Holy Sepulcher, St. Kilian to merge as of July 1
Two Catholic churches in the southern end of Butler County soon will merge into one parish.
Diocese of Pittsburth Bishop David Zubik announced Saturday, May 27, that Holy Sepulcher in Middlesex Township and St. Kilian in Cranberry Township will become St. Mark the Evangelist Parish on July 1.
The parish will be served by the Rev. Charles S. Bober, who will be the parish’s pastor, and the Rev. David C. Schmidt, the Rev. Dennis M. Buranosky, the Rev. Robert F. Guay, deacon Ralph W. Bachner and deacon Douglas K. Nelson.
Bober requested the merger after extensive consultation with parishioners, according to a news release from Zubik’s office.
The merger is part of the ongoing effort designed to help parishes mobilize their resources to prioritize mission over maintenance, the news release said.
“In and through your work together you have positioned your new parish to be a beacon of evangelization and mission in Butler County,” Zubik said in a letter to parishioners. “I pray that that the newly formed St. Mark the Evangelist 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.”
St. Kilian serves the parishioners in Callery, Mars, Seven Fields, Valencia and Adams and Cranberry Township.
It is the second largest parish in the Diocese of Pittsburgh with 13,093 parishioners, according to its web site. The church also has the largest Catholic primary school and the second largest Catholic school in the diocese.
Holy Sepulcher also has a school which opened in 1960, and offers classes from preschool to eighth grade.
