About St. Peter · Erie, Pennsylvania
St. Peter Cathedral is the mother church of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Erie, Pennsylvania, standing at 230 West 10th Street in downtown Erie. The Gothic Revival cathedral was designed by the prolific Brooklyn architect Patrick Charles Keely and constructed of red sandstone over a roughly twenty-year building campaign (1873–1893) initiated by Bishop Tobias Mullen. As both an active parish and the seat of the diocesan bishop, it serves as the spiritual home of Catholics across northwestern Pennsylvania, offering daily Mass, weekly confession, Eucharistic adoration, music and faith-formation programs, and a notable food-pantry outreach.
- Established
- 1873
- Patron
- Saint Peter (the Apostle)
- Rector
- Very Rev. Michael P. Ferrick, V.F. (Rector)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Erie (Roman Catholic)
Why belong here
Saint Peter Cathedral offers unusually rich liturgical opportunities for a parish church: daily Mass four times a day Monday through Friday plus two Sunday vigil options, daily confessions, monthly First-Friday Eucharistic adoration with Benediction, an RCIA process for those entering the Church, an active Religious Education program shared with Saint Joseph/Bread of Life, a parish food pantry serving the surrounding neighborhood in cooperation with Second Harvest, and a strong music ministry anchored by two Casavant Frères pipe organs. As the mother church of the Diocese of Erie it draws Catholics from across northwestern Pennsylvania, but it is also a real parish community with choirs, lay ministries, and a rector and deacons who are accessible. Visitors are welcomed from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. daily, and there is online live-streaming of Mass for the homebound.
Mass times at St. Peter
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Monday through Friday: 4:30 PM – 5:00 PM
- Saturday: after the 8:00 AM Mass
- Saturday: 3:00 PM – 3:45 PM
- Saturday: after the 4:00 PM Vigil Mass
- Sunday: after all Sunday Masses
- Available by request through the parish office
Adoration times
- First Friday of every month: Eucharistic Adoration begins after the 12:10 PM Mass (approximately 12:30 PM) and concludes at 5:00 PM with Benediction
About St. Peter Cathedral
St. Peter Cathedral is the mother church of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Erie, Pennsylvania. The parish's mission statement reads: 'Saint Peter Cathedral Parish is a Roman Catholic Christian community of believers gathered together to worship God in joy. Under the guidance of the Holy Spirit we seek to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ, celebrate the uniqueness and diversity of our people and charitably minister to all our brothers and sisters.' The cathedral is registered as a Pennsylvania Charitable Trust and a 501(c)(3) participating in the IRS group ruling regarding Roman Catholic churches. Beyond its diocesan role, it operates as an active parish with its own ministries, choirs, faith formation, food pantry, and staff.
- Parish mission statement
- Pennsylvania Charitable Trust / 501(c)(3) under the IRS group ruling
- Mother church of the Diocese of Erie
History of the Cathedral
The Diocese of Erie was erected by the Vatican in 1853, with St. Patrick's Church serving as pro-cathedral until a permanent cathedral could be built. Bishop Tobias Mullen, the third bishop of Erie, purchased the present site at West 10th and Sassafras Streets in 1873 and hired the Brooklyn architect Patrick Charles Keely. The cornerstone was laid on August 1, 1875, and the first Mass was celebrated in a roofless church on May 1, 1881. The cathedral was formally dedicated on August 2, 1893, with Cardinal James Gibbons preaching at the Pontifical High Mass and the Very Rev. Thomas Casey named as first rector. Successive bishops — Fitzmaurice, Gannon, and others — added bells, statuary, stained glass, a tower clock, marble altars, and a crypt under the sanctuary for the remains of Bishops Young and Mullen. The 1990 centennial renovation under Bishop Donald W. Trautman brightened and reordered the sanctuary, and a multi-year restoration project from 2018 to 2024 addressed the building's exterior masonry, interior plaster, and two Casavant Frères organs.
- Bishop Tobias Mullen (1873–1893 build)
- Architect Patrick Charles Keely of Brooklyn
- Cornerstone laid August 1, 1875
- Dedicated August 2, 1893; Cardinal Gibbons preached
- Consecrated May 17, 1911
- 1993 centennial renovation under Bishop Donald Trautman
- 2018–2024 restoration and organ project under Rector Rev. Michael P. Ferrick
Architecture and Building
The Gothic Revival cathedral was designed by Patrick Charles Keely in a basic Gothic style with a strong vertical emphasis. The exterior is red sandstone from Orleans County, New York, with cut-stone trimmings from Mercer County, Pennsylvania. The building is 220 feet long and 112 feet wide at the transept, with a 75-foot ceiling height. Its central steeple rises 265 feet including the 11-foot copper cross plated with gold, and is flanked by twin spires of 150 feet. Inside, the 1993 renovation replaced the floor with marble in the center aisle and sanctuary, installed a new baptismal font and cathedra (bishop's chair), and converted the side altars into shrines; the massive marble main altar and a large wood crucifix placed before it remain the liturgical focus. A marble crypt under the sanctuary houses the remains of Bishops Young and Mullen.
