Nine Senior Pastors Retiring

Nine senior Pastors, who have served the people of the Diocese of Allentown for a remarkable total of 448 years, will retire in June.

“I am extremely proud of these men, and I thank them from the bottom of my heart for their remarkable records of selfless service in our Diocese,” said Bishop Alfred Schlert.

Each Pastor will be named Pastor Emeritus of their current parish, an honorary title recognizing their faithful service to their people over the years.

“The retirement of such fine priests must spur us to beg the Lord to open the hearts of young men to answer the call to the Priesthood,” Bishop Schlert said. “Encouraging Vocations will be one focus of the Year of the Real Presence here in the Diocese.”

One new priest – Father Juan E. Rodriguez – has been ordained so far this year, and one more – Rev. Mr. Philip J. Maas – is scheduled to be ordained June 5.

Those Pastors retiring are listed below. The Diocese will announce their replacements, and other clergy assignments, in May.

Father Stephen L. Maco, 75, Pastor of Our Lady of Good Counsel.

Born in Fountain Hill, he attended St. Ursula’s School and Allentown Central Catholic High School. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy from St. Charles Borromeo Seminary, Philadelphia, in 1969, a Master of Divinity degree from Mary Immaculate Seminary, Northampton, and a Master of Education degree from Lehigh University, Bethlehem. Ordained in 1976, he was appointed Professor of Theology at Nativity BVM High School, Pottsville, and became Principal of Nativity in 1982. He also served as Nativity’s Director of Athletics from 1976 to 1980, and coached the Nativity Golden Girls basketball team. He later served as Assistant Superintendent for Secondary Education in the Diocese of Allentown, and as a part-time teacher at Bethlehem Catholic High School. He also is a former Principal of Cardinal Brennan Jr./Sr. High School, Ashland, and served at Reading Central Catholic High School as Vice Principal for Spiritual Affairs and as Professor of Senior Theology. He has been at Our Lady of Good Counsel since 2011.

Monsignor John J. Martin 74, Pastor of St. Peter, Coplay.

Born in Pottsville, he attended St. Bartholomew School, Brockton, and graduated from Marian Catholic High School, Tamaqua. Earning his Bachelor of Arts and Master of Divinity degrees at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary, Philadelphia, he was ordained in 1972. He was Assistant Pastor of St. Elizabeth of Hungary, Whitehall, and then served in diocesan administration in a number of roles including Assistant Financial Secretary and Financial Secretary for the Diocese, and Assistant Director, Holy Family Manor and Villa, Bethlehem. He is a former chaplain of St. Francis Center for Renewal, Bethlehem; Pastor of St. Stephen of Hungary, Allentown; and Pastor of Assumption BVM, Bethlehem. He has been at St. Peter since 2011.

Monsignor John P. Murphy, 83, Pastor of St. Thomas More, Allentown.

Born in Shenandoah, he was educated at Annunciation School and Shenandoah Catholic High School, and studied for the Priesthood at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary, where he received many academic awards. Ordained in 1964, he was assigned as Assistant Pastor and later as Pastor at Immaculate Conception BVM Parish, Allentown. He is a former Director of CYO for Lehigh County and subsequently for the entire Allentown Diocese. He is director of the Pontifical Society of the Propagation of the Faith, a former Director of the Catholic Physicians Guild, a former member of the Allentown Central Catholic High School Advisory Board, and still serves as Chaplain of Legatus, Lehigh Valley Chapter. He has been on the Board of Directors of the Mercy School of Special Learning. He has served on the Diocesan Council of Priests under every Bishop of the Diocese, the Committee for Vocations to the Priesthood and Religious Life, the Commission for Orders and Ministries, and is the Dean of the Diocesan College of Consultors. He was named Pastor of St. Thomas More in 1980, a position in which he has served for 41 years.

Monsignor Edward J. O’Connor, 65, Pastor of St. Patrick, Pottsville.

Born in Pottsville, he attended St. Patrick School and Nativity BVM High School. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy from the University of Scranton, Master of Divinity and Theology degrees from Mount St. Mary’s Seminary, Emmitsburg, Md., and a Master of Social Work degree from Marywood University. Ordained in 1981, he has served as pastoral assistant at Catholic Charities; and as Assistant Pastor of St. Bernard, Easton; of St. Canicus and St. Fidelis, both in Mahanoy City; and of St. Patrick, Pottsville. He is a former Pastor of St. Mary, Branchdale; Sacred Heart, Newtown; of Annunciation BVM, Shenandoah; of St. Mary Magdalen, Lost Creek; and of St. Mary, Ringtown. He has been at St. Patrick since 2002.

