About Resurrection Church · Johnstown, Pennsylvania
Resurrection Roman Catholic Parish is a Roman Catholic parish in the historic Cambria City section of Johnstown, Pennsylvania, part of the Diocese of Altoona–Johnstown. It was formed in July 2009 when five ethnic neighborhood parishes — Immaculate Conception, SS. Casimir & Emerich, St. Columba, St. Rochus, and St. Stephen — were merged into a single community by Bishop Joseph Adamec. The parish worships primarily at Resurrection Church on Chestnut Street and shares pastoral ministry with neighboring St. Clare of Assisi Church on Maple Avenue, where Resurrection's pastor serves as administrator. Today Resurrection is led by Rev. George M. Gulash and supported by a permanent deacon, parish secretaries, a director of religious education, a music director, and a maintenance team, and it maintains the six historic cemeteries of its founding parishes.
- Established
- 2009
- Rector
- Rev. George M. Gulash
- Diocese
- Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown
Why belong here
Resurrection is a welcoming merged parish in the heart of Johnstown's historic Cambria City, where the devotion of five old ethnic parishes — Czech, Polish, Slovak, Irish, German, and more — now comes together as one community. Weekends offer two Sunday Masses at Resurrection Church (8:00 and 10:30 AM) and a Saturday Vigil at St. Clare of Assisi (4:00 PM), with daily Mass, monthly Eucharistic Adoration, a weekly Rosary, the Sacrament of Reconciliation on Saturdays, and a Catholic school-style Religious Education program for children from kindergarten through 11th grade, plus sacramental preparation for Confirmation. Parishioners also keep the six historic parish cemeteries, a parish sewing ministry, women's Bible discussions, and a parish book-discussion group going, and they share with their neighbors the celebrated flood-surviving statue of the Immaculate Conception as a sign of resilience and faith.
Mass times at Resurrection Church
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 2:30–3:00 PM at Resurrection Church
- Saturday 3:30 PM at St. Clare of Assisi Church
- By appointment
Adoration times
- First Friday of each month, 6:30 PM at Resurrection Church (with Exposition, Gospel proclamation, homily, Litany of the Holy Eucharist, silent prayer, and Benediction)
- Second Monday of each month, after the 6:30 PM Mass at St. Clare of Assisi Church (Exposition and Benediction)
Parish History & the Cambria City Merger
Resurrection Roman Catholic Parish was created in the summer of 2009 when the Diocese of Altoona–Johnstown merged five historic Cambria City parishes — Immaculate Conception, SS. Casimir & Emerich, St. Columba, St. Rochus, and St. Stephen — into one community. The new name was announced in late March 2009, Bishop Joseph Adamec named Rev. Alan E. Thomas as founding pastor in May 2009, and the parish celebrated its first Mass on July 22, 2009, followed by an Inaugural Mass with Bishop Adamec on July 26. Each of the merged parishes brought a treasured item to share with the new parish, including the tabernacle and sanctuary lamp from St. Columba that mark its Irish Catholic heritage.
- Five merged parishes: Immaculate Conception; SS. Casimir & Emerich; St. Columba; St. Rochus; St. Stephen
- Diocese of Altoona–Johnstown announced the merger in early 2008
- Transitional Pastoral Council of two reps from each parish guided the transition
- Name 'Resurrection' announced in late March 2009
- First pastor: Rev. Alan E. Thomas (ordained May 23, 1992)
- First Mass: Wednesday, July 22, 2009
- First weekend Mass: Saturday, July 25, 2009
- Inaugural Mass with Bishop Joseph Adamec: Sunday, July 26, 2009
Our Mission and Our Staff
The parish states its mission simply: 'We believe that Jesus Christ came to reveal the fullness of God's love for us, and we continue to celebrate that love through praise, sacraments, service, and community.' The staff that carries out that mission is led by Pastor Rev. George M. Gulash and includes a permanent deacon, two parish secretaries, a director of religious education, a music director, and a maintenance manager — several of whom also serve the sister St. Clare of Assisi Parish.
