Month: November 2024

WILKES-BARRE – Catholic Social Services of the Diocese of Scranton has announced the launch of a new program, ‘Parents as Teachers,’ designed to empower families in Luzerne County by providing resources and support for early childhood development.

The agency began serving its first nine families in September and is planning a large kick-off event on Nov. 9 to help spread the word about the new program.

“Research has shown that the first three years of a child’s life are the most formative,” Montie Ford, lead caseworker for the ‘Parents as Teachers’ program, said. “A lot of times moms don’t understand that the time during their pregnancy is important too.”

The ‘Parents as Teachers’ program aims to equip parents with the knowledge and skills necessary to foster their children’s growth and learning from conception up to one year before entering kindergarten (typically around the age of five).

“At ten weeks in utero, a child has a nervous system and they’re taking in everything in their environment,” Ford added. “We can talk to pregnant mothers about the importance of a healthy diet, not doing drugs, not smoking pot or cigarettes, not using curse words all the time, and trying to destress themselves and be calm.”

The ‘Parents as Teachers’ program offers a range of services, including home visits from trained educators, parenting workshops, and access to educational materials and toys. Families receive personalized guidance tailored to their individual needs, focusing on developmental milestones, effective parenting strategies, and early literacy.

“One of the great things about ‘Parents as Teachers’ is that through these assessments, we’re able to identify developmental issues that a parent could go to their primary care provider and say, ‘they’re not doing milestones or this,’ and the medical provider can do a diagnosis,” Dagmar Montolio, program supervisor, said.

Unlike other programs, there is no income requirement for a family to participate in the ‘Parents as Teachers’ program. It is currently available to any parent in Luzerne County who is pregnant or who has a young baby. The program does have a minimum commitment of one year.

Catholic Social Services currently has six caseworkers taking part in the ‘Parents as Teachers’ program. Families can expect to get one or two visits a month depending on the number of stressors in the child’s environment.

“We want them to look forward to us coming to know that we’re part of their team,” Montolio said, explaining the initiative as extremely proactive.

The ‘Parents as Teachers’ program is designed to support parents in their crucial role as their child’s first teacher, helping to ensure that every child has the opportunity to thrive. Catholic Social Services believes strongly that investing in our families is essential for building a stronger community.

“It is really an amazing program,” Montolio added. “We want people to know that this program is starting.”

“Thanks For Giving” Event Planned for Nov. 9

To help spread the word about the launch of the new ‘Parents as Teachers program, Catholic Social Services is organizing a ‘Thanks for Giving’ community event on Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024.

“Everything will be family friendly,” Ford said.

Between 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., everyone is invited to the Salvation Army Gymnasium, 17 S. Pennsylvania Avenue, Wilkes-Barre. The event will feature door prizes, information tables, craft vendors, free face painting and entertainment. Free haircuts will also be provided by the Repair Shop and the Plains Lions Club will offer free eye screenings for children.

“We want parents to see what ‘Parents as Teachers’ offers, but even if they don’t engage with P.A.T., we hope they leave with something to better themselves,” Montolio stated.

As part of its mission to serve those in need, Catholic Social Services of the Diocese of Scranton has been working with Luzerne County Children & Youth Services to develop initiatives that support family well-being and community cohesion. The launch of the ‘Parents as Teachers’ program is a testament to the organization’s commitment to enhancing the lives of families and ensuring that every child has a strong foundation for future success.

For more information about the ‘Parents as Teachers’ program, contact Dagmar Montolio at (570) 822-7118, ext. 3319, or email dmontolio@cssdioceseofscranton.org; or Montie Ford at (570) 763-9320, or email mford@cssdioceseofscranton.org.

ROME (CNS) – The Vatican secretary of state said his prayer for Donald J. Trump is that God would grant him wisdom “because that is the main virtue of those who govern according to the Bible.”

Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the secretary of state, spoke briefly to reporters Nov. 7 outside Rome’s Pontifical Gregorian University.

