About St. Joseph · Summit Hill, Pennsylvania
St. Joseph Parish of the Panther Valley is a Roman Catholic parish in Summit Hill, Pennsylvania, established in 1850 and part of the Diocese of Allentown. The parish worships at 462 West Ludlow Street and serves the four-borough Panther Valley region — Summit Hill, Lansford, Nesquehoning, and Coaldale. Its mission is 'to build a dynamic Roman Catholic family of faith that seeks to encounter Jesus through the spiritual, Sacramental, catechetical and social life of the Church,' and to be 'the beacon of the light of Christ to all through joyful service and mission.' Beyond Sunday worship, the parish runs a religious education program (PREP) for grades K–8, supports St. Jerome Regional School and Marian Catholic High School, and maintains several historic cemeteries in the valley.
- Established
- 1850
- Patron
- St. Joseph
- Rector
- Rev. Eric J. Gruber, M.Div.
- Diocese
- Diocese of Allentown
Why belong here
St. Joseph of the Panther Valley is a 175-year-old parish that still defines itself as a family of faith. Weekend Masses are offered Saturday evening and twice on Sunday, with a daily Mass schedule and confession every Saturday. The parish runs a robust PREP program for grades K–8 led by Deacon Joe Cannon, supports St. Jerome Regional School and Marian Catholic High School with partial scholarships, and maintains a wide array of lay-led ministries — Knights of Columbus Council #17300, the Secular Franciscan Order's Holy Cross Fraternity, the Ladies of Fatima, a Parish Nurse Ministry, Eucharistic Ministers, and Altar Servers — so newcomers can find a place to serve. Its mission statement, plainly stated on the bulletin cover, sums up the invitation: to encounter Jesus together and to be 'the beacon of the light of Christ to all.'
Mass times at St. Joseph
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturdays 3:15–3:45 pm at St. Joseph Church
About St. Joseph Parish of the Panther Valley
St. Joseph Parish of the Panther Valley is a Roman Catholic community rooted in 1850 in Summit Hill, Pennsylvania, in the heart of Carbon County's coal-region Panther Valley. The parish worships at 462 West Ludlow Street, with offices at 118 North Market Street, and today serves the four boroughs of Summit Hill, Lansford, Nesquehoning, and Coaldale. Its stated mission is 'to build a dynamic Roman Catholic family of faith that seeks to encounter Jesus through the spiritual, Sacramental, catechetical and social life of the Church,' and to be 'the beacon of the light of Christ to all through joyful service and mission.' The parish is part of the Diocese of Allentown, established in 1961 by Pope Saint John XXIII.
- Diocese: Allentown
- Established: 1850
- Region served: Panther Valley (Summit Hill, Lansford, Nesquehoning, Coaldale)
- Pastor: Rev. Eric J. Gruber, M.Div.
- Church: 462 W. Ludlow St., Summit Hill, PA 18250
Parish History
Catholic life in the Panther Valley traces back to the 1826 visits of Father Courtney, Father Cummings, and Father John Fritzpatrick from Pottsville. By 1840 Father James Maloney, newly transferred to Tamaqua, was tending to the spiritual needs of Summit Hill Catholics. Thomas Connahan provided a stable that served as the first Mass site; in 1844 a church was built, and St. Joseph's was formally established as a parish in 1850. Father Ambrose Manahan became the first resident pastor in 1852 and completed the church enlargement, beginning a succession of pastors who expanded and renewed the parish over the following 175 years.
- 1826: First recorded priestly visits from Pottsville
- 1840s: Mass said in a stable provided by Thomas Connahan
- 1844: First church building
- 1850: Parish established
- 1852: Father Ambrose Manahan becomes first resident pastor
- 1927: Parish school opened with Sisters of Mercy from Merion
Buildings, Cemeteries, and the Shrine of St. Therese
The parish maintains not only its church on Ludlow Street and offices on Market Street, but also eight cemeteries across the valley — four in Summit Hill (St. Joseph's Old, St. Joseph's New – Bloomingdale, St. Michael's Old & New, and SS. Peter & Paul) and four in Nesquehoning (Gate of Heaven, Ss. Cyril & Methodius, Sacred Heart, and St. Patrick's). The parish also operates the Shrine of St. Therese at 1 East Garibaldi Avenue in Nesquehoning, where a 9:00 am Mass is celebrated every Saturday. For cemetery business and burial-privilege space sales, parishioners are directed to call the Superintendent of Cemeteries at 570-645-2664, option 3.
