St. Robert Bellarmine Parish anchors the Catholic life of South Wilkes-Barre and Hanover Township from a striking Gothic church at 143 W. Division Street. Formed in 2010 from the union of two earlier parishes, the community gathers around the Eucharist, the Word, and the sacraments in a building long counted among the finest ever erected in northeastern Pennsylvania. Under the pastoral care of the Diocese of Scranton, St. Robert Bellarmine today counts roughly 1,066 families - about 2,200 parishioners - in the tradition of the men and women who first met in a Wilkes-Barre carpenter's shop more than a century ago.
From 1899 to Today: Three Eras on Luzerne and Division Streets
The parish's story opens in April 1899, when a small group of concerned faithful gathered in a carpenter's shop on Luzerne Street in Wilkes-Barre to lay the groundwork for what would become St. Aloysius Church. The founding congregation numbered 37 families; by 1913 it had grown to 100 dedicated households. Across the next several decades the parish multiplied into a thriving Catholic presence, eventually swelling to the present community of roughly 2,200 people.
St. Aloysius Church was dedicated in 1927 by His Eminence Dennis Cardinal Dougherty, and a comprehensive renovation in 1994, overseen by Monsignor Donald A. McAndrews, renewed the interior and made the building's craftsmanship all the more pronounced. In 2010, in response to a wider diocesan call to reimagine Catholic life in the area, St. Aloysius merged with St. Casimir's Parish. Together they formed the present St. Robert Bellarmine Parish, which today serves the Catholic people of both South Wilkes-Barre and Hanover Township. The community marked the 125th anniversary of St. Aloysius Church across 2024, with a dedicated 125th Anniversary Building Fund supporting the continued upkeep of the historic complex. Looking ahead, the parish is part of the diocese's Vision 2030 initiative.
The Gothic Sanctuary on Division Street
St. Aloysius Church, the historic worship space of the parish, was built to accommodate more than 1,000 worshippers at Mass, and its brick exterior and dimensions are meant to impress. The interior carries through on that promise. The visual impact of ornate woodwork and mahogany pews meets the richness of Munich stained-glass windows along the side walls and the upper clerestory. Lofty arches and a decorative, blended color scheme frame the sanctuary, where marble stairs, pulpit, lectern, and floor emphasize that the celebration of the Mass is the focal point of the building. The renovation overseen by Monsignor McAndrews in 1994 renewed much of the interior while preserving the architectural heritage of the 1920s.
The Parish Campus Around the Church
The Gothic church does not stand alone. It is the centerpiece of a coherent set of parish properties - a school, rectory, hall, cafeteria, and auditorium - all designed to complement one another in appearance, utility, and accessibility. The complex is finished off by an abundance of parking spaces and coordinated landscaping, so that the practical needs of a large Catholic parish are met as gracefully as its aesthetic ones.
Parking is laid out for the comfort of visitors: spaces are available on Barney Street across from the church, next to the school, and on Division Street across from the Rectory. The pastoral staff, on one hand, is housed at the Rectory; the parish offices, on the other, are reached through the main number.
Mass Schedule, Confessions, and the Liturgical Year
The weekly liturgical schedule at St. Robert Bellarmine centers on a Saturday Vigil and two Sunday morning Masses, with daily Mass on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings.
- Saturday: Confessions at 3:00 PM, Vigil Mass at 4:00 PM
- Sunday: Mass at 7:00 AM and 11:00 AM
- Daily Mass: 8:00 AM on Tuesdays and Wednesdays
The parish follows the universal Catholic liturgical calendar, moving in rhythm through Advent, Christmas, Lent, the Triduum (Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday), Easter, and Ordinary Time. Solemnities, feasts, and memorials mark additional days throughout the year, commemorating saints and saving events the Church holds dear. Advent opens the year; Lent leads to the great Three Days; Eastertide closes at Pentecost; Ordinary Time carries the faithful through Trinity Sunday, Corpus Christi, and the Solemnity of Christ the King.
Live-Streamed Liturgies on Facebook and YouTube
For those at home or away, the Saturday Vigil Mass is live-streamed on the parish's Facebook page at 4:00 PM. A replay of that Vigil Mass is shared on the parish's YouTube channel at 10:00 AM Sunday morning, with the same link posted to the parish's Instagram page. The arrangement makes the Sunday liturgy available to anyone unable to be present in person. Links to the parish's Facebook, YouTube channel, and Instagram account are posted on the parish's online home.
