About Saint Kilian Church - Saint Mark the Evangelist Parish · Cranberry, Pennsylvania
Saint Mark the Evangelist Parish, headquartered at the former Saint Kilian Church campus in Cranberry Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania, is a Roman Catholic parish of the Diocese of Pittsburgh formed on July 1, 2023 through the merger of Saint Kilian Parish (Cranberry/Adams Townships) and Holy Sepulcher Parish (Glade Mills). Both worship sites remain open. With more than 13,000 parishioners, it is one of the largest parishes in the diocese and is home to Saint Kilian Catholic School, the largest Catholic primary school in the Diocese of Pittsburgh. The parish is served by a pastor, a parochial vicar, two deacons, and a full faith-formation staff, and offers daily and weekend Masses at two campuses, regular Eucharistic Adoration, and a wide range of ministries for families, youth, and adults.
- Established
- 1917
- Patron
- Saint Mark the Evangelist (parish patron); Saint Kilian (historic patron of the Cranberry campus)
- Rector
- Rev. Charles S. Bober, STD
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh
Why belong here
Saint Mark the Evangelist Parish offers one of the most active Catholic communities in the Diocese of Pittsburgh: two worship sites (Saint Kilian Church in Cranberry Township and Holy Sepulcher Church in Glade Mills), seven or more weekend Masses including an American Sign Language Mass on the second Sunday of the month, daily weekday Masses, regular Eucharistic Adoration, and a robust confession schedule. Parishioners benefit from Saint Kilian Catholic School — the largest Catholic primary school in the diocese — an extensive Faith Formation program for K–8 and adults (including RCIA/OCIA, That Man Is You!, Walking With Purpose, and a Wednesday women's Bible study), lively fellowship (book club, Christian Family Movement, Baking Ministry, Comfort Blanket Quilt Ministry, weekly Fellowship Dinners with free blood-pressure checks), and a strong pro-life and Health & Wellness outreach.
Mass times at Saint Kilian Church - Saint Mark the Evangelist Parish
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Wednesday: 6:00 PM – 6:30 PM
- Saturday: 3:00 PM – 3:30 PM
Adoration times
- Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament (regular weekly schedule; see parish calendar at saintmark.org for current dates and times)
- Adoration and Dinner evenings — no registration required, watch bulletin for dates
Parish History & the 2023 Merger
Saint Mark the Evangelist Parish was canonically established on July 1, 2023 by Bishop David Zubik, uniting Saint Kilian Parish of Cranberry/Adams Townships and Holy Sepulcher Parish of Glade Mills under a single clergy team. Both church buildings remain open and active worship sites. The merger was the local fruit of *On Mission for The Church Alive!*, Bishop Zubik's 2015 strategic-planning initiative responding to declining Mass attendance and a shrinking priest population in the Diocese of Pittsburgh. After consultation, the two parishes were grouped under one clergy team in 2018 and formally merged five years later, with Rev. Charles S. Bober, STD installed as the first pastor.
- Merger effective: July 1, 2023
- Initiative: On Mission for The Church Alive! (announced April 12, 2015)
- First pastor of the merged parish: Rev. Charles S. Bober, STD
- Grouped under one clergy team: 2018
- Diocese: Roman Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh
Saint Kilian Parish — A Century of Service (1917–2023)
Saint Kilian began as a mission church in the Mars and Adams Township area: 85 members gathered for the first Mass on March 18, 1917. In 1920 the congregation purchased a former Free Methodist Church — remodeled and rebuilt after a 1934 fire — that served the parish for decades. Growth was steady (fewer than 500 in 1953; about 1,500 in 1973; more than 7,000 in 2003) and then explosive after Bishop Donald Wuerl redrew parish boundaries in 2001, adding more than 1,400 families from Cranberry's booming suburbs.
- First Mass: March 18, 1917 (85 members)
- Former Free Methodist Church purchased and remodeled: 1920
- Church rebuilt after fire: 1934
- Boundary reconfiguration by Bishop Wuerl: 2001 (added 1,400+ families)
- Saint Kilian Catholic School opens: 2007–2008
- New $11 million church dedicated: September 25, 2016 (Bishop Zubik)
- Centennial celebrated: 2017
Our Clergy & Staff
The parish is led by Pastor Rev. Charles S. Bober, STD, with Rev. David C. Schmidt serving as Parochial Vicar. Two deacons — Deacon Ralph W. Bachner, Jr. (also Director of Evangelization) and Deacon Douglas K. Nelson — round out the clergy team. The Faith Formation office is staffed by Director Mary French, Associate Director Jo Scheller (Holy Sepulcher campus), Coordinator Laura Clouser (Saint Kilian campus), and Assistant Rosey Natale.
