About Saint Pius X (St. Teresa of Kolkata Parish) · Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Saint Teresa of Kolkata Parish is a Roman Catholic faith community in the Beechview and Brookline neighborhoods of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Formed on July 1, 2019 by decree of Bishop David A. Zubik, it is a multi-site parish that celebrates the Eucharist at three churches: St. Catherine of Siena (Beechview, the main office), Church of the Resurrection (Brookline), and St. Pius X (Brookline). The parish welcomes English, Spanish, and Portuguese-speaking communities — with a weekly Spanish Mass at St. Catherine of Siena and a Portuguese Mass on the 2nd and 4th Sundays of the month. Outreach is a major part of parish life, including the St. Vincent de Paul Society, Ladies of Charity, two food pantries, Teresa's Table meals, the Wednesday Night Table at a Brookline ecumenical site, and Operation Safety Net ministry.
- Established
- 1954 (St. Pius X Parish); 2019 (Saint Teresa of Kolkata Parish)
- Patron
- Saint Pius X (papal patron of the Brookline worship site) / Saint Teresa of Kolkata (patron of the merged parish)
- Rector
- Rev. Fernando Torres (Fr. Fernando Torres Aguirre, LC)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Pittsburgh
Why belong here
Saint Teresa of Kolkata is one of the most linguistically and pastorally welcoming parishes in the South Hills, with regular Masses in English, Spanish, and Portuguese. It is also deeply committed to service — running two food pantries, the St. Vincent de Paul Society, Ladies of Charity, Teresa's Table community meals, a monthly Wednesday Night Table at an ecumenical Brookline site, and Operation Safety Net. With three worship sites spread across Beechview and Brookline, daily Mass seven days a week in multiple locations, adoration several times a month, a weekly online Zoom rosary at 6 PM, and a calendar packed with faith formation, youth retreats, women's guild activities, Catholic book clubs, and care-for-creation studies, there are abundant ways to plug in.
Mass times at Saint Pius X (St. Teresa of Kolkata Parish)
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Tuesday 7:15 AM – 7:45 AM (Church of the Resurrection)
- Wednesday 6:15 PM – 6:45 PM (St. Pius X)
- Saturday 12:00 PM – 12:30 PM (St. Catherine of Siena)
Adoration times
- 1st Friday of the month after 8:45 AM Mass until 10:00 AM at St. Catherine of Siena (unless there is a funeral)
- Last Wednesday of the month after 7:00 PM Mass until 8:00 PM at St. Pius X
- 1st Saturday of the month after 8:00 AM Mass until 9:15 AM at Resurrection
- Thursday in June 2026 at Resurrection Church, Brookline at 7 PM (special)
Saint Teresa of Kolkata Parish — Overview
Saint Teresa of Kolkata Parish serves the Beechview and Brookline neighborhoods of Pittsburgh's South Hills from three worship sites: St. Catherine of Siena (Beechview, also the main parish office), Church of the Resurrection (Brookline), and St. Pius X (Brookline). The parish website greets visitors bilingually (English and Spanish) under the leadership of Fr. Fernando Torres, and reflects the diversity of its flock — English, Spanish-speaking Latino immigrants, and a Portuguese-speaking Brazilian community all have regular liturgical homes here. It is the first parish in the Diocese of Pittsburgh named for St. Teresa of Kolkata (Mother Teresa).
- St. Catherine of Siena — 1810 Belasco Avenue (Beechview) — Main Parish Office: 412-531-2135 ext. 210
- Church of the Resurrection — 1100 Creedmoor Avenue (Brookline)
- St. Pius X — 3040 Pioneer Avenue (Brookline) — 412-531-2135 ext. 226
- Pastor: Rev. Fernando Torres
History of St. Pius X (Brookline)
St. Pius X Parish was established on June 9, 1954 by Bishop John Dearden — just eleven days after Pope Pius X was canonized (May 29, 1954). It was carved largely out of the booming Church of the Resurrection in Brookline (whose parish school enrollment had reached 1,346 by 1953), combined with families from St. Bernard in Mount Lebanon and St. Catherine of Siena in Beechview. Father Patrick Cullen was installed as the first pastor on June 10, 1954.
- June 9, 1954 — Parish formally erected by Bishop Dearden
- June 13, 1954 — First Mass at DePaul Institute's Our Lady of Victory Hall
- August 20, 1954 — First daily Mass in the renovated chapel of the Fleming estate
- February 13, 1955 — Ground broken for combined church and school
- September 7, 1955 — School opens for grades 1–4; staffed by Benedictine Sisters
- December 3, 1955 — Church and school dedicated by Bishop Dearden
- December 9, 1969 — Permanent church blessed
- 1968 — Father Thomas M. Marpes installed as third pastor (served 34 years)
- 1996 — School joins Brookline Regional Catholic
From Five Parishes to One: The 2019 Merger
As part of Bishop David Zubik's 2015 'On Mission for The Church Alive!' initiative, St. Pius X entered a period of shared clergy and joint bulletins with Brookline and Beechview neighbors. On May 17, 2019 Bishop Zubik formally merged the Brookline parishes of Our Lady of Loretto, Resurrection, and St. Pius X with the Beechview parishes of St. Pamphilus and St. Catherine of Siena into the new Saint Teresa of Kolkata Parish, effective July 1, 2019. St. Pius X Church remained open as one of three worship sites.
