U.S. House passes Equality Act in a 224-206 vote

The U.S. Capitol is seen at dawn in Washington Jan. 10, 2021. (CNS photo/Tyler Orsburn)

TAKE ACTION: The Pennsylvania Catholic Conference has a ‘Voter Voice’ message that can be sent to lawmakers. To send a message to your Representative and Senators in Washington, visit: https://www.pacatholic.org/resources/voter-voice/?vvsrc=%2fHome

WASHINGTON (CNS) – The House of Representatives passed the Equality Act in a 224-206 vote Feb. 25.

A couple days ahead of the vote, the chairmen of five U.S. bishops’ committees said its mandates will “discriminate against people of faith” by adversely affecting charities and their beneficiaries, conscience rights, women’s sports, “and sex-specific facilities.”

The bill, known as H.R. 5 and recently reintroduced in the House, also will provide for taxpayer funding of abortion and limit freedom of speech, the chairmen said in a Feb. 23 letter to all members of Congress.

H.R. 5 amends the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity in employment, housing, public accommodations, public education, federal funding, the credit system and jury duty.

“Human dignity is central to what Catholics believe because every person is made in the image of God and should be treated accordingly, with respect and compassion,” they said. “This commitment is reflected in the church’s charitable service to all people, without regard to race, religion or any other characteristic.”

“It means we need to honor every person’s right to gainful employment free of unjust discrimination or harassment, and to the basic goods that they need to live and thrive,” they continued. “It also means that people of differing beliefs should be respected. In this, we wholeheartedly support nondiscrimination principles to ensure that everyone’s rights are protected.”

H.R. 5 “purports to protect people experiencing same-sex attraction or gender discordance from discrimination. But instead, the bill represents the imposition by Congress of novel and divisive viewpoints regarding ‘gender’ on individuals and organizations,” they said.

“This includes dismissing sexual difference and falsely presenting ‘gender’ as only a social construct,” they said. “As Pope Francis has reflected, however, ‘biological sex and the sociocultural role of sex — gender — can be distinguished but not separated.'”

Signing the letter were: Bishop Michael C. Barber of Oakland, California, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Catholic Education; Archbishop Paul S. Coakley of Oklahoma City, chairman of the USCCB Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development; Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan of New York, chairman of the USCCB Committee for Religious Liberty; Bishop David A. Konderla of Tulsa, Oklahoma, chairman of the USCCB Subcommittee for the Promotion and Defense of Marriage; and Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann of Kansas City, Kansas, chairman of the USCCB Committee on Pro-Life Activities.

“It is one thing to be understanding of human weakness and the complexities of life, and another to accept ideologies that attempt to sunder what are inseparable aspects of reality,” the bishops said, further quoting Pope Francis.

“Tragically, this act can also be construed to include an abortion mandate, a violation of precious rights to life and conscience,” the committee chairmen added.

“Rather than affirm human dignity in ways that meaningfully exceed existing practical protections, the Equality Act would discriminate against people of faith,” they said. “It would also inflict numerous legal and social harms on Americans of any faith or none.”

The measure first passed the House May 17, 2019, in a bipartisan 236–173 vote, but the Senate did not act on the bill after receiving it. President Donald Trump had threatened to veto the measure if it ever reached his desk.

House leadership pledged to see it reintroduced in the 117th Congress. On Feb. 18, Rep. David Cicilline, D-Rhode Island, reintroduced it. Democratic Sens. Jeff Merkley of Oregon, Cory Booker of New Jersey and Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin are expected to reintroduce a Senate version soon.

A group of faith leaders who support the Equality Act who held a webinar for the media Feb. 24 included Sister Simone Campbell, a Sister of Social Service, who is the outgoing executive director of Network, a Catholic social justice lobby organization.

Network has long supported the measure, she said. “It’s critically important to ensure there is no discrimination in our nation especially with regard to the LGBTQ community.”

In the Catholic faith, all are welcome, she said, “and if all are welcome, all need to be protected. I think the bedrock position of our faith is to welcome and secure safety and the ability to flourish for all.”

