About Mother of Sorrows Parish · Murrysville, Pennsylvania
Mother of Sorrows Parish is a Roman Catholic parish located in Murrysville, Pennsylvania, a suburban community in Westmoreland County about 20 miles east of Pittsburgh. Founded in 1935 as a mission of the Diocese of Pittsburgh (later reassigned to the Diocese of Greensburg when it was erected in 1951), it is one of the larger parishes in the diocese, currently numbering over 5,600 members across more than 2,150 households. The parish runs Mother of Sorrows School (PreK–8), offers a full range of liturgical, faith formation, and outreach ministries, and is led by Monsignor Michael J. Begolly as Pastor.
- Established
- 1935
- Patron
- Our Lady of Sorrows (Mother of Sorrows)
- Rector
- Monsignor Michael J. Begolly, D.Min.
- Diocese
- Diocese of Greensburg
Why belong here
Mother of Sorrows is one of the larger parishes in the Diocese of Greensburg, with a vibrant school (PreK–8) staffed by the Sisters of Charity of Seton Hill, a full daily and weekend Mass schedule (including a Sunday evening Mass and Holy Day observances), and a parish team that includes a pastor, two parochial vicars, and pastoral associates for Spiritual Care, Discipleship & Parish Life, and Faith Formation & Mission Integration. New families register every month, two-thirds of members are under 60, and ministries reach from school-aged faith formation and liturgy/music to prayer, outreach, and parish life — making it an active, multigenerational Catholic community for Murrysville and the surrounding Westmoreland County communities.
Mass times at Mother of Sorrows Parish
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturdays at 9:00 am
- By appointment
History of the Parish
Catholic life in Murrysville began in 1935 when Sister Mary Siena Ganoe, a Sister of St. Joseph of Baden, began teaching religion to local children at the invitation of the Thomas Smith family. She helped recruit Father George Hurley of the Missionary Confraternity of Christian Doctrine in Pittsburgh, and the first Mass was celebrated on March 31, 1935, in a rented hall above Tarr's store. Father Paul Nee asked Bishop Hugh C. Boyle to name the new parish Mother of Sorrows in honor of his mother's devotion to the Blessed Virgin. The first church was built by parishioners and neighbors using three teams of horses and hand scoops and was dedicated on October 29, 1939. The mission became an official parish of the Diocese of Pittsburgh on September 21, 1944. When the Diocese of Greensburg was formed in 1951, Mother of Sorrows became a parish of the new diocese. As Murrysville grew into a suburban community, the parish added a school (opened 1962, staffed by the Sisters of Charity of Seton Hill), built a second church on William Penn Highway dedicated by Bishop Connare on March 21, 1982, and in 2002 began an $11.25 million expansion and renovation. Bishop Brandt celebrated the rededication liturgy on June 27, 2004, the building the parish worships in today.
- 1935 – First Mass in rented hall above Tarr's store, March 31
- 1939 – First church dedicated October 29 by Monsignor Daniel Lawless; $7,000 dedication collection left parish debt-free
- 1944 – Mission became an official parish (September 21)
- 1951 – Parish transferred to the newly erected Diocese of Greensburg
- 1962 – Mother of Sorrows School opened (September), staffed by the Sisters of Charity of Seton Hill
- 1963 – Bishop Connare dedicated the second church/school building on May 11
- 1982 – Bishop Connare dedicated the current church on March 21 (47 years after the first Sunday Mass)
- 2002 – Groundbreaking May 7 for $11.25 million expansion/renovation
- 2004 – Bishop Brandt celebrated rededication liturgy on June 27
Pastor & Parish Staff
Mother of Sorrows is led by Monsignor Michael J. Begolly, D.Min., Pastor, who has served the parish since 2021. He is assisted by two parochial vicars, Father Jay Jacinto and Father Dave Slusarick, and a lay pastoral team that includes a Director of Liturgy and Music, pastoral associates for Spiritual Care, Discipleship & Parish Life, and Faith Formation & Mission Integration, plus staff handling communications, finance, human resources, safe environment, and maintenance.
