St. Anthony & Our Lady of Fatima

Parish History

The history of Our Lady of Fatima is also the story of St. Elizabeth and St. Anthony of Padua congregations in Farrell formerly known as South Sharon. Both parishes were united to form a new parish dedicated to Our Lady of Fatima in 1952. At the turn of the century, various ethnic immigrants came to South Sharon. They were attracted by the steel mills operating in the Shenango Valley. The Reverend Dennis W. O’Hern organized the first St. Elizabeth Congregation in 1902, but a church was not completed until 1909/ St. Elizabeth was known as the Mother Church of South Sharon, later Farrell.

A Parish for Italian Catholics was established in 1904 dedicated to St. Anthony de Padua. The first pastor was the Reverent Vincent J. Megliore (1904-1927). By 1929, an addition to the original church was built.

The Sisters of Mercy arrived in December, 1933, to fill the need of a more intensive catechetical program. During their tenure (1983-1945), one of the first Catechitical Centers in the diocese was erected.  With  the appointment of the Reverend Geno Monti (1946-1981) as a pastor, a fund drive for a new church was initiated in 1949. However, with the passing of the beloved Father Thomas A. Rooney, who pastored St. Elizabeth Church for more than thirty years, the two parishes were united by Papal Decree on February 16, 1952, with the title of Our Lady of Fatima.

The crowning point of the building program initiated by Father Monti was the construction of the elementary school, convent, and chapel in 1960. Father Monti was named a prelate of honor on November 27, 1970. Our Lady of Fatima continues to be the largest parish in Farrell in the capable hands of the Reverend Donald E. Berdis.

Taken from A Century of Fidelity by Stoljece Vjernosti (2003)