Roman Catholic Diocese of Allentown

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Allentown (Latin: "Dioecesis Alanpolitana") is a Roman Catholic diocese comprising the Pennsylvania counties of Berks, Carbon, Lehigh, Northampton and Schuylkill, in the United States.

Its cathedral is the Cathedral Church of Saint Catharine of Siena, located in Allentown, Pennsylvania.

The diocese has a Catholic population of 273,599 as of 2006, approximately 23.5% of the total population; it maintains 151 (104 effective July 15th, 2008) parishes, 52 Catholic elementary schools, 8 Catholic high schools and 2 Catholic colleges, as well as 307 priests.

The diocese was founded on January 28, 1961 by Pope John XXIII from territory which until then was part of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia; the first bishop, Joseph Mark McShea, was installed on April 11 of that year. The past bishops of the diocese are:

# Joseph Mark McShea (1961–1983) deceased
# Thomas Jerome Welsh (1983–1997) retired
# Edward Peter Cullen (since 1997)

Also, Joseph Edward Kurtz, current Archbishop of Louisville, and Ronald William Gainer, current Bishop of Lexington both began as priests in Allentown. The Vicar General of the Diocese is the Reverend Monsignor Alfred A. Schlert, J.C.L., V.G, who is also the Pastor of Saint Theresa of the Child Jesus, Hellertown. The Judicial Vicar of the Diocese is the Very Rev. John J. Paul, V.J., M.S.C., S.T.L., J.C.D.

Currently, the Diocese of Allentown is undergoing the implementation phase of their Synod. The desire of the Synod is to strengthen the life of the Catholic Church in Allentown for the future. Among the numerous topics being studied are the Restructuring and Consolidation of Parishes, Fiscal Feasibility of Catholic Schools, Catholic Youth, Vocations, Family Life, and Catechetical Programs. The Vicar for the Implementation of the Synod is the Reverend Monsignor David L. James, V.E.

On June 1st 2008, the Diocese of Allentown unveiled the first section of restructuring of parishes for the five counties. Due to the shift in population, waning number of priestly vocations, and other reasons, the Diocese closed 47 parishes effective July 15th of 2008--- reducing its parishes from 151 to 104. The Diocese plans to finish its efforts with restructuring over the next year where 15 or more parishes will be consolidated or merged.

Deaneries & Vicars Forane

* Schuylkill Deanery: The Reverend Monsignor Edward J. O'Connor, V.F.
* Berks Deanery: The Reverend Monsignor Dennis T. Hartgen, V.F.
* Carbon Deanery: The Reverend Monsignor John G. Chizmar, V.F.
* Lehigh Deanery: The Reverend Monsignor Daniel J. Yenushosky, V.F.
* Northampton Deanery: The Reverend Monsignor Stephen J. Radocha,V.F.

Parishes (As of July 16, 2008)

A cross (+) indicates a new parish formed from the merger or consolidation of two or more parishes.

Carbon Deanery

*St. Joseph, Summit Hill
*+St. Katherine Drexel, Lansford
*+St. Francis of Assisi, Nesquehoning
*+Our Lady of Lourdes, Weatherly
*Immaculate Conception, Jim Thorpe
*St. Joseph, Jim Thorpe
*St. Peter the Fisherman, Lake Harmony
*Ss. Peter and Paul, Lehighton
*Sacred Heart, Palmerton

Lehigh Deanery

*Cathedral of St. Catherine of Siena, Allentown
*St. Francis of Assisi, Allentown
*St. Paul, Allentown
*Sacred Heart, Allentown
*St. Stephen of Hungary, Allentown
*Our Lady, Help of Christians, Allentown
*Immaculate Conception, Allentown
*St. John the Baptist, Allentown
*Ss. Peter and Paul, Allentown
*St. Thomas More, Allentown
*St. Joseph the Worker, Orefield
*St. Ann, Emmaus
*+Queenship of Mary, Northampton
*Assumption BVM, Northampton
*+St. John Neumann, Catasauqua
*Assumption BVM, Slatington
*St. Peter, Coplay
*St. John the Baptist, Whitehall
*Holy Trinity, Whitehall
*St. Elizabeth of Hungary, Whitehall

Northampton Deanery

*Sacred Heart, Bath
*Holy Family, Nazareth
*St. Nicholas, Berlinsville
*St. Elizabeth of Hungary, Pen Argyl
*Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, Roseto
*Our Lady of Good Counsel, Bangor
*St. Rocco, Martins Creek
*+Incarnation of our Lord, Bethlehem
*Holy Ghost, Bethlehem
*Holy Infancy, Bethlehem
*St. Ursula, Fountain Hill
*+Our Lady of Mercy, Easton
*St. Bernard Public Oratory, Easton
*St. Anthony of Padua, Easton
*Saint Joseph, Limeport
*Assumption BVM, Colesville
*Notre Dame, Bethlehem
*Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Bethlehem Township
*Sacred Heart, Bethlehem Township
*Saint Anne, Bethlehem
*Saint Theresa, Hellertown
*Saint Jane France de Chantal, Palmer Township
*Saints Simon and Jude, Bethlehem

Berks Deanery

*Saint Joseph, Reading
*Saint Peter the Apostle, Reading
*Saint Margaret, Reading
*Saint Paul, Reading
*Holy Guardian Angels, Hyde Park
*Saint Mary, Kutztown
*Saint Mary, Hamburg
*Saints Cyril and Methodius, Reading
*Saint Mary, Reading
*Holy Rosary, Reading
*Sacred Heart, West Reading
*Saint Ignatius Loyola, Whitfield
*Saint Francis de Sales, Robesonia
*Saint John Baptist de La Salle, Shillington
*Saint Anthony, Millmont
*Saint Benedict, Mohnton
*Saint Catharine of Siena, Reading
*Immaculate Conception, Douglasville
*Saint Columbkill, Boyertown
*Most Blessed Sacrament, Bally

chuylkill Deanery

*St. Jerome, Tamaqua
*Ss. Peter and Paul, Tamaqua
*+All Saints, McAdoo
*+Blessed Teresa of Calcutta, Mahanoy City
*Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Shenandoah
*Saint Casmir, Shenandoah
*Saint George, Shenandoah
*Saint Stephen, Shenandoah
*Saint Stanislaus, Shenandoah
*Annunciation, Shenandoah
*Saint Mary Magdalene, Lost Creek
*Saint Joseph, Sheppton
*Saint Mary, Ringtown
*Saint Joseph, Girardville
*Saint Vincent de Paul, Girardville
*Saint Joseph, Ashland
*Saint Mauritius, Ashland
*Our Lady of Good Counsel, Gordon
*Saint Ann, Frackville
*Annunciation, Frackville
*Saint Joseph, Frackville
*St. Patrick, Pottsville
*St. John the Baptist, Pottsville
*St. Ambrose, Schuylkill Haven
*St. Stephen, Port Carbon
*+St. Michael the Archangel, Minersville
*+St. Matthew, Minersville
*+St. Clare of Assisi, St. Clair
*+Holy Cross, New Philadelphia
*+Most Holy Trinity, Tremont

High schools

* Allentown Central Catholic High School
* Bethlehem Catholic High School
* Holy Name High School, Reading
* Marian Catholic High School, Tamaqua
* Nativity BVM High School, Pottsville
* Notre Dame High School, Easton
* Pius X High School, Bangor
* Reading Central Catholic High School

External links

* [http://www.allentowndiocese.org/ Roman Catholic Diocese of Allentown Home Page]