By Christie L. Chicoine
CS&T Staff Writer
The Philadelphia Archdiocese’s 2009 Catholic Directory is hot off the press and ready to be placed under the Christmas trees of Catholics across the Archdiocese.
Published annually by The Catholic Standard & Times, the desk-size reference book, which identifies the Archdiocese’s leadership and services, sells for $24.95 – the same price as the past two years.
As a special incentive, both a directory and a one-year subscription to The CS&T may be purchased for only $50. [See ordering information below.]
The 366-page directory has something for everyone, including listings of priests and parishes, Catholic universities, high schools and grade schools, sections on men and women religious, third orders, retreat centers, Catholic hospitals, social services, sodalities, cemeteries and more.
Brief biographies on Cardinal Justin Rigali, and other bishops of Philadelphia are also provided.
All the secretariats, departments and offices of the Archdiocese are identified as well, including those at the Archdiocesan Office Center, 222 N. 17th St. in Philadelphia.
New this year in the Catholic Education section is a listing of regional Catholic schools.
The Archdiocese’s 269 parishes are listed in two sections: Philadelphia and Suburban Philadelphia. Parishes are also listed by vicariate, cluster and year founded.
Need to know which churches are handicapped-accessible? Look for disability access codes next to the names of parishes.
There’s also a page reserved for Masses celebrated in other languages and for various ethnic groups.
The names and telephone numbers of Catholic parishes assigned to ministry in non-Catholic institutions such as hospitals, retirement centers, assisted living facilities, detention centers and prisons are listed under the section “Non-Catholic Institutions and Parishes Assigned for Care of Residents/Patients.”
Planning a trip to Rome and want to learn about papal audiences or other aspects of visiting the Vatican? The directory will point you in the right direction.
The publication also provides brief historical and statistical information about the Archdiocese, including a listing of previous archbishops and bishops as well as a listing of neighboring dioceses.
If you have a pressing political question but don’t know where to turn, check out the two-page listing of the Pennsylvania Catholic Conference.
A striking depiction of Catholic life in the Archdiocese graces the directory’s cover. The Church’s celebration of the Year of St. Paul is featured prominently on a color page in the directory’s introduction and includes a picture of the saint and a prayer in his honor.
Your patronage is valuable to the directory’s advertisers. The ads displayed throughout the book are listed in the Buyers’ Guide and Advertiser Index.
The directory editor is Adam Dickerson, a husband and father of four who belongs to St. David Parish in Willow Grove.
“My hope is that people obtain basic information to become more involved in bringing Christ to others – whether in the parish, in a human services facility, through a lay organization or through prayer,” he said. “Imagine someone buying the directory just to have a list of the archdiocesan priests for whom they can pray.”
The directory is available in a spiral-bound or three-hole punch format. Shipping and handling are included in the cost.
Payment for the 2009 Catholic Directory may be made by check or money order to The Catholic Standard & Times, 222 N. 17th St. #900, Philadelphia, PA 19103.
Other forms of payment include VISA, Master Card and American Express.
Directory orders may also be placed by calling (215) 587-3667; through the CS&T web site here, or by e-mailing Cecelia Watkins, the CS&T’s assistant circulation manager, at cwatkins@adphila.org.
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