Vandalism At St. Katharine's Drexel Shrine In Bensalem

BENSALEM TOWNSHIP, PA —They're protecting the property. Even the mayor has done so himself.

As the abandoned Shrine of St. Katharine Drexel property awaits development, the Bensalem Police Department has received multiple reports of thefts and vandalism over the recent months.

"We have made several arrests of individuals over the past few months for theft and trespassing," Sgt. Glenn Vandegrift said.

Vandegrift said the police department started directing patrols of the 44-acre property a couple of months ago and the instances of thefts, trespassing, and vandalism "have decreased substantially."

The Bristol Pike property, with its motherhouse and chapel, means a great deal to Mayor Joseph DiGirolamo.

"It's important to me. It's a historic property," the mayor told Patch Wednesday. "I knew St. Katharine."

So the mayor said he has patrolled the property himself in an effort to curb vandalism.

He said the vandalism was from bricks thrown through windows and some mischief inside the building.

The National Shrine of St. Katharine Drexel —which housed the remains and relics of the saint who founded the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament in 1891 closed at the end of 2017.

Several years ago, the township made assurances that any future development would preserve the site's motherhouse, which was once visited by people from around the world, and prevent it from being knocked down or turned into a restaurant.

The mayor said the property is planned for the development of townhomes and homes for senior living, but the developer has not started construction for about two years.

"They have all the final land development approvals passed," the mayor said. "They're shovel-ready."

He said the developer, Aquinas Realty Partners, has yet to seek permits and get escrows with the township to begin construction. Plans called for a 605-mixed unit development.

"I'm not sure why there's a delay," the mayor said.