Sacred Heart Parish, Lafayette Avenue in Palmerton, is continuing to offer its regular weekend Mass schedule following all Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and diocesan directives during the green phase of COVID-19.

Each week a few more worshippers are returning to Mass. We continue to ask all to call the Rectory Office to inform us what Mass and how many will be attending. Seating capacity remains in the green phase, to be limited to 160 per Mass. The 9:30 a.m. Mass continues to be livestreamed on Facebook to those who are not able to join us in person at this time.

The Sacrament of Confession is by appointment only. To schedule a time, call the Rectory Office at 610-826-2335. All other parish and diocesan news can be found on the parish webpage at: www.shcpalmerton.org.

This weekend we celebrate the 18th Sunday in Ordinary Time. Our Gospel reading shows Jesus’ compassion on the crowds and miraculously His ability to feed them showing His love for all.

Nothing can separate us from the love of Christ.

First Friday devotions will begin at noon on Aug. 7 with a prayer service followed by private adoration and concluding with benediction at 3 p.m.

Confirmation students will continue next week with their Zoom instruction class. Dr. Girard is preparing them to receive this Sacrament on Oct. 20. Bishop Schlert will visit our Parish on that day to administer the Sacrament of Confirmation to the candidates.

St. John Neumann is currently planning to reopen on Aug. 31 with in-class instruction.

Virtual learning will also be an available option. Registration is open. Call the School Office at: 610-826-2354 for details.

A special offering is asked this weekend to support the maintenance and repairs of our parish properties. A recent bid of $42,000 was received to replace the rectory roof and we are awaiting the bishop’s permission to move ahead with this necessary project.

Also tickets are available for our good works drawing. Winners will be drawn on Labor Day. Call the rectory office for tickets and information at 610-826-2335.

Father Bill continues to ask you to join in prayer through the intercession of Father Walter Ciszeck, whose cause for sainthood is now being reviewed in Rome, that God will bless us with a cure for COVID-19 and restore the spiritual, physical, emotional and financial health to our global family.