LOCK HAVEN - A number of Catholic priests joined The Most Rev. Mark L. Bartchak, bishop of the Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown, at the Jan. 9 mass celebrating the merger of St. Agnes and Immaculate Conception Catholic Churches into the Holy Spirit Parish.
Those participating were Revs. Michael Wolfe, Dan O'Neill, Matt Baum, Angelo Patti, Norman Imgrund, Bishop Bartchak, Don Dusza, local Rev. Joseph Orr, James Crookston and David Arseneault.
Wolfe is a Lock Haven native now serving at Johnstown. O'Neill and Imgrund served locally for a number of years. Baum is at State College. Patti is at Johnstown. Dusza is in Bedford.
Also participating were Holy Spirit Parish Deacons Philip D. Gibson and Calvin "Chip" Young. Master of Ceremonies was Deacon Robert D. Bailey.
State Rep. Michael Hanna was a guest speaker, as was Lock Haven Catholic School Principal Michele Alexander.
Among those participating as ministers of the liturgy were: Sister Nancy Spence, CCW, Cheryl Varner, Mary Lou Putek and Cecilia Larsen, Conrad Schlesinger, instrumentalists David Sorgen (trumpet) and Beverly Schmidt (violin). Gift bearers included parish and finance council members. The Fourth Degree Knights of Columbus and Catholic Daughters also participated.
The joint I.C.-St. Agnes choirs received a standing ovation at the end of the service.
Well over 100 people attended the ceremony. Members of the new joint parish council of the two churches, along with guests, attended a brief dinner in the St. Agnes Parish Center, prior to the 7 p.m. service.
