About Saint Joseph- Saint Francis of Assisi Parish · Cabot, Pennsylvania
Saint Joseph–Saint Francis of Assisi Parish is a Roman Catholic parish in Cabot, Butler County, Pennsylvania, in the Diocese of Pittsburgh. It is one worship site of the larger Saint Francis of Assisi Parish, which was formed in 2021 when St. Joseph Parish of Cabot, St. John Parish of Coylesville, and St. Mary of the Assumption Parish of Herman were merged into a single Roman-Latin rite parish (Rite of Pittsburgh, the Diocese of Pittsburgh uses the English adaptation of the Roman Missal). The parish serves worshippers across northern Butler County from its church on Stoney Hollow Road. Effective July 1, 2026, the parish is being consolidated once again into the newly established Saints Francis and Clare Parish, which combines it with neighboring Saint Clare of Assisi Parish communities.
- Established
- 1904
- Patron
- Saint Joseph; Saint Francis of Assisi (parish patron of the merged entity)
- Rector
- Rev. Matthew R. McClain (pastor of Saint Francis of Assisi Parish effective through June 30, 2026; designated first pastor of newly established Saints Francis and Clare Parish effective July 1, 2026, for a six-year term).
- Diocese
- Diocese of Pittsburgh
Why belong here
Saint Joseph–Saint Francis of Assisi Parish offers Catholics in rural northern Butler County a tight-knit, multi-site faith community with daily and weekend Masses celebrated in the Roman-Latin rite, traditional devotions including Saturday confession, and a pastoral team that includes Capuchin Franciscan priests. The parish combines the heritage of multiple historic congregations — St. Joseph in Cabot, St. John the Evangelist in Coylesville, St. Mary of the Assumption in Herman, and St. Mary in West Winfield — allowing families to worship at the church nearest them. Whether you attend the Saturday vigil at Cabot or join one of the multiple Sunday Masses spread across the four worship sites, you will find a welcoming Catholic community grounded in more than a century of local faith.
Mass times at Saint Joseph- Saint Francis of Assisi Parish
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday: 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM (per third-party parish listings)
About the Parish
Saint Joseph–Saint Francis of Assisi Parish is the Cabot worship site of the Saint Francis of Assisi Parish, a Roman Catholic community in the Diocese of Pittsburgh, Butler County, Pennsylvania. The parish was formed in 2021 by merging St. Joseph of Cabot, St. John the Evangelist of Coylesville, and St. Mary of the Assumption of Herman into a single parish stretching across northern Butler County. Its mission is to serve the spiritual needs of rural Catholic families through the celebration of the Roman-Latin rite, the sacraments, and ongoing pastoral care. Effective July 1, 2026, the parish will be combined again with the neighboring Saint Clare of Assisi Parish to form the larger Saints Francis and Clare Parish.
- Four worship sites: St. Joseph (Cabot), St. John the Evangelist (Coylesville), St. Mary of the Assumption (Herman), and a previously closed mission at West Winfield.
- Parish office contact: [email protected].
History of the Cabot Worship Site
The St. Joseph church in Cabot is the historic heart of this Catholic community. According to GCatholic's records for the Diocese of Pittsburgh, the church was founded in 1904 and dedicated on May 31, 1905; it was rededicated on August 27, 1978. For generations, the parish ministered to farming and mining families across Jefferson Township and the surrounding Cabot–Winfield area. In 2021 the parish was merged with neighboring Catholic congregations into Saint Francis of Assisi Parish, with St. Joseph retained as one of the active worship sites.
- Founded: 1904
- Original dedication: May 31, 1905
- Rededication: August 27, 1978
- Merged into Saint Francis of Assisi Parish: January 4, 2021
2021 Merger and 'Disciples in Mission'
On January 4, 2021, the Diocese of Pittsburgh merged St. Joseph of Cabot, St. John the Evangelist of Coylesville, and St. Mary of the Assumption of Herman into the newly created Saint Francis of Assisi Parish. The merger was part of the diocese's broader 'Disciples in Mission' pastoral planning initiative, which reorganized parish boundaries to match priest availability and demographic shifts across the region. The merged parish retained all four worship sites — including the historic mission church of St. Mary in West Winfield (1901–1971) — and consolidated clergy and staff into a single pastoral team.