- Rev. George M. Gulash — Pastor (Resurrection) and Administrator (St. Clare of Assisi); based at the Rectory, 314 Eighth Avenue
- Deacon Nelson E. Lowes, Jr. — Permanent Deacon (1140 Club Drive, Johnstown, PA 15905)
- Mary Beth Konieczny — Parish Secretary
- Beth Thomas — Administrative Assistant / Finance
- Christine (Chris) Babik — Director of Religious Education (both parishes)
- Emily Roy — Director of Music (both parishes); 814-242-4995
- Dan Amrhein — Director of Maintenance (both parishes)
- Rose Eckenrod — Parish Secretary & Financial Manager, St. Clare of Assisi
Becoming Active in Parish Life
Resurrection describes itself as offering 'a wide range of ministry opportunities. Whether you'd like to learn more, pray more, or serve more, we have a ministry for you.' Liturgical and parish-life ministries include Liturgy & Ministry, Religious Education, Confirmation formation, the Sewing Ministry, Women of the Bible, the parish Book Discussion Group, the Parish Library in the Oratory, the Cemetery Committee, the Collection Counters, and the Prayer Chain.
- Liturgy & Ministry Committee — environment, music, special liturgies, children's bulletins, electronic bulletin boards, formation and scheduling of liturgical ministers
- Religious Education for children and teens (Kindergarten–Grade 11)
- Sacramental formation for Confirmation (Grades 9, 10, 11) with Sr. Cindy Burns, CCW
- Sewing Ministry — 'Sewing for Beginners' classes and monthly meetings in the Sewing Room (former Sweet Shoppe)
- Women of the Bible — Thursdays at 6:00 PM in the Resurrection Oratory
- Book Discussion Group — current summer reading focused on Bishop Fulton Sheen
- Parish Library in the Resurrection Oratory — open to all parishioners
- Cemetery Committee — six historic parish cemeteries
- Collection Counters — volunteer groups rotate on Mondays at the Parish Center
- Prayer Chain
Religious Education & Faith Formation
Religious Education for children and teens is led by Director of Religious Education Christine Babik and serves children from Kindergarten through Grade 11, with Sacramental Preparation for Confirmation in Grades 9–11. Classes meet in classrooms in the Parish Center, in Oratory Hall, and in the Oratory. Confirmation classes for the 2024–25 year take place at St. Benedict Parish, Geistown, with Sr. Cindy Burns, CCW.
- Kindergarten & Grade 1 — Ms. Amy Haer (second floor, Parish Center)
- Grade 2 — Mrs. Frances Findley; Mrs. Stacy Roberts, support staff (second floor, Parish Center)
- Grades 3 & 4 — Mrs. Jennifer Gardenhour (second floor, Parish Center)
- Grades 5 & 6 — Mrs. Faith Thomas (first floor, Parish Center)
- Grades 7 & 8 — Mr. Richard Pavic (first floor, Parish Center)
- Grades 9 & 10 — Judy Carroll, Oratory Hall
- Grade 11 — Ms. Morgan Casto, Oratory
- Sacramental Preparation for Confirmation (Grades 9, 10, 11) — Sr. Cindy Burns, CCW, at St. Benedict Parish, Geistown
- Director of Religious Education — Ms. Christine Babik, 814-539-5788, option 5
Our Cemeteries
Resurrection Parish cares for the six historic cemeteries of its founding parishes. The Cemetery Committee's mission is to maintain these sacred grounds with honor and dignity, keeping them 'adequately funded, perpetually cared for, and fully operated within the guidelines of the diocese and the State of Pennsylvania.' The parish publishes a Cemetery Information Booklet, Memorial Application, Burial Privilege Information, Transfer of Burial Privilege Information, a Cemetery Fee Schedule, and a Cemetery Handbook for families.
