SCRANTON – As the Hawaii island of Maui begins to recover from the devastation caused by the deadliest wildfire in the United States in more than a century, Bishop Bambera has invited parishes in the Diocese of Scranton to take up an emergency special collection to address the immediate needs of the affected communities while also planning for long-term recovery efforts. 

A charred boat lies in the scorched waterfront Aug. 9, 2023, after wildfires fanned by the winds of a distant hurricane devastated Lahaina, Hawaii, on the island of Maui. (OSV News photo/Mason Jarvi, handout via Reuters)

The bishop is allowing each pastor to choose an upcoming weekend that works best for parishioners, but has suggested either the weekend of Sept. 2/3 (Labor Day weekend) or Sept. 9/10.

Funds from the emergency collection will be transmitted to the USCCB’s Emergency Disaster Fund and will go directly to help the people of Maui rebuild.

Bishop Bambera shared the words of Honolulu Bishop Larry Silva, who recently said to the Catholic faithful in Hawaii and beyond, “As a community of faith, we are called to come together and provide unwavering support to those who are suffering. It is in times like these that our collective love, faith, and compassion can make a tremendous difference.”

The Boston Archdiocese, the Los Angeles Archdiocese and the Diocese of Arlington, Virginia, are among other U.S. dioceses holding special collections at weekend Masses through August and into early September.

A burned car is seen at the Ho’onanea condominium complex, in Lahaina, Maui, Hawaii, Aug. 10, 2023. Lahaina’s Maria Lanakila Catholic Church was spared from the flames that wiped out most of the surrounding community on the island of Maui, Aug. 8 and 9. (OSV News photo/Jorge Garcia, Reuters)

As of Aug. 22, the Honolulu Star Advertiser confirmed the death toll in Maui had reached at least 115 “as authorities continue working to identify the remains of those killed in Lahaina.”

The Associated Press has reported that the tally of those still unaccounted for varies “widely.” “Hawaii Gov. Josh Green said Sunday (Aug. 20) that more than 1,000 remained unaccounted for. Maui Mayor Richard Bissen said in a pre-recorded video on Instagram that the number was 850. And during President Joe Biden’s tour of the devastation (Aug. 21), White House homeland security adviser Liz Sherwood-Randall put it between 500 and 800.”

In his remarks in Lahaina, Biden told the people of Maui, “You’ve shown such absolute, incredible courage, and that’s not hyperbole. I want you to know, on behalf of the United States of America and all the nation, the American people stand with you.”

“From stories of grief, we’ve seen so many stories of hope and heroism, of the aloha spirit. Every emergency responder put their lives on the line for — to save others. Everyday heroes, neighbors helping neighbors, Native Hawaiian leaders offering solace and strength,” he added.

After his remarks, he spent about two hours meeting face-to-face with attendees, according to news reports. The Bidens had paused their summer vacation at Lake Tahoe in Nevada to visit Maui for about six hours.

Biden was criticized by some Maui residents who stood with signs on the motorcade route he took to tour the devastation telling him to go home and demanding more federal disaster relief.

WILKES-BARRE – Faculty, administrators, students and Catholic school families are fondly remembering Mrs. Doreen Dougherty, the principal of Holy Redeemer High School, who passed away on Aug. 20, 2023.

“On behalf of the Diocese of Scranton Catholic School System, I wish to extend my sincerest condolences to Dougherty family and to all members of our Holy Redeemer School Family,” Kristen Donohue, Diocesan Secretary for Catholic Education/Superintendent of Schools, said in a release sent to school families. ” Doreen had a lasting, positive impact on our Catholic schools and on all who knew her. I ask you to join me in praying for the Dougherty family and friends to find peace and strength during this time of incredible sadness.”

Dougherty, 54, of Shavertown, became principal of Holy Redeemer High School in 2019. She had also served as principal of All Saints Academy in Scranton.

Due to the passing of Mrs. Dougherty, the start of the Holy Redeemer High School academic year is being postponed by one week. 

The first day of school for freshmen will now be Tuesday, Sept. 5. The first full day of school for all students will now be Wednesday, Sept. 6. 

“We are all navigating this tumultuous time in different ways, but together, in God’s grace, we will move forward as one Royal community,” Holy Redeemer Vice Principal Cody Opalka said.

Funeral arrangements are as follows:

Viewing: Thursday, August 24, 2023

4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Holy Redeemer High School Auditorium

159 S. Pennsylvania Blvd.

Wilkes-Barre, PA 18701

Funeral: Friday, August 25, 2023

Second Viewing: 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.

Funeral Mass at 10:00 a.m.

Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish

116 Hughes Street

Swoyersville, PA 18704

 

Full Obituary for Mrs. Doreen Dougherty

Doreen Suzanne Dougherty, 54, of Shavertown, passed away peacefully Sunday morning, Aug. 20, 2023, at home, surrounded by her loving family.

Born April 15, 1969, in Kingston, Doreen was the daughter of Joseph Lipinski and Elaine Repak Lipinski. She was the valedictorian of Bishop O’Reilly High School, Class of 1987. Doreen continued her education at Marywood College and received her Bachelor of Arts degree in communications with a minor in marketing. After graduating, Doreen held multiple positions at WBRE, including programming director.

Following her motto, “Ohana,” meaning “family,” Doreen decided to leave her career to take on her biggest and most fulfilling role: raising her beautiful children. Being heavily involved as a volunteer at her children’s school led her to discover her passion for education. Doreen worked as an instructional aide at Regis Elementary and then Good Shepherd Academy while attending King’s College to earn her teaching certifications. She was later placed at All Saints Academy and continued to develop their Individualized Instruction Program, which always held a special place in her heart.

