Mount St. Peter Church
Encyclopedia
Mount Saint Peter Church is a Roman Catholic Church
at 100 Freeport Road in New Kensington, Pennsylvania
. The church is located along the Allegheny River
and is approximately 25 mi (40.2 km) north-east of the city of Pittsburgh. It is a member of the Diocese of Greensburg.
The congregation was founded by Italian immigrants in the early 1900s and the current building was constructed by hand by parish members during World War II
. The church was dedicated on July 4, 1944. In 1998, the building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
.
As of 2009, the congregation had approximately 5,000 members. The church is regionally known for its annual Festa Italiana, at which there is homemade Italian food, dancing, games for children, and gambling for adults. This festival is organized by volunteers from the church and takes place on the church grounds during the first weekend in August. The mission statement of the church emphasizes the congregation's Italian heritage.
and the emergence of New Kensington as an industrial city in the early twentieth century. In 1890, the Burrell Improvement Company considered the advantages of the level land south of its home in Lower Burrell. They named the area New Kensington, surveyed it, and laid out avenues, running parallel to the Allegheny River
, and numbered streets running perpendicular to the river. Fourth and Fifth streets were the primary commercial streets. Once the land was surveyed and plotted
, the company opened the land to bidding. The first large company to purchase land, the Pittsburgh Reduction Company
, acquired a 3.5 acres (14,164 m²) property by the riverfront. Other companies also acquired sites for commercial and industrial development: Adams Drilling, Goldsmith and Lowerburg, New Kensington Milling, New Kensington Brewing, Logan Lumber, and Keystone Dairy, to name a few.
The presence of Pittsburgh Reduction Company (later Alcoa) provided a boon for development. On Thanksgiving Day 1888, with the help of Alfred E. Hunt, Charles Martin Hall
developed an experimental smelting plant on Smallman Street in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
. In 1891, the company established its production facility in New Kensington.
By 1910, the city was also the home of a car manufacturing company, the New Kensington Automobile Company. In addition, the Pittsburg Motor Car Company had established a production plant for its Pittsburg Six model in New Kensington. By 1904, the American Tin Plate Company (capital stock owned by the United States Steel Corporation) had established the six facilities of the Pittsburgh Mills and six of the Pennsylvania Mills in New Kensington.
. Records show that the first Mass in the area was celebrated in the Allegheny Mountains
in 1749 by a French priest serving as chaplain to French troops. Demetrius Augustine Gallitzin
, the second priest ordained in territories that became the United States, arrived in Loretto, Pennsylvania
in 1799. Father Boniface Wimmer came to Latrobe from Germany and established the first Benedictine
presence in the region of Saint Vincent
in 1846.
Prior to the United States' Civil War
, Catholicism grew slowly in America, but afterward, it became more wide-spread as Catholic immigrants from eastern Europe moved to the four counties, which include Armstrong, Fayette, Indiana, and Westmoreland, to mine coal and produce coke to fire steel mills in Pittsburgh. This influx of Catholic immigrants resulted in the creation of more than 80 parishes and missions in the counties between 1865 and 1917.
, formed a new congregation in New Kensington to serve the immigrant work force, many of whom were Italian Catholics. The church was named after Saint Peter
, the first pope. The parishioners of this new congregation were Italians living in and around New Kensington, Arnold
, and Parnassus, which later became a part of the city of New Kensington. These immigrants needed a place to worship and in 1903, the St. Peter congregation began holding Mass
with a resident pastor, Reverend Vincenzo Maselli in a small building on the corner of Second Avenue and Tenth Street (known as the downtown area) in New Kensington.
Soon after, on September 28, 1903, the congregation relocated to the basement of St. Mary's Polish Church, which was also located in New Kensington. Here, the first parish register was created. The first recorded event in the new parish was a marriage on December 27, 1903. Soon after, the Burrell Improvement Company donated land on the corner of Ridge Avenue and Constitution Boulevard. On July 4, 1905, the cornerstone of St. Peter Church was laid and on September 25, 1905, Bishop Regis Canevin
dedicated the new church.
In 1908, the number of attendees at St. Peter Church began to dwindle. Many of the priests who had served the congregation had been reassigned a few years earlier. In 1908, a popular priest, Father Sacchi, was sent to Mother of Sorrows Church in McKees Rocks, Pennsylvania
. Parishioners formed a committee to go speak to the Bishop on Father Sacchi's behalf. Although Father Sacchi was not allowed to return to St. Peter, Reverend James Vocca, who had also been at St. Peter prior to his reassignment, was brought back to the church.
At this time, the priests who were part of St. Peter were doing the best they could to keep the faith alive in their congregation. The priests were smart men who had attended school in Italy prior to their immigration, but most were unable to speak fluent English. At a time when immigrants were desperately trying to fit into the American life and be as American as possible, going to a church where the congregation was Italian was not the most desirable choice. Therefore, many Catholic Italians began going to churches and many others changed their religion altogether. Many of these Italians were becoming Protestant. The priests were poorly paid and most lived on about twenty-five cents per day. They had no permanent housing: many slept in the church itself, and preferred the altar
floor because it was the only place in the church that had carpeting. It was also common for the priests to say Mass several churches on the same day. These circuit
s trips were sometimes as much as twenty-five miles away.
settled themselves in New Kensington. The group was guided by the ideas of Carlo Tresca
, a union organizer for Industrial Workers of the World
, which were recorded first, in his newspaper La Plebe, or The Worker, and later in his anti-fascist
paper, Il Martello (which translates to "the hammer"). The Italian Communists and Anarchists harassed members of the Catholic Church. Italians who did go the church were made to feel inferior and many became too intimidated to go to church at all. At St. Peter's, one priest was shot through a window while he was sitting at his desk. Another priest was threatened that if he did not leave New Kensington he would be killed. In 1918, there were only thirteen families who attended Mass at St. Peter on Sunday. This continued for several years until Carlo Tresca moved from New Kensington to New York
in 1925.
By 1929, St. Peter was crowded for all three Masses on Sunday morning. There were so many people that the balcony, the sanctuary, and both sacristies were opened seating. Eventually the priests opened the doors of the church and hundreds of people stood outside on the steps to hear the Mass. Despite all of these accommodations, there were still many people who were turned away because there was not enough space to accommodate them. There were about a thousand families who belonged to St. Peter parish, but the church itself only had about two hundred seats in the pews. In 1933, Bishop Hugh Boyle
suggested the construction of a larger church and the congregation decided to construct a larger building.
The new church building was constructed by the parishioners, who broke ground in May 1941 and three years later dedicated the new building.
s; given money to the war relief campaigns; been active on the home front, and sent 808 men and women to the Armed Forces. There was a group that prepared and sent out a weekly special bulletin to the parishioners in the Armed Forces. These parishioners were happy to receive news from home on the progress of their new church and many of them sent home money to go towards the building fund. During the war, hundreds of dollars came in from these parishioners fighting in the war. Of the 808 parishioners who went off to war, seven died and their names were engraved on a piece of granite outside of the church: James DiMuzio, Arthur Capo, Nick Costelli, Justine DeFelices, Neal Chipoletti, and Anthony Zaffuto.
wanted the new church to be built in their town, arguing that most of the congregation lived there. Those from Parnassus wanted the church closer to them because there were a lot of Catholics but no Catholic church in Parnassus. The parishioners from New Kensington argued that St. Peter should remain close to its current location and one was found on the corner of Freeport Road and Seventh Street. This location was approximately 100 yd (91.4 m) from the previous St. Peter Church and was located on the top of a hill. The land was 4 acres (1.6 ha) and had a large mansion and a few small buildings on the property.
The land had once belonged to Stephen M. Young, who had been a General
in the United States Army
during the American Civil War
and was a friend of Abraham Lincoln
. Young sold the property to Frank M. Curtis for $7,000 in 1902. It was sold to David A. Leslie for $17,000 in 1914. After Mr. Leslie's death in August 1938, attorneys spoke to Mrs. Leslie about selling the property and she agreed to sell for $20,000 cash. On December 1, 1938, the congregation made a down payment of $500 cash and few days later, the Building Fund Campaign opened for the new church with a committee of one-hundred volunteers. Each parishioner who was employed full-time should sign a pledge to give $60 over a period of five years towards the building of the church. The committee was split up into groups, and the volunteers went door to door almost every day for five years until enough money was collected.
