About St. Raymond of the Mountains · Donegal, Pennsylvania
St. Raymond of the Mountains is a Roman Catholic parish in the Diocese of Greensburg, located in the rural resort community of Donegal, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1919 to serve the mining town of Melcroft, the parish was relocated in the 1960s to its present eight-acre campus in Donegal, where a basement church was built in 1966 and later transformed into today's worship space. The parish draws from several small rural communities in the Laurel Highlands and is currently pastored by Father Anthony A. Onoko, with Bill Pospisil serving as Coordinator of Faith Formation and Office Manager.
- Established
- 1919
- Patron
- St. Raymond of the Mountains (St. Raymond Nonnatus)
- Rector
- Rev. Anthony A. Onoko
- Diocese
- Diocese of Greensburg
Why belong here
St. Raymond of the Mountains offers the warmth of a small rural parish tucked into the Laurel Highlands, with daily Mass offered every weekday morning in addition to weekend liturgies. The parish welcomes seasonal residents and visitors through its 'Friends of St. Raymond' ministry, and its mission statement commits members to building a stronger faith community by serving the needs of others, educating, and welcoming all. With Exposition and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament every Wednesday morning, a weekly Rosary before the Saturday Vigil Mass, and faith formation coordinated by Bill Pospisil, the parish offers a faithful rhythm of prayer, formation, and outreach in the Diocese of Greensburg.
Mass times at St. Raymond of the Mountains
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday: 3:30 p.m.
Adoration times
- Wednesday: Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament & Benediction from 8:30 a.m. until 12:00 p.m.
About St. Raymond of the Mountains
St. Raymond of the Mountains is a Roman Catholic parish in the Diocese of Greensburg, situated in the resort area of Donegal, Pennsylvania, and comprised of many rural communities in the Laurel Highlands. The parish gathers to share and strengthen faith through the sacraments, to serve the needs of others, to educate, and to welcome all. Its mission statement commits members to being open to the Holy Spirit and to building a stronger faith community.
- Roman Catholic Parish, Diocese of Greensburg
- 170 School House Ln., Donegal, PA 15628
- Phone: (724) 593-7479
- Parish website: www.straymondchurch.org
Parish History
The parish traces its origins to September 26, 1919, when the first Mass was offered in a barracks building in the mining town of Melcroft. The Confraternity of Christian Doctrine in Pittsburgh established St. Raymond's to serve the new mining town. After early growth — including a prefabricated church dedicated in 1923 and the first First Communion class in 1921 — the decline of mining led the parish to revert to mission status in 1929. Relocated to its present Donegal campus beginning in the 1960s, the parish celebrated its 75th anniversary in 1994 and today serves as the successor parish to St. Boniface in Chestnut Ridge.
- Founded September 26, 1919, in Melcroft, PA
- First church (tarpaper office building) used at Christmas 1919
- Prefabricated church dedicated November 19, 1923
- Reverted to mission status in January 1929
- Diocese of Greensburg formed in March 1951; parish became temporary mission of Transfiguration, Mount Pleasant
- Benedictine Fathers of Saint Vincent Archabbey served the parish from 1952 to c. 1964
- Eight-acre Donegal campus purchased in 1965; groundbreaking September 18, 1966
- 75th anniversary celebrated in 1994
Clergy and Parish Staff
The parish is pastored by Rev. Anthony A. Onoko, who was installed as pastor on July 1, 2021, by Bishop Larry J. Kulick, after serving as Parochial Vicar since March 16, 2020. The parish staff is led by Bill Pospisil, Coordinator of Faith Formation and Office Manager, who also assists with communications and office administration.
- Rev. Anthony A. Onoko, Pastor — [email protected]
- Bill Pospisil, Coordinator of Faith Formation & Office Manager — [email protected]
- Parish Office: 724-593-7479
- Parish Fax: 724-593-5934
- Office Hours: Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday, 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Faith Formation
Faith Formation at St. Raymond's is coordinated by Bill Pospisil, who also serves as Office Manager. The parish's mission statement emphasizes educating and welcoming all, making religious education an integral part of parish life for both full-time residents and seasonal members of the community.