Campbell and representatives of other faiths, including Jewish, Muslim and other Christian leaders, said in the webinar that the measure “will not reduce religious liberty,” as protected by the First Amendment and religious exemptions in current law, “but it will reduce religious bigotry.”

However, the U.S. bishops’ committee chairmen said in their Feb. 23 letter that if passed, the Equality Act will “discriminate against individuals and religious organizations based on their different beliefs by partially repealing the bipartisan Religious Freedom Restoration Act, an unprecedented departure from that law and one of America’s founding principles.”

The Religious Freedom Restoration Act, or RFRA, is a 1993 law that protects religions against government intrusion.

Among its other provisions, the bishops said, the measure would expand “the government’s definition of public places into numerous settings, even forcing religiously operated spaces, such as some church halls and equivalent facilities owned by synagogues or mosques, to either host functions that violate their beliefs or close their doors to their broader communities.”

The USCCB on its website posted an “Action Alert” — https://bit.ly/3qVHIkL — asking Catholics to write to their representatives and senators to urge them to vote against the Equality Act.

Some state Catholic conferences have done the same, including the Montana Catholic Conference. In a Feb. 24 “Call to Action,” it said: “Everyone deserves to be treated with respect and dignity. The Equality Act … in many ways does the opposite and needs to be opposed.”

Editor’s Note: The full text of the bishops’ letter to members of Congress can be found online at https://bit.ly/3dEDhXE.

The Oblates of St. Joseph religious community will host the annual Novena to St. Joseph, March 10 – 18, in preparation for the Solemnity of the Patron of the Universal Church, Friday, March 19th. Daily Masses will be held in the Chapel of St. Joseph, 1880 Highway 315, Laflin, at 8:00am, 12 Noon and 7:00pm. The daily Noon Mass will be live streamed on the Oblates of St. Joseph Seminary Facebook page and broadcast live on JMJ Catholic Radio (98.9 FM / 750 AM). Serving as celebrant and homilist of the novena Masses will be priests of the Oblates of St. Joseph. Devotions to St. Joseph will conclude each Mass, before the distribution of Holy Communion.

The Solemnity of St. Joseph will be celebrated on Friday, March 19th, with Masses at 8:00am & 12 Noon. A Pontifical Mass will be celebrated at 7:00pm by Most Reverend Joseph C. Bambera, D.D., Bishop of Scranton. The Mass will be live streamed on Facebook and broadcast on JMJ Catholic Radio. No reservations are required, but the chapel’s maximum allowed capacity will be strictly observed.

Covid restrictions and regulations, mandated by the diocese, will be enforced in the chapel at all times, which require the wearing of facial masks and proper social distancing.

Fr. Paul McDonnell, OSJ, rector of the Oblate religious community, invites the faithful of the diocese during this Year of St. Joseph to participate in the novena and feast day celebrations. For more information, contact the main office at (570) 654-7542.

Archbishop Jan Pawlowski, an official at the Vatican Secretariat of State and papal delegate, celebrates Mass at the Divine Mercy Shrine in Plock, Poland, Feb. 22, 2021. The Mass marked the 90th anniversary of the first apparition of Jesus to St. Faustina Kowalska. (CNS photo/Katarzyna Artymiak)

VATICAN CITY (CNS) – Marking the 90th anniversary of the apparition of Jesus to St. Faustina Kowalska, Pope Francis wrote a letter to Catholics in Poland expressing his hope that Christ’s message of divine mercy would remain “alive in the hearts of the faithful.”

According to a statement released by the Polish bishops’ conference Feb. 22, the anniversary of the apparition, the pope said he was united in prayer with those commemorating the anniversary at the Divine Mercy Shrine in Krakow and encouraged them ask Jesus “for the gift of mercy.”

“Let us have the courage to come back to Jesus to meet his love and mercy in the sacraments,” he said. “Let us feel his closeness and tenderness, and then we will also be more capable of mercy, patience, forgiveness and love.”

In her diary, St. Faustina wrote that she had witnessed a vision of Jesus on Feb. 22, 1931, while she was living at a convent in Plock, Poland.

