About St. Andrew · Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
St. Andrew Parish is a Roman Catholic parish in the Diocese of Scranton, located at 316 Parrish Street in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. It was established in June 2010 through a consolidation of three former city parishes — St. Patrick, St. Boniface, and Holy Rosary — and continues to worship in the former St. Patrick Church building, which itself marks a century of Catholic worship in downtown Wilkes-Barre. The parish is led by Reverend Vincent 'Vinnie' H. Dang, who also serves as pastor of St. Leo the Great Parish. Mass is offered Saturday evening and Sunday morning, with a CCD religious education program, OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults), and a full slate of lay ministries supporting the liturgical and pastoral life of the community.
- Established
- 2010
- Patron
- St. Andrew (the Apostle)
- Rector
- Reverend Vincent H. Dang
- Diocese
- Diocese of Scranton
Why belong here
St. Andrew is a small, welcoming Catholic community that takes its mission of encountering 'the God who loves us' seriously, welcoming strangers as warmly as longstanding parishioners and reaching out to those in need. Liturgical life is supported by an experienced team of lay ministers — lectors, extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion, greeters, ushers, and youth and senior altar servers — alongside the parish's music director and choir. The parish runs a CCD program for children (held Sunday mornings between Masses), an OCIA process for adults seeking full initiation, and offers home visits, Communion calls, and hospital visits through the pastor. Joining St. Andrew means plugging into the combined heritage of three historic Wilkes-Barre parishes under the care of an experienced priest who grew up in the Diocese of Scranton.
Mass times at St. Andrew
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 5:00 PM – 5:25 PM (the parish commonly lists the window as 5:05 PM – 5:25 PM on the diocesan page)
- By appointment — call the rectory at (570) 823-1948 to schedule a time with the pastor
Our Parish
St. Andrew Parish is a welcoming Roman Catholic community in downtown Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, in the Diocese of Scranton. The parish was established in June 2010 by the diocesan consolidation of three former city parishes — St. Patrick, St. Boniface, and Holy Rosary — and worships in the historic St. Patrick Church building on Parrish Street. The parish mission is to encounter the God who loves us, to welcome strangers as warmly as longtime members, and to become 'the hands of God in a world in need of divine peace and love.'
- Motto: 'Loving Christ, Loving Others'
- Parish mission statement is published on the official website
- Sacramental records for St. Patrick, St. Boniface, and Holy Rosary are maintained at St. Andrew Parish
- Office hours: Mon., Tues., Thurs., Fri., 9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
History
The three predecessor parishes that today form St. Andrew each had distinct ethnic and neighborhood identities — Bavarian (St. Boniface, 1896), Italian (Holy Rosary, 1906), and territorial/multi-ethnic (St. Patrick, 1921). All three were consolidated into St. Andrew in June 2010. The parish marks its built heritage through the former St. Patrick Church, whose basement chapel hosted the first Mass on Parrish Street in 1922; the upper church was dedicated in 1930.
- St. Boniface Parish (Blackman Street) — founded 1896 by Bavarian immigrants; school opened 1913 with the Sisters of Christian Charity; closed June 6, 2010
- Holy Rosary Parish (Park Avenue) — founded 1906 by Italian immigrants; closed June 13, 2010
- St. Patrick Parish (Parrish Street) — founded 1921; basement chapel hosted Mass from 1922; cornerstone laid 1929; upper church dedicated 1930; closed June 2010
- St. Andrew Parish established June 2010 to unite the three communities
- 100-Year Anniversary of worship at St. Patrick site celebrated June 4, 2022, with Rev. Gerald W. Shantillo, V.G., as principal celebrant
Pastor and Staff
The parish is served by an experienced pastor and a small dedicated lay staff who handle religious education, parish administration, music, and the website.
