The City of Bethlehem in 1954 was growing into what was then called the "Great Northwest", as new housing was under construction throughout the area known as Hanover and Schoenersville straddling the newly opened superhighway named Route 22.   Companies such as Bethlehem Steel and Western Electric were attracting new employees and their families to the area.

           In response to the need to provide new facilities for religious worship for the increasing number of Catholic families, the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, on February 11, 1954, authorized the establishment of a new parish to be located at Catasauqua and Kelchner Roads in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.   The site was a five–acre plot of land, part of the Werner estate, containing only a farmhouse and an old dairy barn.   Since 1954 was a Marian year, the new parish was named Notre Dame of Bethlehem, Notre Dame meaning Our Lady.   Appropriately, it was founded on the feast of Our Lady of Lourdes.   Archbishop John F. O'Hara, C.S.C. appointed Rev. Thomas J. Doyle as Notre Dame's first pastor.

FIRST RECTORY
1954

           Fr. Doyle then visited and enlisted the aid of future members of the newly named parish and a contract was awarded to remodel the barn.   The remodeled barn served as a temporary church while a refurbished farmhouse served as a temporary rectory.   Two months later on Passion Sunday, April 4, 1954, the first Mass was celebrated by Fr. Doyle in the first church which seated 350.   By June 1954, 280 families had been registered and by September 1955, the registered families had increased to 430 families, an increase of over 50% in fifteen months.

NOTRE DAME SCHOOL
1955

           Noting the need for schools, an elementary school was the first building project which began in September 26, 1954.   The Sisters of Saint Joseph of Chestnut Hill were asked to staff the school and provisions were made by including a convent in the building project.   Among the fund raisers was the first carnival held on August 18 – 21, 1954 in a rainstorm.   Nevertheless, it was a social and financial success.   The new school was dedicated by Archbishop O'Hara on September 25, 1955 with Sister Joseph Daniel serving as its first PRINCIPAL for a student population that numbered 240.   By 1956, enrollment had risen to 320.   The teaching faculty of SSJ nuns were temporarily housed at 1905 Catasauqua Road.

RECTORY

           The old farmhouse which served as the rectory had to be demolished to make way for the widening of Catasauqua Road.   A new (current) rectory was built and completed on September 12, 1956.

           By 1957, 600 families belonged to the parish and the school enrollment had risen to 400.   It was decided to add a second floor to the school in the summer of 1957.

CONVENT
1959

           The convent building was begun in August 1958, and occupied on April,1959.

GROTTO OF OUR LADY

           In 1958, a shrine to the Blessed Virgin Mary, under whose patronage the parish was founded, was built by the men of the parish and dedicated.   On July 1960, ground breaking for a new church was held and the first Sunday Mass was celebrated on June 25, 1961.

           In February 1961, the Allentown Diocese was formed with Joseph McShea appointed by Pope John XXIII as its first bishop.

           In 1962, Pope John convened the Second Vatican Council which eventually ushered in many liturgical changes.

Rev. Msgr. Thomas J. Doyle

           In 1963, Father Doyle was elevated to Domestic Prelate, with the title of Reverend Monsignor and was among the first group of priests to be so honored in the newly established Allentown Diocese.

           The renovation of the main altar allowing celebrants to face the people was completed in 1969.   By April 1970, the new order of the Mass began at Notre Dame.

           A significant occasion in the parish history occurred when the $565,000.00 mortgage was declared paid on October 12, 1971.   The occasion was marked by a ceremonial mortgage burning held in the parish Church Hall in November.

SHRINE OF OUR LADY

           In October 18, 1975, a new shrine in honor of Our Lady was dedicated and located in the vestibule of the church and the Baptistry was relocated to the Sanctuary.

           The 25th year was marked with celebrations on February 8 – 11, 1979.   When Msgr. Doyle retired in 1984, Bishop Thomas J. Welsh, second bishop of the Allentown Diocese, appointed Rev. Frederick J. Loeper as the second pastor of Notre Dame.   For the 40th anniversary celebration of the parish, a capital campaign gave rise to an annex in the school and the renovation of the Church.   Unfortunately, Fr. Loeper was called by our Maker the day after his 68th birthday on August 31, 1996.   With Fr. Loeper’s passing, Bishop Welsh appointed Rev. Msgr. Joseph E. Kurtz as the third pastor of Notre Dame.   On October 1997, the new annex of the school was dedicated in honor of Fr. Loeper.

           In 1999, then Msgr. Kurtz was ordained bishop of Knoxville, Tennessee.   Bishop Edward Cullen, third bishop of Allentown, appointed Rev. Msgr. William E. Handges as the fourth pastor of Notre Dame.   On September 3, 2000, a statue of Jesus with Children was dedicated by Msgr. Richard E. Loeper, Bishop Kurtz, and and Msgr. Handges in remembrance of Fr. Loeper.

           In June 2005, Bishop Cullen appointed Rev. Msgr. Thomas J. Benestad as the fifth pastor of Notre Dame.   In February 2007, Msgr. Benestad went on a medical leave and in March 2007, Bishop Cullen appointed Rev. Thomas D. Baddick as administrator and eventually the sixth pastor of Notre Dame.