For Christmas Day 1944, the Most Reverend Hugh C. Boyle, Bishop of Pittsburgh gave his permission for the first Mass to be celebrated in the rural community of Glade Mills, Pennsylvania. Father Daniel A. Lawless, Mission Confraternity Director celebrated the Mass for approximately sixty persons in the backroom of the Roadside Inn. This is now the vacant building of the Old Route 8 Superette. Father Joseph A. Raynak was placed in charge of the Mission. After that, Mass was held every Sunday at 8 am and at 10 am and at 9 am on Holy Days. A Catechism Class was also started. This was the first step toward establishing a Mission for the Catholic population in rural southeastern Butler County. Land was purchased in May 1945, and the Mission received the name “Church of the Holy Sepulchre”. The Bishop also considered the name “Precious Blood”.
Land was purchased in December 1945 and construction began soon after on the church building. The concrete block basement building was faced with sandstone quarried in Renfrew. Folding chairs were used for pews. There was a kitchen on the left side, as you now enter the church. A curtain was drawn between the Sanctuary and the balance of the room to provide a hall for social affairs. Reverend Joseph Raynak served the new mission until Reverend Francis P. King was installed as the first Pastor on June 16, 1955. A small section on the right hand side, where the choir is now located, was partitioned off to provide living quarters for the new pastor. During this time the first building fund program was initiated.
From a November 1946 Press release to the Butler Eagle:
Solemn Blessing of the new Church of the Holy Sepulchre at Glade Mills, Butler County, will be held on Sunday morning, November 24, 1946 at 11 o’clock.
Rev. Fr. D. A. Lawless, as delegate of Bishop Hugh C. Boyle, of the Pittsburgh Diocese, will be celebrant; Rev. Louis Doychak, deacon; Rev. Thos. Lynch, sub-deacon; Rev. Jos. A. Raynak, master of ceremonies; Rev. Jas. F. Carroll, C. S. Sp., pastor of St Ann’s Roman Catholic Church at Millvale, Pa., will be the speaker.
The church, which is a mission of the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine is on Highway Route 8, about nine miles south of Butler, Pa. Only the basement of the structure, which is 90 x 60 feet and cruciform in shape, is being finished at this time. Of stone construction, it was designed by E. J. Hergenroeder of Pittsburgh, Pa., Mr. William Norris, Pittsburgh, Pa., is the contractor, with Mr. R. E. Bogan in charge of general construction. The stone for the building was quarried in nearby northern Penn township and most of the work has been done by members of the congregation.
Sunday next will mark the date of the celebration of the first Mass at the new church. Mass was celebrated at this mission for the first time on Christmas Day 1944. Rev Jos. A. Raynak of Pittsburgh, PA. has been in charge of the mission. Masses have been offered at 8 and 10 o’clock on Sundays and at 9 o’clock on Holy Days.
The cornerstone of the new structure was laid recently with impressive ceremony conducted by Rev. Fr. D. A. Lawless, as representative of Bishop Boyle.
A large attendance is looked forward to on Sunday both at the ceremony at 11 o’clock and at a dinner for the occasion which will be held at the White House nearby between the hours of 1 P.M. and 8 P.M. to which friends and neighboring parishioners are welcome. This dinner will be served by the ladies of the parish. There will be ample parking space for all those who come by automobile and Harmony Short Line buses stop at nearby Cruikshank Road.
Additional property was purchased and the existing house (the present annex) was renovated and established as the first church rectory. Reverend Marcus O’Brien served as interim priest from February 1956, when Father King was forced to resign due to illness, until June 1956. Father King died on May 6, 1956.
Reverend Vincent P. Brennan, who had been Editor of the Pittsburgh Catholic, served as Pastor from June 1956 until his death on March 24, 1959. During this time the plans for the school were formulated, the roof was erected on the existing basement church and an outside vestibule added. The statue of “Our Lady of the Highways” was then moved to the shrine at the front of the church.
The Reverend Joseph Berkmyre accepted the position of pastor from April 8, 1959 until his transfer in February 1967. During this time, the Parish experienced its greatest building cycle in its history.
Ground was broken on April 12, 1959, and construction began immediately on the first part of a two-stage school building program. The first part of the building constructed consisted of four classrooms cafeteria, kitchen, boiler room, storage, etc.
The Solemn Blessing and Dedication of the School took place on May 7, 1960 with His Excellency, the Most Reverend John J. Wright, D.D., Bishop of Pittsburgh, as celebrant.
