Part II

As immigrants from Europe began to settle in the nation after the War of Independence, there were Catholics among them, especially Irish and Germans who were drawn to the young country for a variety of reasons: economic, political and religious. In Pennsylvania, along with the Irish, German Catholic farmers settled in the territory that would, in 1843, become the Diocese of Pittsburgh. Before the diocese was established, all of Pennsylvania was part of the Diocese of Philadelphia that had been erected in 1808.
 
When Bishop Michael O’Connor arrived as our first bishop, he found some tensions among the Irish and Germans. German Catholics believed the Irish were given preferential treatment and requested that parishes be founded to serve their particular needs. Having settled near Chartiers Creek, they would have made their way to either of the two German parishes in Pittsburgh: Saint Michael, South Side, served by the Passionists, or Saint Philomena in the Strip District, staffed by German Redemptorist priests, among whom was the future bishop and saint, John Neumann.
 
Travel was difficult, and so it is not surprising that by 1854, the German community around McKees Rocks purchased a small piece of land in what was then Robinson Township, not far from the creek. In the summer of 1855, a small brick structure was completed and dedicated under the title of Saint Mary, Help of Christians. The Passionists came to provide pastoral care, even though the priests were Italian and spoke very little German. It was not until a few years had passed that Bishop O’Connor appointed Father Joseph Kaufmann as the first pastor.
 
It was customary for pastors to be changed frequently in those early years, and while Fr. Kaufmann began a parochial school in the basement of the rectory, there was not much growth until Father Dominic Zwickert became pastor in 1877. Under his leadership the parish purchased property and architectural plans were prepared for a new church, school, parsonage and home for teachers. As it was the only Catholic church in the community, those of all ethnic backgrounds were among the members of the parish. A new wave of immigration began around this time as people came from Italy, Lithuania, Poland and Slovakia, drawn by the industry that thrived along the river communities. In time these Catholics would request their own parishes.