Ten members of St. Mary Magdalen Parish, Lost Creek, gathered near the Allentown Catholic Diocese office yesterday to protest a decision made by Bishop Thomas Welsh to expand the chapel in the rectory instead of building a new church.

The church was razed by fire, resulting in an insurance payment of $474,472.

Welsh announced his plans in April for the insurance payment, allocating $100,000 for chapel expansion purposes, $100,000 to Cardinal Brennan High School and $100,000 to be invested by the diocese, with the interest to be paid quarterly to the parish. The remainder of the funds are slated to be invested for all students from the parish to attend the high school with the interest to be used for tuition assistance.