BETHLEHEM, Pa. (June 1, 2016) – The Windish Roman Catholic Society of St. Joseph, Bethlehem, Pa., will celebrate its Centennial at noon on Sunday, June 5 at Blue Grillhouse in Bethlehem. Even though the church itself was closed by the diocese years ago, the Society continues to flourish.
A buffet luncheon will be served and society memorabilia will also be on display. Society members and guests will have to opportunity to discuss and reminisce about the Society’s fascinating history.
Established in 1916, the Society was founded to provide its members with some financial aid for sickness, disability and death benefits. Dues were $12 a year (same as today), but most members paid monthly because $12 was two to three days’ wages. Members received a death benefit of $500, disability benefits of $100 for loss of an eye, foot or hand, and a sickness benefit lifetime maximum of $400 provided at $10 a week. At that time, these were the only benefits available to the immigrant workers that came to Bethlehem to find work at the Bethlehem Steel; these benefits were a big help financially during a hardship. The Society was also a center of social activity at the church and all members were invited to the monthly general meetings in the church basement to conduct business, and adjourned to enjoy a meal or banquet.
For the first 50 years until 1965, the Society’s minute book and the By-Laws were handwritten in Windish. Over that time the investments have included properties, rentals, a parking lot, stocks and bonds. Throughout the first 50 years, the Society grew to almost 200 members and total assets of $66,000. By 1978, the Society had exceeded $100,000 in assets and the membership was open to other Catholic Church members outside of St. Joseph’s Church.
Today, the Society has close to $500,000 in assets and is financially secure. The Society’s financial success has allowed four consecutive years of gain sharing, totaling $120,000 in increased death benefits to members. The Society has a long tradition of serving its members and returning the maximum gain to the death benefit. It will continue to serve its members for the next 100 years.
