The group that rescued the historic St. Joseph’s Church in Bethlehem from oblivion says repairing the building’s slate roof to prevent further water damage is the top priority of its restoration and preservation project.
The Society of St. Joseph of Bethlehem, a nonprofit group created by former parishioners of the Catholic church at 413 E. Fifth St., says it will take $100,000 to fix the roof of the building that served generations of the city’s Windish community.
Other repairs and improvements are also required before the church can be opened to the public. Regular maintenance of the building ended when the Diocese of Allentown closed the church in 2008 as part of a diocesewide consolidation of parishes.
Parishioners appealed the closing to the Vatican and an agreement was struck to allow an annual Mass on the Feast of St. Joseph, along with parishioner funerals.
Two months later, the society was formed to raise money for the purchase. With a donation from James Stocklas — the district judge who hit a $291 million jackpot in the Powerball lottery eight years ago — it closed the deal March 6 for $175,000.
A city building inspection found many code deficiencies and the certificate of occupancy was denied. The society developed a budget of $225,000 to bring the church building up to code. That includes $100,000 for the roof repairs.
The society has raised $70,000 so far and is asking the public’s help.
Actor and filmmaker Daniel Roebuck, a Bethlehem native, supports the effort and recently made a video appeal for funds. In it he wears the Santa Claus outfit from his latest feature, “St. Nick of Bethlehem.”
“Every time a chapel disappears, so does a piece of our heritage. So let’s keep our heritage alive,” “Please help these good people keep this church alive and standing, and part of our community.”
St. Joseph’s opened in 1917, three years after its cornerstone was laid. It was built mostly by Slovenian immigrants — known in the Bethlehem area as the Windish — who wanted a parish home to preserve their culture and traditions.
The church remains affiliated with the diocese and will operate under the guidance of the Rev. Brendon LaRoche, pastor of St. Ursula’s in Fountain Hill, who has been appointed chaplain and diocesan liaison.
Donations to the St. Joseph Church Roof and Repair Project may be made at or mailed to Society of St. Joseph of Bethlehem, P.O. Box 1367, Bethlehem, PA 18016.
For more information, : facebook.com/SSJBPA
