About St. Mary of Mercy - Divine Mercy Parish · Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Divine Mercy Parish is a Roman Catholic parish in downtown Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, formally established on January 6, 2020 through the merger of the former Church of the Epiphany, Saint Mary of Mercy, and Saint Benedict the Moor communities. It serves the downtown 'Golden Triangle' as part of the Diocese of Pittsburgh and aims to be a Eucharistic center offering spiritual and physical nourishment to a diverse downtown community. The parish operates its ministries across two historic church buildings — Epiphany Church on Washington Place and Saint Mary of Mercy Church on Stanwix Street — along with the well-known Red Door hospitality and outreach ministry that has served Pittsburgh's poor since the Great Depression. Father Nicholas Vaskov currently serves as pastor of the parish, which gathers worshippers under the patronage of Divine Mercy.
- Established
- 1870 (St. Mary of Mercy) / 2020 (Divine Mercy Parish merger)
- Patron
- Saint Mary of Mercy (patroness of the historic downtown parish); parish placed under the patronage of Divine Mercy in 2020
- Rector
- Reverend Nicholas Vaskov (current pastor)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Pittsburgh
Why belong here
Divine Mercy Parish welcomes downtown Pittsburgh residents, workers, and visitors into a Eucharistic community centered on the Lord's mercy, with daily noon Mass at Saint Mary of Mercy Church (streamed on local Catholic television and online), weekday confession immediately following the noon Mass, daily adoration at St. Mary of Mercy, and a tradition of preaching for the city-center faithful. The parish runs the long-running Red Door hospitality ministry — offering free lunch and dinner, showers, laundry, and a food pantry to anyone in need — as well as multicultural encounters, Catholic speaker series, and programs for youth and young adults. It is also home to the Sisters of Merciful Jesus, who staff the Saint Faustina Gate / Welcome Center for Divine Mercy devotions at the entrance of St. Mary of Mercy Church.
Mass times at St. Mary of Mercy - Divine Mercy Parish
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Monday: 12:30 PM – 1:00 PM (St. Mary of Mercy, following the noon Mass)
- Tuesday: 12:30 PM – 1:00 PM (St. Mary of Mercy)
- Wednesday: 12:30 PM – 1:00 PM (St. Mary of Mercy)
- Thursday: 12:30 PM – 1:00 PM (St. Mary of Mercy)
- Friday: 11:00 AM – 11:45 AM (Epiphany Church) and 12:30 PM – 1:00 PM (St. Mary of Mercy)
- Sunday: 9:00 AM – 9:45 AM (Epiphany Church)
Adoration times
- Monday – Friday: 12:30 PM – 1:00 PM (St. Mary of Mercy Church)
- Wednesday: 7:30 AM – 11:45 AM (Epiphany Church)
- Friday: 7:30 AM – 11:45 AM (Epiphany Church)
- Sunday: 9:15 AM – 9:45 AM (Epiphany Church)
About Divine Mercy Parish
Divine Mercy Parish is a Roman Catholic parish in the Diocese of Pittsburgh serving the downtown 'Golden Triangle.' It was established on January 6, 2020 by uniting the former congregations of Church of the Epiphany, Saint Mary of Mercy, and Saint Benedict the Moor. Rooted in Catholic tradition, the parish describes itself as a Eucharistic center, devoted to offering spiritual and physical nourishment to a diverse community of parishioners, downtown workers, and visitors. The parish looks forward to building a community 'rooted in Christ' through vibrant liturgies, frequent confession, adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, Catholic Speaker Series, youth and young-adult events, outreach to the vulnerable, and multicultural encounters. Worship takes place at two historic downtown churches — Saint Mary of Mercy Church (202 Stanwix Street) and Epiphany Church (184 Washington Place) — with the parish administrative office at 164 Washington Place, Pittsburgh, PA 15219.
- Established January 6, 2020
- United Church of the Epiphany, Saint Mary of Mercy, and Saint Benedict the Moor
- Diocese of Pittsburgh
History of Saint Mary of Mercy Church
Saint Mary of Mercy has roots going back to 1868, when a house in Pittsburgh's Point neighborhood was purchased and converted into a small chapel called Our Lady of Consolation to serve the Irish Catholic residents of the area. The chapel initially operated as a mission of St. Paul Cathedral and became an independent parish under the name St. Mary of Mercy in 1870. By 1876 the original home-chapel was too small, and the parish purchased the former Ames Methodist Episcopal Church at Third Avenue and Ferry Street, rededicated on September 24, 1876.
- 1868: Our Lady of Consolation chapel opens for Point-area Irish Catholics
- 1870: Formed as an independent parish
- 1876: Purchases former Ames Methodist Episcopal Church; rededicated September 24
Building the Present Church (1893–1936)
That 1876 church soon proved inadequate. A new church was built on the site of today's building and dedicated on May 28, 1893. It served the parish well for forty years until structural damage and overcrowding forced another rebuild in the 1930s. The last Mass in the 1893 church was celebrated on May 22, 1935, and the structure was razed. The present Saint Mary of Mercy Church, designed by architect William P. Hutchins, was built on the same location at Stanwix Street and the Boulevard of the Allies and was dedicated on October 25, 1936 — the building still in use today.
- 1893: Second church dedicated May 28
- May 22, 1935: Last Mass in 1893 church
- October 25, 1936: Present church dedicated
City Center Parishes & the 2020 Merger
In October 2018, Bishop David Zubik's 'City Center Parishes' initiative brought together Epiphany, St. Mary of Mercy, St. Benedict the Moor, and St. Patrick–St. Stanislaus under one pastoral team. Rev. Christopher D. Donley was named Administrator of St. Mary of Mercy on October 15, 2018 to shepherd the merger process. The initiative culminated on January 6, 2020, when the Diocese of Pittsburgh officially established Divine Mercy Parish from the former Epiphany, St. Mary of Mercy, and St. Benedict the Moor communities.
