Bishop Zubik announces Parish Mergers, New Shrines

On May 18, Bishop David Zubik confirmed the first five parish mergers to result from the ongoing On Mission for The Church Alive! initiative, and recognized five church buildings in the Diocese of Pittsburgh as shrines.

In a letter to the clergy and faithful of the diocese (attached) Bishop Zubik confirmed the final details of an earlier announcement that five groupings of parishes were working toward merger this summer. “These five parish groupings have worked extremely hard since last October to foster relationships and, after consultation in the groupings, were prepared to share with me their desire and readiness to form a new parish community,” the bishop wrote. Each of the five groupings will become a single new parish, with a new name.

The five new parishes are:

•  Christ Our Savior (North Side), which brings together the parishes of Saint Cyril of Alexandria (Brighton Heights), Holy Wisdom (North Side), Saint Peter (North Side), Risen Lord (Marshall- Shadeland);

•  Holy Spirit (New Castle Area), which brings together the parishes of Saint Camillus (Neshannock), Christ the King (Bessemer/Hillsville), Saint James the Apostle (Pulaski), Saint Joseph the Worker (New Castle), Mary, Mother of Hope (New Castle), Saint Vincent de Paul (New Castle) and Saint Vitus (New Castle);

•   Saint Matthias (Greene County), which brings together the parishes of Saint Ann (Waynesburg), Saint Hugh (Carmichaels), Saint Ignatius of Antioch (Bobtown), Our Lady of Consolation (Crucible/Nemacolin/Rice’s Landing) and Saint Thomas (Clarksville/Jefferson);

•   Saint Paul of the Cross (Castle Shannon/Mount Lebanon), which brings together the parishes of Saint Anne (Castle Shannon) and Saint Winifred (Mount Lebanon);

•  Saint Teresa of Kolkata (Beechview/Brookline), which brings together the parishes of Saint Catherine of Siena (Beechview), Our Lady of Loreto (Brookline), Saint Pamphilus (Beechview), Saint Pius X (Brookline) and Resurrection (Brookline).

  “A special thanks to the administrators, clergy teams and lay leaders of these five parish groupings who have helped to make the vision of On Mission for The Church Alive! a living reality. This goes beyond the practical matters related to merging parishes and highlights the work being done to encourage their respective parishioner to deepen their relationship with Jesus and with each other, which is the most important reason for On Mission,” Bishop Zubik wrote.

  At this time, no church closures are being announced related to these new parishes.

Bishop Zubik also announced the creation of a new parish grouping. In 2018, the 188 parishes of the diocese were divided into 57 parish groupings, with a goal of merger within five years as they mobilized their resources for ministry and mission. This new grouping will bring the total number to 58.

The new Shrines of Pittsburgh Grouping brings together the parishes of Immaculate Heart of Mary (Polish Hill), Most Holy Name of Jesus (Troy Hill), Saint Nicholas (Millvale) and Saint Patrick-Saint Stanislaus Kostka (Strip District). These parishes are composed of five church buildings near Downtown Pittsburgh that have unique historical and spiritual significance for our diocese, as well as one parish church that is connected with one of the shrines.

Bishop Zubik wrote that the Shrines of Pittsburgh “will both provide for the pastoral care of the faithful in these parishes and promote these shrines as places of pilgrimage and spiritual renewal for people throughout the diocese and even across the country.”

The shrines included in this new grouping are:

• Saint Anthony Chapel (Troy Hill), which contains the world’s largest collection of relics after the Vatican and the largest collection of relics available for public veneration;

•   Immaculate Heart of Mary Church (Polish Hill), a prime example of “Polish Cathedral” architecture, which is modeled after Saint Peter’s Basilica in Rome, and the first church in the United States to have the Divine Mercy Novena;

•  Saint Nicholas Church (Millvale), which houses the one-of-a-kind murals of Maxo Vanka. The murals depict the immigration of Croatian peasants to the United States, Vanka’s expression of the futility of war and his sadness at the destruction of Europe during World War II;

•  Saint Patrick Church (Strip District), which contains one of the few replicas of the Holy Stairs that Jesus ascended to be judged by Pontius Pilate before he was crucified;

•  Saint Stanislaus Kostka Church (Strip District), one of the earliest Polish communities in the United States, was visited in 1969 by Cardinal Karol Wojtyla, who became Pope Saint John Paul II.

  The parish church included in this new grouping is Most Holy Name of Jesus (Troy Hill), which is connected with Saint Anthony Chapel.

  “On Mission for The Church Alive! cannot take a cookie-cutter approach,” Bishop Zubik said. “We are constantly evaluating the most effective ways to respond in light of the unique circumstances of each parish grouping.”

  In today’s letter, Bishop Zubik also announced the realignment of the parish groupings from which the Shrines of Pittsburgh were withdrawn:

•  Bloomfield/Garfield/Lawrenceville Grouping, which now comprises the parishes of Saint Maria Goretti (Bloomfield/Friendship/Garfield) and Our Lady of the Angels (Lawrenceville);

•  City Center/Hill District Grouping, which comprises the parishes of Saint Benedict the Moor (Hill District), Epiphany (Uptown) and Saint Mary of Mercy (The Point/Gateway Center);

•   Etna/Glenshaw/Millvale/Reserve Grouping, which now comprises the parishes of All Saints (Etna), Saint Aloysius (Reserve Township), Saint Bonaventure (Glenshaw) and Holy Spirit (Millvale).

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These new and realigned parish groupings are not merging as new parishes at this time.

Finally, Bishop Zubik announced two changes involving church buildings that are unrelated to the decisions announced above.

•   Saint John XXIII Quasi-Parish will move to the site of the current Risen Lord Church (Marshall- Shadeland). It will continue to serve those who desire the liturgy in the extraordinary form (i.e., the Traditional Latin Mass). Bishop Zubik invited the priests and parishioners of Saint John XXIII to work toward the establishment of a parish and to provide three names for that eventual new parish.

•   The Corpus Christi Church building of Saint Charles Lwanga Parish (East End) is being closed upon the recommendation of the administrator and Parish Pastoral and Finance Councils. St. Charles Lwanga will continue to use Mother of Good Counsel Church for worship and pastoral ministry.

  All of the above changes will take effect on July 1, 2019. Additional information, including clergy assignments, is attached. It is also available at www.diopitt.org/onmission and will be published in next week’s Pittsburgh Catholic.

  Bishop Zubik concluded his letter with a call to move forward in faith: “This is a pivotal time for our diocese as we plan for the future of the Church of Pittsburgh. While some may be frustrated, at times, with the On Mission process, rarely does someone say it shouldn’t be taking place. Southwestern Pennsylvania is radically different than it was 100, 50, 20, even 10 years ago, yet the work of the Church and our call to love God and others is needed as much now as ever before. As we address the challenges we face in the Church today, the witness of working and growing together reflects the unity of the Body of Christ that is essential to our mission.”

Read Bishop's letter to the faithful here