- Style: Gothic Revival
- Architect: Patrick Charles Keely (Brooklyn, NY)
- Materials: red sandstone (Orleans County, NY) and Mercer County, PA trim
- Length 220 ft, width 112 ft at transept, ceiling 75 ft
- Central steeple 265 ft (with copper cross); twin spires 150 ft
- Marble main altar, marble crypt under sanctuary, side-altar shrines
Music and the Casavant Frères Organs
Music has been central to the cathedral's liturgical life since its earliest years: a pipe organ built for the 1893 Columbian Exposition was installed in 1916, and Bishop Gannon added an electric-action four-manual console in 1924 and a chancel organ in the south transept in 1938. The historic Barckhoff organ was destroyed in February 1976 when a fire-suppression system malfunction flooded the attic, and Casavant Frères of Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec, was commissioned to build Opus 3353, a French-Romantic instrument in the tradition of Cavaillé-Coll's Sainte-Clotilde, formally dedicated December 18, 1977. A new sanctuary organ — Casavant Opus 3953 — was installed in February 2024 and voiced by May 2024, controlled by a movable three-manual console. The instruments were rededicated on February 2, 2025, the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, in a recital featuring the international organist Nathan Laube.
- Casavant Opus 3353 (1977 gallery organ, French-Romantic)
- Casavant Opus 3953 (2024 sanctuary organ)
- Director of Liturgical Music & Organist: Corey Spacht, M.S.
- Assistant Organist: Justin Gavio
- Director of Choirs: Esther DeMary
- Organ Dedication Concert: Nathan Laube, February 2, 2025
Mass and Sacrament Schedule
St. Peter Cathedral offers an unusually full liturgical schedule. Weekday Masses are celebrated four times a day, Monday through Friday (6:30 AM, 8:00 AM, 12:10 PM, and 5:15 PM); Saturday Masses at 8:00 AM and 4:00 PM (Sunday Vigil); Sunday Masses at 6:30 AM, 8:30 AM, and 11:00 AM (in-person and online). Confessions are heard Monday through Friday from 4:30 to 5:00 PM, Saturdays after the 8:00 AM Mass, from 3:00 to 3:45 PM, after the 4:00 PM Vigil Mass, and after all Sunday Masses; confessions are also available by request. The cathedral is open to the faithful and the public daily from 6:00 AM to 6:00 PM. A handicap-access ramp is located on the 9th Street side of the building.
- Daily Mass: Mon–Fri at 6:30, 8:00 AM, 12:10 PM, 5:15 PM
- Saturday: 8:00 AM and 4:00 PM (Vigil)
- Sunday: 6:30 AM, 8:30 AM, 11:00 AM
- Cathedral open daily 6:00 AM – 6:00 PM
- Handicap ramp on 9th Street side
Sacraments at the Cathedral
The cathedral celebrates the seven sacraments as the mother church of the diocese. Baptism is arranged through the parish office; the Anointing of the Sick is available to the elderly and infirmed upon request, with families asked to notify the Rectory. Matrimony: the cathedral is currently accepting reservations for 2026 and 2027 wedding dates. The Sacrament of Reconciliation (confession) is offered Monday through Friday from 4:30 to 5:00 PM, on Saturdays after the 8:00 AM Mass and from 3:00 to 3:45 PM, and after every weekend Mass, plus by request. Holy Days of Obligation have their own vigil and holy-day Masses, with the full schedule published in the bulletin and on the website.
- Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist, Penance, Anointing of the Sick, Matrimony, Holy Orders
- Confession: Mon–Fri 4:30–5:00 PM; Sat after 8 AM Mass and 3:00–3:45 PM; after every weekend Mass; by request
- Weddings: accepting 2026 and 2027 reservations
- Anointing of the Sick: available on request — call the Rectory
Faith Formation and Religious Education
The parish's Religious Education program is directed by Clint and Stacey Badowski, who serve as Directors of Religious Education for Saint Peter Cathedral and the Saint Joseph/Bread of Life Community. The program supports Catholic faith formation for parish children and families. Adult formation is provided through the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA), coordinated by Deacon Raymond Sobina, for those seeking to become Catholic or to complete their initiation. Marriage preparation (Pre-Cana) and the Altar Servers program are coordinated by Deacon Jeffrey Swanson.
