ST. JOHN NEUMANN KNANAYA CATHOLIC MISSION OF PHILADELPHIA
Mission Director: Fr. Bins Chethalil
1900 Meadowbrook Rd., Feasterville, PA 19053.
1-281-818-6518
frbins@gmail.com
MASS SCHEDULE
Sunday Holy Mass at 2:00 P.M. at St. Albert the Great Church, 212 Welsh Rd., Huntingdon Valley, PA 19006
KOODARA YOGAMS - 5
RELIGIOUS EDUCATION SCHOOL
On Sundays at 3:30 P.M.
DRE: Sony Stephen Kodijiyil 267-992-7669
Number of Students: 39
Youth and Adult Teachers 12
OTHER ACTIVITIES: Annual Retreat, Religious Education School Anniversary, Seminars for youth and couples.
HISTORY
A Knanaya Mission, known as Syro-Malabar Knanaya Mission of Philadelphia started at St. Antony of Padova Church, Ampler, Pennsylvania in 1999, with Rev. Fr. Thomas Vattothuparambil as its director. A number of Knanaya Catholics living in different parts of Philadelphia gathered together at Ampler once in a month for Syro-Malabar Qurbana. When Fr. Vattothuparambil went back to Kottayam, Bishop Mar Jacob Angadiath appointed Fr. Jose Tharackal as the mission director from October 23, 2009. As Fr. Tharackal was also the director of the Knanaya Missions of New Jersey and Brooklyn he could do only a part-time service at Philadelphia. He offered Syro-Malabar Qurbana once in a month at St. Albert the Great Church, Huntingdon Valley, Pennsylvania.
Later, when the Knanites of Philadelphia expressed their desire to have Mass in Syro-Malabar rite every week, Bp. Mar Jacob Angadiath appointed Fr. Mathew Manakatt as the Mission director with effect from July 21, 2011.
Fr. Renny Kattel was the mission director from December 20, 2015 to August 18,
2020 with his
residence at Assumption Catholic Church, 1900 Meadowbrook Ave., Feasterville, PA
19053.
Fr. Bins Chethalil is the present mission director from August 18, 2020.
Around 45 families are active members of this Mission, coming regularly for Holy Mass every Sunday at 4.30 PM. There is Sunday school from 3.30 to 4.20, at St. Albert’s auditorium. On November 1st 2011, the Feast of all Saints, with the approval of Mar Jacob Angadiath, the Syro-Malabar Knanaya Catholic Mission of Philadelphia was renamed as St. John Neumann Knanaya Catholic Mission of Philadelphia. Thus the Knanaya Mission of Philadelphia is known after an American saint, St. John Neumann who was a former Bishop of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.