St. Joseph the Worker To Expand Chapel

parish in Orefield plans to build a significant addition to the church’s chapel, as it seeks pledges to cover the cost of construction.

The church applied to South Whitehall on Friday for a building permit for the $389,000 project, which calls for adding 1,892-square-feet to the chapel and increasing seating to 104 from 15.

Msgr. Robert Wargo, who is pastor of St. Joseph the Worker, said the church did not sponsor a capital campaign and instead has sought pledges. The freewill offering is on-going.  So far, the church has pledges totaling $271,000 and has collected $137,000.

Wargo said the importance of an expanded chapel is threefold.

Firstly, he said, “We’ve been increasing the number of people who come for Eucharist adoration.” People can come for adoration of the Blessed Sacrament  from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, he said, but there isn’t sufficient space to accommodate everyone.

Also, he said, “It would be a tremendous help for our older parishioners.” He said the addition will make it easier for people with physical disabilities, who use walkers and wheelchairs, to enter directly from the parking lot to the chapel instead of having to make their way through a vestibule.

The parish will also save money on heating and air conditioning costs, he said, because the daily Mass can be held in the chapel instead of the larger portion of the church, which seats 1,100 people. 

Bracy Contracting of Allentown, which has handled previous expansions at St. Joseph the Worker, will do the construction.

If all goes as planned, it will be under way in early September, with work expected to last roughly six months. Wargo expects the expanded chapel to be open in time for Easter 2012.

The main part of the church and current chapel were built in the early 1970s, with an expansion of the building in 1998. The parish had 99 baptisms last year.

St. Joseph the Worker Parish also has a at its Applewood Drive site, covering preschool through eighth grade. The Early Childhood Center, with 130 children, includes a preschool, pre-kindergarten and kindergarten, for ages 3-5 years old. There are two classes for each grade in the remainder of the school, which educates 370 children.