Asked about Trump’s victory Nov. 5 and looking toward his second term as president, Cardinal Parolin said, “I think he has to work above all to be president of the whole country and therefore overcome the polarization that has occurred and is very evident.”

“We also hope he can be a factor for détente and pacification in the current conflicts that are bloodying the world,” the cardinal said. “He said he will end the wars. Let’s hope so. But, of course, he doesn’t have a magic wand either.”

As for Trump’s repeated vow to “launch the largest deportation program in American history” and to severely limit all immigration, Cardinal Parolin said the Vatican supports a comprehensive and “wise policy toward migrants so that it does not go to these extremes.”

Pope Francis has recognized the right of nations to regulate immigration but also has insisted those policies promote an attitude of welcoming people seeking safety and a better life, accompanying them as they settle in and helping them integrate. Cardinal Parolin told reporters, “I think this is the only way to deal with the problem and to solve it in a humane way.”

The cardinal said he is not worried that U.S.-Vatican relations will suffer under Trump’s leadership. “We maintained relations with the president during his previous term and will continue to do so.”

“As always,” he said, “there are elements that bring us closer and elements that differentiate and distance us, and this will be an opportunity to exercise dialogue and to try to find more points of consensus for the benefit of the common good and world peace.”

Opposition to abortion is one common position, and Cardinal Parolin said he hoped Trump would work on a broader understanding of the defense of human life and do so in a way that will bring people together “and not let it again become a policy of polarization and division.”

Cardinal Parolin was at the Gregorian University to address a conference marking the 75th anniversary of the Geneva Conventions, looking specifically at the impact of artificial intelligence on international humanitarian law, particularly in conflict situations.

The development of artificial intelligence shows just how creative human beings can be, but the technology must always be under human control, he said.

Machines cannot make moral decisions, and those decisions are critical in situations of war and violence, Cardinal Parolin told the conference, which is why the Holy See strongly supports an international treaty governing the use of Lethal Autonomous Weapon Systems.

“We cannot allow life and the future of anyone to be determined by an algorithm,” he said.

(OSV News) – The president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops is calling for prayer and unity, following the nation’s general election that saw Republican candidate and former president Donald Trump defeat Democratic nominee and current Vice President Kamala Harris to win another term as president.

In a Nov. 6 statement, USCCB president Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio of the U.S. Archdiocese for the Military Services said, “I congratulate President-elect Trump, as well as the national, state and local officials who campaigned to represent the people. Now, we move from campaigning to governing.”

The archbishop said that Americans are “fortunate to live in a democracy,” and that “we rejoice in our ability to transition peacefully from one government to the next.”

He stressed that “the Catholic Church is not aligned with any political party, and neither is the bishops’ conference.

“No matter who occupies the White House or holds the majority on Capitol Hill, the Church’s teachings remain unchanged, and we bishops look forward to working with the people’s elected representatives to advance the common good of all,” said Archbishop Broglio. “As Christians, and as Americans, we have the duty to treat each other with charity, respect, and civility, even if we may disagree on how to carry out matters of public policy.”

The archbishop added, “As a Nation blessed with many gifts we must also be concerned for those outside our borders and eager to offer assistance to all.”

Archbishop Broglio concluded his statement by inviting people to “pray for President-elect Trump, as well as all leaders in public life, that they may rise to meet the responsibilities entrusted to them as they serve our country and those whom they represent.”

He said, “Let us ask for the intercession of our Blessed Mother, the patroness of our nation, that she guide to uphold the common good of all and promote the dignity of the human person, especially the most vulnerable among us, including the unborn, the poor, the stranger, the elderly and infirm, and migrants.”

WASHINGTON (OSV News) – Voters in Florida, Nebraska and South Dakota Nov. 5 rejected amendments to their state constitutions that would have codified abortion as a right, while other states, including Arizona, Colorado, Montana, Nevada and Missouri, did vote to codify such a right in their constitutions, on Election Day.

Nebraska’s 12-week abortion ban will remain in effect after Initiative 434, which proposed limiting abortion after the first trimester, received more “For” votes than its competing Initiative 439, which would have codified a constitutional right to abortion.