Christ, she wrote, had one hand raised in benediction and the other resting on his breast, from which emanated two rays of light. She said Christ demanded to have this image painted — along with the words “Jesus, I trust in you” — and venerated.

Her sainthood cause was opened in 1965 by then-Archbishop Karol Wojtyla of Krakow, who — after his election to the papacy — would go on to beatify her in 1993 and preside over her canonization in 2000.

Recalling St. John Paul II’s devotion to St. Faustina Kowalska and Christ’s message of divine mercy, the pope said his predecessor was “the apostle of mercy” who “wanted the message of God’s merciful love to reach all inhabitants of earth.”

Pope Francis also marked the anniversary of the apparition during his Sunday Angelus address Feb. 21.

“Through St. John Paul II, this message reached the entire world, and it is none other than the Gospel of Jesus Christ, who died and rose again, and who gives us his father’s mercy,” the pope said.

“Let us open our heart, saying with faith, ‘Jesus, I trust in you,'” he said.

SCRANTON – Despite all of the challenges associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, this Lent is filled with hope and joy for Andrew Farr. After wanting to become Catholic for years, the Scranton man’s dream is about to become a reality.

“I’m incredibly excited to be welcomed into the Catholic Church. I didn’t grow up religious so this whole process has been eye-opening for me,” Farr said.

Farr is one of 85 people who made their final declaration of intent to join the Catholic Church in the Diocese of Scranton at the Rite of Election and Call to Continuing Conversion, held on the first weekend of Lent, at the Cathedral of Saint Peter. Due to the pandemic, three different celebrations took place on Feb. 20 and Feb. 21 so people could maintain proper physical distancing.

The Rite of Election and Call to Continuing Conversion is when candidates and catechumens participating in RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults) publicly declare their intention to fully enter the church.

This year, the Diocese of Scranton had 30 catechumens, who will receive all the sacraments of initiation (Baptism, Confirmation and Holy Eucharist), and 55 candidates, who have been baptized but have not finished receiving the sacraments of initiation.

Farr, who is a catechumen, is sharing this journey with his two children, Lilly and Cayden, who are both candidates. Farr says the experience of learning as a family has been a blessing.

“It allowed us to learn the faith together and to be able to have the conversations together, because we were all starting from the same spot and luckily we have my wife who has been through all of this so she has been a great resource in the process as well,” Farr explained. “It feels like we’re a lot closer now. We have these conversations about our faith and what it means to us. We never really got to have those conversations before.”

Gregory Gies of Saint Michael Parish in Canton also participated in the Call to Continuing Conversion.

“I’ve always had faith but I was never part of a religious community and I wanted to gain more of that and better myself for my family,” Gies said.

As a father of two young children who have been baptized Catholic, Gies says he is excited about fully joining the Church this Easter.

“Taking part in the Eucharist and Confirmation and becoming Catholic was my ultimate goal and it’s coming closer and closer,” Gies added.

Sisters Stephanie Sanchez, 18, and Destiny Sanchez, 19, from Saint Rita Parish in Gouldsboro will also be joining the Church at Easter.

“It has been a long process but it is all worth it,” Destiny said. “It was very special for us to do this together. I’ve been wanting to do this my whole life and I’m so glad I’m living it.”

Several years ago, Destiny Sanchez said she witnessed the baptism of a cousin and realized its significance. This year, as her sister joins her this Easter, it will be an equally important occasion.

“I learned so much,” Stephanie added about the process.

The Most Reverend Joseph C. Bambera, Bishop of Scranton, was celebrant and homilist at each celebration. He officially accepted the catechumens, signing each parish’s Book of the Elect after being presented with it.

During his homily, the bishop reminded everyone that God calls each of us to be converted, to trust and discover that He is the true and lasting source of our life and well-being.

“He’s inviting you to walk a path with Him that ultimately will lead you to a life of meaning, purpose and peace. He is saying, through his invitation, that your life – with all of its struggles and joys, with all of its blessings and challenges – has a unique place and role to play within his plan,” Bishop Bambera said. “He’s sharing with you the same words that He shared with His disciples on the very night before He died, ‘It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain.’”

