About St. Michael Church · Greenville, Pennsylvania
St. Michael Parish is a Catholic parish of the Diocese of Erie serving northern Mercer County, Pennsylvania, with two worship sites: Saint Michael Church in Greenville and Saint Margaret Mission in Jamestown. Established in 1848, it is one of the older parishes in the region and for many years was home to St. Michael Catholic School, which operated from 1899 until the end of the 2024–2025 academic year. Today the parish continues its sacramental and outreach ministries — including faith formation, Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, the Jamestown Food Pantry, Project Linus, and a lively Italy pilgrimage trip planned for 2027 — under the pastoral care of Rev. Thomas Trocchio, assisted by Permanent Deacons Martin (Marty) Aubel and Frank Luciani.
- Established
- 1848
- Patron
- St. Michael the Archangel
- Rector
- Rev. Thomas Trocchio
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Erie
Why belong here
St. Michael Parish is a two-site Catholic community serving northern Mercer County, where members gather for daily and Sunday Mass, the Sacrament of Penance on Saturday afternoons, and a robust faith-formation program for children and adults. The parish is known for its hands-on outreach — Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion bring the Eucharist to local nursing homes, volunteers serve at the Good Shepherd Center and the Jamestown Food Pantry housed in St. Margaret, and the local Project Linus chapter donated 720 handmade blankets to children in need in 2019 alone. With long-serving deacons, a pastoral staff, and a faithful tradition stretching back to 1848, the parish offers a place where families can worship, be formed in the faith, and put their faith into action close to home.
Mass times at St. Michael Church
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturdays 3:00–4:00 p.m.
About St. Michael Parish
St. Michael Parish of the Diocese of Erie serves northern Mercer County from two worship sites: St. Michael Church at 85 N. High Street in Greenville and St. Margaret Mission in Jamestown. The parish is pastored by Rev. Thomas Trocchio, assisted by Permanent Deacons Martin (Marty) Aubel and Frank Luciani, with an office staff including Business Manager Susan Swartzbeck and Office Manager Patty Meehan. The parish operates a Faith Formation program for children and adults and partners with local charities to bring the Eucharist and pastoral care to the homebound, the military and families in need.
Parish History
Catholic life in Greenville began in 1838, when an itinerant priest said the first Mass in the home of Irish tailor Bryan McNally on North Race Street. Missionaries from Philadelphia and Pittsburgh served the small community for the next decade, and in 1848 Father John Reid built the first St. Michael's Church — a narrow frame building with three altars, two sacristies and pews for about 275 people. By 1889 the parish had outgrown the original building, and Father Bernard Donohoe broke ground for the present church on October 15, 1889. The new church was completed and solemnly dedicated by Bishop Tobias Mullen on June 25, 1893, and is still described in parish histories as one of the most beautiful churches in the Diocese of Erie.
- 1838 — First Mass celebrated in Greenville at the home of Bryan McNally on North Race Street
- 1842 — Bishop Francis Patrick Kenrick of Philadelphia visits overnight and baptizes five
- 1846 — Bishop Michael O'Connor of Pittsburgh visits; about 100 Catholics recorded
- 1848 — First frame church built under Father John Reid
- 1849 — First church dedicated as St. Michael's
- 1889 — Ground broken for the present church under Father Bernard Donohoe
- 1893 — Current church dedicated by Bishop Tobias Mullen on June 25
- 1899 — St. Michael Catholic School opens
- 2025 — St. Michael Catholic School closes at end of 2024–25 academic year
Architecture & the 1893 Church
The present St. Michael's Church, completed at a cost of about $35,000 and dedicated by Bishop Tobias Mullen in 1893, was described in a contemporary Advance Argus account as one of the most beautiful churches of the Diocese of Erie. The dedication procession included a parade up Main Street and along North High Street, drawing worshippers from across the region after special trains arrived.
St. Michael Catholic School (1899–2025)
St. Michael Catholic School opened in 1899 and served the children of both St. Michael Parish and St. Margaret Mission in Jamestown. At its peak the school enrolled more than 200 students; by 2025 enrollment had fallen to 36 students — a 40% decline over five years — and the school was no longer able to offer grades 6, 7 and 8. On the recommendation of the parish finance council, pastor Father Brandon Kleckner requested closure, and Bishop Lawrence T. Persico of Erie accepted, with the last day of classes set for June 5, 2025. The Diocese of Erie and school administration arranged transportation and tuition support for families who wished to continue at Shenango Valley Catholic School System (Hermitage) or Seton Catholic School (Meadville).
