About Mount Aloysius College Chapel · Cresson, Pennsylvania
Mount Aloysius College Chapel, formally known as Our Lady of Mercy Chapel, is the Catholic worship space of Mount Aloysius College, a private Catholic liberal-arts college conducted in the tradition of the Sisters of Mercy on a 193-acre mountaintop campus in Cresson Township, Pennsylvania. The chapel sits in the Chapel Wing adjoining the second floor of the historic Main Administration Building, which dates to 1897, and is open daily for meditation and prayer. As the spiritual heart of a Mercy-sponsored college, it welcomes students, faculty, staff, and visitors of all faith traditions, offering Sunday evening Mass during the fall and spring semesters along with weekday Masses when a priest is available.
- Established
- 1853
- Patron
- Saint Aloysius Gonzaga (patron of the college; the chapel is dedicated to Our Lady of Mercy)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown
Why belong here
Mount Aloysius College Chapel is a welcoming Catholic worship space that openly invites students, faculty, staff, and visitors of all faith traditions — and those who are agnostic — to pray, serve, and grow. Weekly Sunday evening Mass anchors a vibrant campus ministry that offers spiritual direction, retreats, Bible studies, mission trips, and student-led faith and service teams (SMOT and SALT). It is also a place with deep Mercy roots, supported by the Sisters of Mercy, that connects daily prayer with hands-on outreach through Catherine's Cupboard food pantry and the Mercy Hospitality Center.
Mass times at Mount Aloysius College Chapel
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- 30 minutes before Sunday Mass (5:30 PM)
- By appointment — contact Campus Ministry at (814) 886-6498 or [email protected]
Adoration times
- Chapel is open daily for meditation and prayer (no specific exposition times published)
Our Lady of Mercy Chapel
Our Lady of Mercy Chapel is the Catholic worship space of Mount Aloysius College, located in the Chapel Wing adjoining the second floor of the historic Main Administration Building. Built in 1922–1923 to designs by Roman Catholic church architect John T. Comes, the chapel is part of a contiguous Administration complex that also includes St. Gertrude Hall, St. Joseph Hall, and Alumni Hall. It features stained glass windows and is open daily for meditation and prayer, with all students, faculty, and staff members welcome regardless of denomination. Special services are held at Thanksgiving, Christmas, during Lent, and on other occasions throughout the year.
- Location: 2nd floor, Main Administration Building (Chapel Wing)
- Architect: John T. Comes
- Built: 1922–1923
- Features: stained glass windows; open daily for prayer
History & Heritage
Mount Aloysius College is rooted in the Religious Sisters of Mercy, founded by Catherine McAuley in Dublin, Ireland, in 1831. The Sisters of Mercy came to the United States in 1843, settling first in Pittsburgh, then Chicago (1845), and finally Loretto, Pennsylvania (1848), where they opened St. Aloysius Academy in a tinner's shop in 1853. Under Mother Mary de Sales (Amelia) Ihmsen, the academy was relocated in 1897 to its present site in Cresson near the railroad, and was officially founded in partnership with Mother Mary Gertrude Cosgrave. In 1939, Sister Mary de Sales Farley, R.S.M., and Sister Silverius Shields expanded the academy into Mount Aloysius Junior College. The college began conferring bachelor's degrees in 1991, taking the name Mount Aloysius College, and added master's programs in 2000.
- 1853 — St. Aloysius Academy founded in Loretto, PA
- 1897 — Academy relocated to Cresson campus
- 1922–23 — Our Lady of Mercy Chapel built
- 1939 — Becomes Mount Aloysius Junior College
- 1961 — Final academy class graduates; college-only
- 1991 — Charter amended for bachelor's degrees; name becomes Mount Aloysius College
- 2000 — Master's degree programs added
Mission, Ministry & Service
The Office of Mission, Ministry, and Service is the college's hub for faith life, community engagement, and Mercy heritage. The office comprises three core areas: Mission, Ministry, and Service, and is committed to sharing the College's mission, Mercy charism, and Catholic identity with students, faculty, staff, and the broader community. Steeped in Catholic tradition and inspired by Catherine McAuley, the team welcomes everyone from all faith traditions and those who are agnostic, and offers individual spiritual guidance, faith formation programs, retreats, Bible studies, and many other opportunities to enrich prayer and spiritual life.
- Core areas: Mission, Ministry, and Service
- Values: Mercy, Justice, Hospitality, Service
- Office location: St. Gert's Hall
- Operates Catherine's Cupboard food pantry and Mercy Hospitality Center
Student Leadership Teams
Campus Ministry encourages students to develop their leadership skills through two student-led teams. The Student Ministry Outreach Team (SMOT) leads faith-based programs such as retreats, prayer services, liturgies, and faith sharing, fostering spirituality peer to peer. The Social Action Leadership Team (SALT) consists of 'servant leaders' who implement service projects and social justice events aimed at fostering creative nonviolence and addressing the critical concerns of the Sisters of Mercy.
- SMOT — Student Ministry Outreach Team (faith-based programs, retreats, prayer services, liturgies)
- SALT — Social Action Leadership Team (service projects, social justice, creative nonviolence)
Outreach: Catherine's Cupboard & Mercy Hospitality Center
As part of its commitment to the corporal works of mercy, the college operates Catherine's Cupboard, a free and confidential on-campus food pantry for enrolled students and current employees, located in St. Gert's Hall. The Cupboard is typically stocked with non-perishable food, snack items, hygiene products, and occasionally household items and baby products. The Mercy Hospitality Center, also in St. Gert's Hall, extends the College's spirit of welcome to those in need.
- Catherine's Cupboard — on-campus food pantry, free and confidential
- Typical stock: non-perishable food, snacks, hygiene products, occasional household and baby items
- Mercy Hospitality Center — additional outreach site
- Access: email [email protected] or visit the Campus Minister
Mission Trips & Global Citizenship
Campus Ministry fosters global citizenship through mission trips, both domestically and internationally. Alternative break experiences provide opportunities for students, faculty, and staff to serve within the United States and abroad during college breaks, deepening their spirituality and their relationship with God while living out the gospel values and examining issues of injustice — fostering a lifelong commitment to working for the common good.
- Domestic and international mission trips
- Alternative break service experiences
- Focus on gospel values and social justice
Campus Ministry Staff
The Office of Mission Integration staffs Campus Ministry with lay and religious leaders who accompany the campus community in faith, service, and Mercy heritage. The director and team work from St. Gert's Hall, in close proximity to Our Lady of Mercy Chapel.
- Amy J. Kanich — Director of Campus Ministry (Diploma, Conemaugh School of Nursing; B.S., University of Pittsburgh)
- Brianna Baker — Director of Community Engagement & Service / Head Women's Volleyball Coach (B.S., Mount Aloysius College)
- Sr. Benedict Joseph Watters, R.S.M. — Campus Ministry
Facilities & Location
Mount Aloysius College sits on a 193-acre rural mountaintop campus in the Southern Allegheny Mountains, adjacent to U.S. Route 22 between Altoona and Johnstown. The Main Administration Building, a picturesque structure dating to 1897, anchors a four-building complex that includes St. Gertrude Hall, St. Joseph Hall, Our Lady of Mercy Chapel, and Alumni Hall. Health Services is located in St. Joseph Hall. The College is home to a wide variety of humanities and health sciences programs and 16 NCAA athletic teams, competing in the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC).
- Address: 7373 Admiral Peary Highway, Cresson, PA 16630
- 193-acre mountaintop campus in the Allegheny Mountains
- Main Administration Building built 1897; Chapel Wing added 1922–23
- Ten buildings compose the academic, athletic, residential, and administration areas