About Saint Mary Church - Divine Redeemer Parish · Sewickley, Pennsylvania
Saint Mary Church is one of two worship sites that make up Divine Redeemer Parish, a Roman Catholic community serving Sewickley, Aleppo Township, and the surrounding Quaker Valley area of Allegheny County in the Diocese of Pittsburgh. Located at 444 Glenfield Road in Sewickley (in the Aleppo Township neighborhood of Glenfield), Saint Mary has roots that stretch back to 1853, making it one of the older Catholic congregations in the Sewickley Valley. It shares a clergy team and parish life with Saint James Church in downtown Sewickley; the two parishes were formally merged on January 6, 2020, under Bishop David Zubik's 'On Mission for The Church Alive!' initiative, but both historic church buildings remain open and active for worship.
- Established
- 1853
- Patron
- The Blessed Virgin Mary (Saint Mary)
- Rector
- Rev. Brian W. Noel, STL
- Diocese
- Diocese of Pittsburgh
Why belong here
Saint Mary Church offers a welcoming neighborhood Catholic community with the intimacy of a smaller parish and the resources of a merged two-campus parish. Worshippers can take part in a vibrant Music Ministry that includes the Saint Mary Schola (the Sunday 9:30 AM adult choir), a Handbell Choir, a Children's Choir for grades 3–8, and a Cantor program; families can enroll children in the parish's faith-formation programs and Saint James School; high-school teens can join the 'Amicis' youth group; and the parish reaches out locally through its St. Vincent de Paul conference and the 'Blessings in a Backpack' program that supplies school supplies to children in the Quaker Valley, Coraopolis, and Neville Island area.
Mass times at Saint Mary Church - Divine Redeemer Parish
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 4:00 PM (or by appointment)
About Saint Mary Church
Saint Mary Church is the Aleppo Township / Glenfield worship site of Divine Redeemer Parish in the Diocese of Pittsburgh. Tucked into 444 Glenfield Road in the Glenfield neighborhood of Sewickley, PA, the parish has served local Catholics since 1853 and was dedicated on August 15, 1854. Since the January 6, 2020 merger that created Divine Redeemer Parish, Saint Mary shares its clergy and ministries with Saint James Church in Sewickley borough, while continuing to host its own weekend and weekday Mass schedule.
- Founded 1853; dedicated August 15, 1854; rededicated May 5, 1907
- Part of Divine Redeemer Parish (Diocese of Pittsburgh) since January 6, 2020
- Worship site at 444 Glenfield Road, Sewickley (Aleppo Township / Glenfield)
History of the Parish
Saint Mary's roots run to 1853, when Catholic families in the rural Aleppo Township area outside Sewickley organized their own parish. The first church was dedicated on August 15, 1854 — the Feast of the Assumption — and was rededicated on May 5, 1907, after what was likely a major rebuilding campaign that produced the present-day church. For more than 160 years the parish has served as a neighborhood Catholic presence in the Sewickley Valley. In 2015, Bishop David Zubik launched 'On Mission for The Church Alive!,' a consultative strategic-planning process across the Diocese of Pittsburgh to address falling Mass attendance and a shrinking pool of priests. In 2018 the parishes of St. James (Sewickley) and St. Mary (Aleppo Township) were paired under one clergy team. On January 6, 2020, the two parishes were formally merged into Divine Redeemer Parish. Both historic church buildings have remained open for worship.
- 1853 — parish founded
- August 15, 1854 — first church dedicated (Feast of the Assumption)
- May 5, 1907 — church rededicated
- April 12, 2015 — Bishop Zubik announces 'On Mission for The Church Alive!'
- 2018 — St. James and St. Mary grouped under one clergy team
- January 6, 2020 — parishes merged to form Divine Redeemer Parish
Clergy and Staff
Divine Redeemer Parish is led by a Pastor, a Senior Parochial Vicar, and a team of three deacons who together serve both worship sites — Saint James in Sewickley borough and Saint Mary in Aleppo Township. The Music Ministry is staffed by a Director of Music and Liturgy, an Associate Director of Music, and a Director of the Handbell and Children's Choirs.
