St. Ladislaus Church in Natrona slated for demolition
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — A shuttered church from the 1900s is slated for demolition in Natrona.
While the final Mass at St. Ladislaus Church was held last September, its future still hung in the balance. But on Thursday, parishioners got the news that the church will be demolished.
Since the 120-year-old church in the Harrison Township neighborhood closed, emotional parishioners have pleaded with Bishop David Zubik to rethink the diocese's decision.
The church was one of five churches in Guardian Angels Parish that closed because of financial troubles and low enrollment.
Parishioners continued to hold out hope, but when two ornate altars that used to grace the church were dismantled and shipped across the globe, they knew there was no turning back.
Then one by one, statues were removed from the church as well as the Stations of the Cross and stained glass.
Neighbor Conrad Zylinski, who was an altar boy at St. Ladislaus and attended its elementary school, says he can't bear to look at the shuttered church. He believes the planned demolition could have been avoided.
"Made into a shrine where maybe you had one Mass on holidays or people wanted to be buried or have a wedding here or a baptism," Zylinski said.
The parish hasn't released a timeline for the demolition.