St. Sebastian Parish at 311 Siebert Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15237 US - A Brief History of Saint Sebastian Parish

To meet the spiritual needs of the growing North Hills area, an edict dated June 26, 1952, was pronounced by the Most Reverend John F. Dearden, then Bishop of Pittsburgh, creating a new parish to be called Saint Sebastian. The Parish was named after the fourth century martyr, Sebastian. Father George M. Haber, the first pastor, celebrated the first Mass on June 29, 1952, on the Feast of Saints Peter and Paul in the Motherhouse chapel of the Vincentian Sisters of Charity. Until a church (and rectory) could be built, the parish celebrated Masses at the Vincentian Motherhouse while weddings, funerals, and Baptisms were celebrated at Saint Ursula Parish and Nativity Parish, now known as Incarnation Parish.

On Sunday, November 9, 1952, ground was broken for two buildings: a combination church and school, which 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 church/school was laid. On Saturday, September 19 of the same year, Bishop Dearden offered a Pontifical Mass and blessed the new buildings. Throughout the following years, the parish and school continued to grow.

In 1958, six years after the parish was established, plans were made to build a permanent church. A campaign was begun in the Fall of 1958, and by August 1959 construction began on the new church building. The construction materials reflected Pittsburgh industries: steel, aluminum, glass, cement and river gravel. It was a radical design for a church and was featured in Architectural Magazine. It would have a seating capacity of 1250 persons. The cost of the structure was more than $500,000. 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.

As the school enrollment grew, two additions were added to the school, one in 1956, and the final one in 1964. The last wing consisted of a combination gym/auditorium, library and four additional classrooms. With the growth of the parish, a second floor was added to the rectory to accommodate 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 in the forefront of implementing the guidelines flowing from Vatican Council II documents in the celebration of the liturgy, involving the laity and building a strong spiritual family rooted in our Catholic faith, traditions and belief in Jesus Christ.

Over the next decade, Saint Sebastian continued to grow. This growth resulted in the construction of a Chapel and bell tower. The work on the Blessed Sacrament Chapel was completed and dedication took place December 31, 1980. Throughout all of these years, Saint Sebastian Parish Family has grown into a strong, vital, faith-filled worshipping community. We continue to pray through the intercession of Saint Sebastian that we will grow and prosper in remaining faithful to the mission of spreading the Good News of Jesus.

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-           Reverend John R. Rushofsky

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