mount saint peter church roman_catholic_church road pennsylvania church located approximately north east city pittsburgh diocese congregation founded italian immigrants early 1900s current building constructed hand parish members world war church dedicated july building listed national_register_of_historic_places congregation approximately members church known annual italian food dancing games children gambling adults festival organized volunteers church takes place church grounds weekend august mission statement church emphasizes congregation italian heritage history history mount peter parish woven history emergence industrial city early twentieth century considered advantages level land south home named area surveyed laid avenues running parallel numbered streets running perpendicular river fourth fifth streets primary commercial streets land surveyed plotted company opened land bidding large company purchase land acquired acre property companies acquired sites commercial industrial development logan lumber presence later provided development thanksgiving day help developed experimental plant street pittsburgh pennsylvania company established production facility city home car manufacturing company addition sic motor car company established production plant model capital stock owned established facilities pennsylvania mills diocese diocese belongs established march pope records mass area celebrated french priest serving chaplain french troops second priest ordained territories united_states arrived pennsylvania father came germany established presence region prior catholicism grew slowly america afterward widespread catholic immigrants eastern europe moved counties include armstrong indiana coal produce fire steel mills pittsburgh influx catholic immigrants resulted creation parishes missions counties founding early days peter parish burgeoning industrial town residents years later reverend member roman catholic diocese pittsburgh formed new congregation serve immigrant work force italian catholics church named pope new congregation italians living arnold later city immigrants needed place worship congregation began holding mass resident pastor reverend small building corner second avenue tenth street known downtown area soon september congregation relocated basement mary located parish register created recorded event new parish marriage december soon donated land corner ridge avenue constitution boulevard july cornerstone laid september dedicated new church number attendees began priests served congregation reassigned years earlier popular priest father sent mother church pennsylvania formed committee speak behalf father allowed return reverend peter prior brought church time priests best faith alive congregation priests smart men attended school italy prior immigration unable speak fluent english time immigrants desperately trying fit american life american possible going church congregation italian desirable choice catholic italians began going churches changed religion altogether italians protestant priests poorly paid lived cents day permanent housing slept church preferred altar floor place church common priests mass churches day circuits trips miles away italian movement leaders italian communists united_states settled group guided ideas union organizer recorded newspaper worker later anti fascist paper translates hammer italian communists harassed members catholic_church italians church feel inferior intimidated church priest shot window sitting desk priest threatened leave killed thirteen families attended mass peter sunday continued years moved new_york crowded masses sunday morning people balcony sanctuary opened seating eventually priests opened doors church hundreds people stood outside steps hear mass despite accommodations people turned away space accommodate thousand families belonged parish church seats suggested construction larger church congregation decided construct larger building new church building constructed broke ground years later dedicated new building world war affects congregation contributed war having given thousands blood given money war relief campaigns active home sent men women group prepared sent weekly special bulletin happy receive news home progress new church sent home money building fund war hundreds dollars came fighting war went war seven died names engraved piece granite outside church relocating building church hand current location found small congregation need larger building arnold wanted new church built town arguing congregation lived wanted church closer lot catholics catholic church argued remain close current location found corner seventh street location approximately previous located hill land acres large mansion small buildings property land belonged general united_states_army american_civil_war friend abraham_lincoln young sold property sold death august attorneys spoke selling property agreed sell cash december congregation payment cash days later opened new church committee volunteers employed time sign pledge period years building church committee split groups volunteers went door door day years money collected april congregation took possession land mansion day decided new church called mount peter instead having anticipated building campaign generated cash acquiring materials architect developed plan church building friend church informed congregation mansion fifth avenue pittsburgh pennsylvania demolished worked brothers died family spent years entertaining important people including royalty celebrities known built michigan sandstone stories high stories high mansion rooms plus halls cost complete walls floor covered italian marble fixtures gold time servants maintained house surrounding grounds mansion completed cost approximately million dollars inside filled marble world including china japan india bronze doors cast england hand painted ceilings steel beams manufactured addition expensive organs world housed building items mansion contained sold actual values example half million dollars worth furniture sold building contained items easily church pieces architecture angel statues placed congregation bought stone granite marble bronze doors mansion addition congregation purchased thirty tons steel beams oak doors items members transported marble miles pittsburgh location mansion home park men congregation volunteered transport materials congregation found contractor direct free labor built hundreds miles road state pennsylvania country addition constructed homes civic buildings churches soon agreed job december split volunteers groups personally supervised