- Rev. Charles S. Bober, STD — Pastor
- Rev. David C. Schmidt — Parochial Vicar
- Deacon Ralph W. Bachner, Jr. — Director of Evangelization
- Deacon Douglas K. Nelson
- Mary French — Director of Faith Formation (x2122)
- Jo Scheller — Associate Director (Holy Sepulcher)
- Laura Clouser — Coordinator (Saint Kilian)
- Rosey Natale — Faith Formation Assistant
Saint Kilian Catholic School
Founded in 2007 and housed in the parish center, Saint Kilian Catholic School is the largest Catholic primary school in the Diocese of Pittsburgh, serving children from Three-Year-Old Preschool through Eighth Grade. As an active ministry of Saint Mark the Evangelist Parish, it exists to impart and promote the Catholic faith to future generations and to provide a premier Catholic academic setting where students and families integrate Gospel values into daily living.
- Founded: 2007 (opened as pre-K for 2007–08 school year)
- Grades served: Pre-K 3 through Grade 8
- Distinctive: first new Catholic grade school built in the Diocese of Pittsburgh in 45 years
- Location: 7076 Franklin Road, Cranberry Township, PA 16066
- Contact: [email protected] / 724-625-1665
Faith Formation & Sacramental Preparation
Faith Formation at Saint Mark is a lifelong journey from kindergarten through adulthood. Children not enrolled in a Catholic school register for Faith Formation classes from 1st grade through Confirmation. Programs include a traditional K–8 classroom track, a homeschool track, a middle-school summer program, the Forward Program, Vacation Bible School, the Totally Catholic Learning Portal, Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, and a Special Needs Program. Sacraments of First Reconciliation, First Eucharist (Grade 2) and Confirmation (Grade 8, typically celebrated in Spring) are prepared for within these programs. Adults seeking to become Catholic participate in OCIA/RCIA; adults seeking Confirmation contact Deacon Ralph Bachner.
- K–8 Traditional Program (both campuses)
- Homeschool & Summer Programs
- Forward Program, Vacation Bible School
- Catechesis of the Good Shepherd
- Special Needs Program & Learning Portal
- OCIA/RCIA for adults
- That Man Is You! — Men's program
- Walking With Purpose — Women's Bible Study
Fellowship & Parish Groups
The parish hosts an unusually wide range of fellowship and small-group ministries designed to help parishioners connect, serve and grow together. Highlights include weekly Fellowship Dinners (with free blood-pressure checks and home-baked desserts from the Baking Ministry), the Comfort Blanket Quilt Ministry, a parish book club, the Christian Family Movement, Catholic Men's Fellowship, two women's Bible studies, and the parish's pro-life Take a Stand ministry.
- Fellowship Dinners (weekly, with blood-pressure checks)
- Saint Kilian Baking Ministry — contact Kristen Turner (901-581-2776)
- Comfort Blanket Quilt Ministry (founded 2006 in memory of Michelle Baehr)
- Parish Book Club — Tuesdays 7:00 PM, Meeting Room C
- Christian Family Movement (CFM) — small groups in homes
- Catholic Men's Fellowship — Thursdays 6:30–7:30 PM, Meeting Room D
- Walking With Purpose & Wednesday Morning Women's Bible Study
- Take a Stand — pro-life (March for Life, prayer vigils, Life Chain)
- Health & Wellness Ministry
- GriefShare
Contact, Location & Office Hours
The parish Administrative Center and Saint Kilian Church share the 32-acre campus at 7076 Franklin Road, Cranberry Township, PA 16066 (near Franklin Road and Route 228). The second worship site, Holy Sepulcher Church, is at 1304 East Cruikshank Road, Butler, PA 16002. Parish offices are open Monday–Friday 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM and closed on weekends. Phone 724-625-1665; email [email protected]. New parishioners can register online via the 'Join Our Parish' form linked from the Contact Us page.
- Saint Kilian Campus: 7076 Franklin Road, Cranberry Township, PA 16066
- Holy Sepulcher Campus: 1304 East Cruikshank Road, Butler, PA 16002
- Phone: 724-625-1665
- Email: [email protected]
- Office hours: Mon–Fri 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM
- Online registration available via saintmark.org
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Charles S. Bober, STDlongtime pastor of Saint Kilian Parish; appointed first pastor of Saint Mark the Evangelist Parish on July 1, 2023
Led the Saint Kilian capital campaign, groundbreaking (2015) and dedication (2016) of the new church, and requested the merger with Holy Sepulcher.