The Reverend Clifton E. Bishop, 65, died in St. Luke’s Hospital, Fountain Hill campus, on December 15, 2020. He had retired in December of 2018, and was in residence at Holy Family Villa, Bethlehem.

Born in Richmond, Virginia, he was a son of the late Clifton and Virginia (Carlin) Bishop.

He earned a Bachelor of Science Degree from LaRoche College, Pittsburgh. He studied for the priesthood at Mount Saint Mary’s Seminary, Emmitsburg, Maryland, where he earned a Master of Divinity Degree in Theology.

He was ordained to the priesthood on June 6, 1998, by the Most Reverend Edward P. Cullen, Bishop of Allentown, at the Cathedral of Saint Catharine of Siena, Allentown. His first priestly assignment was that of parochial vicar, St. Joseph Parish, Reading; and then at St. Joseph the Worker Parish, Orefield; St. Theresa of the Child Jesus Parish, Hellertown; St. Catharine of Siena Parish, Mount Penn; and at St. Anne Parish, Bethlehem. His first pastoral assignment was Pastor, Immaculate Conception, Our Lady of Mount Carmel, and Sacred Heart Parishes, Nesquehoning; followed by pastor for Incarnation of Our Lord and Holy Ghost Parishes, Bethlehem. He was a chaplain for Kutztown University, Kutztown; Albright College, Reading; and Holy Family Manor, Bethlehem. He was a member of the Marian Catholic High School Advisory Board.

He is survived by a sister, Linda Brown and her husband Elme, of Bethlehem; two nephews, Christopher Brown and his wife Angel of Boca Raton, Florida, and Andrew Brown and his wife Rebekah of Bethlehem; nine great-nieces and great-nephews: Judah, Bara, Ruby, Rhema, Jedidiah, Raphaela, Hutchinson, Daschel and Fineas; and a brother, Thomas Hatcher Miffleton III and his wife, Jo Ann, of Salisbury, Maryland.

Contributions may be made to Holy Ghost Church, 417 Carlton Ave. Bethlehem.

Arrangements were made by Cantelmi Long Funeral Home Inc., Bethlehem.