About Historic Church of Saint Peter · Brownsville, Pennsylvania
The Historic Church of St. Peter is a Roman Catholic parish in Brownsville, Pennsylvania, in the Diocese of Greensburg. Founded in 1843 to serve the area's growing Irish American population, it is the oldest continuously operating Catholic parish in Western Pennsylvania and the first Catholic parish in Fayette County. Its present Gothic Revival stone church was dedicated in 1845, added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places in 1980, and operates today as a partner parish with St. Cecilia Church in nearby Grindstone. Centered in the Eucharist, the parish family gathers for worship, formation, and service under the pastoral leadership of Father Efren Ambre.
- Established
- 1843
- Patron
- Saint Peter
- Rector
- Rev. Efren C. Ambre
- Diocese
- Diocese of Greensburg
Why belong here
Worship in a National Register landmark (1845) whose stone Gothic Revival interior and blue stained glass tell 32 shades of Catholic and frontier history. As a partner parish with St. Cecilia, St. Peter offers multiple weekend Masses, regular Reconciliation Saturday afternoons, Eucharistic Adoration and Benediction on First Fridays, and a full spread of liturgical and formation ministries — from altar serving and lectoring to RCIA, Faith Formation, and Baptism/Confirmation preparation. Parishioners find a small, historic community centered on the Eucharist that actively invites former families home for anniversaries and homecomings.
Mass times at Historic Church of Saint Peter
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- St. Peter Church: Saturday 3:00–4:00 p.m. (2nd & 4th Saturdays)
- St. Cecilia Church: Saturday 12:00–1:00 p.m. (1st & 3rd Saturdays)
Adoration times
- St. Peter Church: Exposition & Benediction, First Friday of the month
- St. Cecilia Church: Exposition & Benediction, Third Wednesday of the month
Our Story & Heritage
The Historic Church of St. Peter is the first Catholic parish in Fayette County and the oldest continuously operating Catholic parish in Western Pennsylvania. The site itself is believed to mark where French troops, accompanied by their chaplain Rev. Denys Baron, celebrated the first religious service of any kind west of the Allegheny Mountains on July 1, 1754 — an event memorialized in the church's stained glass. The present Gothic Revival stone church was built in 1845 by Irish stonemasons; it is on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places (added October 15, 1980) and within the Brownsville Northside Historic District.
- Founded 1843, present church dedicated 1845
- Architectural style: Gothic Revival (architect: Mr. Crisp)
- NRHP #80003494
- Diocese of Greensburg, canonically erected 1951
A Cathedral That Never Was
Because Brownsville in the 1840s was a major gateway on the National Road, the founders expected Brownsville — not Pittsburgh — to become the seat of the diocese. They built St. Peter as a future cathedral, which is why the pulpit stands to the right of the altar (where only the bishop preaches) and why a crypt beneath the church floor includes space for the tombs of bishops. Those features remain visible today, and guides point them out on the parish's monthly tours.
- Pulpit to the right of the altar
- Crypt with space for bishops' tombs
- Filled-in archway copying a European leper-Mass church
Stained Glass & Interior
The windows feature 32 shades of blue and depict Catholic and local history from 1754 to 1843, including the French troops' Mass and the life of St. Peter above the altar. A series of cross-keys — symbol of St. Peter — designed by the late artist Frank Melega, sit atop the walls. The oak pews hold hidden extensions that are still pulled into the center aisle for extra seating on holy days.
- 32 shades of blue stained glass
- Cross-keys of St. Peter by Frank Melega
- Hidden pull-out oak pew extensions for holy days
The Cemetery & Heated Graves
Adjacent to the church is the parish cemetery, notable not only for its unique headstone inscriptions but for a Ripley's Believe It or Not feature: it has been called the only cemetery with "heated graves." The boiler that heated the church was originally housed in a separate building across the street, and pipes running under the cemetery to the church created enough heat to melt snow on several grave sites. The church did not receive its own furnace until the 1970s.
