St. Margaret Mary

Mission and Identity

St. Margaret Mary's parish mission statement calls the community 'a hard working people, diverse in age and economic situations and a strong Catholic presence in the community.' Rooted in baptism, the parish says its mission is to 'proclaim and celebrate Christ's love for all' by gathering at various 'tables' of human interaction — fellowship, service, formation — that lead to the Eucharistic Table of Christ, and from there going out to share that love in the wider community and world. The parish is a Roman Catholic parish of the Diocese of Greensburg and shares several ministries with the neighboring parishes of New Kensington, including K–12 faith formation, youth ministry, and Theology on Tap for young adults.

Mass and Sacraments

Weekend Masses are celebrated Saturday at 4:00 PM (Vigil) and Sunday at 8:30 AM and 11:00 AM; daily Mass is offered Monday through Thursday at 7:30 AM. The Sacrament of Reconciliation is heard Saturday at 1:00 PM and by appointment. Visitors are asked to use the call box in the Parish Lobby for admittance during office hours; the lobby doors themselves are open Monday–Friday from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM for drop-offs.

• Saturday Vigil — 4:00 PM
• Sunday — 8:30 AM & 11:00 AM
• Weekday Mass — Mon–Thu, 7:30 AM
• Reconciliation — Saturday 1:00 PM and by appointment
• Livestreamed Vigil Mass on the parish YouTube channel (recordings kept for one year)

A New Church, Built for the Future

After decades in a 5,400-square-foot worship space originally built as a temporary church in 1957, St. Margaret Mary broke ground on a long-awaited expansion in May 2011. A closing Mass on May 29, 2011 sent the parish to Charles Huston Middle School for weekend Masses, and a $4.6 million new construction project began. The new sanctuary wraps around the old church, more than doubling usable worship space (to 13,000 square feet) and increasing seating from 435 to nearly 800 — about 1,100 with the gathering area included. The altar arrived the night before the dedication in what then-pastor Fr. James Gaston called a 'photo finish.'

• Dedicated September 2013 by Bishop Lawrence Brandt, Diocese of Greensburg
• Seating: nearly 800 (about 1,100 with gathering area)
• Designed with video projection replacing printed hymnals
• Pre-wired for future solar power
• Business manager / project manager: Bill Staniszewski

Clergy and Staff

St. Margaret Mary is currently served by a pastor, two parochial vicars, and a sizable lay staff supporting liturgy, faith formation, youth ministry, business, and parish operations. Day-to-day parish life is supported by a Business Manager, Director of Liturgy & Music, a Technology Coordinator / Financial Associate, Parish Secretary, a Regional Director of Faith Formation & Discipleship, a Pastoral Associate for Youth and Young Adult Ministries, a SAFE Environment Coordinator, an Art & Environment team, and a maintenance crew.

• Fr. Daniel Blout — Pastor ([email protected])
• Fr. Elpidio (Bimbot) Alcontin — Parochial Vicar
• Fr. Rodolfo Mejia — Parochial Vicar Pro-Tem
• Fr. Anthony Cortado
• William Staniszewski — Business Manager
• Mary Murphy — Director of Liturgy & Music
• Heather Hensley — Pastoral Associate for Youth and Young Adult Ministries (ext. 6206)
• Timothy Ruflin — Regional Director of Faith Formation & Discipleship
• Michele Arabia — Parish Secretary
• Danielle Skowronski — Technology Coordinator / Financial Associate
• Linda McAlpine — Food Bank coordinator / Festival
• Dan Ash / Stephen Boyd / Michael Discello — Maintenance
• Laurie Uleski-Foster — SAFE Environment Coordinator

Faith Formation (Grades K–5)

Children's Faith Formation is coordinated regionally across the Catholic Parishes of New Kensington and Lower Burrell by Timothy Ruflin, Regional Director of Faith Formation & Discipleship. Three tracks are offered: a traditional classroom model (K–5) using the Augustine Institute's Word of Life curriculum, a home-school option with family support, and Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (CGS) — a Montessori-based, hands-on program for ages 3–12 using a special 'Atrium' environment. A monthly 'Family Faith Night' brings parents and children together for experiential formation. Classes meet in the Discipleship Center and at Mary Queen of Apostles Catholic School, Mount St. Peter Church.

