5 Churches to consolidate...
by News Department on 06/29/15The final weekend Masses of five Roman Catholic churches, that will be merging into one parish on July 1st, were celebrated Saturday and Sunday in Schuylkill County.
The merger of the five parishes in Ashland, Girardville and Gordon is effective Wednesday with a new parish being formed in Ashland for the region and will use the current St. Joseph Church on Ashland. St. with the Rev. John W. Bambrick to become pastor. He is currently the pastor of the Ashland and Gordon churches.
The pastor of the Girardville churches, the Rev. Edward B. Connolly, will retire, effective Wednesday.
The merger by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Allentown completes the process of restructuring and consolidation of churches in the diocese that began in 2008.
