About Our Lady Queen of Peace · East Vandergrift, Pennsylvania
Our Lady, Queen of Peace is a Roman Catholic parish in East Vandergrift, Pennsylvania, part of the Diocese of Greensburg. The parish was formed on June 4, 1989, by merging three earlier ethnic parishes — Holy Trinity (Slovak, founded 1915), All Saints (Polish, founded 1922), and Saint Casimir (Lithuanian, founded 1922) — after a devastating 1985 fire at All Saints. Saint Casimir Church was renovated and rededicated in 1992 to serve as the home of the new parish. Our Lady, Queen of Peace is partnered with Saint James the Greater in Apollo under a single pastor, Father Vincent Zidek, and the two share ministries, staff, and the parish website at evcatholic.org.
- Established
- 1989
- Patron
- Our Lady, Queen of Peace (the Blessed Virgin Mary, under the title of Mary Queen of Peace)
- Rector
- Father Vincent Zidek
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Greensburg
Why belong here
Our Lady, Queen of Peace is a welcoming, family-centered Catholic community that grew out of the Slovak, Polish, and Lithuanian Catholic heritage of the Kiski Valley and still lives that warmth today. The parish offers Sunday Eucharist, weekly daily Mass, Saturday confessions, RCIA for adults exploring the Catholic faith, a full Faith Formation / CCD program for children pre-K through 12th grade, an EDGE middle-school youth ministry, a Young Adult Ministry with events like kayaking on the Kiskiminetas River and Tapping Theology, a MOMS Ministry, the Christian Mothers organization, monthly Children's Activities like Kids Fests, and strong fundraising and social life through its social hall. A parishioner can find a place in any season of life — from toddler to grandparent — and worship in a historic former Lithuanian church that the parish itself renovated and rededicated in 1992.
Mass times at Our Lady Queen of Peace
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturdays 12:00–12:30 PM (at Our Lady, Queen of Peace Church)
- Or by appointment
About Our Lady, Queen of Peace
Our Lady, Queen of Peace Parish is a Roman Catholic community in East Vandergrift, Pennsylvania, in the Diocese of Greensburg. The parish describes itself as "a Christian community striving to live the Gospel of Jesus Christ in the Roman Catholic Tradition," seeking to deepen its relationship with God and one another through the Sunday Eucharist and the other sacraments. The parish proclaims the Word of God through evangelization, the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA), and Faith Formation, and reaches out to the greater community by sharing gifts of time, talent, and treasure. It is partnered with Saint James the Greater Church in Apollo under a single pastor and staff.
History
Our Lady, Queen of Peace was established on June 4, 1989, by the merger of three historic ethnic parishes that had served the Kiski Valley for decades: Holy Trinity Slovak Church (founded 1915), All Saints Polish Church (founded 1922), and Saint Casimir Lithuanian Church (founded 1922). A January 1985 fire at All Saints Church set in motion the decline that led to the merger. A task force with the Bishop of Greensburg formed on September 11, 1989, and Saint Casimir Church was renovated and rededicated in 1992 to receive the newly created parish. The former Holy Trinity Church and convent were razed to build a parish social hall.
- Holy Trinity Slovak Church founded 1915
- All Saints Polish Church founded 1922
- Saint Casimir Lithuanian Church founded 1922
- January 1985 fire destroys All Saints Church
- Parish formally established June 4, 1989
- Task force formed with Bishop of Greensburg September 11, 1989
- Saint Casimir Church renovated and rededicated 1992
- Holy Trinity Church and convent razed; social hall built on site
Faith Formation and Religious Education
The parish Faith Formation program (CCD) assists parents — the primary educators of their children — in the moral, spiritual, and intellectual formation of their children from pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade. Classes meet on Sunday evenings.
