Matthew Tosello

PROSPECT — Though the Rev. Matthew Tosello celebrated his last Mass Jan. 31 at St. Christopher at the Lake Roman Catholic Church, he will forever be remembered for building the parish from the ground up — literally.

"Father Matthew was very instrumental in building up the parish," said Dave Gruseck, deacon at St. Christopher. "The parishioners give him tremendous credit for being the driving force behind the growth of the parish."

Tosello, 75, came to the church in 1985, when the original building was nothing more than a hall torn down from St. Paul Roman Catholic Church in Butler and reconstructed in Prospect.

St. Christopher was a mission church of St. Paul and became independent in the mid- to late 1970s, Gruseck said.

Just a handful of families attended St. Christopher before Tosello's arrival. The congregation now includes between 250 and 300 families.

Several other pastors passed through for a few years at a time, but Tosello made his mark in Prospect, Gruseck said.

"The model he knew for managing a parish was very much a third-world mission, which is stewardship — the contribution of time, talent and treasure," Gruseck said. "Father put a great deal of emphasis on the time and talent, in addition to the monies that were necessary."

Everyone had a role to play, Gruseck said, and most of the construction and work on the grounds has been done by parishioners.

The body of the church is still the original structure, but a narthex and two levels of classrooms have been added on over the years.

"He talked a lot about working in God's vineyard," said Jim Gallagher, 44, a 15-year member of the church.

"He never stopped working, and I would say he worked tirelessly in God's vineyard."

Tosello is known for being an avid photographer and faithfully documented church goings-on for more than two decades, Gruseck said.

"At parish festivals and parish picnics and holy communions and conformations, you knew you had to stand still at some point to get your picture taken," Gruseck recalled.

Tosello immigrated to the United States from Italy and taught English literature at the college level before entering the priesthood 47 years ago.

Tosello also holds a doctorate and has spent time working with tribes in the Amazon, which he hopes to continue.

Upon retirement, Tosello will live at the Saint Catherine of Siena Parish in Crescent.

Tosello will be replaced by the Rev. Joseph Feltz, who has spent the past 14 years as an administrator of St. Anthony Parish in Monongahela.