About St. Isidore the Farmer Parish - St. Patrick Church · Oakdale, Pennsylvania
St. Isidore the Farmer Parish is a Roman Catholic parish in the Diocese of Pittsburgh that serves western Allegheny County and western Washington County in Pennsylvania. Formally established on July 1, 2020, it is a multi-site parish uniting six historic congregations — St. Patrick (Oakdale/North Fayette), St. Columbkille (Imperial), St. Alphonsus (McDonald), St. Ann (Bulger), St. Michael (Avella), and Our Lady of Lourdes (Burgettstown) — under one clergy team. The parish serves roughly 2,700 families and 6,500 parishioners across the six worship sites. St. Patrick Church, located at 7322 Noblestown Road in North Fayette Township, is one of those six worship sites, with Sunday Mass at 8:00 a.m. The parish is currently led by Pastor Rev. Harry R. Bielewicz, MDiv, with Parochial Vicar Rev. John Ferguson.
- Established
- 1866 (St. Patrick Church); parish merged into St. Isidore the Farmer on July 1, 2020
- Patron
- St. Isidore the Farmer (parish patron); St. Patrick (church patron)
- Rector
- Rev. Harry R. Bielewicz, MDiv
- Diocese
- Diocese of Pittsburgh
Why belong here
St. Isidore the Farmer Parish offers the rare richness of a historic Catholic community — six active worship sites dating back to the 1800s and early 1900s — united into one clergy team and one pastoral family of about 2,700 households. Parishioners can worship at any of the six churches (including the 1866-founded St. Patrick in Oakdale) and also join faith formation for grades 1–8, more than 15 lay ministries, livestreamed daily and Sunday Masses, and a multi-year 'Next Generation Parish' renewal with the Catholic Leadership Institute focused on spiritual maturity, shared leadership, vibrant liturgy, and outreach to young people, families, and the homebound.
Mass times at St. Isidore the Farmer Parish - St. Patrick Church
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Friday 4:00–4:30 PM at Our Lady of Lourdes (Burgettstown)
- Saturday 12:00–12:30 PM at St. Columbkille (Imperial)
- Saturday 3:15–3:45 PM at St. Alphonsus (McDonald)
- By appointment (contact the parish office)
About St. Isidore the Farmer Parish
St. Isidore the Farmer Parish is a Roman Catholic parish in the Diocese of Pittsburgh that unites six historic congregations of western Allegheny and Washington counties under a single pastoral team. The parish was canonically established on July 1, 2020 through the merger of St. Alphonsus (McDonald), Our Lady of Lourdes (Burgettstown), St. Columbkille (Imperial), St. Michael (Avella), St. Patrick (North Fayette/Oakdale), and St. Ann (Bulger). All six church buildings remain in use, and the parish serves roughly 2,700 families — about 6,500 parishioners — across the region.
History of St. Patrick Church
St. Patrick Church in North Fayette Township was founded in 1866 to serve the Catholic families of the Noblestown Road farming and mining communities west of Pittsburgh. The present church building was dedicated on July 15, 1900. For more than 150 years St. Patrick served as an independent parish before becoming one of the six founding worship sites of the merged St. Isidore the Farmer Parish in 2020. Today, St. Patrick continues to host a Sunday 8:00 AM Mass and a Monday 8:00 AM Mass for the surrounding community.
- Founded: 1866
- Current church building dedicated: July 15, 1900
- Merged into St. Isidore the Farmer Parish: July 1, 2020
The 'On Mission for The Church Alive!' Merger
The creation of St. Isidore the Farmer Parish was the result of the Diocese of Pittsburgh's 'On Mission for The Church Alive!' initiative, announced by Bishop David Zubik on April 12, 2015. The strategic-planning process was a response to declining Mass attendance, fewer sacramental celebrations, and a shrinking number of priests available for parish ministry. Following a multi-year consultation with the faithful, the diocese grouped parishes into clusters that would share a clergy team and eventually merge. In 2018 the six parishes of St. Alphonsus, St. Ann, St. Columbkille, St. Michael, Our Lady of Lourdes, and St. Patrick began sharing a clergy team, and on July 1, 2020 they were formally merged into the new St. Isidore the Farmer Parish.
- Initiative announced by Bishop David Zubik: April 12, 2015
- Clergy sharing began: 2018
- Formal merger: July 1, 2020
- Six church buildings remain open for worship
Parish Clergy and Staff
The merged parish is led by a clergy team serving all six worship sites. The pastor is the chief spiritual shepherd of the entire parish, assisted by a parochial vicar. Faith formation, music, liturgy, buildings and grounds, and outreach are coordinated through lay staff and volunteers at each site.
