About Good Shepherd · Kent, Pennsylvania
Church of the Good Shepherd Parish is a Roman Catholic parish located at 100 Good Shepherd Drive in Kent, Pennsylvania, within Indiana County. It is a parish of the Diocese of Greensburg and currently partners with Ss. Simon and Jude Parish in Blairsville, sharing pastoral staff and a coordinated liturgy schedule. The parish is staffed by Capuchin Franciscan clergy and a small lay staff, and it carries on a Catholic tradition in Indiana County that dates back to the early 1900s, when immigrant coal-mining families built the small neighborhood churches that would eventually merge into today's Good Shepherd community.
- Established
- 1989
- Patron
- Jesus, the Good Shepherd
- Rector
- Rev. John A. Pavlik, OFM Cap., V.F. (Administrator)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Greensburg
Why belong here
Good Shepherd offers a warm, family-style Catholic community in Indiana County where generations of coal-country Catholic families have united their three former parishes into one. With daily and Sunday Mass, a Monday Holy Hour with confessions and Eucharistic Adoration, faith formation for all ages, RCIA for adults seeking full communion, and a sacramental-preparation program for Reconciliation, Confirmation, and First Eucharist, the parish is set up to walk with you at every stage of Catholic life. As a partner parish with Ss. Simon and Jude in Blairsville, it also shares a wider circle of Capuchin Franciscan clergy and regional youth and faith-formation staff.
Mass times at Good Shepherd
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Monday 5:00–6:00 PM (during Holy Hour / Eucharistic Adoration)
Adoration times
- Monday 5:00–6:00 PM (Holy Hour with Confession)
About the Parish
Church of the Good Shepherd Parish is a Roman Catholic community of the Diocese of Greensburg, located in Kent, Indiana County, Pennsylvania. The parish carries on a Catholic tradition in this part of southwestern Pennsylvania that stretches back more than a century, when immigrant coal-mining families built neighborhood churches in Iselin, McIntyre, and Aultman. Those three communities were merged in 1989 into a single parish placed under the title of Jesus, the Good Shepherd, with a new church, rectory, and parish center dedicated in 1992. Today the parish is staffed by Capuchin Franciscan (OFM Cap.) clergy and shares pastoral and regional ministry resources with its partner parish, Ss. Simon and Jude in Blairsville.
Parish Mission
The Catholic Church of the Good Shepherd is a parish family placed under the title of Jesus, the Good Shepherd. Its mission is to continually work and pray to be one united flock. With the guidance and strength of the Holy Spirit, the parish seeks to live this out through the Sacraments and God's Holy Word: an inviting atmosphere extending to all people of the community, a desire to serve others, a recognition that we are on a journey toward the kingdom, and a sincere effort to represent Christ to all.
History of the Parish
Good Shepherd's roots lie in the small coal-country parishes founded by immigrant Catholic families in the early 1900s. After decades of prayer and discussion, three of those parishes were merged in 1989 into a single new community. The current church and parish center were dedicated in 1992, in large part thanks to volunteer labor from the parish men and women.
- 1904 — Fr. McNelis of St. Bernard, Indiana begins traveling to Iselin to say Sunday Mass in the home of Pat Carroll.
- 1908 — Holy Cross Church in Iselin is established as the first parish in the territory; Fr. Francis Wieczorek is named first pastor.
- 1912 — Rectory built in Iselin.
- 1917/18 — Original Holy Cross church and rectory burn down; rebuilt in 1918.
- 1918 — Mission churches of St. Gertrude in McIntyre (named for Mr. Iselin's daughter Gertrude) and St. Anthony in Aultman are established.
- October 16, 1989 — Bishop Anthony G. Bosco, third Bishop of Greensburg, formally establishes the Church of the Good Shepherd, uniting Holy Cross, St. Gertrude, and St. Anthony.
- 1989 — Fr. Michael W. Matusak is named first pastor of the new parish.
- April 26, 1992 — New church, rectory, and parish administration center dedicated. Architects: John Timko and Associates. General contractor: Steflo Builders. Project cost: over $2.2 million.
Catholic Presence in Indiana County
The Catholic presence in Good Shepherd's territory predates the founding of the Diocese of Greensburg in 1951 by many years. While the area was still part of the Diocese of Pittsburgh, the boom in the local coal industry and other related job opportunities at the turn of the century brought a large number of Catholic immigrants to this region of Indiana County. Like many areas of southwestern Pennsylvania, small towns and communities began to dot the landscape of this resource-rich region. A diverse patchwork of immigrant communities with vibrant cultures, languages, customs, and traditions was held together and sustained by a common factor: a deep and abiding faith.
Building the New Parish
During the two-year construction of the new church, St. Anthony Church was closed and Mass and the sacraments were administered at Iselin and McIntyre. An interim Parish Council was formed and the parish administration was temporarily run out of McIntyre. Property in Black Lick Township — formerly known as the Jewel Farm — was purchased by the Diocese of Greensburg and donated to the new parish. After the dedication, the men of the parish physically built the rectory and parish administration center to defray costs, while the women of the parish cooked meals daily for those working on the project — a sacrifice that significantly saved the parish a large amount of money. The parish describes the resulting spirit of unity and working for the common good as its hallmark to this day.
