning. Not only was the school building renovated, we are also very proud of our principal and our faculty. We are truly blessed to have such a fine school, on that is clean and safe, an environment that is conducive to learning and totally rooted in Christ and His Church. (Please visit our school web site for more information).

In October 2002, our parish school underwent a Middle States Evaluation to renew our accreditation. Under Father Welsh's and Sister Mary Daniel's leadership a Steering Committee composed of teachers, Mrs. Michele Northington, Mrs. Mary Jane Driscoll, and Mrs. Sue Hogan, prepared for the visit with a year's preparation of committe meetings and input from the Home and School Association and our school parents. Their dedication has paid great dividends.
We have been informed by the Middle States Accreditation Team that Nativity School is commended for promoting a positive Christian atmosphere among the school community; for encouraging an atmosphere of mutual respect and cooperation; for the dedication of its teachers, and for its strong parental involvement and support. The parish community is commended for its innovative ways of procuring resources to meet the school's needs; for providing programs that meet the needs of both students and families; for its resourcefulness and commitment to the continued advancement of the school.

The school has also received commendation in the area of Student Services; for implementing the enrichment program entitled "Challenge" which offers students in grades 7 & 8 exposure to many career options, and for initiating an Honors Math Program.In the area of Computer Curriculum, the school is commended for obtaining computers and a Smart Board to enhance students' technology skills and acquiring software that supplements various curriculum area.

Our school has also been commended in the area of Science; for utilizing hand-on lessons in the classrooms and the use of the science lab so the students learn to respect and discover the world around them; for committing school/parish funds to outfit the lab; for being resourceful in gathering donated supplies from parishioners and St. Joseph's University; for acquiring the most current edition of science textbooks in grades K through 8; for establishing the position of Science Lab Coordinator to facilitate science research and experimentation at all grade levels.

The school is commended for the dynamic leadership and organization that inspires faculty, staff, parents, and student; for the cooperative efforts of the Nativity B.V.M. School community which strives to educate and nurture the whole child; for reflecting this philosophy throughout the school community. The resources of the school have been commended for its dedicated, professional staff who possess a strong sense of purpose; for exhibiting strong interpersonal skills among professional and support staff; For its clean, safe and child-centered surroundings. The school is also commended for the strategic goals set in its Faith in Action Plan and the successful projection and execution of the plan.

It was also noted by the Accreditation Team that Nativity School is clearly working to reach the goals stated in the Self-Study. Much has been done and is currently being done to ensure an excellent academic, spiritual, and social development atmosphere for the children. The Pastor, his assistant, the Principal, and the entire staff are commended for their dedication to the students at Nativity B.V.M. School.

Although this capsule history mentions only pastors and properties and who came when and what happened then, this is only a small part of the story of Nativity B.V M. Parish in Media. Buildings are only the structures, it is the people who bring them to life. The people are the parish. Young and old, man and woman, priest, sister, lay person - from the small group who gathered in Catholic community in the newly built church in 1862 to the 1600 families who comprise our parish roster today - each alone and joined together are the essence of Nativity B.VM. Each has made a contribution to the history of this parish and please God, there will be others to come after us who will continue the story of Nativity and our quest of praising God and serving man.

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