At Brief Pictorial History of Saint Barnabas Church

A Brief History of Saint Barnabas Church

Rev. James E. Doughtery - Founding Pastor, was born on June 5, 1874, at Matsunk, Montgomery County. He was baptized in St. Matthew Church, Conshohocken, received his First Holy Communion in the Church of Our Mother of Sorrows in West Philadelphia, and was confirmed in the Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, in Media.

On May 27, 1899, Father Dougherty was ordained to the priesthood in the Overbrook Seminary Chapel by Archbishop Patrick J. Ryan.

In August of 1919, Father Dougherty was chosen to organize and build the newly formed Parish of St. Barnabas.

THE FIRST CHURCH

A plot of land 450 feet by 225 feet extending from 63rd to 64th Streets and from Buist Avenue to Chelwynde Avenue was purchased for $37,500. An old brick and frame double house on the northeast corner of the plot (6300 - 6302 Buist Ave.) became the rectory and chapel. Two rooms in the front of the first floor became a chapel for weekday Mass. Because of the need for larger facilities for Sunday Mass, Father Dougherty set out to find a suitable location for this need. Mr. Marcus Benn, owner of the Benn Theatre, located just off the corner of 64th and Woodland Ave. offered the use of his theatre to Father Dougherty without charge. The offer was gratefully accepted and the parochial Masses were celebrated there until the parish could build its own church.

Old Rectory 1919 - 1947

New Rectory Opened In 1947

On August 15, 1920, the ground was broken for the new combination church and school building. In early June 1921, work upon the new basement was completed. The plans called for a three story combination church and school building. The first floor was to be the chapel, the remainder to be the actual school, with eight class rooms on each of the second and third floors.

Main Basement Church was dedicated June 11, 1921.

It was found to be impossible at that time to build more than the basement-chapel.

Father Dougherty and Frank Smithson with new basement church in background.

The remainder of the building was not completed until December 1926.

West Side View of Church-School 1939.

On Monday, January 4, 1926, two grades, first and second, were opened for Saint Barnabas School. Father Dougherty celebrated Mass at 9:00 AM. Afterwards, the children, many accompanied by their parents, filed to the first floor of the school for routine registration. It was hoped that the remainder of the school could open in February. Mother M. Mary Nazareth Buckley, of the Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary was the first principal of the school.

With the opening of the school staffed by the Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, a three story twin home at 6332 Elmwood Ave. was bought and furnished as the first convent.
( 1926 - 1941 )

THE NEW CHURCH

The parish had grown from new industry in the area, and the grade school was overcrowded and needed more classrooms. It was time for an new and larger permanent church.

On Sunday, October 29, 1950, ground breaking was held for the new church.

On Wednesday, June 11, 1952. the Feast of Saint Barnabas, our new Church building was dedicated

The design of the church was "American Perpendicular". The edifice is of rigid frame construction 188 feet long and 79 feet wide. The exterior walls are of Mt. Airy (North Carolina) granite trimmed with Indiana buff limestone.

The sculpture/bas relief of our patron, St. Barnabas, over the main entrance weighs over 6 tons and is the work of Joseph Brown, professor of sculpture at Princeton University. With the church finished, the old church was converted into 8 more classrooms.

Sculpture in front of Church