About St. Anthony of Padua · Sharon, Pennsylvania
St. Anthony of Padua Parish is a Catholic parish in Sharon, Pennsylvania, in the Diocese of Erie, currently partnered with neighboring St. Joseph Parish under a single combined parish office and pastor. Founded in 1924 to serve Croatian Catholic families who had settled in the Shenango Valley, the parish grew from humble beginnings — including the loss of its first church to fire — into a community with its own school and a renovated worship space. Today St. Anthony shares worship, faith formation, and pastoral staff with St. Joseph while retaining its own identity and Sunday Mass at 804 Idaho Street.
- Established
- 1924
- Patron
- St. Anthony of Padua
- Rector
- Rev. James Power
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Erie
Why belong here
St. Anthony of Padua is a century-old Croatian-heritage parish with deep Shenango Valley roots that now shares its ministry and staff with St. Joseph Parish as a 'Catholic Partnered Parish.' A parishioner can walk into a community that still gathers for Sunday Mass at 8:30 a.m., enroll children in a robust faith formation program (grades K–11) led by a dedicated DRE, prepare for the sacraments through the OCIA process, and serve through ministries such as the choir, lectors, Eucharistic ministers, Pro-Life committee, Finance Council, and care of four local cemeteries. For Catholics in Sharon looking for a welcoming community that honors its ethnic heritage while sharing today's ministry with a sister parish, St. Anthony offers both continuity and active parish life.
Mass times at St. Anthony of Padua
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- By appointment only (call 724-981-3232)
About St. Anthony of Padua Parish
St. Anthony of Padua is a Roman Catholic parish in Sharon, Pennsylvania, founded in 1924 to serve the Croatian Catholic community of the Shenango Valley. It belongs to the Diocese of Erie and is currently partnered with St. Joseph Parish, sharing a pastor and a combined parish office. The parish gathers each Sunday at 804 Idaho Street for Mass and continues to be shaped by its Croatian immigrant roots, even as it ministers to a broader Catholic population today.
- Diocese of Erie
- Founded 1924
- Partnered with St. Joseph Parish
- 804 Idaho Street, Sharon, PA 16146
History
Croatian families had been in the Shenango Valley since the late 1800s. After many years of effort, Bishop Gannon appointed Rev. Leo Medic, a Croatian Franciscan, as pastor in 1924. A first church built in 1925 was lost to fire; the property was then purchased for the Croatian congregation in 1929, and a new church was dedicated in 1938. A school staffed by the Daughters of Divine Charity opened in September 1960 (built 1959–1960 under Fr. Zoran Ostojic), with a playground added in 1962. The Shenango Valley's economic decline of 1976–1989 forced the school to close, while the church itself was fully renovated in 1964. The parish marked its 100th anniversary in 2024, celebrating a century of Croatian heritage and Catholic faith.
- 1924: Parish established under Bishop Gannon; Rev. Leo Medic, OFM, appointed pastor
- 1925: First church built
- 1929: Fire-damaged church acquired for the Croatian congregation
- 1938: New church dedicated
- 1959–1960: School built under Fr. Zoran Ostojic
- 1960: School opened, staffed by Daughters of Divine Charity
- 1962: Playground purchased
- 1964: Church fully renovated
- 1976–1989: School forced to close due to valley's economic decline
- 2024: 100th anniversary celebrated
Patron — St. Anthony of Padua
The parish takes its name from St. Anthony of Padua, the 13th-century Franciscan preacher and Doctor of the Church, whose feast is celebrated on June 13. The parish's own history page recounts how Anthony first joined the Augustinians in Lisbon, gave up a future of wealth and power, entered the Franciscan Order after being moved by the first Franciscan martyrs, and became renowned as a powerful preacher and teacher of Scripture and theology. He died in Padua in 1231, was canonized less than a year later, and was named a Doctor of the Church in 1946.
- Feast Day: June 13
- Franciscan friar, preacher, Doctor of the Church
Partnered Parishes with St. Joseph
St. Anthony of Padua is one of two 'Catholic Partnered Parishes of Sharon,' joined with St. Joseph Parish. Together, the two churches have proclaimed the Gospel in the Shenango Valley for over 160 years. They share a pastor (Fr. James Power), a combined parish office, and a single faith-formation program, while retaining separate Mass schedules and parish identities.
- Pastor: Fr. James Power
- Combined Parish Office: 79 Case Avenue, Sharon, PA 16146
- Phone: 724-981-3232
Clergy and Staff
Parish leadership is provided by Pastor Rev. James Power, supported by a small staff who serve both partnered parishes.
