About Saint Peter - Christ Our Savior Parish · Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Saint Peter – Christ Our Savior Parish is a Roman Catholic parish in the North Side neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in the Diocese of Pittsburgh. It is the administrative center of Christ Our Savior Parish, a 2019 grouping of three historic North Side worship sites: Saint Peter Church (720 Arch Street), Saint Boniface Church (2208 East Street), and Saint Cyril of Alexandria Church (3854 Brighton Road). The parish is pastored by Rev. Michael A. Caridi with Senior Parochial Vicar Rev. Dam D. Nguyen, and serves a diverse urban community through Mass, confession, faith formation, the SVDP Food Bank, and a remarkable Senior Meal Ministry that has delivered more than 8,300 meals to North Side seniors since 2019.
- Established
- 1850
- Patron
- Saint Peter (Apostle)
- Rector
- Rev. Michael A. Caridi
- Diocese
- Diocese of Pittsburgh
Why belong here
Christ Our Savior Parish welcomes anyone seeking Mass on the historic North Side of Pittsburgh, with three worship sites, daily Mass at St. Cyril and Wednesday/Friday Mass at St. Peter, plus Saturday confessions. Active parishioners can join the St. Vincent de Paul Food Bank, the Senior Meal Ministry (which has delivered over 8,300 meals to local seniors since 2019), Ladies of Charity, liturgical ministries (lectors, Eucharistic ministers, choir, altar servers, sacristans, ushers/greeters), and lifelong faith formation including CCD and OCIA for adults entering the Church.
Mass times at Saint Peter - Christ Our Savior Parish
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturdays 9:30 – 10:00 AM at St. Cyril of Alexandria Church (3854 Brighton Road)
About Christ Our Savior Parish
Christ Our Savior Parish is the unified Catholic community serving the North Side of Pittsburgh and surrounding neighborhoods. Formed in 2019, it brings together three historic worship sites — Saint Peter Church, Saint Boniface Church, and Saint Cyril of Alexandria Church — under a single pastoral team. The parish office and St. Peter Church share the address 720 Arch Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15212, in the heart of Allegheny Center.
- Saint Peter Church — 720 Arch Street, North Side (parish office)
- Saint Boniface Church — 2208 East Street, North Side
- Saint Cyril of Alexandria Church — 3854 Brighton Road, Brighton Heights
- Administrative center: 720 Arch Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15212
History of St. Peter Parish
Founded in 1850 for Pittsburgh's North Side Irish community, St. Peter grew out of the congregation that had been crossing the Allegheny River to St. Paul Cathedral. The current Gothic Revival church was designed by architect Andrew Peebles and dedicated July 5, 1874. It briefly served as the pro-Cathedral of the Diocese of Allegheny (1876–1877), survived an 1886 fire by being rebuilt to Peebles' original plans, and remained a Catholic presence through the North Side's 20th-century decline.
- 1848 — parish meeting held to plan a new church
- 1850 — first church dedicated April 21, 1850
- 1871–1874 — present Gothic Revival church built (architect Andrew Peebles)
- 1876–1877 — served as pro-Cathedral of the Diocese of Allegheny
- 1886 — fire guts the building on November 19; rebuilt to original plans
- 1888 — rededicated April 28, 1888
- 1993 — merged with Our Lady Queen of Peace; name St. Peter retained
- 2019 — grouped with St. Boniface and St. Cyril of Alexandria as Christ Our Savior Parish
Clergy & Staff
Christ Our Savior Parish is led by a small, dedicated clergy team serving all three worship sites. The parish office at 720 Arch Street is staffed Monday through Friday; the Safe Environment coordinator is Teresa Flaherty ([email protected]).
- Rev. Michael A. Caridi — Pastor
- Rev. Dam D. Nguyen, MDiv — Senior Parochial Vicar
- Fr. Lawrence DiNardo — In Residence
- Deacon Michael Fekete — Pastoral Associate
Liturgical Ministries
Parishioners are invited to participate directly in the liturgies celebrated across the three churches. No prior music reading is required to join the choir, and many of these ministries are open to families and adults of all ages.
