About St. Bartholomew · Sharpsville, Pennsylvania
St. Bartholomew Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic parish in Sharpsville, Pennsylvania, in the Diocese of Erie. Founded in 1874, it has served the greater Sharpsville community for over 150 years and worships at 311 West Ridge Avenue in a substantial stone-and-brick church built in 1908. The parish shares its pastor with nearby Notre Dame in Hermitage and runs an active sacramental, faith-formation, and outreach life including a food pantry, youth and young-adult groups, and the IHM Women's Guild and Holy Name Society.
- Established
- 1874
- Patron
- St. Bartholomew (the Apostle)
- Rector
- Rev. John Miller
- Diocese
- Diocese of Erie (Roman Catholic)
Why belong here
St. Bartholomew is a long-standing Catholic community that combines traditional sacramental life — weekend Mass, weekday Mass, and a regular Tuesday confession slot — with concrete outreach: a monthly food pantry and clothing closet, visitation to the homebound and those in hospitals and nursing homes, and active men's (Holy Name Society) and women's (Immaculate Heart of Mary Guild) groups. Younger parishioners are also well served, with a High School Youth Group, a Young Adults group, faith formation for children, and adult education. Visitors and newcomers find a small-town parish that has been a 'pillar of hope and faith' to Sharpsville for over 150 years.
Mass times at St. Bartholomew
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Tuesday 4:45 PM – 5:15 PM
- By appointment
About St. Bartholomew Parish
St. Bartholomew is a Roman Catholic parish in Sharpsville, Pennsylvania, in the Diocese of Erie, founded in 1874. For more than 150 years it has stood as a 'pillar of hope and faith' to the greater Sharpsville community. The parish worships in a substantial stone-and-brick church on Ridge Avenue and shares its pastor with Notre Dame Parish in Hermitage.
- Parish type: Roman Catholic (Latin Rite)
- Diocese: Diocese of Erie
- Established: 1874
- Patron: St. Bartholomew the Apostle
- Pastor: Rev. John Miller
- Deacon: Deacon George (Frank) Hannah
History of the Parish and Church Building
St. Bartholomew Parish was established in 1874. The current church at 311 West Ridge Avenue was begun in June 1908 under the supervision of Rev. Michael A. Miller, with William Henry Adams as contractor. According to the 1909 Lewis Publishing 'A Twentieth Century History of Mercer County Pennsylvania,' the church was built of native stone and Devonshire brick with Cleveland stone trimmings and was described as 'one of the finest and largest buildings in the city.' It took more than 14 years to complete. The parish has deep historical roots among the Italian Catholic community of Sharpsville, and it continues to operate alongside the other historic Ridge Avenue churches — First Presbyterian and the Church of the Nazarene.
- Parish established 1874
- Current church construction begun June 1908 under Rev. Michael A. Miller
- Contractor: William Henry Adams
- Materials: native stone, Devonshire brick, Cleveland stone trimmings
- Construction took 14+ years to complete
- Tied historically to Sharpsville's Italian Catholic community
Parish Staff and Clergy
St. Bartholomew is served by a small, dedicated staff of clergy, parish-office, music, formation, and youth-ministry personnel. The pastor, Rev. John Miller, also serves Notre Dame Parish in Hermitage. Permanent Deacon George (Frank) Hannah assists at the parish.
- Rev. John Miller — Pastor
- Deacon George (Frank) Hannah — Permanent Deacon
- Shannon Adkins — Secretary
- Michelle Fox — Business Manager
- Jill Cataldi — Director of Liturgical Music
- John Elliott — Adult Education
- Renee Combine — Coordinator of Faith Formation
- Mindy Lucas — Coordinator of Faith Formation
- Gabby Herndon — Youth Ministry
Faith Formation and Religious Education
Faith formation is described on the parish website as the parish's primary mission, rooted in Christ's command to 'go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations.' The parish offers engaging catechetical formation for parishioners of all ages — children, youth, and adults — whether new to the faith or lifelong Catholic.
- Children's Faith Formation (Coordinator: Renee Combine and Mindy Lucas)
- High School Youth Group (Wednesday nights, 7:00–8:30 PM, Sept–May, at Notre Dame Multipurpose Room)
- Young Adults (Thursday nights, 6:00–8:00 PM, Sept–May, in the rectory)
- Adult Education / Adult Faith Formation (Coordinator: John Elliott)
Sacraments
The parish celebrates all seven sacraments of the Catholic Church. The website's Sacraments page presents Catholic teaching on the sacraments as 'visible and invisible realities' through which God shares his holiness with us.
- Baptism — celebrated after weekend Masses; parents must be registered parishioners; specific godparent/sponsor requirements (Catholic, confirmed, practicing, age 16+, etc.) apply
- Reconciliation (Confession) — Tuesday 4:45–5:15 PM and by appointment
- Eucharist (First Holy Communion and ongoing) — weekend and weekday Masses
- Confirmation
- Marriage — couples should contact the parish for preparation; Catholics are urged to celebrate marriage within the Eucharistic Liturgy
- Anointing of the Sick
- Holy Orders
Parish Ministries and Organizations
St. Bartholomew has a wide range of lay-led ministries that serve the parish and the wider Sharpsville community. The parish currently advertises a particular need for additional ushers and altar servers. The two longest-standing parish societies are the Holy Name Society (men, 18+) and the Immaculate Heart of Mary (IHM) Women's Guild.
- Holy Name Society — men 18+, 2nd Sunday of the month after 8:30 AM Mass, Sept–April
- Immaculate Heart of Mary (IHM) Women's Guild — women 18+, 3rd Sunday of the month after 8:30 AM Mass, Sept–May
- Altar Servers — children in grades 4–12 assisting the priest at Mass
- Ushers — currently recruiting
- Visitation to the Sick, Homebound, hospitals, and nursing homes
- Funeral ministry
Outreach: Food Pantry & Clothing Closet
The St. Bartholomew Food Pantry and Clothing Closet serves residents of the greater Sharpsville area, distributing food and clothing on the 3rd Monday of each month from 9:00 to 10:30 AM. It is one of the parish's most visible works of corporal mercy.
- Open 3rd Monday of the month, 9:00–10:30 AM
- Provides food and clothing to those in need
- Volunteers welcome — contact the Parish Office (724-962-7130)
Annual Feast Day Parish Picnic
Each August, the parish celebrates the Feast Day of its patron, St. Bartholomew the Apostle, with a parish potluck picnic. It is one of the parish's signature community gatherings and a long-running tradition.
- Held each August in honor of the patron, St. Bartholomew
- Potluck-style picnic with food, fun, and fellowship
- Open to parishioners and visitors
Contact, Office Hours, and Location
The parish office is located in the rectory next to the church at 311 West Ridge Avenue, Sharpsville, PA 16150. The main parish number is (724) 962-7130, and the office email is [email protected]. The parish is part of the Diocese of Erie and is listed in the diocese's online parish directory.
- Address: 311 W. Ridge Ave., Sharpsville, PA 16150
- Phone: (724) 962-7130
- Email: [email protected]
- Office Hours: Mon 9–2; Tue 9–2 and 4:30–7; Wed 9–12; Thu 9–12
- Diocese: Diocese of Erie