...Thus was Our Lady of Joy Parish established with Father Francis V. Marchukonis being appointed the first Pastor.

Sunday Masses, for the first three years of the parish, were celebrated in the auditorium at Our Lady of Mercy Academy in Monroeville. Construction of the first rectory, located further down O'Block Road from the site of the proposed church building, was begun in June, 1968. The garage of this rectory was converted into a chapel for weekday Masses, baptisms and confessions.

In the Spring of 1970, a building committee was established to oversee the construction of a multi-purpose building to accommodate the worship of 700 to 800 people, several classrooms and a church hall. The cost for this new building was $400,000. The building was dedicated on September 19, 1971. In 1975, the new rectory adjoining the church was completed and the old rectory was sold. On the Tenth Anniversary of the parish, a mortgage burning celebration was held with Bishop Bosco in attendance. In 1993, a major renovation project was undertaken that saw the construction of the church vestibule; purchase of a new organ, pews, carpet and sanctuary furniture; plastering of the church walls and refurbishing of the church ceiling. Our Lady of Joy Parish has always been a faith community noted for its number of young families and numerous children.

Without its own Catholic school, Our Lady of Joy Church has needed to rent a public school facility, with its twenty-five classrooms, to provide religious instruction for elementary grade level children. Junior high school students and senior high school students use the church facilities on three consecutive evenings. Current enrollment in the Religious Education Program (CCD) stands at 700 young people.

Father Robert J. Cedolia was appointed administrator of Our Lady of Joy Parish in June, 1996. On January 1, 1997 he became the second Pastor of Our Lady of Joy Church.

Over the years, numerous parish organizations have formed with many dedicated volunteers serving the parish community. Under Father Cedolia's leadership we formed a Pastoral Council, Holy Name Society, Knights of Columbus, and the revitalization of the Christian Ladies of Joy.

In the Fall of 1997, the Children's Liturgy of the Word was instituted at the 10:00 AM Mass, the liturgical music program was expanded to include a children's choir and cantor training and the parish began an Evangelization and Outreach program. Over those years, the parish family was provided many opportunities for spiritual growth with several Mission Renewal weeks and Evenings of Reflection.

Father Cedolia's strong commitment to building community among the People of God of Our Lady of Joy has seen the institution or re-establishment of a quarterly Newsletter, Pancake Breakfasts, Fellowship Sundays, an annual Parish Festival, Parish Family Picnic, etc. etc.

In 2000 Our Lady of Joy began to work with the Paulist National Catholic Evangelization Association (PNCEA) to implement their newest ministry -Parish Planning with an Evangelical Perspective. This parish planning began with a Parish-wide survey regarding our present and future needs. Based on the results that were brought forward, we began a process to develop a plan of action and to look at our place in the larger church. The following Vision Statement was adopted for our Parish: "One Body, nourished, healed and renewed by Christ, joyfully sharing our faith with all". A long range plan was developed for the next three years that encompassed the areas of parish life that were seen as most lacking and most important. This has begun within the parish a sense of future ministry that is based in the People of God, and promoted by the pastoral needs of the Church.

Father Albin C. McGinnis was appointed Pastor of Our Lady of Joy Parish on January 2, 2004, by Bishop Donald Wuerl, thus becoming the third Pastor of Our Lady of Joy.

Father McGinnis, graduated from St. Fidelis High School, and earned a B.S in Philosophy from Duquesne University while attending St Paul Seminary. Father then attended Mount Saint Mary Seminary, in Emmitsburg, MD, where he finished his seminary education in 1977.

After being ordained on October 1, 1977, at Saint Paul Cathedral by the late Bishop Vincent Leonard, Father's first assignment was to Saint Sebastian Church in Pittsburgh. He served there until 1981 and was assigned to Sts. Peter and Paul in Beaver as a Parochial Vicar. After only two years he petitioned the Bishop to assign him to Campus Ministry at Robert Morris College and the Penn State Beaver Campuses. He served these campuses for five years. He then served as Pastor of St. Ann, Waynesburg for 12 years, serving in the Diocesan College of Deans for 9 of those years. While working in Waynesburg father was chaplain to Waynesburg State Correctional Institution, Greene County Community Hospital, and Waynesburg College. After working for two terms in Greene County the Bishop agreed to his request to work in Chimbote, Peru with the Society of St. James the Apostle Missionaries. His work in the missions lasted for almost three years, but had a lasting effect on his life and priesthood. He worked and lived among the poorest of the poor in Peru and helped establish the new parish of San Luis Gonzaga. When he returned from the missions he was assigned as Pastor at Our Lady of Joy.