- October 15, 2018: Fr. Christopher D. Donley named Administrator
- January 6, 2020: Divine Mercy Parish officially formed
The Red Door Ministry
The Red Door ministry began during the Great Depression era and has grown into one of the best-known outreach efforts in downtown Pittsburgh. Operating out of the Boulevard of the Allies side of Saint Mary of Mercy Church (202 Stanwix Street), it serves two free meals a day, six days a week, plus Sunday Supper. Lunch (Mon–Sat, 10:30–11:30 AM) typically includes a snack bag, juice, water, and a sandwich; dinner (Mon–Fri, 5:00–5:30 PM) is served each evening. The Red Door also distributes clothing, blankets, tents, and personal hygiene products, and offers showers, laundry, and a food pantry to anyone in need — everything given freely with nothing expected in return, 100% reliant on donations.
- Lunch: Mon–Sat 10:30–11:30 AM
- Dinner: Mon–Fri 5:00–5:30 PM
- Showers, laundry, and food pantry
- 100% donation-funded; Amazon wish list available
TV Ministry & Live-Streamed Mass
The parish's TV Ministry broadcasts the daily noon Mass from Saint Mary of Mercy Church for the homebound and wider community. The Mass can be viewed live or on demand on Comcast channel 95, Verizon Fios channel 472, Pittsburgh's Faith and Family channel 40.9, online at christianassociatestv.org, and through the parish website at divinemercypgh.org.
- Comcast channel 95
- Verizon Fios channel 472
- Faith and Family channel 40.9
- christianassociatestv.org
- divinemercypgh.org
Welcome Center & Sisters of Merciful Jesus
At the entrance of Saint Mary of Mercy Church, Divine Mercy Parish operates a Welcome Center staffed by the Sisters of Merciful Jesus (ZSJM), the religious congregation desired by Christ Himself as the apostle of His Divine Mercy through St. Faustina. The center offers Divine Mercy materials and a place of encounter; the parish describes it as a 'very little tiny' channel of God's mercy for everyone who enters.
- Welcome Center at Saint Mary of Mercy entrance
- Saint Faustina Gate served Fridays 10:30 AM – 11:30 AM
Parish Staff
The parish is led by Father Nicholas Vaskov as pastor, supported by an extensive resident clergy team including Fr. Edward Bryce, Fr. Pio-Anthony Okafor, Fr. Peter Claver, Fr. Matthew Hawkins, Fr. Emmanuel Mezza, Fr. Leonard Zifac Nyuydze, and Fr. John Minde. Pastoral and operational staff include Deacon John Corcoran, Office Manager Erica Paul, Pastoral Associate Dolores Shipe, Business Manager JJ Cuddy, Evangelization Assistant Lucia Boulos, Music Director Ian Brown, and Red Door Coordinator Katie Dorman. The Sisters of Merciful Jesus staff the Welcome Center, with Deacon Scott Potter and Heidi Potter serving the Red Door as part-time assistants.
- Fr. Nicholas Vaskov, Pastor
- Six resident priests in the clergy team
- Deacon John Corcoran
- Office, business, music, evangelization, and Red Door staff
Sacraments
Divine Mercy Parish celebrates the Sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, Holy Eucharist, Confession, Marriage, and Anointing of the Sick. Couples preparing for marriage are served by a Wedding Coordinator under the 'Renew the "I Do"' ministry and are invited to attend the diocesan Joy-Filled Marriage weekend held periodically at the parish. Funerals, daily Mass intentions, and homebound pastoral care are coordinated through the parish office at [email protected] or 412-471-0257.
- Baptism
- Marriage (renew the 'I do' / JFM weekend)
- Funerals
- Anointing
- Mass Intentions
Architecture & Building
Saint Mary of Mercy Church was built in 1936 from designs by Pittsburgh architect William P. Hutchins, who fitted as much church and diocesan office space as possible into a tiny downtown lot at the corner of Stanwix Street and the Boulevard of the Allies. Local architectural historian 'Father Pitt' describes the result as a modest Gothic-style structure whose unassuming exterior reflects both its downtown location and the Depression-era economy. Epiphany Church, the parish's other worship site, is located at 184 Washington Place.
- Architect: William P. Hutchins
- Dedicated October 25, 1936
- Corner of Stanwix Street and Boulevard of the Allies
- Modest Gothic-style exterior
Visit, Contact & Stay Connected
Visitors and parishioners can reach the parish at 412-471-0257 or [email protected]. The administrative office is at 164 Washington Place, Pittsburgh, PA 15219 (with a secondary office line at 412-471-0654). The parish maintains active social media accounts on Facebook and Instagram (including a dedicated Red Door Instagram, @thereddoorpgh), a YouTube channel, and a Flocknote texting list — join by texting 'DivineMercyPgh' to 84576. Mass Intentions, prayer requests, and bulletin submissions are all coordinated through the parish office.
- Phone: 412-471-0257
- Email: [email protected]
- Address: 164 Washington Place, Pittsburgh, PA 15219
- Flocknote: text DivineMercyPgh to 84576
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Christopher D. Donley2018–2020+
Named Administrator of St. Mary of Mercy on October 15, 2018 under Bishop Zubik's City Center Parishes initiative; led the transition into the newly formed Divine Mercy Parish in January 2020.
- Rev. Nicholas Vaskovcurrent (per diocesan staff page)
Current pastor of Divine Mercy Parish.