About St. Winifred, St. Paul of the Cross Parish · Mount Lebanon, Pennsylvania
Saint Winifred Church is one of two worship sites of Saint Paul of the Cross Parish in the South Hills of Pittsburgh, serving the communities of Mt. Lebanon, Castle Shannon, and Baldwin Township in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. It was established in 1960 as an independent parish under Bishop John J. Wright, with Father Benedict Erkens as its founding pastor, and on July 1, 2019 it was merged with neighboring Saint Anne Church under the Diocese of Pittsburgh's 'On Mission for the Church Alive' initiative to form the new Saint Paul of the Cross Parish, named for the 18th-century founder of the Passionist order. Today Saint Winifred offers a Vigil Mass on Saturday evenings, one Sunday Mass, weekday Masses when South Hills Catholic Academy is in session, Saturday confessions, Eucharistic adoration, and a full range of faith-formation and outreach ministries.
- Established
- 1960
- Patron
- Saint Winifred (Welsh virgin and martyr, 7th century)
- Rector
- Father Joseph Uzar
- Diocese
- Diocese of Pittsburgh
Why belong here
Saint Winifred offers the warmth of a smaller worship site with weekday Masses celebrated alongside the children of South Hills Catholic Academy, plus a robust sacramental life — Saturday Vigil Mass, Sunday Mass, weekday Masses, Saturday confessions, and Eucharistic adoration. The parish runs a deep bench of ministries for every age and stage: Catholic Men's Fellowship, Women's Guild, Young Adult Ministry, Youth Ministry, a parish Book Club, the Knights of Columbus, the St. Vincent de Paul Society, Ladies of Charity, a Food Pantry, Lunches for the Hungry, a Homebound Ministry, Journey of Grief Ministry, Caring Companions, a Respect Life ministry, and a Substance Addiction Ministry. The church is one of two campuses of Saint Paul of the Cross Parish, joining the former Saint Anne community, and is grounded in nearly six decades of South Hills Catholic history.
Mass times at St. Winifred, St. Paul of the Cross Parish
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturdays from 4:45 p.m. to 5:15 p.m. (Saint Winifred Church)
- Private confessions available by appointment through the Parish Office at (412) 531-5964
Adoration times
- Eucharistic Adoration is offered at the parish (specific Saint Winifred day/time listed on the parish website's Adoration page)
History of Saint Winifred Parish
Saint Winifred was established as an independent parish on December 8, 1960 by Bishop John J. Wright to serve the South Hills communities of Mt. Lebanon, Castle Shannon, and Baldwin Township. Father Benedict Erkens was named the first pastor and celebrated the inaugural Mass on December 11, 1960 in the South Hills Catholic High School auditorium. In an unprecedented move, the Diocese built the church, rectory, convent, and school at the same time, completing all four within 34 months; the first Mass in the new church was offered on Sunday, October 13, 1963. On July 1, 2019, Saint Winifred was merged with Saint Anne Church under Bishop David A. Zubik's 'On Mission for the Church Alive' initiative to form Saint Paul of the Cross Parish.
- Decreed December 8, 1960 by Bishop John J. Wright
- First pastor: Reverend Benedict Erkens
- First Mass: December 11, 1960 (South Hills Catholic High School auditorium)
- First Mass in new church: October 13, 1963
- Merged into Saint Paul of the Cross Parish on July 1, 2019 by Bishop David A. Zubik
The Patron: Saint Winifred
Saint Winifred was a seventh-century Welsh virgin and martyr, descended from early Welsh kings and raised in the spiritual life by her uncle, the abbot Saint Beuno. Her feast day is November 3. According to the parish's own history, Bishop Wright chose her as patroness after encountering a small shrine to her during a visit to Wales, drawn to her witness of being martyred in the preservation of her virtue. The parish publishes a traditional prayer to Saint Winifred asking her intercession before the throne of God for the easing of troubles, the cure of bodily illness, and the courage to face daily hardships.
- Born in North Wales, early seventh century
- Niece of Saint Beuno
- Feast day: November 3
- Venerated as virgin and martyr
Parish Staff
Saint Paul of the Cross Parish is served by Pastor Father Joseph Uzar and assisted by two deacons and a retired priest in residence. The lay staff includes a Business Manager, Office Manager, Director of Faith Formation (Adult and Elementary), Director of Music, Sacristan, Safe Environment Coordinator, Bulletin Editor, Coordinator of Communications, and Parish Receptionists. Father Uzar, a son of Carnegie, PA, studied philosophy at Duquesne University and theology at St. Vincent Seminary, was ordained for the Diocese of Pittsburgh in June 2021, and previously served as Parochial Vicar at Our Lady of Mount Carmel and St. Andrew the Apostle parishes before being installed at Saint Paul of the Cross in July 2025.