Called, Welcoming, Stewards: The Parish Mission
The community has summarized its purpose in a short mission statement that hangs over the rest of parish life: "We are called to glorify the cross of our Lord, Jesus Christ through the Eucharist, Word, and the Sacraments. We are a welcoming people embracing all who seek to know, love, and believe in Jesus Christ. As joyful stewards of God's abundant gifts we reach out to the needs of our brothers and sisters. We are Called, We are Welcoming, We are Stewards."
In practice, that calling shows up in three places. First, in faith formation: the parish teaches that "Holy Mother Church must be concerned with the whole of man's life, even the secular part of it insofar as it has a bearing on his heavenly calling." Second, in ministry: laypeople serve as lectors, choir members, altar servers, Extraordinary Ministers of the Eucharist, visitors to the homebound, and as part of the broader Catholic social mission. Third, in community: a parish bazaar, men's and women's groups, and youth ministry make room for the relationships that hold the parish family together.
Becoming Catholic and Coming Back
Adults who want to join the Catholic Church are invited to walk the RCIA - the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults. The parish describes RCIA as "a communal process for formal initiation of new members into the Catholic Church" and a return to the formation pattern of the earliest Christian communities. The process includes the Period of Inquiry (also called the Pre-Catechumenate), the Catechumenate with its rites and stages, the Rite of Election, the reception of the Sacraments of Initiation - Baptism, Eucharist, and Confirmation - at the Easter Vigil, and a period of Mystagogy afterward. Sponsors from the parish community help guide inquirers along the way, sharing their faith and walking alongside them through the journey.
Baptized Christians from other denominations preparing for Confirmation and Eucharist in the Catholic Church follow a similar path. For Catholics who have drifted from regular practice, the parish extends a warm welcome home: "The first thing you need to know is that you are always welcome back. The Church misses you and hopes that you will choose to come home as an active member." The parish also points inquirers to the broader Catholics Come Home resources.
Religious Education at St. Aloysius School
Faith formation for young parishioners takes place through the parish's CCD program, with classes for children from kindergarten through eighth grade. Classes meet on Sundays from 9:30 to 10:30 AM at St. Aloysius School, between the two Sunday Masses, so that families can worship together around the religious education hour.
Registration is open each year, with a fee of $20 per student or $35 per family. Second-grade students preparing for First Communion and eighth-grade students preparing for Confirmation submit a copy of their Baptismal and Birth certificates at registration. Jessica Eick, the Religious Education Coordinator, oversees the program and is the parish's point of contact for CCD enrollment. The parish's catechetical commitment is broader than any one program: "Religious education remains critically important in the formation of every individual by teaching how to live well now so as to be able to live with God for all eternity."
Junior and Senior Choirs
Music is central to the worship of St. Robert Bellarmine, with both a Senior Choir and a Junior Choir directed by Tony Wozinski, the parish's Director of Music and Organist. The Senior Choir rehearses on Thursday evenings at 7:00 PM in the church auditorium and sings at the 11:00 AM Sunday Mass on a schedule that fits the singers' availability. The Junior Choir, for younger singers, rehearses on Wednesdays from 5:30 to 6:30 PM. Both choirs welcome new members; interested singers can reach out through the parish office.
The Laypeople Who Carry the Liturgy
A wide circle of laypeople shares in the work of the liturgy, from the sanctuary to the parking lot.
- Altar Servers - boys and girls from third grade through high school - assist the priest at Sunday Masses, holy days, and other parish celebrations. Training is held as needed.
- Lectors proclaim the Scriptures and lead the general intercession at Mass. They must be confirmed adults and complete a short training session.
- Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion distribute the Body and Blood of Christ at Mass. Training can be done at the parish level or through diocesan classes at the Pastoral Formation Institute.
- Ushers (also called Ministers of Hospitality) greet worshippers, assist them to their seats, take up the collection, and tend to the needs of the gathered community.
- Sacristans prepare the altar for liturgy and clean it afterward.
