The Queen of Peace Catholic Church in Abington Township celebrated its 70th birthday on Thursday, January 4.

“It’s the founding of our parish in 1954. However, we didn’t really have a church at that time. There was the old farmhouse and a barn which is now the upper parking lot,” Jean Ann Discavage, a lifelong parishioner, cantor, and member of parish council, choir, and finance committee, said. “They decided to have mass at the Ardsley Civic Association. In the meantime, the parishioners came and rebuilt the barn. Bishop McShea announced that it would be Queen of Peace.”

According to Discavage, Monsignor Lynaugh was able to raise the funds for the church’s original construction, including the present church (shown in the feature image), the convent, the school, among other additions, in the early 1950s.

“He had a charisma about him with an Irish wit and charm. He was great,” she said. “My grandparents were founding members. My mother was married there, I was married there, and my son was married there last weekend,” Discavage said. “It’s easy to stay involved because it’s such a beautiful place.”

The Catholic Historical Research Center of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia shared the following:

In the years after the Second World War, the population of the suburbs outside Philadelphia were increasing. In response, Archbishop O’Hara took land from three surrounding parishes to form Queen of Peace Parish in Ardsley, who celebrates their seventieth anniversary today. As the first church was being constructed, Mass was said in the Civic Association Hall with Father Joseph E. Lynaugh as first pastor.

For a full history lesson on Queen of Peace, you can click here. You can also watch this video from the church’s 60th anniversary:

For more on the church, located at 820 North Hills Avenue, you can visit their Facebook page and website.

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Photos: Queen of Peace