St. Agnes Parish in West Chester recently commemorated its 225th anniversary with a Mass celebrated by Archbishop Charles Chaput, writes Lou Baldwin for CatholicPhilly.com.

The longstanding parish is distinguished in many ways, including being the only parish in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia founded by a hero of the American Revolution.

Irish-born Stephen Moylan was General George Washington’s aide de camp, a colonel, and later brevet brigadier general in the Revolutionary War.

In 1793, during his time as a Recorder and Registrar for Chester County, he bought the site of St. Agnes. It was originally named Christ Church, a chapel served by priests from Old St. Joseph and Old St. Mary.

The new church dedicated to St. Agnes was built during the time of Father John Prendergast, who arrived in 1852. St. Agnes School was established by the Immaculate Heart Sisters in 1872.

The present church was built in 1927.

“We have a lot of rich traditions here,” said Father William Donovan.

Read more about St. Agnes Parish from CatholicPhilly.com here.

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