On April 1, 1939, St. Peter's congregation took possession of the land and mansion. That day, it was decided the new church would be called "Mount St. Peter." By May 1, instead of having $20,000 as anticipated, the building campaign had generated $23,500 in cash and another $75,200 in pledges.
mansion, 6500 Fifth Avenue, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, was to be demolished. Stanish had worked for the three Mellon brothers until the last of them died in 1938. The Mellon family had spent years entertaining important people, including royalty, celebrities, well known financiers, and statesmen in the Mellon Mansion. It was built using Michigan sandstone and was four stories high on one side and three stories high on the other. The mansion had sixty-five rooms, plus halls and vestibule
s. There were 11 bathrooms, one of which had cost over $10,000 to complete because the walls and floor were covered in Italian marble and the fixtures were plated in gold. At one time, a hundred servants had maintained the house and surrounding grounds. The mansion had been completed in 1909 and had cost Mr. Mellon approximately three million dollars. The inside was filled with marble
from all over the world, including China, Japan, and India. There were bronze doors cast in England, hand painted ceilings, and steel beams manufactured by the Carnegie Steel Company
. In addition, one of the most expensive organs
in the world was housed in this building. The items which the mansion contained were being sold for less than their actual values. For example, a half a million dollars worth of furniture had been sold for $3,800. The building contained many items that could easily be used in a church. There were mantles that could become altars and pieces of architecture, such as angel statues, that could be placed in Mount St. Peter Church. In 1940, St. Peter's congregation bought all of the stone, granite
, marble, bronze doors, and railings from the mansion. In addition, the congregation purchased thirty tons of steel
beams, sixty-five oak
doors, chandeliers, and some other items, and the members transported all of the marble 27 miles (43.5 km) from Pittsburgh to New Kensington.
Many men of the congregation volunteered to transport the materials to New Kensington. The congregation found a contractor
, Mr. Charles Camarata, to direct the free labor. Camarata had built hundreds of miles of road in the state of Pennsylvania and around the country. In addition, he had constructed homes, civic buildings, and churches. As soon as he agreed to take the job in December 1940, he split the volunteers into three groups. Camarata personally supervised the first group, which removed the marble from Mellon Mansion. The second group transported the marble to New Kensington and the third placed the materials on the grounds of Mt. St. Peter. This project started on December 13, 1940, and continued until May 26, 1941. The process was difficult and time consuming, made more difficult by the harsh winter of 1940–1941.
was blessed on Sunday, September 7, 1941, by Reverend Alfred Koch, who was the Arch Abbot of St. Vincent in Latrobe, Pennsylvania
. Many other priests from the area were also present. Father Paul Tomlinson of St. Peter's Church in Pittsburgh delivered the sermon in English and Archabbot Koch closed the ceremony with the Pontifical Benediction in Italian. The large red cornerstone was made of granite and was fitted with an iron box. The box contained the memorial reports of the congregation, newspapers, American and Papal coins, and medals of the church. The cornerstone was placed so that it can be seen from inside the church. It is located by the altar of the Sacred Heart.
. The ladies not only recorded all of the pledges and collections, but they also recorded all notices and minutes from their meetings. While the church was being built, the Campaigners met almost every evening.
The Cenacle was run under the supervision of Dom C. Shiarella, the treasurer of the First National Bank
in New Kensington and the cashier of the Building Fund Campaign. He was in charge of collecting all of the pledges made toward the Building Fund. This work kept him in the bank for one or two hours longer than the other employees every evening. This went on for almost five years. Mr. Shiarella was also in charge of making sure there was enough money in the church's bank account for the payroll that was taken out every other Friday. The needed funds were always collected in time and there was never a week when the account bounced.
By October 1941, there was little money left, and the parish sold a house it possessed on Constitution Boulevard for $7,000, which was enough to pay off the $3,000 of debt. The other $4,000 covered some of the continuing costs of construction.
in the newspapers and decided to quit his work on the church and enlist in the United States Air Force
. James DiMuzio was the congregation's first casualty in the war. There is a plaque with his name and date of death on the pier.
The winter of 1941–1942 ended up being mild through all of December and most of January and workers were able to continue work on the church until January 27, 1942. On January 4, 1941 a blizzard carried 30 miles per hour (13.4 m/s) winds and left 3 foot (0.9144 m) of snow. The blizzard forced workers inside the church. Camarata became the director of excavations, concrete, block, brick, stone and marble works, steel structures, road-grading, electric and plumbing systems,carpentry, and landscaping. John Stanish was now his assistant. He built marble grinders, hoisting devices, marble cutters, and marble sanders. He worked with much machinery, including bulldozers, steam-shovels, grading-tractors, and steam-rollers. Stanish collected marble, iron and bronze grilles, electric and plumbing equipment, lumber, panels, light fixtures, paint, chemicals, and ceiling and floor materials from Pennsylvania, Ohio, and New York. So much time and effort was put in by this one man. As a token of the parish's gratitude to him, an inscription was placed in the main vestibule of Mt. St. Peter Church, on the right, going down into the Marble Hall (downstairs of the church). The Latin inscription reads, Joannes Stanish Res Procuravit (John Stanish procured the material).
Much of the work inside the church was done by volunteers under the direction of paid plumbers, electricians, and craftsmen. In addition, all of the pattern-makers and mechanics who worked on the building did so without pay. There was also a group of women who shined marble and granite until the pieces were full of luster.
Sunday, August 9, 1942, was a day of mixed emotions for the congregation. At twelve o'clock noon, one final Mass was said in the old St. Peter Church, which had been the house of the congregation for the past thirty-eight years. People cried as the Blessed Sacrament was carried out of the church by the pastor. The congregation followed the pastor up to the new church.
Mount Saint Peter Church was magnificent and rose up on the hill, but to many, it seemed as if it could not really belong to the congregation. It was much richer than Saint Peter Church and if it had not been labored upon by so many members of the congregation, none would have felt worthy to call it their parish. But since so much work, love, and faith had been spent on this place of worship, parishioners became proud to have the honor of attending Mass there every Sunday. As a construction site, it had held some dangers. On September 28, 1941, a group of teenage boys, just out of high school, were making concrete flooring for the church at the Burrell Construction Company. A large crane operating above them made an unusual movement, causing its bucket, which weighed several tons, to come down with a huge crash right in their midst. All the working tools were completely destroyed but none of the boys were hurt. The bronze door at the front entrance fell on a worker, and everyone believed he had been crushed to death. When ten men lifted the door, they found the worker unharmed underneath it. In another case, an 18-year-old was assigned a job on the tower of the church before it was roofed. No one realized that he had poor eyesight and he fell from the tower while working. On his way down, he was able to grab onto a pulley that was suspended from the tower.
Although much time has passed since the completion of the church and although the majority of those who helped to build it have passed on, Mt. St. Peter Church still stands as a Roman Catholic church located at 100 Freeport Road in New Kensington, Pennsylvania. The church is located along the Allegheny River and is approximately 25 miles (40.2 km) north-east of the city of Pittsburgh. It is a member of the Diocese of Greensburg. The congregation was founded by Italian immigrants in the early 1900s and the building that now stands as Mt. St. Peter Church was built by its members. In 1998, the building applied for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places
as part of an Multiple Property listing that included several properties in New Kensington.
When work on the Marble Hall was being done, from 1944–1948, the assistant pastor of Mount St. Peter's was Father George Goralka, who executed an inscription around the central nave of the ceiling of the Marble Hall, Christ's proclamation of Peter's Primacy: "Blessed art thou Simon Son of Jona and I say to thee, thou art Peter and upon this Rock I will build my Church and the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it, and I will give thee the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven and whatever thou shall bind on earth shall be bound in Heaven and whatever thou shall loose on earth shall be loosed in Heaven." The basement was called the Marble Hall after completion and the name stuck. The Marble Hall is mostly used for special breakfasts and dinners, and for fish fry fundraisers during Lent. The hall also serves as the parish's Italian Restaurant during the Festa Italiana each August. On special holidays when more parishioners than usual attend Mass, which usually include Christmas, Palm Sunday, and Easter, the Mass is said in both the upstairs of the church and downstairs in the Marble Hall.
, every Catholic church is required to have a residing pastor. Before the building of the rectory
began in 1944, the three priests and their housekeeper had lived in the Leslie Mansion (the mansion on the property). The mansion was over a hundred years old, was a frame building, had very few rooms, provided poor living conditions, and had a water pump at the main entrance.
Therefore, the parish was in desperate need of a new rectory and the new project was begun in 1944. An engineer, Frank H. Recco, was the technical advisor of the project. Parishioners borrowed a bulldozer from the John F. Casey Company in Aspinwall
, and a steam shovel from the Burrell Construction and Supply Company of New Kensington; and they dug the foundation for a two-level building.
Cinder blocks were purchased for eight cents each. Flexicore
slabs were made by young men of the parish on the grounds of the Burrell Construction Company and also at Mt. St. Peter's. They were made under the direction of Charles Cammarata, who was assisted by the General Electric Co. The slabs, once completed, were used to make the floors and roof. John Stanish gathered free flexicore
forms from Dayton, Ohio
, free cement from the Burrell Construction Company, and free bricks from an abandoned brick-yard in New Kensington.
