Greensburg bishop announces restoration of New Kensington church damaged by tornado

Restoration of a New Kensington church hit by a tornado nearly a year ago is about to begin, the Diocese of Greensburg announced Tuesday.

St. Mary of Czestochowa sustained about $2.6 million in damage when an EF-1 tornado with winds of up to 100 mph traveled about 4 miles, from Frazer into the city, shortly after 1 a.m. April 8, 2020.

The storm produced a second tornado, an EF-0 with winds of up to 70 mph, that traveled a quarter-mile on Riverview Street in Lower Burrell. Strong straight-line winds also caused damage in the area, according to the National Weather Service.

St. Mary’s, whose congregation includes nearly 400 households, has been closed since the storm.

“Compounding the devastation of this tragic storm was its timing,” Bishop Larry J. Kulick said. “The tornado damaged the church during Holy Week of 2020, a time when most of the world was locked down due to the covid-19 pandemic.”

The tornado peeled off one side of the roof of the 109-year-old church along Kenneth Avenue and dropped it in the street. One of its two bell towers was so badly damaged it had to be removed.

Kulick recalled arriving at the church that morning.

“I was just aghast at what I saw,” he said. “I couldn’t believe the amount of devastation that had occurred. I can recall thinking how very, somewhat limited and precise the hit of the tornado was. It just hit part of the church.”

Despite the power of the storm and the destruction caused, there was little damage to the church’s stained-glass windows. The murals on its ceiling are largely intact. The hand-carved, imported altars were not damaged.

Immediate steps taken to secure the church included installing a temporary roof to prevent further damage to the interior, which remains covered in plastic. Dehumidifiers continue to run inside the church.

The restoration will be paid for with about $2.1 million in insurance money, according to the diocese.

The diocese would not say how long it would take to complete the work, including replacing the roof and rebuilding the bell tower, or when the work would begin.

Leadership changes

Along with the work at St. Mary’s, Kulick announced some leadership changes in the diocese:

• St. Mary pastor Msgr. Michael Begolly will become pastor of Mother of Sorrows Parish in Murrysville when summer clergy appointments take effect, replacing Msgr. James Gaston, 75, who is retiring.

“I am grateful to the faithful people of New Kensington for their support over the last year, as we worked side-by-side with the Diocese of Greensburg, insurance adjustors and building inspectors to assess the damage and determine next steps,” Begolly said. “Now that the bishop has given permission to move forward on restoring the church, I am certain there will be a lot of excitement and energy surrounding these efforts.”

• The Rev. Kenneth G. Zaccagnini will replace Begolly as pastor of St. Mary, St. Joseph and Mount St. Peter parishes, while remaining pastor of St. Margaret Mary in Lower Burrell. To expedite the restoration at St. Mary, Zaccagnini will assume the role of bishop’s liaison for restoration, effective immediately.

Zaccagnini thanked Begolly for overseeing details at St. Mary, including preserving its carved wooden altars.

“I look forward to seeing the church restored and the pews full of parishioners as soon as possible,” Zaccagnini said.