History – St. Luke

In October 1946, the first Mass was held in Mercersburg at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Michael Lynch. In 1947, a home on Fayette Street was purchased where Sunday Mass was celebrated until 1960. The basement barroom of the Mercersburg Inn was the site for Mass from 1960-1968. Priests from Corpus Christi Parish, Chambersburg, celebrated Sunday and Holyday liturgies and other pastoral duties. The Catholic Education of the youth took place at Corpus Christi with parents providing the transportation and assisting the Sisters of St. Joseph with instructions.
Spring of 1968 saw the completion of the church building on six acres of land on Overhill Drive and Black Road, Mercersburg. A solemn Mass of dedication was celebrated by Bishop Joseph Daley, Bishop of Harrisburg. Thus Religious Education classes (CCD) were held in the basement of St. Luke. Numerous fund raisers, especially Bingo on Saturday evenings at Corpus Christi school cafeteria, brought the parish to the celebration of the burning of the mortgage on October 8, 1978.
At midnight, July 1, 1995, the pastoral care of St. Luke was transferred to St. Mark the Evangelist Parish, Greencastle, by decree of Bishop C. Datillo, Bishop of Harrisburg. This decision was based on the geographic proximity to Greencastle as opposed to Chambersburg. It also provided a more equitable distribution of pastoral responsibilities.
Today the Mission of St. Luke is a vibrant member of St. Mark Parish.