The bishop also told both the candidates and catechumens that they do not walk alone.

“Your presence here today, in the midst of so many challenges that have resulted from the (COVID-19) pandemic that has enveloped our lives, is a vital reminder to all of us of the power of faith and the reality of God working mightily even and especially in the midst of a most unlikely time in our history,” Bishop Bambera added.

Bishops: If passed, Equality Act will ‘discriminate against people of faith’

WASHINGTON (CNS) — If the House of Representatives passes the Equality Act, its mandates will “discriminate against people of faith” by adversely affecting charities and their beneficiaries, conscience rights, women’s sports, “and sex-specific facilities,” said the chairmen of five U.S. bishops’ committees.

H.R. 5 would amend the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity in employment, housing, public accommodations, public education, federal funding, the credit system and jury duty. The House was expected to vote on the measure before Feb. 26.

“Human dignity is central to what Catholics believe because every person is made in the image of God and should be treated accordingly, with respect and compassion,” they said, “This commitment is reflected in the church’s charitable service to all people, without regard to race, religion or any other characteristic.”

“Tragically, this act can also be construed to include an abortion mandate, a violation of precious rights to life and conscience,” the committee chairmen added.

The full text of the bishops’ letter to members of Congress can be found online at https://bit.ly/3dEDhXE

February 23, 2021

“I take this opportunity to congratulate Dr. Daniel J. Myers on being selected to serve as the 15th president of Misericordia University. At the same time, I would also like to thank Dr. Kathleen Cieplak Owens for serving as president of Misericordia University for the 2020-21 academic year and leading the institution through the unprecedented COVID-19 crisis.”

“Dr. Myers brings significant leadership experience to his new position, having served at American University in Washington, DC, Marquette University and the University of Notre Dame. As Misericordia University continues to build on its strong tradition of academic excellence, it will no doubt benefit from Dr. Myers’ background and skills. I look forward to working with Dr. Myers to make sure Misericordia University remains faithful to its mission as well as the charisms of the Sisters of Mercy.

“Rooted in Our Lord’s love and mercy, we ask God’s blessing on Dr. Myers, as well as all of the students, faculty and staff of Misericordia University.”

Myers Appointed as Fifteenth President of Misericordia University

Dallas, PA – The Board of Trustees of Misericordia University has appointed Daniel J. Myers, Ph.D., professor and acting chairperson of Sociology at American University in Washington, D.C., as the next president of Misericordia University. Dr. Myers will begin his presidential term on July 1, 2021.

“Dr. Myers brings extensive experience in the areas of planning, new program development, community engagement, faculty development, enrollment management, fundraising, and diversity and inclusion,” says Dr. Deborah Smith-Mileski, chair, Misericordia University Board of Trustees. “His strategic vision and administrative experience will serve this university well into the next century.”

Myers earned a bachelor’s degree in political science and a master’s degree in higher education and student affairs from Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, before completing a master’s and doctorate in sociology at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. He is a well-known expert in the study of collective behavior and social movements. He has published books and articles primarily focused on protest and unrest, the diffusion of social phenomena, social psychology, and urban politics. He has won awards for both his research and teaching.

Myers previously served as provost at American University and Marquette University, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Before that, he spent 17 years at the University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana, serving as vice president and associate provost for Faculty Affairs, Associate Dean in the College of Arts and Letters, and as chair of the Department of Sociology. Myers had also been the director of Faculty Development and Research in the Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies and he founded and directed the Center for the Study of Social Movements.

“I am tremendously excited to join the Misericordia community and contribute to the wonderful work done by this engaged community,” says Myers. “I want to thank the search committee, the board of trustees, and all of the faculty, staff, and students who participated in the interview process. Their testimony about the commitment to the charisms and mission of Misericordia were powerful, meaningful, and resonated deeply with me.”

Myers will succeed Kathleen Owens, Ph.D., who continues to serve as president of Misericordia through June 30, 2021. Dr. Owens was appointed to serve as president for the 2020-2021 academic year, succeeding Thomas J. Botzman, Ph.D., who left Misericordia for the presidency of the University of Mount Union, Alliance, Ohio, in June 2020.