- Rev. Vincent H. 'Vinnie' Dang — Pastor (also pastor of St. Leo the Great Parish); ordained June 24, 1995; phone (570) 823-1948 (St. Andrew) or (570) 825-6669 (St. Leo)
- Kristi Gibson — Director of Religious Education; (570) 417-2505
- Helene Skopek-Krygier — Parish Administrative Assistant; [email protected]
- Jeff Papciak — Choir Director / Organist; [email protected]
- Kevin Smith — Webmaster; [email protected]
- Deacon Bill Behm — Parish Life Coordinator (referenced in diocesan coverage of the 2022 centennial)
Becoming Catholic / OCIA
Adults preparing for full communion with the Catholic Church are welcomed into the parish's OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults) process. OCIA is a journey of faith formation, liturgical preparation, and discernment that culminates in the reception of the Sacraments of Initiation — Baptism, Confirmation, and the Eucharist — typically at the Easter Vigil.
- Classes meet on Monday evenings at 7:00 PM in the St. Andrew Rectory
- Welcomes the unbaptized, those baptized in another Christian tradition, and baptized Catholics seeking Confirmation/Eucharist
- Sacramental preparation is shaped by the OCIA ritual book and supported by the parish community
- Inquiries begin with a call to the rectory at (570) 823-1948
Religious Education (CCD)
Children of the parish are formed in the faith through a Sunday-morning CCD (Confraternity of Christian Doctrine) program that meets between the two weekend Masses. The program motto captures its dual priority: 'Mass and Class or Class and Mass' — meaning attendance at Sunday Mass is part of the catechetical formation.
- Classes: Sundays, 9:45 AM – 10:45 AM in the Rectory & Church Hall
- DRE: Kristi Gibson (570) 417-2505
- Teachers and aides include Alaina Lutz, Judy Flaherty, Kristi Gibson, Nicholas Lutz, Peter Bonczewski, with substitutes Traci Bradshaw, Cheryl Gibson, and Helene Skopek-Krygier, and aide Emily Pugh
- First Holy Communion typically celebrated in early May
- Confirmation typically celebrated in early June
Ministries and Volunteer Life
St. Andrew's liturgical and pastoral life depends on a wide circle of lay volunteers. The parish publishes an open invitation for anyone interested in serving as an altar server, lector, or extraordinary minister of Holy Communion, and welcomes new members to its pastoral council, finance council, and various service committees.
- Youth Altar Servers (grades 3 and up) and Senior Altar Servers
- Lectors and Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion
- Greeters and Ushers
- Offertory Counters and Flowers and Grounds
- Parish Pastoral Council and Finance Council
- Baptism Preparation team
- Music ministry (Choir Director: Jeff Papciak)
- Volunteer Interest Form linked from the Ministries page
Sacraments and Pastoral Care
Beyond Sunday Mass, St. Andrew offers the full range of parish-level sacraments and pastoral visits. The rectory serves as the pastoral point of contact for Baptism preparation, OCIA, First Communion, and Confirmation, and for bringing the Eucharist to the homebound or those unable to attend Mass.
- Baptism — preparation for parents
- First Communion and Confirmation — through the CCD program
- OCIA for adults
- Communion calls to the homebound (rectory maintains a list)
- Hospital and home visits by Father Dang (HIPAA note: hospitals will not provide names, so parishioners are asked to call)
- Confession — Saturday before Mass or by appointment
- Funeral liturgies — supported by Senior Altar Servers
Newcomers and Becoming a Parishioner
St. Andrew explicitly welcomes visitors, returning Catholics, inquirers, and those ready to register as new parishioners. The website dedicates a 'Newcomers' page to answering practical questions and lets new arrivals know what to expect at Mass and how to take a next step.
- Open invitation to register, return, or inquire
- Practical answers to 'When are Masses held?', 'Where is the church?', and 'How do I become Catholic?'
- Map and directions linked from the website
- Initial step in OCIA: a conversation with the pastor
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Vincent H. Dangcurrent pastor (serving since at least 2012)
Serves as pastor of both St. Andrew Parish and St. Leo the Great Parish in Wilkes-Barre.