- St. Joseph's (Old) — Summit Hill
- St. Joseph's (New – Bloomingdale) — Summit Hill
- St. Michael's (Old & New) — Summit Hill
- SS. Peter & Paul — Summit Hill
- Gate of Heaven — Nesquehoning
- Ss. Cyril & Methodius — Nesquehoning
- Sacred Heart — Nesquehoning
- St. Patrick's — Nesquehoning
- Shrine of St. Therese — 1 E. Garibaldi Ave., Nesquehoning, PA 18240 (570-645-2664; shrineofsainttherese.com)
Faith Formation & Religious Education (PREP)
Children not enrolled in a regional Catholic school receive religious instruction through the Parish Religious Education Program (PREP), directed by Deacon Joseph Cannon. The program runs from October through May and serves students in grades K–8, with both in-person and homeschool-track options. In-person classes are held one Sunday a month in the Parish Social Hall, with grades scheduled by Sunday rotation: 2nd Sunday for Grades 1 & 4; 3rd Sunday for Grades 2, 6, 7 & 8; 4th Sunday for Grades 3 & 5; and a 5th Sunday class for Grades 2 & 8 when applicable. First Reconciliation and First Holy Eucharist are normally received in 2nd grade, and Confirmation is normally received in 8th grade.
- PREP Director: Deacon Joseph Cannon ([email protected]; 570-645-2664 ext. 7; mobile 484-523-0231)
- In-person class times: Grades 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 — 9:00–10:30 am; Grade 2 — 10:30 am–12:00 pm in the Parish Social Hall
- Book pickup on the weekend of September 27–28 in the Parish Social Hall
- First Holy Eucharist preparation in 2nd grade
- Confirmation preparation in 8th grade
- Homeschool weekend Interactive PREP Program available online
Catholic Schools and the Education Scholarship
The parish actively supports Catholic education at both the elementary and high-school levels. St. Jerome Regional School, located at 50 Meadow Avenue in Tamaqua (Principal Amy M. Hannis-Miskar, M.S.; 570-668-2757; sjrschool.com), serves the parish's elementary-age children. Marian Catholic High School in Hometown (Director of Enrollment Management Mrs. Mary Milosh; 570-467-3335; mariancatholichs.org) is the local Catholic high school. To help make Catholic education affordable, the parish awards the St. Joseph of the Panther Valley Education Scholarship — a one-year partial scholarship applied directly toward tuition at either school through FACTS, open to registered and active parish members who apply with a letter of recommendation, an 80+ academic average, and a record of service to school, parish, and community.
- St. Jerome Regional School — 50 Meadow Ave., Tamaqua, PA
- Marian Catholic High School — Hometown, PA
- Education Scholarship open to registered active parishioners (applications due May 11, 2026 for the 2026–27 school year)
- Children of full-time Catholic school teachers in the Diocese of Allentown are not eligible for the scholarship
Sacraments
The parish celebrates the seven sacraments in accord with Diocese of Allentown policy. Baptisms are normally held on the second Sunday of the month immediately after the 10:15 am Mass and on the third Saturday of the month at 1:00 pm. A Baptismal Preparation Class meets on the second Wednesday of even-numbered months. First Holy Eucharist is ordinarily received in 2nd grade and Confirmation in 8th grade, with adult pathways through OCIA (formerly RCIA). Marriage preparation must begin at least six months — ideally one year — before the proposed wedding date. The Anointing of the Sick is offered after all weekend Masses on the fourth weekend of each month, and on request for the homebound or hospitalized.
- Baptism — 2nd Sunday after 10:15 am Mass; 3rd Saturday at 1:00 pm
- First Holy Eucharist — 2nd grade
- Confirmation — 8th grade (adult pathway via OCIA)
- Marriage — 6 to 12 months preparation required
- Anointing of the Sick — after Mass on the 4th weekend of the month, or by request
Parish Ministries and Organizations
A wide range of lay-led ministries give parishioners opportunities to serve. The Knights of Columbus Panther Valley Council #17300 (Grand Knight Robert Infante) is the parish's fraternal Catholic men's organization. The Secular Franciscan Order's Holy Cross Fraternity (contact Daniel Miscavige, OFS) offers a Franciscan vocation in the world. The Our Lady of Fatima Society — 'Ladies of Fatima' — meets on the first Wednesday of the month after the 8:00 am Mass in the Social Hall, brings the Fatima Statue to parishioners' homes to pray the rosary every Tuesday, and hosts a yearly October breakfast marking the final apparition of Our Lady. A Parish Nurse Ministry coordinates local food-bank referrals and health resources, while Eucharistic Ministers and Altar Servers assist at the altar and bring Communion to the homebound and hospitalized.