For more information about Misericordia University, please call 570-674-6400 or visit www.misericordia.edu. Founded by the Sisters of Mercy in 1924, Misericordia University is Luzerne County’s first four-year college and offers 56 academic programs on the graduate and undergraduate levels in full- and part-time formats. Misericordia University ranks in the “National Universities” category of U.S. News and World Report’s 2021 edition of Best Colleges. The Princeton Review recognizes Misericordia as a 2021 “Best Northeastern” college, and Money Magazine includes Misericordia in its 2020-2021 “Best Colleges” list. College Consensus and the Wall Street Journal and Times Higher Education rank Misericordia among the top colleges and universities nationally.

SCRANTON – Rich in symbolism, the distribution of ashes brought many faithful together at parishes across the Diocese of Scranton on Ash Wednesday.

“After dealing with this pandemic almost a year now, it’s frankly wonderful to see so many of you gathered here today,” the Most Reverend Joseph C. Bambera, Bishop of Scranton, said during the 12:10 p.m. Mass at the Cathedral of Saint Peter.

With people wearing masks, sitting in alternating pews and spaced out to remain physically distant, the Cathedral reached its maximum capacity in accordance with established COVID-19 protocols.

“People have wondered, will people come back at the end of this pandemic? I think those people who have a depth of faith will not only come back but come back with a greater sense of resolve,” Bishop Bambera said to the media directly following Mass.

During his homily, the bishop preached on the words taken from the prophet Joel in the book of the Old Testament: “Even now, says the Lord, return to me with your whole heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning. Rend your hearts, not your garments, and return to the Lord, your God.”

“The message of Ash Wednesday calls us to change our lives…however, remember that Joel boldly challenges us to do so, not merely through gestures and religious practices – but by peering intensely into our hearts to ensure that our spirit – the core of our being – is honest and pure and open to the transforming power and presence of God,” Bishop Bambera said.

The bishop emphasized the importance of the Lenten journey, which draws people to the very heart of what it means to be a Christian through prayer, fasting and almsgiving.

“May we have the courage to confront the reality of our broken, struggling hearts and lives as we continue to face the pain and uncertainty born of the pandemic that has enveloped us. May we pray for the grace to turn away from all that distracts us from our resolve to authentically live our relationship with God. And may we selflessly serve the poor among us and so discover our merciful and loving God present in our lives,” the bishop added.

This year’s ash distribution was different because of the pandemic. Parishes in the Diocese of Scranton were given two options: to either sprinkle ashes on the top of the recipient’s head or use a cotton swab to trace a cross on the recipient’s forehead. The Cathedral used the cotton swab option, ordering extra-long cotton swabs in order to protect both the ministers and the public.

Ashes are an important symbol to Catholics for several reasons. First, they represent a physical sign that we are sinners in need of forgiveness. Second, they remind the faithful that God created us from the earth and when we die, we will return to it.

Just like the Cathedral of Saint Peter, Saint Paul of the Cross Parish in Scranton also saw a large number of faithful attend its noon Mass on Ash Wednesday.

“Just being able to come here today in a safe environment, and clean, it meant a lot to us,” Joshua Walker, parishioner at Saint Paul of the Cross Parish, said.

Walker’s brother echoed those sentiments.

“I think in times of anxiety, I think this is when we need God most for His strength and to allow everyone to feel a sense of comfort and unity,” Justin Walker added.

At Saint Paul of the Cross Parish, the pastor decided to sprinkle ashes on the top of each person’s head. The faithful say they are glad ashes were still available as they begin the 40 days of Lent.

“We have to think of the season, think of what God went through and He is going to help us through this situation, like all of the other situations we have to deal with,” parishioner James Kryzanowski said.

WASHINGTON (CNS) — Since childhood, the typical U.S. Catholic’s response to Lent is giving up, as in “What are you giving up for Lent?”

