The Catholic Church has been present in the Lehigh Valley for around 200 years. St. Bernard's church in Easton is the oldest Catholic church in the Lehigh Valley, dating to 1829.
The Lehigh Valley is home to three Catholic churches in communion with Rome:
- Latin Rite Catholics are under the episcopal jurisdiction of Diocese of Allentown. Latin Rite Catholics constitute the majority of Catholics in the Lehigh Valley, much as they do throughout the rest of the United States.
- Ukranian Rite Catholics are under the episcopal jurisdiction of Metropolitan Archbishop Stephen Soroka of the Ukranian Catholic Archeparchy of Philadelphia. The Lehigh Valley is home to three Ukranian Catholic parishes: St. Josaphat (Bethlehem), St. John the Baptist (Northampton), and Holy Ghost (Easton).
- Byzantine (Carpatho-Rusyn) Catholics belong to the Eparchy of Passaic whose Eparch (Bishop) is the Most Rev. Bishop Andrew Pataki. Bishop Pataki is a member of the Council of Hierarchs for the Byzantine Catholic Metropolitan Church sui iuris of Pittsburgh, which consists of all the bishops of the Metropolia of Pittsburgh and is convoked and presided over by Metropolitan Basil M. Schott. The Lehigh Valley is home to two Byzantine parishes: Ss. Peter and Paul (Bethlehem) and St. Michael (Allentown).
Latin Rite Catholics interested in learning more about Eastern Rite Catholicism should start at Byzcath.org.