Diocese Event

We're creating a video for the Diocese and we need your help. Be an extra! The Cathedral of St. Catharine of Siena, 1825 W. Turner Street, Allentown, 1 p.m.

St. Mary Church, 14833 Kutztown Road, Kutztown, 11 a.m.  Women and girls who join the society can make an impact on our communities while raising funds for Catholic ministries in Berks, Carbon, Lehigh, Northampton and Schuylkill counties. The society will empower, connect and inspire women and girls to become more involved in philanthropic initiatives in the Church. Cutline – goes with both photos Nathaniel, a secondary student at John Paul II Center for Special Learning, Shillington, along with his teacher, Rene Berkhammer, makes purse clip gifts, left, for the Women’s Society of Giving. By PAUL WIRTH Diocesan Communications Staff Registration is now open for the new Catholic Women’s Society of Giving in the Diocese of Allentown. The Inaugural Mass and Brunch for the philanthropic organization will be Sunday, Oct. 20 at 11 a.m. at St. Mary Church, 14833 Kutztown Road, Kutztown. Women and girls who join the society can make an impact on our communities while raising funds for Catholic ministries in Berks, Carbon, Lehigh, Northampton and Schuylkill counties. The society will empower, connect and inspire women and girls to become more involved in philanthropic initiatives in the Church. Registrations will be taken through Thursday, Oct. 31. The goal is to enroll at least 100 members who can stay in touch during the year to learn more about Catholic ministries and community needs. Members will share ideas and decide which projects to fund. The society will gather to hear presentations from various diocesan organizations on Sunday, Nov. 10, and will vote on funding decisions soon after. The annual membership contribution to the Catholic Women’s Society of Giving is $350. Individuals may purchase memberships for themselves or for others. Every member will receive a gift handmade by students at John Paul II Center for Special Learning, Shillington. Anyone may contribute to sponsor a member, so that younger women – including college, high school and middle school girls – can be part of the effort. The executive committee founded the society with inspiration from the Diocese of New Orleans, where a similar program has been very successful. The Catholic Women’s Society of Giving is inspired by the life of St. Catharine of Siena, who has inspired so many others with her selfless works of charity. To enroll in the Catholic Women’s Society of Giving in the Diocese of Allentown, visit website www.allentowndiocese.org/womensgiving or contact Ginny Downey at [email protected] or 610-871-5200 ext. 2244. sidebar Volunteer Executive Committee Members Berks County Rebecca Shemanski, Immaculate Conception BVM, Douglassville. Sandra Young, St. Catharine of Siena, Reading. Carbon County Betty Lou McBride, Immaculate Conception, Jim Thorpe. Rita Mroz, St. Joseph, Jim Thorpe. Michele Mullikin, Sacred Heart, Palmerton. Karen Yanity, St. Joseph, Jim Thorpe. Lehigh County Janis Geist, Cathedral of St. Catharine of Siena, Allentown. Patricia Huck, St. Joseph the Worker, Orefield. Patricia Milot, St. Joseph the Worker, Orefield. Pamela Russo, St. Paul, Allentown. Northampton County Ginny Downey, Queenship of Mary, Northampton. Diane Harpster, Assumption BVM, Bethlehem. Julie Scheck, St. Jane Frances de Chantal, Easton. Schuylkill County Carol Boyer, St. Ambrose, Schuylkill Haven. Millie Scarbinski, St. Clare of Assisi, St. Clair.

A Mass Celebrating the Lord’s Comfort and Healing Love with The Most Reverend Alfred A. Schlert as celebrant and homilist will be held at St. Mary’s Church in Hamburg, located at 94 Walnut Rd, Hamburg, PA 19526.

A Holy Day of Obligation, check your parish's bulletin for Mass times. 

Everyone is invited to join Bishop Schlert 10 a.m. to noon at Berks Catholic High School Auditorium as he hosts Father Tadeusz Pacholczyk from the National Catholic Bioethics Center on a discussion of the Church’s Authentic Teaching on Same Sex Attraction. There will be Q&A discussion.

The Bishop will ordain Deacon Giuseppe Esposito, Deacon John Maria and Deacon Zachary Wehr during the 10:30 a.m. liturgy at the Cathedral of St. Catharine of Siena, Allentown.

Bishop Schlert invites families from the Diocese to join him in prayer for the transitional deacons to be ordained to the preisthood: Rev. Mr. Giuseppe C. Esposito, Rev. Mr. John C. Maria, Rev. Mr. Zachary R. Wehr and Diocesan Act of Consecration to the Blessed Mother; 7 p.m. at the Cathedral of St. Catharine of Siena, Allentown. 

Rejoice! He is Risen!

The Holy Thursday tradition of visiting seven churches is an ancient practice. Click on the headline above to see the schedule.

Good Friday is an obligatory day of fasting and abstinence from meat.

When fasting, a person is permitted to eat one full meal, as well as two smaller meals that together are not equal to a full meal.