If you haven’t been keeping track, Catholics in the United States and worldwide — just about everyone, really — have been giving up a lot since the coronavirus pandemic struck 11 months ago, with no clearly defined end in sight. You would need the fingers on both hands to name some of the things that have been lost, not to mention nearly a half-million lives lost in the U.S. alone.

So, given all that, how should a Catholic approach Lent this year?

“Maybe this Lent isn’t the year to give up something, because we’re already doing it involuntarily,” said Marie Dennis, senior adviser to the secretary general of Pax Christi International.

It’s time, Dennis said, to “dig deeper and to think more deeply about what are the lessons that we’re learning from this pandemic. For example, how we’re treating the earth and about the racism and inequality in our own society and inequality around the world when we’re looking at who is being most hurt by the COVID pandemic.

“That would be my practice during Lent,” Dennis said. “That would be to remind myself of the really deep changes that need to be made in our society and in our world as move forth from this pandemic.”

“There is real discernment that is needed this Lent,” said Marian Diaz, a professor at Catholic Theological Union in Chicago who directs grants to aid Catholic professionals in ministry.

“Many people have been giving and sacrificing on behalf of others during this past year,” Diaz said. “And for those people, I would just ask them to consider what do they need to do to be able to sustain that service? If our God is a God of love who comes to serve us in our creation and incarnation, we also have to consider how we are serving our brothers and sisters, but also how we are serving ourselves. What must we do to sustain ourselves during this time?”

She added, “Maybe sometimes the call is to grow in love for ourselves and we have the supports around us that we need so that we can make it for the long haul in terms of whatever forms of love or service or ministry that is functioning in our life and we’re committed to.”

“I just want to really express empathy for the situation that we all are going through, and the difficulty, not only in terms of the pandemic but the political situation in our country and the situations in our world,” Diaz said.

“I’m beginning to think our best discipline for Lent would be along the lines of ‘Fratelli Tutti’ — a reflection on nonviolence as an ethic and not as some kind of namby-pamby way of avoiding conflict, but nonviolence as a strong, direct confrontation without violence to the violence that’s taking place,” said Franciscan Father Joe Nangle, former co-director of Franciscan Mission Service.

As a religious priest, Father Nangle said his vow of poverty doesn’t give him any special insights on the giving-up concept.

“If you try to live like St. Francis, you kill yourself in this society. It’s a tough call. I try to live simply and let it go at that,” he said. “I think that laypeople are living a much more life of poverty in many ways than many of us religious. I think religious life can be very, very comfortable, I think the average layperson struggles except for the 1%.”

“It has felt like a long Lent,” said Rose Marie Berger, a senior editor at Sojourners magazine, adding: “I started thinking about this a while back.” How far back? “I wrote my Lenten spirituality column four months ago.”

Berger, who told Catholic News Service she misses physically receiving the Eucharist the most, said: “Maybe Lent this year is not so much doing something extra, giving something extra, it’s more spending some deep time in contemplation in what has been taken from us, what we have been forced to sacrifice from the pandemic, what are the sacrifices others have made for us, and where have we been able to give in ways we hadn’t expected to — it’s a reflection on our almsgiving — and in what ways have prayed.”

“I’m a big proponent of what St. John of the Cross says: If you don’t find love, bring love, and then you’ll find it,” said Bishop William D. Byrne, recently installed to head the Diocese of Springfield, Massachusetts. “And so, in this time where we’ve had so much taken away from us, and … to lose hope, to be discouraged, what we need to do is bring hope, and then we’re going to find it. Bring joy, and we’ll find it.”

Bishop Byrne said, “Let’s start with the blessings. It isn’t the negativity, but embrace the positive and bringing that to people each day. In order to do that, you have to look at the other two parts of Lent. There’s prayer and almsgiving. You can’t really bring positivity without prayer. Otherwise, it’s just play-acting.”

He added, “You’ve got to have something at the start of the day. Get your cup of coffee or tea, and get your rosary, get your prayer book and start. Make a conscious effort in the morning and say, ‘I am going to bring positivity to the people I’m going to meet this day. Disarm them with your joy, if you will. Bring hope where we’re feeling hopeless.”

