A century ago, Saint Madeline Sophie was founded to serve the Catholic faithful in Germantown. With Reverend Michael A. Crane as pastor, the early Masses were said at the Pelham Theater until a school-church was built in 1930. The parish merged with Holy Cross Parish in 2013.

In our Research Room, we have a collection of Episcopal Thrones belonging to Archbishops Ryan and Prendergast, as well as three associated with Cardinal Dougherty.

It was today in 1910, on the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, that Saint Donato's opened for the Italian population of West Philadelphia. The name is derived from the town where most Italian immigrants in the area came from: San Donato Val di Comino.

This month's blog talks about the early history of the Carmelite Monastery and how it spread the devotion of the Little Flower: chrc-phila.org/carmelite-mona…

On this day 175 years ago, Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Doylestown was founded. A census conducted in 1850 showed a large number of Irish Catholics in the Borough of Doylestown, Seeing this, Father Francis X George came from Haycock and started a new parish.

Today is National Bowling Day! Did you know that there is a bowling alley attached to a parish here in the Archdiocese? Msgr. Aloysius F.X. Farrell of Saint Monica's Parish established a recreational center next to the parochial school.

During the 41st International Eucharist Congress in 1976, the Collegiate Choir of the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul recorded an album of select songs, including "Gift of Finest Wheat." To celebrate National Vinyl Day, here is a sample of that recording.

On this day in 1960, the groundbreaking for Gregory Hall at the Dominican Retreat House of Our Lady of Prouilie in Elkins Park was held. The building was erected in memory of Rev. Mother Mary Gregory O.P., under whose term as Mother General the property was purchased in 1932.

When Fr. Dowd first came to Broomall to start Saint Pius X on this day in 1955, he was met with an unkempt property. The first Mass was said on September 3rd: the saint's feast day. After that first Mass, a temporary worship site was established at the White Manor Country Club.

Check out newest newsletter from the American Catholic Historical Society, where past events are recapped and upcoming events are listed: amchs.org/wp-content/upl…

Today in 1885, the church of Saint Thomas Aquinas held its first Mass. The Catholic Standard and Times reported that: "In spite of the great heat it was crowded to the utmost capacity, and some went there who, for want of room, had to remain outside."

Today in 2010, pope John Paul II High School opened in Royersford. It was formed from a consolidation of Kennedy-Kenrick and Pius X, and was the first new high school opened in the Archdiocese since Archbishop Carroll in 1967. #archivesPHL #catholic #otd

For our blog this month, we talk about the 2015 Papal Visit of Pope Francis and personal insights on some of the events: chrc-phila.org/papal-visit-of…

Today is Constitution Day, signifying the day that the Constitution of the United States was signed in Philadelphia in 1787. One of two Catholic signers (the other being Daniel Carroll of Maryland) was Thomas FitzSimons, born in Ireland and served in the Continental Army.

On this day in 2015, Pope Francis began his two day visit to Philadelphia at the end of the eighth World Meeting of Families. The Holy Father first gave a talk at Independence Hall and later made an appearance during the Festival of Families on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway.

Today in 2015, the eighth World Meeting of Families came to a close with the Papal Mass on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway. Earlier that day, the Holy Father visited the male inmates of the Curran-Fromhold Correctional Facility, where they presented him with a handmade throne.

On this day during the Great Jubilee of 2000, Katharine Drexel was proclaimed a Saint by Pope Saint John Paul II. She gave up her fortune and founded the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament, a religious order dedicated to working with African American and Native American communities

On this day 75 years ago, Mercy Vocational and Technical High School was established by the Sisters of Mercy. In 1972, the school moved from its original location and Broad and Columbia to its present location on Hunting Park Avenue, the former site of the Catholic Home for Girls

On this day in 1955, due to the growing population of Levittown, a new parish was formed: Queen of the Universe in Levittown, Saint Jerome’s in Northeast Philadelphia, and Saint Eugene’s in Primos.

A fourth parish was also founded on this day in 1955: Saint Kevin’s in Springfield, Delaware County. In the early years, worship sites included the clubhouse of Springfield Country Club and a converted garage known as “The Little Chapel On The Hill.”