- Father Joseph Uzar — Pastor ([email protected])
- Deacon Victor DeFazio
- Deacon Philip Martorano
- Father Richard Infante — Retired, in residence
- Brendan Lowery — Business Manager
- Lisa Mykeloff — Office Manager
- Beth Guzowski — Director of Faith Formation (Adult)
- Mary Weaver — Director of Faith Formation (Elementary)
- Don Fontana — Director of Music
- Harmony Stewart — Safe Environment Coordinator
- Anita Wade — Parish Receptionist
- Isabel Heard — Parish Receptionist & Sacramental Records & Social Ministry Secretary
- Peggy Bond — Coordinator of Communications
Ministries and Organizations
The parish maintains a wide range of ministries for adults, youth, and those in need, organized under two umbrella groupings: those focused on faith, fellowship, and formation, and those focused on pastoral care and outreach.
- Book Club
- Catholic Men's Fellowship
- Fish Fry Committee (Lenten Fridays)
- Knights of Columbus (South Hills Council 3084)
- Women's Guild
- Young Adult Ministry
- Youth Ministry
Pastoral Care and Outreach Ministries
Saint Paul of the Cross Parish operates an extensive outreach network that combines prayerful accompaniment with practical charity — serving parishioners who are homebound, grieving, or struggling with addiction, as well as neighbors in the broader South Hills community through food assistance and respect-life advocacy.
- Caring Companions
- Homebound Ministry
- Journey of Grief Ministry
- Ladies of Charity
- Lunches for the Hungry
- Respect Life
- St. Winifred Food Pantry (collections before all Masses, per bulletin)
- St. Vincent de Paul Society
- Substance Addiction Ministry
- Vocation Council
Faith Formation and School
Faith Formation for the parish is led by a Director of Faith Formation (Adult) and a Director of Faith Formation (Elementary Education), coordinating sacramental preparation (Reconciliation, First Communion, Confirmation), Catechesis/Religious Education for public-school children, OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation for Adults), Vacation Bible School, and parish Bible studies. Saint Winifred's weekday Masses are celebrated alongside the children of South Hills Catholic Academy when school is in session.
- Director of Faith Formation (Adult) — Beth Guzowski
- Director of Faith Formation (Elementary) — Mary Weaver
- OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation for Adults)
- Catechesis / Religious Education
- Vacation Bible School
- Catholic Bible Studies
- Parish school: South Hills Catholic Academy
Sacraments
The parish celebrates and prepares parishioners for the seven sacraments through its staff and Office for Catechesis, including infant and adult Baptism, First Reconciliation and First Communion, Confirmation, Matrimony, Anointing of the Sick, and the Eucharist at daily and Sunday Mass. Reconciliation is offered regularly at Saint Winifred Church on Saturday afternoons and at Saint Anne Church on Tuesday evenings and Saturday mornings, with private confessions available by appointment.
- Baptism (infant and adult)
- Reconciliation (Saturdays 4:45–5:15 p.m. at Saint Winifred)
- First Communion and Confirmation preparation
- Marriage preparation
- Anointing of the Sick / Funeral Mass Ministry
Contact and Location
Saint Winifred Church is located at 550 Sleepy Hollow Road in the Mt. Lebanon neighborhood of Pittsburgh (ZIP 15228), and shares the parish phone number (412) 531-5964 with the Saint Anne campus. The unified Saint Paul of the Cross Parish office is at 400 Hoodridge Drive, Pittsburgh, PA 15234, also reachable at (412) 531-5964. The parish website hosts the full schedule, bulletins, and ministry pages for both worship sites.
- Saint Winifred Church: 550 Sleepy Hollow Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15228
- Parish Office (Saint Anne campus): 400 Hoodridge Drive, Pittsburgh, PA 15234
- Phone: (412) 531-5964
- Pastor email: [email protected]
- Website: http://www.stpaulofthecross.com
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Reverend Benedict Erkens1960–
Founding pastor; appointed when the parish was decreed on December 8, 1960; celebrated the first Saint Winifred Mass on December 11, 1960 and the first Mass in the new church on October 13, 1963.