St. Joseph The Worker Open House Gives Parishioners A Last Visit

Several dozen people gathered at St. Joseph the Worker Church in Falls Township on Saturday morning to say goodbye to the worship center where many of them grew up.

Although there were no church officials present, a feeling of reverence permeated the morning and early afternoon at St. Joseph the Worker.

St. Joseph the Worker opened in 1957. Since its opening, many people have known the church to be a spiritual, as well as a communal home.

Even though the church itself closed last year, the spirits of the people who gave the congregation character still live on in other parishes. Some members went to St. Francis Cabrini, while others may have gone to other area churches.

The Archdioceses of Philadelphia kept the church open for a year as a worship center that hosted weddings, funerals and other events. 

Bernard Minnes has been a member of the parish since 1968. He got married there, three of his kids received their sacraments there and two of his kids got married there. “It’s a sad situation,” Minnes mused. Minnes is a maintenance worker at  Cabrini, and until St. Joseph closes for good, will be there too.

Many of those who attended Saturday’s open house have been with the perish for a long time. Helen Altmiller has been a member of the parish since it opened, and before that was a member at other local churches including St. Michael the Archangel.

“There are lots of memories here, lots and lots of memories,” Altmiller said. She recalled that one of her fondest memories at St. Joseph the Worker was her first communion during mass.

Since masses have ceased at St. Joseph, Altmiller has started going to St. Francis Cabrini. Although the transition was a little scary in the beginning, Altmiller said that feeling didn’t last long, and that very soon she felt more than welcome at the new Parish. “Everything they could have done to make us feel happy and welcome, they did.”

“It was hard to leave, but we’re happy where we are,” Altmiller said. “It’s going to be hard to watch it come down, but times change, things change, and you have to go with it.”

Last week, the Falls Board of Supervisors announced they will vote on zoning for a portion of the property in September. McGrath homes is looking to build an over-55 community on a portion of the church’s grounds. 

The church will host their final open house on Sunday, July 26 from 1 p.m. until 4 p.m. The Adoration Chapel is expected to remain open going forward.