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	Diocese Releases List of Parish Closings, Priest Reassignments By Paul Muschick and Chris Parker Morning Call June 1, 2008 http://www.mcall.com/news/local/cndiocese06012008,0,321794.story Parishioners who didn't get the word last night at Masses learned this morning whether their Catholic churches would close, consolidate or be spared from the Allentown Diocese restructuring plan. The diocese expects to close nearly one-third of its churches in the next year. The six churches in Lansford and Coaldale will merge into a new parish to be called St. Katharine Drexel. It will be housed in the former St. Michael the Archangel Church building on Abbott Street in Lansford. This morning, parishioners at Sts. Peter and Paul Church in Lansford applauded as the Rev. Monsignor Lawrence J. Bukaty announced he would be staying to lead St. Katharine's. Parishioner Suzanne Rackham said she has confidence in the Diocese's decisions. "The church knows what's best for the church," she said. "The Holy Spirit will guide us." While parishioners rally the strength to leave their home churches, Lansford Councilman Ron Hood, who is assistant chief of the borough's sole fire company, worries what will become of the massive old buildings. "Any time you have empty buildings in town, it's a fire hazard," he said. He predicted the shuttered houses of worship will become problems. "The Diocese probably won't spend money to maintain them and they will just fall apart," Hood said. "Eventually, those churches are going to have to come down." He said there are "easily about a dozen" abandoned properties in town already. The restructuring of parishes is part of the Diocesan response to a growing shortage of priests. The Diocese projects that by June 2009 there will be 115 priests available for parish ministry. Prior to the restructuring, the Diocese had 151 parishes. Even churches that are remaining open are feeling the effects because many priests are being reassigned. Our Lady Help of Christians on Allentown's east side is losing the Rev. Edward R. Domin, said parishioner Robert E. Smith Jr. "It was just sad, my wife was crying," said Smith, a city school director who is a lector and eucharistic minister at the church. "He did such a good job getting us back on our feet ... We still have our faith and our inspiration, it's God, but you still get close to the priest." Here is the complete list of closures, mergers and priest reassignments, according to Diocesan news releases this morning: Carbon Deanery Region 1 St. Stanislaus Parish, Summit Hill will be consolidated with St. Joseph Parish, Summit Hill at St. Joseph Church. St. John the Baptist Parish, St. Mary Parish and SS. Cyril and Methodius Parish, Coaldale, St. Michael Parish, St. Ann Parish and SS. Peter and Paul Parish, Lansford will merge and become the new St. Katharine Drexel Parish at the former St. Michael Church building in Lansford. CCarbon Deanery Region 2 Immaculate Conception Parish, Sacred Heart Parish and Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish, Nesquehoning will merge and become the new St. Francis of Assisi Parish at the former Immaculate Conception Church building in Nesquehoning. Carbon Deanery Region 3 St. Mary Parish, Beaver Meadow and St. Nicholas Parish Weatherly will merge and become the new Our Lady of Lourdes Parish at the former St. Nicholas Church building in Weatherly Lehigh Deanery Region 2 Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish, Allentown will be consolidated with Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish, Allentown at Sacred Heart Church. St. Stephen of Hungary Parish, Allentown is unaffected and remains the center for ministry to the Latin Mass community and Diocesan Prison Ministry. Lehigh Deanery Region 5 Our Lady of Hungary Parish and St. Michael Parish, Northampton will merge and become the new Queenship of Mary Parish at the former Our Lady of Hungary Church building. Assumption B.V.M. Parish, Northampton is unaffected. Catasauqua will merge and become the new St. John Neumann Parish at a site and on a date still to be determined. Northampton Deanery Region 2 St. Roch Parish, West Bangor will be consolidated with St. Elizabeth of Hungary Parish, Pen Argyl at St. Elizabeth of Hungary Church. Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish, Roseto, Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish, Bangor and St. Rocco Parish, Martins Creek are unaffected. Northampton Deanery Region 3 Our Lady of Pompeii Parish, St. John Capistrano Parish, St. Joseph Parish, St. Stanislaus Parish and SS. Cyril and Methodius Parish, Bethlehem will merge and become the new Incarnation of Our Lord Parish at the former SS. Cyril and Methodius Church building. Holy Ghost Parish, Bethlehem will also now serve the Catholic community at Lehigh University. Holy Infancy Parish, Bethlehem and St. Ursula Parish, Fountain Hill are unaffected. Northampton Deanery Region 4 St. Bernard Parish, St. Joseph Parish and St. Michael Parish, Easton will merge and become the new Our Lady of Mercy Parish at the former St. Joseph Church building. St. Bernard Church will become a public oratory for weekday Masses. St. Anthony of Padua Parish, Easton is unaffected. North Schuylkill Deanery Region 1 St. Bertha Parish, Tuscarora and St. Bartholomew Parish, Brockton will be consolidated with St. Jerome Parish, Tamaqua at St. Jerome Church. SS. Peter and Paul Parish, Tamaqua is unaffected. North Schuylkill Deanery Region 2 Immaculate Conception Parish, Kelayres; St. Kunegunda Parish, St. Patrick Parish and St. Mary Parish, McAdoo; St. Michael Parish and St. Bartholomew Parish, Tresckow will merge and become the new All Saints Parish at the former St. Patrick Church building in McAdoo. North Schuylkill Deanery Region 3 Assumption B.V.M. Parish, St. Canicus Parish, St. Casimir Parish, St. Fidelis Parish, St. Joseph Parish and Sacred Heart Parish, Mahanoy City and Our Lady of Siluva Parish, Maizeville will merge and become the new Blessed Teresa of Calcutta Parish at the former St. Joseph Church building in Mahanoy City. St. Richard Parish, Barnesville is unaffected. South Schuylkill Deanery Region 1 Mary, Queen of Peace Parish and St. Joseph Parish, Pottsville and St. Francis de Sales Parish, Mount Carbon will be consolidated with St. Patrick Parish, Pottsville at St. Patrick Church. St. John the Baptist Parish, Pottsville and St. Ambrose Parish, Schuylkill Haven are unaffected. South Schuylkill Deanery Region 2 St. Vincent de Paul parish and Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish, Minersville and St. Kieran Parish, Heckscherville will merge and become the new St. Michael the Archangel Parish at the former St. Vincent de Paul Church building in Minersville. St. Stanislaus Kostka Parish, St. Francis of Assisi Parish and St. Barbara Parish, Minersville and St. Mary, Star of the Sea Parish, Branchdale will merge and become the new St. Matthew Parish at the former St. Stanislaus Kostka Church building in Minersville. South Schuylkill Deanery Region 3 St. Mary Parish, Immaculate