About Notre Dame · Hermitage, Pennsylvania
The Church of Notre Dame is a Roman Catholic parish in Hermitage, Pennsylvania, situated in the Shenango Valley of Mercer County and one of roughly 1,300–1,600 registered families served by the parish. Established in 1960 and entrusted to the Diocese of Erie, Notre Dame grew from a single Mass celebrated in a National Guard Armory into a full parish campus with its own school, church, and rectory. The parish is led today by Rev. John Miller (Pastor) and Deacon Frank Hannah, supported by a staff team handling faith formation, sacred music, business, and secretarial work. Its mission centers on celebrative worship, faith education, and outreach — including a long-standing volunteer commitment to the Prince of Peace Soup Kitchen in nearby Farrell.
- Established
- 1960
- Patron
- Our Lady (Notre Dame / Our Lady of the University Parish dedication)
- Rector
- Rev. John Miller
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Erie
Why belong here
Notre Dame welcomes anyone seeking a Catholic home in the Shenango Valley. The parish runs a full sacramental and faith-formation program — RCIA, PreK through Grade 11 religious education, adult faith formation, Edge youth nights, and First Communion and Confirmation preparation — alongside weekly Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, a Saturday Vigil Mass, and a robust music ministry. Its 1,300–1,600 family community is also known for concrete outreach: volunteers have cooked and served at the Prince of Peace Soup Kitchen in Farrell for more than 35 years, and active groups like the O.W.L.S. seniors, the Parish Prayer Line, and Small Faith Sharing groups give parishioners many ways to belong.
Mass times at Notre Dame
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday at 3:00 PM
Adoration times
- Tuesday 9:30 AM – 11:00 PM
- Wednesday 9:00 AM – 11:00 PM (with Hour of Prayer at 7:00 PM)
History of Notre Dame Parish
Established in 1960 in Hickory Township outside Hermitage, Notre Dame has grown from a single Mass in the National Guard Armory into a multi-generational parish campus serving roughly 1,300–1,600 families. The school opened in stages from 1961 to 1963, the present church was dedicated in 1974, and a school addition followed in 1998.
- First Mass: June 12, 1960 at the National Guard Armory (123 people)
- School/auditorium opened: September 11, 1961 (grades 1–3)
- School completed K–8: September 1963
- Ground broken for church and rectory: July 1, 1973
- First Mass in new church: September 22, 1974
- School addition completed: 1998
Parish Mission Statement
Notre Dame Parish describes itself as 'a faith-filled community called to know, love and serve God.' The mission commits parishioners to celebrative prayer and worship, education and proclamation of the Gospel, and service within and beyond the parish family — sending members forth to help transform the world into the Kingdom of God.
- Know, love and serve God
- Celebrative prayer and worship
- Education and proclamation of the Good News
- Service within and beyond the parish family
Parish Staff
The parish is led by Pastor Rev. John Miller and Deacon Frank Hannah, with a team responsible for faith formation, adult education, sacred music, parish administration, and youth ministry. The Diocese of Erie's regional youth minister, Gabby Herndon, partners with the parish for middle- and high-school programming.
- Rev. John Miller — Pastor
- Dcn. Frank Hannah — Deacon
- Mr. Joseph Ranelli — Director of Faith Formation
- Ms. Kathy Higgins — Director of Adult Education
- Mr. Terry Whalen — Director of Sacred Music
- Mrs. Gretchen Wagner — Liturgy/Music Coordinator (per bulletin)
- Mrs. Elizabeth McGoff — Director of Religious Education
- Mrs. Carrie Hannah — Parish Secretary
- Mrs. Mary Lou Hornyak — Religious Education Secretary
- Mrs. Ann Miller — Business Manager
- Gabby Herndon — Regional Youth Minister (Diocese of Erie)
Religious Education & Youth
Notre Dame runs a PreK through Grade 11 faith formation program. PreK through Grade 9 classes meet Sunday mornings from 9:30 AM to 10:40 AM, with arrival and dismissal at the Grotto entrance. Grades 10–12 gather in small groups on the first Sunday of each month. First Communion and Confirmation preparation are built into the calendar, with First Communion celebrated at the 11:00 AM Mass and the diocesan Confirmation Mass held at St. Joseph Parish, Sharon.
- PreK–Grade 9: Sundays 9:30 AM–10:40 AM (Grotto entrance)
- Grades 10–12: First Sunday of the month, small groups
- First Holy Communion: 11:00 AM Mass (May)
- Confirmation Mass: 7:00 PM at St. Joseph, Sharon
- Director of Faith Formation: Joseph Ranelli
- Religious Education Secretary: Mary Lou Hornyak
- Contact: [email protected]
Adult Faith Formation & RCIA
Adults interested in becoming Catholic — whether never baptized, baptized in another Christian tradition, or baptized Catholic without Communion or Confirmation — are invited into the parish's RCIA process. The journey introduces the essential teachings of the Catholic faith, builds a personal relationship with Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit, and prepares catechumens and candidates for full initiation at the Easter Vigil.
