A Parish Spanning Two River-Town Churches
Our Lady, Queen of Peace Church stands on McKinley Avenue in East Vandergrift, a small borough tucked along the Kiski River in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania. It is part of a single Roman Catholic parish that also includes Saint James the Greater Church in nearby Apollo, where the shared parish office is located at 109 Owens View Avenue. The two worship sites function as one community, sharing a pastor, a faith formation program, and a calendar of events.
Both churches are Partner Parishes of the Diocese of Greensburg, staffed by the Benedictine Monks of Saint Vincent Archabbey. Father Vincent Zidek serves as pastor. The parish takes its liturgical and pastoral direction from the Diocese of Greensburg and the broader teaching of the Roman Catholic Church.
Mass and Confession at Our Lady, Queen of Peace
Sunday Mass at Our Lady, Queen of Peace is celebrated at 11:00 a.m. The Saturday Vigil Mass and the earlier Sunday Mass take place at the partner church, Saint James the Greater, where Vigil Mass is offered at 4:30 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday Mass at 9:00 a.m. Liturgy is in English and follows the standard Roman Rite, with music and devotions shaped by the parish's long Benedictine roots.
The Sacrament of Reconciliation is offered at Our Lady, Queen of Peace every Saturday from 12:00 to 12:30 p.m., and at Saint James the Greater every Saturday from 3:30 to 4:00 p.m. Confession is also available by appointment for those whose schedules do not fit those windows.
Faith Formation from Pre-K Through Senior Year
Religious education is central to the parish's identity and is directed by Tina Komarinski, the Director of Faith Formation. The parish Faith Formation program, known as CCD, serves children from pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade and meets on Sunday evenings. Parents are recognized as the primary educators of their children, and the program exists to assist families in the moral, spiritual, and intellectual formation of their kids.
Catechists and volunteers are welcomed into the program. Families interested in enrolling a child or helping to teach can reach Tina Komarinski at (724) 331-7953.
EDGE and LIFETEEN for Teens
Middle schoolers have their own gathering in EDGE, a program for grades six through eight that uses different forms of media and instruction to make the Catholic faith relevant during the middle school years. EDGE meets bi-weekly on Sundays from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m., with additional activities woven in through the year.
High schoolers gather for LIFETEEN, a program for grades nine through twelve designed to bring life to Scripture, the Catechism, and the Roman Catholic Church. Rather than a classroom model, LIFETEEN invites teens to experience Jesus Christ in the Church and in their own lives. It also meets bi-weekly on Sundays from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m.
The Seven Sacraments
The parish celebrates the seven sacraments of the Catholic Church and prepares members to receive them at every stage of life.
Baptism is celebrated on the weekends immediately following Mass, except during Lent. Parents anticipating the birth of a first child are asked to take a Baptism preparation class beforehand. Adults who have not been baptized are welcomed into the RCIA process.
Reconciliation is celebrated weekly on Saturdays at both churches and by appointment. Children in the second year of Faith Formation, typically second graders, begin formal preparation for First Reconciliation, with a parent meeting held before catechesis begins.
First Eucharist is prepared for in the second grade, rooted in the family and the parish community. After a period of catechesis and a retreat, children receive the Eucharist for the first time, typically on the Fourth Sunday of Easter, at the Sunday Mass.
Confirmation is normally received in the eighth grade, in line with the practice of the Diocese of Greensburg. The parish's Confirmation program encourages candidates to respond to the needs of the parish and the wider community with their own gifts and interests.
Marriage is celebrated at the parish on Friday evenings and Saturday afternoons. Weddings must be confirmed with the parish office at least six months in advance. No weddings are scheduled on Sundays, during Lent, or on Holy Days of Obligation. The pastor celebrates weddings for registered parishioners; couples from outside the parish are asked to provide a priest or deacon for the ceremony. Required paperwork, permissions, and dispensations must be on file at least eight weeks before the date, and a deposit holds the reservation.
Anointing of the Sick is offered to those facing illness, surgery, aging, or emotional and mental struggles. The sacrament is celebrated communally several times a year after weekend Masses, and individuals can call the parish office to arrange a private celebration, especially before a medical procedure or hospital stay.
Holy Orders are discerned through conversation with a deacon or priest. The parish explains the threefold office of priests to lead, teach, and sanctify the People of God, and the role of permanent deacons in service, charity, and justice.
RCIA: Becoming Catholic
Adults interested in becoming Catholic are invited to inquire through the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults, or RCIA. The process is open to those who are unbaptized, to Christians baptized in another tradition who seek full communion with the Church, and to Catholics baptized as children who have not yet been confirmed. There is no obligation at any point; the decision to enter or to remain can be made at any time. The program typically begins in early September and culminates at the Easter Vigil, when candidates receive the sacraments of initiation.
Communion for the Homebound
Parishioners who are ill, recovering from surgery, or otherwise unable to attend Sunday Mass may request to receive Holy Communion at home. Father Vincent and parish Eucharistic Ministers bring Communion on the first Friday of each month. Arrangements can be made through the parish office.
A Calendar of Parish Life
Beyond the sacraments, the parish keeps a full calendar of gatherings that draw the two churches together. Children look forward to seasonal Kids Fests, a petting zoo, a water slide day, an indoor Mardi Gras carnival, a black-and-gold gathering in January, an Easter egg hunt, and a regional Vacation Bible School held in cooperation with neighboring parishes. A pet blessing each fall, a wreath-making evening in late autumn, a watercolor paint night in winter, and a Touch-A-Truck event in late summer round out the year. The community also gathers for a spring rummage sale, a fleatique, a spring garden tea, an annual golf outing, a Pirates game outing, corn hole nights, a foam party, and Catholic Trivia Night.
First Holy Communion is celebrated each spring, the Easter Vigil brings new members into the Church at Our Lady, Queen of Peace, and Easter Sunday Mass fills Saint James at 9:00 a.m. and Our Lady, Queen of Peace at 11:00 a.m.
Visiting the Parish
Our Lady, Queen of Peace Church is located at 420 McKinley Avenue, East Vandergrift, PA 15629. The parish office is at 109 Owens View Avenue, Apollo, PA 15613, and is open Monday through Thursday from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 to 4:00 p.m., and on Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. The office can be reached at (724) 478-4958. Weekend bulletins, photo albums, and an event calendar are kept current online.