Saint Eugene
200 S. Oak Avenue
Primos, PA 19018

Why was this name selected for the parish? Who first suggested it?
Our parish was named after Pope St. Eugene I, who lived in the 7th century. He was the patron saint of Eugenio Pacelli, Pope Pius XII, who served the Church from 1939 to 1958.
Prior to becoming Pope, Cardinal Pacelli visited the Archdiocese of Philadelphia and St. Charles Seminary. Tradition has it that our parish was named after his patron saint.
We have never had any special devotion to St. Eugene nor any significant celebration of his feast. There is, in the back of church, a very large and beautiful stained- glass window representing St. Eugene I.

Of which ministries are you most proud?
In light of St. Paul’s letter to the I Corinthians 12:4, “There are different gifts but the same spirit; different ministries but the same Lord; different works but the same God,” it’s hard to speak of being “most proud” of any one ministry.
If pressed, I would say that all ministries flow from the Mass, the Eucharist. Consequently we are very happy with all the very important ministries that take place at our Eucharistic celebrations: lectors, cantors, choir, Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, etc. From these liturgies come all other ministries, which, hopefully, climax in services to the oppressed. Consequently, we are very proud of such organizations as St. Vincent de Paul and Aid for Friends, which are most directly involved in carrying out our “preferential option for the poor and the sick.”
Finally, we are most happy and grateful for an excellent school and CCD program. They bring the word of God to our children, and the integrated recreational activities of sports, music and so forth, serve as a catalyst for bonding our community of faith.

Are there any new ministries projected to begin this year?
We are not beginning any new ministries. However, in light of our current 50th anniversary year, we are concentrating on enhancing the essentials of parish life by way of already existing liturgical procedures and other activities. For example, we are stressing in our liturgies more pronounced articulation of prayers and music, a greater attention to moments of silence, a more acute awareness and use of poor boxes, more frequent collection of food and clothing for the poor, and visits to the Blessed Sacrament.

What interesting artifacts, architectural features and/or special works of art are in the church?
Our founding pastor, Father Dennis O’Neill, along with great clergy and staff input and the sacrificial generosity of the people, built a beautiful church that was dedicated October 1980.
People frequently comment about the mysterious and unusual comfortableness of our building. There is, you might say, a “structural warmth and welcome.” A magnificent large stone wall stands behind the altar with a large crucifix in the center. To the left and right of this are beautiful stained- glass windows. These windows, divided into small panels, portray the wonderful, welcoming, Biblical history of salvation with Old Testament to the left and New Testament to the right.
The altar and the place of the presider are positioned at the bottom of a slightly descending incline, creating an appealing visibility for viewing the liturgical action. The semi-circular positioning of the pews nicely includes the people. The assembly has an unobtrusive yet encompassing view of one another’s prayerful and faith-filled faces, enabling good participation.

What amusing incidents comprise the parish's history?
Try changing bingo from smoking to nonsmoking! It can be more than amusing. After more than 40 years of twice-a-week bingo at St. Eugene, I finally summoned the courage to ban smoking. It’s too bad I didn’t summon some more wisdom about what to expect or how to announce the change. For days I gathered research regarding the dangers of smoking, secondary smoke, etc.; I prepared myself well for a brief presentation. How naive! Why did I think after my pitch they were going to say, “Wow, we didn’t know that? We’ll stop smoking right now. Thank you, Father.”
My presentation was more like three-to-five seconds than three-to-five minutes. The boos and heckling were shocking and overwhelming. My staff, sitting nearby, though supportive of the decision, buried their heads with some devilish smiles and laughter as I withdrew from the microphone. Now it’s funny to recall; then, it wasn’t so amusing.
However, there is good news. We did stop smoking at our bingo and, though a bit damaged, we are still surviving.

What occasions of or in the parish have been particularly poignant?
Our 50th Jubilee Year of Celebration (October 2004 — October 2005) is obviously a particularly poignant time for memories and joy. We remember and we praise and thank God.
Another special time in the history of St. Eugene was the construction of our new church in 1980. Not only was the new church a great source of consolation and joy, but also the quick transformation of the old church to a gym provided a new spirit of community. Hopefully, the parishioners involved with this reconstruction feel blessed and appreciated. So many hundreds and hundreds, even thousands, of parents and children have bonded together because of their work and the activities in the gym.

What are among the most commonly asked questions about the parish?
When was the church built? Built under the direction of Father O’Neill with the first Mass on July 15, 1980. Consecrated by John Cardinal Krol on October 19, 1980.
How is your school doing? Thank God our school continues very well. The enrollment has been steady at 240-to-250 (240 at present). We continue to be blessed with a generous principal, dedicated teachers and staff, and supportive parents and parishioners.

The pastor would also like all to know the following about the parish:
I would like everyone to know the goodness of our people and how grateful I am to be able to serve here at St. Eugene. I feel doubly blessed and gifted with the somewhat unusual experience of having been assigned to the parish twice — once as a resident while teaching at Cardinal O’Hara High School from 1963-to-1971, then as pastor since 1989. It’s a real joy to have come back and to be connected with so many good people over a great number of years.
— Compiled by Melissa Fontanez

PARISH FACTS:

Cluster: 64
Date Founded: October 7, 1955
Current Pastor: Father Joseph J. Meehan
Priest in Residence: Father James C. Otto
Permanent Deacon: Deacon James V. Walsh
School: St. Eugene School,
110 S. Oak Avenue, Primos, Pa., 19018
239 Students
No Religious Order
15 Lay Staff
Convent: St. Eugene Convent
100 S. Oak Avenue, Primos, Pa., 19018
Sisters of the Holy Child Jesus
Number of Registered Individuals: 3,958
Number of Registered Families: 1,379
Annually, number of:
Baptisms: 45
Marriages: 18
Funerals: 51