- Immaculate Conception Cemetery — Edgewood Avenue
- St. Casimir Cemetery — Esterville Road
- St. Columba Cemetery — D Street Extension
- St. Emerich Cemetery — Kaiser Street
- St. Rochus Cemetery — Billow Park Lane / Mercury Avenue
- St. Stephen Cemetery — Fairlane Court
- Cemetery Committee oversees funding, perpetual care, fees, and burial privileges
Sacraments & Devotions
Resurrection celebrates the Eucharist daily and on weekends (see Mass schedule), hears Confessions twice on Saturday afternoons, and offers monthly Eucharistic Adoration — including a First Friday Holy Hour with Exposition, Gospel reading, homily, Litany of the Holy Eucharist, silent prayer, and Benediction. The parish also keeps a weekly Rosary on Mondays and Fridays at noon in the Resurrection Oratory, a Prayer Chain, and weekly Sanctuary Light Intentions remembered at each of its worship sites.
- Eucharist — daily and weekend Masses (see schedule)
- Reconciliation — Saturday 2:30 PM at Resurrection, 3:30 PM at St. Clare of Assisi, or by appointment
- Confirmation — Sacramental formation for Grades 9, 10, and 11
- Baptism, Marriage, Anointing of the Sick — contact the parish office
- First Friday Holy Hour at Resurrection (6:30–7:30 PM) with Exposition, Litany of the Holy Eucharist, and Benediction
- Second Monday Exposition and Benediction at St. Clare of Assisi
- Weekly Rosary — Mondays and Fridays at 12:00 PM in the Resurrection Oratory
The Immaculate Conception Statue — A Symbol of Survival
Among the treasures inherited from the former Immaculate Conception Parish is a cast-iron statue of the Immaculate Conception (Mary) that, by parish tradition, survived the catastrophic 1889 Johnstown Flood — water reportedly rose 15 feet inside the original church, yet the statue remained in place. Father Gulash has used the statue as an example of survival and as a sign of the resilience of the people of God; the parish uses her for May Crowning. The statue, which also survived the 1936 and 1977 floods and a later fire, was brought to the Johnstown Flood National Memorial in South Fork for the tragedy's 130th anniversary observance in 2019. Other statues from Resurrection's closed churches (the Sacred Heart of Jesus and St. Columba) have been gifted to community partners so they can be preserved and displayed in Cambria City.
- Cast-iron statue of Mary from the original Immaculate Conception Church
- Survived the 1889 Johnstown Flood, the 1936 flood, the 1977 flood, and a church fire
- Used for the parish May Crowning
- Displayed at the Johnstown Flood National Memorial in South Fork for the 130th anniversary in May 2019
- Statues of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and St. Columba gifted to Cambria City community partners
Contact & Communications
Parishioners can reach the parish office by phone (814-539-5788 with menu options for the pastor, secretaries, religious education, and maintenance), fax (814-539-8845), or email ([email protected]). The bulletin is published weekly with a submission deadline of Wednesday at 9:00 AM; submissions may be emailed to [email protected] or calling the parish office during regular business hours. The parish also maintains an official Facebook page and links to its sister St. Clare of Assisi Parish Facebook page from the parish website.
- Phone: 814-539-5788 (option 2 pastor; option 3 Beth Thomas; option 4 Mary Beth Konieczny; option 5 Religious Education; option 6 Maintenance)
- Fax: 814-539-8845
- Bulletin email: [email protected]
- Website: resurrectionparishjohnstown.com
- Bulletin deadline: Wednesdays at 9:00 AM
- Music Director: Emily Roy, 814-242-4995, emilyroy@…
- Official Facebook: Resurrection's Facebook Page (linked from the parish site)
- Sister parish Facebook: St. Clare of Assisi's Facebook Page (linked from the parish site)
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Alan E. Thomas2009–(later)
Founding pastor named by Bishop Joseph Adamec in May 2009; led the parish from the inaugural Mass on July 26, 2009, and sang 'God Bless America' at the Diocesan Faith Day at Peoples Natural Gas Field in Altoona in July 2012. Ordained May 23, 1992.
- Rev. George M. Gulashpresent
Current pastor of Resurrection Parish and administrator of the sister St. Clare of Assisi Parish; has presided over parish anniversaries, May Crownings with the historic Immaculate Conception statue, and partnerships with Cambria City community redevelopment projects.