A former Catholic school building in Lansford may soon become an organization to help the community.

Ericka Williams-Rodriguez is currently in the process of purchasing the former St. Michael’s Catholic School building. The building was last used as Our Lady of Angels Academy, which the diocese closed in 2016.

Since then, it has sat vacant next to the former St. Michael the Archangel Church, which is also in the process of being sold in the hopes of being turned into an arts center.

“I heard about the closing of the school from many people in the community who are sad the Catholic institutions they grew up with are no more,” Williams-Rodriguez said. “I moved to Carbon County to start a Catholic Worker Community. When I learned there was a rectory attached to the school building where I could live with my small family, and it was big enough to add kids to my family through adoption, I knew this would be the right place.”

She introduced herself to the Rev. Allen Hoffa, pastor of St. Joseph Parish of the Panther Valley who oversees the buildings that were consolidated into the Summit Hill church.

“He agreed the old Our Lady of Angels Academy was the perfect place for a Catholic Worker Community,” she said.

So the process of the sale began.

Williams-Rodriguez hoped to have the purchase finalized by Sept. 30, but because the church and school building were on the same deed, the process has taken a little longer.

Paul Wirth, communications director with the Diocese of Allentown, confirmed that the transactions were pending, but could not comment on the transactions until they are complete.

Once the sale is finalized, Williams-Rodriguez hopes that through partnerships with the local community and donors, to turn the school into the Lansford Center for Enrichment, a community center and learning hub complete with a science lab, computer lab, photography room Lego and building lab, GED classes, workshop area for a variety of classes and a Carbon County home schooling co-op.

“We hope the center will be a much-needed safe place for families, neighborhood kids and community members young and old to come together, learn from each other and thrive,” she said. “This will make Lansford a better place.”

Williams-Rodriguez currently has a GoFundMe set up for donations for the project. It can be found at https://www.gofundme.com/f/dorothy-day-house-carbon-county