About St. Anthony of Padua/St. Barbara Parish · Exeter, Pennsylvania
St. Anthony of Padua Church in Exeter is a worship site of Corpus Christi Parish in the Diocese of Scranton. It carries the legacy of Exeter’s Italian Catholic community and today serves parishioners as part of a three-church parish that also includes Immaculate Conception Church in West Pittston and the Church of the Holy Redeemer in Falls. Mass is celebrated weekly at St. Anthony’s, and the parish emphasizes shared ministries, neighborly welcome, and outreach such as the back-to-school calendar of giving and Care and Concern Ministries.
- Patron
- Saint Barbara and Saint Anthony of Padua
- Rector
- Monsignor John J. Sempa
- Diocese
- Diocese of Scranton
Why belong here
Joining this community means becoming part of a welcoming, regional parish that preserves St. Anthony’s historic Exeter presence while sharing resources, ministries, and outreach across three active churches. Parishioners can attend Mass locally, participate in pastoral council and finance committees, and support Care and Concern Ministries and seasonal giving drives.
Mass times at St. Anthony of Padua/St. Barbara Parish
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:00pm – 3:30pm
History
Exeter’s three Catholic churches—St. Barbara, St. Anthony of Padua, and St. Cecilia—were merged into the Parish of St. Barbara around 2011. St. Cecilia’s closed in April 2022. St. Barbara Parish linked with Corpus Christi Parish, West Pittston, in May 2022 and consolidated on July 1, 2024, keeping the Corpus Christi Parish name. St. Anthony of Padua Church in Exeter remains an open worship site.
Clergy & Leadership
Monsignor John J. Sempa serves as Pastor of Corpus Christi Parish. He is assisted by Deacons James Rose, James R. Meizanis, and Walter G. Janoski. The parish office is at Immaculate Conception Rectory, 605 Luzerne Avenue, West Pittston, PA 18643.
Ministries & Outreach
Parish life includes pastoral and finance councils, Care and Concern Ministries, religious education, deacon-led ministry, and seasonal outreach such as the back-to-school calendar of giving.