- Directors of Religious Education: Clint and Stacey Badowski (cathedral + St. Joseph/Bread of Life)
- RCIA: Deacon Raymond Sobina
- Pre-Cana and Altar Servers: Deacon Jeffrey Swanson
Parish Outreach: Food Pantry
The Saint Peter Cathedral Parish Food Pantry distributes groceries on scheduled Tuesday afternoons to persons living in the Cathedral neighborhood as defined by the local Second Harvest Food Bank. Distribution runs from 2:25 PM to 4:05 PM (last client admitted at 4:00 PM), from the downstairs entrance to the cafeteria on 10th Street. Compliance with Second Harvest and USDA guidelines is required. Clients register by providing photo ID and proof of residence with current address on a utility bill or other mail dated within one month. Emergency food outside the normal distribution schedule can be requested by emailing [email protected] or calling (814) 453-6677 ext. 9. Volunteers are needed to assist client shoppers and pick up food from the Food Bank.
- Distribution: scheduled Tuesdays, 2:25–4:05 PM
- Location: downstairs entrance to cafeteria on 10th Street
- Emergency food: [email protected] or (814) 453-6677 ext. 9
- Operates under Second Harvest and USDA guidelines
Parish Staff and Clergy
Saint Peter Cathedral is led by Very Rev. Michael P. Ferrick, V.F., Rector. The cathedral's priests include Rev. David Renne (Vice Rector, St. Mark Seminary) and Rev. Michael Kesicki (Chaplain, Gannon University). Two permanent deacons assist at the cathedral: Deacon Raymond Sobina, M.S. (RCIA, Food Pantry) and Deacon Jeffrey Swanson (Pre-Cana, Altar Servers). The lay staff includes Louis A. Ensani, Jr., CPA, CGMA, Director of Finance; Corey Spacht, M.S., Director of Liturgical Music & Organist; Justin Gavio, Assistant Organist; Esther DeMary, Director of Choirs; William Grant II, Director of Advancement; Lynn Grant, Assistant to the Director of Finance; and Clint and Stacey Badowski, Directors of Religious Education. The Most Rev. Lawrence T. Persico, J.C.L., Bishop of Erie, maintains the Office of the Bishop at 147 West 24th Street, Erie.
- Rector: Very Rev. Michael P. Ferrick, V.F.
- Bishop: Most Rev. Lawrence T. Persico, J.C.L.
- Deacons: Raymond Sobina, Jeffrey Swanson
- Director of Finance: Louis A. Ensani, Jr., CPA, CGMA
- Director of Advancement: William Grant II
- Director of Liturgical Music & Organist: Corey Spacht, M.S.
Getting Involved and Parish Life
The parish encourages new parishioners to register online via the cathedral's membership form. Visitors and returning Catholics alike are welcomed at any of the daily Masses. The cathedral notes that it provides 'countless opportunities to help you and future families to discover the spiritual, social, and gospel-based ministries among us,' with volunteer groups that 'increase life-giving spirit to all who work, pray, and recreate together in the name of Jesus.' Special parish events include the annual Epiphany Dinner and other seasonal gatherings announced in the bulletin.
- Online parish registration / membership form
- Open invitation to all Catholics — returning or new to the area
- Annual Epiphany Dinner and seasonal parish events
- Volunteer opportunities across ministries
Visiting the Cathedral
Saint Peter Cathedral is open to visitors daily from 6:00 AM to 6:00 PM at 230 West 10th Street, Erie, PA 16501. Visitors are invited to attend Mass, pray in the sanctuary, or schedule a tour through the parish office. The building stands at the corner of West 10th and Sassafras Streets in downtown Erie, and a handicap-accessible ramp is available on the 9th Street side. The phone number is (814) 453-6677 (toll-free 1-888-325-2888), the fax is (814) 456-1351, and the general email is [email protected]. Live-streamed Masses are available online for those unable to attend in person.
- 230 West 10th Street, Erie, PA 16501
- Open daily 6:00 AM – 6:00 PM
- Phone: (814) 453-6677 / 1-888-325-2888
- Email: [email protected]
- Handicap ramp on 9th Street side
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Very Rev. Thomas (Father) Casey1893 (first rector, appointed at the August 2, 1893 dedication)
Member of the Casey family, whose financial contributions were estimated at one-third of the cathedral's roughly $300,000 cost. Honored by Bishop Mullen at the dedication; a bronze bust of Casey was later added to the cathedral in 1933.
- Rev. Michael P. Ferrick, V.F.present (current rector)
Listed by both the parish website and the Diocese of Erie as the current rector; oversaw the multi-year 2018–2024 restoration and organ rededication.