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Mt. St. Peter
Roman Catholic Church
100 Freeport Road
New Kensington, PA 15068
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THE HISTORY OF MOUNT SAINT PETER CHURCH
(Taken from the first issue of "The Barque
of Peter, " October, 1992)
THE BEGINNING
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St. Peter´s Congregation was organized in
1902 for the Pittsburgh Diocese. The Bishop of Pittsburgh, Rev. Richard
Phelan, was very interested in the Italian Catholics and was responsible
for no less than seventeen parishes to be organized. The first of these
was the one erected in New Kensington.
This new parish was named St. Peter because until
that time, the Italian people of the area were under the spiritual guidance
of the Italian Friars Minor who were in charge of St. Peter´s Church
in Pittsburgh. The people adopted St. Peter, the first Pope, as their patron
saint.
By 1903 the new parish had its first resident
pastor and a place to worship - the corner of Second Avenue and Tenth Street.
Later in the year the congregation moved to the basement of St. Mary´s
Church on Kenneth Avenue. Then a piece of land on the corner of Ridge Avenue
and Constitution Boulevard (across from the YMCA) was donated to the church
by the Burrell Improvement Company. On July 4, 1904, the cornerstone for
the first St. Peter´s Church was blessed. Bishop Regis Canevin formally
dedicated the new church on September 25, 1904.
It is interesting to note that in 1903 the monthly
salary of the Pastor was $35, which was cut to $30 in 1904. The kitchen
furniture and equipment cost $7.23. Furniture for a bedroom, office and
dining room cost $74.89. The altar stone, sacred vessels and vestments
were donated by another priest.
Many priests came and went during those early
days. They did their own cooking and washing. They traveled on horseback
to say Mass at another church. They were threatened and shot at. They did
not know the English language, but in spite of that handicap, they were
able to achieve what they did for the Church . We owe a great deal to them.
These men of God saved the faith of our Italian immigrants and sent it
down to us.
On September 7, 1923, Rev.
Nicola Fusco was appointed Pastor. He was born in Italy and was brought
to the East End of Pittsburgh early in his life. He was always devoted
to the arts and architecture of Italy and the Church. He was educated at
the College of the Archabbey of St. Vincent at Latrobe, Pennsylvania. Who
could have foreseen that his love of art and architecture would be so invaluable
in building of our beautiful Mt. St. Peter.
The new Pastor and his assistants took the church
to the people. They went to Logans Ferry, Barking, Glassmere, and then
to Braeburn.
St. Peter´s continued to grow and by 1937
Confirmation had to be administered twice because the Church could not
hold the class at one time. It was apparent that a larger church was necessary.
Reference: Mt. St. Peter, 1944, 1970 Nicola
Fusco, Guideline Printing Co., Springdale, Pennsylvania.
Greensburgh Tribune-Review, James D. Van Trump, May 19, 1985.
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(Taken from the December, 1992 issue of "The
Barque of Peter")
THE MOUNT
Until 1902, the property
whereour Mount St. Peter's stands was owned by Stephen Young. He
was a General during the Civil War and friend to Abraham Lincoln.
The next owner was Frank M. Curtis who purchased the property for $7,000.
He sold it in September, 1914, to Davis A. Leslie, a pharmacist, for $17,000.
This four acre tract of land was known as the Young Estate and the large
mansion on it was called "The Knoll." What a perfect site for a church!
Early in 1938, Mr. Leslie was approached about our interest in the property.
He said, "When you have $35,000 come here and we will close the deal."
THis seemed an impossible dream . . . we did not know the "will of God."
Mr. Leslie died on August 25, 1938, and our dream seemed to be shattered.
Our need for a larger church
was great. The congregation numbered about one thousand (1,000) families
and the church could only seat about 200 people. Already the original
church, which was at ground level, had been raised to add a hall underneath.
In September, 1938, a campaign
for a building fund was opened though we did not know where a new church
would be built. Our prayers were answered in November when Mrs. Leslie
sent for representatives of the church and offered to sell the property
for $25,000. They offered her $20,000 and she told them that was
an insult. Mrs. Leslie met with them again and on December 1, 1938,
they paid her $500 hand money and took an option on the property.
The Building Fund Campaign
was re-opened and canvassing of the Parish was begun.
On April 1, 1939, Mrs. Leslie
vacated the Mansion and St. Peter's Congregation took possession of the
estate which was at once called and still is called "Mount Saint Peter."
Weekly card parties were held in the Mansion to raise money for the new
church. A donation of 50 cnets included coffee, donuts and cards.
