About St. Anthony of Padua · Cambridge Springs, Pennsylvania
St. Anthony of Padua is a Roman Catholic parish in Cambridge Springs, Pennsylvania, established in 1898 by Polish Catholic families who had settled in the area since the late 1800s. The parish shares its roots with the nearby St. Bernadette Mission in Saegertown, and in July 2024 it merged with Our Lady of the Lake Parish in Edinboro as part of the Diocese of Erie's pastoral restructuring. Today it operates as a secondary mission church of Our Lady of the Lake, served by Father Mark A. Hoffman and Deacon David Romanowicz, with weekend Mass celebrated in Cambridge Springs and weekday confession by appointment.
- Established
- 1898
- Patron
- St. Anthony of Padua
- Rector
- Rev. Mark A. Hoffman
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Erie
Why belong here
St. Anthony of Padua welcomes founders, long-time parishioners, and newcomers alike into what its website calls 'a wonderful welcoming Family of Faith.' Worship is offered in a historic church built by the original Polish Catholic families of the area and dedicated in 1911, with weekday and weekend Mass, regular Saturday confession, a patronal feast day celebration each June, the annual St. Anthony Novena, parish bingo, and outreach through the Lifelong Faith Formation program and the parish's Ministry to the Sick & Homebound. As a secondary mission church of Our Lady of the Lake Parish, it combines small-parish warmth with the broader ministries, faith formation, and sacramental support of a larger regional Catholic community.
Mass times at St. Anthony of Padua
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:30 – 4:15 p.m.
- After Sunday Mass
- Or by appointment (through Our Lady of the Lake Parish office)
Parish Overview & Welcome
St. Anthony of Padua Parish describes itself as 'a wonderful welcoming Family of Faith located in Cambridge Springs, Pennsylvania.' Together with its longtime companion community, St. Bernadette Mission in Saegertown, the parish forms part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Erie. Since the July 2024 pastoral restructuring it has been administered as a secondary mission church of Our Lady of the Lake Parish in Edinboro, while continuing to celebrate Mass and offer the sacraments in its historic Cambridge Springs church.
- Located at 165 Beach Ave., Cambridge Springs, PA 16403
- Part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Erie
- Secondary mission church of Our Lady of the Lake Parish, Edinboro (since July 9, 2024)
- Companion community: St. Bernadette Mission, Saegertown
History
Catholic life in Cambridge Springs traces to the late 1800s, when Polish-rooted families brought their faith to the area. Before the parish was established, Mass was celebrated in a rented downtown hall; in 1889 the community bought a former Methodist church to use as their worship space. The parish itself was established in 1898, with the community cared for as a mission of St. Brigid Church in Meadville under Msgr. James H. Dunn until Father John M. Gannon became the first resident pastor at the end of 1906. Father Gannon built the present church, which Bishop Fitzmaurice dedicated on September 25, 1911. The original 26 founding families — plus one — paid off the mortgage on the new church by 1920. Father Gannon later became Bishop of Erie.
- Catholic presence in Cambridge Springs: late 1800s, Polish-rooted families
- Worship prior to parish: rented downtown hall (pre-1889), former Methodist church purchased 1889
- Parish established: 1898
- First resident pastor: Father John M. Gannon (later Bishop Gannon), appointed end of 1906
- Present church dedicated by Bishop Fitzmaurice: September 25, 1911
- Mortgage paid off by original 26 families + one: 1920
- Merged into Our Lady of the Lake Parish: July 9, 2024
Clergy & Staff
Day-to-day pastoral care of St. Anthony of Padua is provided by the clergy and staff of Our Lady of the Lake Parish, whose main office is in Edinboro. Fr. Mark A. Hoffman serves as pastor and Catholic chaplain to Pennsylvania Western University – Edinboro; Deacon David Romanowicz serves as deacon assistant. The parish office is staffed by Josie Osiecki (Parish Office Secretary) and Donna Roberti (Parish Director of Finance), with Mary Rose 'Bunnie' Shinsky as Director of Lifelong Faith Formation.