The three story rectory took three years to complete. On the first floor, there is a dining room, a breakfast room, a kitchen, a pantry, space for archives, a laundry room, and a three car garage. There are four separate stairways that lead up to the second floor. The second floor has three offices, a community room, a large library, and a spacious veranda. In the hallway, there is a large stained glass window made in Germany, but repurposed from the Mellon Mansion. The third floor can be reached from either of two stairwells. The floor has ten rooms divided into four apartments and two guestrooms. This floor also has an open veranda.
In addition, the house has nine bathrooms and one elevator, which were taken from the Mellon Mansion. Also taken from the Mellon Mansion were two fireplaces. The one was carved in Italy from lava
of Mt. Vesuvius and is located in the community room. The other, located in the dining room on the first floor, was carved out of red Michigan
sandstone
by an Italian-American sculptor.
A 10 feet (3 m) wide road was built around the area that was to become the oval. John Stanish decided to have the oval paved with small pieces marble. He collected the marble remaining from the building of the church along with other pieces. The pieces were all different types, colors, and sizes. Mr. Stanish instructed John Martorana to lay them.
Martorana placed the pieces of marble in a way that looked artistic. In 1947, a pedestal of granite taken from the Mellon Mansion was erected on the northern end of the oval. On top of it was placed a life-size bronze statue of Christ with open arms. On Armistice Day, November 11, 1951, the monument was dedicated to the defenders of the United States.
A high flying flagpole was presented to the oval by Alcoa
. The American flag was hoisted on it for the first time by Joseph Iozzi, who was a disabled veteran of World War II. Nearly all of the fraternal organizations of the New Kensington community were represented at the dedication ceremony. The Reverend Monsignor Giustino Meniconzi, who was the Vicar-General of the Diocese of Ferentino
, Italy, blessed the statue of Christ and the American flag.
For two years, from 1948–1950, work was done on the new building connected to the rectory by the arch. The three story building was made of flexicore slab and the outside was made from a mixture of new and old bricks in the back and Michigan red sandstone in the front, so that the building was the same color as the buildings to which it was adjoined. The interior of the building was plastered by one of the best plasterers in the area, Dom Graziano, who was the son of a parishioner. He did all of the plastering for free.
When the building was finished, it had two classrooms, a kitchen, a laundry room, a pantry, and a main entrance on the first floor. On the second floor, there were three classrooms and a chapel with an adjoining sacristy. The third floor was a living area for the teaching sisters. It had eight cells, a kitchen, a refectory
, and a community room. All in all, the building was a permanent convent and a temporary parochial school.
The walls of the building are faced with blue tiles from Kittanning
. Mr. Clifford McNees, who was the president of the Kittanning Tile and Brick Company at the time when Mt. St. Peter bought the tile, sold the tiles for a lot cheaper than normal price. He felt that it would not be fair to take advantage of a church by charging high prices. Another man who helped save the parish money in the constructing of the school was parishioner Luigi Valle. He advised the workers on how to set the tiles for many days while refusing to be paid for his services. Valle passed away in his early 40's, before the tile laying was completed. His place was taken by Bruno Regoli and two of his sons, Bruno, Jr. and John. (John would later become a priest of Mt. St. Peter Parish.) The three men faced the entire third floor with tile, a job that took them more than a month to complete.
Two huge granite lions, taken from the gardens of the Mellon Mansion, stand guard at the main entrance of the school and the door is surmounted with a terracotta Madonna by Della Robbia
. In the school, there are nine classrooms, two auditoriums, a library, a cafeteria, and a utility kitchen. When the school was completed in 1960, it opened for children in grades 1–8. Later on, a kindergarten and preschool were added.
In September 2002, Mount Saint Peter School no longer stood alone but rather became part of Mary Queen of Apostles School. The new school resulted from the consolidation of Mount Saint Peter, Saint Joseph, and Saint Margaret Mary Schools. Now, the school at Mt. St. Peter's now educates children in preschool through third grade.
The pastor of Mt. St. Peter Parish is appointed to the position by the Bishop and is the leader of the parish. When one steps down, is transferred to another church, passes away, or retires, another is appointed. He is in charge of making sure that everything goes smoothly with the priests and administration of the church. The pastor works in collaboration with the Parish Staff, the Parish Pastoral Council, and the Parish Finance Council. His mission is to proclaim and help facilitate the building of the Kingdom of God among the parishioners of Mt. St. Peter Church.
with homemade noodles, spaghetti and meatballs, hot sausage sandwich with onions and peppers, pasta e fagiole, Italian rice balls, and other items such as pulled pork
and baked chicken. Desserts include cannoli
, frappe, pizelles, biscotti
and gelato
One parishioner explained, "I like seeing everyone from town, but the food is always an attraction."
, hence the name "Saint Anthony Guild." All the members of the Saint Anthony Guild are women and they strive to provide their group with fellowship and spiritual renewal through the help the bestow on the church and community.
As of 2010, there are 47 active members of the organization and the president is Suzette Venturini. The group meets on the third Tuesday of February, April, May, August, September, October and November in the Marble Hall of Mt. St. Peter Church. The meetings consist of discussing projects and praying together. The St. Anthony Guild is known for their visits to the home-bound of the parish at Christmas and Easter and also for their Tree of Angels Campaign. This campaign allows parishioners to purchase angels in memory of loved ones that are placed on the church's Christmas tree. The money raised from these angel ornaments is donated to children in need. The guild also has many entertaining fundraisers to raise money for their charity projects. Some of these include a dance for parishioners in the fall, bingo nights, and selling coupons for special shopping days at Macy's
.
, was, in the past, a privilege only available to boys but has since become coed. Altar servers wear long, white, plain robes and assist the priest in his duties during the Mass. At Mt. St. Peter Church, there are four altar servers at every Mass. One is the book bearer and is in charge of bringing the Bible to the priest at the times during which the priest reads from the Bible during the Mass. The cross bearer holds a large, wooded crucifix and commences the procession in which the priest enters the church. Also present in the procession are the acolytes, and the book bearer. He or she also leads the procession out of the church at the end of the Mass. The last two altar servers are acolytes and are in charge of lighting the candles in the church prior to the beginning of the Mass and extinguishing them after Mass.
Children, ages 11–17, volunteer to become altar servers not only to serve the church but also because it has always been looked upon as an honor. It is a chance for children to serve their priest and become closer to Jesus by being on the altar. In addition, it is an opportunity for them to try to make themselves more holy and therefore more worthy of the position.
, also known as C.C.D. consists of men and women whose mission is to teach the principles of loving and serving God to the children of the parish who do not attend Catholic School. Members of the confraternity serve as teachers in the Sunday Schools of the parish (there are seven different Sunday Schools belonging to Mt. St. Peter's in total). These teachers send out the Catholic messages of faith and love through words, stories, examples, and prayers in order to help the children grow in their faith. The majority of children who attend one of the Sunday Schools are ages 6–12.
every year and an annual Golf Outing during the summer. Money raised at this these two events is donated to the parish to help aid in the costs of parish projects.
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
at 100 Freeport Road in New Kensington, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
. The church is located along the Allegheny River
Allegheny River
The Allegheny River is a principal tributary of the Ohio River; it is located in the Eastern United States. The Allegheny River joins with the Monongahela River to form the Ohio River at the "Point" of Point State Park in Downtown Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania...
and is approximately 25 mi (40.2 km) north-east of the city of Pittsburgh. It is a member of the Diocese of Greensburg.
The congregation was founded by Italian immigrants in the early 1900s and the current building was constructed by hand by parish members during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. The church was dedicated on July 4, 1944. In 1998, the building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
.
As of 2009, the congregation had approximately 5,000 members. The church is regionally known for its annual Festa Italiana, at which there is homemade Italian food, dancing, games for children, and gambling for adults. This festival is organized by volunteers from the church and takes place on the church grounds during the first weekend in August. The mission statement of the church emphasizes the congregation's Italian heritage.
History
The history of the Mount St. Peter parish is woven with the history of AlcoaAlcoa
Alcoa Inc. is the world's third largest producer of aluminum, behind Rio Tinto Alcan and Rusal. From its operational headquarters in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Alcoa conducts operations in 31 countries...
and the emergence of New Kensington as an industrial city in the early twentieth century. In 1890, the Burrell Improvement Company considered the advantages of the level land south of its home in Lower Burrell. They named the area New Kensington, surveyed it, and laid out avenues, running parallel to the Allegheny River
Allegheny River
The Allegheny River is a principal tributary of the Ohio River; it is located in the Eastern United States. The Allegheny River joins with the Monongahela River to form the Ohio River at the "Point" of Point State Park in Downtown Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania...
, and numbered streets running perpendicular to the river. Fourth and Fifth streets were the primary commercial streets. Once the land was surveyed and plotted
Plat
A plat in the U.S. is a map, drawn to scale, showing the divisions of a piece of land. Other English-speaking countries generally call such documents a cadastral map or plan....
, the company opened the land to bidding. The first large company to purchase land, the Pittsburgh Reduction Company
Alcoa
Alcoa Inc. is the world's third largest producer of aluminum, behind Rio Tinto Alcan and Rusal. From its operational headquarters in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Alcoa conducts operations in 31 countries...
