News Release

With declining enrollments and financial losses made insurmountable by the economic effects of the pandemic, two elementary schools in the Diocese of Allentown are closing at the end of this school year. Parents of students at Sacred Heart School in Bath and St. Francis Academy in Bally were notified today.

Attendance remains voluntary for now; health precautions will be in place

With continuing uncertainty about how the Coronavirus will affect the usual return to classrooms in the fall, the leader of the Diocese’s Catholic school system has reassured parents that schools will adapt and be ready.

As the stay-at-home order is lifted in Carbon County, the Diocese of Allentown will begin taking steps to reopen churches there to the limited participation of the faithful. .

Building on the success of a highly successful event two weeks ago, Catholic Charities, Diocese of Allentown will again be collecting grocery donations in a drive-through, socially distant event this Saturday, May 16 at the Vegan Butcher, 768 Union Boulevard, Allentown from 10:30 AM to 1:30 PM. .

Father Allen Hoffa has been named Interim Head of School at Marian Catholic High School, effective July 1, 2020. Father Hoffa succeeds the current principal, Mrs. Jean Susko, who is taking a new leadership role at Marian as Director of Academic Studies. .

In a letter from the priests of the three parishes that sponsor St. John Neumann Regional School emailed to parents today, it was announced that the school, with campuses in Palmerton and Slatington, will open for the 2020-2021 school year.

St. Theresa School’s K-8 grades will close at the end of this school year because of steadily declining enrollment, which is causing a financial drain on the parish that operates it. The Hellertown school’s Pre-K program will continue.

Diocese of Allentown Bishop Alfred Schlert will ordain an Allentown man a transitional deacon in ceremonies at the Cathedral of Saint Catharine of Siena in Allentown on Saturday, May 16th at 10:30 AM. A transitional deacon is one step from being ordained a priest.

Catholic Charities, Diocese of Allentown will be collecting grocery donations in a drive-through, socially distant event from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, May 2, at the Vegan Butcher, 768 Union Boulevard, Allentown.