Immigration: St. Maron’s Church Brings Together Middle Eastern Immigrants For Prayer And Community
On Sunday mornings at St. Maron’s Church, congregants listen as Father Vince Farhat leads the liturgy, and afterward congregants come to the church hall for coffee and pastries. St. Maron’s has existed in South Philadelphia as a spiritual haven for Middle Eastern immigrants since the latter half of the 19th century and is currently made up […]
Immigration: Haitian Roots Inspire Art That Examines ‘Unconventional Bodies’
Didier William is originally from Port-au-Prince, Haiti, and came to the United States in 1990 at the age of 6 with his father and brother to seek asylum. His mother and another brother arrived just a year prior. The political instability at the time that caused many Haitians to come to the U.S. during this […]
Immigration: A Snapshot Of The Korean Immigrant’s Experience In Philadelphia
In many ways, Bok Won Kang’s immigration story is like that of many Korean immigrants to Philadelphia. Kang, who is now the officer of civil affairs for the Korean American Association of Greater Philadelphia, first came to the United States as a student in 1968 during his high school years. Kang liked his experience in […]
Fishtown: Pastor Eric Dorsey Treats The Person, Not The Issue
Pastor Eric Dorsey is the director of the Philadelphia Brotherhood Mission Ministries shelter project at the corner of Columbia and East Girard avenues in Fishtown. For the past four years, Dorsey has continued an endeavor originally founded by a Temple University contributor over a century ago. What is the goal of your organization? Back in […]
Pennsport: Christ Church South Philly Welcomes Community
Christ Church South Philly has impacted its Pennsport church community, emphasizing to its congregation the importance of love, family and praising Jesus Christ. The church began when its pastor, Jeff Boettcher (pictured below), wanted to broaden his horizons, start his own church and turned to church planting. Church planting is the practice of establishing a […]
Passyunk Square: Father Vincent Farhat Pays Homage To His Family With Unconditional Love In And Out Of Church
Vincent Farhat (pictured above), pastor at St. Maron’s Catholic Church located at 1013 Ellsworth St., has taken the guidance from his upbringing to provide love and compassion to all people. Farhat’s relationship with his family has led him to dedicate his life to his church and to his faith. The 53-year-old Lebanese American was born […]
Art: Three Female Muslim Artists Using Work to Express Identity
These three Muslim women are using art in order to express personal and collective identity, and explore issues of location, displacement and personal connection to social contexts in the city. You can find their art featured in galleries, on buildings and throughout the city. Yasmin Nezhad Born and raised in Iran, Yasmin Nezhad has lived […]
West Passyunk: Saint Monica’s Cares For Community At All Stages of Life
Saint Monica’s Catholic Church, located on the corner of 17th and Ritner streets in South Philadelphia, has been serving the Catholic community for decades with weekly mass and confessions, as well as community programs that provide aid to parishioners for the entirety of their lives in the neighborhood. The parish has many organizations for community […]
Kensington: Pastor Joshua Grace’s Impact Goes Beyond Church Walls
Joshua Grace has served as pastor at Circle of Hope Church since 2003. Grace leads efforts to unite his community through its thrift store, Circle Thrift, and events hosted by the church. He works with community organizations to mobilize resources and bring people together in a God-centered environment. Circle of Hope is associated with the […]
East Passyunk: Keeping the Faith In The Italian Community
Nicholas Martorano is an Augustinian priest who has been the pastor at St. Nicholas of Tolentine Church in East Passyunk for the past 33 years. Raised in the area, he has brought the long-standing traditions of his Italian upbringing, a strong emphasis on faith and family, to enhance the quality of life for the people […]