About Good Shepherd · West Middlesex, Pennsylvania
The Church of the Good Shepherd is a Catholic parish in West Middlesex, Pennsylvania, in the Shenango Valley, belonging to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Erie. Established in 1955 when a local Catholic Action Committee petitioned the bishop for their own parish, it has ministered to area Catholics for nearly seven decades and is currently led by Father Glenn Whitman. The parish offers daily and weekend Masses, a robust Religious Education program for grades K-12, RCIA for adults, Eucharistic Adoration on First Fridays, and a wide range of liturgical, fellowship and service ministries rooted in its mission to 'love one another as He loves us.'
- Established
- 1955
- Patron
- The Good Shepherd (Jesus Christ)
- Rector
- Rev. Glenn Whitman
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Erie
Why belong here
Good Shepherd is a close-knit Catholic family in the Shenango Valley that makes faith formation a clear priority — Sunday Religious Education classes for every grade K-12, the diocesan EDGE middle-school program, Confirmation preparation, and RCIA for adults inquiring into the faith. The parish also lives out its mission through active fellowship groups (Men's Club, Altar Rosary Society, Parish Council), a Teen Shepherds service program that delivers meals and Christmas cookies to homebound parishioners, First Friday Eucharistic Adoration, Saturday Vigil and Sunday Mass, and the cheerful hospitality of Father Glenn Whitman and the parish staff — all on a single accessible campus along Sharon Road.
Mass times at Good Shepherd
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 5:15 pm – 5:45 pm
- Anytime by appointment
Adoration times
- Eucharistic Adoration: every First Friday from 9:00 am (following the 8:30 am Mass)
Our Parish
Good Shepherd is a mid-sized Catholic parish in the Shenango Valley, established in 1955 and still rooted in the vision of its founders. The parish's stated mission is to be 'a Christian family dedicated to the teachings of the Catholic Church,' serving its members and neighbors 'through prayer, fellowship, education & commitment to one another' and striving to live God's command 'to love one another as He loves us, in the hope of achieving eternal life.'
- Mission: Christian family dedicated to the teachings of the Catholic Church
- Part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Erie
- Located at 3613 Sharon Road, West Middlesex, PA
- Parish office: [email protected] · (724) 528-3539
- Parish office hours: Monday–Friday, 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
History of the Church of the Good Shepherd
Good Shepherd grew from the determination of a handful of Catholics in West Middlesex who wanted their own parish rather than traveling out of town for Mass. Their Catholic Action Committee (CAC) petitioned Bishop John Mark Gannon, who established the parish on September 30, 1955. Within a decade the parish had its own rectory, social hall and — in 1966 — a striking circular church that was the first of its kind in the Shenango Valley.
- 1955: Catholic Action Committee petitions Bishop of Erie
- Sept. 30, 1955: Bishop Gannon formally establishes the parish
- Oct. 9, 1955: First Mass celebrated in the old West Middlesex High School gym (~325 attendees)
- Dec. 1955: Small home erected on the 13-acre property as makeshift rectory / daily Mass chapel
- July 22, 1956: Ground broken for the social hall (now Monsignor Mitchell Center)
- 1959: Present rectory built
- Summer 1965: Ground broken for the present circular church
- May 22, 1966: First Mass in the new church
Parish Staff
The current parish team is led by Father Glenn Whitman, with Father William Barron serving as Priest-in-Residence and a small lay staff supporting liturgy, music, religious education and parish operations.
- Pastor: Rev. Glenn Whitman
- Priest-in-Residence: Rev. William Barron
- Liturgical Music Contact: Greg Hansley
- Religious Education Leader: Lauren DeFelice (Director of Religious Education)
- Support Staff: Rhonda Dolin
Sacraments
Good Shepherd celebrates all seven sacraments and asks families to plan ahead, especially for Baptism and Marriage. Sacramental preparation is a normal part of parish life and is coordinated through the parish office and the pastor.
- Baptism: by appointment, 6 weeks in advance; pre-Baptism session required
- Reconciliation: Saturday 5:15–5:45 pm, or by appointment
- Matrimony: at least 6 months in advance; Pre-Cana class required
- Anointing of the Sick: by request (call Pastor, ext. 11); communal celebrations at weekend Masses
- Holy Orders: men discerning priesthood or diaconate invited to call the pastor
Faith Formation & Religious Education
The parish offers a comprehensive faith formation program for every age, using the curriculum of the Diocese of Erie. Classes for grades K–12 meet on Sunday mornings, with a dedicated middle-school track (EDGE), Confirmation preparation in Grade 9, and Pre-Cana classes for engaged couples. Adult seekers are welcomed through RCIA (now also referred to as OCIA), which forms inquiring adults into full, active members of the Catholic Church.
