About St. Patrick · Newry, Pennsylvania
St. Patrick Roman Catholic Church is a 200+ year-old parish in the small Blair County village of Newry, Pennsylvania, founded in 1816 by Irish settlers Patrick Cassidy and Henry McConnell and dedicated under the patronage of Saint Patrick by the pioneer Alleghenies missionary Father Demetrius A. Gallitzin. The parish is currently administered by Father Allen P. Zeth and is part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown, with the original stone church replaced by the still-standing brick building blessed by Bishop Kenrick on August 11, 1833. Today the parish operates an attached PreK-8 Catholic school (founded 1921, staffed historically by the Sisters of Mercy from Cresson), supports an extensive range of liturgical and community ministries, and remains a vibrant faith community spread across roughly 40 square miles of Blair, Freedom and Juniata Townships.
- Established
- 1816
- Patron
- Saint Patrick
- Rector
- Father Allen P. Zeth (Administrator)
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown
Why belong here
St. Patrick's is a 200+ year-old Eucharistic community in the heart of small-town Newry where the same brick church blessed in 1833 still serves as the parish's worship home. The parish nourishes faith through daily and Sunday Mass, the Sacrament of Reconciliation on Saturdays, and a lively mix of liturgical ministries — lectors, Eucharistic ministers, altar servers, ushers/greeters, and an adult choir — alongside outreach such as clothing and food drives, visitations, and the Saint Patrick Guild. The attached PreK-8 Catholic school (with its own gymnasium/auditorium, 'Justin Hall,' and a Lenten fish fry run by 75 volunteers each week) makes this parish a true center of community life for Blair, Freedom and Juniata Townships.
Mass times at St. Patrick
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday: 12:00 PM (also Sunday at St. Thomas More, Roaring Spring: 9:00 AM — check bulletin for updates)
About St. Patrick Parish
St. Patrick Roman Catholic Church is a 200+ year-old parish located in the small Blair County village of Newry, Pennsylvania. The parish's stated mission is: 'We the Church of Newry under the title of Saint Patrick are a Faith Community guided by the Holy Spirit. We are called by God to nourish our Faith in Christ and share it with others. As a Eucharistic People we are led to care for one another and extend our Faith by sincerely living it.' The parish serves the major part of Blair, Freedom and Juniata Townships — roughly 40 square miles — and is part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown.
- Founded 1816
- Patron: Saint Patrick
- Part of the Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown
- Current Administrator: Father Allen P. Zeth
Parish History
The parish traces its origins to 1789, when Father Demetrius A. Gallitzin — the pioneer missionary of the Alleghenies — said Mass in Newry during his travels from his base at Loretto. In 1801 settler Patrick Cassidy deeded property for a Catholic church and a Lutheran church in the village; in 1816 a small stone church was built and dedicated by Father Gallitzin under the title of Saint Patrick. Bishop Francis P. Kenrick of Philadelphia visited on October 21, 1830, found the old stone church 'very old and hardly fit for divine worship,' and on August 7, 1831 assigned the Reverend John O'Reilly as Newry's first resident pastor. O'Reilly began the present brick church before being transferred to Pittsburgh.
- 1789: Father Gallitzin celebrates Mass in Newry
- 1801: Patrick Cassidy deeds church property
- 1816: First stone church dedicated under the title of Saint Patrick
- 1830: Bishop Kenrick's visitation
- 1831: Rev. John O'Reilly named first resident pastor
- August 11, 1833: Bishop Kenrick blesses the present brick church
Father James Bradley and the 19th-Century Parish
The Reverend James Bradley, ordained September 20, 1830, took charge of Newry on the first Sunday of Advent 1832 and served more than 51 years — making him the 'patriarch of the secular clergy' in the region. He completed the brick church blessed in 1833, established a lending library in 1842, and nurtured a largely Irish congregation that numbered about 400 souls at Bishop Michael O'Conner's 1847 visit. He died April 13, 1883, and is buried in the parish cemetery under an imposing monument.
- Served 1832-1883 (51+ years)
- Completed the present brick church
- Founded a parish lending library in 1842
- Buried in the parish cemetery
The Sisters of Mercy at Newry
The Sisters of Mercy came through Newry in 1843, traveling from the Carlow convent in Ireland under the leadership of Mother Francis Xavier Warde. Across the decades they became a powerful force in parish life, eventually staffing St. Patrick School after it opened in 1921. Ten young women from the parish dedicated their lives to the Church by joining the Sisters of Mercy.
- Sisters Jane Frances Hite, Rosemary Hite, Benedict Heiss, Alban Nale, Honora Gonsman, Aileen Flynn, Charlene Kelly, Jane Kelly, Ruth Neely, and Veronica Kovach
Suburban Growth and New Parishes
Once the rural character of the parish area began to change, the territory slowly assumed a suburban atmosphere with housing developments offering countryside amenities to commuters. To serve the growing population, two new parishes were carved from St. Patrick's: Saint Catherine of Siena in Duncansville (1963) and Saint Thomas More in Roaring Spring (1969). Today 31 other parishes serve what was once St. Patrick's original territory.