Always wanting to advance her career in education, Doreen returned to Marywood for her Master of Science degree in school leadership. Her unwavering dedication to Catholic education drove her to become the building principal of All Saints Academy. In the fall of 2019, Doreen was proud to be named the principal of Holy Redeemer High School. Both All Saints Academy and Holy Redeemer High School served as her second homes.

Doreen’s Catholic identity was evident to everyone she met. She was an active member of Holy Trinity Parish, Swoyersville, now consolidated into St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish. During her youth, she was a church organist and a member of the choir. Doreen became a member of the Confraternity of Christian Mothers and enjoyed attending their Christmas parties and Mother’s Day Teas with her mom, gramma and family. Also, she loved volunteering her time to the church bazaar each summer by running the theme basket stand.

Anyone who knew Doreen, knows family was everything to her. Doreen’s true love is her husband, Robert, with whom she would have celebrated 30 wonderful years of marriage in October. Together they built a beautiful family with four children. Her daughter, Shaina, was her best friend, shopping partner and biggest fan. Doreen inspired Shaina to work in the field of education and to also become a principal. Her sons, Robert and Devin emanate her compassionate nature as they both enter health care professions, ensuring their patients feel the same care and support Doreen radiated. Collin embodies Doreen’s infectious smile and her creative nature. She was proud of his pursuit toward a career in architecture and Collin currently attends Marywood University, like his mother.

Doreen never met a challenge she couldn’t overcome, and her competitiveness shone through in all that she did. She was an avid fan of the Green Bay Packers and enjoyed football Sundays and pizza nights at her parents’ house. Doreen relished in rousing games of Pictionary, Trivial Pursuit, Taboo, Parcheesi and more. She didn’t shy away from scaling a rock climbing wall at All Saints Academy or playing dodgeball with the girls’ basketball team at Holy Redeemer. As a former cheerleader, Doreen knew well how to motivate others, tirelessly supporting both her family and school communities academically and athletically. Doreen loved cheering on her All Saints Academy Knights and Holy Redeemer Royals, whether it was a sporting event, musical, award ceremony or talent show. She was driven to ensure every student can reach his or her fullest potential, just as if they were her own children.

She proudly shared a birthday with her father. She looked forward to yearly family vacations at Hilton Head Island in South Carolina, where she could be seen reading quietly near the water, collecting shells on the shore, playing soccer tennis on the beach or playing volleyball in the pool with all of her children, nieces and nephews. Doreen loved Christmas and considered it “the most wonderful time of the year.” She filled the Christmas season with many wonderful traditions including baking, decorating the tree, bayberry candles, matching pajamas and making Christmas day dinner for all of her family. She looked forward to curling up on the couch with her puppy, Bandit, to watch a Hallmark Christmas movie with a bowl of popcorn.

Doreen was preceded in death by her grandparents, Michael and Margaret Repak; and Joseph and Eleanor Lipinski; and father-in-law and mother-in-law, Joseph and Theresa Dougherty.

Left to cherish Doreen’s memory are her husband, Robert, Shavertown; daughter, Shaina Aquilina and her husband, John Patrick, Swoyersville; sons, Robert Dougherty and his wife, Alexis, Drums; Devin Dougherty and Collin Dougherty, both of Shavertown; her parents, Joseph and Elaine Lipinski, Swoyersville; sister, Leane DelBalso and her husband, Pat, and their three children, Patrick, Jillian and Brandon, all of Plains Twp.; brother, Joseph and his wife, Janicemarie and their three children, Joey, Nicholas and Hazel, Swoyersville; uncle, Michael Repak and his wife, Ann Marie, Larksville; Joseph Dougherty and his wife, Kathy, Dublin, Ohio, and their children, Meghan, Joseph and Kyle; John Dougherty and his wife, Kathleen, Kingston, and their children, Kylene, Brianne and John Anthony; Dennis Dougherty, Lake Ariel, and his children, Connor, Dana, and Ian; and Kevin Dougherty, Edwardsville.

Along with numerous great-nieces and great-nephews, cousins, aunts, uncles and friends, Doreen’s constant companion and loyal cuddle buddy, Bandit, will miss her infectious smile and loving presence.

Doreen’s family would like to extend all of our love and heartfelt gratitude to the many doctors, nurses, hospital staff and home health nurses who lovingly cared for her.

Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to attend Doreen’s viewing which will be held from 4 to 8 p.m. Thursday in Holy Redeemer High School Auditorium, 159 S. Pennsylvania Ave., Wilkes-Barre.

Funeral services for Doreen will begin with an additional viewing from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. Friday in St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish, 116 Hughes St., Swoyersville, followed by a con-celebrated Mass of Christian Burial at 10 a.m. The Rev. Joseph J. Pisaneschi, her pastor, will be the main celebrant; Monsignor David L. Tressler will serve as homilist; and the Most Rev. Joseph C. Bambera, D.D., J.C.L., Bishop of the Diocese of Scranton, will convey the Rite of Final Commendation.

Interment with the Rite of Committal will follow in St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Cemetery, Swoyersville.

Funeral arrangements for the Dougherty family have been entrusted to the care of Wroblewski Funeral Home Inc., 1442 Wyoming Ave., Forty Fort.

To share a message of condolence with Doreen’s family, you may visit the funeral home’s website, www.wroblewskifuneralhome.com, or Facebook page.

