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| St. Ferdinand Church, 2002 | Altar of church, 2002 |
St. Ferdinand, Cranberry Township
St. Ferdinand was established in 1961. The history of the parish can be traced back to January 20, 1960, when a mission of St. Alphonsus, Wexford was established in Cranberry Township to minister to the growing community. The first Mass in the area was celebrated in a local restaurant on January 24, 1960. After a year, the location for celebrating Mass moved to a local fire hall.
On May 31, 1961, the parish was formally established and a resident pastor was assigned. The new parish continued to use the fire hall. In October 1961, ground was broken for a parish rectory, which was completed in 1962. Beginning on June 3, 1962, Sunday Mass was moved from the fire hall to the rectory. In 1963, plans were drawn up for a building that would hold the parish hall, CCD classes and a temporary church. Ground for the building was broken on March 8, 1964. The first Mass in the new building was celebrated on April 18, 1965, and the completed building was dedicated on February 20, 1966.
This church served the community for over 20 years. However, the rapid growth of the area in the 1980's made a larger church necessary. Ground for a new church was broken on October 8, 1989, and the completed church was dedicated on December 23, 1990. The former church was converted into a recreation center.
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| St. Ferdinand Church, 2002 | Altar of church, 2002 |
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