The Rev. Charles Smiech reads prayers to attendees Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024, at St. Francis Retreat House’s annual Blessing of the Animals in Bethlehem Township. The retreat house, a seven-decades-old spiritual oasis for thousands of Roman Catholics in the Allentown Diocese and other faiths in and beyond the Allentown Diocese, is closing as of Sunday, Oct. 6, due to a combination of rising operating costs and a decline in the number of retreats, officials said.
The Rev. Charles Smiech reads prayers to attendees Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024, at St. Francis Retreat House’s annual Blessing of the Animals in Bethlehem Township. The retreat house, a seven-decades-old spiritual oasis for thousands of Roman Catholics in the Allentown Diocese and other faiths in and beyond the Allentown Diocese, is closing as of Sunday, Oct. 6, due to a combination of rising operating costs and a decline in the number of retreats, officials said. St. Francis, which celebrates weekday and Sunday Mass each week for congregants, among other activities, is scheduled to celebrate its last Mass 10 a.m. Sunday. (Sharon Merkel/Special to The Morning Call)Andrea Reid of Easton brings her beagle, Hank, to the St. Francis Retreat House’s annual Blessing of the Animals on Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024, in Bethlehem Township. (Sharon Merkel/Special to The Morning Call)The Rev. Charles Smiech takes time to pet Mirra and Coco, a Welsh corgi and black Lab owned by Mark Anderson of Bethlehem, Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024, at St. Francis Retreat House’s annual Blessing of the Animals in Bethlehem Township. (Sharon Merkel/Special to The Morning Call)The Rev. Charles Smiech blesses pets with holy water Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024, at St. Francis Retreat House’s annual Blessing of the Animals in Bethlehem Township. The retreat house, a seven-decades-old spiritual oasis for thousands of Roman Catholics in the Allentown Diocese and other faiths in and beyond the Allentown Diocese, is closing as of Sunday, Oct. 6, due to a combination of rising operating costs and a decline in the number of retreats, officials said. St. Francis, which celebrates weekday and Sunday Mass each week for congregants, among other activities, is scheduled to celebrate its last Mass 10 a.m. Sunday. (Sharon Merkel/Special to The Morning Call)Anita Fischer of Palmer Township holds her dog, Milo, on Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024, at St. Francis Retreat House’s annual Blessing of the Animals in Bethlehem Township. (Sharon Merkel/Special to The Morning Call)The Rev. Charles Smiech blesses pets with holy water Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024, at St. Francis Retreat House’s annual Blessing of the Animals in Bethlehem Township. The retreat house, a seven-decades-old spiritual oasis for thousands of Roman Catholics in the Allentown Diocese and other faiths in and beyond the Allentown Diocese, is closing as of Sunday, Oct. 6, due to a combination of rising operating costs and a decline in the number of retreats, officials said. St. Francis, which celebrates weekday and Sunday Mass each week for congregants, among other activities, is scheduled to celebrate its last Mass 10 a.m. Sunday. (Sharon Merkel/Special to The Morning Call)Coco, a Welsh corgi, and Mirra, a black Lab, owned by Mark Anderson of Bethlehem relax Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024, after St. Francis Retreat House’s annual Blessing of the Animals in Bethlehem Township. (Sharon Merkel/Special to The Morning Call)The Rev. Charles Smiech greets Buddy while his owner, Michelle Hank of Bethlehem Township, records it on her phone Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024, at St. Francis Retreat House’s annual Blessing of the Animals in Bethlehem Township. The retreat house, a seven-decades-old spiritual oasis for thousands of Roman Catholics in the Allentown Diocese and other faiths in and beyond the Allentown Diocese, is closing as of Sunday, Oct. 6, due to a combination of rising operating costs and a decline in the number of retreats, officials said. St. Francis, which celebrates weekday and Sunday Mass each week for congregants, among other activities, is scheduled to celebrate its last Mass 10 a.m. Sunday. (Sharon Merkel/Special to The Morning Call)The Rev. Charles Smiech hands out a St. Francis medal to Cindy Mlodzienski of Easton and her pit bull, Diamond, on Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024, at St. Francis Retreat House’s annual Blessing of the Animals in Bethlehem Township. (Sharon Merkel/Special to The Morning Call)The Rev. Charles Smiech takes time to pet Mirra and Coco, a Welsh corgi and black Lab owned by Mark Anderson of Bethlehem, Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024, at St. Francis Retreat House’s annual Blessing of the Animals in Bethlehem Township. (Sharon Merkel/Special to The Morning Call)The Rev. Charles Smiech takes time to pet Mirra and Coco, a Welsh corgi and black Lab owned by Mark Anderson of Bethlehem, Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024, at St. Francis Retreat House’s annual Blessing of the Animals in Bethlehem Township. The retreat house, a seven-decades-old spiritual oasis for thousands of Roman Catholics in the Allentown Diocese and other faiths in and beyond the Allentown Diocese, is closing as of Sunday, Oct. 6, due to a combination of rising operating costs and a decline in the number of retreats, officials said. St. Francis, which celebrates weekday and Sunday Mass each week for congregants, among other activities, is scheduled to celebrate its last Mass 10 a.m. Sunday. (Sharon Merkel/Special to The Morning Call)The Rev. Charles Smiech hands out St. Francis medals Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024, to attendees at St. Francis Retreat House’s annual Blessing of the Animals in Bethlehem Township. (Sharon Merkel/Special to The Morning Call)The Rev. Charles Smiech hands out a St. Francis medal to Andrea Reid and her beagle, Hank, on Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024, at St. Francis Retreat House’s annual Blessing of the Animals in Bethlehem Township. The retreat house, a seven-decades-old spiritual oasis for thousands of Roman Catholics in the Allentown Diocese and other faiths in and beyond the Allentown Diocese, is closing as of Sunday, Oct. 6, due to a combination of rising operating costs and a decline in the number of retreats, officials said. St. Francis, which celebrates weekday and Sunday Mass each week for congregants, among other activities, is scheduled to celebrate its last Mass 10 a.m. Sunday. (Sharon Merkel/Special to The Morning Call)The Rev. Charles Smiech hands out St. Francis medals to Jen Ostile, holding her dog Mary, and Ostile’s mother, Terri, on Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024, at St. Francis Retreat House’s annual Blessing of the Animals in Bethlehem Township. (Sharon Merkel/Special to The Morning Call)The Rev. Charles Smiech reads prayers to attendees Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024, at St. Francis Retreat House’s annual Blessing of the Animals in Bethlehem Township. (Sharon Merkel/Special to The Morning Call)
Ben Madilynn