The First School Bells rang out in September 1960 for the first four grades.
A New Parish House was built, and the old rectory was transformed into a convent.
The Bernadine Sisters of St. Francis, under the direction of Sister Bonaventa, the first Superior Principal, came to reside in the old parish rectory (the present Annex Building).
On August 15, 1961, construction began on the second part of the two-stage building program and four additional classrooms, office, library and health room completed the present school structure. In September 1962 the teaching staff consisted of four Sisters and two lay teachers and, by 1964, all eight grades of the school were occupied.
The Sisters continued to live in the old convent until their number grew to seven, at which time the present Convent Center was purchased for their residence. The old convent was then converted into the present Annex. The Annex now serves for meeting rooms, CCD Classes, Parish Health Care Ministry and as the Life Teen House, etc. The Sisters continued to staff the school from its original four class rooms to its present eight elementary classes and kindergarten until June of 1989. When the sisters’ number had decreased to three (two full-time and one semi-retired), they were reassigned out of the Diocese. This was the last place in the Diocese of Pittsburgh where their Order served. The Convent Center was then designated for the kindergarten, Director of Religious Education Office, Knights of Columbus Meeting Room, and other meeting and living space.
After Father Berkmyre’s reassignment, the Reverend Francis E. Tassey served until his death on August 2, 1978. Under Fr. Tassey’s direction, the present Convent Center was purchased and the remodeling of the church was begun. Fr. Tassey saw that the school was kept up to modern times with the institution of the kindergarten program. The Parish Council was also formulated during this time.
Reverend Jerome Dixon served from September 1978 until August 1982. Father Dixon instructed the Parish in the changes of Vatican Council II, finished the remodeling of the church, installed a new organ, and renovated the Parish House.
The first official Assistant Pastor of Holy Sepulcher was the Reverend Pierre Falkenhan who served in 1981. Reverend William Blewitt served from August 1983 until June 1984. Reverend David Cillo was assigned from June 1985 until March 1987. Other assistants who have served our Parish since 1987 were Assistant Reverend James L. Armstrong; Reverend Joseph E. Swierczynski; Reverend William Yester, TOR, who served from February, 1994 until March, 1995. Father Yester continued to help out on weekends. Since 1990, we have had a number of student priests here from Africa: Father Peter Abue, Father Felix Onura, Father Gregory Mallya, and Father Thomas Akpen.
Many of the older parishioners remember the wonderful guidance of the Reverend Roch Raible, Capuchin Priest from St. Fidelis, Herman, who helped down through the years, and also the Reverend John Ayoob, who (although not officially designated as an assistant) resided at Holy Sepulcher from 1970 until reassignment in 1978.
The Parish has three native sons who have been ordained into the Priesthood: Bishop William Fey, Reverend Albert Alexandrunas, and Reverend Michael Joyce. All three are Capuchin Priests. One native daughter, Sister Jean Anthony Alexandrunas, C.D.P., also has entered religious life.
Reverend John P. Maloney became Pastor on October 13, 1982. Father Maloney saw that improvements were made to the Parish House, buildings repaired, and equipment replaced. Also, for the first time within memory, the Parish Debt was paid off in time to celebrate our 35th Anniversary in 1990. Under Father Maloney’s direction, plans were made and funds were raised to attend to the physical growth of our ever-growing parish. Under Father Maloney’s guidance, we have begun to realize the plans for our new church that were begun in 1958.
Father Maloney was reassigned in January 2004.
Father Daniel Mauer was assigned as Parish Administrator in in February 2004. He 
served in this capacity until he was installed as Pastor in June 2006. During Father Dan’s tenure, the Parish broke ground for the new church building in June 2004. He oversaw every aspect of the construction and helped dedicate the new church in August 2005. The first Mass in the new church was offered by Bishop Donald Wuerl. Father Dan was reassigned in October 2008.
Father Albert Semler was assigned as Pastor in November 2008. During his tenure, Father Al was instrumental in the rapid growth and emphasis on Parish togetherness and unity. Father Al grew up in this area, so he was extremely familiar with the people and customs of the region. He retired in December 2010.
Father John Gizler was assigned as Pastor in January 2011. Under
his expert guidance, he has led a reorganization and refocus of the Parish community and a revitalization of our school. His emphasis on fiscal responsibility and community organization has led the Parish to a renewed sense of unity. Father John has seen that improvements were made to the Parish House, buildings repaired, and equipment replaced. His leadership has helped the Parish be better able to address our expanding responsibilities.