- Religious Education Grades K–12 — Sundays 10:00–11:15 am in the Faith Formation Center
- 2025-26 classes begin Sunday, September 14, 2025
- EDGE — Catholic Middle School youth ministry (Grades 6–8), three-year Catechism cycle
- Confirmation Preparation — Grade 9 journey with discussion, service projects and Mass participation
- Adult RCIA / OCIA — for inquirers and catechumens
- Pre-Cana — required for engaged couples marrying in the Catholic Church
- Director of Religious Education: Lauren DeFelice (724-528-3539, option 6 · [email protected])
EDGE Middle School Youth Ministry
EDGE is the parish's Catholic middle-school youth ministry program for grades 6–8. In a three-year cycle it walks through all sections of the Catechism of the Catholic Church in a way that connects to the lived experience of middle-school youth, providing a safe, fun place to find community, ask questions about the faith, and encounter Jesus.
- EDGE team: Mary Pat Hanssen, Leah Ann Williams, Andrew and Maria David
- Grades 6–8 also covered by parish Religious Education
- Confirmation prep follows in Grade 9
Teen Shepherds — Grades 7–11
Teen Shepherds is the parish's service-and-fellowship track for students in grades 7–11, both Religious Education students and Catholic-school children of the parish. Activities blend charitable service with social and spiritual enrichment, and the teens have been featured in Faith Magazine for their work with elderly residents at St. John XXIII Home.
- Charities Dinner — serving and cleanup
- Thanksgiving Outreach — preparing and delivering meals to the homebound
- Christmas Cookies — baked and delivered to the homebound
- Teen Enrichments — guest speakers and activities
- Living Stations of the Cross
- Visiting senior facilities
Ministry & Fellowship
Good Shepherd sees parish ministries as the 'body' that makes the Eucharist a unique and vibrant community. Beyond the liturgical ministries at Mass, the parish supports men's and women's groups, faith formation, Teen Shepherds, and parish governance through the Parish Council.
- Liturgical: Choir, Lectors, Altar Servers, Eucharistic Ministers, Ushers, Greeters, Liturgy Committee
- Men's Club — first Thursday of each month, 6:30 PM, Social Hall
- Altar Rosary Society — third Monday of each month, 7:00 PM, Social Hall
- Parish Council — every other month at 6:00 PM in the meeting room; parishioners welcome to attend
- Volunteer opportunities: Eucharistic minister, lector, usher, greeter, catechist, choir
Visiting & Becoming a Parishioner
Newcomers are warmly welcomed at Good Shepherd. The parish invites those interested in becoming Catholic, or simply wanting to learn more about the faith, to begin with the Adult RCIA / OCIA process. Anyone wishing to register as a parishioner can contact the parish office, and current parishioners are encouraged to invite friends and family to 'save a seat' at Mass.
- Office: [email protected] · (724) 528-3539
- RCIA / OCIA inquiries: Lauren DeFelice (option 6)
- Parish registration via the parish office
- Volunteer sign-ups available through the ministries page
News, Bulletins & Events
The parish keeps members informed through weekly bulletins (archived for the most recent three months online) and a regularly updated News & Events page that highlights recurring gatherings and seasonal events such as OCIA sessions, the Charities Dinner, and Parish Council meetings.
- Weekly bulletins — current month plus the past two months available on the website
- Baptismal class — by appointment with the pastor
- Becoming Catholic (OCIA) — new sessions begin when a group forms
- Parish Council meetings — every other month at 6:00 PM
Contact & Location
The parish office, church and rectory share a single campus at 3613 Sharon Road in West Middlesex, Pennsylvania. Office hours run Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM, and the staff can be reached by phone, email, or in person.
- Church + Rectory: 3613 Sharon Road, West Middlesex, PA 16159
- Mailing: P.O. Box 226, West Middlesex, PA 16159
- Phone: (724) 528-3539
- Fax: (724) 528-2928
- Email: [email protected]
- Office hours: Monday–Friday, 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Msgr. Salvatore P. Mitchell1955–1991
Founding pastor appointed by Archbishop/Bishop John Mark Gannon; arrived October 4, 1955 and celebrated the first Mass on October 9, 1955 in the old West Middlesex High School gym. The parish social hall is named in his honor as the Monsignor Mitchell Center.
- Msgr. Robert M. Malene1991–2000
Second pastor of the parish.
- Fr. Howard J. King2000–2001
Third pastor of the parish.
- Msgr. Richard G. Mayer2001–2008
Fourth pastor of the parish.
- Msgr. Joseph Riccardo2008–2017
Fifth pastor of the parish.
- Fr. Glenn Whitman2017–present
Sixth and current pastor of the parish.