On Sunday, July 23, 1950, the Most Reverend John Francis Deardon, Co-adjutor Bishop of Pittsburgh, dedicated St. Isaac Jogues Church. It was to be a "mission" of St. Michael the Archangel Church in Elizabeth, PA, itself dedicated on September 28, 1851.

It was to care for the religious needs of the Catholics in Elrama and Floreffe, beginning about one mile from West Elizabeth and south along the river for about six miles. It is located on Collins Avenue on property purchased earlier by the Pastor of St. Michaels, Rev. Michael A Leen, who in addition bequeathed in his last Will and Testament the sum of $5,000 for a church to be build to Catholcs in our area. Fr. Leen was Pastor of St. Michaels from 1920 until February, 1948.

Priests from St. Michael came regularly to teach Catechism to the children but there was no one building sufficiently large enough for the celebration of Mass. People had to go over to St. Michael, or one of the nearby Catholic churches.

In the month of January 1949--almost a year after Fr. Leen's death--with the news of the property and money bequeathed for this purpose, a meeting was held and a committee formed to discuss the building of the Church. 

Ground was broken on May 9, 1959 and the first block was laid for the foundation on May 30. Mr. Samuel Hoover was the architect who designed a Church 84 feet x 36 feet, brick veneer, including a basement with kitchen facilities for meetings and events.

Men from the Parish and men from St. Michael in Elizabeth worked tirelessly to build a Church which seats 250 at a final cost of $19,000.

In June of 1970, Rev. Gerald Lutz was appointed Pastor and St. Isaac Joues Church became St. Isaac Jogues Parish. independ and self-supporting.