About St. Mary Assumption [Ruthenian] · New Salem, Pennsylvania
St. Mary Assumption Byzantine (Ruthenian) Catholic Church is a small Byzantine Catholic parish in New Salem, Pennsylvania (Fayette County), founded in 1903 by Byzantine Catholic (Ruthenian/"Greek Catholic") faithful from the region. It belongs to the Byzantine Catholic Archeparchy of Pittsburgh (Ruthenian Metropolitanate sui juris), while geographically sitting within the territory of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Greensburg. The parish serves its community with the Byzantine-Ruthenian Divine Liturgy and is administered by Father James A. Ragan, who also serves nearby St. Nicholas Church in Brownsville.
- Established
- 1903
- Patron
- Mary in her Holy Assumption (the Dormition of the Theotokos)
- Rector
- Reverend James A. Ragan (Administrator)
- Diocese
- Byzantine Catholic Archeparchy of Pittsburgh (Ruthenian Metropolitanate sui juris); geographically located within the territory of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Greensburg.
Why belong here
St. Mary Assumption offers a faithful Byzantine Catholic home in the Mon Valley — a parish that has worshiped, catechized, and buried its dead on the same New Salem grounds since 1903. Members celebrate the Byzantine-Ruthenian Divine Liturgy in full communion with Rome, belong to a small and tight-knit community that still maintains its parish cemetery, and support regional outreach such as the parish's annual Pre-Christmas Dinner and themed basket raffle in the Social Hall. For Byzantine Catholics in the Fayette County area — and for anyone drawn to the Eastern Christian liturgical tradition — it is a longstanding, debt-free parish with a living devotional life to the Mother of God in her Assumption.
Mass times at St. Mary Assumption [Ruthenian]
Weekly Mass schedule
History of St. Mary Assumption
St. Mary Assumption Byzantine Catholic Church was organized in May 1903, with the first resident pastor arriving that September. The first liturgical services were held in a frame dwelling in Buffington, Pennsylvania. In late 1903, 2.116 acres plus an extra lot were purchased from the Hess Estate for $5,000, including a circa-1877 red-brick house that served as the rectory until 1967. The cornerstone of the original frame church was laid on November 26, 1903, and in 1906 the parish acquired three more acres from the H.C. Frick Coke Company along with an acre for its cemetery. A dispute over the parish's identity was settled in Civil Court in September 1913. By-laws adopted December 21, 1913 — and approved February 12, 1914 — formally constituted the congregation as Byzantine Catholic. The church was solemnly dedicated ten months later. Subsequent decades brought growth: a six-room addition to the rectory with a four-room cantor's dwelling, and a two-room red-brick schoolhouse dedicated December 27, 1917. On August 21, 1966, ground was broken for an entirely new complex — church, rectory, and social/catechetical center — with the cornerstone laid December 17, 1967 and the facilities dedicated that same year. A 20-year non-lien mortgage (final payment scheduled May 1, 1988) was paid off on April 11, 1977; the mortgage was joyfully burned at a parish celebration on August 14, 1977.
- Organized May 1903
- First resident pastor arrived September 1903
- Original cornerstone laid November 26, 1903
- Cemetery acre acquired 1906 (from H.C. Frick Coke Company)
- Identity as Byzantine Catholic confirmed by Civil Court, September 1913
- By-laws adopted December 21, 1913; approved February 12, 1914
- Schoolhouse dedicated December 27, 1917
- New complex groundbreaking August 21, 1966; cornerstone December 17, 1967
- Mortgage paid off early April 11, 1977; burned in celebration August 14, 1977
Patron and Feast
The parish is dedicated to the Holy Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, known in Byzantine tradition as the Dormition of the Theotokos. The parish's own historical narrative closes: "With love, devotion, and dedication to their patron, Mary in her Holy Assumption, the parish family continues to flourish." The feast is celebrated August 15.