References: Mt. St. Peter,
Story of St. Peter's Church, 1944, 1970
Mt. St. Peter, A Family Tradition,
1903-1981, 1981.
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(Taken from the December, 1993 issue
of "The Barque of Peter ")
THE NEW CHURCH
The shell of the new church, when completed, appeared
to be a Norman structure with massive walls, round arches over recessed
doors and windows. This is blended with the Modernistic. The windows are
22 feet long and 2 feet wide - a decidedly modernistic treatment. Many
famous churches of Europe often waited several generations before they
were completed. It happened that they were begun in one style of architecture
and finished in another. Several of them were started in the Gothic style
and ended in the Romanesque style.
The Red Michigan sandstone of the outside walls
is rock faced. This is the same stone used in the Smithsonian Institute
building known as the "Castle" in Washington, D.C. Some years ago this
building suffered some damage and Mt. St. Peter's was able to supply some
replacement stone.
The main part of the church is 157 feet long,
55 feet wide, and 35 feet from floor to ceiling. Here also there is another
blending. This was intended to have a medieval look. The granite wanescoat,
the arches over the rear of the main altar and over the altar show this
tendency. Then the flat panelled ceiling was adopted. The ceiling panels,
which were on the second floor of the mansion, were placed above the Sanctuary.
It was not expected to go any further, but the people insisted that the
same ceiling be all over the church. A mold of the original panel was made.
From this mold, over 300 plaster panels were made, painted by men of the
parish, and put in place.
The arch in back of the main altar was originally
meant to be the frame of a huge stained glass window. It served that purpose
in the mansion. When the window was half done, it was evident that it would
be the whole show in the church so it was walled up.
With the window now eliminated, there was an opening
above the main altar, 29 feet long, 10 feet wide, and 15 feet high. In
the main lobby of the mansion, there was a sumptuous mantle carved in statuary
marble. The quality of marble was the same as that in the segmental arch
and both carried the same decorative motif. The mantle was turned into
an altar and it was erected within the arch. Three statues representing
the Crucifixion were placed on the altar.
The main altar is built on the same order as the
altar in St. Peter's in Rome. The mensa, or top of the altar, stands in
the middle of a square platform accessible from all four sides. The mensa
has the form and appearance of a sarchphagus in which the martyrs were
buried and upon which Mass was offered by the early Christians. The panels
in the altar represent the vine and grape, the wheat and snake - symbols
of Christ.
The four columns of Riviera marble which support
the baldachin came from the lobby of the mansion and the bronze panels
in the baldachin were part of the grand staircase. A huge bronze chandelier
in the recreation room is now the crown over the baldachin of the altar.
The beautiful pilasters of French Rose marble and the large panels of Vermont
marble in the Sanctuary were in the Mellon's vast lobby.
What was the railing around a swimming pool is
now the parapet on the rear balcony. The two marble angels at the bottom
of the stairway have become holy water fonts. The beautiful sculptured
alabaster bowl once filled with electric light is the Baptismal font. The
massive granite balustrade around the terrace is our Communion rail. The
large swinging doors of the dining room in the mansion were placed as panels
in the entrance to the Chapel of the Seven Sacraments. The carved wood
of the library went into making of the Confessionals. The letter "M" that
was carved into the wood can be seen around the framework of the doors.
The many cabinets of the vast kitchen are now in the church sacristy.
There was a wealth of material which had come
from the Mellon mansion. How some of the items were used in the construction
of the new Mt. St. Peter's Church has been described here. Further editions
of the Barque will contain additional information.
Reference: Mt. St. Peter, Nicola Fusco, 1944,
1970.
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(Taken from the December, 1995 issue
of "The Barque of Peter, ")
FROM MANSION TO SANCTUARY
(The following article was written by Alma Kline
Eckard and first appeared in "The Oratory " in May, 1946, which was published
in Montreal, Canada.)
You who are weary of praying - who believe that
God has forsaken you and His Saints have turned deaf ears to your supplications;
you who, in the depths of your discouragement, have come to think that
faith is only for children and the simple-minded, and not applicable to
the problems of a modern work; read the story of the new Saint Peter´s
in New Kensington, Pennsylvania, and take heart.
For this is the story of how faith built a church.
Not an ordinary house of worship, but one unique in the annals of church
building. Not one built to an architect´s plan, but one erected block
by block, piece by piece, from the heterogeny of a wrecked mansion. From
narthex to altar; from doors to communion rail; from holy water fonts to
sanctuary lamps, the old has been adapted to the new in imperishable marble
and granite; in enduring bronze and priceless alabaster; in shining gold
and antique silver; in sturdy hand-carved wood. Every piece found its niche
(though none had a place in the begining) as if some unseen finger had
guided the placement.