group removed marble mansion second group transported marble placed materials grounds peter project started december continued process difficult time consuming difficult harsh winter sunday ground broken event celebrated priests congregation thousand people showed watch cornerstone blessed sunday september reverend arch abbot pennsylvania priests area present father peter church pittsburgh delivered sermon english closed ceremony italian large red cornerstone granite fitted iron box box contained memorial reports congregation newspapers american papal coins medals church cornerstone placed seen inside church located altar sacred heart fund raising time building fund available money spent buying property materials mansion fund raising generated percent fulfilled percent money came percent approximately percent people contribute time books concerning finances construction new church kept ladies ladies recorded collections recorded notices minutes meetings church built met evening run supervision treasurer charge collecting work kept bank hours longer employees evening went years charge making sure money church bank account payroll taken friday needed funds collected time week account bounced october little money left parish sold house possessed constitution boulevard pay debt covered continuing costs construction raising roof time winter threatening order walls new church protected potential damage roof laid snow began fall meant workers needed job faster problem church account contain money employ men soon committee aware began asking help found willing lend given high contributions new church willing help result church extra pay construction roof day months worked building church roof december roof completed men helped complete roof read attack pearl harbor newspapers decided quit work church enlist united_states_air_force congregation casualty war plaque date death pier winter ended mild december january workers able continue work church january january carried mile hour winds left feet snow forced workers inside church director excavations concrete block brick stone marble works steel structures road grading electric systems landscaping assistant built marble devices marble marble worked machinery including steam grading steam collected marble iron bronze electric equipment lumber panels light fixtures paint chemicals ceiling floor materials pennsylvania ohio new_york time effort man token parish gratitude inscription placed main right going marble hall church latin inscription reads material work inside church volunteers direction paid addition pattern makers mechanics worked building pay group women marble granite pieces opening mid summer peter parish funds time majority work new church completed congregation agreed time sell old order fund new church willing pay july church property sunday august day mixed emotions congregation clock noon final mass said old house congregation past thirty years people cried carried church pastor congregation followed pastor new church mount saint peter church magnificent rose hill belong congregation richer members congregation felt worthy parish work love faith spent place worship proud honor attending mass sunday construction site held dangers september group teenage boys high school making concrete church large crane operating unusual movement causing bucket weighed tons come huge crash right midst working tools completely destroyed boys hurt bronze door entrance fell worker believed crushed death men lifted door found worker unharmed underneath case year old assigned job tower church realized poor fell tower working way able grab suspended tower time passed completion church majority helped build passed stands roman catholic church located road pennsylvania church located approximately miles north east city pittsburgh member diocese congregation founded italian immigrants early 1900s building stands built members building applied inclusion national_register_of_historic_places listing included properties additions church marble hall marble hall basement feet church completed area filled valuable material mansion materials found proper places upstairs church winter basement completely time men working building snow return work spring donated large quantity marble basement began work basement workers covered ground black asphalt tile walls pillars white marble marble constructed large kitchen built feed people built room large workshop kitchen work marble hall assistant pastor father executed inscription central nave ceiling marble hall christ proclamation peter blessed art thou simon son thee thou art peter rock build church gates hell shall prevail thee keys thou shall earth shall bound heaven thou shall loose earth shall heaven basement called marble hall completion stuck marble hall special fish lent hall serves parish italian restaurant august special holidays usual attend mass usually include christmas palm sunday easter mass said upstairs church marble hall according catholic church required residing pastor building began priests lived mansion mansion property mansion years old frame building rooms provided poor living conditions water pump main entrance parish desperate need new new project begun engineer technical advisor project borrowed john company steam dug foundation level building blocks purchased cents young men parish grounds direction assisted completed floors roof gathered free forms ohio free cement free bricks abandoned brick yard story took years complete floor dining room breakfast room kitchen space archives laundry room car garage separate lead second floor second floor offices community room large library hallway large stained glass window germany mansion floor reached floor rooms divided apartments floor open addition house elevator taken mansion taken mansion carved italy lava located community room located dining room floor carved red michigan sandstone italian american sculptor church completed workers began plaza area oval occupied mansion peter grounds permission mansion demolished fixtures removed church prior demolition foot wide road built area oval decided oval paved small pieces marble collected marble remaining building church pieces pieces different types colors sizes instructed lay placed pieces marble way looked artistic pedestal granite taken mansion erected northern end oval placed life size bronze statue christ open arms armistice day november monument dedicated defenders united_states high flying presented oval american flag hoisted time disabled veteran world war nearly organizations community represented dedication ceremony