Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh announces merging of two local parishes

BEAVER COUNTY — The Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh announced it will merge two local parishes to form one larger new one.

The new parish will combine Saint Blaise and Saint Monica. The Saint Blaise parish is currently home to worshipers from Midland. Saint Monica covers the area of Beaver Falls, Chippewa and Darlington.

Bishop David Zubrik said the new parish will be known as the Saint Augustine Parish and the merge will happen on Jan. 2.

“Your priests and deacon have worked diligently in service to you and to God throughout this process, and I am deeply grateful for their care and leadership. I am equally grateful to each of you for your collaborative efforts. In and through your work together you have positioned your new parish to be a beacon of evangelization and mission in Beaver County. I pray that the newly formed Saint Augustine Parish will continue to give witness to the Good News of Jesus and grow in blessings and strength through the power of the Holy Spirit,” said Zubrik.

The diocese decided to go through with the merger to make the movement of resources easier.

The Diocese of Pittsburgh will go from 63 parishes to 62.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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