About St. Paul Cathedral · Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Saint Paul Cathedral is the mother church of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh, located at Fifth Avenue and Craig Street in Pittsburgh's Oakland neighborhood in Pennsylvania. The present Decorated Gothic-style cathedral was designed by Egan and Prindeville of Chicago, built by Philadelphia contractor Thomas Reilly, and consecrated on October 24, 1906, replacing two earlier churches that had been destroyed by fire. It seats approximately 3,000 worshipers, serves around 3,000 registered parishioners, and functions as the spiritual center for the Diocese of Pittsburgh's more than 750,000 Catholics under Bishop David A. Zubik. The Cathedral hosts two daily Masses, multiple Sunday Masses including a televised/livestreamed liturgy, a parish-wide Catholic grade school, and an extensive music ministry.
- Established
- 1833
- Patron
- St. Paul the Apostle
- Rector
- Very Rev. Kris D. Stubna, S.T.D.
- Diocese
- Diocese of Pittsburgh (Roman Catholic)
Why belong here
St. Paul Cathedral is the spiritual heart of the Diocese of Pittsburgh and an unusually welcoming parish: its rector explicitly describes it as 'a place of welcome, peace and joy to all who desire to join us,' with a richly diverse, multigenerational congregation that includes a notably large population of college students and young adults drawn from the surrounding University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon neighborhoods. It offers a deeper range of liturgies than a typical parish — two daily Masses, multiple Sunday Masses (including a televised/livestreamed liturgy and a Spanish Mass at the St. Rosalia site), regular reconciliation, and a full music program under a Director of Music and Organist — together with robust faith-formation ministries including RCIA, an active pastoral and finance council, and outreach that touches neighborhoods across Greenfield, Hazelwood, and Oakland.
Mass times at St. Paul Cathedral
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Friday: 12:45 PM — St. Paul Cathedral
- Saturday: 12:45 PM to 1:15 PM — St. Paul Cathedral
- 1st Saturday: 3:15 PM — St. Rosalia
- Sunday: 11:00 AM — St. Rosalia (no confessions on Sept. 29, Oct. 13 or Oct. 20)
- By appointment at any time
History of Saint Paul Cathedral
The lineage of St. Paul's reaches back to 1754, when the first public Catholic Mass in Pittsburgh was offered inside the stockade of Fort Duquesne under the title 'Assumption of the Blessed Virgin of the Beautiful River.' After the French evacuation in 1758 there were no resident priests for fifty years; Mass was occasionally celebrated by traveling missionaries in private homes. In 1808 a church was established at Liberty and Washington Streets, and in 1833 a second parish — St. Paul's — was dedicated on Grant Street downtown. When Pope Gregory XVI erected the Diocese of Pittsburgh in 1843, St. Paul's became the diocese's first cathedral. That first cathedral was destroyed by fire in 1851, replaced in 1855 by a second St. Paul's on the same downtown site, and then, in a remarkable step of vision, replaced a third time by the present Oakland edifice consecrated in 1906.
- 1754: First public Catholic Mass in Pittsburgh, inside Fort Duquesne
- 1808: First church in Pittsburgh at Liberty and Washington Streets
- 1829: Cornerstone of St. Paul's Church, Grant Street
- 1833: St. Paul's dedicated; parish founded
- 1843: Diocese of Pittsburgh erected; St. Paul's becomes first cathedral
- 1851: First cathedral destroyed by fire
- 1855: Second St. Paul's Cathedral built downtown
- 1903: Construction begins on present Oakland cathedral
- 1906-10-24: Third and current cathedral consecrated
- 1983: Listed as a contributing property of the Schenley Farms Historic District on the National Register of Historic Places
- 2005–2007: First major renovation (towers, stonework, wiring, lighting, painting, accessibility)
- 2006: Centenary celebrated with Vatican-granted plenary indulgence for pilgrim visits
Architecture and Building
The present cathedral is a 14th-century Decorated (Scholastic) Gothic church designed by Egan and Prindeville of Chicago and constructed by Philadelphia general contractor Thomas Reilly. The structure rises 247 feet; a statue of St. Paul crowns the center pediment, and additional statues of the apostles and evangelists ornament the exterior. The cathedral seats approximately 3,000 worshipers. The 2005–2007 renovation rebuilt the four side towers, replaced nearly 1,000 cracked exterior stones, installed new wiring and lighting, refreshed interior paint, and added wheelchair accessibility — a comprehensive overhaul for the cathedral's centenary.
- Style: 14th-century Decorated (Scholastic) Gothic
- Architect: Egan and Prindeville (Chicago)
- Builder: Thomas Reilly (Philadelphia)
- Original cost: ~$1,100,000 (including $205,000 for land)
- Height: 247 feet
- Capacity: ~3,000
- Statues of St. Paul and the apostles and evangelists on the exterior
Pastoral Leadership and Staff
The Cathedral Parish is led under the authority of Bishop David A. Zubik, the Diocesan Bishop. The Very Reverend Kris D. Stubna, S.T.D., serves as Pastor and Rector, and was reappointed to a second six-year term effective July 1, 2026; he was also named Dean of the Central Deanery for a five-year term. He is assisted by Father Daniel L. Walsh, C.S.Sp. (Parochial Vicar), Father Steven M. Palsa (Part-time Parish Chaplain, in residence), and Deacon Thomas J. Berna, Ph.D. Lay staff and councils include Director of Music and Organist Brian Gurley, Associate Directors of Music Chris Catone and Ken Danchik, Director of Facilities Larry Clapper, Business Manager Greg Zigray, Wedding Coordinator Christina McCann, RCIA and Social Media Coordinator Erica Gamerro, Parish Secretary Jean Malek, Sacristan Frank Bender and part-time Sacristan Ted Wojcik, and the Finance Council and Pastoral Council of lay trustees. Sister Mariella Bradley serves on the office staff.