In lieu of flowers, Doreen’s family asks that you consider making a donation which will be used toward a memorial scholarship fund in her honor. Donations can be made by visiting https://www.luzfdn.org/types-of-funds/ and clicking on the Doreen S. Dougherty Memorial Scholarship Fund or mail your donation to: The Doreen S. Dougherty Memorial Scholarship Fund, c/o The Luzerne Foundation, 34 S. River St., Wilkes-Barre, PA 18702.

VATICAN CITY (CNS) – Acknowledging Ukraine’s celebration of Independence Day Aug. 24, Pope Francis pleaded with thousands of visitors at his weekly general audience to keep praying for peace in the country.

Noting that Aug. 24 also is the feast of St. Bartholomew, the apostle, the pope entrusted to him “dear Ukraine, so harshly tried by the war.”

A Ukrainian flag waves in the crowd gathered as Pope Francis recites the rosary with young people who are ill at the Chapel of Apparitions at the Shrine of Our Lady of Fátima in Fátima, Portugal, Aug. 5, 2023. (CNS photo/Lola Gomez)

But then departing from his prepared text and looking directly at the crowd in the Vatican audience hall, he said: “Brothers and sisters, let’s pray for our Ukrainian brothers and sisters who are suffering so much. The war is cruel. So many children disappeared, so many people dead.”

According to the Ukrainian government’s “Children of War” website, 503 children had been killed as of Aug. 23 and more than 19,500 children have been forcibly taken to Russia.

“Please,” the pope said, “pray. Do not forget tormented Ukraine.”

Russia launched its large-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The country had declared its independence from the Soviet Union in 1991.

In his weekly video message, Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk of Kyiv-Halych, head of the Ukrainian Catholic Church, said that while Ukrainians “give thanks to the Lord God for the precious gift of freedom,” in the context of war “we are gaining a deeper understanding of the meaning of freedom, of what it entails to be free individuals, and recognizing that in order to guarantee the right of existence for the Ukrainian people, it is essential to have our own state.”

“The main pillars for building this state include respect for human dignity and the preservation of freedom,” the archbishop said.

“Freedom is a spiritual category. Being free is not limited only to escaping oppression or foreign domination,” he said. “True freedom involves being free for something. We recognize that the highest form of freedom is manifested in love, in the act of sacrificing oneself for God and neighbor.”

VATICAN CITY (CNS) – Thanking a group of European lawyers for their attention to environmental protection laws, Pope Francis said he was preparing another document on the subject.

“I am writing a second part to Laudato Si’ to update it on current problems,” the pope told the lawyers Aug. 21 during a meeting in the library of the Apostolic Palace. He provided no further information.

Pope Francis speaks to a delegation of European lawyers in the library of the Apostolic Palace at the Vatican Aug. 21, 2023. Thanking the lawyers for their advocacy of environmental protection laws, the pope announced he was writing another document on the environment. (CNS photo/Vatican Media)

“Laudato Si’, On Care for Our Common Home” was the title of Pope Francis’ 2015 encyclical letter on the need for an “integral ecology” that respects the dignity and value of the human person, helps the poor and safeguards the planet.

The pope made his remark in the context of thanking the lawyers for their “willingness to work for the development of a normative framework aimed at protecting the environment.”

“It must never be forgotten,” he said, “that future generations are entitled to receive from our hands a beautiful and habitable world, and that this entails grave responsibilities toward the natural world that we have received from the benevolent hands of God.”

Members of the group Pope Francis met with represented presidents of European bars and legal associations who signed a declaration in 2022 calling on members of the European Union and Council of Europe to uphold and respect the rule of law, especially in times of crisis like that created by Russia’s war on Ukraine.

“These times of social and economic crisis, as well as a crisis of identity and security, challenge the democracies of the West to provide an effective response, while remaining faithful to their principles,” particularly the promotion of democracy and respect for freedom and human dignity, he said.

“Fear of civil unrest and acts of violence, the prospect of destabilizing change and the need to act effectively in confronting emergency situations, can result in the temptation to make exceptions or to restrict – at least provisionally – the rule of law in the effort to find easy and immediate solutions,” the pope said.

“For this reason,” he told them, “I appreciate your insistence, in one of your proposals, that ‘the rule of law should no longer be subject to the slightest exceptions, including in times of crisis.’ For the rule of law stands at the service of the human person and aims to protect the dignity of each, which admits of no exception.”

The pope cautioned, however, that laws promoting the dignity of the human person must be based on the truth about human beings, their divine origin and their ultimate destination. “Without the constant effort to pursue the truth about the human person, in accordance with God’s plan, individuals become the measure of themselves and their actions.”

“Today, in effect, we are witnessing a tendency to claim more and more individual rights, without taking into account the fact that every human being is part of a social context in which his or her rights and duties are bound up with those of others and with the common good of society itself,” the pope said.

VATICAN CITY (CNS) – Christians must stand firm in their faith but that is not the same as being rigid and unwilling to bend out of compassion for another, Pope Francis said.

God is love and “the one who loves does not remain rigid. Yes, they stand firm, but not rigid; they do not remain rigid in their own positions, but allow themselves to be moved and touched,” the pope said Aug. 20 before reciting the midday Angelus prayer with an estimated 10,000 people gathered in St. Peter’s Square.

Pope Francis greets visitors in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican to pray the Angelus Aug. 20, 2023. (CNS photo/Vatican Media)

Among the crowd were 29 seminarians who had just arrived to begin their studies at the Pontifical North American College, the U.S. seminary in Rome. Pope Francis gave them a shoutout and wished them “a good formation journey.”

In his main talk, Pope Francis commented on the day’s Gospel reading, Mt 15:21-28, which tells the story of the Canaanite woman who asked Jesus to heal her daughter. At first, Jesus brushes her off since she is not Jewish. But he sees her persistent faith and grants her request.