South Dakota likewise rejected a measure to codify abortion protections.

Ten states had 2024 ballot referenda considering abortion either directly or indirectly.

Unlike the other nine states, the Sunshine State requires such measures to reach a threshold of 60% to pass.

However, Amendment 4 failed to reach that threshold, as only 57% of Floridians voted to support it, with 97% of precincts reporting. It became the first ballot measure aimed at expanding abortion access to fail since the U.S. Supreme Court issued its ruling in Dobbs vs. Jackson Women’s Health Organization in June 2022.

That ruling reversed the high court’s previous abortion precedent. Soon after, voters in Ohio, California, Kentucky, Michigan, Montana, Vermont and Kansas either rejected new limitations on abortion or expanded legal protections for it as the result of ballot measures.

In Maryland, voters approved a ballot measure to add “reproductive freedom” — which it defines as inclusive of abortion — to that state’s Declaration of Rights.

A measure in New York called the “Equal Rights Amendment,” Proposal 1, also passed handily and will codify what it calls fair treatment for all people in the state’s constitution. However, New York’s Catholic bishops and other opponents argued the measure was aimed at protecting abortion among other objections, such as unforeseen consequences for parental rights.

“We are disappointed in the decision of the voters to approve this deceptively worded state constitutional amendment and we thank all who voted no,” the New York State Catholic Conference said in a statement Nov. 6. “Despite this outcome, we will continue to fight the good fight for the protection of human rights, the dignity of the human person, the sacredness of all life, the rights of parents, and the preservation of religious liberty.”

It added, “The Catholic Bishops of New York State encourage legislators and state officials to focus on true support for women, children, and families rather than continuing to push abortion as the only option. If you are pregnant or a new parent and you need help, the Catholic Church is here for you. You are not alone.”

In Florida, the state conference of Catholic bishops said in a statement that it is “profoundly relieved at the defeat of Florida’s pro-abortion Amendment 4. This is a positive outcome for Florida and all efforts to promote the flourishing of our state.”

“Though Amendment 4 failed to reach the 60% threshold required to pass, a majority of Floridians voting in the general election supported it,” the statement said. “While significant gains to protect women and preborn children in recent years will remain in place, abortion in Florida will continue at a very high rate under our current laws.”

Current Florida law prohibits most abortions after six weeks, with some exceptions, including scenarios where a woman’s life is at risk.

Lauren Brenzel, campaign director of Yes on 4, which supported the measure, said in a statement, “Despite relentless government sabotage, the state’s promotion of disinformation, and, anti-democratic attacks, the majority of Floridians still voted for Amendment 4.”

“The people have spoken and have sent a clear mandate to the legislature: repeal Florida’s extreme ban,” Brenzel said. “Today’s results are evidence of the strong support for abortion access in Florida and only fuels our resolve to keep fighting government interference.”

The Catholic Church teaches that all human life is sacred from conception to natural death, and as such, opposes direct abortion. After the Dobbs decision, church officials in the U.S. have reiterated the church’s concern for both mother and child and called to strengthen available support for those living in poverty or other causes that can push women toward having an abortion.

The Florida bishops reiterated that call in their statement.

“Much work remains to open hearts and minds to the dignity and goodness of life in the womb and at every stage,” the bishops’ statement said. “We will continue to proclaim in our churches and in the public square the value of every human life and to highlight that there is a better way forward for women, families and society than abortion. Through our many ministries, we will continue to support, encourage and assist pregnant women and young families.

“For those who regret their abortion or abortions, or their cooperation in one, we reiterate that the Lord is eager to forgive, and the Church is ready to facilitate healing,” the bishops’ statement said.

Abortion rates, which began steadily rising in 2017 after a nearly three-decade decline, have further increased in the aftermath of the Dobbs decision. According to the Guttmacher Institute, which tracks abortion data, abortions in 2023 were up 11% over 2020. The 2023 data represents the first full year after Dobbs created a “fractured abortion landscape” as states enact restrictions on, or protections of, abortion access.

