About St. Maurice - St. Joseph the Worker Parish · Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
St. Joseph the Worker Parish is a Roman Catholic parish in the Diocese of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, formed on July 1, 2020 through the 'On Mission for The Church Alive!' initiative of Bishop David Zubik. It united eight former parishes — St. Maurice (Forest Hills), Good Shepherd (Braddock), Sacred Heart (Braddock Hills), Madonna del Castello (Swissvale), St. Anselm (Swissvale), St. Colman (Turtle Creek), St. John Fisher (Churchill), and St. Jude the Apostle (Wilmerding) — into a single faith community. The parish describes itself as 'a welcoming, vibrant Catholic Community uniting people to God and each other through prayerful, sacred liturgy, dynamic, strong ministries and loving, generous outreach.' Its administrative center and surviving worship site is St. Maurice Church at 2001 Ardmore Boulevard, Forest Hills. The parish is led by a clergy team of three priests and four deacons, and is known for an active LiveStream Ministry that reaches viewers across the Diocese, the Commonwealth, and internationally.
- Established
- 2020
- Patron
- St. Joseph the Worker
- Rector
- Rev. Michael J. Stumpf
- Diocese
- Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh
Why belong here
St. Joseph the Worker Parish offers a deeply rooted Catholic community in the eastern suburbs of Pittsburgh, centered at the historic St. Maurice Church in Forest Hills. The parish combines a strong liturgical life — with daily and Sunday Mass, regular Confession, Monday Eucharistic Adoration, and a celebrated Music Ministry — with an active LiveStream Ministry that, as of June 2024, reaches nearly 1,200 YouTube subscribers and about 4,000 monthly views from across the diocese, the state, the country, and even Europe and Africa. It also runs adult faith formation, RCIA-style adult education, Bible studies, the Good Samaritans Mission for outreach, Support and Healing ministries (grief, caregivers, recovery), and dozens of volunteer opportunities. For someone moving into the Forest Hills, Swissvale, Churchill, Turtle Creek, Wilmerding, or Braddock area, it is a single, convenient Catholic home rooted in eight neighborhood traditions.
Mass times at St. Maurice - St. Joseph the Worker Parish
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Monday 6:00 p.m. – 6:50 p.m. (before 7:00 p.m. Mass), St. Maurice
- Saturday 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m., St. Maurice Church
Adoration times
- Monday 8:30 a.m. – 6:30 p.m., St. Maurice Chapel
Welcome & Mission
St. Joseph the Worker Parish describes itself as 'a welcoming, vibrant Catholic Community uniting people to God and each other through prayerful, sacred liturgy, dynamic, strong ministries and loving, generous outreach.' Inspired by St. Joseph the Worker, the parish embraces the hard-working, diverse region of the eastern Pittsburgh suburbs by honoring Catholic tradition and forming holy, committed disciples of Jesus Christ. The parish's homepage invites both newcomers and lifelong Catholics to register, follow the parish on Flocknote for real-time updates by email or text, and 'start your journey' into parish life.
- Mission statement: welcoming, vibrant, prayerful, dynamic, generous
- Patron: St. Joseph the Worker
- Newcomer registration available via parish website
- Flocknote email/text communication platform
Parish History: Eight Communities, One Parish
St. Joseph the Worker Parish was canonically established on July 1, 2020, the product of the Diocese of Pittsburgh's 'On Mission for The Church Alive!' strategic process announced by Bishop David Zubik on April 12, 2015. During a 2018–2020 consultation period, eight parishes — Good Shepherd (Braddock), Madonna del Castello (Swissvale), St. Anselm (Swissvale), St. Colman (Turtle Creek), St. John Fisher (Churchill), St. Jude the Apostle (Wilmerding), Sacred Heart (Braddock Hills), and St. Maurice (Forest Hills) — were grouped together, shared clergy and staff, and published a joint bulletin before being formally unified. The oldest of the eight communities is St. Maurice, Forest Hills, whose roots go back to a 1942 mission of St. James, Wilkinsburg. The first Mass was celebrated at the Melody Lane Skating Rink on July 3, 1949; a former bottling plant on Ardmore Boulevard was purchased in April 1950 and converted into a church. That building served the parish until the 1970s, when a new sanctuary was built and dedicated on December 4, 1977 — the same St. Maurice Church that today anchors the merged parish.
- Formed July 1, 2020 (eight predecessor parishes)
- Bishop David Zubik announced 'On Mission for The Church Alive!' on April 12, 2015
- 2018: parishes began sharing clergy and a joint bulletin
- St. Maurice founded 1942 as a mission; parish erected June 30, 1949
- First Mass: July 3, 1949 at Melody Lane Skating Rink
- Bottling plant purchased April 1950 and converted to a church
- New St. Maurice Church dedicated December 4, 1977
LiveStream Ministry
The LiveStream Ministry was launched in spring 2020 under the auspices of the Music Ministry to keep parishioners connected during pandemic restrictions on public worship. It has since become a vital lifeline to shut-ins and others unable to attend in person. As of June 2024 the parish's YouTube channel (@sjwpitt) had nearly 1,200 subscribers and about 4,000 views per month, with viewers identified across the Diocese of Pittsburgh, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, many other U.S. states, and international locations in Europe and Africa. In addition to Sunday and weekday Masses, the channel carries messages from the pastor, special liturgies, choir and musician concerts, and faith-education presentations by clergy and staff. The Director is Michael Burke, who leads a volunteer 'Stream-Team.'