, acquired a 3.5 acres (14,164 m²) property by the riverfront. Other companies also acquired sites for commercial and industrial development: Adams Drilling, Goldsmith and Lowerburg, New Kensington Milling, New Kensington Brewing, Logan Lumber, and Keystone Dairy, to name a few.
The presence of Pittsburgh Reduction Company (later Alcoa) provided a boon for development. On Thanksgiving Day 1888, with the help of Alfred E. Hunt, Charles Martin Hall
Charles Martin Hall
Charles Martin Hall was an American inventor, music enthusiast, and chemist. He is best known for his invention in 1886 of an inexpensive method for producing aluminium, which became the first metal to attain widespread use since the prehistoric discovery of iron.-Early years:Charles Martin Hall...
developed an experimental smelting plant on Smallman Street in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
. In 1891, the company established its production facility in New Kensington.
By 1910, the city was also the home of a car manufacturing company, the New Kensington Automobile Company. In addition, the Pittsburg Motor Car Company had established a production plant for its Pittsburg Six model in New Kensington. By 1904, the American Tin Plate Company (capital stock owned by the United States Steel Corporation) had established the six facilities of the Pittsburgh Mills and six of the Pennsylvania Mills in New Kensington.
Diocese of Greensburg
The Diocese of Greensburg, to which Mount Saint Peter now belongs, was established on March 10, 1951, by Pope Pius XIIPope Pius XII
The Venerable Pope Pius XII , born Eugenio Maria Giuseppe Giovanni Pacelli , reigned as Pope, head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of Vatican City State, from 2 March 1939 until his death in 1958....
. Records show that the first Mass in the area was celebrated in the Allegheny Mountains
Allegheny Mountains
The Allegheny Mountain Range , also spelled Alleghany, Allegany and, informally, the Alleghenies, is part of the vast Appalachian Mountain Range of the eastern United States and Canada...
in 1749 by a French priest serving as chaplain to French troops. Demetrius Augustine Gallitzin
Demetrius Augustine Gallitzin
Prince Demetrius Augustine Gallitzin was an emigre Russian aristocrat and Catholic priest known as The Apostle of the Alleghenies. Since 2005, he has been under investigation for possible canonization by the Catholic Church...
, the second priest ordained in territories that became the United States, arrived in Loretto, Pennsylvania
Loretto, Pennsylvania
Loretto is a borough in Cambria County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is officially part of the Johnstown, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area as recognized by the US Census Bureau, but local sources list it as part of the Altoona, Pennsylvania area due to its proximity to...
in 1799. Father Boniface Wimmer came to Latrobe from Germany and established the first Benedictine
Benedictine
Benedictine refers to the spirituality and consecrated life in accordance with the Rule of St Benedict, written by Benedict of Nursia in the sixth century for the cenobitic communities he founded in central Italy. The most notable of these is Monte Cassino, the first monastery founded by Benedict...
presence in the region of Saint Vincent
Saint Vincent College
Saint Vincent College is a four-year, coeducational, Roman Catholic, Benedictine, liberal arts college in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, located about 40 miles southeast of Pittsburgh. It was founded in 1846 by Boniface Wimmer, a monk from Bavaria, Germany. It was the first Benedictine monastery in the...
in 1846.
Prior to the United States' Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, Catholicism grew slowly in America, but afterward, it became more wide-spread as Catholic immigrants from eastern Europe moved to the four counties, which include Armstrong, Fayette, Indiana, and Westmoreland, to mine coal and produce coke to fire steel mills in Pittsburgh. This influx of Catholic immigrants resulted in the creation of more than 80 parishes and missions in the counties between 1865 and 1917.
Founding and early days of St. Peter parish
By 1900, the burgeoning industrial town had 4,600 residents and two years later Reverend Bonaventure Piscopo, a member of the Apostolic Band for the Roman Catholic Diocese of PittsburghRoman Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh is a Roman Catholic diocese. It was established in Western Pennsylvania on August 11, 1843. The diocese includes 211 parishes in the counties of Allegheny, Beaver, Butler, Greene, Lawrence, and Washington, an area of with a Catholic population of 719,801...
, formed a new congregation in New Kensington to serve the immigrant work force, many of whom were Italian Catholics. The church was named after Saint Peter
Saint Peter
Saint Peter or Simon Peter was an early Christian leader, who is featured prominently in the New Testament Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles. The son of John or of Jonah and from the village of Bethsaida in the province of Galilee, his brother Andrew was also an apostle...
, the first pope. The parishioners of this new congregation were Italians living in and around New Kensington, Arnold
Arnold, Pennsylvania
Arnold is a city in Westmoreland County in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. It is a suburb of Pittsburgh, part of the Pittsburgh Metro Area. The population was 5,667 at the 2000 census.-History:...
, and Parnassus, which later became a part of the city of New Kensington. These immigrants needed a place to worship and in 1903, the St. Peter congregation began holding Mass
Mass (liturgy)
"Mass" is one of the names by which the sacrament of the Eucharist is called in the Roman Catholic Church: others are "Eucharist", the "Lord's Supper", the "Breaking of Bread", the "Eucharistic assembly ", the "memorial of the Lord's Passion and Resurrection", the "Holy Sacrifice", the "Holy and...
with a resident pastor, Reverend Vincenzo Maselli in a small building on the corner of Second Avenue and Tenth Street (known as the downtown area) in New Kensington.
Soon after, on September 28, 1903, the congregation relocated to the basement of St. Mary's Polish Church, which was also located in New Kensington. Here, the first parish register was created. The first recorded event in the new parish was a marriage on December 27, 1903. Soon after, the Burrell Improvement Company donated land on the corner of Ridge Avenue and Constitution Boulevard. On July 4, 1905, the cornerstone of St. Peter Church was laid and on September 25, 1905, Bishop Regis Canevin
Regis Canevin
John Francis Regis Canevin was an American prelate of the Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Pittsburgh from 1904 to 1921.-Biography:...
dedicated the new church.
In 1908, the number of attendees at St. Peter Church began to dwindle. Many of the priests who had served the congregation had been reassigned a few years earlier. In 1908, a popular priest, Father Sacchi, was sent to Mother of Sorrows Church in McKees Rocks, Pennsylvania
McKees Rocks, Pennsylvania
McKees Rocks, also known as "The Rocks", is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, along the south bank of the Ohio River. The borough population was 6,104 at the 2010 census.In the past, it was known for its extensive iron and steel interests...
. Parishioners formed a committee to go speak to the Bishop on Father Sacchi's behalf. Although Father Sacchi was not allowed to return to St. Peter, Reverend James Vocca, who had also been at St. Peter prior to his reassignment, was brought back to the church.
At this time, the priests who were part of St. Peter were doing the best they could to keep the faith alive in their congregation. The priests were smart men who had attended school in Italy prior to their immigration, but most were unable to speak fluent English. At a time when immigrants were desperately trying to fit into the American life and be as American as possible, going to a church where the congregation was Italian was not the most desirable choice. Therefore, many Catholic Italians began going to churches and many others changed their religion altogether. Many of these Italians were becoming Protestant. The priests were poorly paid and most lived on about twenty-five cents per day. They had no permanent housing: many slept in the church itself, and preferred the altar
Altar
An altar is any structure upon which offerings such as sacrifices are made for religious purposes. Altars are usually found at shrines, and they can be located in temples, churches and other places of worship...
floor because it was the only place in the church that had carpeting. It was also common for the priests to say Mass several churches on the same day. These circuit
Circuit rider (Religious)
Circuit rider is a popular term referring to clergy in the earliest years of the United States who were assigned to travel around specific geographic territories to minister to settlers and organize congregations...
s trips were sometimes as much as twenty-five miles away.
Italian anarchist movement
Around 1918, the leaders of the Italian Communists and Anarchists in the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
settled themselves in New Kensington. The group was guided by the ideas of Carlo Tresca
Carlo Tresca
Carlo Tresca was an Italian-born American newspaper editor, orator, and labor organizer who was a leader of the Industrial Workers of the World during the decade of the 1910s. Tresca is remembered as a leading public opponent of fascism, stalinism, and Mafia infiltration of the trade union movement...
, a union organizer for Industrial Workers of the World
Industrial Workers of the World
The Industrial Workers of the World is an international union. At its peak in 1923, the organization claimed some 100,000 members in good standing, and could marshal the support of perhaps 300,000 workers. Its membership declined dramatically after a 1924 split brought on by internal conflict...
