Fr. Reilly
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Dear Parishioners,
Thank you so very much for the warm welcome last week and weekend, as well as for the many birthday wishes. I think I can say it was truly an unforgettable birthday, when you move the day before and spend your birthday sorting through boxes looking for the essentials.
I am truly blessed to be your new pastor and I am looking forward to getting to know you and most importantly, praying with you. So to help you get to know me a little better, I figured this week I would just give you the facts of my life.
I was born on June 18, 1974, to the late Michael and late Kathleen “Kass” (Kealey) Reilly and have one sibling, a sister Dawn. I grew up in the Frankford section of the city and attended Mater Dolorosa Parish and Grade School until 6th grade. After that we moved five minutes away to the suburbs of Frankford, Bridesburg and attended All Saints Parish and Grade School for 7th & 8th grade. After graduating, I attended Northeast Catholic High School for Boys and graduated in 1992.
I entered St. Charles Borromeo Seminary after graduating from North Catholic and was ordained a priest on May 19, 2001, by Cardinal Bevilacqua. My last 2 years in the seminary I had the honor and privilege to live with Msgr. Citino when he was pastor of Mother of Divine Grace. I truly owe a lot to Msgr. for teaching me how to be a parish priest…so if you do not like anything I do, please feel free to blame him!!
After ordination I was assigned as Parochial Vicar to Our Lady of Charity Parish in Brookhaven for 2 years, then sent to teach High School for the next 5 years at Hallahan and Conwell-Egan. After teaching High School, I was sent down the road as Parochial Vicar to Saints Philip and James Parish in Exton, where I lasted 2 ½ years.
From there I was appointed administrator, then pastor of St. Joseph Parish in Collingdale for 2 years and 4 months. I was then appointed pastor of St. Richard Parish in South Philly for 6 years, then appointed pastor of St. Jerome Parish in the Greater Northeast for 6 years until June 17, 2024, when I was appointed here to Saints Peter and Paul Parish, as your new pastor.
As you can see, I had many different assignments in my priesthood, and I loved every one of them. Not one day goes by where I am not happy being a priest. So, I look forward to this new chapter in my life with all of you and the happiness it will bring.
Please keep me in your prayers as I begin this new journey and please be assured of a remembrance in mine.
God Love Ya!
Fr. Reilly
A Blessing from our Parish
It is with great joy that I announce that we as a parish family have our very own seminarian.
Our parishioner, James Callaghan has been accepted by Archbishop Perez to begin his discernment to the priesthood in the Propaedutic Stage for college at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in September.
Please keep James in prayer as he begins this new journey of discerning his vocation as well as pry for an increase in vocations to the priesthood and religious life.
May the Lord continue to bless our parish with vocations.
