About Our Lady of the Abingtons · Dalton, Pennsylvania
Our Lady of the Abingtons is a Catholic parish in Dalton, Pennsylvania, in the Diocese of Scranton. Founded in 1967, it grew from a chapel built in 1950 by Bishop William J. Hafey on the former Sweeney Estate — nicknamed 'Barberry Heights' — where the Bishop had first celebrated Mass for farm-hands and neighbors. The parish is now linked with Saint Mary of the Lake (Lake Winola) and Saint Patrick (Nicholson) parishes as a single faith community under the pastoral care of Reverend Arbogaste Satoun. Known locally for its Saint Pio Eucharistic Adoration Chapel, its grotto and Stations of the Cross, and its beloved annual Fall Festival, Our Lady of the Abingtons serves Catholics in the Abingtons region of northeastern Pennsylvania.
- Established
- 1967
- Patron
- Our Lady of the Abingtons (the Blessed Virgin Mary under this local title)
- Rector
- Reverend Arbogaste Satoun
- Diocese
- Diocese of Scranton
Why belong here
Our Lady of the Abingtons offers a small, deeply rooted Catholic community with weekday and weekend Mass, daily Eucharistic Adoration in the Saint Pio Chapel from 8 AM to 8 PM, and monthly First Saturday Adoration. Families find strong religious education through the Family Faith Formation program (CCD) and the NexGen youth ministry, while adults seeking the Catholic faith are welcomed through the OCIA (RCIA) process. The parish is warmly woven together by its Parish Renewal Team, Pastoral Outreach Apostolate, and the beloved annual Fall Festival that has united neighbors since 1993.
Mass times at Our Lady of the Abingtons
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:15 PM – 3:45 PM (and by request/appointment)
Adoration times
- Daily 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM in Saint Pio Chapel (Dalton)
- First Saturday of each month 2:45 PM – 3:45 PM at Our Lady of the Abingtons Church
History of Our Lady of the Abingtons
Our Lady of the Abingtons grew from the 286-acre 'Sweeney Estate' (nicknamed 'Barberry Heights'), purchased by the Diocese of Scranton after World War II. Bishop William J. Hafey first celebrated Sunday Mass there for farm-hands and neighbors, then built a larger chapel with an activity hall in 1950 and named it Our Lady of the Abingtons. It served as a mission of Our Lady of the Snows in Clarks Summit until 1967, when Bishop J. Carroll McCormick elevated it to a parish and appointed Father William F. Hines as its first pastor. The parish celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2017.
- 1940s: Sweeney family owns 286-acre estate; nicknamed 'Barberry Heights'
- Post-WWII: Diocese of Scranton purchases the estate
- Bishop Hafey celebrates 'the bishop's Sunday Mass' for farm-hands and neighbors
- 1950: Larger chapel with attached activity hall built and named Our Lady of the Abingtons
- Chapel functions as a mission of Our Lady of the Snows (Clarks Summit)
- 1967: Elevated to a separate parish; Father William F. Hines appointed first pastor by Bishop J. Carroll McCormick
- 2017: Parish celebrates 50th anniversary
- 2022: Linked with Saint Mary of the Lake and Saint Patrick's to form NEPA Catholic faith community
Faith Formation & Religious Education
The parish runs a Family Faith Formation program and is currently building up its OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults, the modern name for RCIA) ministry for adults seeking to become Catholic.
- Our Lady of the Abingtons / Saint Patrick's Family Faith Formation (CCD) — Sundays 9:50–10:50 AM in the lower level of the Saint Patrick Church hall, September through May
- Saint Mary of the Lake Family Faith Formation — Sundays after the 9:00 AM Mass until 11:15 AM, September through May
- OCIA / RCIA for adults — Sundays 9:50–10:50 AM in the Saint Patrick Church rectory, September through May; reception of Sacraments typically at the Easter Vigil
- Contact: Lucy Ziman ([email protected]) or Greg Solfanelli ([email protected]) for OCIA
- Contact: Julie Harvatine, Director of Religious Education ([email protected]) for OLA/SP faith formation
- Contact: Kerry Pieretti, Director of Religious Education ([email protected]) for SML faith formation
NexGen Youth Ministry
NexGen is the linked parishes' teen outreach program for students in 7th–8th grade through college graduation, focused on service hours, faith formation, and recreation.
- Open to youth from 7th/8th grade through college graduation
- Meets one Sunday morning per month
- Plans one faith, service or recreation event per month
- Contact: Julie Harvatine ([email protected]) to enroll
Parish Councils & Leadership Bodies
Our Lady of the Abingtons has the standard diocesan advisory and stewardship councils, plus a Parish Renewal Team that sponsors social and parish-life events.
- Parish Pastoral Council — community of representatives from ministries and members-at-large; serves as advisory body to the pastor
- Parish Finance Council
- Parish Renewal Team — sponsors social and parish-wide events (including the Fall Festival)
- Pastoral Outreach Apostolate
The Seven Sacraments
The parish welcomes parishioners to encounter Christ through all seven sacraments, with clear preparation programs for Baptism, Marriage, and adult initiation.