“Later,” the pope said, “the Holy Spirit would push the church to the ends of the world,” but at that point Jesus was preaching to the Jews.

“Faced with her concrete case, he becomes even more sympathetic and compassionate,” the pope said. “This is what God is like: he is love, and the one who loves does not remain rigid.”

“Love is creative,” he said. “And we Christians who want to imitate Christ, we are invited to be open to change.”

In the life of faith and in relationships with others, the pope said, people need to pay attention and to be willing “to soften up in the name of compassion and the good of others, like Jesus did with the Canaanite woman.”

Of course, he said, another aspect of the story is the woman’s strong and insistent faith that Jesus could heal her daughter.

The woman “probably had little or no awareness of the laws and religious precepts” of Judaism, but she draws near to Jesus, prostrates herself and has a “frank dialogue” with him, the pope said.

“This is the concreteness of faith, which is not a religious label but is a personal relationship with the Lord,” he said.

Pope Francis asked people to consider whether they show the compassion and flexibility of Jesus and the bold faith of the Canaanite woman.

“Do I know how to be understanding and do I know how to be compassionate, or do I remain rigid in my position?” he suggested they ask. “Is there some rigidity in my heart, which is not firmness? Rigidity is bad, but firmness is good.”

“Do I know how to dialogue with the Lord? Do I know how to insist with him? Or am I content to recite beautiful formulas?” he continued.

Pope Francis also drew attention to the ongoing conflict in Niger where a military coup overthrew the president in late July and where the bishops have opposed the idea of other countries in the region using their military to restore democracy.

“I join the bishops’ appeal in favor of peace in the country and for stability in the Sahel region,” the pope said. “I accompany with my prayers the efforts of the international community to find a peaceful solution as soon as possible for everyone’s benefit.”

“Let us pray for the dear people of Niger and let us also pray for peace for all populations wounded by war and violence,” he said. “Let us especially pray for Ukraine, which has been suffering for some time.”

(OSV News) – Suicide, it is sometimes said, is a permanent solution to a temporary problem. But for at least 49,449 Americans during 2022, feelings of distress were so acute they took their own lives.

As CNN recently reported with the release of provisional data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “the suicide rate spiked in 2021, reversing two years of decline. And with the continued increase in 2022, rates surpassed the previous record from 2018.”

A suicide prevention sign is pictured on a protective fence on the walkway of the George Washington Bridge between in New York City Jan. 12, 2022. The U.S. is not facing a “suicide epidemic,” as some might term it, but a recent spike in the suicide rate after a decrease for a number of years is alarming and “cause for concern,” say experts. (OSV News photo/Mike Segar, Reuters)

According to the CDC, suicide rates rose 37% between 2000-2018 and decreased 5% between 2018-2020. However, rates nearly returned to their peak in 2021.

“There is no suicide epidemic, as that term is used within epidemiology,” explained David Jobes, a psychology professor at The Catholic University of America in Washington, and director of its Suicide Prevention Lab. “Cause for concern? To be sure!”

A story more frequently overlooked, Jobes thinks, is the high number of those who contemplate suicide. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) reported that 2021 survey data indicates for every individual suicide death, about 265 people seriously considered suicide in the previous 12 months.

“If we were better at identifying people with serious ideation and treating them upstream,” said Jobes, “we’d have fewer of them going on to attempt and die by suicide.”

Suicide risk factors cited by the CDC include “racism and discrimination in our society, economic hardship, poverty, limited affordable housing, lack of educational opportunities, and barriers to physical and mental health care access.”

Other factors, the CDC adds, are “relationship problems or feeling a lack of connectedness to others, easy access to lethal means among people at risk, experiences of violence such as child abuse and neglect, adverse childhood experiences, bullying, and serious health conditions.”

Deacon Ed Shoener, president of the Association of Catholic Mental Health Ministers, said he wasn’t surprised by the latest CDC figures.

“There’s a misperception out there that people have a rational choice — like Hamlet, ‘To be, or not to be,'” said Deacon Shoener. “Shakespeare used suicide as a plot twist quite often — suggesting that it’s some sort of rational thing. There’s nothing rational about suicide.”

Public attention, emphasized Deacon Shoener, is critical.

“We haven’t placed enough resources into understanding the psychology of suicide — and the mental health issues that go along with it — to be able to get these rates back down,” he said.

“No one wants to die by suicide. I’ve talked to a number of people that have survived the attempt, and they all say — once they’re mentally and psychologically stable — ‘Thank God I didn’t die; I didn’t want to do this,'” Deacon Shoener recalled. “But somehow, their brain gets them to the point where they think it’s the best thing to do — in fact, they think it’s the only thing to do.”

For Deacon Shoener, the pain is personal. In 2016, he lost his own daughter, Katie, to suicide. “This life is not for me,” she wrote in a final note, before turning a gun on herself.

His loss launched Deacon Shoener on a ministry of mental health accompaniment — and his cumulative experience equipped him to suggest ways the Catholic Church can do the same.

Deacon Shoener and Phoenix Bishop John P. Dolan are co-editors of “When a Loved One Dies by Suicide” and its complementary film series, “Responding to Suicide: A Pastoral Handbook for Catholic Leaders” (Ave Maria Press).

“The church’s role in mental health, mental illness and even suicidality, is to reassure people Christ is with them in the midst of their struggles,” Deacon Shoener said. “Just like when someone’s living with cancer, or multiple sclerosis, we can’t make these physical illnesses go away. But what we can do is reassure people Christ is with them; that he understands their suffering.”

And the church can help dissolve the sting of stigma.

