The Reason for this Blog

The Organization: "Friends of St. Mary Magdalene" in Homestead, PA was founded in 1992. The Parish founded in 1880 and the present Church built from 1892-96 were included in the first (1992) phase of the RC Diocese of Pittsburgh parish reorganization plan. In a cluster with six other nearby parishes, St Mary's was originally marked for closure as part of that plan.

However on July 4, 1992, Diocese of Pittsburgh Bishop Donald W. Wuerl visited the church for a national commemoration of the 100Th anniversary of the 1892 Homestead Steel Strike. That event, which resulted in the deaths of both steel worker and Pinkerton Guards, has been seen as a national setback in the acceptance and growth of the unionization movement in the United States. During that event and in the weeks to follow Bishop Wuerl received hundreds of requests from parishioners, members of the local community, politicians and historians to reconsider that decision.

Bishop Wuerl placed a hold on the closure and issued a challenge to both the parish and community to raise the funds necessary for the restoration and modernization of the church, so that it could remain open as a witness to future generations of the amazing Catholic History in the historic Steel Valley. That challenge was to raise $366,000 within 18 months, from parishioners and former parishioners as well as other members of larger local and national community and historic preservation groups. That challenge was met and surpassed with the raising of $425,000 in two years.

What is even more amazing than the speed in which the amount was raised, is the fact that Homestead and the neighboring communities of the Steel Valley were then at their lowest point in history. With the closed, empty and deteriorating US Steel mills, taking up around one third of the community's footprint, the remaining streets in town had many abandoned, vacant and burned out buildings. Violence and drug trafficking were part of everyday life in the neighborhoods.

The restoration of St. Mary's was hailed by many as the turning point in a once great and thriving community, which had lost the mills, its largest employers, most of its small, local business and grocery stories, its Catholic high school, four Catholic grade schools, and even the hospital once built by community subscription. The decline in the communities had began during WWII when the mills were expanded for the war effort and a national eminent domain program leveled several residential wards, and the forced relocation of about 15,000 of Homestead 25,000 residents. Soon after the St. Mary's restoration, the mill properties were cleared for redevelopment and what is arguably Western Pennsylvania's most varied if not largest mixed new community called "The Waterfront" is nearing land capacity. A huge water park anchors the western end of the former mill site along side the now clean Monongahela River. The largest Loews theater ever built in the chain boasts 22 state of the art theatres in the massive and whimsical Moorish style building. National chain stores in neighborhoods with gazebos and other in huge strip-style stores offer endless choices for consumers, many of whom rent the high end luxurious apartments lining another part of the riverside.

St. Mary's is part of St Maximilian Parish, which was established in 1992 from six parishes, and worships in four church buildings of the former parishes which have remained open until now. St Maximilian has not had a resident pastor for over two years now, but is administered by the pastor of the neighboring St. Therese parish. St Maximilian is also served by a priest in residence, a retired priest and the St. Therese parochial vicar. The administrator is of the conviction that only one church is needed for the spiritual and emotional needs of the people, and has been supported mainly by the members of one of the church, which he has picked to remain open. These folks resisted the original merger, were the least welcoming to the displaced of the two closed churches or new visitors, and actually worked against those striving to raise the funds needed to restore St Mary's. Of course to tell those stories would require many more entries.

The Friends of St, Mary's are of the position that St. Maximilian is able to and should maintain both churches, the one favored by the parish administrator and St. Mary's. St Mary's was reopened after the restoration just over 12 years ago. It has a state of the art electrical system, handicap accessible main doors, and restrooms which are on the main level. St Mary's has been improved in many ways and that will be covered in another post. The other church is an amazing historically acclaimed architectural gem as well but is deficient in almost every modern expectation for a worship site and will require costly and difficult improvements. Moreover, St. Mary's restoration challenge was met by friends and sympathizers from all aspects of the local community and beyond. As the mayor of Homestead states in her TV interview also found on this site. The Church made a promise to the community and the community met that challenge expecting the Church would stay true to its word.

The Friends of St. Mary's are seeking an honest and open hearing of their case, and contend that the "process of parish alteration" truncated by the present parish administrator in the opinion of many has been neither.

Media Coverage of the "TownHall" meeting of March 16th

The following are links to media coverage of the Monday March16th Parish Alteration Town Meeting:

http://cosmos.bcst.yahoo.com/up/player/popup/index.php?cl=12521486


http://www.wpxi.com/news/18945522/detail.html?taf=burg

This is a painting of St. Mary Magdalene Church at the time of it's dedication in 1896. The first church of 1880 can be seen at the back.

Used on a program cover in the 1980s this is a picture of the Church and Rectory was taken across the street in Frick Park, which is the "Central Park" of Homestead designed and planted in the 1870s.




The front of the Church right before the rededication in 1996 showing the cleaned foundation and bricks and the added omni-stone ramp which allowed level access from the sidewalk to the main floor of the church. A niche in the planter was prepared to receive the rededication stone, which would be blessed at the opening Mass.


An interior view from the choir loft. The church is getting its final details. In this picture, the restored pews have been cut to allow aisles along the church pillars. THe pews previously were almost 25 long. THe new speciall designed light fixture can be seen in the central nave. They project halogen beams both to highlight the ceilings above and to light the pews below. The side sections of the nave have ceiling fixtures some which light the pews below. and others highlight the Stations of the cross and window brickwork. All the church ceilings and its eight foot high wainscoating are paneled in wormy chestnut, an economical wood in 1936, but a woodworkers treasure in the 1990's