PHILADELPHIA — The Archdiocese of Philadelphia is putting a massive beachfront home on the New Jersey shore up for sale as it faces a $17 million budget deficit and millions in legal bills associated with child sex abuse litigation.

The home used by vacationing retired priests will be shuttered Saturday, a spokesman for the archdiocese said this week. It isn’t yet listed with a broker but that will change soon.

The nine-bedroom property, called Villa St. Joseph by the Sea, occupies a full block along the Ventnor, N.J., boardwalk. Retired priests have used the home, which is assessed at $6.2 million, as a getaway since the archdiocese acquired it in 1963.

Neighbor Charles Fischer told The Philadelphia Inquirer he would miss the priests, calling them ‘‘the most wonderful neighbors you could have.’’