St. Hedwig’s Church in Chester has closed, and plans are in place to redevelop some of its buildings into multifamily housing.

St. Hedwig’s Church, once a cornerstone of Chester’s Polish Catholic community for over a century, has been officially designated no longer a Roman Catholic church. This decision was communicated last week by Philadelphia Archbishop Nelson J. Pérez, who confirmed that effective January 1, 2026, the church will be relegated to “profane but not sordid use.” Following years of declining attendance and financial challenges, this announcement marks the culmination of a long-term process to repurpose the historic property.

The archdiocese first began merging several Delaware County parishes in the early 1990s amid diminishing congregations, resulting in St. Hedwig’s integration into the Sacred Heart Parish in Clifton Heights. This transition effectively ended St. Hedwig’s as an independent parish, which was founded in 1902 and named after Hedwig of Silesia, an influential figure from 13th-century Poland. The church served as a place of worship under the guidance of Sacred Heart Parish, which also caters to the local Polish demographic.

Despite efforts to maintain operations, which included community contributions, the financial strain proved insurmountable. Significant repair costs, such as an estimated ,000 for a malfunctioning boiler, added to the burdens faced by the church. The archdiocese noted that although congregants at St. Hedwig’s were committed to supporting their church, their contributions were insufficient to cover the building’s ongoing maintenance needs. Many repairs had been financed by Sacred Heart Parish, which itself was facing operational deficits projected for 2024.

The church held its final Mass in 2023, marking the end of an era characterized by baptisms, communions, confirmations, marriages, and funerals within the community. The emotional toll of closing such a historic institution weighs heavily on many parishioners who have been integral to its operations for decades.

In a related development, the archdiocese sold a property adjacent to St. Hedwig Church in January 2025 to a group of real estate investors, providing a much-needed capital influx. Moving forward, the plan is to convert the buildings of St. Hedwig’s into multifamily housing, as confirmed by Mario Rivello, a developer with experience in the Chester area. Rivello emphasized that no demolition would take place and that the buildings remain structurally sound, indicating a commitment to preserving the architectural integrity of the site.

The future of this historic property now hinges on the approval process for redevelopment. The decisions made regarding St. Hedwig’s not only reflect a broader trend of changing church dynamics in the region but also highlight the impact of socioeconomic factors on long-standing community institutions.

As the archdiocese navigates these transitions, it remains to be seen how the legacy of St. Hedwig’s will continue to influence the Polish community in Chester.