- YouTube channel: youtube.com/@sjwpitt
- Started spring 2020 under Music Ministry
- Director: Michael Burke; volunteer 'Stream-Team'
- Live-streams all regular Masses plus special liturgies, concerts, and faith talks
- ~1,200 subscribers and ~4,000 monthly views as of June 2024
Clergy & Staff
The parish is served by a single clergy team across all its former worship sites, with a Pastor, a Senior Parochial Vicar, a Parochial Vicar, and four Deacons. Administrative contact for the parish office goes through the 2001 Ardmore Boulevard center. The Diocese of Pittsburgh lists the full team on its parish page, with parish email addresses published for direct contact.
- Pastor: Rev. Michael J. Stumpf ([email protected])
- Senior Parochial Vicar: Rev. Martin F. Barkin, MDiv ([email protected])
- Parochial Vicar: Rev. Nicholas Clinton ([email protected])
- Deacon Joseph M. Dougherty ([email protected])
- Deacon Keith G. Kondrich ([email protected])
- Deacon Jeffrey McLaughlin ([email protected])
- Deacon Herbert E. Riley, Jr. ([email protected])
Parish Ministries & Leadership
Parish Ministries provide 'essential leadership, oversight, and service to the spiritual and practical life' of the community, supporting what the parish describes as its shift 'from maintenance to mission.' The four core leadership bodies are the Pastoral Council, Finance Council, Liturgy Committee, and Facilities Mission Team. Liturgical life is supported by the Music Ministry, LiveStream Ministry, and Altar Servers. Adult formation is offered through Bible studies, topical classes, seasonal Advent/Lenten series, and discussion groups. Outreach is organized under the Good Samaritans Mission, while pastoral care is provided through Support and Healing Ministries covering grief, caregivers, mental health, and 12-step recovery.
- Pastoral Council
- Finance Council
- Liturgy Committee
- Facilities Mission Team
- Music Ministry
- LiveStream Ministry (Michael Burke, director)
- Altar Servers (contact: Norm Chapman, [email protected])
- Adult Faith Formation
- Good Samaritans Mission (outreach)
- Support and Healing Ministries
Good Samaritans Mission (Outreach)
The Good Samaritans Mission (GSM) is the parish-wide social-justice and outreach arm of St. Joseph the Worker. Its mission is 'a Parish-wide collaboration to address pressing social needs in communities served by St. Joseph the Worker Parish,' supporting parishioners who strive to live the principles of Catholic Social Teaching as disciples in charity and justice. The vision engages parishioners in charitable works, awareness and education, relationship building, advocacy, and liturgy and prayer — guided by the seven themes of Catholic Social Teaching issued by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.
- Mission: address social needs across parish communities
- Vision: charitable works, awareness, education, relationships, advocacy, prayer
- Life and Dignity of the Human Person
- Call to Family, Community, and Participation
- Option for the Poor and Vulnerable
- Dignity of Work and the Rights of Workers
- Solidarity
- Rights and Responsibilities
- Care for God's Creation
Support and Healing Ministries
The parish's Support and Healing Ministries accompany individuals and families through 'life's most difficult seasons,' reflecting 'the compassionate heart of Christ, who walks with the suffering, binds up the brokenhearted, and brings peace to those in pain.' Programming includes grief support groups, caregiver outreach, mental health resources, 12-step recovery programs, and prayer and pastoral accompaniment — a recognition that 'healing is part of the mission of the Church.'
- Grief support groups
- Caregiver outreach
- Mental health resources
- 12-step recovery programs
- Prayer and pastoral accompaniment
Get Involved
The parish's 'Get Involved' page invites parishioners and visitors to find their place through service and outreach, prayer and fellowship, and the many liturgical and pastoral ministries. 'Everyone has something to contribute,' the site says, 'and there are countless ways for you to get involved! From helping create beautiful and reverent worship experiences to living the Gospel by caring for the poor, vulnerable, and marginalized in our communities, however God is calling you, there's a place for you here.'
- Service and Outreach opportunities
- Prayer and Fellowship opportunities
- Liturgical ministries (Music, LiveStream, Altar Servers)
- Leadership councils (Pastoral, Finance, Liturgy, Facilities)
2026 Consolidation: Seven Churches Closing, St. Maurice to Remain
In November 2025, Pastor Rev. Michael Stumpf announced a plan to consolidate the merged eight-building parish into a single worship site at St. Maurice Church in Forest Hills. Bishop Mark Eckman approved the plan, and the seven other churches — Good Shepherd (Braddock), Sacred Heart (Braddock Hills), Madonna del Castello (Swissvale), St. Anselm (Swissvale), St. Colman (Turtle Creek), St. John Fisher (Churchill), and St. Jude the Apostle (Wilmerding) — closed effective March 12, 2026. The parish's official statement described the decision as 'about securing a future for mission, allowing us to serve our people and communities with renewed focus and unity.' Sacred items are being removed and preserved, and the consolidation will allow renovation of the St. Maurice campus.
- November 2025: Pastor Stumpf announces consolidation plan
- Bishop Mark Eckman approved the plan
- March 12, 2026: seven churches closed
- St. Maurice Church in Forest Hills remains the sole worship site
- Sacred items removed and preserved from closing churches
- St. Maurice campus slated for renovation
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Michael J. Stumpf2020–present (as Pastor of merged parish)
Appointed Pastor of the newly formed St. Joseph the Worker Parish upon its July 1, 2020 creation; led the November 2025 announcement that St. Maurice Church would be the sole remaining worship site.