PRINTER'S NO. 4411
No. 689 Session of 2002
INTRODUCED BY HABAY, M. BAKER, BEBKO-JONES, BELFANTI,
BENNINGHOFF, BROOKS, BUNT, CAPPELLI, CAWLEY, L. I. COHEN,
CORRIGAN, CREIGHTON, DeLUCA, DONATUCCI, J. EVANS, FAIRCHILD,
FICHTER, FORCIER, GABIG, GEIST, GEORGE, GRUCELA, HARHAI,
HARHART, HENNESSEY, HERMAN, HERSHEY, HESS, JAMES, JOSEPHS,
KELLER, LAUGHLIN, LEDERER, MAJOR, MARSICO, McGILL,
McNAUGHTON, MELIO, MICOZZIE, O'BRIEN, PIPPY, READSHAW,
ROBERTS, ROSS, RUBLEY, SAINATO, SATHER, SCAVELLO, SCHRODER,
SCHULER, SHANER, B. SMITH, STABACK, SURRA, E. Z. TAYLOR,
THOMAS, TIGUE, TURZAI, WALKO, WOJNAROSKI, YOUNGBLOOD AND
HARPER, OCTOBER 8, 2002
INTRODUCED AS NONCONTROVERSIAL RESOLUTION UNDER RULE 35,
OCTOBER 8, 2002
A RESOLUTION
1 Honoring the 150th anniversary of the founding of St. Mary Roman
2 Catholic Parish in Sharpsburg.
3 WHEREAS, St. Mary Roman Catholic Parish in Sharpsburg,
4 Allegheny County, is celebrating the 150th anniversary of its
5 founding on October 20, 2002; and
6 WHEREAS, St. Mary's has a rich parish history, beginning not
7 long after the settlement of Sharpsburg in 1826; and
8 WHEREAS, Roman Catholic settlers of German descent arrived in
9 the area in 1830, but with no German church to attend locally,
10 they journeyed regularly into Pittsburgh for worship services;
11 and
12 WHEREAS, Eventually, through the efforts of the Rt. Rev.
13 Bishop Michael O'Connor, the Redemptionist Fathers of
1 Pittsburgh, worshipers of German descent and other residents of
2 Sharpsburg, St. Mary's Parish was formed; and
3 WHEREAS, Groundbreaking for the first St. Mary's Church began
4 in the summer of 1852, and the first worship service was held in
5 the yet uncompleted structure on the Feast of the Immaculate
6 Conception that year; and
7 WHEREAS, The original structure, destroyed by fire in 1866,
8 was replaced, through the efforts of priests and parishioners,
9 by a structure which stood until the magnificent present St.
10 Mary's Church was build in 1915; and
11 WHEREAS, Throughout its history, St. Mary's Church provided
12 for the religious and secular education of many of the school
13 children of Sharpsburg; and
14 WHEREAS, This rich history of religious worship and community
15 service has contributed much to the Borough of Sharpsburg and
16 the diocese of Pittsburgh; therefore be it
17 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives honor St. Mary
18 Roman Catholic Parish for a century and a half of service to its
19 community.
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