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Faith Formation at St. Michael Parish, led by Christopher and Megan Straub, serves children from kindergarten through high school as well as adults preparing for the sacraments. Catechists and aides are commissioned under the National Directory for Catechesis and must complete the Diocese of Erie's Safe Environment certification every five years before working with children, youth or vulnerable adults. The parish also offers First Communion and Confirmation preparation, and a Faith Formation group that organizes special projects — including the parish pilgrimage to Italy planned for July 2027.
- Faith Formation Leaders: Christopher & Megan Straub ([email protected], ext. 136)
- Adult Faith Formation contact: Deacon Frank Luciani
- Safe Environment Certification required every five years for all parish volunteers working with children/youth/vulnerable adults
Sacraments
The parish celebrates the seven Catholic sacraments. Schedules for Baptism, First Communion, Confirmation and Marriage are arranged through the parish office, and Anointing of the Sick is available on request. The Sacrament of Penance is offered every Saturday from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. in church.
Outreach & Charity
Outreach is a major part of parish life at St. Michael's. Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion bring the Eucharist each week to residents at Greystone Country Estates, St. Paul's Senior Living Community and The Grove at Greenville, where a parish-sponsored rosary is also recited. Volunteers assist at the Good Shepherd Center (food pantry, Treasures, clothing and meal programs) on Water Street in Greenville, and the Jamestown Food Pantry — housed in St. Margaret Mission — serves five Crawford County townships plus Green Township in Mercer County on the first and third Friday of each month. Other parish outreach includes Home Services for elderly parishioners, Caring Correspondence (cards to parishioners in need), Ministry to the Military, and Catholic Charities liaison through the Sharon office.
- Good Shepherd Center: 724-588-2210 (Janet Smith or Marj Stubert)
- Jamestown Food Pantry: Sharlene Caveeck, 724-927-2635
- Greystone Eucharist: Fridays, contact Susan Friedman, 724-475-4042
- St. Paul's Eucharist: Wednesdays, contact Annette Strosser, 724-588-6436
- The Grove at Greenville: contact Deacon Marty Aubel, 724-866-7432
- Catholic Charities Sharon office: 995 Linden St., 724-346-4142
Project Linus Blanket Ministry
St. Michael's hosts the Mercer County chapter of Project Linus, a national ministry that provides handmade blankets to seriously ill, traumatized and at-risk children ages 0–18. The parish holds regular Make-A-Blanket Days for sewers, knitters, crocheters and non-crafters (who help with fleece tie blankets or coloring quilt squares); in 2019 alone the chapter made and donated 720 blankets to children in Mercer County.
Parish Staff & Contacts
Day-to-day parish operations are led by Pastor Rev. Thomas Trocchio with the support of Permanent Deacons Marty Aubel and Frank Luciani. The office staff handles scheduling, sacramental records, the weekly bulletin and parish communications.
- Rev. Thomas Trocchio — Pastor
- Deacon Marty Aubel — Parish Deacon (ext. 138, [email protected])
- Deacon Frank Luciani — Parish Deacon (ext. 139, [email protected])
- Patty Meehan — Office Manager (ext. 133, [email protected])
- Susan Swartzbeck — Business Manager (ext. 135, [email protected])
- Christopher & Megan Straub — Faith Formation (ext. 136, [email protected])
- Lisa Demarest — Liturgical Music Contact
Visiting & Contact
Parishioners and visitors can reach the parish office at 85 N. High Street, Greenville, PA 16125, by phone at (724) 588-9800, by fax at (724) 588-7053, or by email at [email protected]. The parish website at www.stmichaelgreenville.com carries the latest bulletin, livestream information, ministry pages and contact forms.
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father John Reidmid-1840s–?
Built the original frame St. Michael's Church in 1848 and was responsible for the early growth of the congregation, adding many German and Irish families.
- Father Bernard Donohoethrough 1889–1893
Broke ground for the present church on October 15, 1889; cornerstone laid in 1890; the church was completed and dedicated by Bishop Tobias Mullen on June 25, 1893.
- Rev. Christopher M. Barnesthrough ~2021
Listed as pastor in St. Michael bulletins during the COVID-era period.
- Rev. Brandon Klecknerapprox. 2021–2025
Pastored the parish through the COVID years; recommended the closure of St. Michael Catholic School in 2025; began planning a parish pilgrimage to Italy.
- Rev. Thomas Trocchioapprox. 2025–present
Succeeded Fr. Kleckner; currently pastor, listed as celebrant in the January 2026 parish bulletin and on the diocesan parish page.