“The church can guide people, and reassure them it is a gift from God to go get mental healthcare. You’re not a bad Catholic if you go see a therapist or a counselor, or take psychiatric drugs,” Deacon Shoener stressed. “That’s a gift from God, too.”

Like Deacon Shoener, Marian Father Chris Alar, a provincial superior of the Marian Fathers of the Immaculate Conception, has known the shock of a loved one suddenly taking their life.

“Using a small handgun that was kept in the house for protection, my grandmother shot herself in the bathroom and lay in a pool of blood for what authorities estimated to have been about two hours,” Father Alar wrote in the book he co-wrote with fellow Marian Father Jason Lewis, “After Suicide: There’s Hope for Them and You” (Marian Press).

“The main reason Father Jason Lewis and I wrote the book was to educate and provide a pastoral aid for people who were despairing of their lost loved ones because they had always learned if you take your own life, you are automatically damned to hell,” Father Alar shared. “That is not church teaching — surprising to some — because the only way we lose our soul is to die in an unrepentant state of mortal sin.”

The Catholic Church teaches that for a sin to be mortal, three conditions must be present: grave matter; knowledge that an act is a sin; and free will.

While Father Alar is convinced most people know suicide is both a grave matter and a sin, “it is the third condition we have to look at — you must have complete free will, and want to choose it. Now my grandmother, in taking her life, I know for a fact did not have free will,” he reflected. “She didn’t want to take her life. She was struggling for years with the most intense pain and suffering that she fought, and fought, and fought. And I know God knows she tried to fight the pain and the suffering. She just couldn’t take it anymore.”

The Catechism of the Catholic Church states, “We are stewards, not owners, of the life God has entrusted to us. It is not ours to dispose of. … We should not despair of the eternal salvation of persons who have taken their own lives. By ways known to him alone, God can provide the opportunity for salutary repentance.”

Father Alar stressed God’s compassion is not a basis for presumption. Suicide, he emphasized, is “a very serious sin. It’s never the answer; we can never justify it. But we can have hope in the mercy of God that there is a way for them to still be saved.”

He also agrees with Deacon Shoener that more needs to be done.

“The church is finally learning mental health is a major influence on our spiritual life,” Father Alar observed. “We need to talk to our pastors…We need our people to go to their bishops and dioceses, and request support services for the grieving and for mental health,” said Father Alar. “This is something people need to ask their bishops for.”

Sister Kathryn J. Hermes — a Pauline nun and author of “Surviving Depression: A Catholic Approach” (Pauline Books & Media) — suggests that an immersive homiletic practicum for seminarians could help them realize the impact of their words upon those struggling with mental illness.

“You give a homily,” she imagined, “and in your assembly is someone who’s suicidal; someone who’s manic depressive; someone who’s been abused — a variety of individuals who represent the people you will have in your parish one day. And after you give your homily, you sit down and hear from each one of those people what they heard,” said Sister Hermes. “How do you hold together the truth, and the pastoral reality?”

The goal, said Sister Hermes, isn’t for everyone to become a therapist, but to realize the impact language and actions can have for those struggling with mental health issues.

“Does the parish even see them?” Sister Hermes asked. “People are putting on their Sunday clothes and going to Mass, and they’ve got it together for the time they’re in public — but has anyone touched the depth of the pain? They don’t even realize how much this is needed.”

18 August 2023
Mass of Christian Burial
Ellen Harding Casey
(1932-2023)
Cathedral of St. Peter
Funeral Homily of Msgr. Joseph G. Quinn

            The closing words of the Gospel you just heard proclaimed are indeed a succinct statement of the lifetime philosophy of the ever amazing and truly remarkable Ellen Harding Casey.

            First spoken by Jesus to His original disciples some two thousand years ago …. and to us, His current day disciples… listen to those words again as we all reflect upon the life of the good woman whose extraordinary ways bring us all together this day: “Rejoice And Be Glad, For Your Reward In Heaven Will Be Great.”

            Ellen Casey knew the truth of those divine words … and she lived them out each and every day of her life over the course of her ninety-one year journey homeward.

            And because she did that …. and did it so graciously, kindly and compassionately, we come together this day to mourn her death, pray for her eternal peace and perhaps most importantly, reflect upon the wisdom of her heart and the countless lessons to be learned from her blessed and graced life.

            Before we proceed and do that, however, I just wanted to let you know that our dear shepherd, Bishop Bambera, deeply regrets not being able to be present for today’s funeral Mass. He is recovering from a medical procedure and asked that I share these, his words, with you:

“To Mrs. Casey’s beloved children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren … as well as her relatives and friends… please know of my sympathy and prayers. You lost the heart of your family and we lost a devoted public servant, a gracious presence in our community, a defender of human life and a woman of deep faith. May God give her rest and may you, her dear family, know God’s peace.” 

            And then there are the words of the President of the United States…. Scranton-native Joseph Biden … who so kindly made his way to this very Cathedral yesterday to express his heartfelt sympathy.  In his own words, he noted:

            “I’ve often said that everything important I learned in life I learned in Scranton and you don’t have to look any further than Ellen Casey to know why. To spend just a few minutes with Ellen was to get a lifetime’s education in Scranton values: Honesty. Decency. Integrity. Character.  They were non-negotiable. It was who she was.

            Kindness was not a sign of weakness. It was a sign of strength. And no one was more kind (… than Ellen.)  …  Family always came first. But life was about serving others. …  She and Bob raised their eight children with these values passing along a (spirit of) devotion to family and (of always) serving others.” 

            And when one does truly live one’s life in that spirit  – as both Ellen and her beloved Spike always did – one can indeed “Rejoice And Be Glad”….Confident That “Your Reward In Heaven Will Be Great.”