- Altar Servers (children and adults)
- Sacristans
- Choir
- Ushers/Greeters
- Lectors
- Eucharistic Ministers
Faith Formation & Religious Education
The parish supports lifelong faith formation for parishioners of every age, from school-age children attending public schools to adults preparing to enter the Catholic Church. Programs are coordinated through the Faith Formation team and often include clergy participation.
- CCD — faith formation for public-school children
- OCIA — Order of Christian Initiation of Adults
- Bible Study — periodic opportunities to study Scripture with clergy
Outreach & Charity
Christ Our Savior Parish runs a robust charitable outreach program centered on food security, senior care, and ecumenical partnership with other North Side churches and Northside Common Ministries. The SVDP Food Bank serves Spring Hill and North Side residents; the Senior Meal Ministry delivers holiday meals to homebound seniors; and the Pleasant Valley Breakfast Ministry helps feed those in need.
- Parish Food Bank — 2nd Monday of each month, 3:30–4:30 PM (St. Cyril garage)
- St. Vincent de Paul Society — 'Spark of Hope' food distribution
- Pleasant Valley Breakfast Ministry — monthly hot breakfast (teens & families) and monthly lunch (Ladies of Charity)
- Senior Meal Ministry — 8,300+ holiday meals delivered since 2019
- Bereavement Ministry — compassionate support for the grieving
- Ladies of Charity
- Community and Diversity Committee — works with other Northside Christian churches
Parish Life & Fellowship
Beyond worship and service, Christ Our Savior Parish offers a range of opportunities for parishioners to build community, share their faith, and support parish life. The Pastoral Council and Finance Council provide governance, while social and spiritual groups meet regularly across all three worship sites.
- Faith in Fellowship — shared-experience gatherings
- Damascus Diner — men's Saturday breakfast faith-sharing group
- Senior Ministry — meals, cards, and calls to homebound parishioners
- Fundraising Committee — parish events and community building
- Pastoral Council
- Finance Council
Sacraments
Information on receiving the sacraments is available through the parish office at 720 Arch Street. The parish explicitly notes that proof of residency in the parish is required for some services such as the Food Bank, and asks visitors to call ahead for baptism and marriage preparation.
- Baptism — contact parish office
- Marriage — contact parish office
- Confession — Saturdays 9:30–10:00 AM at St. Cyril Church
- Eucharist — daily and Sunday Masses at three sites
- OCIA — adult initiation process
Parish Pastoral Plan 2026–2029
The Pastoral and Strategic Plan, produced after prayerful discernment by the Pastoral Council and parish leadership, defines four pastoral priorities for Christ Our Savior Parish: reverent and unified worship, forming a parish community united under Christ the King, forming disciples who live under the Lordship of Christ, and stewarding the parish's facilities and finances. The plan emphasizes strengthening liturgy across all three churches, expanding access to Confession and Eucharistic Adoration, lifelong formation, partnership with St. Cyril of Alexandria Academy, and right-sizing parish facilities.
- Goal 1 — Proclaim Christ's Kingship through Reverent and Unified Worship
- Goal 2 — Form a Parish Community United under Christ the King
- Goal 3 — Form Disciples Who Live under the Lordship of Christ
- Goal 4 — Steward Christ's Church with Faith, Prudence, and Hope
Visiting & Contact
St. Peter Church sits in Allegheny Center on the North Side of Pittsburgh, near the intersection of Ridge Avenue and Arch Street. The parish office at the same address is open Monday–Thursday 8:00 AM–12:00 PM and 1:00–4:00 PM, and Friday 8:00 AM–12:00 PM.
- Address: 720 Arch Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15212
- Phone: 412-761-1552
- Fax: 412-415-0707
- Email: [email protected]
- Office hours: Mon–Thu 8:00 AM–12:00 PM and 1:00–4:00 PM; Fri 8:00 AM–12:00 PM