Our History
Our Lady of the Eucharist Parish in Pittston, Pennsylvania, was formed in 2010 as part of the Diocese of Scranton’s pastoral planning initiative, which sought to strengthen parish life by consolidating resources and communities. The parish emerged from the merger of three long-standing and historically significant churches: St. Mary, Help of Christians, St. Mary’s Assumption, and Blessed Sacrament.
St. Mary, Help of Christians was the first Catholic parish established in Pittston in 1851, built to serve a growing population of Irish immigrants drawn to the region by coal mining jobs. Originally located on Church Hill, the parish outgrew its original structure and, in 1905, dedicated a new and more spacious Gothic-style church on North Main Street. Over the years, it became known for its vibrant liturgical life, parochial school, and community outreach. A devastating rectory fire in 1972 tested the community, but the parish endured and remained a spiritual anchor in the area for over 150 years.
St. Mary’s Assumption Church was founded in 1863, just over a decade after St. Mary’s, Help of Christians, to serve the German Catholic population in Pittston. This community, proud of its cultural identity and devotions, built a beautiful church and supported a strong parochial school and various religious societies. St. Mary’s Assumption remained a center of worship and cultural life for generations of German-American families in the city.
Blessed Sacrament Church in Hughestown originated as a mission of St. John the Evangelist Parish and became an independent parish in 1945. It was created to serve the growing Catholic population in the Hughestown section of Pittston, especially post-World War II families. Though younger than the other two parishes, Blessed Sacrament developed a close-knit and active community that contributed significantly to the broader Catholic life of the region.
In 2007, the Diocese linked the three parishes under a single pastor as a precursor to the full merger. After several years of collaboration, the communities officially united on November 21, 2010, as Our Lady of the Eucharist Parish. The new parish retained the North Main Street church building (formerly St. Mary, Help of Christians) as its worship site. This merger represented not just an administrative decision but a blending of spiritual traditions, devotions, and histories into a renewed and united Catholic presence in Pittston. Today, Our Lady of the Eucharist Parish honors the legacy of its founding communities while actively engaging in worship, faith formation, and service.