About St. Pio of Pietrelcina Parish, St. Augustine Church · Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
St. Pio of Pietrelcina Parish, commonly known as St. Padre Pio Parish, is a Roman Catholic parish in the Diocese of Pittsburgh that worships at the historic St. Augustine Church in Lawrenceville, Pittsburgh. Formed on January 1, 2024, the parish is the successor of Our Lady of the Angels Parish in Lawrenceville and St. Maria Goretti Parish in Bloomfield and Garfield. The parish is cared for by the Capuchin Friars, who have staffed St. Augustine since 1873, and serves the Bloomfield–Garfield–Lawrenceville area as part of the newly created Central Deanery of the diocese.
- Established
- 1863
- Patron
- St. Pio of Pietrelcina (Padre Pio)
- Rector
- Rev. Thomas Gramc
- Diocese
- Diocese of Pittsburgh
Why belong here
St. Pio of Pietrelcina Parish is a worshipping community with more than 160 years of history in Lawrenceville and a Franciscan, Capuchin-led spiritual life. The parish offers daily and Sunday Mass, regular confession and Eucharistic adoration, devotions connected to the parish's patron, and an active presence in the Bloomfield–Garfield–Lawrenceville neighborhood. As a member of the new Central Deanery of the Diocese of Pittsburgh, the parish is part of a wider collaborative effort to share resources and proclaim the Gospel in the city, making it a welcoming home for those seeking daily Mass, the sacraments, and a stable, historic Catholic community.
Mass times at St. Pio of Pietrelcina Parish, St. Augustine Church
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Tuesday: 5:30 PM
- Wednesday: 7:00 AM
- Thursday: 5:30 PM
- Friday: 7:00 AM
- Saturday: 12:00 PM
- Saturday: 3:00 PM – 3:45 PM
- 1st Friday: 7:00 PM
Adoration times
- Tuesday: 5:30 PM – 6:30 PM
- Wednesday: 7:00 AM – 8:00 AM
- Thursday: 5:30 PM – 6:30 PM
- Friday: 7:00 AM – 8:00 AM
- 1st Friday: 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Our Story: From 1863 Lawrenceville to St. Pio of Pietrelcina Parish
The community that is now St. Pio of Pietrelcina Parish has its roots in the 1863 founding of St. Augustine parish by German American residents of Lawrenceville. Within ten years, the parish was entrusted to the Capuchin Friars, who have served it without interruption since 1873. Over more than a century and a half, the parish has experienced growth, the building of the present monumental church in 1899–1901, a major consolidation in 1993, and a further merger in 2024 that created today's parish.
- 1862–63: First St. Augustine church built at 37th and Butler Streets
- 1863: St. Augustine parish founded by German American Lawrenceville residents
- 1873: Parish placed under the Capuchin Friars
- 1899: Cornerstone of the present church laid; Frauenheim family gift funds construction
- 1901: New church dedicated May 12; designed by John T. Comès of Rutan & Russell
- 1993: St. Augustine merged with Holy Family, St. John the Baptist, and St. Mary's to form Our Lady of the Angels
- 2024: St. Pio of Pietrelcina Parish formed January 1 from Our Lady of the Angels and St. Maria Goretti
- 2025: Parish becomes a founding member of the new Central Deanery, Diocese of Pittsburgh
Worship Site: St. Augustine Church, Lawrenceville
All Masses and sacraments for the parish are celebrated at St. Augustine Church, 225 37th Street in Lawrenceville. The historic building is the spiritual and architectural heart of the parish and the headquarters of the Capuchin Province of St. Augustine.
- Romanesque Revival style, 1901
- Yellow brick with terra cotta trim, cruciform plan
- Twin 148-foot towers and central dome
- Five altars from the original 1863 church, carved by Capuchin Brothers
- Windows imported from Austria
- Pittsburgh History and Landmarks Foundation Landmark (1998); contributing property, Lawrenceville Historic District (2019)
Capuchin Franciscan Heritage
Since 1873, the parish has been served by the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin. The Capuchins emphasize prayer, humility, fraternity, and service to the poor — values visible in the parish's regular schedule of Mass, confession, and adoration, and in devotions like the 1st Friday holy hours.