This is, furthermore, the story of God´s
utilitzation of man and material things in the unfolding of a divine plan.
A stranger within the gates of the New Saint Peter´s
might infer that here was a congregation of wealth; that the building of
this magnificent edifice entailed no hardship or sacrifice; that the laborers
must undoubtedly have been the most highly-skilled of artisans. Had this
been so, this story would not have been written, for the simple reason
that there would have been no story. Saint Peter´s was not built
by the visible power of wealth, but by the unseen power of prayer; not
by the lavish utilization of highly-paid labor, but by congregational cooperation;
not by the emergency aid of generous patrons, but by trust in God.
The story of Saint Peter´s begins back in
1937, when the old church became inadequate for a fast-growing congregation.
There were two good reasons, however, for not building a new church: lack
of a suitable site, and a depleted treasury. But sometimes acute need is
the only spur necessary to stimulate faith, and on the assumption that
God would help those who showed a willingness to help themselves, the members
of Saint Peter´s instituted a search for a suitable location.
Was it God´s plan that there should be,
just 100 yards from the old church, a wooded four acre knoll that was for
sale?
Father Fusco, the pastor of Saint Peter´s
must have thought so, for he called upon the owner. But any hopes that
he may have had concerning an immediate sale were blasted when the owner
said, "The price of this property is $35,000."
Father´s reaction was characteristic of
one who puts his faith in the Almighty. He directed that two medals be
buried on the coveted property.
Nothing happened for awhile. But faith at Saint
Peter´s was growing so fast that a building compaign was inaugurated.
Imagine it! A campaign for a building without a place to build on! But
then, those who put their faith in God, do seemingly fantastic things,
and God, it seems, rewards that faith. Before long, the pastor was informed
that the desired property would be relinquished for $25,000.
To a congregation without faith (and an empty
treasury) this amount would be as difficult to acquire as the original
sum; but not to Saint Peter´s, who firmly believed by now that God
was directing their affairs.
Saint Peter´s raised $500 hand money and
took an option on the property for six months!
Continued faith, hard work and unremitting prayer
worked wonders. At the end of six months they had $25,500 in cash and $75,000
in pledges! Now the "Knoll" belonged to Saint Peter´s and the next
move was to start on the actual building project.
But it didn't seem to be as simple as that. Where
before it had been a lack of funds, now it was lack of agreement on what
kind
of church to build. After eighteen month´s architectural research,
discussion among building committee members, and parleys between committee
and architect, there was no concrete plan as to how the church was to be
built.
God had again intervened, this time to forestall
any move that might be contrary to His plan. Saint Peter´s would
have been satisfied with just a church - one large enough to serve its
1400 families; but God´s plan, as was soon apparent, was for something
far above that which was merely useful.
At that time the Mellon mansion, in suburban Pittsburgh,
fifteen miles distant, was being razed and its furnishings sold. Was there
anything there, the pastor and building committee wondered, that a parish
with little money could procure for a new church building?
Pastor and committee investigated. Indeed, there
was much here that had ecclesiastical potentialities. Too bad they couldn´t
take it all, mourned Father Fusco, whose artistic soul revolted at the
desecration of priceless stone by a careless wrecking crew.
"We can do just that!" jubilated a practical minded
committee, upon learning that all they surveyed could be theirs merely
for the cost of hauling it away!
When it was all delivered, Saint Peter´s
had what amounted to a stone quarry in their back yard, together with thirty
tons of steel beams, sixty-five oak doors, and all the other innumerable
items concomitant with the wrecking of a sixty-five room house.
That day marked the beginning of the second chapter
in the building of Saint Peter´s. It marked, also, a three-year period
of trial and discouragement. To build in normal times when labor and materials
are plentiful, is one thing; to build in time of war and to contend with
priorities and labor shortages, is another. To constuct with a full treasury
is simple; to do so on a shoe string is something else.
But Saint Peter´s believed that God was
their partner in this venture; so out of trial came a greater faith, and
out of discouragement new incentives to greater endeavor. Perhaps this
was because God´s hand was seen in everything that was done. Until
the last nail was driven, huge sums of money were always needed, but somehow
they were always found. If priorities held up work today, the needed items
appeared, as if by magic, tomorrow. If paid labor was scarce, there were
twice as many workers willing to contribute their time. "It is God´s
hand!" exclaimed someone, when the building of the main roof stopped at
a certain height for lack of funds. And so it seemed to be; for at that
exact height was to be found the place of perfect acoustics!
