Pittsburgh Diocese announces 15 new, merged parishes

The fifteen new parishes are:

• Blessed Trinity (Brentwood/Hays/South Pittsburgh), which brings together the parishes of Holy Angels (Hays), Holy Apostles (South Pittsburgh) and Saint Sylvester (Brentwood);
• Guardian Angels (Upper Allegheny Valley), which brings together the parishes of Saint Alphonsus (Springdale), Holy Family (Creighton), Holy Martyrs (Tarentum), Saint Joseph (Natrona), Our Lady of the Most Blessed Sacrament (Natrona Heights) and Our Lady of Victory (Harwick);
• Holy Family (Oakmont/Plum/Verona), which brings together the parishes of Saint Irenaeus (Oakmont), Saint Januarius (Plum), Saint John the Baptist (Plum), Saint Joseph (Verona) and Our Lady of Joy (Holiday Park);
• Our Lady of the Lakes (Bairdford/Russellton), which brings together the parishes of Transfiguration (Russellton) and Saint Victor (Bairdford);
• Our Lady of Mount Carmel (Observatory Hill/Perrysville/Ross/West View), which brings together the parishes of Saint Athanasius (West View), Incarnation of the Lord (Observatory Hill/Perry North), Saint Sebastian (Ross Township) and Saint Teresa of Avila (Perrysville);
• Saint Aiden (Wexford), which brings together the parishes of Saint Alexis (Wexford) and Saint Alphonsus (Wexford);
• Saint Isidore the Farmer (Avella/Burgettstown/Fort Cherry Area/West Allegheny Area), which brings together the parishes of Saint Alphonsus (McDonald), Saint Ann (Bulger), Saint Columbkille (Imperial), Saint Michael (Avella), Our Lady of Lourdes (Burgettstown) and Saint Patrick (North Fayette Township);
• Saint James (Western Washington County), which brings together the parishes of Saint Hilary (Washington) and Immaculate Conception (Washington);
• Saint John XXIII (Finleyville/Jefferson Hills/Peters), which brings together the parishes of Saint Benedict the Abbot (Peters Township), Saint Francis of Assisi (Finleyville) and Saint Isaac Jogues (Jefferson Hills);
• Saint Joseph the Worker (Braddock/Churchill/Forest Hills/Swissvale/Turtle Creek/Wilmerding), which brings together the parishes of Saint Colman (Turtle Creek), Good Shepherd (Braddock/Braddock Hills/East Pittsburgh), Saint John Fisher (Churchill), Saint Jude the Apostle (Wilmerding), Madonna del Castello (Swissvale), Saint Maurice (Forest Hills) and Word of God (Rankin/Swissvale);
• Saint Michael the Archangel (Dormont/Mount Lebanon/Scott), which brings together the parishes of Saint Bernard (Mount Lebanon) and Our Lady of Grace (Scott Township);
• Saint Oscar Romero (Canonsburg/Meadow Lands/Muse), which brings together the parishes of Holy Rosary (Muse), Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal (Meadow Lands) and Saint Patrick (Canonsburg);
• Saint Paul Cathedral (Greenfield/Hazelwood/Oakland), which brings together the parishes of Saint Paul Cathedral (Oakland), Saint Regis (Oakland), Saint Rosalia (Greenfield) and Saint Stephen (Hazelwood);
• Saint Thomas the Apostle (Duquesne/Homestead/Munhall/West Mifflin/Whitaker), which brings together the parishes of Saint Agnes (West Mifflin), Christ the Light of the World (Duquesne), Holy Trinity (West Mifflin), Saint Joseph (Duquesne), Saint Maximilian Kolbe (Homestead/Munhall), Resurrection (West Mifflin), Saint Rita (Munhall Gardens/Whitaker) and Saint Therese of Lisieux (Munhall);
• Triumph of the Holy Cross (Clairton/Jefferson Hills/Pleasant Hills/West Mifflin), which brings together the parishes of Saint Clare of Assisi (Clairton), Saint Elizabeth of Hungary (Pleasant Hills), Holy Spirit (West Mifflin) and Saint Thomas à Becket (Jefferson Hills).

In a letter to parishioners Bishop Zubik wrote, “This has not been a simple task. Jesus never promised that it would be easy to carry his message of love and mercy to others. He was clear that sacrifice would be necessary. However, you are positioning your new parish for more effective ministry by addressing financial needs, sharing resources and allowing your clergy to focus on the spiritual work for which they were ordained. With your faith in Jesus and empowered by the Holy Spirit, I invite you to warmly welcome and serve each other as you become one parish family.”

The mergers of July 1, 2020 will bring the number of parishes in the Diocese of Pittsburgh from 152 to 106.

In addition, effective July 1, 2020 is the reorganization of our four regional vicariates into two regional vicariates: a North Vicariate and South Vicariate.

Father John B. Gizler, III, has been appointed Regional Vicar for the 29 parishes/groupings of the North Vicariate. The North Vicariate office will be located at Saint Peter in Butler.

Father Joseph E. Sioli will be Regional Vicar for the 27 parishes/groupings of the South Vicariate. The South Vicariate office will be located at Saint Germaine in Bethel Park.

Click here to read more about the changes on its website.