St. Sebastian History

On June 26, 1952, the Bishop of Pittsburgh, the Most Reverend John Francis Dearden, pronounced a new parish would be built to meet the spiritual needs of the growing North Hills area. This new parish would be named for its patron, St. Sebastian, a fourth-century martyr.

On Sunday, November 9, 1952, ground was broken for two buildings: an interim church and a school. These buildings would later become the permanent Saint Sebastian School and the rectory where the priests of the parish would reside. On July 12, 1953, eight months after groundbreaking, the cornerstone of the parish was laid. On September 19th of the same year, Bishop Dearden offered a Pontifical Mass and blessed the new buildings. For the next 60 years and beyond, the parish and school would continue to grow. 

In 1958, six years after the parish was established, plans were made to build a permanent church. A campaign began in the Fall of 1958, and by August 1959 construction commenced on the new church building. The construction materials reflected Pittsburgh industries: steel, aluminum, glass, cement and river gravel. The radical church design was featured in Architectural Magazine. It featured a seating capacity of 1,250 persons. The cost of the structure was more than $500,000.

(READ: An article about the church, written by the architect's son,
that was published on July 15, 2018 in the Lancaster Times Online)

By the spring of 1960, the church had become a reality. The outer shell was completed and on May 22, 1960, Monsignor Thomas F. Henninger of Saint Teresa Parish officiated at the blessing and laying of the cornerstone. Bishop John Wright blessed the new church during a Solemn Pontifical Mass on November 20, 1960.

Two additions, in 1956 and 1964, were added to the school as enrollment climbed. The second addition consisted of four additional classrooms, a library and a gymnasium. With the growth of the parish, a second floor was added to the rectory to accommodate additional priests who were assigned to care for its parishioners. 

In 1970 following Vatican II, a Parish Council was elected. Saint Sebastian Parish became “a model of parish life in the diocese.” The parish was at the forefront of implementing the guidelines flowing from Vatican Council II documents in the celebration of the liturgy.

Over the next decade, Saint Sebastian Parish continued to grow. This growth resulted in the construction of a Chapel and bell tower. Work on the Blessed Sacrament Chapel was completed with dedication taking place on December 31, 1980.

For more than sixty years, Saint Sebastian Parish has been a strong, vital, faith-filled Roman Catholic community. Today, St. Sebastian Church is part of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish. The Parish Center, which houses the administrative offices, is located at 800 Avila Court in Perrysville.

Pastors of Saint Sebastian Parish

1952-1962 Reverend George M. Haber 
1962-1989 Reverend Roy G. Getty 
1989-1991 Reverend Richard J. Mueller 
1991-1994 Reverend William J. Fay 
1994-2001 Reverend Paul J. Bradley 
2001-2007 Reverend Joseph M. Mele 
2007-Present  Reverend John R. Rushofsky