St. Malachi Church facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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St. Malachi Church
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 Location in Pennsylvania
Location in the United States
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| Location | 76 St. Malachi Road Cochranville, PA 19330 |
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| Area | 2 acres (0.81 ha) |
| Built | 1838 |
| MPS | West Branch Brandywine Creek MRA |
| NRHP reference No. | 85002376 |
| Added to NRHP | September 16, 1985 |
St. Malachi Church is a historic Roman Catholic church located in a quiet, rural area of Londonderry Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania. It sits on St. Malachi Road and is known for its simple design. The church has always been a "mission church," meaning it doesn't have its own full-time priest. Instead, it's connected to Our Lady of Consolation in Parkesburg.
The church and its nearby cemetery were added to the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) in 1985. This means it's recognized as an important historical site. The building itself is a one-story stone structure covered in stucco. It looks very plain, almost like a Quaker meeting house, which is unusual for a Catholic church.
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History of St. Malachi Church
St. Malachi Church has a long and interesting history. It has always been a mission church, never having a priest who lived there full-time. In its early days, traveling priests would visit to hold services.
Building the Church
The church community started in the 1700s. The oldest gravestone in the cemetery is from 1771. It belongs to Thomas Maguire. In 1794, Andrew Maguire gave the land for the church. People tried to build a church in 1800, but it wasn't finished until 1838.
The church was built right next to the cemetery on the Maguire family farm. John Ferron, a skilled carpenter, helped build the church. Henry Ferron and members of the Maguire family worked as stone masons.
Early Services and Growth
The very first church service, called a Mass, happened on January 1, 1839. Father James A. Miller led this special event. Soon after, Father Bernard McCabe became the first pastor. He also served other mission churches in Coatesville and Parkesburg.
Important religious ceremonies, called confirmations, took place here. Bishop Francis Kenrick held the first confirmation in 1843. Later, in 1854, Saint John Neumann also performed a confirmation at St. Malachi.
Changes Over Time
Over the years, St. Malachi Church was connected to different main churches. In 1840, it became a mission of St. Agnes Church in West Chester. Later, it was linked to churches in Parkesburg and Coatesville.
In 1853, a new church called Seven Dolors (now Our Lady of Consolation) was built in Parkesburg. St. Malachi then became a mission of Seven Dolors. For a while, both Seven Dolors and St. Malachi were missions of St. Cecilia’s in Coatesville. By 1902, Seven Dolors became its own parish again and continued to serve St. Malachi.
The church building itself also saw many updates. Major improvements were made in 1865. More work was done in 1937, just before the church's 100th birthday. After 1973, electricity and central heating were added. In the early 1990s, the roof was repaired, air conditioning was installed, and even a portable toilet was brought in. Indoor plumbing was added later.
Services and Community
In the 1930s and 1940s, services at St. Malachi were not held very often. Starting in 1952, they were only scheduled three or four times a year. But things changed in 1963 when services began to happen monthly. By 1973, services were held every week, making it easier for the community to attend.
St. Malachi Church is quite special in Chester County. This area was originally a strong center for Quakers in the early colony of Pennsylvania. Irish people had settled here before 1730, but most were Presbyterians or Quakers. In 1757, there were only 55 Irish Catholics recorded in all of Chester County. This makes St. Malachi Church a unique and important part of the region's history.