Instances are on record of God´s protection.
In the many journeys from the Mellon estate to the new site, not one piece
of precious marble or delicate alabaster was cracked. When winter caught
up with the builders the first year, snow was withheld until walls could
be covered. Workmen narrowly escaped injury and death from falls and heavy
objects.
But perhaps the greatest miracle was the adaptation
of the innumerable pieces of stone and wood that went into the building.
It is a simple matter to erect a structure with plans and specifications;
to select each piece out of hundreds in a yard full of pieces and fit it
in somewhere, is a different and infinitely more difficult task. Looking
upon the completed church, the stranger is apt to exclaim, "How closely
to plan must this building have been erected; how carefully thought out
must have been every detail."
But not so. Of course, the builders knew that
the huge red sandstone blocks which formed the exterior of the mansion
would serve admirably for the exterior of Saint Peter´s. Heavy plateglass
and bronze entrance doors and marble archways would fit into the architecture
of a church as a mansion. But where, O where, could one place a granite
porch rail, or fit in an elaborately carved marble slab which had rested
above a ballroom door? Commodious kitchen cupboard units would encourage
neatness and order in the sacristy, but of what use in a church were two
hugh alabaster bowls which had been light reflectors in the vestibule chandeliers?
The fact that these items and dozens more fell
into orderly place, proves that a Hand mightier than man´s supervised
the placing. The granite porch rail, cleaned and polished, became the communion
rail; the carved marble slab is now an integral part of the main altar;
the alabaster bowls, inverted and mounted on marble pedestals, became holy
water and baptismal fonts.
It is doubtful if the eye of man will ever see
a lovelier altar than that of the new Saint Peter´s. The four immense
Riviera marble pillars which support the baldachin were taken from the
mansion vestibule; the panels of the baldachin, as well as the chancel
gates, were formerly stairway girdles; the tiny bit of rose-colored marble
upon which the tabernacle rests, was once a piece of wainscoting.
Second to the main altar in beauty and adaptability
of material, is the Chapel of the Seven Sacraments. Its carved wooden confessionals
once served as bookcases; its gold sanctuary lamp gave light in a music
room.
The incident which points to divine planning more
than any other, was the placing of the carved marble mantle which was to
be used as chapel altar. During installation, a large front panel dropped
out, and it was discovered that this fine stone had originally been
an altar. Investigation revealed that the Mellons had purchased it
from a Catholic church in Pisa, Italy. God had finally brought it back
to an Italian Catholic church where it is destined to serve the purpose
for which it was intended - as a repository for the Host.
Could it have been in the divine plan that so
much of the material from the mansion should have carried religious motifs?
There are angel heads in the keystone of arches, in ceiling panels, in
electric light brackets, in carved organ grilles. (Little angel statues
holding tiny bowls in their cupped hands were converted into holy water
fonts.) The bronze stairway panels were made into a lily design, and the
lion, symbol of Saint Mark and the Lion of Judah, was carved into the massive
bookcases. On noticing these things during inspection of the Mellon material,
a committee member was impelled to remark, "God meant that someday the
Mellon mansion should be made into a sanctuary."
The worshipper at Saint Peter´s can truly
say with the Psalmist, "How lovely are Thy tabernacles, O Lord of Hosts!"
But a Catholic church needs more than a place of worship to serve God to
the fullest. It needs, also, schools and convents. God had these things
in mind when He planned Saint Peter´s, for there is plenty of material
left from the building of the church. Already a school and a convent are
in the process of construction.
Does Saint Peter´s have the money for these
additional buildings? No; but it is rich in one respect. It still has untouched
wells of faith to draw upon. Saint Peter´s was built on faith, and
her people will never forget that fact.
You who are weary of praying - who believe that
God has forsaken you - let your faith be rekindled by His words,
"Behold all things are made new!"
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(Taken from the March, 1995 issue of
"The Barque of Peter, ")
THE BUILDING CONTINUES
The building of the Rectory was begun in late
1944 and continued until early 1948. During the winter months though, when
the weather did not permit outdoor work on the Rectory, the men worked
in the basement of the church. Of couse we all know it as the Marble Hall.
The Marble Hall measured 125 feet by 55 feet. Originally at the kitchen
end of the hall, a platform was constructed on which was erected a magnificent
marble altar. The Marble Hall was used as a lower church with Mass celebrated
there on Sundays and other occasions to take care of the overflow from
the upper church. It was said when the Marble Hall was finally completed,
the result was comparable to an ancient Roman Basilica and the workers
said that it was lucky that this was not completed before the church or
the beautiful upper church would never have been built.