- Rev. Brian W. Noel, STL — Pastor
- Rev. David J. Jastrab, MDiv — Senior Parochial Vicar
- Deacon Jason Corsetti
- Deacon Stephen M. Deskevich
- Deacon Thomas A. Lopus — Deacon in Support of Marriage Ministries
- Louis Valenzi — Director of Music and Liturgy / Director of Parish Communications
- Samuel Olawoyin — Associate Director of Music
- Luke Ponce — Director of Handbell Choir and Children's Choir
Music and Liturgy
The Music Ministry of Divine Redeemer Parish spans both worship sites and welcomes musicians of all ages and skill levels. Two adult choral ensembles — the Saint James Choir and the Saint Mary Schola — share a common repertoire and sing separately at weekend liturgies, sometimes joining for special events. Cantors are trained and work toward a Basic Cantor's Certificate from the National Association of Pastoral Musicians (NPM).
- Saint Mary Schola — sings at the 9:30 AM Sunday Mass at Saint Mary; rehearses 8:00–9:15 AM before Mass
- Saint James Choir — sings at the 11:00 AM Sunday Mass at Saint James; rehearses Thursday evenings 7:00–8:30 PM
- Cantors — required workshop and NPM Basic Cantor's Certificate path
- Handbell Choir — plays at Christmas, Easter, Pentecost, and Confirmation; rehearses Wednesdays 7:00–8:30 PM at Saint James
- Children's Choir — grades 3–8, sings at 11 AM Saint James, 5 PM Saint Mary, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, and the parish Christmas concert
- Instrumentalists — volunteer instrumentalists welcomed for liturgical playing
Youth Ministry — Amicis
'Amicis' (Latin for 'friends') is Divine Redeemer Parish's high-school youth group for students entering grades 9 through 12. The group meets Wednesday evenings from 6:00 to 8:00 PM, September through May, in the Youth Room at Saint James. Meetings include a shared meal, hanging out, faith sharing, and activities such as sports, campfires, retreats, and outings (including Kennywood amusement park). Formal registration is not required.
- Grades 9–12
- Wednesdays 6:00–8:00 PM, September–May
- Location: Youth Room at Saint James Church
- Activities: shared meals, retreats, sports, campfires, Kennywood trips, video games
Outreach and Charity
The parish carries on the work of Catholic social teaching through its own Society of St. Vincent de Paul conference and through targeted local initiatives such as 'Blessings in a Backpack,' which supplied 12 families (36 children) with new backpacks and school supplies in its first year. The St. Vincent de Paul conference assists families in the Quaker Valley, Coraopolis, and Neville Island areas.
- Divine Redeemer Conference of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul
- 'Blessings in a Backpack' — annual school-supply drive
- Outreach to Quaker Valley, Coraopolis, and Neville Island communities
- Saint James School partnership (provides books for children)
Marriage and Family Ministries
Marriage preparation and support is a particular focus of the parish, supported by Deacon Thomas A. Lopus in his role as Deacon in Support of Marriage Ministries. Couples preparing for marriage at Divine Redeemer should contact the parish office to begin preparation.
- Deacon Thomas A. Lopus — Deacon in Support of Marriage Ministries
- Contact the parish office to begin marriage preparation
Visiting Saint Mary Church
Saint Mary Church is located in the Glenfield neighborhood of Aleppo Township, just outside Sewickley borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. The parish administrative center and the other worship site — Saint James Church — are a short drive away at 200 Walnut Street, Sewickley, PA 15143. The parish office phone (412-741-6650) and email ([email protected]) reach the entire merged parish, including Saint Mary.
- Saint Mary Church — 444 Glenfield Road, Sewickley, PA 15143
- Parish Administrative Center (Saint James) — 200 Walnut Street, Sewickley, PA 15143
- Office phone: 412-741-6650
- Saint Mary line: 412-741-6460
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: https://www.divine-redeemer.org/st-marys-church