Bethel Park
Pennsylvania
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St Valentine Church
A Parish Mission offers a parish an opportunity for the spiritual renewal and development of its parishioners. It is a time of prayer, of devotion, and deepening our appreciation of our faith.
The purpose of a Parish Mission is:
To provide for the spiritual development of the parish
To give motivational insights into the faith .To encourage a daily following in the foot steps of the Lord.
Church History:
St. Valentine Parish began as a mission of St. Anne in Castle Shannon in 1923. The first Masses were said in a home on South Park Road. About two years later, a plot of land at the corner of West Library Avenue and Ohio Street was purchased. The original St. Bernard Church building was purchased, dismantled, transported from Mt. Lebanon, and erected on that site. This church was blessed in the spring of 1926.
In September 1931, St. Valentine Parish was formally established with Reverend Joseph Pikutis as the first pastor. Shortly thereafter, the first rectory was built. In 1937, Fr. Pikutis was succeeded by Reverend John J. Janok. Tragedy struck the parish on Sunday, July 19, 1942, when fire broke out during Benediction after High Mass. The fire left the church building in ruins. Despite the restrictions of World War II and other difficulties, the parish pulled together to build a new church, and the first Mass was said on Easter Sunday, 1943. Part of this church building is now the parish administration building.
The parish continued to grow and prosper. To meet the educational needs of our youth, the parish built St. Valentine School and welcomed students for the first time in the fall of 1953 with eight classrooms. Because of the need for even more space to accommodate the large number of children in the parish, an eight-room addition was begun immediately and completed in time for the opening of school in the fall of 1954.
Father Janok died in the spring of 1961, and Reverend William Frawley became pastor. In 1965, the convent was built. This is the building now known as Newman House. In the year 1965, ground was also broken for the present church building. The first Mass in this church was the Midnight Mass on Christmas Even, 1966. The church was formally dedicated on Thanksgiving Day, 1967.
Father Frawley retired in 1977, and Reverend H. Michael Kernan became pastor. In November of 1986, Reverend Phillip P. Pribonic became pastor and served our parish until June 1995. Reverend John Harvey replaced Fr. Pribonic as pastor for four years, from 1995 through 1999. In November of 1999, Reverend J. Francis Frazer was appointed pastor and currently serves as our shepherd.
The purpose of a Parish Mission is:
To provide for the spiritual development of the parish
To give motivational insights into the faith .To encourage a daily following in the foot steps of the Lord.
Church History:
St. Valentine Parish began as a mission of St. Anne in Castle Shannon in 1923. The first Masses were said in a home on South Park Road. About two years later, a plot of land at the corner of West Library Avenue and Ohio Street was purchased. The original St. Bernard Church building was purchased, dismantled, transported from Mt. Lebanon, and erected on that site. This church was blessed in the spring of 1926.
In September 1931, St. Valentine Parish was formally established with Reverend Joseph Pikutis as the first pastor. Shortly thereafter, the first rectory was built. In 1937, Fr. Pikutis was succeeded by Reverend John J. Janok. Tragedy struck the parish on Sunday, July 19, 1942, when fire broke out during Benediction after High Mass. The fire left the church building in ruins. Despite the restrictions of World War II and other difficulties, the parish pulled together to build a new church, and the first Mass was said on Easter Sunday, 1943. Part of this church building is now the parish administration building.
The parish continued to grow and prosper. To meet the educational needs of our youth, the parish built St. Valentine School and welcomed students for the first time in the fall of 1953 with eight classrooms. Because of the need for even more space to accommodate the large number of children in the parish, an eight-room addition was begun immediately and completed in time for the opening of school in the fall of 1954.
Father Janok died in the spring of 1961, and Reverend William Frawley became pastor. In 1965, the convent was built. This is the building now known as Newman House. In the year 1965, ground was also broken for the present church building. The first Mass in this church was the Midnight Mass on Christmas Even, 1966. The church was formally dedicated on Thanksgiving Day, 1967.
Father Frawley retired in 1977, and Reverend H. Michael Kernan became pastor. In November of 1986, Reverend Phillip P. Pribonic became pastor and served our parish until June 1995. Reverend John Harvey replaced Fr. Pribonic as pastor for four years, from 1995 through 1999. In November of 1999, Reverend J. Francis Frazer was appointed pastor and currently serves as our shepherd.