Conception Parish, St. Casimir Parish, SS. Peter and Paul Parish and St. Boniface Parish, St. Clair will merge and become the new St. Clare of Assisi Parish at the former St. Mary Church building in St. Clair. South Schuylkill Deanery Region 4 Holy Family Parish and Sacred Heart Parish, New Philadelphia and St. Anthony Parish, Cumbola will merge and become the new Holy Cross Parish at the former Holy Family Church building in New Philadelphia. St. Stephen Parish, Port Carbon is unaffected South Schuylkill Deanery Region 5 Immaculate Conception Parish, Tremont, Sacred Heart Parish, Newtown and SS. Peter and Paul Parish, Tower City will merge and become the new Most Blessed Trinity Parish at the former Immaculate Conception Church building in Tremont. Pastors Assigned to Consolidated or Merged Parishes Rev. Msgr. William T. Baker from Pastor, St. Lawrence and St. Andrew, Catasauqua to Pastor, Incarnation of Our Lord, Bethlehem. Rev. Clifton E. Bishop from Pastor, Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Sacred Heart, Immaculate Conception, Nesquehoning to Pastor, St. Francis of Assisi, Nesquehoning. Rev. Richard C. Brensinger from Assistant Pastor, St. Ann, Emmaus to Pastor, All Saints, McAdoo. Rev. Msgr. Lawrence J. Bukaty from Pastor, St. Michael, SS. Peter and Paul, and St. Ann, Lansford to Pastor, St. Katharine Drexel, Lansford. Rev. Floyd Caesar Jr. from Pastor, St. Mary, Beaver Meadows and St. Nicholas, Weatherly to Pastor, Our Lady of Lourdes, Weatherly. Rev. Msgr. John S. Campbell from Pastor, St. Bernard, St. Joseph and St. Michael, Easton to Pastor, Queenship of Mary, Northampton. Rev. Kevin P. Gallagher from Pastor, St. Mary, St. Boniface and SS. Peter and Paul, St. Clair to Pastor, Blessed Teresa of Calcutta, Mahanoy City. Rev. Msgr. William F. Glosser from Pastor, St. Canicus, St. Fidelis and St. Casimir, Mahanoy City to Pastor, St. Clare of Assisi, St. Clair. Rev. Dominic P. Kalata to Pastor, Annunciation BVM and St. Ann, Frackville to Pastor, Most Blessed Trinity, Tremont. Rev. Joseph J. Kweder from Pastor, St. Anthony of Padua, Cumbola and Sacred Heart and Holy Family, New Philadelphia to Pastor, Holy Cross, New Philadelphia. Rev. Leo J. Maletz from Pastor, St. Stanislaus Minersville and St. Mary, Star of the Sea, Branchdale to Pastor, St. Matthew, Minersville. Rev. Deogratias Rwegasira, A.J., from Assistant Pastor, St. Joseph, St. Bernard and St. Michael, Easton to Pastor, Our Lady of Mercy, Easton. Rev. Adam C. Sedar from Pastor, St. Joseph and St. Mauritius, Ashland and Administrator, Our Lady of Good Counsel, Gordon to Pastor, St. Michael the Archangel, Minersville. Pastors Remaining in Consolidated Parishes Rev. James C. Bechtel from Administrator, St. Jerome, Tamaqua to Pastor, St. Jerome, Tamaqua, Consolidated with St. Bartholomew, Brockton and St. Bertha, Tuscarora. Rev. James J. Burdess from Pastor, St. Joseph and St. Stanislaus, Summit Hill to Pastor, St. Joseph, Summit Hill, Consolidated with St. Stanislaus, Summit Hill. Rev. Msgr. John J. Grabish from Pastor, Sacred Heart, Allentown to Pastor, Sacred Heart, Allentown, Consolidated with Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Allentown. Rev. Msgr. Edward J. O'Connor from Pastor, St. Patrick, Pottsville to Pastor St. Patrick, Pottsville, Consolidated with St. Joseph, St. Francis de Sales, and Mary Queen of Peace. Rev. Msgr. Vincent P. York from Pastor, St. Elizabeth, Pen Argyl and St. Roch, West Bangor to Pastor, St. Elizabeth, Pen Argyl, Consolidated with St. Roch, West Bangor. Priests Assigned to