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| St. Christopher Church, 2002 | Altar of St. Christopher, 2002 |
St. Christopher, Prospect
St. Christopher was established in 1974. The origin of the parish, however, can be traced back to 1944. Before that time, the small community of local Catholics had to travel to Butler, Slippery Rock or Zelienople for Mass. In 1944, some local Catholics approached the pastor of St. Gregory in Zelienople about celebrating Mass in Prospect. The bishop gave permission for St. Gregory to establish the mission. The first Mass in Prospect was celebrated on November 26,1944, in a private home. Until the next summer, a priest traveled from Zelienople twice a month to celebrate Mass. This was discontinued on August 19, 1945, when the home where the Mass was celebrated was sold.
In January of 1946, the pastor of St. Paul, Butler, requested permission to revive the mission in Prospect. Permission being given, Mass was celebrated in a closed school building beginning on February 17, 1946. Land for a church was purchased on December 8, 1948. In 1949, St. Paul tore down the "white building," a building that had variously been used as a church, youth center and social hall. St. Paul donated the lumber from the building for a church for St. Christopher. A parishioner of St. Christopher took charge of constructing a church, which was built with volunteer labor. The completed structure was dedicated on July 16,1952.
In 1974, the parish was formally established and a resident pastor assigned. The church was later renovated in the mid 1980's.
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| St. Christopher Church, 2002 | Altar of St. Christopher, 2002 |
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