Introduction

Church Built 1852 – 1856. Cornerstone dedicated by Bishop St. John Neumann.

That the Catholic parish of Saint Thomas the Apostle continues to flourish in the twenty-first century testifies to the strength of William Penn’s pioneering 17th century vision of a “Holy Experiment” in religious toleration.  St. Thomas’ Quaker and Anglican neighbors shared his vision and along with many others have since continued to participate willingly in the experiment.  The Friends of Old Saint Thomas (FOST) was established to increase the understanding that what has happened at St. Thomas over the centuries continues to bear strongly on the faith and tolerance of the parish and of the wider community today.

 The mission of the Friends of Old St. Thomas is  to restore and preserve the old church and its nearby buildings in our historic district, a significant connection with our past, and to foster awareness of the historical experience of St. Thomas the Apostle parish, the oldest Roman Catholic parish in Pennsylvania.

Click here to ring our 1860 steeple bell.

Thank You All For Your Support Of Our Stained Glass And Steeple Projects.

1860 Steeple (Installed 4 Years After The Church Was Completed)
Limited Edition 1992 Christmas Ornament sold as fund raiser (no longer available)

Steeplejack working atop crane on our ninety foot tower (September, 2018)

Fr. Francis blessing our new steeple cross with St. Thomas student choir (9/6/18)

Bell Ringers: Ed Winter, Bill Vosseler, Jim Shields, Fred Glessner, Mike Squyres (2017)

Our 90 ft. tall steeple was weakened 60 years ago by poorly done repairs and badly needed new siding. Funds were raised for the installation of modern siding in the Fall of 2018.

Restoration Of Our 118 Year Old Stained Glass Window Treasures

Preparing First Window For Removal (8/8/2016)
Removing First Window For Restoration (8/08/2016)
Installation of the Last Restored Window (11/02/2017)

Our thirteen windows, most of them originally created in Munich Germany in 1898, have been restored to their original magnificence and preserved for all generations to come.