About Saint Matthias (St. Marcellus site) · Jefferson, Pennsylvania
Saint Matthias Parish is a Roman Catholic community serving the Catholics of Greene County, Pennsylvania, in the Diocese of Pittsburgh. It was created on July 1, 2019, through the On Mission for The Church Alive! initiative of Bishop David Zubik, which merged five former parishes — Saint Ann (Waynesburg), Saint Hugh (Carmichaels), Saint Ignatius of Antioch (Bobtown), Our Lady of Consolation (Crucible/Nemacolin/Rice's Landing), and Saint Thomas (Clarksville/Jefferson) — into one new parish named for the apostle Matthias. The St. Marcellus Church in Jefferson (1340 Jefferson Road) is one of four worship sites that continue to host Mass and the sacraments, alongside St. Ann, St. Hugh, and St. Ignatius. The parish describes itself as 'caring, healing, vibrant Catholic Eucharistic faith communities, who celebrate and promote the Divine Mercy of God through prayer and service,' proclaiming Christ 'yesterday, today, and forever' through liturgical, devotional, musical, and educational experiences.
- Established
- 2019
- Patron
- Saint Matthias (apostle, chosen to replace Judas Iscariot)
- Rector
- Rev. Thomas J. Lewandowski
- Diocese
- Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh
Why belong here
Saint Matthias Parish brings together the historic Catholic communities of Greene County into one family of four worship sites — including Saint Marcellus in Jefferson — with daily and weekend Mass in English, monthly Confession at the Jefferson site on the 4th Saturday, Eucharistic Adoration, the Rosary, the Divine Mercy Chaplet, and the Lay Apostles Prayer Group. The parish invests heavily in faith formation: CCD/Religious Education at every worship site, OCIA (formerly RCIA), the ChristLife series ('Sharing Christ' meets at St. Marcellus Church Hall), Vacation Bible School, Mission Trips, and Faith Night programs led by Deacon Barry Krofcheck. For families, students, returning Catholics, and anyone seeking the Divine Mercy of God, St. Matthias offers a place to belong in the heart of rural southwestern Pennsylvania.
Mass times at Saint Matthias (St. Marcellus site)
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 11:00 AM – 11:30 AM at St. Marcellus Church, Jefferson — 4th Saturday of the month (no Confessions on the 5th Saturday)
Adoration times
- Eucharistic Adoration: every Friday morning after the 9:00 AM Mass at St. Hugh Church, Carmichaels
About Saint Matthias Parish
Saint Matthias Parish is the Catholic community of Greene County, Pennsylvania, in the Diocese of Pittsburgh. Formed in 2019 from the merger of five historic Greene County parishes under Bishop Zubik's 'On Mission for The Church Alive!' initiative, it now serves four worship sites across the county while remaining one parish family. The parish's mission statement emphasizes being 'caring, healing, vibrant Catholic Eucharistic faith communities' that celebrate and promote the Divine Mercy of God through prayer and service, proclaiming Christ 'yesterday, today, and forever.'
- Formed July 1, 2019
- Diocese of Pittsburgh
- Mission: 'Jesus, We Trust In You' in ongoing bridge building and community making
- Online Mass livestreamed on the parish Facebook page
Worship Sites
The parish maintains four historic worship buildings across Greene County, each with its own Mass and Confession schedule. St. Marcellus Church in Jefferson (1340 Jefferson Road / Route 188) hosts Sunday Mass at 10:30 AM and Tuesday Mass at 9:00 AM, with Confession on the 4th Saturday of each month at 11:00 AM.
- St. Ann Church — 232 E. High Street, Waynesburg, PA 15370 — phone (724) 627-7568 (parish administrative center)
- St. Hugh Church — 408 S. Route 88, Carmichaels, PA 15320 — phone (724) 966-7270
- St. Ignatius of Antioch Church — 129 Franklin Ave., Bobtown, PA 15315 — phone (724) 839-7145
- St. Marcellus Church — 1340 Jefferson Road (Route 188), Jefferson, PA 15344
History & Formation
Saint Matthias Parish was created on July 1, 2019, as part of the Diocese of Pittsburgh's 'On Mission for The Church Alive!' reorganization. Bishop David A. Zubik announced the merger on May 18, 2019, after the five Greene County parishes had worked since October 2018 to build relationships. The new parish was named for the apostle Matthias, chosen by the early Christian community to replace Judas Iscariot (Acts 1:15–26). No church closures were announced with the merger; all four worship sites continue to host Mass and the sacraments.
- Merged parishes: Saint Ann (Waynesburg), Saint Hugh (Carmichaels), Saint Ignatius of Antioch (Bobtown), Our Lady of Consolation (Crucible/Nemacolin/Rice's Landing), Saint Thomas (Clarksville/Jefferson)
- Part of the larger diocesan plan to consolidate 188 parishes into 58 groupings
- Clergy team at launch: two priests and two deacons
Clergy & Staff
The parish is led by a pastoral team of two priests and three deacons, supported by site managers and CCD coordinators at each worship site.