            Some five centuries before Christ would walk the face of the earth, a young writer now simply known as “David” gave us the Old Testament “Book of Psalms” with its 150 psalms or prayers  reflecting upon many of the same issues that all of humanity has always struggled with in the course of our journey of life. Wrestling with issues re the ultimate meaning of life. Pondering how it is we are to deal with each other. Prayers that focus on the issues and concerns we all have in one way or another in our often restless search for the inner calm we all need… that which is called “God’s Peace.”

            Perhaps the 90th Psalm sums it up best of all when these words were written down: “Lord… maybe you give us 70 years. 80 if we are strong. And many of these are filled with emptiness and pain. So, Lord, teach us the shortness of our days that we might live them with wisdom of heart.”

            And isn’t that what we all find ourselves pondering this morning as we reflect upon the life of this ever kind and modest, gracious ad elegant, pleasant and selfless woman of God?  Isn’t our time together this morning intended by God for all of us to pause and remember how she made it through all the many chapters and challenges of her life’s journey?  Shouldn’t we all be thinking right now about the genuine “Wisdom of Heart” that was seen consistently in the life and love that marked her long earthly pilgrimage homeward?

            And if we did indeed do that, I think that with God’s graces at work in our lives, we would readily conclude that for Ellen Harding Casey:

  • Coming to know God and learning to live one’s FAITH really does matter;
  • Discerning one’s true purpose in life and committing oneself to intentionally fulfilling it does make a real difference;
  • Remaining genuinely HOPEFUL in what one believes to be God’s purpose for your life DOES aid one in finding the inner calm and joy we all need to move forward one day at a time:
  • And, finally, selflessly sharing one’s LOVE with and for others….. does help to rise to new life and truly understand the “shortness of our days” so as to live them humbly and honestly as did our beloved Ellen Casey.

            Perhaps the great St. Augustine said it best of all when some 1,700 years ago when he noted that “Our hearts are restless, O Lord, until they rest in you.”

            Said even more succinctly by Ellen’s famous husband, the original Robert P. Casey, in his noteworthy autobiography appropriately entitled “Fighting for Life” when speaking about his remarkable wife and the extraordinary mother of their eight children:

            “It’s amazing to think back on our life and recall how little real planning went into it. (Ellen and I)  never set out with any grand plans for the future. … After the birth of our first child we didn’t say, “Okay, seven more to go.”…  From the start, the only real plan Ellen and followed was that whatever came our way – whatever joys and whatever troubles – we would live them together…”

            And they did. Accepting the many twists and turns of life. Changing what they could and learning to live with the rest.  Always remaining upbeat and hopeful…. Regardless of what happened along the way. Bearing the many crosses in their own lives… but never really complaining. Doing their best to treat everyone equally. They were blessed with good instincts… common sense and genuine humility.  With God’s plentiful graces at work in their lives, they never lost hope nor did they ever allow their great smiles to fade.

            Saint Paul could well have been speaking of Ellen Casey when he said: “Your kindness should be known by all….. Have no anxiety at all. But in everything, by prayer and petition, with a grateful heart, make your requests known to God… and then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”

            Bravely, courageously and amazingly they both faced overwhelming health challenges in the course of their lives, but never gave up without extraordinary efforts. They loved life and both did all they could to respect it, protect it and help others persevere. And with their unshakable faith, neither of them ever feared death. Throughout it all, they did indeed “rejoice” and did remain both “grateful and glad” ….. which will always happen when, as they both did, one realizes that we are not here for ourselves…. but here to live our lives in generous fashion “with and for others.”

            On that note, allow me to close with the inspired and challenging words of St. Ignatius of Loyola…. the founder the of the Society of Jesus…. better known as “The Jesuits” who once wrote:

Lord, teach me to be generous.
Teach me to serve You as You deserve;
to give and not count the cost,
to fight and not heed the wounds.
to toil and not seek for rest,
to labor and not to ask for any reward,
except that of knowing that I do Your will. 

            Throughout all of her life, Ellen Harding Casey did precisely that. She lived her life with an endlessly generous heart.

            May she now be reunited with her beloved husband and her ancestors and friends as together they all celebrate the eternal peace and joy of heaven.

Rejoice And Be Glad, Ellen, For Your Reward in Heaven Will Be Great.

 

 

SCRANTON – President Joe Biden visited the Cathedral of Saint Peter on Thursday afternoon to privately pay his respects to the family of Ellen Casey, the former first lady of Pennsylvania and mother of U.S. Sen. Bob Casey, who died last week at age 91.

The president arrived at the Cathedral at 1:08 p.m. and departed at 1:48 p.m.

Secret Service, along with state and local police had a heavy presence outside the Cathedral of Saint Peter in Scranton during a 40-minute visit of President Joe Biden on Thursday, Aug. 16, 2023, in which Biden paid respects to the family of Ellen Casey, who died last week at age 91.

Talking to reporters both before and after his flight, Biden said he wanted to attend Mrs. Casey’s funeral Friday but had previously been scheduled to be at a summit at Camp David and didn’t want other funeral attendees to have to go through Secret Service security.

“I just want to show my respect to the family,” Biden said after arriving at the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport in Avoca.

Biden said Mrs. Casey loved with a fierceness and a tenderness that was “just incredible.”

“She played an enormous role, not just in my life but everyone’s (life). There is a quote my sister always uses about Michelangelo, ‘He saw the angel in the marble, and he carved till he set it free.’ That’s who she was. This was an incredible woman – decent, honorable. Her values were amazing and every time I’d go to Scranton over the years, I’d stop and see her. She was a friend,” Biden said.

