St. Pius V Church, a McKeesport landmark since 1929, may be set to close after sustaining severe roof damage from heavy snowfalls.

Since Feb. 14, St. Mary Czestochowa, which has about 300 active members, has hosted parishioners from St. Pius V, which has about 450 active members. The arrangement between the two McKeesport churches will continue until a decision is made about the St. Pius structure.

Both parishes are on Versailles Avenue. The Rev. Stephen Kresak, pastor of both, said each serves a congregation with an average age between 60 and 65.

He maintains a cautious optimism about reopening St. Pius.

"As of now, it is temporarily closed," Father Kresak said. "If we are able to use the building, it would not be any sooner than early summer."

Father Kresak performs liturgies, religious services and cultural functions at St. Mary for both parishes. He performs 10 a.m. liturgies for St. Mary parishioners on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and for St. Pius parishioners on Tuesday and Thursday. Sunday's 9 a.m. liturgies are for St. Mary parishioners; the 11 a.m. liturgies are for St. Pius parishioners.

He praised the sense of community between the two parishes.

"The way the parishioners came together, in the face of this situation, is a testament to their commitment to the community and culture of the area," he said. "These people have made it through so much: the closing of the mills, the closing of businesses, empty houses."

Father Kresak, 41, also praised Propel McKeesport, a charter school that owns St. Mary's former parochial school that is across the street. Propel opened its facility to the churches for religious education classes during non-school hours.

Classes used to be held at the St. Pius former parochial school but had to be moved because of dangerous conditions caused by large, falling icicles and melting snow. Classes will be held at Propel until further notice.

The temporary situation may become permanent if Bishop David Zubik of the Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh and the parishioners of St. Pius V deem the damaged building to be unsafe or too costly to repair. A merger of the two parishes is possible.

Father Kresak, who became pastor of both in October, awoke at 5:50 a.m. on Valentine's Day to a telephone call from the church's security firm. Something had triggered the alarm at St. Pius.

When he arrived at the church, he heard gushing water. He initially believed that a pipe had burst, but soon realized that water was pouring down the walls of a recessed side altar that housed statues of the Virgin Mary, baby Jesus and St. Joseph.

There were six other major leaks, causing water to rush down walls, soak adjacent carpets, and potentially damage electrical systems and the foundation.

Earlier this week, the church roof had eight large leaks and many minor leaks, with more expected, Father Kresak said. The extent of the damage has yet to be assessed because of dangerous conditions that prevent a comprehensive inspection of the roof.

On the morning of the emergency, Father Kresak called parishioners to help him move statues and other objects such as the baptismal font. He posted members from the St. Pius youth group around the perimeter of the church and parking lot to direct congregants to St. Mary for that Sunday's service. He also made sure that one statue found a new, perhaps permanent, home at St. Mary.

"The statue of St. Pius V now stands near the altar at St. Mary's, so that the displaced parishioners can recognize something from home," he said.

A major reason for the leaks, according to Harry Walsh, a lifelong parishioner and a parish council member, is the flat roof.

The roof has had leaks for more than 20 years, said Mr. Walsh, who noted that "he never knew a flat roof that didn't leak."

Mr. Walsh, who said he is in his 70s, made his First Holy Communion and was baptized, christened and married at St. Pius. He also attended its adjacent parochial school, served as an altar boy and was a member of the choir. His grandfather became a member of the parish after it was founded in 1903.

Although he looks at the damage with "some sadness," he maintains a positive and humorous outlook on the possible merger of the parishes.

"The writing is on the wall, if you are using waterproof ink," Mr. Walsh said. "We are a very vibrant and a financially sound parish. If necessity says you have to merge, you have to merge."

According to the Rev. Ron Lengwin, chief spokesman for the diocese, church officials will work with Father Kresak and the parishioners to assess the damage and evaluate options before coming to a final decision.

"We are experiencing the same circumstances as our neighbors, only on a grander scale," Father Kresak said. "It's up to the Holy Spirit to determine where we go from here. Also, it is up to the parishioners."

During services on Sunday, he told parishioners that he would keep them up to date on the issue and include them in any significant decision-making. He also asked St. Mary parishioners to form carpools to assist St. Pius members.

Looking for more from the Post-Gazette? Join PG+, our members-only web site. You'll get exclusive sports content, opinion, financial information, discounts from retailers and restaurants, and more. Our introduction to PG+ gives you all the details.