- Parish Faith Formation (CCD) for pre-K through 12th grade
- Classes meet Sunday evenings
- Director: Tina Komarinski — (724) 331-7953
EDGE Middle-School Youth Ministry
EDGE is a dynamic Catholic faith-formation program for teens in grades 6–8 that uses varied forms of media and instruction. EDGE meets bi-weekly on Sundays from 6:00 to 7:30 PM, with additional activities throughout the year.
- Grades 6–8
- Meets Sundays 6:00–7:30 PM
RCIA — Becoming Catholic
The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults is offered for anyone interested in becoming Catholic, including the unbaptized, baptized Christians from other communities seeking full communion, and those baptized as children who have not been confirmed. The process typically begins in early September and runs through the Easter Vigil, and there is no obligation attached to entering it.
- Begins each September, concludes at the Easter Vigil
- Open to unbaptized adults, baptized Christians, and Catholics seeking Confirmation
- Contact the Parish Office at (724) 478-4958
Sacraments
The parish prepares parishioners for and celebrates the full range of Catholic sacraments, with special emphasis on the Eucharist (Sunday and Wednesday Mass) and Reconciliation (Saturdays at noon). First Reconciliation is prepared through the Faith Formation program. Anointing of the Sick, Baptism, Confirmation, Marriage, and Holy Orders are arranged by contacting the parish office.
- Reconciliation / Penance
- First Reconciliation preparation
- Eucharist
- Anointing of the Sick
- Baptism, Confirmation, Marriage, Holy Orders by arrangement
Parish Groups and Organizations
Our Lady, Queen of Peace supports several parish organizations that bring parishioners together around faith, family, and service. Some groups, such as Children's Activities, Young Adult Ministry, and the MOMS Ministry, are run jointly with Saint James the Greater.
- Christian Mothers — meets monthly for Rosary, Mass, and meeting; contact Leah Prugh at (724) 448-7841
- Ministry of Mothers (MOMS) — for mothers from pregnancy through school-age children; meets monthly
- Children's Activities — monthly Kids Fests (roller skating, sledding/tubing, swimming, petting zoo, water slide)
- Young Adult Ministry — Tapping Theology, kayaking on the Kiskiminetas River, cornhole
- EDGE (Grades 6–8) — bi-weekly Sunday evenings
Parish Staff
Our Lady, Queen of Peace is served by a shared pastoral team that also ministers at Saint James the Greater in Apollo.
- Pastor — Father Vincent Zidek
- Business Manager — Crystal Leonarski ([email protected])
- Director of Faith Formation — Tina Komarinski, (724) 331-7953
Partner Parish — Saint James the Greater, Apollo
Our Lady, Queen of Peace shares a pastor and many ministries with Saint James the Greater Church at 109 Owens View Avenue, Apollo, PA 15613. Saint James celebrates the Saturday Vigil Mass at 4:30 PM and a Sunday Mass at 9:00 AM, and offers Saturday confessions from 3:30 to 4:00 PM. The shared parish office is at 109 Owens View Avenue, Apollo.
- Saint James Saturday Vigil Mass: 4:30 PM
- Saint James Sunday Mass: 9:00 AM
- Saint James Confessions: Saturdays 3:30–4:00 PM
- Address: 109 Owens View Avenue, Apollo, PA 15613
- Faith Formation line: (724) 882-3065
- Social Hall (Our Lady, Queen of Peace): (724) 568-1313
- Saint James Activities Center: (724) 478-4071
Contact, Office Hours, and Visiting
The parish can be reached by phone, email, or in person at the shared parish office on Owens View Avenue in Apollo. The parish publishes regular office hours and an active bulletin with Mass intentions, sanctuary-light memorials, and announcements.
- Church address: 420 McKinley Avenue, East Vandergrift, PA 15629
- Parish office: 109 Owens View Avenue, Apollo, PA 15613
- Phone: (724) 478-4958
- Email: [email protected]
- Office Hours: Monday–Thursday 9 AM–12 PM and 1–4 PM; Friday 9 AM–12 PM and 1–3 PM
- Fax: (724) 478-3551
- Website: www.evcatholic.org