About Holy Spirit Church - St. Matthew Parish (Millvale) · Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Holy Spirit Church is the Millvale worship site of Saint Matthew Parish, a multi-site Catholic parish in the Diocese of Pittsburgh that unites four congregations across the northern Pittsburgh suburbs: Holy Spirit (Millvale Boro), St. Aloysius (Reserve Township), All Saints (Etna Boro), and St. Bonaventure (Glenshaw/Shaler). The parish traces its Millvale roots to St. Ann Church, founded in 1874 as the first Catholic parish in the borough, which merged with neighboring St. Anthony Church in 1994 to form Holy Spirit Parish; in 1998 the former St. Anthony worship site was officially renamed Holy Spirit Parish. Today the Millvale church at 608 Farragut Street hosts Sunday Masses at 8:30 AM and 11:00 AM, weekday Masses on Monday and Friday mornings, and Saturday confessions from 12:30 to 1:30 PM, all celebrated in English.
- Established
- 1994 (Holy Spirit Parish, from merger of St. Ann 1874 and St. Anthony 1886; current church building 1914)
- Patron
- Holy Spirit (parish name)
- Rector
- Rev. James R. Gretz, DMin
- Diocese
- Diocese of Pittsburgh
Why belong here
Saint Matthew Parish brings together four neighborhood worship sites under one pastoral team, so Millvale-area Catholics can worship close to home while still belonging to a parish with extensive programs for every age. The Millvale site offers Saturday confessions, two Sunday Masses, Monday and Friday morning weekday Masses, and a full religious-education program (Children's Faith Formation / CCD) led by Director of Religious Education Louis Bosco. The parish also supports youth ministry, a music ministry with three staff directors, a Junior Ladies of Charity service group for young women in grades 7–12, and an active social-outreach and safe-environment program — making it a small, hands-on community where new families can plug in quickly.
Mass times at Holy Spirit Church - St. Matthew Parish (Millvale)
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday: 12:30 PM – 1:30 PM (Holy Spirit Church, Millvale)
Adoration times
- Adoration Chapel supervised by Pastoral Associate Elaine Magill (parish-wide Adoration schedule published for St. Bonaventure Church site; specific Millvale hours not listed on the public page)
Saint Matthew Parish: A Four-Site Family
Saint Matthew Parish is the umbrella community that brings together four neighborhood Catholic churches in northern Pittsburgh: Holy Spirit Church (608 Farragut Street, Millvale Boro), St. Aloysius Church (Reserve Township), All Saints Church (Etna Boro), and St. Bonaventure Church (Glenshaw, Shaler Township). The parish operates from a single pastoral team and shared staff, with Masses distributed across the four worship sites so that local Catholics can attend a church close to home while remaining part of one larger parish family.
History of the Millvale Worship Site (Holy Spirit Church)
Holy Spirit Church in Millvale stands on the legacy of two of the borough's earliest Catholic parishes. St. Ann Church was founded in 1874 with about seventy-five German and thirty English-speaking families. In 1886 the German-speaking members received permission to separate and form their own parish, St. Anthony Church. Both grew quickly: St. Ann built its current church in 1924, and St. Anthony built a new church in 1914. A 1936 fire damaged St. Anthony's interior just before its fiftieth anniversary, and major repairs followed. By the late twentieth century declining enrollment and rising costs forced consolidation: the parish schools merged into Holy Spirit Regional School in 1989, and in 1994 the two parishes themselves merged to form Holy Spirit Parish. The St. Ann worship site was closed in February 1998, and the former St. Anthony Church was officially renamed Holy Spirit Parish.
Parish Staff & Clergy
The parish is led by Pastor Rev. James R. Gretz, DMin (ordained 1994). He is supported by a lay staff that runs religious education, music, youth ministry, business operations, and parish communications.
- Rev. James R. Gretz, DMin — Pastor
- Louis Bosco — Director of Religious Education & Evangelization
- Pam Ebner Simard — Director of Business & Property Management
- Elaine Magill — Pastoral Associate / Adoration Chapel
- Terry Schiebel — Director of Music Ministry
- Alyssa Yealy — Director of Music Ministry
- Katelyn Denman — Associate of Music Ministry
- Nicholas Wolf — Coordinator of Youth Ministry
- Courtney Lyons — Coordinator of Media & Faith Formation Secretary
- Anna Trovato — Executive Assistant / Social Outreach Coordinator / Safe Environment Coordinator
- Tammy Smith — Administrative Assistant
- Vincent Ulizzi — Maintenance
- Michael Long — Maintenance
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Children's Faith Formation (CCD/CFF) is open for preschoolers through 8th grade, with both in-class and homeschool options. Registration for the 2026–27 year carries a $10 per-child discount before May 15. Adult faith formation is handled by the Director of Religious Education & Evangelization, Louis Bosco.
- Children's Faith Formation (CCD/CFF) — preschool through 8th grade
- In-class and homeschool options available
- Contact: Louis Bosco, 412-923-3413, [email protected]
Youth Ministry
High-school youth ministry meets on Wednesday evenings from 7 PM to 9 PM in the youth rooms of the Faith Formation Center on the St. Bonaventure Campus. The parish also recently launched a Junior Ladies of Charity for young women in grades 7 through 12, focused on service in the parish and wider community.
- High School Youth Ministry — Wednesdays 7–9 PM, Faith Formation Center, St. Bonaventure Campus
- Junior Ladies of Charity — grades 7–12, contact Morgan Hall, [email protected] (ext. 415)
- Instagram: @stmatthewpgh_ariseym
Music Ministry
Music Ministry for the multi-site parish is led by two Directors of Music Ministry and an Associate, supporting liturgical music across all four worship sites.
- Terry Schiebel — Director of Music Ministry
- Alyssa Yealy — Director of Music Ministry
- Katelyn Denman — Associate of Music Ministry
Outreach, Charity & Accommodations
Social Outreach is coordinated through the Executive Assistant's office, alongside the parish's Safe Environment program. The parish also makes low-gluten hosts (100 ppm, approved by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops) available for parishioners with Celiac Disease or similar disorders; those in need speak with the priest in the sacristy before Mass. Weekend Masses are livestreamed on a published monthly schedule.
- Social Outreach — coordinated by Anna Trovato ([email protected])
- Safe Environment program
- Low-gluten hosts available (100 ppm, USCCB-approved)
- Weekend Mass livestream (monthly schedule published)
Facilities & Rentals
Parish facilities (gym and hall) are available for rental. Inquiries go through the Director of Business & Property Management.
- Gym / Hall rentals — contact Pam Simard, [email protected]
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Father Michael Dangelzerearly 1900s – November 3, 1912
Had the vision for the new 1914 Holy Spirit church; built up a building fund of $52,289 by January 1912; fell ill in October 1912 and died November 3, 1912.
- Rev. Father Louis SpannagelNovember 11, 1912 – (succeeded Dangelzer)
Presided over the building committee elected March 9, 1913 and shepherded the construction and dedication of the new St. Anthony (later Holy Spirit) church in 1914.