In a letter released today (Sunday, March 30, 2014) from Bishop John Barres, Diocese of Allentown, read at all Catholic services this weekend in Tamaqua, it was announced that effective July 1, 2014, St. Jerome and SS. Peter and Paul parishes in Tamaqua will merge and become the new St. John XXIII Parish.
The letter adds that the new parish will continue to utilize both the St. Jerome and SS. Peter and Paul Church buildings for worship. It will also serve as one of the first in the country dedicated to Pope St. John XXIII, who will be canonized on April 27, 2014.
The plan announced this weekend is a continuation of the restructuring of parishes called for by the Second Synod of Allentown in 2006. Plans in sixteen regions of the Diocese, including a region that consisted of Tamaqua, Brockton and Tuscarora, went into effect in July 2008. That plan called for consolidating parishes in Brockton and Tuscarora into St. Jerome Parish. It also recommended a restructuring of St. Jerome and SS. Peter and Paul Parishes sometime in the future, but did not specify a time frame for its implementation. In the letter read at Mass this weekend, the Bishop indicated that after six years, that time has come.
The letter continued, “The new plan was developed after consulting with the pastors in Tamaqua, Father John Frink (St. Jerome Parish) and Father William Linkchorst (SS. Peter and Paul Parish) after they had conferred with a renewed regional committee about the pastoral and temporal state of the parishes. The Council of Priests and the Diocesan Pastoral Council also recommended the merger.”
During weekend services at his church, Father Linkchorst announced his retirement to parishioners. “I applied for retirement over a year ago and got my letter yesterday,” said Linkchorst, who added that his retirement date starts June 1.
“This decision has not been made easily or without deliberation,” said Bishop Barres in the letter. “Throughout the process from 2005 until now, hundreds of persons have been involved in gathering and analyzing information, surveying parishioners, and looking at the present and future needs of the Tamaqua parishes.”
Linkchorst said that that Father Frink will be the new Pastor of the new parish. “Father Frink is a great preacher,” said Linkchorst. “He preaches so well, that you want him to say more.”
“As we move to the future, all of us have come together to create a new parish,” said Rev. Linkchorst to his parishioners. “Creating this new parish will be a great challenge, but remember that God will be with us.”
Closing the letter, Bishop Barres said, “I ask, that during the three months of preparation for the implementation of (this plan)… you will join me in fervent prayer … that the good work God has begun…will, through His grace and your spiritual support, be brought to a successful completion.”
Stayed tuned for future TamaquaArea.com articles related to the new parish.
Click HERE to view a related Times News story by Donald Serfass.
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