CLEARFIELD COUNTY, Pa. (WTAJ) — Five catholic parishes in the DuBois area will be merging into one new parish.

According to the Diocese of Erie, the five parishes include Assumption of the Blessed
Virgin Mary Parish in Sykesville, St. Bernard Parish in Falls Creek, St. Catherine of Siena Parish in
DuBois, St. Mary Parish in Reynoldsville and St. Michael the Archangel Parish in DuBois.

All five will merge into the new Holy Spirit Parish at the St. Catherine Church in DuBois. The parishes will merge on Saturday, Dec. 2.

Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church in Sykesville will be designated a secondary
church with mission status, meaning it will continue to have a regularly scheduled Sunday Mass. The remaining three churches will be designated as secondary churches of Holy Spirit Parish, but without mission status.

The pastor of all five parishes, Monsignor Richard Siefer, said the proposed plan to merge was accepted by the Most Rev. Lawrence T. Persico, bishop of Erie, after consultation with the diocesan priest council. Siefer was appointed pastor of Holy Spirit Parish by Bishop Persico.

“Developing this plan has not been without challenges,” Siefer said, “but the people
have worked very hard to balance the realities we face with the desire to strengthen our
community. We honor those who came before us and want to ensure a Catholic presence in our
region well into the future.”

Bishop Persico plans to celebrate the first Mass of Holy Spirit Parish on Saturday, Dec. 2. Further details of the merge can be read in a Dioceses of Erie decree online.