- Knights of Columbus — Panther Valley Council #17300 ([email protected])
- Secular Franciscan Order — Holy Cross Fraternity ([email protected]; 570-751-3657)
- Our Lady of Fatima Society — President Cindy Sabol (570-386-2017; [email protected])
- Parish Nurse Ministry — referrals to local food banks
- Eucharistic Ministers and Altar Servers
Becoming a Parishioner
New members are warmly welcomed. To register, call the Parish Office at 570-645-2664 or stop in during office hours (Monday–Friday, 9:00 am–3:00 pm). Parishioners are asked to notify the office of any address change. Letters of Recommendation and Certificates (often needed as godparent or sponsor eligibility letters) are issued only to parishioners who have been officially registered in the parish for at least one month and are practicing their faith; requests should be made in person during office hours to complete the required form.
- Register by phone: 570-645-2664
- Office hours: Monday–Friday, 9:00 am–3:00 pm
- Rectory/Office: 118 N. Market St., Summit Hill, PA 18250
- Sponsor letters require 1-month registered and practicing status
Pastoral Staff and Parish Contacts
St. Joseph Parish is led by Rev. Eric J. Gruber, M.Div., who became pastor on June 17, 2025, succeeding Rev. Robert J. George. Deacon Joseph ('Joe') Cannon serves as Permanent Deacon and Director of Religious Education. The lay staff includes Joseph O'Gurek as Business Manager and Lisa Smith as Parish Secretary. Earlier bulletins also list Rich Smith as Facilities Manager. The parish is part of the Diocese of Allentown, whose bishop is the Most Reverend Alfred A. Schlert.
- Pastor — Rev. Eric J. Gruber, M.Div. ([email protected])
- Permanent Deacon & DRE — Deacon Joseph Cannon ([email protected]; 570-645-2664 ext. 7)
- Business Manager — Joseph O'Gurek ([email protected])
- Parish Secretary — Lisa Smith ([email protected])
- Facilities Manager — Rich Smith ([email protected])
- Diocesan Bishop — Most Reverend Alfred A. Schlert, Diocese of Allentown
Contact, Office Hours, and Social Media
Parish business is handled Monday through Friday from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm at 118 North Market Street, Summit Hill. The church building stands at 462 West Ludlow Street. The parish keeps a unified social-media presence under the handle @stjpv1850 on Facebook and Instagram, and live-streams some weekday Masses on Facebook.
- Parish phone: 570-645-2664
- Parish fax: 570-645-3037
- Parish website: www.stjscatholicchurch.org
- Diocesan website: www.allentowndiocese.org
- Parish social media handle: @stjpv1850
- Parish Office: 118 N. Market St., Summit Hill, PA 18250
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father James Maloney1840–
Transferred from Tamaqua; began tending to Summit Hill Catholics, prepared schoolroom in church basement, began enlargement of church.
- Father Ambrose Manahan1852–
First resident pastor; completed the church enlargement.
- Father Basil ShorbOctober 1854–
Built the first rectory.
- Father Hugh MagorienAugust 1858–
Built the office of the residence and improved the church.
- Father James KelleyAugust 1860–
Removed rooms from church, built a sanctuary, added 21 pews, connected pastoral residence to church.
- Father James WayneApril 1877–
Purchased White Street land for a cemetery; built a portion of the rectory.
- Father James McConnon1903–
Enlarged the rectory.
- Father William BarringtonMarch 1911–
Repaired the church and enclosed the sacristy-to-basement entrance.
- Father William Sullivan
Laid the school cornerstone on June 19, 1927.
- Father William BegelySeptember 1944–
Repaired the church after the Depression years.
- Father Joseph McPeakSeptember 15, 1948–
Renewed pews, painted the interior, added new confessionals.
- Rev. Robert J. George2021–June 17, 2025
Predecessor pastor; also served as chaplain at Marian Catholic High School; reassigned to St. Columbkill Parish, Boyertown.
- Rev. Eric J. Gruber, M.Div.June 17, 2025–present
Native of Palmerton; transferred from St. John Fisher Parish, Catasauqua.