- Coordinator of Faith Formation: Bill Pospisil
- Contact: [email protected]
- Office phone: 724-593-7479
Parish Ministries and Outreach
St. Raymond's is described by its own communications as a parish whose ministries are kept vibrant by parishioners, with opportunities for involvement across the parish. The 'Friends of St. Raymond' was established by Father John Harrold to connect the many visitors and seasonal members to the parish family. The parish also supports homebound ministry through Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion.
- Friends of St. Raymond (welcoming seasonal members and visitors)
- Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion (homebound visits)
- Parish liturgical ministries
Sacraments
Information on the celebration of the sacraments is published in the parish bulletin and on the parish website. Parents are asked to contact the parish office to arrange Baptisms, and couples should contact the parish in advance of marriage to begin preparation. The parish also reaches out to the homebound and sick through visits and Communion calls.
- Baptism — contact the parish office
- Marriage — contact the parish office for preparation
- Visits to the homebound and sick (per bulletin announcements)
Bulletin and Communications
The parish publishes a weekly bulletin, available both in print and online through straymondchurch.org, listing Mass intentions, announcements, the stewardship schedule, and reflections for the coming week. Recent bulletins include 'Guidelines Announcement Resources Protocols For The Celebration of Public Masses' and 'Pathways — Called and Gifted by God for Others,' reflecting the parish's continued focus on formation and prayer.
- Weekly bulletin available on the parish website
- Bulletins archive accessible online
- Pastoral priorities: Guidelines for Public Masses, Pathways formation
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Joseph T. Bednarek1920 – c. 1929
First permanent pastor; boarded with a Melcroft family until the parish house was completed in April 1925.
- Father Charles J. FinneranJuly 1944 – May 1949
- Father William J. MaherMay 1949 – c. 1951
- Father Casimir Trzeciakowski1951
Served when the parish became a temporary mission of Transfiguration Parish, Mount Pleasant.
- Father Frederick Strittmatter, O.S.B.January 1952 – c. 1955
First Benedictine pastor from Saint Vincent Archabbey.
- Father Arnold Weimer, O.S.B.c. 1955 – 1963
Served until illness; recognized recreation replacing mining as the regional industry.
- Father Germain Lieb, O.S.B.1963 – c. 1964
Filled in for Father Weimer for six months.
- Father Stephen A. McCarrenMay 1964 – August 1970
Started construction of the parish facilities in Donegal.
- Msgr. Donald J. MondelloAugust 1970 – February 1975
- Father Denis R. SweeneyFebruary 1975 – May 1979
Opened the rectory as a home to a refugee Vietnamese family.
- Father Francis M. OttMay 1979 – January 1992
Oversaw transformation of the basement church into the current church building.
- Msgr. John L. GarredJanuary 1992 – July 1995
- Msgr. James Gastonc. 1995 – c. 1996
Administrator of the parish for ten months.
- Father Leonard McAlpinc. 1996 – c. 1997
Served for thirteen months.
- Father Edward TajcJuly 1997 – June 1999
Present during the June 1998 tornado; later diagnosed with cancer and retired.
- Father John HarroldJune 1999 – c. 2008
First pastorate; computerized the office, established Friends of St. Raymond, reinstalled the parish sign on Route 31.
- Father Anthony Ditto2008 – 2012
Oversaw partnership with St. Boniface in Chestnut Ridge.
- Father Thaddeus J. KaczmarekMarch 8, 2012 – 2016
- Father Richard J. Kosisko2016 – c. 2019
Administrator; served with Father Jose Ricky F. Cortez, a priest from the Philippines, as Parochial Vicar.
- Father Anthony A. OnokoJuly 1, 2021 – present
Installed as pastor by Bishop Larry J. Kulick; had served as Parochial Vicar since March 16, 2020.