Years before Abraham Lincoln became the sixteenth President and our country engaged in the Civil War, the faithful of Kensington and Port Richmond were attending services at St. Anne Roman Catholic Church. This October, the parish will celebrate its 170th anniversary commemorating her role as a social, cultural and spiritual force in this immigrant-dominated collection of neighborhoods. And what a rich and glorious history St. Anne has.

The cornerstone of St. Anne was blessed and laid on the 4th of July, 1845. The church was a new place for worship for the Irish who migrated from the old coal wharves of Gray`s Ferry seeking employment opportunities on the new coal docks on the Reading Railroad in Port Richmond on the shores of the Delaware River. Eventually, a parish school was founded and land was set aside to establish two cemeteries as a final resting place for their loyal parishioners. Through the dedicated work of the St. Anne Historical Committee (SAHC), it has been confirmed that almost 50 Civil War soldiers, some from Pennsylvania`s 69th Volunteer Infantry, are buried here. It is also believed that people who were involved in the “Know Nothing” riots are there as well. There are souls from 23 of the 32 counties in Ireland resting peacefully in these sacred grounds. Also entombed in one of the cemeteries is Phil Duffy, a job broker who assisted Irish immigrants to find employment. He gained some fame from the recent discovery of the mass graves of Irish railroad workers who were murdered and buried by the tracks at Duffy`s Cut in Malvern, Chester County.

John F. Kennedy visited the church and school and gave a brief speech on the steps of the rectory during his 1960 Presidential campaign. He later became the first Roman Catholic to occupy the Oval Office on Pennsylvania Avenue.

One of the most impactful historical events happened in 1947 when a fire destroyed the interior of the church. This was a mixed blessing; it destroyed the guts of the church with little hope of bringing the church back to its old beauty but it displayed the spirit, constitution and commitment of their devoted congregation. And they did rebuilt it. The focus of the anniversary celebration will not only be on St. Anne’s rich heritage, but a grateful tribute to the first responders. The fire, a four alarmer, began around 3 PM on November 11, 1947. The first alarm was called at 3:19. Sixteen engine companies with four trucks arrived shortly, with Engine #28 arriving first. The fire was under control within an hour. Since the interior of the church was primarily wood, it burned rapidly, destroying almost everything except the altars. Six of the fire companies remained for several hours to wet down the remaining flare-ups. The police not only cordoned off the area and managed traffic flow, but assisted in carrying out some statuary also. Medics administered aid to those in need of medical help. While the day was a disaster for St Anne, hope, like a phoenix, rose from the ashes, and St. Anne is still a beacon of hope for the community today.

On Saturday, October 17 , 2015 at 10:30 AM, there will be a prayer service and wreath laying followed by a social with light refreshments. All are welcome. We hope you will make every effort to share this day with a special group of people. The church is located at 2328 E. Lehigh Ave in Port Richmond. To highlight the day, the Philadelphia Police & Fire Pipes & Drums will perform and there will be brief speeches by a local historian and representatives from the Fire and Police Commissioner`s Office. Also, a Fire Department ladder truck will be on exhibit and the Police Department Honor Guard will pay their respects.

It will be a memorable day, we are looking forward to seeing you.