- Pastor: Rev. Harry R. Bielewicz, MDiv
- Parochial Vicar: Rev. John Ferguson
- Parish phone: 724-695-7325
- Parish email: [email protected]
Faith Formation (Grades 1–8)
St. Isidore the Farmer Parish offers Faith Formation for children in grades 1 through 8 in four formats so families can choose what fits their schedule best. Sacramental preparation for First Reconciliation, First Communion, and Confirmation is woven into the curriculum. A Homeschool option is available for families who prefer to catechize at home, with a parent meeting and materials distributed through the Faith Formation office.
- Option 1: Sunday mornings, 9:15–10:45 AM at St. Alphonsus (McDonald)
- Option 2: Sunday mornings, 9:15–10:45 AM at St. Michael (Avella)
- Option 3: Monday evenings, 6:00–7:30 PM at St. Columbkille (Imperial)
- Option 4: Homeschool Faith Formation
- Contact: Jen Greenawald, Faith Formation Office — 724-695-2146
Liturgical Ministries
The parish coordinates Liturgical Ministries that serve the Mass, the celebration of the sacraments, and the worship life of the church buildings. These ministries are open to parishioners who want to participate more actively in the liturgy across the six worship sites.
- Altar servers
- Lectors
- Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion
- Music ministry and choirs
- Sacristans and liturgical environment volunteers
Next Generation Parish Initiative
St. Isidore the Farmer Parish is engaged in a four-year Next Generation Parish experience in partnership with the Catholic Leadership Institute. The process helps the parish assess strengths and opportunities, develop a pastoral plan, and cultivate a deeper missionary spirit. The four pillars of the program — spiritual maturity, shared leadership, a vibrant Sunday experience, and a missionary impulse to reach others — guide the parish's vision for the future. Multiple committees are active in different phases and parishioners are encouraged to prayerfully consider being called to serve.
- Pillar 1: Foster Spiritual Maturity — a plan for discipleship of parishioners
- Pillar 2: Share Leadership — commitment to organizational health
- Pillar 3: Offer a Vibrant Sunday Experience — hymns, homilies, and hospitality
- Pillar 4: Embrace a Missionary Impulse — going out to bring others to Jesus
- Partnership with the Catholic Leadership Institute over 4 years
Livestream and Online Mass
For parishioners who are sick, homebound, traveling, or otherwise unable to attend Mass in person, St. Isidore the Farmer Parish livestreams Mass on Facebook and YouTube. Sunday Mass is livestreamed at 9:00 AM (from Our Lady of Lourdes), and daily Mass is livestreamed Monday through Thursday at 8:00 AM. Recorded Masses are also available on demand on both platforms.
- Sunday livestream: 9:00 AM on Facebook and YouTube
- Monday–Thursday livestream: 8:00 AM on Facebook and YouTube
- On-demand recordings available on the parish Facebook page and YouTube channel
Worship Sites of St. Isidore the Farmer Parish
Although unified under one clergy team, the parish maintains six historic church buildings across western Allegheny and Washington counties, each with its own Mass schedule and local community. St. Patrick Church in Oakdale/North Fayette is one of those six sites.
- St. Patrick Church — 7322 Noblestown Rd., Oakdale, PA 15071 (North Fayette Township) — Sunday 8:00 AM
- St. Columbkille Church — 103 Church Rd., Imperial, PA 15126 — Saturday Vigil 6:30 PM, Sunday 10:00 AM (parish administrative center)
- St. Alphonsus Church — 219 W. Lincoln Ave., McDonald, PA 15057 — Saturday Vigil 4:00 PM
- St. Ann Church — 967 Grant St., Bulger, PA 15019 (no weekend Masses scheduled)
- St. Michael Church — 97 Highland Ave., Avella, PA 15312 — Sunday 11:00 AM
- Our Lady of Lourdes Church — 1112 Main St., Burgettstown, PA 15021 — Sunday 9:00 AM
Getting Involved
The parish encourages parishioners to participate in the more than 15 ministries serving the community — liturgical, faith formation, outreach to the sick and homebound, family ministry, youth ministry, and parish committees supporting the Next Generation Parish process. The parish office can connect newcomers and returning Catholics with a ministry that fits their gifts and schedule.
- 15+ active ministries
- Faith formation volunteer and catechist opportunities
- Next Generation Parish committee service
- Liturgical ministry at any of the six worship sites