Parish Staff & Clergy
Good Shepherd is served by Capuchin Franciscan (OFM Cap.) priests together with a permanent deacon and a small lay staff. The parish office is open Monday through Thursday, 8:00 AM to 2:00 PM, and closed on Friday.
- Rev. John A. Pavlik, OFM Cap., V.F. — Administrator
- Rev. Joseph Pham, OFM Cap. — Parochial Vicar
- Deacon Mark Ferlin — Permanent Deacon
- Fr. Matthew Morelli — assists with RCIA
- Fr. Dino Laude — assists with RCIA
- Mrs. Marie Moskel — Administrative Assistant
- Mrs. Katie Olsen — Bookkeeper
- Mrs. Carolyn Davis — Faith Formation (Regional Site Coordinator for Good Shepherd & Ss. Simon and Jude)
- Bethany Ryan — Music Director / Music Ministry Coordinator
- Mrs. Carol Pike — Administrative Assistant / Safe Environments Coordinator
- Jessica Thompson — Regional Director of Youth
- Danielle Cribbs — Regional Director of Faith Formation
Sacraments & Sacramental Preparation
Good Shepherd accompanies parishioners through the full sacramental life of the Church, from initiation (Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist) to ongoing conversion (Reconciliation) and marriage. Sacramental preparation catechesis is offered for Reconciliation, Confirmation, and First Eucharist, and adults seeking full communion with the Catholic Church are welcomed through the RCIA process.
- Reconciliation (Penance) — restores our relationship with God and the community; offered Monday 5:00–6:00 PM and by appointment.
- Confirmation — brings to completion the grace received through Baptism and enriches the faithful with the strength of the Holy Spirit.
- Eucharist — completes Christian initiation; the source and summit of the Christian life, instituted by the Lord at the Last Supper.
- RCIA — four-step process (Inquiry, Catechumenate, Purification/Illumination, Mystagogy) for adults entering the Church.
- Baptism and Marriage Preparation — coordinated with the Diocese of Greensburg.
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Faith Formation at Good Shepherd is coordinated regionally together with Ss. Simon and Jude, Blairsville. Mrs. Carolyn Davis serves as the Regional Site Coordinator for Faith Formation at Good Shepherd, while Danielle Cribbs serves as the Regional Director of Faith Formation for the deanery. The parish also offers RCIA inquiry, sacramental-preparation catechesis, and a regional youth ministry led by Jessica Thompson, Regional Director of Youth.
Music Ministry
Music for Good Shepherd's liturgies is directed by Bethany Ryan, Music Director / Music Ministry Coordinator. The parish choir supports the Sunday 11:00 AM Mass and other liturgical celebrations throughout the year.
Becoming Catholic — RCIA
The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) is the Church's four-step process for welcoming new members. The first stage, Inquiry, is a no-commitment time to encounter Jesus Christ and the message of the Gospel. In the second stage, the Catechumenate, those who desire baptism enter deeper formation and are dismissed from the Liturgy of the Word after the homily. The third stage, Purification and Enlightenment, begins with the Rite of Election celebrated by the Bishop at the Cathedral on the First Sunday of Lent, after which the Elect receive the Nicene Creed and the Lord's Prayer. Catechumens are fully initiated at the Easter Vigil, and the final stage, Mystagogy, is a time of continued formation through the Sunday liturgy and parish service.
- Stage 1 — Inquiry (no commitment)
- Stage 2 — Catechumenate / Rite of Acceptance (First Sunday of Advent)
- Stage 3 — Purification & Enlightenment / Rite of Election (First Sunday of Lent, at the Cathedral)
- Stage 4 — Mystagogy (Easter Vigil through the Easter season and beyond)
- Contact: Fr. Matthew Morelli or Fr. Dino Laude through the Parish Office, 724.479.3881
Stewardship & Online Giving
Parishioners and friends can support Good Shepherd's general offertory and the ThanksGIVING campaign through secure online giving via Our Sunday Visitor (OSV), as well as through traditional envelopes mailed or dropped into the collection basket. The parish is a registered Pennsylvania Charitable Trust.
- Online Giving through Our Sunday Visitor (OSV) — link.goodshepherdkent.org/OnlineGiving
- Traditional giving envelopes
- ThanksGIVING campaign
- A Pennsylvania Charitable Trust
Contact, Office & Communications
The parish office is located at 100 Good Shepherd Drive, Kent, PA 15752-0099, and is open Monday through Thursday from 8:00 AM to 2:00 PM (closed Friday). In addition to its website, the parish maintains a Facebook page and a YouTube channel under the handle @GoodShepherdKent, where homilies, reflections, and other resources are posted.
- Phone: 724-479-3881
- Fax: 724-479-3882
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: www.goodshepherdkent.org
- Facebook: facebook.com/goodshepherdkent
- YouTube: @GoodShepherdKent
- Office Hours: Mon–Thu 8:00 AM–2:00 PM; closed Friday
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Michael W. Matusak1989 (founding)
First pastor of Church of the Good Shepherd, appointed by Bishop Anthony G. Bosco; commissioned to build the new parish physical plant.