Non-Restructured Parishes Rev. Michael E. Ahrensfield from Pastor, Immaculate Conception, Tremont, and SS. Peter and Paul, Tower City to Pastor, SS. Peter and Paul, Lehighton. Rev. John W. Bambrick from Pastor, Mary Queen of Peace, Pottsville to Pastor, St. Joseph, St. Mauritius, Ashland; Our Lady of Good Counsel, Gordon. Rev. J. Michael Beers from Special Ministry Outside Diocese to Pastor, St. Joseph, Frackville. Rev. Msgr. Albert J. Byrne from Pastor, Annunciation BVM, Catasauqua to Pastor, Immaculate Conception, Allentown. Rev. Edward B. Connolly from Pastor, St. Joseph, Pottsville and St. Francis de Sales, Mount Carbon to Pastor, St. Joseph and St. Vincent de Paul, Girardville. Rev. Msgr. Edward R. Domin from Pastor, Our Lady Help of Christians, Allentown to Pastor, St. Catharine of Siena, Mount Penn. Rev. Edward J. Essig from Pastor, SS. Peter and Paul, Lehighton to Pastor, Annunciation and St. Ann, Frackville. Rev. Msgr. Victor F. Finelli, Judge, Diocesan Tribunal, Diocese of Allentown, also to Administrator, Annunciation BVM, Catasauqua. Rev. Robert J. George from Director of Spiritual Activities, Notre Dame High School, Easton and Resident, Sacred Heart, Miller Heights to Pastor, Sacred Heart, Miller Heights and Chaplain, Notre Dame High School. Rev. Eric J. Gruber from Pastor, St. Vincent de Paul and Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Minersville, and St. Kieran, Heckscherville, to Administrator, St. Lawrence and St. Andrew, Catasauqua. Rev. David W. Karns from Pastor, St. Joseph and Our Lady of Siluva, Maizeville to Pastor, St. Stephen, Port Carbon. Rev. Wayne E. Killian, Director, Newman Center, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, also to Pastor, Holy Ghost, Bethlehem. Rev. Msgr. John S. Mraz from Pastor, Assumption BVM, Northampton to Pastor, St. Ann, Emmaus. Rev. John S. Pendzick from Assistant Pastor, St. Jane Frances de Chantal, Easton to Pastor, Our Lady Help of Christians, Allentown. Rev. Msgr. Alfred A. Schlert, J.C.L., V.G., Vicar General, Diocese of Allentown, also to Pastor, St. Theresa of the Child Jesus, Hellertown. Rev. Raymond P. Slezak from Pastor, St. Joseph and St. Stanislaus, Bethlehem to Administrator, SS. Peter and Paul, Allentown. Rev. Francis P. Straka from Pastor, Holy Ghost, Bethlehem to Pastor, Assumption BVM, Northampton. Rev. Joseph T. Whalen from Chaplain, State Correctional Facility, Frackville to Pastor, St. Richard, Barnesville. Rev. Kevin M. Gualano from Assistant Pastor, Cathedral of St. Catharine of Siena, Allentown to Assistant Pastor, St. Joseph the Worker, Orefield. Rev. Keith R. Laskowski from Assistant Pastor, St. Columbkill, Boyertown to Assistant Pastor, St. Jane Frances de Chantal, Easton. Rev. Robert J. McConaghy from Service Outside Diocese to Assistant Pastor, St. Columbkill, Boyertown. Rev. Ronald J. Minner from Assistant Pastor, St. Joseph the Worker, Orefield to Assistant Pastor, St. Ignatius Loyola, Sinking Spring. Rev. Constantine Oduori, A.J., from Service Outside Diocese to Assistant Pastor, Our Lady of Mercy, Easton. Rev. Dominic Thao Pham from Assistant Pastor, St. Theresa of the Child Jesus, Hellertown to Assistant Pastor, St. Ann, Emmaus. Rev. Quyet A. Pham from Assistant Pastor, St. Catharine of Siena, Mount Penn to Assistant Pastor, St. Paul, Reading. Rev. Paul L. Rothermel from Assistant Pastor, Our Lady of Hungary, Northampton to Assistant Pastor, St. Ignatius Loyola, Sinking Spring. Rev. Jerome A. Tauber from Assistant Pastor, Cathedral of St. Catharine of Siena, Allentown to Assistant Pastor, St. Theresa