Diocese of Allentown Dioecesis Alanpolitana
Coat of arms
Flag
Location
Country	United States of America
Territory	Pennsylvania counties of Berks, Carbon, Lehigh, Northampton and Schuylkill, in the United States
Ecclesiastical province	Archdiocese of Philadelphia
Statistics
Area	2,773 sq mi (7,180 km2)
Population - Total - Catholics	(as of 2015) 1,272,212 258,997 (20.4%)
Parishes	89
Information
Denomination	Roman Catholic
Rite	Roman Rite
Established	January 28, 1961
Cathedral	Cathedral of Saint Catharine of Siena
Patron saint	Saint Catherine of Siena
Secular priests	210
Current leadership
Pope	Francis
Bishop	Alfred Andrew Schlert
Metropolitan Archbishop	Charles Joseph Chaput, OFM Cap Archbishop of Philadelphia
Bishops emeritus	Edward Peter Cullen
Map
Website
allentowndiocese.org

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Allentown (Latin: Dioecesis Alanpolitana) is a Latin rite diocese in the ecclesiastical province of the Metropolitan Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia in the Eastern United States.

Its cathedral is the Cathedral Church of Saint Catharine of Siena, located in Allentown, Pennsylvania. It was announced on December 9, 2016 that Pope Francis had transferred Allentown Bishop John O. Barres to the Diocese of Rockville Centre in Long Island, New York.^[1]

The diocese covers the Pennsylvania counties of Berks, Carbon, Lehigh, Northampton and Schuylkill. It has a Catholic population of 258,997 as of 2015, approximately 20.4% of the total population; it maintains 89 parishes, 34 Catholic elementary schools, 6 Catholic high schools and two Catholic colleges, as well as 244 priests (active, retired & religious).

As of 2014 it pastorally served 301,000 Catholics (23.3% of 1,291,000 total) on 7,183 km² in 102 parishes and 26 missions with 236 priests (173 diocesan, 63 religious), 93 deacons, 399 lay religious (78 brothers, 321 sisters) and 17 seminarians.

The diocese was founded on January 28, 1961 by Pope John XXIII splitting it from the Archdiocese of Philadelphia; the first bishop, Joseph Mark McShea, was installed on April 11 of that year.^[2] During his 22-year tenure, he oversaw the construction, purchase, and renovation of over 300 church buildings. In 1964, McShea, together with the Oblates of St. Francis de Sales, founded Allentown College (currently known as DeSales University).^[3] He ordained 130 priests between 1961 and 1975. Although the diocese accounted for only 7 percent of Pennsylvania's Catholic population, it provided 20 percent of the state's ordinations.^[4] He convened the first diocesan synod in May 1968.

McShea founded "Operation Rice Bowl" which began in the form of a small cardboard box in the parishes of the diocese to receive alms directed to relieving a famine in Africa. In 1976 it was adopted by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops as a national program, and the following year assigned to Catholic Relief Services.^[4][5] He helmed the founding of Holy Family Manor, a nursing and rehabilitation center at the former Eugene Grace mansion in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.^[6] He also established Holy Family Villa, a retirement home for priests.

1. Joseph Mark McShea (1961-1983)
2. Thomas Jerome Welsh (1983-1997)
3. Edward Peter Cullen (1997-2009)
4. John Oliver Barres (2009-2016), appointed Bishop of Rockville Centre
5. Alfred Andrew Schlert (2017–present)

• Ronald William Gainer, appointed Bishop of Lexington in 2002 and later Bishop of Harrisburg
• Joseph Edward Kurtz, appointed Bishop of Knoxville in 19 and later Archbishop of Louisville
• David B. Thompson, appointed Coadjutor Bishop of Charleston in 1989 and later Bishop of Charleston

Vicar General: Msgr. David L. James, J.C.L.
Judicial Vicar: Fr. John J. Paul, J.C.D., S.T.L.

In 2008, the Diocese of Allentown underwent a major restructuring of parishes. Declining Mass attendance, shifts in population, and a decrease in priestly vocations led to these changes. Much of the Northeastern United States is experiencing the same demographic transformation.