As noted, the Marble Hall project and the Rectory
were being worked on at the same time. For a few years Mt. St. Peter retained
as a Parish House, the Leslie Mansion, which stood on what is now the Oval.
It was a frame building, over 100 years old, with few rooms, poor living
accommodations and a water pump at its main entrance. It was most uncomfortable
for three (3) priests and a housekeeper.
When construction of the new Rectory began, there
was no architect and no contractor. The people borrowed a bulldozer from
the John F. Casey Company of Aspinwall, and a steamshovel from the Burrell
Construction and Supply Company of New Kensington. They proceeded to dig
the foundation for a two-level building. The only technical advice they
had was from an Engineer, Frank Recco. The cinder blocks were bought for
eight cents ($0.08) each. The flexicore slabs, used for the floors and
roof, were made by the young people of the congregation at the Burrell
Construction Company, and here on the grounds of Mt. St. Peter´s.
Free flexicore forms were gathered from Dayton, Ohio, free cement from
Burrell Construction and free bricks from an abandoned brick yard at Valley
Camp. After three (3) years of hard work, a three-story building was blessed,
which is now Mt. St. Peter´s Rectory.
The lower level houses the kitchen, dining room,
laundry facilities, some work area for the office and storage areas. The
garages and maintenance workroom are behind the Marble Hall. The church
offices and a large living room/dining room combination are on the first
floor. Our priests´ quarters and guest rooms are on the second floor.
During the 1970´s, a renovation and updating
of electrical, plumbing, heating and the addition of air conditioning was
done. A few changes were necessary but with the commitment and the hard
work of our people, the beauty of the Marble Hall and Rectory was enhanced.
Reference: Mt. St. Peter, Nicola Fusco - 1944-1970.
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(Taken from the June, 1995 issue of "The
Barque of Peter, ")
THE SCHOOL AND THE CONVENT
Our church was built and dedicated in July 1944.
Four years later, July, 1948, the Rectory was blessed by Cardinal John
F. Dearden, who then was Coadjutor Bishop of the Diocese of Pittsburgh.
A banquet was held at this time to commemorate the 25th anniversary of
Fr. Nicola Fusco as pastor of Mt. St. Peter.
Construction was not complete. The next step was
the construction of the eight-foot arch which spans the space between the
Rectory and the next construction.. Work on this new building spanned two
years, 1948-1950. The result was a three-story structure which was faced
with new and used bricks in the rear and the Michigan Red sandstone from
the Mellon Mansion in the front. The ground floor gave us two classrooms,
a kitchen, large laundry, a pantry and the main entrance to the structure.
The second floor had three classrooms, a Chapel with the adjoining Sacristy.
The top floor became the teaching sisters living quarters. All in all,
this building contained a permanent convent and a temporary parochial school.
Much of the material salvaged from "the Knoll,"
the mansion on this property, went into this building. There were quite
a number of objects from the Mellon Mansion and even a few doors from the
ill-fated "Normandie." This ocean-going luxury liner burned while it was
docked in New York City.
When the Classrooms were furnished with desks,
blackboards and other necessities for school, the Zelatrices of New Haven
were notified. They had previously promised to staff our school but when
the time came, there were no sisters available. The quest for teaching
sisters began. Fortunately, our assistant pastor at the time was the former
Lithuanian surgeon, Fr. Anthony G. Rakauskas. He was acquainted with the
Lithuanian communicy of the Sisters of St. Francis of the Providence of
God in Castle Shannon. At the request of Fr. Anthony, Mother David, Mother
General of the Comunity, visited the facilities, inquired about our future
and being a woman of great vision, made the decision which we continue
to appreciate and enjoy. Sunday, August 13, 1950, the Convent, School and
Convent Chapel were blessed by Cardinal John Francis Dearden, then Bishop
of Pittsburgh. On September 5, 1950, the our parochial school was opened
with thirty children in the first grade, twenty-four in the second grade,
and three sisters: Sister Mary Rose, Sister Teresita and the cook, Sister
Richard.
The convent rooms are now used as a faculty/meeting
room, music room, offices for the CCD, RCIA, Evangelization and Pastoral
Ministry programs. The top floor remains as the living quarters.
Mt. St. Peter´s School now contains nine
classrooms; Library, Science Room, Computer Lab, Pre-School and a kitchen/cafeteria.
A Nursery Sunday School is also conducted on Sunday mornings during the
10:30 Mass, which will continue through the summer months. The school is
staffed with 15 teachers and Sister Rita Marie Fritzen, the Principal.
Reference: Mt. St. Peter, Nicola Fusco - 1944,
1970.
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