St. Aloysius, Wilmerding
St. Aloysius was established on June 21, 1895, in the five year old community of Wilmerding. Before the parish was founded, local Catholics had to travel to Turtle Creek to attend Mass. While construction of a church took place, Mass was celebrated in the First National Bank Building. The first church of the parish was completed the next year and dedicated on June 21, 1896.
Eventually the congregation outgrew its church. In the fall of 1914, work began on a new church. The basement portion of the church was completed in 1915 and the first Mass was held on February 17, 1915. The original church building was converted to a convent, school and lyceum.
The basement church remained in service for 42 years. In 1956 the superstructure of the church was completed. The completed church was dedicated on June 24, 1956.
By the end of the century, the population of Wilmerding had dropped to the point that it could no longer support two independent parishes. In 1994, St. Aloysius merged with St. Leocadia to form the new St. Jude the Apostle parish. St. Aloysius Church remains open and serves the new parish.
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| First St. Aloysius Church, 1937 | St. Aloysius basement church, 1937 | Interior of the basement church, 1937 | St. Aloysius Church, 2002 |
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