About Most Blessed Sacrament · Natrona Heights, Pennsylvania
Most Blessed Sacrament is a Roman Catholic church in Natrona Heights, Pennsylvania, and one of seven worship sites of Guardian Angels Parish in the Diocese of Pittsburgh. The church was established on December 8, 1944, taking its name on January 8, 1945, from a 1927 mission chapel originally named St. Joseph Chapel. It merged with Our Lady of Perpetual Help in 1992 to form Our Lady of the Most Blessed Sacrament Parish, and on July 1, 2020 it became part of the new Guardian Angels Parish alongside parishes in Tarentum, Creighton, Harwick, Springdale, and Natrona. The parish serves the Upper Allegheny Valley with daily and Sunday Masses in English, regular confession, scripture discussion, and a Mercy Fire Prayer Group, and it remains a central point of Catholic life for the Harrison-Height area.
- Established
- 1944
- Patron
- Most Blessed Sacrament (of the Altar / the Blessed Sacrament)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Pittsburgh
Why belong here
Most Blessed Sacrament offers an unusually full sacramental schedule for a small parish: four English Sunday Masses across the parish grouping, daily Mass Monday through Friday, weekly Saturday confessions, and a Mercy Fire Prayer Group that meets Wednesdays after Mass. As one of the historic anchor churches in the Upper Allegheny Valley — stretching back to the 1927 St. Joseph Chapel and the 1944 founding of the parish — it carries decades of community memory while remaining part of the newly formed Guardian Angels Parish, which unites seven former parishes across Natrona Heights, Tarentum, Creighton, Harwick, and Springdale.
Mass times at Most Blessed Sacrament
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM at Most Blessed Sacrament
Adoration times
- Wednesday 8:00 AM (followed by Mercy Fire Prayer Group) — schedule listing on parish site indicates extended prayer time after the 7:30 AM Mass
Parish Identity & Mission
Most Blessed Sacrament is one of seven worship sites of Guardian Angels Parish, a Roman Catholic community in the Upper Allegheny Valley of the Diocese of Pittsburgh. The parish's own mission statement reads: 'Guardian Angels Parish is a Roman Catholic Community with rich historical connections and diverse cultural backgrounds which promotes Catholic family life through the celebration of God's word, the Holy Eucharist, fellowship, and charitable service. Empowered by the Holy Spirit and under the protection of our Guardian Angels, we seek to build God's kingdom by our unity of love, participation in the Sacraments, stewardship, and evangelization of all God's people.'
- Roman Catholic, Diocese of Pittsburgh
- Mission statement published in the joint parish bulletin
- Sharing one clergy team across seven former parishes
Parish History: From 1927 Chapel to Guardian Angels Parish
The community traces back to the 1920s, when industrial growth in the Alle-Kiski Valley drew Catholic families onto 'the Heights.' A 250-seat mission chapel dedicated November 13, 1927 as St. Joseph Chapel was the seed of the parish. World War II brought a population boom, and on December 8, 1944 the new parish was created; the chapel was rededicated Most Blessed Sacrament on January 8, 1945. Growth forced an enlargement in 1947 and, by 1953, construction of a combined church-and-school building (cornerstone July 19, 1953; dedicated May 31, 1954), which was enlarged again in 1958. In 1992 the parish merged with Our Lady of Perpetual Help to form Our Lady of the Most Blessed Sacrament Parish, and on July 1, 2020 it joined Guardian Angels Parish.
- 1927 — St. Joseph Chapel dedicated on the Heights (Nov 13, 1927)
- 1944 — Parish established (Dec 8, 1944); named Most Blessed Sacrament (Jan 8, 1945)
- 1947 — Church enlarged (blessed Dec 8, 1947)
- 1953–54 — Combined church and school built (cornerstone 1953; dedicated May 31, 1954)
- 1958 — School/church enlarged
- 1992 — Merged with Our Lady of Perpetual Help
- 2020 — Became part of Guardian Angels Parish
Parish Life, Prayer & Devotions
Beyond Sunday Mass, the parish sustains a steady rhythm of prayer. The Mercy Fire Prayer Group gathers Wednesdays after Mass at Our Lady of Perpetual Help, and scripture discussion groups meet in the evenings under the leadership of Fr. Andrew. During Lent the parish offers Stations of the Cross, and the annual Corpus Christi event builds traditional sawdust carpets — families and groups reserve a 'carpet space' ahead of time.
- Mercy Fire Prayer Group (Wednesday mornings)
- Scripture Discussion (with Fr. Andrew)
- Stations of the Cross (Lent)
- Corpus Christi sawdust-carpet gathering (June)
- First Holy Communion and Confirmation celebrations
Faith Formation & Youth
Faith formation is run through the parish's CCD program. Vacation Bible School has been held in Patterson Hall, 800 Montana Ave., Harrison, for children in pre-kindergarten through sixth grade, with teen and adult volunteers welcomed. The bulletin carries announcements for Confirmation (most recently celebrated by Bishop Eckman) and First Holy Communion.
- Religious Education / CCD — contact [email protected]
- Vacation Bible School (annual, recent theme: 'Cave Quest: Following Jesus the Light of the World')
- First Holy Communion preparation
- Confirmation preparation
Outreach & Stewardship
The Ladies of Charity is the parish's principal outreach to the sick and isolated: volunteers visit parishioners who are homebound or in nursing homes and bring them the Eucharist. Anyone wishing to add a parishioner to the visitation list may call the Administration Office. The parish also promotes online giving through its website and partners with the Food Bank of the Allegheny Valley Association of Churches on occasion.
- Ladies of Charity (homebound visits and Holy Communion)
- Online Giving (via guardianangelspgh.org)
- Safe Environment program (Maureen Wood, coordinator)
- Corpus Christi Carpet parish festival
Staff & Clergy
The Guardian Angels Parish clergy team includes Father Jack Brennan and Father Andrew Fischer, with Deacon Patrick G. Wood serving as deacon and business manager. Pastoral staff named in parish bulletins include Mrs. Katie Weikert (Religious Education), Mrs. Deborah Mialki (Music Minister), Mrs. Maureen Wood (Safe Environment Coordinator), and Mrs. Heather Wygonik (Parish & School Advancement). Mrs. Patricia DeWitt serves as Pastoral Secretary. The schools administrator for nearby Saint Joseph High School is Mrs. Beverly Kanicki, Principal, and Mrs. Shane Palumbo, Admission Director.
- Father Jack Brennan — Parochial Clergy
- Father Andrew Fischer — Parochial Clergy
- Deacon Patrick G. Wood — Deacon / Business Manager
- Katie Weikert — Religious Education
- Deborah Mialki — Music Minister
- Maureen Wood — Safe Environment Coordinator
- Heather Wygonik — Parish & School Advancement
- Patricia DeWitt — Pastoral Secretary
Visiting & Contact
The Parish Office and main mailing address is 800 Montana Avenue, Suite 2, Natrona Heights, PA 15065. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Phone (724) 226-4900; fax (724) 224-3559. The parish also directs families interested in local Catholic secondary education to Saint Joseph High School (724-224-5552, [email protected], SaintJosephHS.com).
- Address: 800 Montana Ave, Suite 2, Natrona Heights, PA 15065
- Phone: 724-226-4900
- Fax: 724-224-3559
- Office hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM
- Saint Joseph High School recommended for grades 9–12