, which were recorded first, in his newspaper La Plebe, or The Worker, and later in his anti-fascist
Anti-fascism
Anti-fascism is the opposition to fascist ideologies, groups and individuals, such as that of the resistance movements during World War II. The related term antifa derives from Antifaschismus, which is German for anti-fascism; it refers to individuals and groups on the left of the political...
paper, Il Martello (which translates to "the hammer"). The Italian Communists and Anarchists harassed members of the Catholic Church. Italians who did go the church were made to feel inferior and many became too intimidated to go to church at all. At St. Peter's, one priest was shot through a window while he was sitting at his desk. Another priest was threatened that if he did not leave New Kensington he would be killed. In 1918, there were only thirteen families who attended Mass at St. Peter on Sunday. This continued for several years until Carlo Tresca moved from New Kensington to New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
in 1925.
By 1929, St. Peter was crowded for all three Masses on Sunday morning. There were so many people that the balcony, the sanctuary, and both sacristies were opened seating. Eventually the priests opened the doors of the church and hundreds of people stood outside on the steps to hear the Mass. Despite all of these accommodations, there were still many people who were turned away because there was not enough space to accommodate them. There were about a thousand families who belonged to St. Peter parish, but the church itself only had about two hundred seats in the pews. In 1933, Bishop Hugh Boyle
Hugh Charles Boyle
Hugh Charles Boyle was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Pittsburgh from 1921 until his death in 1950.-Biography:...
suggested the construction of a larger church and the congregation decided to construct a larger building.
The new church building was constructed by the parishioners, who broke ground in May 1941 and three years later dedicated the new building.
World War II affects the congregation
By May 1944, the parishioners had contributed to the war having given thousands of pints of blood to the Blood BankBlood bank
A blood bank is a cache or bank of blood or blood components, gathered as a result of blood donation, stored and preserved for later use in blood transfusion. The term "blood bank" typically refers to a division of a hospital laboratory where the storage of blood product occurs and where proper...
s; given money to the war relief campaigns; been active on the home front, and sent 808 men and women to the Armed Forces. There was a group that prepared and sent out a weekly special bulletin to the parishioners in the Armed Forces. These parishioners were happy to receive news from home on the progress of their new church and many of them sent home money to go towards the building fund. During the war, hundreds of dollars came in from these parishioners fighting in the war. Of the 808 parishioners who went off to war, seven died and their names were engraved on a piece of granite outside of the church: James DiMuzio, Arthur Capo, Nick Costelli, Justine DeFelices, Neal Chipoletti, and Anthony Zaffuto.
Relocating and building a church by hand
The current location was found to be too small and the congregation was in need of a larger building. Parishioners from ArnoldArnold, Pennsylvania
Arnold is a city in Westmoreland County in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. It is a suburb of Pittsburgh, part of the Pittsburgh Metro Area. The population was 5,667 at the 2000 census.-History:...
wanted the new church to be built in their town, arguing that most of the congregation lived there. Those from Parnassus wanted the church closer to them because there were a lot of Catholics but no Catholic church in Parnassus. The parishioners from New Kensington argued that St. Peter should remain close to its current location and one was found on the corner of Freeport Road and Seventh Street. This location was approximately 100 yd (91.4 m) from the previous St. Peter Church and was located on the top of a hill. The land was 4 acres (1.6 ha) and had a large mansion and a few small buildings on the property.
The land had once belonged to Stephen M. Young, who had been a General
General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
in the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
and was a friend of Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
. Young sold the property to Frank M. Curtis for $7,000 in 1902. It was sold to David A. Leslie for $17,000 in 1914. After Mr. Leslie's death in August 1938, attorneys spoke to Mrs. Leslie about selling the property and she agreed to sell for $20,000 cash. On December 1, 1938, the congregation made a down payment of $500 cash and few days later, the Building Fund Campaign opened for the new church with a committee of one-hundred volunteers. Each parishioner who was employed full-time should sign a pledge to give $60 over a period of five years towards the building of the church. The committee was split up into groups, and the volunteers went door to door almost every day for five years until enough money was collected.
On April 1, 1939, St. Peter's congregation took possession of the land and mansion. That day, it was decided the new church would be called "Mount St. Peter." By May 1, instead of having $20,000 as anticipated, the building campaign had generated $23,500 in cash and another $75,200 in pledges.
Acquiring materials from the Mellon Mansion
Architect Enos Cooke of New Kensington developed the plan for the church building. In 1940, a friend of the church, John Stanish, informed Mt. St. Peter's congregation that the MellonMellon family
The Mellon family is a wealthy and influential family originally of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States, and its vicinity. In addition to Mellon Bank they were principally known for their control over Gulf Oil, Alcoa, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review and Koppers, as well as their major influence on...
mansion, 6500 Fifth Avenue, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, was to be demolished. Stanish had worked for the three Mellon brothers until the last of them died in 1938. The Mellon family had spent years entertaining important people, including royalty, celebrities, well known financiers, and statesmen in the Mellon Mansion. It was built using Michigan sandstone and was four stories high on one side and three stories high on the other. The mansion had sixty-five rooms, plus halls and vestibule
Vestibule (architecture)
A vestibule is a lobby, entrance hall, or passage between the entrance and the interior of a building.The same term can apply to structures in modern or ancient roman architecture. In modern architecture vestibule typically refers to a small room or hall between an entrance and the interior of...
s. There were 11 bathrooms, one of which had cost over $10,000 to complete because the walls and floor were covered in Italian marble and the fixtures were plated in gold. At one time, a hundred servants had maintained the house and surrounding grounds. The mansion had been completed in 1909 and had cost Mr. Mellon approximately three million dollars. The inside was filled with marble
Marble
Marble is a metamorphic rock composed of recrystallized carbonate minerals, most commonly calcite or dolomite.Geologists use the term "marble" to refer to metamorphosed limestone; however stonemasons use the term more broadly to encompass unmetamorphosed limestone.Marble is commonly used for...
from all over the world, including China, Japan, and India. There were bronze doors cast in England, hand painted ceilings, and steel beams manufactured by the Carnegie Steel Company
Carnegie Steel Company
Carnegie Steel Company was a steel producing company created by Andrew Carnegie to manage business at his steel mills in the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania area in the late 19th century.-Creation:...
. In addition, one of the most expensive organs
Organ (music)
The organ , is a keyboard instrument of one or more divisions, each played with its own keyboard operated either with the hands or with the feet. The organ is a relatively old musical instrument in the Western musical tradition, dating from the time of Ctesibius of Alexandria who is credited with...
in the world was housed in this building. The items which the mansion contained were being sold for less than their actual values. For example, a half a million dollars worth of furniture had been sold for $3,800. The building contained many items that could easily be used in a church. There were mantles that could become altars and pieces of architecture, such as angel statues, that could be placed in Mount St. Peter Church. In 1940, St. Peter's congregation bought all of the stone, granite
Granite
Granite is a common and widely occurring type of intrusive, felsic, igneous rock. Granite usually has a medium- to coarse-grained texture. Occasionally some individual crystals are larger than the groundmass, in which case the texture is known as porphyritic. A granitic rock with a porphyritic...
, marble, bronze doors, and railings from the mansion. In addition, the congregation purchased thirty tons of steel
Steel
Steel is an alloy that consists mostly of iron and has a carbon content between 0.2% and 2.1% by weight, depending on the grade. Carbon is the most common alloying material for iron, but various other alloying elements are used, such as manganese, chromium, vanadium, and tungsten...
beams, sixty-five oak
Oak
An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus Quercus , of which about 600 species exist. "Oak" may also appear in the names of species in related genera, notably Lithocarpus...
doors, chandeliers, and some other items, and the members transported all of the marble 27 miles (43.5 km) from Pittsburgh to New Kensington.
Many men of the congregation volunteered to transport the materials to New Kensington. The congregation found a contractor
General contractor
A general contractor is responsible for the day-to-day oversight of a construction site, management of vendors and trades, and communication of information to involved parties throughout the course of a building project.-Description:...
, Mr. Charles Camarata, to direct the free labor. Camarata had built hundreds of miles of road in the state of Pennsylvania and around the country. In addition, he had constructed homes, civic buildings, and churches. As soon as he agreed to take the job in December 1940, he split the volunteers into three groups. Camarata personally supervised the first group, which removed the marble from Mellon Mansion. The second group transported the marble to New Kensington and the third placed the materials on the grounds of Mt. St. Peter. This project started on December 13, 1940, and continued until May 26, 1941. The process was difficult and time consuming, made more difficult by the harsh winter of 1940–1941.
Building Mt. St. Peter Church
On Sunday, May 25, 1941, ground was broken for Mount St. Peter Church. The event was celebrated by the priests of St. Peter's congregation and about two thousand people showed up to watch. The cornerstoneCornerstone
The cornerstone concept is derived from the first stone set in the construction of a masonry foundation, important since all other stones will be set in reference to this stone, thus determining the position of the entire structure.Over time a cornerstone became a ceremonial masonry stone, or...
was blessed on Sunday, September 7, 1941, by Reverend Alfred Koch, who was the Arch Abbot of St. Vincent in Latrobe, Pennsylvania
Latrobe, Pennsylvania
Latrobe is a city in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania in the United States, approximately southeast of Pittsburgh.The city population was 7,634 as of the 2000 census . It is located near the Pennsylvania's scenic Chestnut Ridge. Latrobe was incorporated as a borough in 1854, and as a city in 1999...