- Rev. Mark A. Hoffman — Pastor; email [email protected]; phone (814) 734-3113 ext. 102
- Deacon David Romanowicz — Deacon Assistant; [email protected]
- Josie Osiecki — Parish Office Secretary; [email protected]
- Donna Roberti — Parish Director of Finance; [email protected]
- Mary Rose 'Bunnie' Shinsky — Director of Lifelong Faith Formation; [email protected]
- Rob Shinsky — Parish Maintenance Director
- Larry Kerr — Associate Director of Parish Maintenance
Devotions & Parish Life
Devotional life at St. Anthony of Padua centers on the parish's patron. Each year the parish celebrates the Feast of St. Anthony of Padua (June 13) with a Parish Patronal Feast Day Celebration, typically including Mass, a Prayer and Dinner, and related festivities. The annual Novena to St. Anthony of Padua is observed in the weeks leading up to the feast, accompanied by a printed Novena Booklet for parishioners. Parish bingo nights and other fellowship events also help sustain community life.
- Parish Patronal Feast Day Celebration (June)
- Novena to St. Anthony of Padua (with Novena Booklet)
- St. Anthony of Padua Prayer and Dinner
- St. Anthony Bingo (parish fundraiser)
Faith Formation & Youth
Faith formation across the combined parish is led by Mary Rose 'Bunnie' Shinsky, Director of Lifelong Faith Formation. Programming includes parish religious education, sacramental preparation, and the joint Edinboro Area Vacation Bible School, which is held each summer at the Our Lady of the Lake Social Hall for children entering kindergarten through sixth grade and welcomes seventh- and eighth-graders as group leaders and classroom aides.
- Lifelong Faith Formation (Director: Mary Rose 'Bunnie' Shinsky)
- Edinboro Area Vacation Bible School — held at Our Lady of the Lake Social Hall, Edinboro
- Sacramental preparation for Baptism, First Communion, Confirmation (coordinated through Our Lady of the Lake Parish)
Outreach & Pastoral Care
Outreach is a central part of the parish's identity as a 'Family of Faith.' The Ministry to the Sick and Homebound is coordinated by Fr. Mark Hoffman with Deacon David Romanowicz as assistant coordinator, bringing Communion and pastoral care to those unable to attend Mass. The parish also supports the Thrifty Threads Store, a thrift outreach of Our Lady of the Lake Parish, which is co-managed by Cynthia Kuhn and Gina Pilewski.
- Ministry to the Sick & Homebound (Coordinator: Fr. Mark Hoffman; Asst. Coordinator: Deacon David Romanowicz)
- Thrifty Threads Store (Co-Managers: Cynthia Kuhn and Gina Pilewski; email [email protected])
Sacraments
Sacramental preparation and celebration are coordinated through the Our Lady of the Lake Parish office. The Sacrament of Penance is offered at St. Anthony of Padua on Saturday afternoons and after Sunday Mass, and Baptism and Marriage are arranged through the parish office. The Ministry to the Sick and Homebound brings Viaticum and Anointing of the Sick to those who are homebound.
- Baptism
- Marriage
- Sacrament of Penance (Reconciliation)
- Anointing of the Sick / Communion to the Homebound
Contact, Location & Restructuring
All calls and correspondence for St. Anthony of Padua are directed through the Our Lady of the Lake Parish office at 128 Sunset Drive, Edinboro, PA 16412. The Cambridge Springs church itself sits at 165 Beach Avenue. Following the July 2024 pastoral restructuring announced by Bishop Lawrence Persico and the Diocese of Erie, the former parish of St. Anthony of Padua became a secondary mission church of Our Lady of the Lake Parish, which now serves three communities — Edinboro, Cambridge Springs, and Saegertown — under the leadership of Fr. Mark Hoffman.
- Parish office: 128 Sunset Drive, Edinboro, PA 16412
- Phone: (814) 734-3113 (follow prompts; press 100 for office, 102 for Fr. Hoffman, 103 for finance, 200 for faith formation)
- Email: [email protected]
- Diocese of Erie — Bishop Lawrence Persico
- Restructuring effective July 9, 2024
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father (later Bishop) John M. Gannon1906–
First resident pastor; built the present church, dedicated by Bishop Fitzmaurice on Sept. 25, 1911; later Bishop of Erie.
- Father Harvey
Listed among subsequent pastors in the parish history.
- Father Simpson
Listed among subsequent pastors in the parish history.
- Father Radziszewski
Listed among subsequent pastors in the parish history.
- Father Dobosiewicz
Listed among subsequent pastors in the parish history.
- Father Mark Nowak
Greatly respected pastor who retired as the parish merged into Our Lady of the Lake Parish in 2024.