ROME (CNS) – Pope Francis prayed at the graves of children and of miscarried babies on the feast of All Souls before concelebrating Mass with several hundred mourners.

The pope traveled Nov. 2 to Rome’s Laurentino cemetery, which has a special section for children who have died and, nearby, a section called the “Garden of the Angels” where parents who have experienced a miscarriage can opt to have their children buried rather than having a hospital dispose of the remains.

A father who had lost a son greeted the pope, kneeling to kiss the pope’s hand, and then pointing to his son’s grave.

Pope Francis left a bouquet of white roses at the entrance to the garden where stuffed animals, toys, pinwheels and pots of white chrysanthemums in the shape of a heart stand in contrast to the candles and flowers on other graves. The grave markers have only one date on them.

Rather than giving a homily during the Mass, the pope led the congregation in a long moment silent reflection.

Pope Francis’ prayer intention for the month of November is for parents who have lost a child. In his video message asking people to join him in the prayer, he began by saying, “What can we say to parents who have lost a child? How can we console them? There are no words.”

At the end of the Mass, the pope prayed that by visiting the graves of their beloved deceased, people would renew their faith in Jesus, who died, was buried and rose again to save humanity.

The bodies of those who have died will rise again on the last day, he said, and those who have fallen asleep in the Lord will join him in the triumph over death.

He prayed that God would hear people’s prayers for their beloved dead and would “open your arms of mercy” and receive them into the heavenly host.

“Comfort those who are suffering the pain of separation with the certainty that the dead live in you,” he prayed, “and that even the bodies entrusted to the earth will one day participate in the paschal victory of your son.”

The main celebrant at the Mass was Archbishop Diego Ravelli, the master of papal liturgical ceremonies. However, unlike at most public Masses in the last few years where the pope presides, but does not concelebrate, Pope Francis stood for the Eucharistic prayer and concelebrated the Mass.

VATICAN CITY (CNS) – With the Holy Year 2025 beginning on Christmas Eve, the Vatican’s 2024 Christmas stamps feature the Jubilee message of hope as well as a prayer for peace.

Both Christmas stamps, set to go on sale Nov. 4, feature the logo of the Holy Year.

The 1.25-euro stamp features “the Christmas angel bearing a scroll that reads ‘Glory to God’ and ‘Peace on Earth,'” excerpts from the hymn Luke 2:14 says was sung by the angels announcing the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem, said a note from the Vatican philatelic office.

“It is the invocation that in recent years rises heartfelt from so many parts of the world crushed by violence and war,” said the note, released Oct. 30.

The second stamp, with a value of 1.30 euros, shows the Baby Jesus in the manger with his hand raised in blessing. A scroll above his head has the Latin title of Pope Francis’ bull of indiction, formally proclaiming the Holy Year: “Spes Non Confundit,” which means “Hope does not disappoint.”

The Vatican post office also sells two of each stamp in a booklet for collectors; the cover features a detail from Orazio Zecca da Montefortino’s early 17th-century painting, the Adoration of the Shepherds, which is kept in the Rome Basilica of St. Mary Major.

ROME (CNS) – Approximately 40,000 visitors enter St. Peter’s Basilica each day, and now they can gain deeper insights into what they are seeing inside the world’s largest church.

In the leadup to the Holy Year 2025, the Vatican inaugurated the “Official Area” for St. Peter’s Basilica. Located at the start of the long avenue leading to the basilica, the center aims to enhance pilgrims’ experiences and serve as a information point.

Cardinal Mauro Gambetti, archpriest of the basilica, blessed the information point during its inauguration Oct. 31, stating that enhancing the visitor experience for the basilica “fosters spaces of freedom in each person’s heart to return to a deep awareness of oneself, but also of the other.”

Inside, visitors will find informative books, guides, memorabilia from the basilica, and they can buy tickets to visit the dome — the only part of the basilica that requires a paid ticket. Above all they can encounter a multilingual staff that can answer their questions.

