Three groupings of parishes in the Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh will merge on July 1 to create three new parishes, Bishop David Zubik announced Saturday.
Ten parishes will be part of the mergers.
The mergers will bring the number of parishes in the Diocese of Pittsburgh from 70 to 63.
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. 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 three new parishes are:
• Divine Grace (Cranberry/Ellwood City/Zelienople). This brings together the parishes of Saint Ferdinand (Cranberry Township), St. Gregory (Evans City/Zelienople) and Holy Redeemer (Ellwood City/Koppel/Wampum).
• Regina Coeli (Bellevue/Emsworth/Franklin Park). That merges the parishes of Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Bellevue), St. John Neumann (Franklin Park) and Sacred Heart (Emsworth).
• St. Luke the Evangelist (Ambridge/Baden/Conway/Franklin Park). That combines the parishes of Good Samaritan (Ambridge), St. John the Baptist (Baden), Sts. John and Paul (Franklin Park/Marshall Township) and Our Lady of Peace (Conway).
According to a statement by the diocese, each of the mergers was requested by the priest-administrator of the grouping after extensive consultation with parishioners. Bishop Zubik consulted with the diocesan Priest Council and Vicars General before approving each request.
The mergers are part of the ongoing On Mission for The Church Alive! strategic planning initiative, which is designed to help parishes mobilize their resources to prioritize mission over maintenance.
“This is a pivotal time for our diocese as we plan for the future of the Church of Pittsburgh,” Zubik said. “Southwestern Pennsylvania is radically different than it was 100, 50, 20, even 10 years ago, yet the work of the Church and our call from God to bring His love to everyone continues as strong as ever.”
