Sacred Heart Parish, Lafayette Avenue, Palmerton, celebrates weekend Mass at 5 p.m. on Saturday and 9:30 a.m. Sunday, following all Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Allentown Diocesan directives during the current green phase of COVID-19. All returning worshippers are asked to call the Rectory Office at 610-826-2335 indicating the Mass time and how many will be attending. Daily Mass, Monday through Friday, is celebrated at noon.

The church remains open after daily Mass until 3 p.m. for private prayer. Sunday 9:30 a.m. Mass is livestreamed on Facebook for all who are unable to join us in person.

Seating capacity continues to be limited to 160 worshippers at each Mass. Wearing a facial mask and safe distancing is required. The sacrament of Confession continues to be offered by appointment only.

Please call the rectory office to schedule. All other parish and diocesan news can be found at www.shcpalmerton.org.

This week is the 30th Sunday in Ordinary time. The theme of this weekend’s readings is the need to love the Lord with our whole heart and our neighbors as ourselves. By fulfilling these two great commandments, we become models of faith the imitators of the Lord, who gave himself totally for our sake.

We extend our prayerful support to the following parishioners who were confirmed this past Tuesday by Bishop Schlert: Alex Anthony, Ella Baumgardt, Madelyn Bennyhoff, Layne Brunner, Delaney Erickson, Erin Gombert, Kori Kistler, Cameron Pengelly and Mikayla Pengelly.

The parish has two fundraisers happening now: Gertrude Hawk Candy Sale, orders due Nov. 2, and December Sweepstake Drawing, return ticket stubs by Nov. 13. Also a limited supply of St. Joseph Missals and Christmas Wafers (Oplatki) are available for purchase. For details on any of the above, please call the Parish Office during the week between 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at 610-826-2335.

RCIA class will continue on Monday at 1 p.m. and St. John Neumann students will celebrate their annual walk-a-thon on Oct. 30. If you would like to sponsor a student for this event, please call the Palmerton Campus School Office at: 610-826-2354.

Located at our Marian Altar, during the month of November will be a Shrine of Remembrance. A Special Remembrance Board will be displayed with the names and photos of our parishioners who passed away since Oct. 31, 2019. All Soul’s Day request envelopes will also be placed at the altar.

The Parish Mass Book, Candle and Flower scheduling are now being accepted for 2021. We ask that this scheduling be done in person at the Rectory Office. Masks must be worn and please respect social distancing.

Father Bill continues to ask for prayers, through the intercession of Father Walter Ciszek, whose cause for canonization to Sainthood is under study, that God will bless us with a cure for COVID-19 and restore the physical, spiritual, emotional and financial health to our global family.