Prince of Peace

Prince of Peace was established in 1992 as part of the diocesan reorganization and revitalization program.  It was formed by the merger of the seven existing parishes in the South Side.  Of the seven churches, four -- St. Adalbert, St. Josaphat, St. Matthew and St. Peter -- remain open and serve the new parish.  Two churches, St. Michael and St. Casimir, were sold and one, St. John the Evangelist, was torn down.

St. Matthew was founded as a Slovak parish in 1903. The founding of the church can be traced to the influx of Slovak immigrants to Pittsburgh to work in the city's mills. Initially, Slovaks living in the South Side attended St. Elizabeth Church in the Strip District. As the population grew, the Slovaks of the South Side petitioned for their own church in 1902. Once they received permission from the bishop, they purchased property in 1903. The cornerstone for the church was laid on July 4, 1905 and the completed church was dedicated on September 23, 1906. This church served the community for the total life of the parish. It was renovated and remodeled in 1955 and in 1966. As early as the mid-1950's the parish's population began to drop as parishioners began to move to the suburbs. By the early 1990's, the population of the South Side as a whole dropped so much that a consolidation of the South Side parishes became necessary. This consolidation led to the creation of Prince of Peace parish in 1992. Although St. Matthew was no longer an independent parish, the church itself remained open as a worship site of Prince of Peace parish.