- Baptism — typically celebrated on Sunday following Mass; first-time parents attend a welcoming session; contact parish office ASAP after birth
- Godparent requirements — Catholic in good standing, received Baptism, Holy Eucharist and Confirmation; at least 16; registered and practicing Catholic; if married, in a valid Catholic marriage
- Confirmation
- Holy Eucharist
- Anointing of the Sick
- Marriage — six-month preparation required; couples meet with the pastor on Church teaching, communication, roles, conflict resolution, family, children and finances; contact the pastor at least six months before the proposed date
- Annulment (Declaration of Nullity) — begin by contacting the pastor
- Adult Baptism preparation — via OCIA, contact Lucy Ziman or Greg Solfanelli
Sacred Sites on the Parish Grounds
The Dalton property holds a remarkable cluster of sacred and memorial spaces, accumulated over decades of pastoral care.
- Our Lady of the Abingtons Church (worship site at 207 Seminary Road)
- Grotto — restored in 1999 during Father Boles's tenure
- Stations of the Cross — created by Eagle Scout Mark DeBree (2015), arranged in a semi-circular layout around the grotto
- Saint Pio Eucharistic Adoration Chapel — built 2002, opened 2003; altar and woodwork by Bill Emmanuel; twelve-hour daily Adoration coverage by regular and substitute adorers
- 9/11 Memorial — placed in front of the rectory/chapel when the Adoration chapel opened in 2003
- Bell from Saint Pius X Seminary — installed in the church's bell steeple in 2015 (seminary was located across the road from the church and closed in 2004)
- Parish rectory — 700 West Main Street, Dalton (originally a house purchased by Bishop Hafey)
Parish Life & Community Events
Parish get-togethers have been a constant since the parish's earliest years and remain a defining feature of community life at Our Lady of the Abingtons.
- Parish get-togethers in 1968 and 1969 organized by the Yasinskas and Shimkus families
- Annual Chicken BBQs held 1970–1992
- Annual Fall Festival held 1993 to present — a beloved parish tradition
- New BBQ pit and pavilion erected in 2005 in place of the old greenhouse, developed by the Gentile Family
- Pastoral Outreach Apostolate coordinates parish outreach
Contact, Office Hours & Visiting
Parishioners and visitors can reach the parish office during regular business hours or by appointment.
- Parish office: 700 West Main Street, Dalton, PA 18414
- Phone: (570) 563-1622 | Fax: (570) 563-0988
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: https://nepacatholic.com/
- Office hours: Monday, Tuesday and Friday 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM; Thursday by appointment
- Worship site: 207 Seminary Road, Dalton, PA 18414
- Pastor: Rev. Arbogaste Satoun
- Parish Manager: Liz Dempsey
The Linked 'NEPA Catholic' Faith Community
Since 2022, Our Lady of the Abingtons has been linked with Saint Mary of the Lake (Lake Winola, founded 1986) and Saint Patrick (Nicholson) as a single faith community, all sharing the same pastor (Rev. Arbogaste Satoun) and parish staff. The website nepacatholic.com describes the trio's joint mission of helping people 'encounter Christ today' — through Sacred Scripture, the Sacred Liturgy, outreach to the poor and sick, the witness of priests, and the sacraments, 'most especially the Eucharist.'
- Our Lady of the Abingtons (Dalton) — founded 1967
- Saint Mary of the Lake (Lake Winola) — founded 1986
- Saint Patrick (Nicholson)
- Linking began in 2010 (OLA + Saint Patrick's); expanded to all three parishes in 2022
- Shared pastor: Rev. Arbogaste Satoun (appointed 2016)
- Shared staff and combined website: nepacatholic.com
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father William F. Hines1967–
First pastor; appointed by Bishop J. Carroll McCormick when the chapel became a parish in 1967.
- Father Joseph J. Hickey
Renovations to the church and hall took place in autumn 1981 during his tenure.
- Father Joseph M. Boles1983–2001
Third pastor; longest-serving priest in parish history (18 years). Formed the prayer group ministry; rectory renovations in 1998 (two new office spaces) and grotto restoration in 1999.
- Monsignor John A. Esseff
Fourth pastor; an encounter with Saint Padre Pio in 1959 inspired him to build the Saint Pio Eucharistic Adoration Chapel (2002–2003) with craftsman Bill Emmanuel. Had served as a confessor to Saint Teresa of Calcutta, who encouraged him to build the Adoration chapel.
- Father Dave Cramer
Fifth pastor; introduced Neocatechumenal Masses on Saturday evenings; also administrator of Saint Patrick's Parish, Nicholson. The Gentile family built a new BBQ pit and pavilion for the Fall Festival in 2005 in appreciation.
- Father Edward Michelini2010–
Eighth pastor; also assigned Saint Patrick's Parish — the two parishes were officially linked under his watch.
- Father Thomas J. Petro
In 2015, the bell from closed Saint Pius X Seminary was added to the church's bell steeple, and Mark DeBree created the Stations of the Cross around the grotto as his Eagle Scout project.
- Father Arbogaste Satoun2016–present
Tenth and current pastor; appointed by Bishop Bambera. Under his leadership the parish celebrated its 50th anniversary (2017) and was linked with Saint Mary of the Lake and Saint Patrick's to form the NEPA Catholic faith community (2022).