- Funeral Acolytes assist at funeral Masses.
- The Liturgical Linen Service cares for the altar cloths.
Pastoral Care, Bereavement, and the Sick
The parish takes seriously its call to "comfort the sorrowful." The Bereavement Ministry aids with various events throughout the year that bring consolation to those who are mourning: writing and delivering sympathy cards, organizing the All Souls Day Mass, and organizing communal Anointing of the Sick Masses.
Communion Ministers to the Sick extend the Mass celebrated in church to the infirm and homebound parishioners, and to those in nursing homes. The ministry is coordinated by Deacon Ray Lenahan, and training is offered at the parish level. Volunteers may commit to regular visits to the sick, while others serve as substitutes - so the schedule can be shaped around each volunteer's availability.
Parish Councils and Community Groups
Beyond the sanctuary, the parish is supported by a constellation of councils, committees, and informal groups. The Parish Pastoral Council is involved in most activities affecting the liturgical and spiritual life of the parish. The Finance Council advises the Pastor on financial matters, monitors income and expenses, and approves annual budgets for the parish and school. The Fellowship Committee coordinates social activities throughout the year. Offertory Counters tally the weekly collection, and a Flowers and Grounds team cares for and beautifies the property.
For adults looking for fellowship with a Catholic flavor, two groups meet in Padden Hall (the parish cafeteria). The Men's Group gathers on the second Sunday of each month at 7:30 PM for relaxed conversation about faith. The Altar and Rosary Society, open to all women, meets on the second Sunday of each month at 1:30 PM, combining fellowship with service to the parish in many practical ways.
Beliefs and the Seven Sacraments
St. Robert Bellarmine holds and teaches the full Catholic faith as summarized in the Nicene Creed, celebrated in the seven sacraments, and rooted in both Scripture and Sacred Tradition. The seven sacraments are arranged in three groupings.
- Sacraments of Initiation: Baptism, Eucharist, Confirmation.
- Sacraments of Healing: Penance (Reconciliation), Anointing of the Sick.
- Sacraments at the Service of Communion: Holy Orders, Marriage.
Parish teaching on the Eucharist is unambiguous: "We believe that the Risen Jesus is truly and substantially present in the Eucharist. The Eucharist is not a sign or symbol of Jesus; rather we receive Jesus himself in and through the Eucharistic species." The change of bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ is called transubstantiation, and the parish teaches that all Catholics who have received First Holy Communion are welcome to receive at Mass unless in a state of mortal sin.
Other articles of belief explained through the catechetical pages include the Holy Trinity, the Immaculate Conception and perpetual virginity of Mary, the communion of saints, the four marks of the Church (one, holy, catholic, and apostolic), the seven gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit, the corporal and spiritual Works of Mercy, the Ten Commandments, the Beatitudes, the Stations of the Cross, and the Precepts of the Church. The parish teaches that the Pope, as successor of Peter, is the chief pastor and shepherd of the whole Church, and that Christian unity is essential to the followers of Jesus.
Visiting, Parking, and the Parish Office
The church sits at 143 W. Division Street in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. Parking is available on Barney Street across from the church, next to the school, and on Division Street across from the Rectory. The parish office is reachable at (570) 823-3791, and online registration is available for newcomers who wish to join the parish.
Visitors and parishioners can support the parish through online giving, with a separate channel established for the 125th Anniversary Building Fund. A weekly bulletin, posted online, lists the latest schedule and announcements. Prayer requests may be submitted through the parish's online form. For those exploring becoming Catholic or returning to the practice of the faith, the parish offers RCIA and a pathway back through full sacramental and liturgical life.
Pastoral and Parish Staff
St. Robert Bellarmine Parish is served by Reverend Richard J. Cirba, V.F., as Pastor. Cathy Swoboda serves as Business Manager, Tony Wozinski as Director of Music and Organist, and Jessica Eick as Religious Education Coordinator. Joe Grella handles maintenance, and Chuck Thoma serves as Sacristan. Deacon Ray Lenahan coordinates the ministry to the sick and homebound, and Betty McDougal leads lector recruitment and training. The parish belongs to the Diocese of Scranton and gathers week by week under the call to glorify the cross of Jesus Christ through the Eucharist, the Word, and the Sacraments.