- Diocese of Pittsburgh — Bishop David A. Zubik (then bishop)
- Merger effective: January 4, 2021
Pastoral Staff and Clergy
Saint Francis of Assisi Parish is led by Pastor Rev. Matthew R. McClain. He is assisted by Capuchin Franciscan parochial vicars and a permanent deacon. The May 22, 2026 clergy announcement from Bishop Mark A. Eckman set out a transition: Father McClain will become the first pastor of the newly established Saints Francis and Clare Parish (effective July 1, 2026, for a six-year term), while continuing to lead the Cabot / Coylesville / North Oakland worship sites. Capuchin priests assigned to this parish community come from the Province of Saint Augustine of the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin.
- Pastor: Rev. Matthew R. McClain (ordained 2002; Saint Vincent Seminary)
- Senior Parochial Vicar: Rev. Alan E. Morris, OFM Cap (reassigned to Our Lady of the Valley Parish)
- Parochial Vicars: Rev. James Kurtz, OFM Cap; Rev. Ward Stakem, OFM Cap
- Permanent Deacon: Deacon Bruce D. Beaver, Ph.D.
Capuchin Franciscan Heritage
Several of the churches now gathered into Saint Francis of Assisi Parish — including St. Mary of the Assumption in Herman and the closed mission in West Winfield — have been served for generations by the Capuchin Franciscan Friars of the Province of Saint Augustine. Today that Capuchin presence continues at Saint Francis of Assisi Parish through assigned parochial vicars Rev. James Kurtz, OFM Cap, and Rev. Ward Stakem, OFM Cap. The Franciscan charism of simplicity, preaching, and care for the poor remains a distinctive spiritual mark of this Catholic community.
- Order of Friars Minor Capuchin — Province of Saint Augustine
- Long Capuchin pastoral history at Herman and Cabot area parishes
Visit and Contact
Parishioners and visitors can reach the Saint Francis of Assisi Parish office at the St. Joseph church in Cabot. The parish uses a single email mailbox ([email protected]) for inquiries across all worship sites. The parish website is saintfrancisparish.net.
- Address: 315 Stoney Hollow Road, Cabot, PA 16023
- Phone: (724) 352-2149
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: http://www.saintfrancisparish.net/
Looking Ahead: Saints Francis and Clare Parish (2026)
On May 22, 2026, Bishop Mark A. Eckman announced that Saint Francis of Assisi Parish (Cabot/Coylesville/North Oakland) and Saint Clare of Assisi Parish (Carbon Center/Chicora/Herman) will be consolidated effective July 1, 2026 into the newly established Saints Francis and Clare Parish, serving Cabot, Carbon Center, Chicora, Coylesville, Herman, and North Oakland. Rev. Matthew R. McClain has been appointed pastor for a six-year term, with Rev. James Kurtz, OFM Cap, Rev. Ward Stakem, OFM Cap, and (effective after ordination) Rev. Matthew S. Selzer serving as parochial vicars. Deacon Bruce D. Beaver, Ph.D., will continue in his ministry of Word and Sacrament. The 2026 merger continues the Diocese of Pittsburgh's restructuring begun in the 'Disciples in Mission' plan.
- Effective date: July 1, 2026
- New parish name: Saints Francis and Clare Parish
- First pastor: Rev. Matthew R. McClain (six-year term)
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Matthew R. McClaindesignated first pastor of newly established Saints Francis and Clare Parish effective July 1, 2026 (six-year term)
Ordained 2002; Castle Shannon native; previously pastor of Saint Clare of Assisi Parish and Saint Francis of Assisi Parish.