. Many other priests from the area were also present. Father Paul Tomlinson of St. Peter's Church in Pittsburgh delivered the sermon in English and Archabbot Koch closed the ceremony with the Pontifical Benediction in Italian. The large red cornerstone was made of granite and was fitted with an iron box. The box contained the memorial reports of the congregation, newspapers, American and Papal coins, and medals of the church. The cornerstone was placed so that it can be seen from inside the church. It is located by the altar of the Sacred Heart.
Fund raising
At the time, only about $15,000 from the building fund was still available since money had already been spent on buying the property and materials from the Mellon Mansion. Further fund raising generated 1,200 pledges, 95 percent of which were fulfilled: 60 percent of the money came from 10 percent of the parishioners and approximately 10 percent of the people did not contribute at all. During this time, all of the books concerning the finances of the construction of the new church were kept by ladies of the St. Peter's CenacleCenacle
The Cenacle , also known as the "Upper Room", is the term used for the site of The Last Supper. The word is a derivative of the Latin word cena, which means dinner....
. The ladies not only recorded all of the pledges and collections, but they also recorded all notices and minutes from their meetings. While the church was being built, the Campaigners met almost every evening.
The Cenacle was run under the supervision of Dom C. Shiarella, the treasurer of the First National Bank
First National Bank
First National Bank may refer to:-Banking institutions :* First National Bank of Florida, based in Milton, Florida, with branches in Pensacola and other cities in the Florida Panhandle.* FNB Corporation of Hermitage, Pennsylvania...
in New Kensington and the cashier of the Building Fund Campaign. He was in charge of collecting all of the pledges made toward the Building Fund. This work kept him in the bank for one or two hours longer than the other employees every evening. This went on for almost five years. Mr. Shiarella was also in charge of making sure there was enough money in the church's bank account for the payroll that was taken out every other Friday. The needed funds were always collected in time and there was never a week when the account bounced.
By October 1941, there was little money left, and the parish sold a house it possessed on Constitution Boulevard for $7,000, which was enough to pay off the $3,000 of debt. The other $4,000 covered some of the continuing costs of construction.
Raising the roof
Around this time, winter was threatening and in order for the walls of the new church to be protected from potential damage, the roof had to be laid before any snow began to fall. This meant that more workers were needed to get the job done faster. This was a problem because the church's account did not contain enough money to employ more men. As soon as the committee of 100 became aware of this, they began asking for help. They found 30 parishioners who were each willing to lend another $500 each. These parishioners had already given high contributions to the new church but were still willing to help. As a result, the church had an extra $15,000 to pay for the construction of the roof. Every day for about two months, over fifty parishioners worked on building the church roof. In December 1941, the roof was completed. One of the men who helped complete the roof read about the attack on Pearl HarborAttack on Pearl Harbor
The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike conducted by the Imperial Japanese Navy against the United States naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on the morning of December 7, 1941...
in the newspapers and decided to quit his work on the church and enlist in the United States Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
. James DiMuzio was the congregation's first casualty in the war. There is a plaque with his name and date of death on the pier.
The winter of 1941–1942 ended up being mild through all of December and most of January and workers were able to continue work on the church until January 27, 1942. On January 4, 1941 a blizzard carried 30 miles per hour (13.4 m/s) winds and left 3 foot (0.9144 m) of snow. The blizzard forced workers inside the church. Camarata became the director of excavations, concrete, block, brick, stone and marble works, steel structures, road-grading, electric and plumbing systems,carpentry, and landscaping. John Stanish was now his assistant. He built marble grinders, hoisting devices, marble cutters, and marble sanders. He worked with much machinery, including bulldozers, steam-shovels, grading-tractors, and steam-rollers. Stanish collected marble, iron and bronze grilles, electric and plumbing equipment, lumber, panels, light fixtures, paint, chemicals, and ceiling and floor materials from Pennsylvania, Ohio, and New York. So much time and effort was put in by this one man. As a token of the parish's gratitude to him, an inscription was placed in the main vestibule of Mt. St. Peter Church, on the right, going down into the Marble Hall (downstairs of the church). The Latin inscription reads, Joannes Stanish Res Procuravit (John Stanish procured the material).
Much of the work inside the church was done by volunteers under the direction of paid plumbers, electricians, and craftsmen. In addition, all of the pattern-makers and mechanics who worked on the building did so without pay. There was also a group of women who shined marble and granite until the pieces were full of luster.
Opening of Mt. St. Peter Church
By mid-summer of 1942, Mt. St. Peter Parish was once again without funds. By this time, the majority of the work on the new church had been completed and so the congregation agreed that it was time to sell the old St. Peter Church in order to fund the new church. The General Electric Company was willing to pay $16,000 for St. Peter's and on July 16, 1942, the church became the property of the General Electric Company.Sunday, August 9, 1942, was a day of mixed emotions for the congregation. At twelve o'clock noon, one final Mass was said in the old St. Peter Church, which had been the house of the congregation for the past thirty-eight years. People cried as the Blessed Sacrament was carried out of the church by the pastor. The congregation followed the pastor up to the new church.
Mount Saint Peter Church was magnificent and rose up on the hill, but to many, it seemed as if it could not really belong to the congregation. It was much richer than Saint Peter Church and if it had not been labored upon by so many members of the congregation, none would have felt worthy to call it their parish. But since so much work, love, and faith had been spent on this place of worship, parishioners became proud to have the honor of attending Mass there every Sunday. As a construction site, it had held some dangers. On September 28, 1941, a group of teenage boys, just out of high school, were making concrete flooring for the church at the Burrell Construction Company. A large crane operating above them made an unusual movement, causing its bucket, which weighed several tons, to come down with a huge crash right in their midst. All the working tools were completely destroyed but none of the boys were hurt. The bronze door at the front entrance fell on a worker, and everyone believed he had been crushed to death. When ten men lifted the door, they found the worker unharmed underneath it. In another case, an 18-year-old was assigned a job on the tower of the church before it was roofed. No one realized that he had poor eyesight and he fell from the tower while working. On his way down, he was able to grab onto a pulley that was suspended from the tower.
Although much time has passed since the completion of the church and although the majority of those who helped to build it have passed on, Mt. St. Peter Church still stands as a Roman Catholic church located at 100 Freeport Road in New Kensington, Pennsylvania. The church is located along the Allegheny River and is approximately 25 miles (40.2 km) north-east of the city of Pittsburgh. It is a member of the Diocese of Greensburg. The congregation was founded by Italian immigrants in the early 1900s and the building that now stands as Mt. St. Peter Church was built by its members. In 1998, the building applied for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
as part of an Multiple Property listing that included several properties in New Kensington.
The Marble Hall
The Marble Hall is the basement of Mt. St. Peter's and is 125 by. Before the church had been completed, this area had been filled with valuable material from the Mellon Mansion until the materials found their proper places in the upstairs of the church. By winter of 1944, the basement was completely empty. During this time, there were men working on building the Rectory, but since there was much snow, they could not return to their work on the Rectory until spring. Nicholas Givens had donated a large quantity of marble for the basement, so they began work on the basement. The workers covered the ground with black asphalt tile and the walls and pillars with white Carrara marble. Two marble altars were constructed along with a large kitchen built to feed up to 400 people. They also built a furnace room and a large workshop to the side of the kitchen.When work on the Marble Hall was being done, from 1944–1948, the assistant pastor of Mount St. Peter's was Father George Goralka, who executed an inscription around the central nave of the ceiling of the Marble Hall, Christ's proclamation of Peter's Primacy: "Blessed art thou Simon Son of Jona and I say to thee, thou art Peter and upon this Rock I will build my Church and the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it, and I will give thee the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven and whatever thou shall bind on earth shall be bound in Heaven and whatever thou shall loose on earth shall be loosed in Heaven." The basement was called the Marble Hall after completion and the name stuck. The Marble Hall is mostly used for special breakfasts and dinners, and for fish fry fundraisers during Lent. The hall also serves as the parish's Italian Restaurant during the Festa Italiana each August. On special holidays when more parishioners than usual attend Mass, which usually include Christmas, Palm Sunday, and Easter, the Mass is said in both the upstairs of the church and downstairs in the Marble Hall.
The rectory
According to the Council of TrentCouncil of Trent
The Council of Trent was the 16th-century Ecumenical Council of the Roman Catholic Church. It is considered to be one of the Church's most important councils. It convened in Trent between December 13, 1545, and December 4, 1563 in twenty-five sessions for three periods...
, every Catholic church is required to have a residing pastor. Before the building of the rectory
Rectory
A rectory is the residence, or former residence, of a rector, most often a Christian cleric, but in some cases an academic rector or other person with that title...
began in 1944, the three priests and their housekeeper had lived in the Leslie Mansion (the mansion on the property). The mansion was over a hundred years old, was a frame building, had very few rooms, provided poor living conditions, and had a water pump at the main entrance.
