In a gesture of profound gratitude and enduring faith, parishioners of St. Joseph the Worker Parish in Orefield, PA, have established the Monsignor Joseph P.T. Smith Vocations Fund, honoring a beloved shepherd whose priesthood has shaped generations.
The fund marks a significant moment — the “second” retirement of Monsignor Smith — bringing to a close not simply years of service, but a lifetime poured out in devotion to God and His people.
Monsignor Smith first served St. Joseph the Worker as pastor from 1973 to 1985, guiding the parish through a period of growth that included the construction of its present church and parish center. Decades later, in what many parishioners describe as a quiet return of grace, he came back in 2008 as priest in residence, continuing to minister faithfully until 2026.
“We are so appreciative of Monsignor Smith’s priestly witness and virtue toward all of us,” said Monsignor Victor Finelli, current pastor. “He deserves our sincere thanks for his many years of service and all that he has done for this parish community.”
The Monsignor Joseph P.T. Smith Vocations Fund
The newly established fund ensures that Monsignor Smith’s legacy will not simply be remembered — but lived.
Designed to support parishioners discerning a call to the priesthood, religious sisterhood, or brotherhood, the Vocations Fund will provide financial assistance for formation, education, and other needs by removing obstacles that might otherwise stand in the way of answering God’s call.
For the parish’s Vocations Committee, the fund is more than a tribute; it is a continuation of Monsignor Smith’s life’s work.
“He has allowed God to use him as an instrument to enrich our lives,” the committee shared in a recent parish bulletin. “Through his faithful witness, he has brought the Gospel into our lives, the sacraments to our families, and Christ into our hearts.”
Their prayer is simple and powerful: that his example will inspire others to listen for that same call and to follow it with courage.
Monsignor Smith’s 66 Years of Priestly Service
Ordained on May 14, 1960, at the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul in Philadelphia after studies at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary, Monsignor Smith’s priesthood has spanned more than six decades. In 1971, he was named a Prelate of Honor by St. Pope John Paul II, receiving the title Monsignor.
His ministry extended far beyond a single parish. After his first tenure in Orefield, he served as pastor of St. Catharine of Siena Parish in Mount Penn from 1985 to 2008, once again overseeing the construction of a new church, school, and parish center. Upon retirement, he was named pastor emeritus.
Across 66 years of priestly service, Monsignor Smith’s assignments reflected both breadth and depth. He has served in parish ministry, Catholic education, diocesan leadership, vocations advocacy, and pro-life work. Yet for those who know him best, his legacy is not measured in titles, but in presence: steady, faithful, and quietly transformative.
Now, as he steps away from active ministry, the impact of his vocation continues — taking root in the lives of those who may one day follow the same path.
“Monsignor Smith deserves every good blessing as he truly retires from parish ministry,” Monsignor Finelli said. “He has faithfully served the people of this parish and our Diocese.”
And through this fund, his life’s work will echo into the future — calling others to listen, to discern, and to say yes.