Jesus can be our companion in our suffering, said Becky Eldredge, a spiritual director and author of “The Inner Chapel,” who is based in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. “I imagine Jesus him reminding us, ‘I’m here. I’m with y’all. Tell me what you’re going through. Tell me what you’re feeling. Engage me in it,'” she said.

Lent is “an invitation to fix our eyes on Christ right now, right? More than just a giving up, it’s a looking to Christ in the here and now,” Eldredge said.

She suggested “letting Christ draw as near as possible to our suffering. A lot of what I’ve been seeing in retreat work and in (spiritual) direction, we’re keeping Jesus a little at arm’s length, we’re not letting him come close to our suffering.”

Eldredge added Catholics can follow Jesus’ “model of doing for others — reminding people, ‘Hey, I’m here for you. Tell me, I can listen to you.’ Show people a fixed point in Christ.”

“In the pandemic, we’ve probably settled into some routines. Some good routines, probably there may have been some unhealthy routines that we’ve settled into,” said Paul Jarzembowski, assistant director assistant director of youth and young adult ministries in the the U.S. bishops’ Secretariat for Family, Marriage, Laity and Youth.

“If nothing else, it’s a good time to examine what we’ve settled into,” Jarzembowski said. “I know I’ve got some bad habits that have crept into my time. I’ve got the ‘COVID 19’ — I’ve gained 19 pounds. I’ve been more sedentary. I haven’t been as active because I can’t be.”

Lent, he added, is “a time for renewal, a time for reexamining. Lent is about giving up, but it’s a time of renewing, about making some new choices, making some resolutions, I look at it not so much as giving up as what can be renewed, what can be recharged.”

Cardinal Angelo Comastri, archpriest of St. Peter’s Basilica, sprinkles ashes on the head of Pope Francis during Ash Wednesday Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican Feb. 17, 2021. (CNS photo/Guglielmo Mangiapane, Reuters)

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Lent is a time to reconsider the path one is taking in life and to finally answer God’s invitation to return to him with one’s whole heart, Pope Francis said.

“Lent is not just about the little sacrifices we make, but about discerning where our hearts are directed,” he said, “toward God or toward myself?”

The pope’s remarks came in his homily at Mass Feb. 17 for Ash Wednesday, which included the blessing and distribution ashes, marking the beginning of Lent for Latin-rite Catholics.

Because of ongoing measures in place to reduce the spread of the coronavirus, the Mass and distribution of ashes took place with a congregation of little more than 100 people at the Altar of the Chair in St. Peter’s Basilica.

Pope Francis did not do the traditional walk from the Church of St. Anselm to the Basilica of Santa Sabina on Rome’s Aventine Hill to prevent large crowds of people from gathering along the route.

In St. Peter’s Basilica, the pope received ashes on his head from Cardinal Angelo Comastri, archpriest of the basilica, and he distributed ashes to about three dozen cardinals, as well as the priests and deacons assisting him at the Mass.

In his homily, the pope said one must bow to receive ashes sprinkled on the crown of the head, which reflects the “humble descent” one makes in reflecting on one’s life, sins and relationship with God.

“Lent is a journey of return to God,” especially when most people live each day ignoring or delaying their response to God’s invitation to pray and do something for others.

“It is a time to reconsider the path we are taking, to find the route that leads us home and to rediscover our profound relationship with God, on whom everything depends,” he said.

“The journey of Lent is an exodus from slavery to freedom,” he said, noting the easy temptations along that journey, including yearning for the past, or hindered by “unhealthy attachments, held back by the seductive snares of our sins, by the false security of money and appearances, by the paralysis of our discontents. To embark on this journey, we have to unmask these illusions.”

The way back to God, he said, starts with understanding, like the prodigal son, how “we have ended up with empty hands and an unhappy heart” after squandering God’s gifts “on paltry things, and then with seeking God’s forgiveness through confession.

The pope again reminded confessors that they must be like the father in the story of the prodigal son and not use “a whip,” but open their arms in a welcoming embrace.

“The journey is not based on our own strength. Heartfelt conversion, with the deeds and practices that express it, is possible only if it begins with the primacy of God’s work” and through his grace, the pope said.

