Sacred Heart Parish Marks Annual Forty Hours Devotion

The Havertown parish recently held its traditional prayer service as it begins a year-long centennial anniversary celebration.

Updated on Oct. 30, 2026 in Catholicism

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Sacred Heart Parish in Havertown began its centennial year celebration by hosting the annual Forty Hours devotion for the local community. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Sacred Heart Parish in Havertown recently hosted its annual Forty Hours devotion, featuring a prayer service and eucharistic procession led by Auxiliary Bishop Keith Chylinski. The event serves as the beginning of a centennial celebration for the community, which was founded in 1927.

Why it matters

This tradition highlights the long-standing spiritual history of the local community as it prepares to commemorate 100 years of operation. The devotion is a significant annual event that strengthens parish ties ahead of major institutional milestones.

Sacred Heart Parish maintains a century-long legacy in Havertown, operating with Sunday Mass times at 7:30 a.m. and 9:30 a.m. Early church services were originally held at Koehler's Real Estate Office.

The players

Keith Chylinski

He is an Auxiliary Bishop who presided at the parish prayer service and eucharistic procession.

Sacred Heart Parish

This is a local religious institution in Havertown that is currently approaching its 100th anniversary.

The details

Parishioners participated by signing up for half-hour time slots to ensure continuous prayer before the Blessed Sacrament. The devotion was observed on October 19 and October 20, 2026, with the sacrament exposed on the altar after daily Mass.

Timeline

  1. May 15, 1927: Sacred Heart Parish was founded.

  2. 1928: The parish school officially opened.

  3. October 19-20, 2026: The annual Forty Hours devotion took place.

  4. November 1, 2026: All Saints Day Mass is scheduled.

  5. Spring 2027: First Holy Communion students will receive the sacrament.

Culture Shift

The Forty Hours devotion is a long-standing liturgical custom that grounds modern Catholic congregations in historical prayer practices. This event demonstrates how local parishes maintain traditional spiritual routines even as they approach centennial anniversaries.

Residents of the Havertown community can expect ongoing commemorative events throughout the upcoming centennial year. Parish members should prepare for a full schedule of activities leading up to the 100th anniversary in 2027.

The takeaway

Maintaining long-standing local traditions provides a sense of continuity for community members as organizations reach historic milestones. Participation in annual devotions serves as a foundational activity for members to connect with their parish's history.

What happens next

The parish is scheduled to hold a Mass for All Saints Day on November 1, 2026, and will host First Holy Communion in the spring of 2027.

Further reading

For more information on religious traditions in the area, visit Catholicism.

Source note: This article includes information reported by CatholicPhilly.

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