A group of citizens fighting to save the last remaining Catholic school in the Panther Valley will meet this week to discuss their future plans, and they are inviting members of the public.

Members of SOS Coal Regions Churches and School will meet Wednesday at 7 p.m. at the American Legion in Lansford.

The group has come out publicly opposing the Diocese of Allentown's plan to close Our Lady of the Angels School in Lansford, St. Katherine Drexel Parish in Lansford, and St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Nesquehoning.

At Wednesday's meeting, the group will be discussing what avenues parishioners have to challenge the decision by the Diocese of Allentown to close the school and church.

Volunteer Steve Behun said he and other concerned citizens recently met with a lawyer who practices canon law - the regulations of the Roman Catholic Church. At the meeting they will provide information from the attorney to interested persons from any parish in the area.

"We're willing to share it with all the other parishes in our area that have either already been affected by all this, or possibly can be affected by it in the future," he said.

Members met last week, and made two shows of solidarity on behalf of their churches and school over the weekend.

On Saturday, students wore their uniforms to mass at St. Katherine Drexel Church, one of the churches slated to be closed, to show their opposition to the diocese plan.

On Friday, parishioners attended the Baccalaureate ceremony at Marian Catholic High School, where bishop John Barres was in attendance, and shared their concerns.

Behun said that there has still been no official reply from the diocese though.

Meanwhile, some of the members are reducing their weekly offering to $1 to send a message to Barres that they want to find out why the parish and school are being closed. Behun said that even if someone is boycotting the church, they must make a minimal donation to remain in 'good standing' with the church.

"They could say, 'Hey, we're no longer receiving dues from this person, they're no longer a member," he said.

Behun said that the group wants to accomplish its goal while maintaining a good relationship with the church. But with the diocese firmly committed to closing the church and school, that could be difficult.

"We're Catholics. We want to work with the church. We want to be part of the church, grow with it and improve it. We don't want to tear it down," he said.