- Bishop of Pittsburgh: Most Rev. David A. Zubik, D.D.
- Pastor and Rector: Very Rev. Kris D. Stubna, S.T.D. (rector since at least 2022; second term 2026)
- Parochial Vicar: Rev. Daniel L. Walsh, C.S.Sp.
- Part-time Parish Chaplain, In Residence: Rev. Steven M. Palsa, M.Div., M.A.
- Deacon: Thomas J. Berna, Ph.D.
- Director of Music and Organist: Brian Gurley
- Associate Directors of Music: Chris Catone, Ken Danchik
- Director of Facilities: Larry Clapper
- Business Manager: Greg Zigray
- Wedding Coordinator: Christina McCann
- Coordinator of RCIA and Social Media: Erica Gamerro
- Parish Secretary: Jean Malek
- Sacristan: Frank Bender; Part-time Sacristan: Ted Wojcik
- Finance Council: Robert Cunningham, Judi Nocito, Daniel Williams
- Pastoral Council: Janet Aland, Patricia Blume, Joseph DeIuliis, Ryan Dreliszak, Thomas Mangan, Andrew McCabe, Diane Mezza, Frances Quirin, Lisa Sciulli, John Tague, Gregory Thomas
Music and Liturgical Arts
Music at St. Paul Cathedral is led by Director of Music and Organist Brian Gurley, working alongside Associate Directors of Music Chris Catone and Ken Danchik. The Cathedral Choir and music ensembles support the 10:00 AM Sunday Mass (livestreamed) and other principal liturgies of the year. The music program also supports concerts, holy days, and special diocesan liturgies hosted at the Mother Church. Singers, instrumentalists, and cantors are guided by the Associate Directors; inquiries can be made through the parish office.
- Director of Music and Organist: Brian Gurley
- Associate Directors of Music: Chris Catone, Ken Danchik
- Music ensembles support Sunday, holy day, and televised Masses
Cathedral Parish — Three-Site Community
Following diocesan mergers, the Cathedral Parish now comprises three worship sites across Pittsburgh's Oakland, Greenfield, and Hazelwood neighborhoods: St. Paul Cathedral (Oakland, Fifth Avenue at Craig Street), St. Rosalia (Greenfield, 411 Greenfield Ave), and St. Stephen (Hazelwood, 5115 Second Ave). The parish office for all three sites is at 108 North Dithridge Street, in Oakland. The combined community allows the Cathedral to offer Sunday Mass in both English and Spanish (at St. Rosalia), accommodate confessors and overflow liturgy, and serve neighborhoods historically connected to the diocese since the early 19th century.
- St. Paul Cathedral — 108 N. Dithridge St. (parish office); Cathedral at Fifth Avenue & Craig Street, 15213
- St. Rosalia — 411 Greenfield Avenue, Pittsburgh 15207 (Sunday 9 AM English; 12 PM Spanish)
- St. Stephen — 5115 Second Avenue, Pittsburgh 15207 (no Sunday Mass currently scheduled)
- Combined parish reaches across Oakland, Greenfield, and Hazelwood
Visiting the Cathedral
Saint Paul Cathedral stands in the heart of Pittsburgh's Oakland neighborhood, surrounded by the University of Pittsburgh, Carnegie Mellon University, the Carnegie Library and Museum, and the Schenley Farms Historic District (of which the cathedral is a contributing property). The campus welcomes visitors for daily and Sunday liturgies, with confession at posted times or by appointment. A handicap-accessible entrance and elevator are available off the Fifth Avenue driveway, with additional handicap parking on a first-come, first-served basis; a ramp near the parking-lot door also serves wheelchair users. The Cathedral is a working parish and the seat of the Diocese of Pittsburgh, drawing worshipers, students, and tourists year-round.
- Handicap-accessible entrance off Fifth Avenue driveway (door + elevator)
- Handicap parking first-come, first-served
- Adjacent parking lot door ramp
- Located in the Schenley Farms Historic District
- Within walking distance of Pitt and Carnegie Mellon
Getting Involved and Contact
Parishioners are invited to take an active part in the Cathedral's life through its Pastoral Council and Finance Council, the choirs and music ministry, the RCIA team, the wedding-coordination team, or as sacristans and liturgical volunteers. The parish publishes a weekly bulletin online with Mass intentions, parish news, and contact information for every ministry. Pastoral correspondence is directed to the rector, Father Kris D. Stubna, at [email protected]; general inquiries go to [email protected] or by phone at 412-621-4951.
- Phone: 412-621-4951
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: saintpaulcathedral.org
- Facebook: facebook.com/stpaulpgh
- Instagram: instagram.com/saintpaulcathedral
- Wedding inquiries: [email protected]
- RCIA inquiries: Erica Gamerro, [email protected]
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Very Rev. Kris D. Stubna, S.T.D.Current pastor and rector
Reappointed to a second six-year term as pastor effective July 1, 2026, and named Dean of the Central Deanery for a five-year term.