- Saint Catherine of Siena, Duncansville — 1963
- Saint Thomas More, Roaring Spring — 1969
Parish Ministries
St. Patrick's sponsors a wide variety of parish activities and ministries. Liturgical roles include Readers, Eucharistic Ministers, Altar Servers, Ushers/Greeters, the Adult Choir, and musicians and cantors. The Saint Patrick Guild provides additional parish support. The parish also reaches outward through community ministries — clothing and food drives, visitations, and other outreach initiatives throughout the year.
- Lectors / Readers
- Eucharistic Ministers
- Altar Servers
- Ushers / Greeters
- Adult Choir
- Musicians and Cantors
- Saint Patrick Guild
- Community Ministries (clothing and food drives, visitations, more)
St. Patrick Catholic School
St. Patrick Catholic School was established in 1921 and was administered by the Sisters of Mercy from Cresson. The school educates the whole child — spiritually, intellectually, emotionally and physically — and currently serves students in PreK through 8th grade, with its mission to cultivate a Christ-centered learning environment where every child is given opportunities to excel and is recognized as a child of God.
- Founded 1921 by the Sisters of Mercy from Cresson
- PreK-8th grade
- Phone: 814-695-3819
- Address: 731 Patrick Lane, Newry, PA 16665
- Principal: Tara Steinbugl ([email protected])
School Facilities and Rebuilding
On April 3, 1944, a fire destroyed both the school and the convent where the sisters lived. Pastor Father Jeremiah P. Flynn and parishioners rebuilt despite wartime restrictions; Bishop Richard T. Guilfoyle dedicated the new school, convent, and parish hall on January 21, 1945. Two additional classrooms were added as enrollment grew. In 1991 a full-sized gymnasium, 'Justin Hall,' was built — it serves as both a gym and an auditorium for student musicals and pageants. In 2000, ground was broken for eight new classrooms, providing an upgraded computer lab, expanded library, and separate science, art, and music rooms.
- 1944 fire destroyed school and convent
- 1945: New school, convent, and parish hall dedicated by Bishop Guilfoyle
- 1991: Justin Hall gymnasium/auditorium built
- 2000: Eight new classrooms added (computer lab, library, science/art/music rooms)
Parish Life and Fundraisers
Beyond Mass and the sacraments, St. Patrick's runs active community life that draws people from across central Pennsylvania. Parish Bingo is held on Mondays and Saturdays, and the now-famous Lenten Fish Fry — held at St. Patrick School every Friday during Lent from 4:00-7:00 PM — is powered by roughly 75 volunteers and serves close to 700 meals per week. Pre-COVID, the fish fry drew about 750 meals weekly; the kitchen turns out nearly 1,000 lb of seafood each week, including 700 lb of haddock and 240 lb of shrimp.
- Parish Bingo: Mondays & Saturdays
- Lenten Fish Fry: Fridays during Lent, 4:00-7:00 PM, at St. Patrick School
- ~75 volunteers run the fish fry each week
Contact and Office Information
The parish office is open Monday through Friday from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM. Several phone lines serve the parish's different facilities. Email is via Yahoo.
- Rectory: 814-695-3413
- School: 814-695-3819
- Convent: 814-695-8730
- D.R.E.: 814-695-3819
- Email: [email protected]
- Office Hours: Monday-Friday, 9:00 AM-2:00 PM
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. John O'Reilly1831-1832
First resident pastor; began construction of the present brick church.
- Rev. James Bradley1832-1883
Second resident pastor; served 51+ years; completed the brick church blessed Aug. 11, 1833; founded a lending library in 1842; buried in the parish cemetery.
- Rev. Richard Browne1883-1883
Briefly in charge as Father Bradley became feeble.
- Rev. Ferdinand Kittell1884-1887
- Rev. J.A. Canevin1887-1891
- Rev. E. Dumphy1891-1892
- Rev. Thomas Walsh1892-1897
- Rev. Robert Waters1897-1902
- Rev. Michael J. Canole1903-1907
- Rev. William S. Davies1907-1912
- Rev. Roger S. O'Donnell1912-1935
- Rev. Edward J. Hickey1935-1937
- Rev. Jeremiah P. Flynn1937-
Pastor at the time of the 1944 school fire; oversaw rebuilding of school, convent and parish hall, dedicated Jan. 21, 1945.
- Rev. Raymond E. Cupples
Fifteenth resident pastor; later served as Administrator at St. Mary's, Hollidaysburg.
- Rev. William A. Rosensteel1988-2002
Sixteenth resident pastor; oversaw construction of Justin Hall gymnasium and school enlargement; reassigned to Holy Rosary Parish in 2002.
- Rev. Msgr. Anthony B. LittleJuly 2002-2013
Seventeenth resident pastor; removed as pastor in March 2013.
- Rev. Allen P. ZethJune 22, 2013-present
Appointed Administrator; also ministers at St. Thomas More (Roaring Spring) and serves as Catholic chaplain at Penn State Altoona and Juniata College.