• Traditional K–5 Faith Formation — Mondays 6:00–7:30 PM (Word of Life)
• Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (ages 3–12) — Tuesdays 6:00–7:30 PM
• Home-school option with monthly Family Faith Nights
• Mary Queen of Apostles Catholic School — Pre-K through 8th grade
• First Reconciliation / First Communion preparation

Youth Ministry (Grades 6–12)

The Lower Burrell + New Kensington Catholic Youth Ministry is a shared ministry coordinated by Heather Hensley, Pastoral Associate for Youth and Young Adult Ministries. Middle-schoolers (Grades 6–8) meet weekly on Wednesday evenings for games, faith, and fellowship; high-schoolers (Grades 9–12) meet one Sunday evening per month with a published schedule. The Youth Choir is an extension of this ministry, and teen lectors, greeters, ushers, and music ministers are welcomed. Confirmation preparation is offered with diocesan retreat days and classes at St. Margaret Mary; the Confirmation liturgy itself is held at St. Joe's in New Kensington. Heather can be reached through the parish office at extension 6206.

• Middle School Youth Group — Wednesdays starting Sept. 17
• High School Youth Group — one Sunday evening per month
• Confirmation classes at SMM; rehearsal & liturgy at St. Joe's, New Kensington
• Diocesan Confirmation retreats at Christ Our Shepherd Center, Greensburg
• Theology on Tap — monthly gathering for young adults (Lower Burrell / New Kensington)

Music Ministry

Music Ministry is one of the most distinctive features of parish life at St. Margaret Mary. Mary Murphy, Director of Liturgy & Music, leads an unusually full program that includes a Junior Youth Choir for children in Grades K–3 (singing for Christmas, Easter, Palm Sunday, Holy Thursday, and other major liturgies), a Youth Choir for Grades 4–12 (singing roughly twice a month), an Adult Choir (Wednesday evening rehearsals; contemporary, traditional, classical, and gospel repertoire), a Resurrection Choir for parish funerals, two Handbell Choirs (Thursday evening rehearsals in the church — no music-reading experience required), a Schola of 4–8 singers who lead sung prayer in four-part harmony, and a cantors ministry. The parish frames its music program around Vatican II's Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, with the goal of enabling the 'active participation' of the whole assembly.

• Adult Choir — Wed. 6:45–8:45 PM
• Youth Choir (Grades 4–12) — Sun. 9:45–10:45 AM
• Junior Youth Choir (Grades K–3) — Sun. 9:45–10:30 AM
• Handbell Choirs — Thu. 6:45–8:20 PM in the church
• Resurrection Choir, Schola, and Cantors — by invitation/inquiry
• Contact Mary Murphy at [email protected] or 724-335-2336

Outreach: Parish Food Bank

St. Margaret Mary's Food Bank was organized more than twenty-five years ago to help meet the needs of less fortunate neighbors in the community. Each month 25–50 volunteers unload the monthly delivery truck and break food down into portions for each household; clients receive food every month of the year. Eligibility follows published income guidelines, and the food bank serves residents of Lower Burrell and Upper Burrell as well as parishioners. The ministry is coordinated by Linda McAlpine through the parish office.

• Serving Lower Burrell and Upper Burrell residents
• 25–50 volunteers per month
• Monthly food distribution year-round
• Coordinator: Linda McAlpine (724-335-2336)

Pastoral Council and Parish Life

The Pastoral Council collaborates with the pastor in setting the pastoral vision and direction of the parish. Its current members include Dianna Aubele, Dianne Bohaychick, Jeff Cox, LeRoy Dastolfo, Rick DeMoss, Linda Dolmajer, Beth Fazzini, Allen Flemm, Kevin Hartford, Mike Kardibin, James Musolino, and George Ziringer. Parish life also includes an annual Festival of Friendship (held on the church grounds in August with live music, food trucks, and the parish's famous Basket Raffle) and a strong volunteer culture — the parish itself regularly emphasizes that 'Volunteers are the heart of our festival.'

• Pastoral Council members listed on the parish website
• Festival of Friendship — annual two-night community event
• Annual Basket Raffle tradition
• SAFE Environment program

Visit Us — Location and Office

St. Margaret Mary is located at 3055 Leechburg Road, Lower Burrell, PA 15068 (Westmoreland County). The Parish Office is open to the public Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 12:00 noon and 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM; visitors are asked to use the call box at the Parish Lobby for admittance. The Parish Lobby Doors are open for drop-offs during normal business hours. Phone: 724-335-2336. Weekend Masses — and the recorded livestream of the Vigil — are also broadcast through the parish YouTube channel, with recordings available for up to one year after airing.

• 3055 Leechburg Road, Lower Burrell, PA 15068
• Phone: 724-335-2336
• Office hours: Mon–Fri, 9:00 AM–12:00 NN and 1:00–4:00 PM
• Livestream on YouTube (recordings kept one year)