The history of St. Thomas The Apostle Parish is deeply interwoven into that of the local area and of the entire mid-Atlantic region. At their Ivy Mills homestead, the Willcox family helped to nurture William Penn’s Holy Experiment and prospered themselves as it flourished. While religious affiliation caused bloodshed in Philadelphia in the 19th century, there was general harmony in what was to become Concord Township. Throughout the centuries there have been examples of the Divine Guidance which has enabled us to survive and to grow into the thriving community we are today.
Given below are a few tales from our past.
- 1844: (recorded in 2010) Bishop Kenrick escapes from the “Know Nothing” riots in Philadelphia to sanctuary at Ivy Mills (link)
- 1860: (recorded in 2010) The steeple bell is installed in the 1852 Church (link)
- 1991: (recorded in 2012) Fr. Williams, newly arrived at St. Thomas The Apostle, averts a boiler room catastrophe (link)
You may have an interesting contribution to the tales of our parish or a reflection on what we have listed here. If so, please leave a comment below. Thank you.