- Parish staffed by Capuchin Friars since 1873
- Headquarters of the Capuchin Province of St. Augustine
- Statue of St. Conrad of Parzham honors the patron of Capuchin porters and is connected to the original 1873 mission to Pittsburgh
Parish Patron: St. Pio of Pietrelcina
The parish takes its name from St. Pio of Pietrelcina (1887–1968), the Italian Capuchin priest popularly known as Padre Pio. Pio was renowned for his charity, his long hours in the confessional, and the stigmata he bore for fifty years. He was canonized by Pope St. John Paul II in 2002, and his feast day is celebrated on September 23.
- Born Francesco Forgione, May 25, 1887, in Pietrelcina, Italy
- Joined the Capuchins at age 15, taking the name Pio
- Received the stigmata in 1918; it remained until his death on September 23, 1968
- Canonized by Pope John Paul II on June 16, 2002
- Feast day: September 23
Visiting the Church: What to See
Stepping up to the front of St. Augustine Church, visitors encounter one of Pittsburgh's great historic interiors. The cornerstone, the bells, the statuary, and the altars all tell the story of a parish built by a community of faith and sustained by generations of Capuchin friars.
- Cornerstone (1899) listing Capuchin friars and parishioners, with embedded newspapers, stamps, coins, photos, and relics
- Four historic bells: St. George (5,500 lbs), St. Mary's (3,000 lbs), St. Joseph's (1,800 lbs), St. Raphael's (750 lbs)
- Main altar: statues of the Archangel Raphael with Tobias and St. Lawrence the Deacon, with the Risen Christ at the center
- Side altars with statues of St. Francis, the Blessed Mother, St. Joseph, and St. Anthony
- Statue of St. Conrad of Parzham, Capuchin patron of porters and the poor
Parish Leadership and the Central Deanery
The parish is led by its pastor as part of the wider collaborative life of the Diocese of Pittsburgh. In 2025, Bishop David Zubik formed the new Central Deanery within the diocese's North Vicariate, bringing together ten parishes — including St. Pio of Pietrelcina — to encourage collaboration, shared pastoral activity, and the proclamation of the Gospel in the city of Pittsburgh.
- Pastor: Rev. Thomas Gramc
- Fr. Gramc appointed first Dean of the Central Deanery (effective July 1, 2025)
- The Deanery unites St. Pio of Pietrelcina with Saint Paul Cathedral, St. Mary Magdalene, St. Jude, St. Benedict the Moor, Divine Mercy, and the Shrines of Pittsburgh Parishes
- First-year focus: shared envisioning and listening sessions with parishioners
Contact and Visit
Parishioners and visitors can reach the parish office by phone during the week and can find directions, the latest Mass and confession schedule, and updates on the parish's official website. The parish welcomes new members and those seeking the sacraments.
- Address: 225 37th Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15201 (Lawrenceville)
- Phone: 412-682-0929
- Website: padrepioparish.org
- Worship site: St. Augustine Church
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Capuchin Friars (Order of Friars Minor Capuchin)1873–present
The parish has been under Capuchin Franciscan care since 1873; the church is also the headquarters of the Capuchin Province of St. Augustine.
- St. Augustine Parish (independent)1863–1993
Founded 1863 by German American residents of Lawrenceville; merged in 1993.
- Our Lady of the Angels Parish1993–2023
Formed by the 1993 merger of St. Augustine with Holy Family, St. John the Baptist, and St. Mary's; St. Augustine retained as the principal worship site.
- St. Pio of Pietrelcina Parish2024–present
Formed January 1, 2024 from Our Lady of the Angels (Lawrenceville) and St. Maria Goretti (Bloomfield/Garfield).