- Pastor: Rev. James Power ([email protected])
- Support Staff: Lori Vasconi
- Liturgical Music Contact: Monica Baker
- Religious Education Leader (DRE): Melissa Joseph ([email protected])
- St. Anthony Finance: Mary Ann Kleinfelder ([email protected])
Parish Ministries and Organizations
St. Anthony encourages all parishioners to join a ministry, and lists contacts for each. Joining is as simple as calling the parish office at 724-981-3232 and asking for the ministry chair.
- Altar Servers — Fr. James Power
- Baptismal Class — Fr. James Power
- Building & Grounds — Jim Slanitz
- Choir / Music Ministry — Monica Baker
- Eucharistic Ministers — Lori Vasconi
- Finance Committee — Mary Ann Pranic
- Lectors — Lori Vasconi
- Money Counters — Mary Ann Kleinfelder
- Parish Council — BJ Wlodarski
- Parish Maintenance — Jim Slanitz
- Pro-Life — Joanne Schell
Faith Formation (Religious Education)
The partnered parishes share a Faith Formation program directed by DRE Melissa Joseph. It spans kindergarten through 11th grade using a published Catholic curriculum, a middle-school 'Edge' program, and a Confirmation-preparation track in 9th grade, with continuing small-group ministry for 10th and 11th graders.
- K–5: We Believe: Living Your Catholic Identity (William H. Sadlier, Inc.)
- Edge Program (Grades 6–8): Gather / Proclaim / Break / Send model with Scripture and Catechism references
- Purpose Confirmation (Grade 9): 42 contact hours, retreat, service hours, interview with pastor, letter to the bishop
- Small Groups (Grades 10–11): 2 trained adults with 6–10 young people, 2–4 times per month
- Director of Religious Education: Melissa Joseph — 724-981-3232 ext. 14
OCIA — Adult Faith Formation (formerly RCIA)
Adults interested in becoming Catholic, or baptized Catholics who still need to receive First Penance, First Eucharist, or Confirmation, are invited into the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (formerly RCIA). Sessions meet weekly from fall through the Easter Vigil, when catechumens and candidates are fully initiated. The parish notes that the USCCB changed the name from RCIA to OCIA in 2024 to better reflect the Latin 'Ordo.'
- Open to inquirers, entrants, catechumens, candidates, and the elect
- 2025–2026 sessions on Sundays at noon
- Contact: Faith Formation office, 724-981-3232 ext. 14
Sacraments
The parish celebrates the standard Catholic sacraments and outlines practical preparation steps on its website.
- Baptism: scheduled during weekend Masses; Baptismal Class required for parents; contact parish office
- Confirmation: in 9th grade (Faith Formation) or through OCIA for adults
- Marriage: contact the pastor at least six months in advance; Pre-Cana class required (locations across the Diocese of Erie)
- Penance / Reconciliation: by appointment (724-981-3232)
Cemeteries
St. Anthony Parish oversees four local Catholic cemeteries — a reminder of the multi-parish Croatian and broader Catholic heritage of the Shenango Valley. Inquiries about any of the four can be directed to the parish cemeteries line.
- Holy Cross Cemetery — Mary Ann Kleinfelder / Kevin Burns
- Holy Trinity Cemetery — Mary Ann Kleinfelder / Jim Slanitz
- Our Lady of Mount Carmel Cemetery — Mary Ann Kleinfelder
- St. Stanislaus Kostka Cemetery — Mary Ann Kleinfelder / Jim Slanitz
- Cemetery line: 724-981-3232 ext. 5
Contact, Office and Mailing
St. Anthony's physical office at 804 Idaho Street is permanently closed; all parish business now goes through the combined St. Joseph parish office at 79 Case Avenue, Sharon, PA 16146. Office hours are Monday–Thursday, 9:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.; the office is closed on Friday.
- Combined Parish Office: 79 Case Avenue, Sharon, PA 16146
- Phone: 724-981-3232 (Fr. James Power — ext. 8; Faith Formation — ext. 14; Cemeteries — ext. 5; General — ext. 2)
- Hours: Mon–Thu 9:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.; closed Friday
- Building address: 804 Idaho Street, Sharon, PA 16146
- Mailing: c/o St. Anthony Parish, 79 Case Avenue, Sharon, PA 16146
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Leo Medic, OFM1924–
Croatian Franciscan appointed by Bishop Gannon as the first pastor of the Croatian faithful in the Shenango Valley.
- Fr. Zoran Ostojic
Organized the construction of the parish school in 1959–1960, which opened in September 1960.