President Biden emphasized he has known the Casey family for the majority of his life.

“We lived not far from one another. He was on Wyoming Avenue and I lived on North Washington Avenue. We went to the same parish, Saint Paul’s,” Biden added.

Air Force One departed the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport at 2:30 p.m. en route to Hagerstown, Md., from where he will travel to Camp David.

The viewing for Mrs. Casey will last until 8 p.m. Thursday evening. Her funeral Mass will be held on Friday morning at 10 a.m. At the request of the Casey family, the funeral Mass will be livestream from the Cathedral of Saint Peter on the Diocese of Scranton’s YouTube Channel.

SCRANTON – Over the next two weeks, the Diocese of Scranton Catholic School System will proudly welcome back thousands of students for the start of the 2023-24 school year.

Kristen Donohue, Diocesan Secretary of Catholic Education and Superintendent of Catholic Schools, said dedicated faculty and staff at all 19 Diocesan Catholic schools are excited about the upcoming year and the opportunity to help each student grow spiritually, academically, emotionally and socially.

After a renovation project that took several months, Our Lady of Peace Catholic School in Clarks Green has two new classrooms for third grade students to learn in this year.

“We are going to have a great year,” Donohue emphasized.

The long-time educator admits the “back to school” season comes with a variety of emotions.

“For some families, it is their first opportunity to enter our school system and it’s a very exciting time. For others, it might be their 12th grade year and it will be the last ‘first day’ that they will have in our school system,” Donohue said. “Regardless of where our students are starting their journey this year, it is a time of excitement.”

Throughout the summer, Catholic schools in the Diocese have fielded many calls from prospective families – and many have already surpassed enrollment numbers from last year.

“Our schools are very attractive to a lot of families for a variety of reasons. We are seeing an uptick in enrollment and are continuing to see interest throughout the month of August with school right around the corner,” Donohue added. “There are still open seats available in many of our schools. However, due to the increases in enrollment, there are classes that have been capped. If anyone is interested, it would be wise to reach out to the school principal right now to inquire.”

WHAT TO EXPECT THIS YEAR

Donohue expects the Diocese of Scranton’s Strategic Growth Planning Initiative for Catholic Schools to pick up steam as the new academic year begins.

Launched in April, the process aims to help the Catholic School System define priorities and develop a strong, financially sustainable vision for the future to ensure Catholic schools remain vibrant and viable.

All stakeholders will soon be invited to fill out surveys, allowing them to provide input into the process.

“We will be surveying our current families, faculty and staff, families who are in parish faith formation programs who may not have children attending our schools, and our priests to gain an idea of what we’re doing well and what areas we need to strengthen. We also want to hear any ideas or suggestions that any of those groups may have,” Donohue stressed.

As students return to the classroom, interactive STREAM lessons – focused on science, technology, religion, engineering, art and math – will continue to be a primary focus of educators.

“Our educators are very much looking forward to teaching lessons that promote thought-provoking, hands-on, and collaborative activities,” the superintendent said.

Educators will also continue to use assessment data to offer differentiated instruction and will focus on social emotional learning initiatives.

“We’ve partnered with Friendzy, which is a religious curriculum-based social emotional learning platform that will really supplement and expand the social emotional learning initiative,” Donohue said.

Below are some other highlights of what is new this coming year.

NEW STREAM LAB AT SAINT CLARE/SAINT PAUL SCHOOL

Students at Saint Clare/Saint Paul School in Scranton will begin the school year with a new space dedicated specifically for STREAM lessons. The school will open a new STREAM lab on the second floor of its main campus building.

“The STREAM lab will be utilized by teachers and their students on a weekly basis so all students have the opportunity to engage with the new equipment that has been carefully chosen and is relevant to subjects reaching across the entire curriculum,” principal Kara Kennedy Ware said. “Teachers may choose to team teach thematically, and our students will also be able to participate in our new after-school STREAM club. The broader goals for the new STREAM lab are to provide limitless opportunities for teaching, exploring, and learning in a beautiful engaging space, where imagination and innovation are cultivated and encouraged.”

The school’s STREAM facilitator, Katie Purcell, was instrumental in designing the space so that it would be conducive for student problem solving and collaboration. The new space has areas with names such as Collaboration Corner, Research Row, Workstation Nation and more.

“When designing the lab, I thought of the limitations within the classroom I had when implementing STREAM. I also spoke with faculty members and used the research from my STEM Education program to come up with the most important areas our students need to succeed,” Purcell said. “The Collaboration Corner is a space for students to work together to brainstorm ideas and voice their opinions for their projects. They can use what they have learned during their time together when researching in Research Row and share their ideas with one another. The students will then go to Workstation Nation or Creation Carpet to bring their ideas to life. Both stations require the students to use collaboration, communication, creativity, and critical thinking when completing their projects and labs. This also brings the design process to life for the students.”

Both Ware and Purcell expect faculty and students will be excited to engage in more hands-on STREAM activities in the new lab space.

“As a teacher myself, I cannot wait to use this with my students. I feel that I have more opportunities now to engage in project-based learning and do different projects that I could not complete in my classroom. That is how I hope the rest of the faculty feels as well,” Purcell stated.

“In my opinion, some of the potential benefits for implementing STREAM, and creating a dedicated space are the unprecedented opportunities that are presented for students to sharpen their critical thinking skills, while engaging in a student-centered environment that encourages them to confidently take the lead in their learning,” Ware added.

NEW SCIENCE LABS AT HOLY CROSS HIGH SCHOOL

It has been a busy summer at Holy Cross High School in Dunmore with five rooms, including two science labs, a science classroom, the school’s art room and computer lab, all being renovated in some way or receiving new equipment.

