Father John Miller, pastor of St. Joseph Parish has relegated St. Stephen Church in Oil City, a secondary church of St. Joseph Parish, to "profane but not sordid use," after consulting with the presbyteral council. 

According to the Diocese of Erie, the technical designation refers to the canon law process by which a bishop removes the blessing or consecration of a church building. The building will cease to be reserved for divine worship, and can be used for non-religious purposes. 

The Diocese said the designation is the result of a process that occurs when a pastor, with the support of the parish finance council and the parish pastoral council, believes a church building can no longer be maintained for any variety of reasons and petitions the bishop to relegate the church. 

St. Stephen was established in 1898 when the parish territory of St. Joseph Parish was divided. The present St. Stephen Church was dedicated in 1907.

In 2023, the St. Stephen Church was reduced to a secondary church without mission status, meaning no mass on Sundays, holy days or the evenings preceding them. 

Additionally, in 2018 series concerns arose when stones began falling from two of the steeple towers. Temporary emergency measures were put in place to prevent other stones from dislodging. 

More information on the decision can be found here.