About St. Anne · Belle Vernon, Pennsylvania
St. Anne Parish is a Roman Catholic parish in the Diocese of Greensburg serving Rostraver Township (with the mailing address of Belle Vernon) in the mid-Mon Valley of southwestern Pennsylvania. The parish was officially established on July 3, 1957 and grew from a humble Quonset-hut mission on a Webster farm to a modern, debt-free faith community that dedicated its present church on June 21, 1963. Today St. Anne offers weekend and daily Mass, First Friday devotion with extended Eucharistic Adoration, a faith formation program, a regional youth and adult ministry, a pipe organ donated in 1986, and active outreach including GriefShare and parish-based prayer and fellowship groups.
- Established
- 1957
- Patron
- St. Anne (mother of the Blessed Virgin Mary)
- Rector
- Father Joel Sayson
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Greensburg
Why belong here
St. Anne is a welcoming, multi-generational parish whose mission statement emphasizes building community from its farming-and-mining roots into a growing family in the mid-Mon Valley. Parishioners benefit from a full sacramental life including First Friday Mass with extended Eucharistic Adoration, weekly confession on Saturdays, a regional Faith Formation program for youth and adults, opportunities like GriefShare for those experiencing loss, and ministries supported by a dedicated staff including a Music Director, Sacristan, Business Manager and Regional Director of Faith Formation.
Mass times at St. Anne
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturdays at 3:30 p.m.
Adoration times
- Each Friday: Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament 7:00 a.m. – 7:45 a.m.
- First Friday of each month: Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. (check calendar)
About St. Anne Parish
St. Anne is a Roman Catholic parish in the Diocese of Greensburg serving Rostraver Township (mailing address Belle Vernon) in the mid-Mon Valley. The parish identifies itself as 'a Catholic faith-filled community in Rostraver Township built with the love and dedication of farmers, miners and other hardworking people,' continuing 'to follow Christ and to share his life and love, working to become a closer parish and community.' (parish Mission Statement)
Mission Statement
From the parish website: 'We, the Church of St. Anne, are a Catholic faith-filled community in Rostraver Township built with the love and dedication of farmers, miners and other hardworking people. We have progressed from those few pioneering parishioner worshiping at the Quonset hut to a rapidly growing parish family within the mid-Mon Valley. We are committed to ongoing faith formation, nurtured through the celebration of the word and sacraments. We will continue to follow Christ and to share his life and love, working to become a closer parish and community.'
Historical Timeline
Key dates from the parish-published timeline include the establishment of the Diocese of Greensburg (May 20, 1951); first Mass in the Quonset hut (Dec. 25, 1954); official parish establishment (July 3, 1957) with Father Andrew F. Hredzak appointed first pastor; church cornerstone laid by Bishop William G. Connare (Feb. 24, 1963) and dedication (June 21, 1963); 1975 debt-free milestone; 25th anniversary Mass (Sept. 2, 1979); 1986 pipe organ gift; 50th anniversary in 2007–08 with Bishop Lawrence E. Brandt; and the 2023 transition from Father David J. Nazimek to Father Roselo A. Melloria.
Parish History
The parish's founding story begins with the 1951 creation of the Diocese of Greensburg and the persistent petitions of local Catholics — especially John Yakubic and Chester Duda — for a mother church in Fellsburg/Webster. The community first worshipped in mission spaces: the Webster Dairy Bar (1953), a Quonset hut on the Kuma/Sabo farm (from 1954), and the Holy Cross mission church. They were formally constituted as St. Anne Parish on July 3, 1957, and within six years had built and dedicated a new modern church. The parish retired its debt during the 1975 Holy Year, added a pipe organ in 1986, marked its 25th anniversary in 1979 and its 50th in 2007–08, became canonical successor of St. Timothy, Smithton in 2008, and in 2023 welcomed a new pastor.
