Local Parishes Merging, Two Church Buildings Closing

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Bishop David A. Zubik has announced three mergers involving ten parishes in the Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh.

Two church buildings will be closed as a result of the mergers.

According to a release from the Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh, the mergers are "either a response to financial pressures that could not wait for the upcoming diocesan strategic planning initiative, On Mission for the Church Alive!, or the result of discussions that had already advanced so far that the pastor did not think it was wise to wait for the On Mission process."

The parishes of Ascension in Ingram, Guardian Angels in the West End and Holy Innocents in Sheraden will merge into Saint Philip Parish in Crafton, effective beginning Monday.

On Friday, July 1, Saint Matthias Parish in Evans City will merge into Saint Gregory Parish in Zelienople.

In South Pittsburgh and surrounding communities, the parishes of Saint Albert the Great in Baldwin, Saint Basil and Saint Wendelin in Carrick, and Saint Norbert in Overbrook will merge on Thursday, September 1, 2016 to form Holy Apostles Parish.

The church buildings of both Guardian Angels and Holy Innocents will close on the same date.

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