About Mary, Queen of Peace Parish - St. Mary of the Mount Church · Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Mary, Queen of Peace Parish is a Roman Catholic parish of the Diocese of Pittsburgh formed on January 4, 2021 through the merger of St. Mary of the Mount Parish on Mount Washington with Prince of Peace Parish on the South Side. The parish worships across two historic church buildings: St. Mary of the Mount Church at 407 Grandview Avenue (a Gothic Revival landmark designed by architect Frederick Sauer and dedicated in 1897) and St. Adalbert Church at 160 S. 15th Street. The parish is widely known for its welcoming Deaf Community ministry, offering an American Sign Language-interpreted Mass each week, and is recognized as the third most popular wedding venue in the city of Pittsburgh.
- Established
- 1873 (St. Mary of the Mount Parish; current Mary, Queen of Peace Parish formed January 4, 2021)
- Patron
- Mary, Queen of Peace (Blessed Virgin Mary under the title Queen of Peace)
- Rector
- Rev. Robert "Bob" J. Cedolia
- Diocese
- Diocese of Pittsburgh
Why belong here
Mary, Queen of Peace Parish welcomes Catholics from the South Side, Mount Washington, and across greater Pittsburgh into a unified community committed to its Community Covenant of Pray, Invite, Serve, Nurture, Go Forth, and Embrace. Worshippers can choose between two historic churches — St. Mary of the Mount (Gothic, on Grandview Avenue) and St. Adalbert (South Side) — with daily and weekend Masses, Confession, Adoration, a vibrant music ministry, and one of the region's only weekly American Sign Language-interpreted Masses. The parish also hosts faith formation for all ages, a Wedding Ministry that has made it the third most popular wedding venue in Pittsburgh, the Helping Hands outreach, and service projects like the monthly Three Tables — making it a true home for newcomers and long-time parishioners alike.
Mass times at Mary, Queen of Peace Parish - St. Mary of the Mount Church
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- 1st & 3rd Wednesdays, 6:00 PM – 6:45 PM — St. Mary of the Mount Church, 407 Grandview Ave
- 2nd & 4th Saturdays, 3:00 PM – 3:45 PM — St. Adalbert Church, 160 S. 15th St
Adoration times
- First Sunday of the Month, 6:30 PM – 7:30 PM (alternates between St. Mary of the Mount and St. Adalbert churches; see bulletin for current location)
About Mary, Queen of Peace Parish
Mary, Queen of Peace Parish is a Roman Catholic community of the Diocese of Pittsburgh formed on January 4, 2021 through the merger of St. Mary of the Mount Parish (Mount Washington) with Prince of Peace Parish (South Side). Worship is offered at two church buildings — the historic St. Mary of the Mount Church on Grandview Avenue and St. Adalbert Church on the South Side — sharing a single clergy team, staff, and parish identity. The parish is guided by its Community Covenant: to Pray, Invite, Serve, Nurture, Go Forth, and fully Embrace the call to discipleship.
- Mission Statement: 'We will live a life committed to our Community Covenant, to Pray, Invite, Serve, Nurture, Go Forth and fully Embrace our call to discipleship.'
- Diocese of Pittsburgh parish
- Formed January 4, 2021 from St. Mary of the Mount + Prince of Peace
- Two worship sites: St. Mary of the Mount (Grandview Ave) and St. Adalbert (S. 15th St)
Parish History
The St. Mary of the Mount Parish community was established in 1873 as a mission of St. Malachy Parish to serve Catholics living atop Mount Washington. A new, larger Gothic-style church was dedicated in 1897, designed by Pittsburgh architect Frederick Sauer. That same building — designated a Pittsburgh Historic Landmark in 1998 — continues to host Mass today. The parish absorbed neighboring St. Justin Parish in 2013 and was merged with Prince of Peace Parish (South Side) on January 4, 2021, becoming Mary, Queen of Peace Parish.
- 1873 — Established as a mission of St. Malachy; cornerstone laid October 26, 1873
- 1874 — Original mission church dedicated October 18, 1874
- 1877 — Resident pastor assigned, formally establishing the parish
- 1896 — Cornerstone of new church laid June 28, 1896
- 1897 — Current Gothic church dedicated December 19, 1897 (architect Frederick Sauer)
- 1948 — Major interior repair and redecoration
- 1960s — Baptistery and side entrance added
- March 2000 — Steeple added to the church
- 1998 — Designated a Pittsburgh Historic Landmark
- 1999 — Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation plaque erected
- December 14, 2012 — Bishop Zubik decrees merger of St. Justin into St. Mary of the Mount
- February 10, 2013 — St. Justin Church closes
- April 12, 2015 — Bishop Zubik launches 'On Mission for The Church Alive!'