Therefore, the parish was in desperate need of a new rectory and the new project was begun in 1944. An engineer, Frank H. Recco, was the technical advisor of the project. Parishioners borrowed a bulldozer from the John F. Casey Company in Aspinwall
Aspinwall, Pennsylvania
Aspinwall is a borough on the Allegheny River in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States, and is part of the Pittsburgh Metro Area. It is essentially a residential place. In 1900, 1,231 people resided in Aspinwall, and that number rose to 2,592 in 1910, and 3,170 by 1920...
, and a steam shovel from the Burrell Construction and Supply Company of New Kensington; and they dug the foundation for a two-level building.
Cinder blocks were purchased for eight cents each. Flexicore
Flexicore
Hollow-core is a type of precast, prestressed concrete floor slab. It is often used in construction of multi-storey buildings. The advantages it has over a poured concrete floor are that it is lighter in weight and often cheaper. Also, wet concrete needs to be pumped or carried up to higher floors...
slabs were made by young men of the parish on the grounds of the Burrell Construction Company and also at Mt. St. Peter's. They were made under the direction of Charles Cammarata, who was assisted by the General Electric Co. The slabs, once completed, were used to make the floors and roof. John Stanish gathered free flexicore
Flexicore
Hollow-core is a type of precast, prestressed concrete floor slab. It is often used in construction of multi-storey buildings. The advantages it has over a poured concrete floor are that it is lighter in weight and often cheaper. Also, wet concrete needs to be pumped or carried up to higher floors...
forms from Dayton, Ohio
Dayton, Ohio
Dayton is the 6th largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Montgomery County, the fifth most populous county in the state. The population was 141,527 at the 2010 census. The Dayton Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 841,502 in the 2010 census...
, free cement from the Burrell Construction Company, and free bricks from an abandoned brick-yard in New Kensington.
The three story rectory took three years to complete. On the first floor, there is a dining room, a breakfast room, a kitchen, a pantry, space for archives, a laundry room, and a three car garage. There are four separate stairways that lead up to the second floor. The second floor has three offices, a community room, a large library, and a spacious veranda. In the hallway, there is a large stained glass window made in Germany, but repurposed from the Mellon Mansion. The third floor can be reached from either of two stairwells. The floor has ten rooms divided into four apartments and two guestrooms. This floor also has an open veranda.
In addition, the house has nine bathrooms and one elevator, which were taken from the Mellon Mansion. Also taken from the Mellon Mansion were two fireplaces. The one was carved in Italy from lava
Lava
Lava refers both to molten rock expelled by a volcano during an eruption and the resulting rock after solidification and cooling. This molten rock is formed in the interior of some planets, including Earth, and some of their satellites. When first erupted from a volcanic vent, lava is a liquid at...
of Mt. Vesuvius and is located in the community room. The other, located in the dining room on the first floor, was carved out of red Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
sandstone
Sandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
by an Italian-American sculptor.
The Mount Saint Peter Oval
Once the church and rectory had been completed, the workers began to envision a plaza. The area that was to become the oval was still occupied by the mansion that was on the Mt. St. Peter grounds. With the permission of the Chancery Office of the Diocese of Pittsburgh, the mansion was demolished and only a few of the fixtures were removed by the church prior to the demolition.A 10 feet (3 m) wide road was built around the area that was to become the oval. John Stanish decided to have the oval paved with small pieces marble. He collected the marble remaining from the building of the church along with other pieces. The pieces were all different types, colors, and sizes. Mr. Stanish instructed John Martorana to lay them.
Martorana placed the pieces of marble in a way that looked artistic. In 1947, a pedestal of granite taken from the Mellon Mansion was erected on the northern end of the oval. On top of it was placed a life-size bronze statue of Christ with open arms. On Armistice Day, November 11, 1951, the monument was dedicated to the defenders of the United States.
A high flying flagpole was presented to the oval by Alcoa
Alcoa
Alcoa Inc. is the world's third largest producer of aluminum, behind Rio Tinto Alcan and Rusal. From its operational headquarters in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Alcoa conducts operations in 31 countries...
. The American flag was hoisted on it for the first time by Joseph Iozzi, who was a disabled veteran of World War II. Nearly all of the fraternal organizations of the New Kensington community were represented at the dedication ceremony. The Reverend Monsignor Giustino Meniconzi, who was the Vicar-General of the Diocese of Ferentino
Ferentino
Ferentino is a town and comune in Italy, in the province of Frosinone, Lazio, 65 km southeast of Rome.It is situated on a hill 400 m above sea-level, in the Monti Ernici area.-History:...
, Italy, blessed the statue of Christ and the American flag.
Convent school
The next thing built on the grounds was an eight foot arch that went from the rectory to the next future building. A statue of Saint Peter was placed in the niche over the keystone of the arch. From the arch, a large stairway descends to the lower level of the grounds.For two years, from 1948–1950, work was done on the new building connected to the rectory by the arch. The three story building was made of flexicore slab and the outside was made from a mixture of new and old bricks in the back and Michigan red sandstone in the front, so that the building was the same color as the buildings to which it was adjoined. The interior of the building was plastered by one of the best plasterers in the area, Dom Graziano, who was the son of a parishioner. He did all of the plastering for free.
When the building was finished, it had two classrooms, a kitchen, a laundry room, a pantry, and a main entrance on the first floor. On the second floor, there were three classrooms and a chapel with an adjoining sacristy. The third floor was a living area for the teaching sisters. It had eight cells, a kitchen, a refectory
Refectory
A refectory is a dining room, especially in monasteries, boarding schools and academic institutions. One of the places the term is most often used today is in graduate seminaries...
, and a community room. All in all, the building was a permanent convent and a temporary parochial school.
Parochial school
Since the convent school was small and only temporary, the next order of business was to build the actual school. The parochial school took ten years to build (1950–1960). This building also consists of three floors and is covered with red sandstone in the front. The rear of the building is made of white Pennsylvania sandstone. There is a bell tower on the building. It has three heavy, bronze bells that were salvaged from three Protestant churches of Pittsburgh.The walls of the building are faced with blue tiles from Kittanning
Kittanning, Pennsylvania
Kittanning is a borough and the county seat of Armstrong County, Pennsylvania in the United States. It is situated northeast of Pittsburgh, along the east bank of the Allegheny River. The name means "at the great stream" in the Delaware language...
. Mr. Clifford McNees, who was the president of the Kittanning Tile and Brick Company at the time when Mt. St. Peter bought the tile, sold the tiles for a lot cheaper than normal price. He felt that it would not be fair to take advantage of a church by charging high prices. Another man who helped save the parish money in the constructing of the school was parishioner Luigi Valle. He advised the workers on how to set the tiles for many days while refusing to be paid for his services. Valle passed away in his early 40's, before the tile laying was completed. His place was taken by Bruno Regoli and two of his sons, Bruno, Jr. and John. (John would later become a priest of Mt. St. Peter Parish.) The three men faced the entire third floor with tile, a job that took them more than a month to complete.
Two huge granite lions, taken from the gardens of the Mellon Mansion, stand guard at the main entrance of the school and the door is surmounted with a terracotta Madonna by Della Robbia
Della Robbia Pottery
The Della Robbia Pottery was a ceramic factory founded in 1894 in Birkenhead, England.-Founders:The business was started by Harold Steward Rathbone and Conrad Gustave d'Huc Dressler...
. In the school, there are nine classrooms, two auditoriums, a library, a cafeteria, and a utility kitchen. When the school was completed in 1960, it opened for children in grades 1–8. Later on, a kindergarten and preschool were added.
In September 2002, Mount Saint Peter School no longer stood alone but rather became part of Mary Queen of Apostles School. The new school resulted from the consolidation of Mount Saint Peter, Saint Joseph, and Saint Margaret Mary Schools. Now, the school at Mt. St. Peter's now educates children in preschool through third grade.
Pastors of Mt. St. Peter
| Appointment | Name |
|---|---|
| 1902 | Fr. Piscopo |
| 1903 | Fr Vincenzo Masselli |
| 1903 | Fr.Joseph DiSabato |
| 19051906 | Fr. Charles Galassi |
| 1907 | Father F. Pozukanis Father L. Pastorius Father H. Duval |
| 1914 | Father F. Sacchi |
| 1915 | Father James Vocca |
| 1923 | Monsignor Nicola Fusco |
| 1968 | Father Francis L. Ginocchi |
| 1983 | Father Leonard T. Sanesi |
| 1992 | Father Richard G. Curci |
| 2005 | Monsignor Michael Begolly |
The pastor of Mt. St. Peter Parish is appointed to the position by the Bishop and is the leader of the parish. When one steps down, is transferred to another church, passes away, or retires, another is appointed. He is in charge of making sure that everything goes smoothly with the priests and administration of the church. The pastor works in collaboration with the Parish Staff, the Parish Pastoral Council, and the Parish Finance Council. His mission is to proclaim and help facilitate the building of the Kingdom of God among the parishioners of Mt. St. Peter Church.
