About Sts. Peter and Paul · Grassflat, Pennsylvania
Ss. Peter & Paul Church is a small Catholic mission church at 130 Indiana Street in Grassflat, Clearfield County, Pennsylvania, in the heart of the historic Moshannon coal-mining region. Established in 1904, it has long served the Catholic families of Grassflat and the surrounding mining communities. Following the Diocese of Erie's 2023 Clearfield Deanery reconfiguration (effective December 2, 2023), the church is now a secondary church of St. Agnes Parish in Morrisdale, having previously been cared for by St. Mary of the Assumption Parish in Frenchville since 1994. Pastoral care is provided by Rev. Johnathan Schmolt as pastor and Rev. Cory Pius as parochial vicar, and the church remains open to the faithful for private prayer and occasional sacred worship.
- Established
- 1904
- Patron
- Saints Peter and Paul (Prince of the Apostles and Apostle to the Gentiles)
- Rector
- Rev. Johnathan Schmolt
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Erie, Pennsylvania
Why belong here
Ss. Peter & Paul in Grassflat is a quiet mission church with deep roots in the Moshannon coal-country Catholic community, established in 1904 to serve local mining families. Today it is part of Saint Agnes Parish, Morrisdale, where the principal Mass is celebrated each Sunday at 11:00 AM in Saint Agnes Church, with confessions available afterward. Visitors and parishioners are warmly received at Saint Agnes and its partnered mission churches; the Grassflat church remains open for private prayer and occasional sacred worship, and parish staff — Rosemary Clawges and Amy Rowles — are ready to help with baptisms, weddings, funerals, religious education, and cemetery matters for the Grassflat, Hawk Run, Morrisdale, Frenchville, and Drifting communities.
Mass times at Sts. Peter and Paul
Confession times
- Sunday after 11:00 AM Mass (at St. Agnes Church, Morrisdale)
Ss. Peter & Paul Church — Grassflat, Pennsylvania
Ss. Peter & Paul is a small mission church at 130 Indiana Street in the Moshannon Valley community of Grassflat, Clearfield County, Pennsylvania. It is one of five churches that today make up Saint Agnes Parish in Morrisdale under the Roman Catholic Diocese of Erie. Established in 1904, it has long served the Catholic families of the historic coal-mining region.
- Established: 1904
- Address: 130 Indiana Street, Grassflat, PA 16839
- Diocese: Roman Catholic Diocese of Erie
- Status (since Dec 2, 2023): secondary church of St. Agnes Parish, Morrisdale
- Patronal feast: June 29 — Ss. Peter and Paul
Parish History
The mission was founded in 1904 to minister to the Catholic families of Grassflat and the surrounding Moshannon mining communities. For a century it was cared for as a mission of St. Mary of the Assumption Parish in Frenchville, with formal entrustment in 1994. Following the Diocese of Erie's 2023 Clearfield Deanery reconfiguration, Saints Peter and Paul in Grassflat was merged into Saint Agnes Parish in Morrisdale, becoming a secondary church without mission status.
- 1904 — Mission established for Catholic mining families of Grassflat
- 1994 — Formally entrusted to St. Mary of the Assumption Parish, Frenchville, along with St. Severin in Drifting
- October 25, 2023 — Bishop Persico issues final reconfiguration decree
- December 2, 2023 — St. Mary of the Assumption merged into St. Agnes Parish, Morrisdale; Ss. Peter & Paul Grassflat becomes a secondary church of St. Agnes
Clergy & Parish Staff
Pastoral care for the Saint Agnes Parish family — including Saints Peter and Paul in Grassflat — is provided by the pastor and parochial vicar assigned to Morrisdale. Lay staff handle parish administration, faith formation, and cemetery coordination across the five-church community.
- Pastor: Rev. Johnathan Schmolt
- Parochial Vicar: Rev. Cory Pius
- Support Staff: Rosemary Clawges
- Support Staff / Cemetery Manager: Amy Rowles (Frenchville, Grassflat, Drifting)
- Religious Education Leader: Carla Heitsenrether
Sacraments & Pastoral Services
All sacramental preparation and requests for the Grassflat community are coordinated through the Saint Agnes Parish office in Morrisdale. Funeral and cemetery services for Grassflat, Frenchville, and Drifting are arranged through parish staff.
- Baptism — contact the parish office
- Marriage — contact the parish office
- Funerals / Cemeteries (Grassflat, Frenchville, Drifting) — contact Amy Rowles, 814-592-4091
- Funerals / Cemeteries (Hawk Run, Morrisdale, Winburne) — contact Rosemary, 814-342-2583
- Religious Education — led by Carla Heitsenrether
Faith Formation & Ministries
Religious education for the Saint Agnes Parish family, including Grassflat, is led by the parish's Religious Education Leader, Carla Heitsenrether. The parish bulletin (published weekly at clearfieldcatholic.org) carries Mass intentions, faith-formation announcements, and the Catholic Services Appeal.
- Religious Education / Faith Formation (parish-wide)
- Catholic Services Appeal (annual diocesan appeal)
- Weekly parish bulletin with Mass intentions and announcements
- Mission Community across the five-church Saint Agnes family
Visiting the Church
Although no scheduled Masses are celebrated at Ss. Peter & Paul in Grassflat under the 2023 reconfiguration, the church remains open for private prayer and occasional sacred worship. Visitors are encouraged to attend Mass at Saint Agnes Church in Morrisdale (about 10 miles away) and to check the weekly bulletin for rotating Thursday Mass locations.
- Open for private prayer: Monday–Friday, 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM
- Parish mailing address: c/o St. Agnes Parish, 65 Deer Creek Road, Morrisdale, PA 16858
- Parish office phone: (814) 342-2583
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: https://www.clearfieldcatholic.org