Holy Spirit

Parish Identity & Mission

Holy Spirit Catholic Church is the Roman Catholic parish serving the small mountain community of Monongah in Marion County, West Virginia. It is twinned with St. Anthony Parish in neighboring Fairmont, and both are run together under the shared website SAHSWV.org by one pastor and staff. The parish's published mission statement reads: 'We, the people of St. Anthony and Holy Spirit seek to deepen our personal union with Jesus Christ and to grow as a faith community by expressing our care and concern for all especially for those in need and striving to be instruments of God's Love and healing to those around us. Thus we show our love for God and for our Church when we serve others with our whole heart.'

History of the Parish

Holy Spirit Parish was created in 1975 by merging Monongah's two older ethnic parishes, St. Stanislaus (Polish) and Our Lady of Pompeii (Italian), under the leadership of the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston. Each of the predecessor parishes had its own language-specific priest until Bishop Joseph H. Hodges named the Irish Father John McNulty to serve both. Both original churches are gone — one destroyed by fire, the other demolished. The new Holy Spirit Complex in Monongah was dedicated in 1982. Today the parish carries forward a Catholic presence in Monongah that stretches back more than a century, and its pastoral history includes Father McNulty, Father Albert, Father Everett Frances Briggs (1956–1972, founder of St. Barbara's Memorial Nursing Home and the Monongah Heroine Statue), Father Reardon, Father Soosai Arpudam Aarokiadass ('Father Dass,' 2014–2017), Father Vincent E. Joseph (from 2017), and the current pastor Rev. Romeo Bacalso, S.V.D.

• 1975 — St. Stanislaus and Our Lady of Pompeii parishes merged and renamed Holy Spirit Parish.
• 1982 — Holy Spirit Complex in Monongah dedicated.
• Father John McNulty — Irish priest named for both original parishes; started Monongah's Catholic Youth Organization.
• Father Everett Frances Briggs — pastor from December 1956 to 1972; founded St. Barbara's Memorial Nursing Home (1961) and the Monongah Heroine Statue; West Fork River bridge renamed in his honor in 2002.
• Father Soosai Arpudam Aarokiadass ('Father Dass') — pastor from 2014 to 2017; came from St. Peter Parish in Welch.
• Father Vincent E. Joseph — succeeded Father Dass on June 21, 2017.
• Rev. Romeo Bacalso, S.V.D. — current pastor (Society of the Divine Word).

Parish Staff

Holy Spirit and St. Anthony are served by a single shared staff under their pastor. The Pastor is Rev. Romeo Bacalso, S.V.D., reachable at (304) 363-1328 ext. 4 or [email protected]. Parish life is supported by a Parish Secretary (Alana Pazdric), a Director of Religious Education / DRE (Mandy James), a Bookkeeper (Mercedes Vasquez), a Facility Manager (John Baransky), an OCIA Coordinator (Mike Nunan), and a Music Director (Mary Ann Starkey).

• Pastor: Rev. Romeo Bacalso, S.V.D.
• Parish Secretary: Alana Pazdric (304) 363-1328 ext. 3
• DRE: Mandy James — [email protected]
• Bookkeeper: Mercedes Vasquez
• Facility Manager: John Baransky
• OCIA Coordinator: Mike Nunan — [email protected]
• Music Director: Mary Ann Starkey

Parish Pastoral Council

The Parish Pastoral Council is an advisory body that works collaboratively with the pastor on the life and mission of the parish. Its areas of responsibility include education, evangelization, finance, liturgy, maintenance, pastoral care, and outreach planning. The current Holy Spirit Parish Council members are listed publicly on the parish website, with Ex Officio member Rev. Romeo Bacalso.

• Justin Ammons
• Danielle Boyles
• Mike Burns
• Brian Evans
• Debbie Prezioso
• Greg Vandetta
• Matt Vangilder
• Sarah Strader
• Joe Welty
• Rev. Romeo Bacalso (Ex Officio)

Lay Ministries

The parish publishes a liturgical-ministry schedule covering both churches, with each role filled by volunteer parishioners. Active ministries at Holy Spirit include Altar Servers, Eucharistic Ministers (Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion), Lectors, and Money Counters. A separate Music Ministry under Music Director Mary Ann Starkey supports the parish's sung liturgy.

• Altar Servers
• Eucharistic Ministers
• Lectors
• Money Counters
• Music Ministry (Director: Mary Ann Starkey)

Faith Formation & OCIA

Faith Formation (Parish School of Religion) for children is coordinated by DRE Mandy James. First Eucharist is celebrated in May for children in second grade who are attending Faith Formation classes or enrolled at Fairmont Catholic. Adults preparing to enter the Catholic Church are served through OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults), coordinated by Mike Nunan ([email protected]).

• Faith Formation / PSR (DRE: Mandy James)
• First Eucharist — held in May for 2nd graders in Faith Formation or at Fairmont Catholic
• OCIA — Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (Coordinator: Mike Nunan)

Sacraments

The parish website walks through each of the seven sacraments of the Catholic Church, presenting the Church's standard catechetical teaching and inviting parishioners to contact the parish office for preparation. The sacraments listed are Baptism, Reconciliation, Eucharist, Confirmation, Marriage, Holy Orders, and Anointing of the Sick.

• Baptism
• Reconciliation
• Eucharist (First Communion in May for 2nd graders)
• Confirmation
• Marriage
• Holy Orders
• Anointing of the Sick

Visit & Contact Information

Holy Spirit's parish office is open Wednesday and Thursday from 9:00 AM to Noon, with voicemail at other times. The mailing address and church location are at 687 Maple Terrace, Monongah, WV 26554, telephone (304) 534-3020. The parish shares its website, email, and pastor contact details with St. Anthony in Fairmont (1660 Mary Lou Retton Drive, Fairmont, WV 26554).

• Address: 687 Maple Terrace, Monongah, WV 26554
• Phone: (304) 534-3020
• Office Hours: Wednesday and Thursday, 9:00 AM – Noon
• Website: http://www.sahswv.org
• Pastor email: [email protected]