Father Vincent Guest, pastor of Sacred Heart Parish, Camden, blesses a plaque announcing that Saint Bartholomew Church is on the National Register of Historic Places.
On Sunday Aug. 23, the community of Saint Bartholomew’s Roman Catholic Church in Camden celebrated the designation of the historical status of the church at the conclusion of their 11 a.m. Sunday Mass.
Saint Bartholomew’s was added to the New Jersey and National Register of Historic Places based on its mid-20th century vernacular ecclesiastical architecture.
Saint Bartholomew’s was established as a personal parish in the 1940s for the African American community and grew into a community rich in the culture and tradition of Black Catholics. In the early years of the parish the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament, founded by Saint Katherine Drexel, were missioned to serve the community.
Throughout the years, Saint Bartholomew’s has maintained a positive and familiar presence in Camden and has made many contributions to the community through its social service outreach to the poor and evangelizing efforts in the City of Camden and throughout the Diocese of Camden.
Located on Kaighns Avenue in Camden City, the church is part of Sacred Heart Parish.
In his homily, Father Vince Guest, pastor of Sacred Heart Parish, praised the many contributions Black Catholics have made to the Diocese of Camden and to the country. Father Guest also thanked former pastor, Father Gerard Marable, and the Saint Bartholomew Development Committee who worked hard to achieve this status. Father Guest concluded his homily by stating, “Today we celebrate the historical status of this church building, but we must continue to look to the future. We are called to evangelize and to share the joy of the Gospel. Together, as one family of faith, we share the rich tradition Black Catholics have made to the church and invite others to become a part of this wonderful story.”
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