- Patron: Mary in her Holy Assumption
- Feast: August 15 (Dormition of the Theotokos)
Clergy and Pastoral Care
The parish is currently administered by Reverend James A. Ragan, who also serves as priest at St. Nicholas Byzantine Catholic Church in Brownsville, PA. Per the Archeparchy of Pittsburgh's Official Appointments, Father Christopher Burke was assigned as pastor of St. Nicholas, Brownsville and administrator of St. Mary, New Salem effective August 1, 2024; the parish page on archpitt.org currently lists Father Ragan as administrator.
- Rev. James A. Ragan — Administrator (current, per archpitt.org parish page and Priest Directory)
Divine Liturgy and Schedule
St. Mary Assumption celebrates the Byzantine-Ruthenian Divine Liturgy — not the Roman Rite Mass — in communion with the Bishop of Rome through the Archeparchy of Pittsburgh. The Archeparchy parish page lists the Sunday service at 11:00 a.m. Visitors are encouraged to call the rectory at (724) 245-7188 to confirm times, holy days, and seasonal changes.
- Sunday Divine Liturgy — 11:00 a.m. (per archpitt.org parish page)
Sacraments (Holy Mysteries)
The parish celebrates the Byzantine Holy Mysteries. The Archeparchy listing directs that arrangements for Marriage and Anointing be made through the rectory.
- Marriage — please contact the rectory
- Anointing — please contact the rectory
Parish Life and Fundraisers
The parish maintains an active Social Hall used for fellowship and fundraising. The Byzantine Catholic World (Archeparchy newspaper, December 2025) advertised the parish's annual Pre-Christmas Dinner and Bake Sale, served from noon to 1:00 p.m. in the Social Hall following the 11:00 a.m. Divine Liturgy, with a themed basket raffle. The June 2026 issue noted that members of St. John the Baptist Cathedral in Munhall attended the parish's "Four Seasons Party" fundraiser on May 3, 2026 — a sign of regional fellowship among Byzantine Catholic parishes in western Pennsylvania.
- Pre-Christmas Dinner & Bake Sale — noon–1:00 p.m. in the Social Hall
- Themed basket raffle
- Four Seasons Party fundraiser (May 2026)
- Parish Social Hall gatherings
Parish Cemetery
The parish has maintained its own cemetery since 1906, when an acre of land was acquired from the H.C. Frick Coke Company. This remains an important element of parish identity and community memory.
- Parish cemetery — 1 acre, acquired 1906
Jurisdiction and Geographic Context
St. Mary Assumption is canonically a parish of the Byzantine Catholic Archeparchy of Pittsburgh — the Ruthenian Metropolitanate sui juris. Although the Ruthenian Church is an Eastern Catholic Church in full communion with Rome, the parish is geographically located within the territory of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Greensburg, which makes its Byzantine identity a distinctive witness in Fayette County, Pennsylvania.
- Canonical jurisdiction: Byzantine Catholic Archeparchy of Pittsburgh (Ruthenian)
- Geographic territory: Roman Catholic Diocese of Greensburg
- Rite: Byzantine (Ruthenian)
- Located in New Salem, Fayette County, Pennsylvania
Contact and Visit
Parishioners and visitors can reach St. Mary Assumption at the rectory by telephone. The parish is listed on the Archeparchy of Pittsburgh's official parish directory and map, and Catholic Mass Time / Discover Mass aggregator pages link to the Archeparchy page for current information.
- Address: 12 Center Street Extension, New Salem, PA 15468
- Rectory phone: (724) 245-7188
- Official listing: archpitt.org/place/newsalempa-2/
- Sunday Divine Liturgy: 11:00 a.m.
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Jerome G. Botskoprior to 2024
Previously served as pastor of St. Nicholas, Brownsville and administrator of St. Mary, New Salem (relieved from those assignments per Archeparchy of Pittsburgh Official Appointments).
- Father Christopher Burkeeffective August 1, 2024
Appointed pastor of St. Nicholas, Brownsville and administrator of St. Mary, New Salem, both in Pennsylvania, per Archeparchy of Pittsburgh Official Appointments.
- Father James A. Ragancurrent
Current administrator of St. Mary Assumption, New Salem; also assigned to St. Nicholas, Brownsville, per the Archeparchy of Pittsburgh parish page.