Contact Details
- Rectory:
724-266-2030
Father Anthony Costantino
Deacon: Deacon Thomas Klacik - Hall:
724-266-8642
- Website: https://www.stmaryambridge.org/
- Email: franthonycostantino@protonnmail.com
History
The congregants of St. Mary Byzantine Catholic Church in Ambridge attended their first Divine Liturgy on November 3, 1940 in a white wooden church of the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh. At that time a rectory was purchased. The founding pastor, Father Gregory Moneta, remained for ten years; several pastors would serve the parish over the next six. Father Louis Sismis became pastor in 1956, and in that year the Pirohy Sales Project began as the parish fund-raising activity. In 1960 the formulation of plans for the construction of a new church began.
In 1962 Father Joseph J. Borodach became the Administrator. During his pastorate, a two-week summer school for catechetics taught by the Sisters of St. Basil was held. On June 20, 1962 Bishop Nicholas T. Elko came to break ground for the construction of the new church complex. Bishop Elko returned to set the cornerstone on March 17, 1963, and again to solemnly bless and dedicate the new church, hall, rectory and detached bell tower on August 25, 1963. By this time $100,000 had been raised by selling pirohy. Monsignor Edward V. Rosack arrived as pastor in 1973. He found in place a continuing successful pirohy sales project, a Holy Name Society, a Senior Rosary Society and a School of Religion which met on Saturday mornings.
Monsignor Rosack formed a choir, and the altar boys’ sacristy was converted into a chapel for the daily celebration of the Divine Liturgy. The American Bridge Company parking lot, across Park Road from the church, was purchased. A handicap-accessible ramp was installed, the bell tower was repainted, and a peaked roof was installed on the rectory. In 1998, an extension was built onto the rear of the church building and the entire interior of the church was renovated.
At Monsignor Rosack’s retirement in June 2004, Father Thomas G. Schaefer was appointed administrator of St. Mary Church. During his pastorate, two years of hard work by the parishioners culminated in an icon screen constructed for the church. Two gold domes and a gold eastern cross were placed on high to enhance its exterior. A carillon was installed in the newly refurbished bell tower. Thus the parish and greater community were brought to a deeper sense of Byzantine spirituality and tradition.
In October of 2006, Father Kevin E. Marks was assigned to the parish. He served until of October, 2012 when Father David A. Bosnich became to pastor. Father James D. Hess O. Carm. was named to care for the spiritual needs of the people and Deacon Thomas Klacik joined him as administrator of the parish in July of 2014. Father Joseph R. Raptosh became the pastor in September 2015, and he served until May 27, 2016 when Father Mykhaylo Shykynda was appointed. Father Mykhaylo served the parish until November of 2018.