Staff & Parish Office
Day-to-day parish operations are supported by a Pastor (Father Joel Sayson), Weekend Assistant (Father Richard J. Zelik, OFM Cap.), Business Manager Michael Daversa, Sacristan Karen Koscelek, Music Director and Organist Toni Salvino, Website Content Creator Marsha Kanski, Custodian/Maintenance Greg Bagay, and Regional Director of Faith Formation Adelle Slebodnik.
- Pastor: Reverend Joel Sayson
- Weekend Assistant: Reverend Richard J. Zelik, OFM Cap.
- Business Manager: Michael Daversa
- Sacristan: Karen Koscelek
- Music Director & Organist: Toni Salvino
- Website Content Creator: Marsha Kanski
- Custodian/Maintenance: Greg Bagay
- Regional Director of Faith Formation (Youth/Adult): Adelle Slebodnik, 724-244-9434
Faith Formation
Faith formation for both youth and adults is led regionally by Adelle Slebodnik (Regional Director, 724-244-9434). Programming supports ongoing catechesis, sacramental preparation, and adult enrichment in keeping with the parish mission of being 'committed to ongoing faith formation, nurtured through the celebration of the word and sacraments.'
Music Ministry
Music ministry is directed by Toni Salvino, Music Director and Organist. The parish installed a pipe organ in 1986 thanks to a $100,000 gift from Rose Sweeney Melenzyer.
Parish Outreach & Groups
Beyond the liturgical schedule, St. Anne maintains a number of small-group and outreach programs. GriefShare, a weekly grief support group, meets on Sundays; Divine Mercy devotions are also featured on the parish calendar.
- GriefShare — Grief Support Group (Sundays)
- Divine Mercy devotions
- First Friday Mass and coffee reception
Facilities & Accessibility
The campus at 1870 Rostraver Road features a 140-space parking lot with nine handicapped-accessible spaces; overflow parking is available on the parish ball field. An elevator provides access to the social hall, and the parish office addition was modernized in the early 21st century under Father Simboli with multiple phone lines, computers, intercom and fax.
Contact
Parishioners and visitors may contact the parish office at 724-872-3555 (fax 724-872-3373) or by email at [email protected]. The mailing address is 1870 Rostraver Road, Rostraver Twp, PA 15012.
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Joseph A. Gajdosik1953–1957
Celebrated the first mission Masses for what became St. Anne, from Holy Name Church, Monessen; oversaw the Quonset-hut and Holy Cross mission years.
- Father Andrew F. Hredzak1957–1965
First pastor of St. Anne Parish (installed July 3, 1957); oversaw land donation by the Yakubics in 1961, church construction in 1962, cornerstone laying by Bishop Connare in February 1963, and dedication on June 21, 1963; reassigned August 1965.
- Father Francis L. Lesniak1965–1969
Second pastor; reassigned June 1969.
- Father Francis M. Ott1969–1974
Third pastor; reassigned June 1974.
- Father Thomas B. Bayne1974–1976
Fourth pastor; placed on sick leave May 1976.
- Father Renato F. Gianni1976–1992
Fifth pastor; celebrated the parish's 25th anniversary Mass in 1979; retired January 1992. During his tenure Rose Sweeney Melenzyer donated $100,000 in 1986 for a pipe organ.
- Father Thomas W. Rogers1992–1998
Sixth pastor; retired July 1998.
- Father Ronald L. Simboli1998–2010
Seventh pastor (installed July 8, 1998); native of Belle Vernon and Belmar High School graduate; oversaw the 50th anniversary in 2007–08 and St. Anne becoming canonical successor of St. Timothy, Smithton after its 2008 closure; reassigned September 22, 2010.
- Father Vincent J. Gigliotti2010–2019
Eighth pastor; installed September 22, 2010; retired July 1, 2019.
- Father David J. Nazimek2019–2023
Ninth pastor; appointed July 1, 2019 after Father Gigliotti's retirement; reassigned September 1, 2023.
- Father Roselo A. Melloria2023–
Tenth pastor; appointed September 1, 2023 (per parish Historical Timeline).
- Father Joel Sayson
Current Pastor as listed on the parish home page.