Parish restructuring takes place for local Catholic churches
GERMAN TWP. — Tears flowed amid the prayers Tuesday morning at Our Lady of Perpetual Help, St. Mary Roman Catholic Church, as parishioners gathered for the final Mass.
“This is a sad time for our church community,” said Mary Lou Mesich, parish secretary.
Our Lady of Perpetual Help, located at 304 Leckrone-High House Road in Leckrone, is one of six local churches that was merged by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Greensburg on Tuesday into the new St. Francis of Assisi Parish, Western Fayette County. The other churches include All Saints in Masontown, Holy Rosary in Republic, Madonna of Czestochowa in Cardale, St. Procopius in New Salem and St. Thomas in Footedale.
The diocese also closed St. Hedwig in Smock, with all of its records, liabilities and assets assumed by St. John the Baptist in Perryopolis. Bishop Lawrence E. Brandt will celebrate a Mass of Welcome and Remembrance at 7 p.m. Thursday at St. John the Baptist Parish. Parishioners from St. Hedwig can move to St. John or another Catholic parish in the area.
In addition, St. Joseph in Everson is now partnered with St. John the Baptist in Scottdale.
The changes are taking place as part of a parish restructuring announced last month by the diocese, which includes Fayette, Westmoreland, Armstrong and Indiana counties. The restructuring takes into consideration the number of active priests, which is currently 67, down from 101 in 2000. Accounting for deaths, sickness, ordinations and departures, the diocese projects the number of active priests will be reduced in five years to 48 and to 27 by 2025.
Parish membership also was considered in the restructuring. The diocese reported the number of Catholics has decreased by 70 percent in the past 50 years and 25 percent in the last 10 in the six parishes that are forming St. Francis.
Named in honor of the patron of the new pope, the new St. Francis Parish has worship sites at Footedale and Masontown. The Rev. William G. Berkey is the new pastor of St. Francis, and the Rev. James F. Petrovsky will assist as senior priest active while continuing pastoral responsibilities at St. Peter Parish in Brownsville and St. Cecilia Parish in Grindstone. Brandt will celebrate a Mass of Welcome and install Berkey at 6 p.m. Saturday, July 13, at the Footedale site for St. Francis.
Meanwhile, final Masses were held Sunday through Tuesday in the affected churches before the changes became official.
The Rev. John Butler, who served as pastor of All Saints and administrator of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, celebrated the final Mass, which took place in Leckrone at 8 a.m. Tuesday.
“This building is your church for now, but apart from the building, you are the Church,” he told the people during his homily.
Butler urged people to support each other and remembered the members of the other five churches going into the merger.
Other participants in the Mass included Ann Valusek as reader, William Raho as Eucharistic minister, and Ken Raho Sr., Ken Raho Jr. and David Wesolowsky as ushers. At the end of the Mass, Butler transferred the Eucharist from the building. Parishioners remained to hold a daylong prayer vigil.
Before and after the Mass, parishioners talked about the importance of Our Lady of Perpetual Help.
Clarinda Ermino Tokish said, “It’s my whole life. It means everything to me and my family.”
“It’s sad. My dad helped build this church. It’s part of our life,” said William Hruska.
“I grew up here. I was an altar boy. I am an usher,” said Ken Raho Jr., who, like others, recalled the many sacraments their family members received in the parish, including baptisms and marriages, as well as funerals.
“The people have celebrated with me and comforted me when I needed it. They are my family, and I’m losing them,” said Mary Ann Blaskinsky.
Many trace their roots through generations to the beginning of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, which was founded in 1902. The church was originally a wooden structure called St. Columbkill that was located on nearby land where the parish cemetery remains. The first church was destroyed in a fire, and Mass was celebrated in a home near the Leckrone ballpark until the current building, a light-gray stone structure with a steeple and stained-glass windows, was built. The first Mass in the new building was celebrated on Christmas Day 1912. The church formerly operated a school and housed a convent. A parish center was built in 1976. A chapel was dedicated in the cemetery in 2011.
William Raho said the church includes 275 families, adding, “What is so nice is that people are carrying on the traditions of their ancestors.”
“This church has been forever in our family. We have always come here since my grandfather came to the area,” said Marlene Vrabel.
“I’ve been a lifelong parishioner of St. Mary’s. I’m 38, and it’s family. We were truly blessed to have it as long as we have,” said Angela Miller, who also noted her family’s long history in the parish. “We, as a church, are sad, but our faith is not shaken.”
German Township Supervisor Dan Shimshock, a member of St. Thomas, stopped by to take photographs after the Mass before the building was closed. He mentioned he had an aunt who used to belong to Our Lady of Perpetual Help.
“This church is known for its hard work, known for its pierogi sales and fish fries,” he said. “It was surprising when we heard of the churches being closed.”
Susan Catanzarite said, “Even though we will come together as one, it doesn’t change the fact we are grieving for our own separate churches and families. I am praying for everyone.”