- January 4, 2021 — Mary, Queen of Peace Parish formed from St. Mary of the Mount + Prince of Peace
Worship Sites
The parish worships at two church buildings, each with a distinct character and weekly schedule. St. Mary of the Mount Church on Mount Washington offers the ASL-interpreted Sunday Mass and the 24-hour chapel, while St. Adalbert Church on the South Side hosts livestreamed Saturday Vigil Masses.
- St. Mary of the Mount Church — 407 Grandview Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15211 (Mount Washington)
- St. Adalbert Church — 160 S. 15th Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15203 (South Side)
- Administrative Center — 81 S. 13th Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15203
Clergy & Parish Staff
The parish is served by a Pastor, two Permanent Deacons, and a full lay staff supporting worship, formation, music, hospitality, engagement, business, and facilities.
- Rev. Robert 'Bob' J. Cedolia — Pastor
- Deacon Robert G. McMullen
- Deacon Frank J. Szemanski — Coordinator of Liturgy
- Meghan Larsen-Reidy — Pastoral Associate
- Melissa Hodgkinson — Business Manager
- Megan (Corder) Girata — Director of Engagement
- Hailey Dube — Faith Formation Coordinator
- Bill Brinzer — Director of Music Ministry
- Donna Zelt — Coordinator of Hospitality
- Caroline Badaczewski-Miller — Wedding Facilitator
- Tim Ernst — Facilities & Maintenance
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Faith Formation at Mary, Queen of Peace Parish supports parishioners of every age — from the youngest disciples through adults preparing for the sacraments. The parish relies on catechists and small Discipleship Groups to walk with seekers and lifelong Catholics alike.
- Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (children)
- Children and Family Ministries
- Tween/Teen Ministry
- RCIA Team (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults)
- Sacramental Preparation for Baptism, First Communion, Confirmation, and Marriage
- Small Discipleship Groups
- Catechist recruitment and training — contact [email protected]
Music Ministries for Worship and Prayer
Music Ministry at the parish is led by Director of Music Ministry Bill Brinzer and includes a Bell Choir, an Adult Choir that leads singing at the weekly 9:30 AM Mass (at the time the parish maintained that schedule) for nine months of the year, Cantors for weekend Masses, and supporting Instrumentalists. The Adult Choir rehearses on Thursday evenings.
- Bell Choir — rings for liturgies, weekly rehearsals, 4–5 Masses per year
- Adult Choir — leads congregation singing; weekly Thursday evening rehearsals
- Cantors — lead singing and chanting at weekend Masses
- Instrumentalists — supportive instrumentation at weekend Masses
Deaf Community Ministry
The parish is widely known for its Deaf Community ministry. The Sunday 11:00 AM Mass at St. Mary of the Mount Church is interpreted in American Sign Language and livestreamed. The parish's logo, with its imagery of hands reaching toward one another, deliberately honors the Deaf Community whose language of ASL is 'spoken' through hands.
- Sunday 11:00 AM ASL-interpreted and livestreamed Mass at St. Mary of the Mount
- Hands featured in parish logo in tribute to ASL and the Deaf Community
- Deaf Community page accessible via [email protected]
Wedding Ministry
Mary, Queen of Peace Parish is the third most popular place to get married in Pittsburgh (behind St. Paul Cathedral and Heinz Chapel). Nine Wedding Coordinators serve at least 50 weddings per year across the two churches, giving at least five hours per wedding to ensure each ceremony runs smoothly. The ministry also extends hospitality to first-time visitors who may become repeat guests.
- Wedding inquiries: [email protected]
- Wedding Facilitator: Caroline Badaczewski-Miller (ext. 108)
- Approximately 50+ weddings per year across both churches
- New coordinators welcome — Friday availability especially needed
Outreach & Community Life
Beyond the sanctuary, the parish lives its Community Covenant through hands-on outreach and seasonal traditions, including the Helping Hands Ministry, the Three Tables monthly service project with Duquesne University Catholic Alumni and Young Adults, the Lenten Fish Fry, Easter Basket Making, and the CommUNITY Newsletter.
- Helping Hands Ministry (parishioner-to-parishioner outreach)
- Three Tables Monthly Service Project — second Saturday of each month with Duquesne University Campus Ministry
- Catholic Alumni and Young Adults (with Duquesne University)
- Lenten Offerings and Fish Fry
- Easter Basket Making event
- CommUNITY Newsletter and parish bulletins
- 24-Hour Chapel at St. Mary of the Mount open to the public
Plan Your Visit
Parishioners and visitors can reach the Administrative Center and parish offices at 81 S. 13th Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15203 (phone 412-481-8380, email [email protected]). The parish website at mqpeace.org hosts the most up-to-date bulletin, weekly schedules, and online giving.
- Phone: 412-481-8380
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: mqpeace.org
- Livestreamed Masses available (see parish website)
- Rent Our Spaces — hall and meeting room rentals for community use