The Beginning Years of St. Joan of Arc Parish
Adapted from "Saint Joan of Arc Parish Diamond Anniversary 1920-1995"
Copyright (c) 1995, St. Joan of Arc Parish
St. Joan of Arc parish history began with Mass on September 12, 1920 in a building on the corner of Mt. Ephraim Avenue and Collings Road on the site of the former Chubby's restaurant.
Mt. Ephraim & Collings (1920), Chubby's Restaurant Site (1934-1995)
The Site, Future Site of Chubby's (See Standard Sign), c. 1920s
Courtesy Ralph Jones
The CVS Pharmacy Building at Mt. Ephraim & Collings (2001)
The temporary chapel, a former poolroom, was acquired and named St. Joan of Arc by the priests of the Sacred Heart Church, Camden. Mass and services continued to be celebrated in that building for a year under Rev. Dr. John B. McCloskey of Sacred Heart.
The original petition for the Parish of the Mission of St. Joan of Arc was submitted by Rev. McCloskey to Rev. Thomas J. Walsh, Bishop of Trenton. At a meeting of the Trustees of St. Joan of Arc, West Collingswood, held in Fairview on December 11, 1920, an original list of twelve by-laws was adopted and signed by Rev. McCloskey, Secretary of the Board of Trustees and two lay trustees, Augustine O'Rourke and Arthurl. Morin. The by-laws were approved and signed by Rev. Thomas J. Walsh, Bishop of Trenton on December 14, 1920.
Within months of the creation of the new chapel, Bishop Walsh, on an official visit to the area, selected an appropriate location for a future church, school, rectory and convent. He decided upon a triangular plot at the intersection of Alabama and Collings Roads.
The new facilities would serve the Catholic families of Yorkship Village that consisted of 1,578 brick homes built by the United States Shipping Board to lure workers to the area to work in the shipyard. The Shipping Board realized the desire of these workers, primarily Catholic, who wanted a church and school for their families and supplied the triangular plot for the new building.
There was considerable delay in securing a deed for the property owing to the unsettled conditions which immediately followed World War I.
Less than a year later, on October 20, 1921, Bishop Walsh created the parish boundaries: North, South, and West by Newton Creek, and East by center of Richey Avenue in West Collingswood. The original Parish would include Runnemede, Northmont and Mount Ephraim temporarily for the accommodation of the Catholic people in these settlements with the right to detach these three places at any time. The boundaries were fixed with the full consent of Rev McCloskey and Rev. John J. O'Farrell for their respective parishes of the Sacred Heart, Camden and St. John's, Collingswood.
Bishop Walsh, at the same time, appointed Rev. George A. Welsh as the first rector of St. Joan of Arc Parish.
The four connecting homes at 3128, 3130, 3132 Merrimac Road and 3139 Alabama Road which were purchased in 1922 from the United States Shipping Board for $4,820.00 were originally used as both the convent and rectory with a chapel housed in the sun-porch area of 3132. When the new rectory was built in 1951, the priests moved and the entire structures became available for use by the sisters.
Left to Right: 3139 Alabama Road and 3128, 3130, 3132 Merrimac Road
Detail: 3139 Alabama Road and 3128, 3130, 3132 Merrimac Road
The Building Complex c. 1970
