Final Mass planned at one of multiple Catholic churches being closed in local parish

TURTLE CREEK, Pa. — Parishioners will gather Wednesday night for the final Mass at St. Colman Church, marking the last closure among seven churches the Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh decided to close in St. Joseph of the Worker Parish.

The 7 p.m. service ends decades of operation in Turtle Creek, a move the diocese said was driven by declining attendance and rising maintenance costs.

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Kelly Gibson of Turtle Creek said her goddaughter was baptized at St. Colman years ago, and Gibson said she had hoped the church would remain part of her life.

“I’m going to be really sad that we can’t see her get confirmed there, or married there,” Gibson said.

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The diocese cited significant repair needs at the church, including storm damage to the roof and interior damage that officials said exceeds what the parish can afford to fix.

Church leaders also pointed to declining participation across the parish’s churches.

“There just isn’t a lot of support,” Gibson said. “They even talked about that at my church on Ash Wednesday — that he had never seen so many people come to that church. But then there are churches like this that are failing, and it’s just so sad."

According to the diocese, sacred items inside St. Colman — including stained glass — will be removed and may be reused at other churches.

The Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh provided Channel 11 with this statement:

“We know that it’s an emotional experience to have a church closed, and we are grateful for the love of the many people who have walked through the doors of churches in this parish to pray, to worship, grieve and celebrate. We invite them to continue with their parish practicing the works of mercy in love for God and their neighbor, especially the most vulnerable.”

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