- Ripley's Believe It or Not – heated graves
- Boiler house across the street
- Notable burial: parents of James G. Blaine (Senator, 1884 presidential candidate)
Restoration & Survival
Two earlier church buildings on the site — first wood, then brick — were destroyed by fire. In the 1930s the parish itself was nearly closed, but the Rev. Martin Brennan was sent to Brownsville to do so and instead led a major restoration, stripping plaster from the original stone walls and saving the large concrete baptismal font whose base had broken.
- Two predecessor churches lost to fire
- 1930s restoration led by Rev. Martin Brennan
- Original stone walls and baptismal font preserved
Our Mission
United as the parish family, The Historic Church of St. Peter and St. Cecilia Catholic Church of the Diocese of Greensburg come together under the guidance of the Holy Spirit to promote the mission of Jesus Christ and to live out our faith as Christians. Centered in the Eucharist, the parish is a welcoming community that exists to love, serve, and grow in relationship with the Lord through prayer, worship, and ministry.
Mass & Worship
Worship is centered on the Eucharist and offered across the partner parish's two worship sites. The Historic Church of St. Peter (Brownsville) offers the Saturday Vigil and two Sunday morning Masses, plus weekday Mass on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The parish encourages the Sacrament of the Sick for those seriously ill or anticipating surgery, and reconciliation is offered every Saturday at one of the two churches.
- Saturday Vigil, 4:00 p.m. — St. Peter
- Sunday 8:00 a.m. — St. Peter
- Sunday 11:00 a.m. — St. Peter
- Sunday 9:00 a.m. — St. Cecilia
Ministries
The Partner Parishes invite parishioners to serve in liturgical and pastoral roles. Several ministries are open to children, teens, and adults.
- Altar Server — open to children in third grade and above
- Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion — ages 18+
- Lector — ages 16+
- Faith Formation / Religious Education — Mrs. Nikki Harvey
- RCIA — Sister James Ann & Dr. Melvin Sally
- Baptism / Confirmation Preparation — Mrs. Patty Craig
- Music / Organist — Ms. Marilyn Smargie
Sacraments
Information about each sacrament is published regularly in the parish bulletin and available from the parish office.
- Baptism — contact parish as soon as you are expecting; prep required
- Confirmation — prep available through the parish
- Eucharist — celebrated at all Mass times listed above
- Reconciliation — see weekly schedule
- Anointing of the Sick — call the parish office
- Matrimony — contact pastor at least one year in advance
- Sponsor Certificate — must be registered and active for at least 4 months
Parish Staff & Leadership
The parish is led by Pastor Rev. Efren C. Ambre and served by a staff that includes the business manager, secretary, religious education coordinator, directors of music and faith formation, and custodial and maintenance personnel. The office is open Monday through Thursday, 8:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. (a 2022 bulletin also lists Friday 9 a.m.–4 p.m.).
- Pastor: Rev. Efren C. Ambre
- Business Manager: Ms. Tiffany Zetty (Mrs. Tiffany Miller listed in 2022 bulletins)
- Parish Secretary: Mrs. Kelly Startare
- Regional Director of Faith, Family & Discipleship: Mr. Scott Martin
- Religious Education: Mrs. Nikki Harvey
- Baptism / Confirmation Prep: Mrs. Patty Craig
- RCIA: Sister James Ann & Dr. Melvin Sally
- Organist: Ms. Marilyn Smargie
- Custodial Services: Mrs. Tina Konter
- Maintenance: Mr. Joseph Savage
- St. Mary's Social Hall Manager: Mrs. Janet Komacko
Visit & Contact
The parish offices are at 118 Church St., Brownsville, PA 15417. The main parish phone number is 724-785-7781 (fax 724-785-0844). The parish publishes a regular bulletin (weekly deadline Monday at noon) and additional content on issuu.com/historicchurchofsaintpeter. Monthly guided tours of the historic church are typically offered free on the first weekend of each month through April, rotating so visitors follow a different Mass each month.
- Address: 118 Church St., Brownsville, PA 15417
- Phone: 724-785-7781; Fax: 724-785-0844
- Office Hours: Mon–Thu 8:00 a.m.–2:30 p.m.
- Bulletin deadline: Monday at noon
- Monthly historic-church tours (first weekend of the month)
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Martin Brennan1930s
Sent in the 1930s to close the parish but instead led a major restoration that exposed the original stone walls and saved the baptismal font.