About Our Lady of Mercy · Catawissa, Pennsylvania
Our Lady of Mercy Parish is a Roman Catholic parish of the Diocese of Harrisburg, tucked into the Roaring Creek Valley of Columbia County, Pennsylvania, just outside the borough of Catawissa. Known affectionately as 'The Little Church in the Valley,' the parish grew from a rural mission that began celebrating Mass in homes and a schoolhouse in the late 1800s, was formally established on September 6, 1923, and celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2023. Today it serves roughly 170 families in a quietly devoted, multi-generational community that supports a food bank, dinner fundraisers, and a beloved annual parish festival.
- Established
- 1923
- Patron
- Our Lady of Mercy
- Rector
- Rev. Martin O. Moran III (Administrator, as of 2025)
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Harrisburg
Why belong here
Our Lady of Mercy offers the quiet strength of a small, multi-generational Catholic community where many parishioners trace their roots back to the founding Catholic families of the Roaring Creek Valley. The parish pairs traditional worship — Vigil Mass on Saturday, two Sunday Masses, weekday Mass Monday through Friday, and Saturday confessions — with hands-on outreach to neighbors in need through the Catawissa Food Bank, dinner fundraisers, building-and-grounds work days, and the annual parish festival that draws visitors from across the region.
Mass times at Our Lady of Mercy
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:15 PM
- Saturday 3:00 PM – 3:45 PM (per diocesan listing)
- Sunday 7:30 AM – 7:45 AM (per diocesan listing)
- Sunday 9:00 AM – 9:15 AM (per diocesan listing)
Parish History
Catholic life in the Roaring Creek Valley predates the formal parish by a generation. Priests from Danville and Bloomsburg were already traveling more than ten miles over the mountains to celebrate Mass in homes and tenant buildings by 1897. In 1905 the mission purchased a schoolhouse on Slabtown Road, allowing Mass every two weeks. Bishop John Shanahan appointed Father Harry Strickland as the first resident priest with instructions to build a church; Our Lady of Mercy Church was completed on March 9, 1915. The parish was formally established on September 6, 1923 with 438 parishioners and Father John Onofrey as its first pastor. The Sisters of Saints Cyril and Methodius and the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary long provided religious instruction, work now carried on by parish volunteers. The parish marked its centennial on September 24, 2023 with a Mass celebrated by Bishop Timothy Senior.
- 1897: Priests from Danville and Bloomsburg begin traveling to the valley for monthly Mass
- 1905: Schoolhouse on Slabtown Road purchased; Mass celebrated every two weeks
- March 9, 1915: Our Lady of Mercy Church completed under Father Harry Strickland
- 1917: Care of the faithful returned to visiting priests from Danville
- September 6, 1923: Parish formally established with 438 parishioners; Father John Onofrey first pastor
- September 24, 2023: 100th anniversary Mass celebrated by Bishop Timothy Senior
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Sacramental preparation for Confirmation and other sacraments is coordinated through the parish's Parish Religious Education / Parish Religious Formation program, under the direction of Margaret Jessick, Director of Religious Education. Children in Catholic school also prepare for sacraments through their school, while children who do not attend Catholic school prepare through the parish program. The Diocese of Harrisburg requires that a child preparing for Confirmation participate in a retreat in 8th grade, arranged by the Catholic school and/or the Director for Parish Religious Education. Parents and guardians are central to preparation: weekly Mass, daily family prayer, completing the Confirmation booklet, and attending scheduled meetings are all part of the journey.
- Parish Religious Education / Parish Religious Formation program
- Director of Religious Education: Margaret Jessick
- Confirmation preparation in 8th grade, including required retreat
- Sacramental preparation also available through Catholic school
Parish Outreach & Community Life
Despite its small size and rural setting, Our Lady of Mercy is described as a foundation of outreach for the broader Roaring Creek community. The parish supports the Catawissa Food Bank ('Food For Friends') with monthly donations such as peanut butter in April and canned fruit in May, hosts dinner fundraisers throughout the year, and runs the well-known annual parish festival that draws crowds eager for ethnic foods and live music. A Building and Grounds Committee hosts seasonal work days, and a Picnic Committee organizes the annual summer picnic, traditionally held on a weekend in August.
- Catawissa Food Bank / 'Food For Friends' (monthly food collections)
- Dinner fundraisers throughout the year
- Annual parish festival with ethnic foods and musical entertainment
- Building and Grounds Committee (Spring Clean Up days)
- Annual Parish Picnic Committee (summer festival in August)
Sacraments
The parish celebrates the full range of Catholic sacraments. Confirmation preparation is offered through the Parish Religious Education program or through the child's Catholic school, with an 8th-grade Confirmation retreat required by the Diocese of Harrisburg. Reconciliation is offered Saturday afternoons and Sunday mornings before Mass. Baptisms, Marriages, and Anointing of the Sick are arranged by contacting the parish office at (570) 799-5642.
- Baptism — contact parish office
- Confirmation — Parish Religious Education or Catholic school; 8th-grade retreat required
- Reconciliation / Penance — Saturday and Sunday times listed
- Eucharist — weekend and weekday Masses
- Marriage — contact parish office
- Anointing of the Sick — contact parish office
Devotions & Votive Lamps
The parish maintains a traditional devotional life through votive lamps before the images of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Saint Joseph, Saint Michael the Archangel, the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and Saint Anthony of Padua. Parishioners may request specific dates for votive intentions by calling the parish office; the suggested offering is $10. The parish also observes the World Day of Prayer for Vocations with parish-wide prayer for priests, religious vocations, and holy marriages.
- Votive lamps: Blessed Virgin Mary, Saint Joseph, Saint Michael
- Votive lamps also for Sacred Heart of Jesus and Saint Anthony of Padua
- Suggested offering $10; arrange through the parish office
- World Day of Prayer for Vocations observed each year
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. John Onofrey1923–
First pastor when Our Lady of Mercy was formally established as a parish on September 6, 1923, with 438 parishioners.
- Rev. Harry Stricklandprior to 1917
First resident priest; appointed by Bishop Shanahan and built the church (completed March 9, 1915). Lived in a local hotel until the rectory was built.
- Rev. Thomas Mannionapproximately 1988–2018
Served nearly 30 years as pastor; died in 2018. Long-tenured shepherd of the valley parish.
- Rev. Dennis Dalessandroapproximately 2017–c. 2024
Led the parish into its 100th anniversary year in 2023 and spoke to The Catholic Witness about the devoted multi-generational congregation.
- Rev. Martin O. Moran IIIcurrent (2025)
Listed by the Diocese of Harrisburg as Pastor and in parish bulletins as Administrator, with Father Moran writing the Easter message for OLOM.