To celebrate its 175th anniversary on Aug. 17, St. Joseph Parish of the Panther Valley in Summit Hill invited a guest homilist – Monsignor Thomas Orsulak, a native son of the region and an expert on the area’s rich history.
He gave an early clue to the theme of his homily, and to the history of the parish in Summit Hill, when he hoisted a large rock into the air – a piece of anthracite coal.
Anthracite was discovered in Pennsylvania not far from St. Joseph, said Monsignor Orsulak, when a hunter on Sharp Mountain tripped over a piece of it. Originally known as “stone gold,” the energy-rich anthracite would soon be fueling homes and powering the local economy, creating thousands of jobs in Summit Hill and throughout the Coal Regions.
As mines were developed, immigrants began arriving to do the backbreaking and dangerous work of extracting coal from the ground: Irish, Slovaks, Italians, Poles, Lithuanians, and others. “They brought with them their language, their customs, their food, their music,” said Monsignor Orsulak, “but most importantly, they brought with them their Roman Catholic faith.”
It was the Irish who founded St. Joseph in 1850, he said. That was 11 years before the start of the Civil War. At that time, Pope Pius IX was just a couple of years into his record 32-year papacy, and in that year the United States had two presidents: Zachary Taylor until his death in office, then Millard Fillmore.
Before the parish was founded, Catholics in the area were served by visiting priests from Pottsville and Tamaqua. At one point, a local resident “had provided a stable to hold Masses,” according to the Diocese of Allentown official history. The first church was built in 1844, and a cornerstone for a new church was laid 38 years later. The first resident pastor, appointed in 1852, was Father Ambrose Manahan.
The St. Joseph Parish of today is a melting pot of previous parishes that were absorbed into it over the years as coal mining declined, with regional populations and church attendance declining as well.
The predecessor parishes of St. Joseph included the Lansford parishes of St. Katharine Drexel, St. Michael, St. Ann, and Ss. Peter and Paul; the Coaldale parishes of St. John the Baptist, St. Mary of the Assumption, and SS. Cyril and Methodius; and the Nesquehoning parishes of St. Francis of Assisi, Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Sacred Heart, and Immaculate Conception.
The 175th Anniversary Mass was celebrated by Bishop Alfred Schlert, who told those gathered that the intention of the Mass was for all living and deceased members of St. Joseph and surrounding parishes. Father Eric Gruber, Pastor of St. Joseph, was one of the concelebrants. Former St. Joseph pastors who attended were Father Robert George, now pastor of St. Columbkill, Boyertown; Father James Ward; and Father Allen Hoffa, now pastor of Holy Guardian Angels, Reading.
The parish has been preparing for its 175th anniversary for the past year and held several special events for parishioners. These included a miniature golf outing at Heisler’s Cloverleaf Dairy, a grandparent bingo, a parish cookbook sale, a senior luncheon, and a Holy Hour on the Feast of St. Joseph. After the anniversary Mass, the daylong celebration concluded with a dinner at Capriotti’s Banquet Hall, McAdoo.
Monsignor Orsulak, who was born “down the hill” in Lansford, told those gathered that he always had a fond admiration for the parish and people of St. Joseph. He now serves as Pastor of St. Peter the Apostle Parish, Reading. “Happy 175th Anniversary to St. Joseph Parish of the Panther Valley,” he said.
Article and Photo by Paul Wirth.