reverend vicar general diocese italy blessed statue christ american flag convent school thing built grounds foot arch went future building statue placed niche arch arch large descends lower level grounds years work new building connected arch story building slab outside mixture new old bricks michigan red sandstone building color buildings interior building best area son free building finished classrooms kitchen laundry room main entrance floor second floor classrooms chapel adjoining floor living area teaching sisters cells kitchen community room building permanent convent temporary school school convent school small temporary order business build actual school school took years build building consists floors covered red sandstone rear building white pennsylvania sandstone bell tower building heavy bronze bells salvaged protestant churches pittsburgh walls building faced blue tiles president time peter bought tile sold tiles lot cheaper normal price felt fair advantage church charging high prices man helped save parish money constructing school advised workers set tiles days refusing paid services died early tile laying completed place taken sons john john later priest peter parish men faced entire floor tile job took month complete huge granite lions taken gardens mansion stand guard main entrance school door madonna school classrooms library utility kitchen school completed opened children grades later added september mount saint peter school longer stood new school resulted consolidation school children grade peter pastor peter parish appointed position bishop leader parish steps transferred church passes away appointed charge making sure goes smoothly priests administration church pastor works collaboration parish staff mission help facilitate building congregation 21st century congregation approximately thousand mount saint peter church serves symbol faith accomplished people work common belief hope dream church new motto adopted reflected balance restore things christ fire love motto serves constant reminder history parish beauty mansion restored congregation turned house god strong love christ faith neighbor names volunteers helped build church carved marble inside main entrance church serve token congregation appreciation today descendants volunteers proud tell story gave church practice faith church mission parish mission reflects ongoing commitment catholic italian identity mount saint peter parish diverse catholic parish strongly rooted rich italian heritage called spread good news jesus christ source summit pastoral life work promote faith formation life long process invite faithful service promote faith word deed wider community mass said everyday monday friday saturday evenings said weekly continuing mission congregation sponsors annual august festival activities main attractions food menu usually includes hot sandwich italian rice balls items pulled pork baked chicken include explained like seeing town food attraction parish organizations congregation organizations activities better church community groups allow work order reach common goals allows involved way congregation remain close family church spend hour praying sunday organizations listed ones currently active past like committee mentioned history section longer existence society started group women continues women society goal group find better ways serve church symbol blessed mother love member free life member turns eighty long member years prior birthday events include attending funeral masses collecting money purchase altar altar lights presidents society chronological order follows help founded saint anthony guild time women joined new guild mission guild serve special needs parish help poor area guild volunteered time effort members saint anthony guild women provide group fellowship spiritual renewal help church community active members organization president group meets tuesday february april august september october november marble hall meetings consist discussing projects praying known visits home bound parish christmas easter tree angels campaign campaign allows purchase angels memory loved ones placed church christmas tree money raised angel ornaments donated children need guild entertaining raise money charity projects include dance fall nights selling special shopping days altar honor altar past privilege available boys altar wear long white plain robes assist priest duties mass altar mass book bearer charge bringing bible priest times priest reads bible mass cross bearer holds large wooded procession priest enters church present procession book bearer leads procession church end mass altar charge lighting candles church prior beginning mass mass children ages volunteer altar serve church looked honor chance children serve priest closer jesus altar addition opportunity try holy worthy position christian doctrine known consists men women mission teach principles loving serving god children parish attend members serve teachers sunday schools parish seven different sunday schools belonging total teachers send catholic messages faith love words stories examples prayers order help children grow faith majority children attend sunday schools ages holy society years working inspire love honor reverence holy jesus christ society works promote respect catholic_church loyalty peter parish life filled good spiritual values carried family education work strictly catholic men begun started group hopes uniting men parish service members society host mass breakfast sunday prior palm sunday year annual golf outing summer money raised events donated parish help aid costs parish projects club consists thirty men parish chosen join club authority church members required job mass job showing people available seats telling right time rise line communion collecting monetary offerings presenting gifts altar members serve church time labor social activities parish vincent paul society peter parish branch saint vincent paul society goal branch society like branches help poor sick suffering members group work help people locally collecting food delivering food banks church seen great honor society members believe best help lies people caring acts perform work help continually better catholics peter parish council march peter parish council elected group consists eighteen elected members advises assists pastor important decisions concerning affairs church having ability guide parish mission following christ main purpose council pastor insight parish community thinks feels different issues parish activities standing committees education work
Mount St. Peter Church