- Initiative: 'On Mission for The Church Alive!' (April 12, 2015)
- Five parishes merged: St. Pius X, Our Lady of Loretto, Resurrection, St. Pamphilus, St. Catherine of Siena
- Decree issued May 17, 2019; effective July 1, 2019
- First pastor of the merged parish: Rev. James M. Bachner
Clergy & Staff
Fr. Fernando Torres (Fr. Fernando Torres Aguirre, LC), a Mexican-born priest, currently serves as Pastor. The parish previously listed Rev. James M. Bachner as founding pastor (2019); the parish also has parochial vicars and a deep bench of deacons. The parish employs a Business Manager and has dedicated Faith Formation, Safe Environment, and Social Services staff.
- Pastor: Rev. Fernando Torres, LC
- Parochial Vicar: Rev. Carmen D'Amico (per Spanish-language 'Contactos' page)
- Deacons: Mark S. Bibro, Thomas J. O'Neill, Richard A. Longo, Scott Potter
- Parish Business Manager — 412-531-2135 ext. 211
- Safe Environment Coordinator: Patty Schwerin ([email protected])
Faith Formation & Catholic Education
Faith Formation for Children is offered in both English (ext. 220) and Spanish (ext. 223); Faith Formation for Adults (including RCIA) is offered in English (ext. 226) and Spanish (ext. 224). Because the parish no longer operates its own grade school (the St. Pius X school became part of Brookline Regional Catholic in 1996), the parish collaborates with and supports nearby independent Catholic elementary schools.
- Children's Faith Formation — English (ext. 220) & Spanish (ext. 223)
- Adult Faith Formation — English (ext. 226) & Spanish (ext. 224)
- Collaborating Catholic schools: Ave Maria Academy (Mt. Lebanon & Bethel Park campuses)
- South Hills Catholic Academy (SHCA), 550 Sleepy Hollow Road, Mt. Lebanon
Outreach & Social Services
Outreach is a hallmark of the parish. The St. Vincent de Paul Society (412-342-8836) and Ladies of Charity field calls for help. Two food pantries serve the area: the Brookline Food Bank (1036 Brookline Blvd, 2nd Saturday 9–11 AM) and the St. Catherine Food Pantry (Crosby & Pauline, 2nd & 4th Saturdays 9:30–11 AM). Teresa's Table hosts community meals in the parish hall, and the Wednesday Night Table partners monthly with Community 341 — an ecumenical initiative at St. Mark Evangelical Lutheran Church in Brookline, with free clothing and groceries alongside the meal. The parish also partners with Catholic Charities of Pittsburgh (412-456-6999) and helps connect parishioners with immigrant-support services through Casa San José.
- St. Vincent de Paul Society — 412-342-8836
- Ladies of Charity — through parish office
- Brookline Food Bank — 1036 Brookline Blvd, 2nd Sat 9–11 AM
- St. Catherine Food Pantry — 2nd & 4th Saturdays 9:30–11 AM
- Teresa's Table — recurring community meals
- Wednesday Night Table — Community 341 ecumenical meal at St. Mark Lutheran, Brookline, Wednesdays 5:00 PM
- Beechview Manor (parish-affiliated senior housing) — 1926 Pauline Ave, 412-571-2999
- Creedmoor Court (parish-affiliated senior housing) — 1100 Creedmoor Ave, 412-344-1540
Stay Connected — Parish Communications
Parishioners can stay informed through the parish's Flocknote email list (text STK to 84576 or visit teresaofkolkata.flocknote.com), the weekly bulletin, the online parish calendar, and the parish's social media channels. A Prayer Line is available by calling the parish office.
- Flocknote: Text STK to 84576
- Facebook: facebook.com/STK15216
- Twitter: @STKolkataPghParish
- YouTube: SaintTeresaofKolkataParish
- Prayer Line: 412-531-2135
Getting Involved — Groups, Retreats & Events
The parish calendar lists a rich mix of recurring and annual events: a Catholic Book Club (meeting at Creedmoor Court for discussions such as Wayne Weible's 'Medjugorje: The Message'), a Women's Guild (with monthly meetings and a summer Volunteer Appreciation Dinner at the St. Pius X Social Hall), a Youth Group (including an annual Fall Retreat), a Care for Creation Study Group, Catechist Appreciation Mass & Dinner, ecumenical Community Dinners, and parish trips such as Sight & Sound Theater outings.
- Catholic Book Club — monthly meetings, contact [email protected]
- Women's Guild — [email protected]
- Youth Group Fall Retreat
- Care for Creation Study Group
- Sight & Sound Theater parish trip
- Volunteer Appreciation Dinner
- Community Dinner & Ecumenical Prayer Service
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Patrick Cullen1954–
First pastor of St. Pius X Parish; installed June 10, 1954.
- Rev. Thomas M. Marpes1968–2002
Third pastor; installed June 10, 1968; served 34 years.
- Rev. Robert J. Miller
Succeeded Father Marpes; headed the congregation in the mid-2000s.
- Rev. James M. Bachner2019–
First pastor of Saint Teresa of Kolkata Parish at its 2019 formation.
- Rev. Fernando Torres, LC
Current pastor per the parish website homepage.