Congregation in the 21st century
As of 2009, the congregation had approximately five thousand two hundred and nine parishioners. Mount Saint Peter Church serves as a symbol of faith and what can be accomplished when people work together for a common belief, hope, and dream. The church's new motto, adopted in 2004, reflected this balance: "to restore all things in Christ...with the fire of love." This motto serves as a constant reminder of the history of the parish. The beauty of the Mellon Mansion was restored by the congregation and turned into a House of God. This was done through a strong love of Christ, faith, and neighbor. The names of the volunteers who helped build the church are carved in the marble inside the main entrance of the church and serve as a token of the congregation's appreciation. Many of today's parishioners are descendants of those volunteers and are proud to tell the story of their forefathers who gave them this church in which to practice their faith.Church mission
The parish mission reflects its ongoing commitment to both the Catholic and the Italian identity. "Mount Saint Peter Parish, a diverse Catholic parish strongly rooted in its rich Italian heritage, is called to spread the good news of Jesus Christ to all. With liturgy as the source and summit of pastoral life, we will work to promote faith formation as a life long process, to invite others into faithful stewardship in service to the Kingdom of God, and to promote our faith by word and deed to the wider community." Mass is said at 8:30 am everyday from Monday to Friday and at 4:00 pm on Saturday evenings. Sunday Masses are said weekly at 8:30 and 10:30 am.Festa Italiana
As part of its continuing mission, the congregation sponsors an annual Festa Italiana every August. The festival itself is full of activities, but one of the main attractions is the food. The menu usually includes lasagnaLasagna
Lasagna is a wide and flat type of pasta and possibly one of the oldest shapes. As with most other pasta shapes, the word is generally used in its plural form lasagne in Italy and the U.K. Traditionally, the dough was prepared in Southern Italy with semolina and water and in the northern regions,...
with homemade noodles, spaghetti and meatballs, hot sausage sandwich with onions and peppers, pasta e fagiole, Italian rice balls, and other items such as pulled pork
Pulled pork
Pulled pork is a form of barbecue in which pork, usually shoulder cut or mixed cuts, is cooked using a low-heat, long-cook method. With these extended times at low temperatures, the meat becomes tender enough that its weakened connective tissue allows the meat to be "pulled", or easily broken into...
and baked chicken. Desserts include cannoli
Cannoli
Cannoli are Sicilian pastry desserts. The singular is cannolo , meaning "little tube", with the etymology stemming from the Latin "canna", or reed. Cannoli originated in Sicily and are an essential part of Sicilian cuisine...
, frappe, pizelles, biscotti
Biscotti
Biscotti more correctly known as biscotti di Prato , also known as cantuccini , are twice-baked biscuits originating in the Italian city of Prato...
and gelato
Gelato
Gelato is the italian word for ice cream and sorbet. Italians use the word gelato to mean a sweet treat that is served frozen. Indeed, gelato, just like ice cream, is made with Milk, cream, various sugars, flavoring including fresh fruit and nut purees....
One parishioner explained, "I like seeing everyone from town, but the food is always an attraction."
Parish Organizations
Within the congregation, there are many organizations that specialize in various activities, all of which strive to better the church or community or both. These groups allow parishioners to work with each other in order to reach common goals and also allows them to become more involved in Mt. St. Peter Church. This way, the congregation can remain a close knit family, not just a church where parishioners spend an hour praying on Sunday mornings. The organizations listed are the ones that are currently active, there were in the past, many others, like the Committee of a hundred (mentioned in the history section), which are no longer in existence.Addolorata Society
The Addolorata Society was started by a group of women parishioners in 1903 and continues to be an all women society. The goal of the group is to find better ways to serve the church. The symbol of the Addolorata Society is the Blessed Mother because she symbolizes love. A member becomes a free life member when she turns eighty, as long as she has a member for at least fifteen years prior to her eightieth birthday. Some of their events include attending funeral Masses and collecting money to purchase altar linens, vestments, and altar lights. The presidents of the society since 1903 in chronological order are as follows: Mrs. Rose Spinelli, Mrs. Michelina Fragale, Mrs. Maria Greco, Mrs. Rose Pascuzzi, Mrs. Santa Bordonaro, Mrs. Anna Bordonaro, Mrs. Sabetta,Mrs. Carmina Chirella, Georgeanne Stearman, and Sandy Laney.Saint Anthony Guild
In 1939, Mrs. Angela Costanza Bongiovanni, along with the help of Monsignor Fuso, founded the Saint Anthony Guild. At that time, 32 women joined Mrs. Bongiovanni's new guild. The mission of the guild was to serve the special needs of the parish and to help the poor and disadvantaged in the area. Also, the guild volunteered its time and effort at the St. Anthony Orphanage in OakmontOakmont, Pennsylvania
Oakmont is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, USA. It is a Pittsburgh suburb and part of the Pittsburgh Metro Area. The population was 6,303 at the 2010 census....
, hence the name "Saint Anthony Guild." All the members of the Saint Anthony Guild are women and they strive to provide their group with fellowship and spiritual renewal through the help the bestow on the church and community.
As of 2010, there are 47 active members of the organization and the president is Suzette Venturini. The group meets on the third Tuesday of February, April, May, August, September, October and November in the Marble Hall of Mt. St. Peter Church. The meetings consist of discussing projects and praying together. The St. Anthony Guild is known for their visits to the home-bound of the parish at Christmas and Easter and also for their Tree of Angels Campaign. This campaign allows parishioners to purchase angels in memory of loved ones that are placed on the church's Christmas tree. The money raised from these angel ornaments is donated to children in need. The guild also has many entertaining fundraisers to raise money for their charity projects. Some of these include a dance for parishioners in the fall, bingo nights, and selling coupons for special shopping days at Macy's
Macy's
Macy's is a U.S. chain of mid-to-high range department stores. In addition to its flagship Herald Square location in New York City, the company operates over 800 stores in the United States...
.
Altar servers
The honor of becoming an altar serverAltar server
An altar server is a lay assistant to a member of the clergy during a Christian religious service. An altar server attends to supporting tasks at the altar such as fetching and carrying, ringing the altar bell and so on....
, was, in the past, a privilege only available to boys but has since become coed. Altar servers wear long, white, plain robes and assist the priest in his duties during the Mass. At Mt. St. Peter Church, there are four altar servers at every Mass. One is the book bearer and is in charge of bringing the Bible to the priest at the times during which the priest reads from the Bible during the Mass. The cross bearer holds a large, wooded crucifix and commences the procession in which the priest enters the church. Also present in the procession are the acolytes, and the book bearer. He or she also leads the procession out of the church at the end of the Mass. The last two altar servers are acolytes and are in charge of lighting the candles in the church prior to the beginning of the Mass and extinguishing them after Mass.
Children, ages 11–17, volunteer to become altar servers not only to serve the church but also because it has always been looked upon as an honor. It is a chance for children to serve their priest and become closer to Jesus by being on the altar. In addition, it is an opportunity for them to try to make themselves more holy and therefore more worthy of the position.
Confraternity of Christian Doctrine
The Confraternity of Christian DoctrineConfraternity of Christian Doctrine
The Confraternity of Christian Doctrine was an association established at Rome in 1562 for the purpose of giving religious education. Its modern usage, often abbreviated CCD or C.C.D., is a religious education program of the Catholic Church, normally designed for children.-History:Until the...
, also known as C.C.D. consists of men and women whose mission is to teach the principles of loving and serving God to the children of the parish who do not attend Catholic School. Members of the confraternity serve as teachers in the Sunday Schools of the parish (there are seven different Sunday Schools belonging to Mt. St. Peter's in total). These teachers send out the Catholic messages of faith and love through words, stories, examples, and prayers in order to help the children grow in their faith. The majority of children who attend one of the Sunday Schools are ages 6–12.
Holy Name Society
For over fifty years, the Holy Name Society of Mt. St. Peter Church has been working to inspire love, honor, and reverence for the holy name of Jesus Christ. The society also works to promote respect for the Catholic Church, loyalty to Mt. St. Peter Parish, and a life filled with good spiritual values that can be carried throughout family, education, and work. The Holy Name Society is strictly for Catholic men and was begun by Monsignor Fusco, who started the group in hopes of uniting men of the parish through service to others. Members of the society host a Mass and breakfast on the Sunday prior to Palm SundayPalm Sunday
Palm Sunday is a Christian moveable feast that falls on the Sunday before Easter. The feast commemorates Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem, an event mentioned in all four Canonical Gospels. ....
every year and an annual Golf Outing during the summer. Money raised at this these two events is donated to the parish to help aid in the costs of parish projects.