“For years we have wanted to upgrade our biology and science labs and the equipment in another science room,” principal Ben Tolerico said. “I think it was an opportunity to enhance the school itself.”

Tolerico credits his faculty for helping to design the new spaces.

“They did an incredible amount of leg work, going through catalogs to pick out everything they wanted,” he said. “It will be really great for the kids to have all of this brand new equipment … It shows the commitment the school has.”

While the renovation work is still being completed, it is expected to be finished by opening day.

Tolerico said the new spaces and equipment will help students planning to pursue a career in science or art with equipment that is comparable to what they will use in college.

“Our school community feels strongly about giving life to the arts,” the long-time educator explained. “Not everybody is going to be a doctor, lawyer or teacher, they have other passions. We must show our students in that niche that we support them.”

NEW CLASSROOM SPACE AT OUR LADY OF PEACE SCHOOL

The new school year will bring new classroom space to Our Lady of Peace School in Clarks Green.

Due to enrollment increases and the COVID-19 pandemic, two third grade classes had been learning in the school’s gymnasium for the last two years.

In February, construction crews began converting some cafeteria space into new classrooms that will be used for the first time on Aug. 28.

“The third teachers are very happy to have the brand new space. They were very patient and super professional about using the gym but they are glad to be in the new space,” principal Ann D’Arienzo said. “The rest of the school is very happy to have the gym back as well.”

In addition to the two new classrooms, an additional office space was also created and will likely be used as a resource and support room for small groups of students.
With 340 students already enrolled at Our Lady of Peace School this year, D’Arienzo is excited for classes to begin.

“There is a lot of momentum,” she explained.

A newly formed parent-teacher group, named the Falcon Family Alliance, has also been formed to bring student activities back to the gym. The group held its inaugural meeting several weeks ago.

“They will help us with activities and events – during school, after school and fundraising events – things of that nature,” D’Arienzo ended by saying.

“TOO GOOD FOR DRUGS”

Fifth grade students attending a Catholic School in Lackawanna County this coming year will participate in a new program entitled, ‘Too Good for Drugs.’

The Diocese of Scranton Catholic School System is partnering with the Lackawanna County District Attorney’s Office for the initiative.

“’Too Good for Drugs’ is an evidence-based educational program designed to teach children and empower them at a young age to develop self-esteem, help them stand up for themselves and make good choices when it comes to alcohol or drugs,” Lackawanna County District Attorney Mark Powell explained.

Students at Saint Clare/Saint Paul School, All Saints Academy, Our Lady of Mount Carmel School, La Salle Academy and Our Lady of Peace School will each have ten sessions throughout the course of the year.

“It is a highly success program. It has been implemented in several public schools over the years and we’re delighted that we’re expanding the program to all schools in Lackawanna County,” Powell added. “Education is the key. We, as children, did not have the same issues with social media and the amount of drugs available at a young age.”

Donohue says the ‘Too Good for Drugs’ program is much broader than the DARE Program that many parents will remember years ago.

“It is much more than just saying no to drugs. They look at the whole picture of how to make decisions and do so confidently,” Donohue said. “Students will talk about setting reachable goals, identifying and managing emotions as well as being able to resist the temptation of drugs and saying no.”

SCRANTON – September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, and to offer healing and to increase awareness about the Church’s mercy and care for those who have died by suicide, the Most Rev. Joseph C. Bambera, Bishop of Scranton, will celebrate a Mass for Suicide Healing and Remembrance on Sunday, Sept. 17, 2023, at 12:15 p.m. at the Cathedral of Saint Peter.

During the Mass, those attending will be invited to bring forward a flower in remembrance of those lost to suicide. No registration is necessary and all are welcome.

Those who attended the 2022 Mass for Suicide Healing and Remembrance found it moving and meaningful.

“I look forward to the beautiful Mass for Suicide Healing and Remembrance each year,” Ann Marie McCrone said. “For me, sharing my grief with others who have endured similar losses is therapeutic.”

Deacon Ed Shoener, one of those instrumental in bringing this Mass to our Diocese, shared, “The Mass was profoundly healing for those who are grieving the suicide death of a loved one. Many people said that coming forward with a flower and placing it before the altar and the image of Mary holding Christ was like turning their own grief over to Christ. In a visible way they were able to show that in faith they were entrusting their loved ones to the mercy of Christ.”

Jack O’Malley lost the youngest of his six adult children, his beloved son, Ryan, who died from suicide on Aug. 21, 2011, at the age of 31.

“Our entire family was devastated, crushed,” O’Malley said. “We are a close, loving family and there was tremendous mutual support during that terrible time. We loved as a family and we grieved as a family. Yet, each of us had to cope in our own, unique, personal manner to the cross of suicide.”

While it initially seemed to be a mountain that could not be climbed, O’Malley said each of his family members has developed resources and resilience enabling them to fill the hole in their heart.

“My wife, Helene, and I have been gifted with strong faith and the practice of our Catholic faith has helped us immeasurably in our journey together,” he added. “The Mass is the most wonderful aspect of our faith and the reception of the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ is the greatest gift. We are deeply grateful for the Mass and this Mass in particular is very dear to us.”

To learn more about grieving a loss to Suicide from a Catholic perspective, consider accessing the “When a Loved One Dies by Suicide” film resource at: https://catholicmhm.org/whenalovedonediesbysuicide.

Other related worship and liturgy resources to help you observe Suicide Prevention Awareness Month can also be found on the Association of Catholic Mental Health Ministers website at catholicmhm.org.

If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available.

Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.