Holy Family Parish has a rich, multicultural history originating from the town’s biblical name. Diverse European immigrants came to Nazareth to work in the cement mills in the early 1900’s. From its beginnings as a Moravian settlement in the 1740’s to today’s status as a thriving part of the Lehigh Valley, Nazareth has carefully preserved its past. Traditions of German, Austrian, Polish, Slovak, Hungarian and Italian immigrants joined and shared their cultures
Early Catholics traveled to nearby Easton and Bethlehem for Mass and the Sacraments. Fr. Regnery, pastor of St. Joseph, Easton was so impressed by the devotion of the people who came to a funeral in the cold winter of 1907 that he suggested to John Keppel that Mass could be celebrated in Nazareth. Mr. Keppel along with Stephen Recker, Joseph Reichel and Elias Stranzl collected 300 Catholic names and petitioned Archbishop Ryan for permission to establish a parish in Nazareth.
The first pastor, Fr. Peter Fuengerlings, celebrated Mass in a wagon workshop off Center Square. He built a combination church and school and invited MSC Sisters in Reading, PA to staff the school. Early parishioners intended to return to Europe, but when World War I broke out, many decided to settle in the USA. They became more involved in the life of their parish. Parishioners John Groller, Ignatz Wukovitz and John Bowers successfully started the Holy Family Sick and Relief Society to provide benefits to members’ spouses. Today the Club flourishes as a reception hall for weddings, banquets, bowling leagues and a private social club.
Since 1913 Holy Family Parish has always been staffed by the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart (MSC) priests who are members of a worldwide religious community. They opened Mission Churches in Bath, Clearfield and Stockertown to serve the Catholics in the surrounding area. An Altar and Rosary society began in 1929 for women and a Holy Name Society for men and a Boy Scout troop in 1937. In 1952 Fr. Anton Wortmann, MSC and his assistant, Fr. Stephen Geusic, MSC launched a major building campaign to pay off the debt of a school and gymnasium. Fr. Geusic was very active in initiating sports programs. Fr. Wortmann purchased land for the Upper Cemetery and commissioned an artist to create the beautiful monument of Iberian marble, known as "Faith in the Resurrection". The final project of this amiable pastor was the construction of the present church incorporating the liturgical changes of the Second Vatican Council. The church resembles the bark (ship) of St. Peter. The boat holds the apostles and all of Christ's disciples who do God’s work. The Church is tossed by the waves, but not submerged. Fr. Wortmann was an exceptional man who corresponded with experts in the field of Liturgy. Holy Family is one of the first churches with an altar built away from the wall. It was sad that Fr. Wortmann became blind and never saw the fruit of his efforts. Succeeding Pastors paid off debts and worked to increase school enrollment.
Fr. Michael Camilli, MSC became pastor in 1971 and renovated a building across Center Street into the Wortmann Center for religious programs. Like Fr. Mike the parish priests animated parishioners to embrace the liturgical reforms of Vatican II and instituted lectors, cantors, choirs, Extraordinary Ministers of the Eucharist and advisory councils. Fr. Daniel Cipar, MSC directed the construction of the mausoleum in the Upper Cemetery and added four classrooms to the Parish School. Fr. Norbert Weber, MSC directed another addition to Holy Family School in 1999. Deacon Michael McGouldrick arrived in 1990 and was very active in Pastoral ministry at Gracedale.
Holy Family Parish has encouraged 12 of its sons to join the priesthood, 11 MSC priests and one diocesan priest. Not to be outdone by the men, 11 daughters became religious sisters, six MSC sisters and five joined other religious communities.