- Rev. Thomas J. Lewandowski — Pastor (724-966-7270)
- Rev. J. Francis Frazer, MDiv. — Senior Parochial Vicar (724-627-7568)
- Deacon Barry Krofcheck — leads Faith Night Programs ([email protected])
- Deacon James M. Sheil, Ph.D.
- Deacon Bert Kuhns
- Toby Whipkey — Business Manager (St. Ann)
- Christine Zabrosky — Office Manager (St. Hugh)
- Melissa Kirsch — CCD Site Coordinator (St. Ann)
- Rachael Pratt — CCD Site Coordinator (St. Hugh / St. Matthias Faith Formation; [email protected])
- Jennifer Dickerson — CCD Site Coordinator (St. Ignatius; [email protected])
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Faith Formation (CCD) is offered at every worship site, with elementary and middle-school classes scheduled to fit each site's Mass and family rhythms. The parish also runs the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA) for adults exploring the Catholic faith, the ChristLife series (Discovering Christ, Following Christ, Sharing Christ), Vacation Bible School, and an annual Living Nativity event.
- St. Ignatius CCD — Sundays 10:00–11:15 AM (Grades 1–8)
- St. Hugh Elementary CCD — Mondays 4:30–5:45 PM (Grades 1–5)
- St. Hugh Middle School CCD — Sundays after 9:30 AM Mass (Grades 6–8)
- St. Ann CCD — registration required; classes begin after CCD kickoff
- OCIA — fall inquiry period; sessions at St. Marcellus Church Hall (contact Fr. Francis Frazer, 724-627-7568)
- Sharing Christ — Thursdays (Sept 18 – Oct 23), 6:00–8:45 PM at St. Marcellus Church Hall; retreat Saturday Oct 25, 9 AM – 3 PM at St. Marcellus Social Hall
- Living Nativity — Sunday Dec 21, 2025, at St. Hugh (volunteers from all four churches)
- Vacation Bible School (registration open)
- Faith Night Programs with Deacon Barry Krofcheck (Bible Study, Catechism, Liturgy, Q&A night with clergy)
Prayer, Devotions & Music
The parish's devotional life is built around the Divine Mercy of God and Eucharistic adoration. The Lay Apostles Prayer Group meets the first Sunday of each month at 5:45 PM at St. Hugh Church for Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, the monthly Lay Apostles message, the Luminous Rosary, and group discussion. The Rosary is prayed before Monday Mass at St. Hugh (8:20 AM), followed by the Divine Mercy Chaplet after Mass. The Music Ministry is currently raising funds to purchase new hymnals through the parish Hymnal Gift Program.
- Lay Apostles Prayer Group — 1st Sunday of each month, 5:45 PM, St. Hugh Church
- Rosary before Mass at St. Hugh (Mondays, 8:20 AM)
- Divine Mercy Chaplet after Monday Mass at St. Hugh (9:30 AM)
- Eucharistic Adoration — Fridays after 9:00 AM Mass, St. Hugh Church
- Music Ministry — Hymnal Gift Program (new hymnals)
- Livestreamed / recorded Masses on the parish Facebook page
Sacraments
The parish celebrates all seven Catholic sacraments. Baptisms are scheduled by appointment, with a pre-baptism class required for parents. Marriage preparation follows Diocesan guidelines and begins with a call to the pastor. The Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA) welcomes new Catholics and those returning to the faith.
- Baptism — by appointment; pre-baptism class required; sponsors must be fully initiated practicing Catholics age 16 or older
- Matrimony — Diocesan preparation required; contact the pastor or parish office
- First Eucharist and Confirmation — through CCD/Religious Education
- Anointing of the Sick — contact the parish office; emergency line Fr. Tom 724-966-7270 or Fr. Francis 724-627-7568
- OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults) — fall inquiry, sessions at St. Marcellus Church Hall
Outreach, Service & Mission
Beyond sacramental life, the parish carries out a ChristLife mission trip each year, giving parishioners the chance to live as missionaries and serve the Gospel in hands-on ways. The CCD program supports its work through a free-will collection on Catechetical Sunday. The parish also maintains a parish-wide prayer list, including military members serving around the world.
- Annual Mission Trip (parish-wide, all ages)
- Catechetical Sunday free-will collection (Sept 20–21) supports CCD programs
- Parish Prayer Requests for military and sick members
- Sharing Christ retreat (October) — St. Marcellus Social Hall
Parish Offices & Contact
The parish's administrative center is at St. Ann Church, 232 East High Street, Waynesburg, PA 15370. Office hours are maintained at both St. Ann and St. Hugh so parishioners across Greene County can reach staff in person. Site phone numbers and emails are listed on the parish website and in the weekly bulletin.
- St. Ann Office, Waynesburg — Mon & Wed 8:00 AM – 3:00 PM — (724) 627-7568 — [email protected]
- St. Hugh Office, Carmichaels — Mon & Wed 9:30 AM – 3:30 PM — (724) 966-7270 — [email protected]
- St. Ignatius Office — (724) 839-7145 — [email protected]
- Parish emergency line — Fr. Tom 724-966-7270 or Fr. Francis 724-627-7568
- Website: stmatthiasgreene.org