Our History
To serve the people of North Central Philadelphia, a largely Irish population, St. Malachy Church was established in 1850. In 1860, St. Malachy Catholic School was founded in order to educate the children of the parish. The school would be staffed by the Sisters of Mercy for the better part of the next 100 years. As the 19th century drew to a close and the 20th century dawned, the humble parish “in the woods” had become quite prominent. With the episcopal consecration of their pastor, the future Archbishop Prendergast, St. Malachy Church was renovated and attained the aesthetic it is known for today.
The rise to prominence of the Irish who made up the majority of parishioners began moving our of the “city” to areas like East Oak Lane and Olney (Incarnation and St. Helena’s). The African American population moving in largely practiced in protestant congregations and the active parishioner base of St. Malachy saw a dramatic decrease. Pastors/people over time would work hard to remain a light to the working-class people of the area providing for essential services in English, Spanish, and Creole.
In 1982, Fr. John MacNamee, “Fr. Mac” became Pastor and led St. Malachy Parish into the late 2000s. His devotion to the poor and promoting social justice animated many throughout the Archdiocese and people would come to St. Malachy’s from all over in order to support this effort. His liturgical sense continues to be seen in the celebration of the Mass at St. Malachy’s today.
In 2008, Fr. Kevin Lawrence became Pastor and undertook several initiatives to build upon the foundations laid by Fr. MacNamee. Under Fr. Lawrence’s leadership, St. Malachy would revitalize its Pastoral Council and draft the Parish’s Mission Statement, still in use today. Fr. Lawrence would also oversee, with the aid of several dedicated parishioners, repairs to St. Malachy’s Organ. It was during his time that St. Malachy Catholic School would undergo a significant transition as a new member of the Independence Mission Schools network.
In 2012, Fr. Thomas Kletzel became Pastor and served the community of St. Malachy faithfully until 2023. During his time, the community continued to evolve and develop. In 2017, the Sisters of Life, a religious congregation of women dedicated to ongoing cultivation of a culture of life began occupying St. Malachy Convent and carrying out the work of the “Visitation Mission” in Philadelphia. With the onset of the COVID-19 Pandemic the Parish began livestreaming the Mass in order to accommodate the needs of the sick and the homebound more effectively.
From the 1980s to the early 2000s, the parishioner base of St. Malachy has remained loyal and sacrificed much to sustain and grow the parish. With 2023-2025, under the leadership of Fr. Thomas Gardner, and assisted by Fr. Wilfred Emeh, efforts to connect the parish community with the Temple University Newman Center were initiated. As of 2026, the relationship between the two communities continues to grow.
On June 16, 2025, Fr. Matthew Biedrzycki began serving as Parochial Administrator of St. Malachy Parish and Chaplain of the Newman Center. Fr. Emeh serves as Parochial Administrator of the St. Martin de Porres Parish and Assistant Chaplain of the Newman Center with residence at St. Malachy Parish.