What makes people just is not the righteousness they show off to others, “but our sincere relationship with the Father,” after finally recognizing one is not self-sufficient, but in great need of him, his mercy and grace.

The pope asked people to contemplate daily the crucified Christ and see in his wounds, “our emptiness, our shortcomings, the wounds of our sin and all the hurt we have experienced.”

“We see clearly that God points his finger at no one, but rather opens his arms to embrace us,” he said.

It is in life’s most painful wounds, that God awaits with his infinite mercy because it is there “where we are most vulnerable, where we feel the most shame” and where he comes to meet his children again.

“And now,” the pope said, “he invites us to return to him, to rediscover the joy of being loved.”

Distribution of ashes will be different due to COVID-19 pandemic

SCRANTON – On Ash Wednesday, February 17, 2021, Bishop Joseph C. Bambera will be principal celebrant and homilist for the 12:10 p.m. Mass at the Cathedral of Saint Peter in Scranton.

The Mass will be open to the public following COVID-19 safety protocols, including wearing face masks and physical distancing. The Mass will also be broadcast live on CTV: Catholic Television of the Diocese of Scranton and livestream on the Diocese of Scranton website and across all social media platforms.

Due to the pandemic, Ash Wednesday will look different this year but the significance of the day will not change. Ashes can be distributed to the Catholic faithful as long as there is no direct contact. Parishes have been asked to select one of two possible options for the distribution of ashes on February 17.

Ashes can be sprinkled on top of the head

In much of the world, the normal way of distributing ashes is to sprinkle ashes on top of the head, with no contact, rather than imposing them on the forehead. During distribution, both the minister and the recipient must be wearing masks.

For this distribution method, the priest will say the prayer for blessing the ashes. He will sprinkle the ashes with holy water, without saying anything. Then he will address all those present and only once say the call to repentance (“Repent, and believe in the Gospel” or “Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return”). The minister will then take the ashes and sprinkle them on the head of each individual without saying anything.

Ashes can be distributed using an individual Q-tip type of cotton swab

For this distribution method, the minister would use an individual cotton swab for each recipient to distribute ashes. With the cotton tip, the minister will trace a cross on the recipient’s forehead. Both the minister and recipient must be properly wearing masks during the distribution. A new Q-tip cotton swab must be used for each person. After the use, each swab will be placed in a receptacle for burning.

Although not a Holy Day of Obligation, Ash Wednesday is traditionally a day of great importance to the faithful as they enter the Lenten season. The faithful are reminded that receiving ashes is not required. Parishioners should recognize that their own internal disposition and intention to repent is the importance of Ash Wednesday and that the ashes are an external sign of that internal reality. Individuals who cannot receive ashes can still enter into Lent with a repentant heart.

For a list of scheduled Ash Wednesday services across the 11-counties of the Diocese of Scranton, visit www.dioceseofscranton.org. A complete set of guidelines for Liturgical Celebrations during the Season of Lent can also be found on the Diocesan website.

ABSTINENCE AND FASTING

The Catholic observance of Lent includes days of fast and abstinence. Those 14 and older are obliged to abstain from eating meat on Ash Wednesday, Good Friday and on all the Fridays of Lent. On Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, healthy people ages 18-59 are to fast by limiting themselves to one full meal and two lighter meals. Those with a medical condition that makes fasting inadvisable are not obliged to fast but should perform some other act of penance or charity.

SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION

The Sacrament of Reconciliation will remain available to the faithful throughout the Season of Lent.

“The Light is On For You,” an initiative in the Diocese of Scranton in which churches are open for quiet prayer and Confession will continue.

Beginning on Monday, February 22 and every Monday through March 22, confessions will be heard in each parish of the Diocese of Scranton from 5:30 until 7:00 p.m., unless another time is established by the individual parish.

All COVID-19 guidelines for Confessions must be followed, including that both the priest and the penitent must wear masks and celebrate the Sacrament in a space that allows for adequate distance from each other. Parishes have once again been discouraged from hosting large reconciliation services.