Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Conewago

For other Basilicas of the same name, see Basilica of the Sacred Heart (disambiguation).

The Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, also known as Conewago Chapel, is a Roman Catholic minor basilica dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus located in Conewago Township (Adams County), Pennsylvania. The church is a part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Harrisburg.

Conewago Chapel
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
Pennsylvania state historical marker
Show map of Pennsylvania Show map of the United States
Location	3 miles (4.8 km) northwest of Hanover, Conewago Township, Pennsylvania
Coordinates	39°49′8″N 77°2′17″W
Area	1 acre (0.40 ha)
Built	1787
Architectural style	Federal
NRHP reference No.	75001604[1]
Significant dates
Added to NRHP	January 29, 1975
Designated PHMC	December 12, 1947[2]

Description

The Basilica was built between 1785 and 1787, and is constructed of brownstone with three-foot-thick walls. It measures 2+1⁄2 stories high, three bays wide and five bays deep. It features a Federal style entrance with a semi-circular arched doorway and an 80-foot-high spire, added in 1873. Attached to the chapel is a three-story rectory, also built in 1787. It is the oldest Roman Catholic church constructed of stone in the United States. Prince Gallitzin spent the first five years of his priesthood at Conewago Chapel from 1795 to 1799.^[3]

It was decreed a minor basilica on June 30, 1962.^[4] It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1975.^[1]

• 
  Interior of chapel
• 
  Altar
• 
  Bell
• 
  1841 gravestone

List of Pastors

The following priests have served as pastor of the church:^[5]

1. William Wappeler (1741–1748)
2. T. Schneider (1748–1753)
3. Mathias Manners (Mathias Sittensperger) (1753–1758)
4. James Frambach (1758–1768)
5. James Pellentz (1768–1800)
6. Francis X. Brosius (1800–1803)
7. S. Cerfourmont (1803–1804)
8. Louis de Barth (1804–1812)
9. Adam Brit (1812–1822)
10. Mathew Lekeu (1822–1843)
11. N. Steinbacher (1843–1846)
12. Michael Tuffer (1846–1847)
13. Joseph Enders (1847–1858)
14. John Cattani (1858–1865)
15. Simon Dompieri (1865–1866)
16. A. Carlier (1866–1868)
17. Burchard Villiger (1868–1869)
18. I. Bellwalder (1869–1871)
19. Joseph Enders (1871–1884)
20. Patrick Forhand (1884–1888)
21. John Mullaly (1888–1891)
22. Thomas Hayes (1891–1893)
23. Timonthy Oleary (1893–1898)
24. Daniel Haugh (1898–1899)
25. William B. Cowardin (1899–1901)
26. Hugo A. Loague (1901–1902)
27. E. Halfetermeyer (1902–1909)
28. Germanus Kohl (1909–1914)
29. Charles Koch (1914–1925)
30. John F. O' Donnell (1925–1947)
31. Harold E. Keller (1947–1953)
32. John P. Bolin (1953–1966)
33. Thomas J. McGough (1966–1980)
34. George W. Rost (1980–2000)
35. Lawrence J. McNeil (2000–2013)
36. James E. Lease (2013–2015)
37. Joseph Howard (2015–2020)
38. Dwight Schlaline (2020-present)

See also

• John W. Beschter

References

1. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
2. "Conewago Chapel - PHMC Historical Markers". Historical Marker Database. Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission. Archived from the original on December 7, 2013. Retrieved December 7, 2013.
3. "National Historic Landmarks & National Register of Historic Places in Pennsylvania". CRGIS: Cultural Resources Geographic Information System. Archived from the original (Searchable database) on 2007-07-21. Retrieved 2013-08-21. Note: This includes David C. Stacks (1973–1974). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory Nomination Form: Conewago Chapel" (PDF). Retrieved 2011-12-08.
4. "Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Jesus". GCatholic.org. Retrieved 2013-08-21.
5. "History of Our Pastors". The Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Retrieved February 2, 2022.

External links

• Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Jesus information
• Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Jesus organ specifications from the American Guild of Organists