Holding on to our traditions is an important part of the passage of time. When we evaluate happenings from the distant past, we are told, the memories tend to take on more significance.

In the four close-knit communities that make up the Panther Valley - Coaldale, Lansford, Nesquehoning and Summit Hill - the church was the center of many residents' universe. The Catholic Church, whose numbers were enhanced by a surge of European immigrants in the early 20th century, served as a refuge to these voyagers who left their homelands in search of a better life in America.The parish priest was the spiritual leader and counselor to these strangers in a new land. As they assimilated into their respective communities, set down roots, had families and tried to snag their piece of the American dream, the church was their rock and sustenance.Is it any wonder then that there has been incredibly strong resistance to merge these churches into one central church?It has been just a little more than a year since the Diocese of Allentown announced the consolidation of St. Katharine Drexel (Lansford), St. Francis of Assisi (Nesquehoning) and St. Joseph (Summit Hill) parishes. The result meant that St. Joseph would be the surviving church, while the other two would be closed.At the same time, the diocese announced the closing of Our Lady of the Angels Academy, an elementary school in Lansford that had been supported by the three parishes.Nine years earlier, the diocese announced the closing of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Church in the New Columbus section of Nesquehoning and its being folded into a merged church that included the parishes of Sacred Heart and Immaculate Conception in Nesquehoning. The combined churches became St. Francis of Assisi.The bitter battle that ensued and the endless finger-pointing tore at the fabric and closeness of the community. Hostilities among one-time neighbors and friends are still evident today.Both the 2008 and 2016 decisions were fought bitterly, first at the local level and then with direct appeals to the Vatican, but, so far, the pleas have fallen on deaf ears. The latest rejection came late last month when the Vatican's Congregation of Clergy turned down separate appeals from the Lansford and Nesquehoning churches. An appeal by some St. Katharine Drexel parishioners is being taken to the Apostolic Signatura, the Vatican's equivalent of a supreme court. A similar appeal is being considered by some parishioners at St. Francis Assisi.Following the Vatican's latest ruling, Allentown diocesan administrator Monsignor Alfred Schlert, who had been the de facto acting bishop, said he was hopeful that the parishioners of the three parishes would begin to focus on the path ahead rather than on the past. "It is the diocese's hope and prayer that with this ruling by the Vatican, all efforts will be directed toward helping to make St. Joseph Parish in Summit Hill the spiritual home of all the faithful in the Panther Valley," Schlert said.In the meantime, Pope Francis has named Schlert the new bishop of the Allentown Diocese, so it is a given that there will be no change of heart at the local level.What is playing out in the Panther Valley is a microcosm of what is happening across Pennsylvania and the nation. The Catholic Church is facing declining attendance, donations are down, there's a critical shortage of priests and the infrastructure of these soaring monuments to the glory of God are crumbling, and trying to maintain them has become an exercise in futility.In Pennsylvania, all of these issues are exacerbated by a declining, aging population and the realization that fewer young people care about church attendance or about the parishes that surround these one-time pillars of vibrant communities.Diocesan decision-makers also have focused on eliminating redundancies. In Pennsylvania, there has been a long tradition of ethnic parishes. St. Stanislaus in Summit Hill was the "Polish Church" until its merger in 2008 with St. Joseph and its demolition four years ago. Also during that painful 2008 consolidation, St. John, St. Mary and SS. Cyril and Methodius parishes in Coaldale, and St. Michael, St. Ann, SS. Peter and Paul parishes in Lansford become the St. Katharine Drexel Parish at the former St. Michael church building in Lansford.If you're keeping score, 11 Catholic churches in the Panther Valley have been consolidated into one over an eight-year span.Some have asked why the supporters of these appeals movements are going through the paperwork and anguish, to say nothing of the five-figure costs, with little to no hope for success. Those spearheading these efforts feel they must at least try to reverse these unpopular decisions in the name of tradition. There are many reasons why traditions are important. They offer an excellent context for spiritual pause and reflection, and we believe that this is what has motivated parishioners to try to save their parishes.By Bruce Frassinelli |

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