Bishop calls new parish ‘significant’
A banner outside St. Katharine Drexel Parish, Bentleyville, welcomes the Most Rev. David A. Zubik, bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh, to the newly formed parish Sunday.
Bishop David A. Zubik
BENTLEYVILLE – During his first visit to the newly formed St. Katharine Drexel Catholic Parish Sunday, the Most Rev. David A. Zubik, bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh, told parishioners they are a model for other parishes.
“I … want you know how much I cherish you as a parish. You, with just a few others, have become very important in the way in which you become a model for every other parish in the diocese. The way in which so many of you have come together to help form this new parish,” said Zubik. “Clearly, the leadership of the lay staff and people who are in the pastoral council, finance council, and so many of you who are following the dream of Jesus and the dream of the Holy Spirit about what it means to be On Mission for the Church Alive.”
The merger, which took effect Jan. 8, combined Ave Maria, Bentleyville; St. Agnes, Richeyville; St. Joseph, Roscoe; St. Oliver Plunkett, Fredericktown; and St. Thomas Aquinas, California.
Zubik appointed the Rev. Edward Yuhas and the Rev. Paul Grunebach in July 2015 to form a team that would seek input and recommendations from parishioners. The planning team met throughout the next year, and in October, councils of the five parishes forwarded a recommendation to merge.
The diocese is working on a major restructuring – “On Mission for the Church Alive!” – in response to declining Catholic populations and Mass and sacramental participation. The plan involves all parishes of the diocese, which includes Washington, Greene, Allegheny, Beaver, Butler and Lawrence counties.
Work on the St. Katharine Drexel Parish merger began before that process was implemented. St. Katharine Drexel, with church and offices located at the former Ave Maria site, is now one of 188 Pittsburgh diocese parishes.
“I don’t want you to underestimate how important you are,” Zubik told those in attendance. “I want to thank you for what a significant – and I mean it – very significant and important parish you are to my diocese.”