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On May 28, 1961, by decree of Bishop John J. Wright, Eighth Bishop of the Diocese of Pittsburgh, Saint Alexis Parish was established. This decision was made in response to the growing needs of the Catholics families of the northern corridor of Pittsburgh, an adventurous people whose roots go back to colonial settlements.
In the same bold spirit, the Reverend Francis M. Rodgers was assigned by Bishop Wright to
shepherd this young community. From a humble farm of 39 acres, the seed was planted…
and the parish grew. Buildings rose up from the ground where crops were once planted. First
a temporary church, then a school of four individual buildings, a convent to house the sisters
and finally a new rectory, all of which replaced the old farm house, chicken coop, barn and machine sheds. One of the original apple trees on the orchard lives on. The people continued
to come. The parish continued to grow. What came to be was recognized by those early
families as The Promise of the Future.
Saint Alexis is not a story about buildings. Saint Alexis is about people - a people that continue
to grow in faith demonstrated in action to meet the challenges of our day. Guided by the Holy Spirit, it is ours to assess and act in response to the current needs of the community, while
planning for tomorrow. The spirit of commitment and vision remains, calling us to move ahead. Throughout every age, God calls us to be good stewards of the gifts that we have been given
and in acknowledgement of his blessings, to respond with the same generosity and foresight
that raised a parish campus out of nothing.
Now is our time to address the needs of a faith community that embraces over 21 hundred
families. Now is the time to create the facilities that will meet the needs of the over 60 ministries and programs - and the list continues to grow. This is the time for The Fulfillment of the Promise.
The following pages help to tell the story of where we have been, where we are now, and more importantly, where we are going. Like those first families who shaped this parish, we need to pray, we need to work together, and we need to be generous stewards. What difference will you make to the ministries, programs and facilities at Saint Alexis? What will be your legacy? You can make a significant impact to benefit this community now and generations yet to come. Now is the time to plant the seeds. Now is your opportunity to be a part of The FulFillment of the Promise.
Wishing you a renewed spirit of vision and courage, I am
Sincerely in Christ,
Reverend Paul J. Zywan
Pastor
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