About Saint Irenaeus · Oakmont, Pennsylvania
Saint Irenaeus is a Roman Catholic church in Oakmont, Pennsylvania, part of Holy Family Parish in the Diocese of Pittsburgh. Founded in 1907 and dedicated that same year (with a later dedication in 1953 after major work on the building), St. Irenaeus served as an independent parish in the Oakmont community for more than a century. In July 2020 it merged with neighboring parishes — St. John the Baptist (Pittsburgh), St. Joseph (Verona), and Our Lady of Joy (Pittsburgh) — to form Holy Family Parish under the Diocese's "On Mission for the Church Alive" initiative. Today St. Irenaeus Church continues as one of four worship sites of Holy Family Parish, hosting weekend, weekday, and Adoration services for parishioners across Oakmont, Plum, Verona, and Penn Hills.
- Established
- 1907
- Patron
- Saint Irenaeus of Lyon
- Rector
- Father Kevin Dominik
- Diocese
- Diocese of Pittsburgh
Why belong here
Saint Irenaeus offers a stable, well-established worship community with two Sunday Masses, multiple weekday Masses (Monday, Wednesday, and Friday), and weekly Eucharistic Adoration — all within a short walk for many Oakmont residents. As part of Holy Family Parish, the church shares vibrant ministries, a Catholic school (Holy Family Parish School), and a regular livestream schedule with parishioners across Oakmont, Plum, Verona, and Penn Hills. The parish's namesake, St. Irenaeus, a 2nd-century bishop and Doctor of the Church, gives the community a strong heritage of orthodox faith and catechesis.
Mass times at Saint Irenaeus
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Wednesday: 6:00 PM to 6:20 PM at St. Irenaeus Church
Adoration times
- Wednesdays at St. Irenaeus Church, prior to 6:30 PM Mass, starting at 5:30 PM
About Holy Family Parish and St. Irenaeus
With the Diocese of Pittsburgh's initiative of On Mission for the Church Alive, the parishes in Eastern Allegheny County merged on July 1, 2020 to form Holy Family Parish. The churches and schools of Oakmont, Plum, and Verona — encapsulating St. Irenaeus (STI), St. John the Baptist (SJB), St. Joseph (SJV), and Our Lady of Joy (OLOJ) — are all part of Holy Family Parish and School. The parish welcomes all who call this home and all visitors alike, including parishioners from neighboring Penn Hills and surrounding towns. The official Decree of Holy Family Parish and a letter from Bishop David Zubik are posted on the parish website.
- Decree of Holy Family Parish (corrected) — available on holyfamilypgh.org
- Letter from Bishop David Zubik to parishioners
- Holy Family Announcement Video by Father Kevin
Church Locations & Visiting
St. Irenaeus Church is located at 385 Maryland Avenue, Oakmont, PA 15139 (phone: 412-828-3065). It is one of four worship sites of Holy Family Parish, with sister churches in Pittsburgh (St. John the Baptist), Verona (St. Joseph), and the Plum/Oakmont border (Our Lady of Joy). Many Holy Family parishioners also live in parts of Penn Hills. Mass times, livestream links, and bulletin downloads are centralized on the holyfamilypgh.org website.
- St. Irenaeus Church — 385 Maryland Avenue, Oakmont, PA 15139
- St. John the Baptist Church — Pittsburgh
- St. Joseph Church — Verona
- Our Lady of Joy Church — Plum/Pittsburgh
Patron Saint: Irenaeus of Lyon
Saint Irenaeus (c. 130–202 AD) was Bishop of Lyon and is venerated as a Father of the Church and Doctor of the Church. A disciple of St. Polycarp of Smyrna — who was himself a disciple of St. John the Apostle — Irenaeus is best known for his great work 'Against Heresies,' which systematically refuted Gnosticism and defended the apostolic tradition. His memorial is celebrated on June 28 in the Roman Catholic calendar.
- Bishop of Lyon, 2nd century
- Disciple of St. Polycarp of Smyrna
- Doctor of the Church (declared 2022 by Pope Francis)
- Author of 'Against Heresies'
- Feast day: June 28
Holy Family Parish School
St. Irenaeus had long operated its own parish school, originally founded in 1926. After the 2020 merger, Holy Family Parish School now serves as the unified Catholic school for the four parish communities. The parish school continues to be an important part of parish life, offering faith formation, academics, and community for families in Oakmont, Plum, Verona, and the surrounding area.
- St. Irenaeus Catholic Elementary School opened 1926
- K-8 program closed at end of 2014-2015 school year under Fr. George Dalton
- Preschool and early childhood program continued after 2015
- Now part of unified Holy Family Parish School
Sacraments at St. Irenaeus
As part of Holy Family Parish, St. Irenaeus offers the full range of Catholic sacraments. Baptisms, weddings, Anointing of the Sick, First Communion, and Confirmation are coordinated through the parish office, with preparation programs offered at the parish level. The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) is offered for adults seeking to enter the Catholic Church or complete their sacraments of initiation. Confession is regularly scheduled (see above).
- Baptism
- First Holy Communion
- Confirmation
- Marriage preparation and weddings
- Anointing of the Sick
- Reconciliation (Confession)
- RCIA
Livestream and Online Presence
Holy Family Parish livestreams many of its Masses each week, including the Sunday 11:00 AM Mass from St. Irenaeus Church, the Saturday Vigil Mass from St. Joseph, the 7:30 AM Sunday Mass from Our Lady of Joy, and the 9:00 AM Sunday Mass from St. John the Baptist, as well as a rotating schedule of weekday morning Masses. The parish uses Flocknote for email/text communications and Adoration volunteer sign-ups, and maintains active Facebook, X (Twitter), and Instagram accounts under the Holy Family Parish name.
- Sunday 11:00 AM livestream from St. Irenaeus
- Weekday morning Mass livestreams (rotating)
- Flocknote email/text parish communication
- Facebook, X (Twitter), and Instagram channels
- Online bulletins via holyfamilypgh.org
Getting Involved
Parishioners are invited to participate in liturgical ministries (altar servers, lectors, Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, ushers), music ministry and choir, faith formation catechesis, RCIA teams, and the many volunteer roles supporting Adoration, the parish school, festivals, and outreach. The parish encourages families with young children to attend the monthly Family & Children's Holy Hour, and new parishioners are welcomed to register through the parish office.
- Liturgical ministries (servers, lectors, EMHCs, ushers)
- Music Ministry / Choir
- Faith Formation / Catechists
- RCIA team
- Adoration volunteers
- Parish school support and volunteer roles
- Parish registration via the parish office
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. George R. Dalton
Pastoral leader of St. Irenaeus in the 2010s; oversaw closure of St. Irenaeus School K-8 program at the end of the 2014-2015 school year