• Schuylkill Deanery: Msgr. William J. Glosser, V.F.
• Berks Deanery: Fr. Thomas P. Bortz, V.F.
• Carbon Deanery: Msgr. John G. Chizmar, V.F.
• Lehigh Deanery: Msgr. Daniel J. Yenushosky, V.F.
• Northampton Deanery: Msgr. Stephen J. Radocha,V.F.

A cross (+) indicates a parish formed from the merger or consolidation of two or more former parishes.

In early 2016, a grand jury investigation, led by Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro, began an inquiry into sexual abuse by Catholic clergy in six Pennsylvania dioceses: Allentown, Scranton, Harrisburg, Pittsburgh, Greensburg, and Erie. The Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown and the Archdiocese of Philadelphia were not included, as they had been the subjects of earlier investigations.^[7]

On August 1, 2018, Matt Kerr, spokesman for the Diocese of Allentown, announced that the Diocese would cooperate with a Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruling and publish a list containing names of clergy suspected of taking part in sexual abuse of children.^[8] Kerr stated that the Diocese would post the list of "credibly accused priests" on its website the day a grand jury report is released.^[8]

On August 14, 2018, Bishop Schlert issued a video apology on behalf of the Allentown Diocese.^[9] Schlert stated that the cases of sexual abuse in the Diocese date back decades and that most of the accused priests in the Diocese are either deceased or no longer active in the ministry.^[9] Schlert also stated that the Diocese has had a zero tolerance policy for sexual abuse since 2003.^[9] The same day, the grand jury report was published and showed at least 301 priests in the six dioceses, including Allentown, were accused of abusing children and were shuffled from parish to parish to avoid being checked.^[10][11] The grand jury issued a statement in the report claiming that for all the six diocese which were investigated, including Allentown, “we believe that the real number — of children whose records were lost, or who were afraid ever to come forward — is in the thousands.”^[10][11]

37 priests in Allentown were among the accused.^[12] However the grand jury noted how some records of sex abuse in the Diocese of Allentown were lost.^[10] Schlert was named as an "enabler" during the time he was vicar general to Bishop Edward Cullen.^[12] Over time, Schlert was promoted for his role in handling the sex abuse allegations.^[10] Others were promoted as well.^[10] Commenting on the grand jury report at the time of its release, Schlert noted that “much has changed in the past 15 years, notably, that the diocese immediately removes accused priests from ministry and reports allegations to law enforcement.

On August 22, 2018, Diocese priest Rev. Kevin Lonergan, who was not among those listed, was charged with indecent assault and corruption of minors after being accused of inappropriately touching a 17-year-old girl and sending nude images of himself to her.^[13]

One accused priest was also revealed to have transferred to the Diocese of Orlando in Florida.^[14]

• DeSales University, Center Valley
• Alvernia University, Reading

• Allentown Central Catholic High School
• Bethlehem Catholic High School
• Berks Catholic High School, Reading
• Marian Catholic High School, Tamaqua
• Nativity BVM High School, Pottsville
• Notre Dame High School, Easton

• Roman Catholic Diocese of Allentown Official Site
• GCatholic, with Google map - data for most sections

v t e Roman Catholic Diocese of Allentown
Ordinaries	Bishops Joseph McShea Thomas Welsh Edward Cullen John Oliver Barres Alfred Andrew Schlert Diocesan priests who became bishops Ronald William Gainer Joseph Edward Kurtz David B. Thompson
Churches	Cathedral Cathedral of Saint Catharine of Siena Parishes Mary Queen of Peace Catholic Church, Pottsville St. John the Baptist Church, Pottsville
Education	Universities and colleges Alvernia University DeSales University High schools Allentown Central Catholic High School, Allentown Bethlehem Catholic High School, Bethlehem Berks Catholic High School, Reading Marian Catholic High School, Tamaqua Nativity BVM High School, Pottsville Notre Dame High School, Easton Seminary (closed) Mary Immaculate Seminary, Northampton
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