of the Child Jesus, Hellertown. NNon-Parochial Assignments Rev. Luis Bonilla Margarito, Pastor, St. Joseph, Reading, also to Chaplain, Reading Central Catholic High School. Rev. Msgr. Michael J. Chaback from Pastor, SS. Cyril and Methodius, Bethlehem to Director, Office of the Permanent Diaconate. Rev. Robert T. Finlan, President, Bethlehem Catholic High School and Resident, St. Anne, Bethlehem, also to Chaplain, St. Francis Convent, Monocacy Manor, with residence, Sacred Heart, Miller Heights. Rev. Michael E. Mullins from Assistant Director, Office of Vocations to Director, Office of Vocations. Rev. Msgr. Francis A. Nave from Director, Office of Vocations and Pastor, Sacred Heart of Jesus, Bath to Pastor, Sacred Heart of Jesus, Bath. Rev. Christopher L. Wakefield from Pastor, St. Anthony of Padua, Easton to President, Nativity BVM High School, Pottsville and Resident, St. Ambrose, Schuylkill Haven. Non-Parochial Assignments/Special Considerations Rev. Scott R. Ardinger, President, Allentown Central Catholic High School; Director, Office of Worship; and Resident, Holy Trinity, Egypt; also to Deputy Secretary, Secretariat for Catholic Life and Evangelization. Rev. William T. Campion from Pastor, St. Jerome, Tamaqua to Medical Leave. Rev. Msgr. Paul B. della Pica from Pastor, Our Lady of Pompeii, Bethlehem to Leave of Absence. Rev. Ronald V. Jankaitis from Pastor, St. Casimir, Immaculate Conception, St. Clair; and Principal, Nativity BVM High School, Pottsville; to Medical Leave. Rev. Gregory R. Karpyn from Pastor, St. Joseph and St. Vincent de Paul, Girardville to Pastoral Ministry, Allentown Hospitals and Nursing Homes, and Residence, St. Paul, Allentown. Rev. John J. Pavlosky from Pastor, SS. Cyril and Methodius, St. John the Baptist, and St. Mary of the Assumption, Coaldale to Leave of Absence. Rev. Thomas G. Shanfelt from Pastor, St. Michael and St. Bartholomew, Treskow to Rector, St. Francis Villa, Orwigsburg and Ministry to Schuylkill County Nursing Homes. SSenior Priest Rev. Luigi Palmieri from Assistant Pastor, St. Anthony of Padua, Easton to Senior Priest. Retirements Rev. Edward C. Bolez from Pastor, St. John Capistrano, Bethlehem to Pastor Emeritus, St. John Capistrano, Bethlehem. Rev. Harold F. Dagle from Pastor, Immaculate Conception, Allentown to Pastor Emeritus, Immaculate Conception, Allentown. Rev. Ladislaus J. Dudek from Pastor, SS. Peter and Paul, Allentown to Pastor Emeritus, SS. Peter and Paul, Allentown. Rev. Stephen J. Halabura from Pastor, St. Richard, Barnesville to Pastor Emeritus, St. Richard, Barnesville. Rev. Msgr. Thomas E. Hoban from Pastor, St. Ann, Emmaus to Pastor Emeritus, St. Ann, Emmaus. Rev. John J. McNamara from Pastor, St. Stephen, Port Carbon to Pastor Emeritus, St. Stephen, Port Carbon. Rev. Msgr. Raymond F. Merman from Pastor, St. Theresa of the Child Jesus, Hellertown to Pastor Emeritus, St. Theresa of the Child Jesus, Hellertown. Rev. James J. Morgan from Chaplain, Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center, Pottsville to Retirement. Rev. Edwin V. Schwartz from Pastor, Our Lady of Hungary and St. Michael, Northampton to Pastor Emeritus, Our Lady of Hungary and St. Michael, Northampton. Rev. Msgr. Joseph P.T. Smith from Pastor, St. Catharine of Siena, Mount Penn to Pastor Emeritus, St. Catharine of Siena, Mount Penn. Rev. Msgr. Anthony F. Wassel from Pastor, St. Joseph, Assumption BVM and Sacred Heart, Mahanoy City to Pastor Emeritus, St. Joseph, Assumption BVM and Sacred Heart, Mahanoy City.
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