- Sacramental formation rooted in parish community life
- Parish sponsors accompany candidates on the journey
- For more information, contact Kathy Higgins at the Parish Office: (724) 981-5566
Community Ministries
Beyond Sunday worship, Notre Dame sustains an active web of small groups and service ministries. Small Faith Sharing groups — some meeting since the early 1990s — gather weekly or bi-weekly around the Gospel. The O.W.L.S. (Older, Wiser, Livelier Seniors) host community dinners several times a year. The Parish Prayer Line is a long-standing chain of intercessors, and the parish also visits the sick and provides funeral brunch servers.
- Small Group Faith Sharing (groups of 8–10)
- Parish Prayer Line — coordinated through Kathy Higgins
- O.W.L.S. (senior parishioner) dinners — contact Ann Nicolls (724) 962-7164
- Visiting the Sick — priests make hospital visits and emergency calls
- Funeral Brunch Servers — adult servers and cake donations needed
Prince of Peace Soup Kitchen
Notre Dame has supported the Prince of Peace Center in Farrell for more than 35 years. Volunteers from the parish assist with the Soup Kitchen, helping cook, package, serve, and clean up twice-monthly meals for the poor of Mercer County. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the kitchen has shifted to takeout only and now serves between 90 and 125 people at each meal, with festive meals prepared for Christmas, Thanksgiving, and Easter.
- Volunteer team #1: second Monday of each month — contact Diana (724) 699-2880
- Volunteer team #2: third Wednesday of each month — contact Mary Lou (724) 981-2736
- Festive meals at Christmas, Thanksgiving, and Easter
Sacraments
Notre Dame celebrates all seven Catholic sacraments. The parish website lists dedicated pages for Baptism, Penance and Reconciliation (offered Saturday at 3:00 PM), Holy Eucharist, Confirmation, Marriage, Holy Orders, and Anointing of the Sick. First Communion is celebrated within the Sunday Mass, while the diocesan Confirmation Mass is held annually at St. Joseph Parish in Sharon.
- Baptism
- Penance and Reconciliation — Saturday 3:00 PM
- Holy Eucharist — First Communion preparation through Religious Ed.
- Confirmation — Grade 11, diocesan Mass at St. Joseph, Sharon
- Marriage
- Holy Orders
- Anointing of the Sick
Visit, Contact & Getting Involved
Parishioners and visitors are warmly invited to attend Mass, register as members, or join any of the parish's ministries. Newcomers can complete a Parish Registration form (available on the parish website or in the bulletin) and return it by mail or in the collection basket. The parish hall is handicap accessible.
- Address: 2325 Highland Rd, Hermitage, PA 16148
- Phone: (724) 981-5566
- Email: [email protected]
- Religious Education: [email protected]
- Office hours: Mon–Thu 9 AM–12 PM and 1 PM–3 PM (closed Fri)
- Parish Hall is handicap accessible
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Msgr. Robert F. Schriefer1960–1985
Founding pastor; celebrated first Mass at the National Guard Armory on June 12, 1960 with 123 people. Grew the parish to ~850 families. Elevated to Prelate of Honor by Pope John Paul II. Died December 2008.
- Msgr. Edward J. Zeitler1985–1997
Second pastor. Served on boards of Kennedy Catholic High School, Prince of Peace Center, Serra Club, and the Diocesan Marriage Encounter Team. Elevated to Chaplain of His Holiness by Pope John Paul II. Returned as Senior Associate in 2007 and remained in residence after his 2016 retirement until his death on August 18, 2017.
- Msgr. John Hagerty1997–2005
Third pastor. A graduate of St. the Baptist Grade School, Cathedral Preparatory School, and St. Mark Seminary in Erie; son of the late George and Agnes (Keller) Zeitler-era classmate Msgr. Jack Hagerty was a student of founding pastor Msgr. Schriefer.
- Fr. Jeffery J. Noble2005–2017
Fourth pastor; succeeded by Fr. Richard Allen in February 2017.
- Fr. Richard J. Allen2017–2024
Fifth pastor; Hermitage native, son of Dr. Robert and Patricia Allen. Ordained April 1997. Served as Army chaplain with a 13-month tour in Iraq (2008–2009). While at Notre Dame also served as Episcopal Vicar of the Western Vicariate (2017–2022), Kennedy Catholic chaplain, and pastor of St. Bartholomew, Sharpsville. Left July 9, 2024 to become pastor of St. Joseph, Oil City.