About St. Sylvester · Slickville, Pennsylvania
St. Sylvester Parish is a small Roman Catholic congregation in Slickville, a former coal-mining community in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, founded in 1921 by Benedictine missionaries from St. Vincent Archabbey in Latrobe. The parish serves as one of three 'partner parishes' — together with St. Ambrose in Avonmore and St. Matthew in Saltsburg — sharing pastors, staff, youth ministry, and faith formation across the Kiski Valley. Members gather for Sunday Mass and weekday worship in a distinctive circular church dedicated in 1963, and the parish runs Knights of Columbus programs, sacramental preparation, and outreach in cooperation with its sister parishes.
- Established
- 1921
- Patron
- St. Sylvester (Pope Sylvester I)
- Rector
- Rev. John J. Harrold
- Diocese
- Diocese of Greensburg
Why belong here
St. Sylvester is a tight-knit parish with deep roots in the Kiski Valley — founded by Slovak and Italian coal-mining families a century ago and still caring for Slickville today. Worshippers attend Mass in a one-of-a-kind circular church built in 1963, share a youth ministry program with neighboring Catholic parishes, and gather for service through the local Knights of Columbus council, whose members serve as altar servers and have helped ring the original church bell at the 100th anniversary Mass. For Catholics in Slickville and the surrounding townships, joining St. Sylvester means becoming part of a small but living parish community carried forward by prayer, perseverance, and the same faith that built the first church in 1921.
Mass times at St. Sylvester
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Available 45 minutes before the start of each weekend Mass
- By appointment with the priest
Parish History
St. Sylvester Parish was founded in 1921 by the Benedictine Fathers of St. Vincent Archabbey in Latrobe to serve the Slovak and Italian Catholic families who settled Slickville to work the coal seam discovered by Cambria Steel engineers in 1915. The original church was dedicated June 21, 1921, by Benedictine Archabbot Aurelius Stehle; an addition followed in 1932. Ground was broken for the current circular church on December 31, 1961, and Bishop William G. Connare of the Diocese of Greensburg dedicated the building and consecrated the altar on August 11, 1963. Father Edwin H. Hirt became the parish's first resident pastor in 1961; he was followed by fourteen more pastors and two deacons. In June 2021 Bishop Larry J. Kulick celebrated the parish's 100th anniversary Mass with five former pastors and the local Knights of Columbus in attendance.
- Founded 1921 as a Slovak and Italian coal-mining parish
- Benedictine priests of St. Vincent Archabbey served 1920–1961
- First resident pastor: Father Edwin H. Hirt (1961–1967)
- Current circular church designed by architect Francis O'Connor Church
- Dedicated August 11, 1963 by Bishop William G. Connare
- 100th anniversary celebrated June 20, 2021 with Bishop Larry J. Kulick
Building & Architecture
The present St. Sylvester Church replaces the original 1921 wood-frame church with a striking circular plan — an unusual form for a small parish church. Architect Francis O'Connor Church designed the building; Bishop William G. Connare consecrated the altar at the dedication on August 11, 1963. The original St. Sylvester bell, salvaged from the first church, was rung during the 2021 centennial Mass.
- Circular-plan church
- Architect: Francis O'Connor Church
- Groundbreaking: December 31, 1961
- Dedication: August 11, 1963 (Bishop Connare)
Faith Formation & Youth Ministry
Children's faith formation and youth ministry for grades 6 through 12 are provided regionally. The youth ministry partners St. Sylvester with St. Ambrose, St. Matthew, and several other neighboring parishes (St. Mary Freeport, Christ the King, St. Gertrude, Our Lady Queen of Peace, and St. James) to deliver programming across the four pillars of Catholic youth ministry: social, service, community, and education. Sacramental preparation is coordinated by site coordinator Jessica Clawson (Sacramental Preparation) and Kristen Barta (Faith Formation).
- Youth Ministry grades 6–12 (regional)
- Sacramental Preparation — Jessica Clawson, Site Coordinator
- Faith Formation — Kristen Barta, Site Coordinator
Parish Life & Outreach
Parish life at St. Sylvester centers on the Knights of Columbus council that meets on the second Thursday of each month at 7:00 PM in St. Sylvester's Church. The council sponsors the annual Partner Parish Picnic, hosts Coffee and Donut Socials, runs Pro-Life activities including a March for Life bus trip to Washington DC, and assists with Special Olympics. Through the partner-parishes arrangement, St. Sylvester parishioners also participate in Lenten pierogi and fish dinners organized at St. Matthew's, sold at Saltsburg Canal Days and Slickville Community Days.
- Knights of Columbus Council — meets 2nd Thursday, 7:00 PM at St. Sylvester
- Annual Partner Parish Picnic
- Coffee and Donut Socials
- March for Life bus trip to Washington DC
- Special Olympics support
- Lenten pierogi and fish dinners (partner-parish fundraiser)
Giving & Support
Online giving to the three partner parishes is available through the website (partnerparishesmas.org). Parishioners and visitors can make one-time or recurring donations to support the mission and ministries of St. Sylvester.
- Online giving via partnerparishesmas.org
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Benedictine Father Augustine Minkel, OSBcirca 1920–1921 founding
First pastor; served jointly the missions at Avonmore, Saltsburg, and Slickville.
- Benedictine Fathers of St. Vincent Archabbey1920–1961
Served the parish collectively for its first four decades until the first resident pastor arrived.
- Rev. Edwin H. Hirt1961–1967
First resident pastor of St. Sylvester, arriving the same year the new circular church was begun.
- Rev. Richard J. Kosisko
Former pastor; attended the 100th anniversary Mass in June 2021.
- Msgr. Raymond E. Riffle
Former pastor; attended the 100th anniversary Mass in June 2021.
- Rev. Anthony J. Carbone
Former pastor; attended the 100th anniversary Mass in June 2021.
- Rev. James M. Goldberg
Former pastor; attended the 100th anniversary Mass in June 2021.
- Rev. Salvatore R. Lamendola
Former pastor; attended the 100th anniversary Mass in June 2021.
- Rev. John J. Harroldcurrent
Current pastor of the three partner parishes (St. Ambrose/St. Matthew/St. Sylvester); led the 2021 centennial and continues to shepherd the parish into its second century.