Monsignor Edward R. Sacks, 83, Pastor of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Bethlehem.

A native of Coplay, he attended St. Peter School, Allentown Central Catholic High School, and was educated at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary, Philadelphia, and Lehigh University, Bethlehem. Ordained in 1964, he worked in high school education for much of his career, including serving as Principal of Marian Catholic High School, Tamaqua and Holy Name High School, Reading. He was Assistant Superintendent of Education for several years, and then was named Pastor of Annunciation BVM, Catasauqua. He also has served as Pastor of St. Margaret, Reading, and Our Lady Help of Christians, Allentown. He was appointed Pastor of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in 1988.

Monsignor Walter T. Scheaffer, 82, Pastor of St. Mary, Kutztown.

Born in Middleport, he grew up in Brockton and graduated from Marian Catholic High School, Tamaqua. He studied for the Priesthood at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary, Philadelphia and earned a Masters of Education degree in Counseling from Lehigh University, Bethlehem. Ordained in 1966, he has served as an Associate Professor at Reading Central Catholic High School. He also is a former religion teacher and Director of Guidance at Allentown Central Catholic High School, as well as a former Vice Principal of Holy Name High School, Reading, Assistant Superintendent for Secondary Education in the Diocese, and in1994 was named Vicar for Education of the Diocese. His previous parish postings include Pastor of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Minersville, and of Holy Ghost, Bethlehem. He has been at St. Mary, Kutztown, since 1986. He is a long-time member of the Catholic Charities board of directors, serving as its president from 2000 to 2013.

Monsignor Francis Schoenauer, 75, Pastor of Cathedral of St. Catharine of Siena, Allentown.

Born in County Donegal, Ireland, he was educated at St. John the Baptist School and Nativity BVM High School, both in Pottsville. He prepared for the Priesthood at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary, Philadelphia, where he earned a Master of Divinity degree. Ordained in1973, he was a Professor at Allentown Central Catholic High School and has served as Assistant Pastor of Our Lady Help of Christians, Allentown, at St. Ann, Emmaus, and of Notre Dame of Bethlehem. He also has served as Pastor of St. Fidelis, Mahanoy City; at St. Richard, Barnesville; at St. Mary, St. Boniface and SS. Peter and Paul churches, all in St. Clair; of St. Margaret, Reading; of St. Nicholas, Walnutport; and of St. Francis of Assisi, Nesquehoning. He was named rector of the Cathedral in 2015.

Father James J. Ward, 75, Pastor of Immaculate Conception, Jim Thorpe.

Born in Coaldale and raised in Tamaqua, he attended St. Jerome Elementary School and Marian Catholic High School and earned his Master of Divinity degree at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary, Philadelphia. Ordained in 1973, he has served as Assistant Pastor of St. Paul, Reading; and as a Professor at Holy Name High School, Reading; Notre Dame High School, Easton; Nativity BVM High School, Pottsville; Cardinal Brennan High School, Ashland; and Marian Catholic High School, Tamaqua. He also has served as Pastor of St. Fidelis Church, Mahanoy City; and as Pastor of St. Joseph & St. Stanislaus in Summit Hill; St. Mary, SS. Peter and Paul, and St. Boniface, all in St. Clair; at Sacred Heart, Palmerton, and at St. Joseph, Jim Thorpe. He served for 30 years on the Diocesan Tribunal, 15 of those as a judge. He was appointed of Immaculate Conception in 2008.

Monsignor Robert J. Wargo, 74, Pastor of St. Joseph the Worker, Orefield.

Born in Williamsport, he attended St. Canicus School, Mahanoy City, and Immaculate Heart High School, Ashland, and studied for the Priesthood at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary, Philadelphia. He was ordained in 1972. He has served as Assistant Pastor of St. Patrick, Pottsville; Regional Director of Vocations, West Schuylkill County; Assistant Pastor of St. Francis of Assisi, Allentown; Pastor of Immaculate Conception, St. Clair; Pastor of Sacred Heart, Palmerton; Diocesan Vocations Director; and was named Pastor of St. Joseph the Worker in 1990.



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