Sixth Sunday of Easter, May 25, 2025
Philadelphia’s Center City District recently issued its 2025 report on the state of Center City. Saint John’s is a Center City ministry, so the situation of Center City is of vital interest to us.
The report presents a positive picture of Center City’s vitality. Essentially I agree with the report, but I also think that it glosses over the problems. Its lead message is that Center City crime spiked in 2022 as the world emerged from Covid, but declined in 2023 and 2024. However, the report laments that people still perceive Center City as crime ridden and unsafe. I agree that Center City is not as dangerous as some detractors say, but I also think that the report unwisely dismisses the concerns of Center City residents and visitors. On Sunday, May 11, one of our elderly parishioners said this to me in an email:
Crime is at an all time high all over the city! Things in Society Hill have been really very scary. My favorite Indian restaurant across the street was robbed last week. The Acme market was also robbed. People are being mugged. Cars are being vandalized or stolen. There are porch pirates stealing Amazon packages all over the city. Homes are being robbed. This is really sad and dangerous.
This parishioner would not ordinarily be out after dark, but on one occasion was, and she felt menaced by a group of teens who commented on her using a cane. Fortunately, she got home safe, but she is not likely to be out after dark in the future.
It does not help that our City leaders, including the authors of the Center City District 2025 Report, dismiss as unfounded the concerns of our residents and visitors.
However, according to the report, there are lots of positive things:
- Center City has 299,956 jobs, 42% of all citywide jobs
- 3811 new housing units were completed in 2024
- There are 206,876 residents in Center City
- SEPTA brings a daily average of 97,523 people to Center City
- In 2024, there were 3.2 million nights of housing for visitors in Center City hotels of
- 74% non resident workers are back downtown (which means that 26% aren’t)
- 82% of storefronts are occupied (81% for Market East). This means that 19% of Market East storefronts are not occupied.
- Center City has a robust restaurant and bar industry and the numbers frequenting these establishments exceed pre Covid levels
- Key institutions bring significant numbers of people to Center City:
- 11,513,754 to Dilworth Park
- 5,560,485 to Reading Terminal Market
- 1,431,393 to the Independence Visitor Center
- 687,903 to the Philadelphia Museum of Art
- 942,977 people attended events at the Convention Center
On an average day, there are lots of people in Center City:
- 206,876 residents
- 100,889 non resident employees
- 213,175 visitors and shoppers (includes medical patient visitors)
Yet these numbers are still lower than pre-Covid numbers
Here are my conclusions:
- Saint John Church is located in a busy Center City neighborhood and we have the opportunity to connect with thousands of people in the name of Christ. Many people come to Saint John’s for Mass, confessions, weddings, prayer, AA or NA meetings, Bible studies. Lots of people come to Saint John’s each year, but relative to the large numbers of people in Center City, our numbers are not large. We have many opportunities to reach many people with the Gospel.
- The neighborhood around Saint John’s has a lot of empty storefronts and the closings of Macy’s and the University of the Arts were huge losses for our neighborhood and the City.
- Crime and homelessness are concerns for Center City residents and visitors. We need to do more to help our unhoused neighbors and our church should treat everyone with dignity and love.
This is our neighborhood and our reality. How can we witness to Christ and be the presence of the Catholic Church here? Please join us on June 29 for our discussion on the Archbishop’s letter on evangelization and we can talk about our unique parish and our opportunities for evangelization.