- Monsignor Michael J. Begolly, DMin. – Pastor
- Father Jay Jacinto – Parochial Vicar
- Father Dave Slusarick – Parochial Vicar
- Dr. Tom Octave – Director of Liturgy and Music
- Nancy Matteuzzi – Pastoral Associate for Spiritual Care
- [Pastoral Associate] – Discipleship & Parish Life
- Ellen Mady – Pastoral Associate for Faith Formation & Mission Integration
- Brooke Tognarina – Safe Environment Coordinator
- Karen Munson – Communications Coordinator & Office Manager
- [Staff] – Finance Manager, HR & Safe Environment Coordinator
- Jacob Gindhart – Maintenance
- Matt Russo – Maintenance
- Linda Kuchar – [staff role]
Worship & Liturgical Life
Liturgy and music at Mother of Sorrows are coordinated by Dr. Tom Octave, Director of Liturgy and Music. The parish gathers for four Sunday Masses (including a 6:00 pm evening Mass), a Saturday Vigil, and a daily weekday Mass. The parish also celebrates the sacraments — including Reconciliation on Saturdays — and marks Holy Days and special liturgical celebrations with additional Masses announced in the bulletin.
- Weekend Vigil Mass (Saturday 4:30 pm)
- Four Sunday Masses (7:30, 9:30, 11:30 am, and 6:00 pm)
- Daily Mass Monday–Friday at 8:00 am
- Saturday morning Confessions at 9:00 am (and by appointment)
Faith Formation & Parish Mission
Faith formation at Mother of Sorrows is coordinated through the office of the Pastoral Associate for Faith Formation & Mission Integration. The ministry extends from school-aged catechesis through sacramental preparation and adult discipleship. Discipleship & Parish Life and Spiritual Care ministries round out the pastoral team's work of accompanying parishioners at every stage of life.
- Pastoral Associate for Faith Formation & Mission Integration
- Pastoral Associate for Discipleship & Parish Life
- Pastoral Associate for Spiritual Care
- Sacramental preparation coordinated through the parish office
Mother of Sorrows School (PreK–8)
Mother of Sorrows School is the parish's Catholic elementary school, serving preschool through eighth grade. The school has been a defining ministry of the parish since it opened in September 1962, originally staffed by the Sisters of Charity of Seton Hill, and remains a vital part of parish life and identity for Murrysville-area Catholic families.
- Opened September 1962, originally grades 1–3
- Originally staffed by the Sisters of Charity of Seton Hill
- Grade-by-grade expansion through eighth grade
- Currently serves PreK through Grade 8
Parish Identity & Demographics
Mother of Sorrows sits in Murrysville, a suburban community in Westmoreland County about 20 miles east of Pittsburgh. A 2018 census update showed the parish at 5,682 members across 2,159 households as of June 2021, with roughly two-thirds of members under age 60. The parish continues to welcome and register several new families each month, reflecting ongoing growth in the Murrysville community.
- Location: Murrysville, Westmoreland County, PA
- Members: 5,682 (as of June 2021)
- Households: 2,159
- Roughly two-thirds of members under age 60
- Several new families register each month
Contact & Visit
Parishioners and visitors can reach the parish office by phone, email, fax, or in person. The published contact details for the parish office and worship site are listed on the parish website's Mass Times page.
- Address: 4202 Old William Penn Highway, Murrysville, PA 15668
- Phone: (724) 733-8870
- Fax: (724) 733-8108
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: motherofsorrowschurch.org
- Diocese: Diocese of Greensburg (motherofsorrowschurch.org listed in Diocesan locater)
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Daniel C. Mahoney1992
- Fr. John Moineau2000
- Msgr. Richard Curci2005
- Fr. Thaddeus Kaczmarek2008
- Fr. Willie Lechnar2012
- Msgr. James Gaston2014
- Msgr. Michael J. Begolly2021
Current pastor
- Fr. Paul Nee1935
First pastor; chose the name Mother of Sorrows
- Fr. Charles Thomas1941
- Fr. Gerald Schroth1944
First resident pastor; lived at St. Anselm, Swissvale, until the first rectory was built in 1947
- Fr. Regis M. Hickey1956
Acquired property for the parish school
- Fr. Raymond McClean1963
- Fr. Joseph DeAndrea1970
- Fr. David Fisher1971
Moved rectory site to William Penn Highway property
- Monsignor John Conway1983