Any profits from the sale of goods from the info point will be used for nonprofit projects in partnership with the Be Human Foundation.

The info point will also offer augmented reality experiences to show visitors aspects of the basilica in greater detail, such as the recent restoration of Gian Lorenzo Bernini’s 10-story bronze canopy that stands over the basilica’s main altar.

For those with mobility concerns, the center provides support to organize accessible visits to the basilica, including tactile resources for the visually impaired.

Franciscan Father Enzo Fortunato, communications director of St. Peter’s Basilica, told Catholic News Service that people visiting Rome “many times, not knowing the city, feel lost, and so having a signpost that can help them orient themselves I think is a service in the true sense of the word.”

As a major destination for pilgrims, the basilica should be accessible to everyone, he said, and the church should enable visitors to have a meaningful and profound experience as they walk through it.

Many visitors “come here only once their whole lives,” he said. “If we are not close to these people, then who should we be close to?”

Cardinal Gambetti said that the next step for the basilica lies in the digital realm: the basilica is in the process of launching a digital platform that includes an app with podcasts, videos and information about religious sites in Rome.

The platform will help people reserve tours for groups and advise pilgrims, in real time, which sites are busy and suggesting alternatives.

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Young people need “big-hearted educators” to guide them through the complexities of modernity, Pope Francis told leaders in Catholic education.

Speaking to members of the educational engagement branch of the Italian lay Catholic Action movement Oct. 31, the pope highlighted the critical role of Catholic educators in shaping young people and society in the face of widespread cultural shifts and secularization.

“In this change of epoch, amid the process of secularization” — which he described as “clearly the spirit of this world” — education “finds itself immersed in an almost unprecedented horizon,” the pope said. As a result, “Chistian education traverses uncharted terrain, marked by anthropological and cultural changes on which we are still seeking answers in the light of the Word of God.”

Leaders in Catholic education, he said, “should not be afraid to put forward high ideals, to not be discouraged in the face of difficulties.”

To be effective agents of change, Pope Francis encouraged Catholic educators to “build and strengthen fruitful relationships with different actors in the process of education: families, teachers, social actors, coaches, catechists, priests, religious women and men, without overlooking collaboration with public institutions.”

He also stressed the importance of involving children directly, since children “must not be passive in the educational process; they must be active.”

In his vision for Catholic education, Pope Francis urged educators to center their work on the dignity of each person.

“Bring forward an idea and practice of education that effectively places each person, his or her essential value and original dignity, at the center,” he said.

Teaching, he added, “means first of all rediscovering and valuing the centrality of the person in a relationship where the dignity of human life finds fulfillment and adequate space to grow.”

Looking ahead to the Holy Year 2025, Pope Francis called for particular attention to be given to young people, who are “the present and the future of the church.” He urged educators to look to young people with “trust, empathy, with the gaze and heart of Jesus,” embodying a compassionate approach to teaching and mentorship.

November 4, 2024

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

 

Every December 8, Catholics joyfully celebrate the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Patroness of the United States.

This year, December 8 will fall on a Sunday – specifically the Second Sunday of Advent.

As a result, the celebration of the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception is transferred to Monday, December 9th.

In the past, it was understood that when this situation occurred, the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception did not maintain the obligation to attend Mass due to its proximity to the Sunday Mass obligation. However, the Holy See just recently clarified that the obligation must remain.

As we quickly approach the end of the liturgical year, I am keenly aware that many parishes have already finalized their schedules for December and many deaneries are planning communal penance services around that time. Furthermore, the short notice of this change might cause confusion.

Therefore, in accord with canon 87, §1, I am hereby granting a dispensation to the Catholic faithful from the obligation to attend Mass on Monday, December 9, 2024, the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception throughout the territory of the Diocese of Scranton.

In granting this dispensation, I want to emphasize two things.

First, while the obligation will not be in effect this year, I strongly encourage all faithful who are able to make a special effort to attend Mass on December 9, or do some form of extra prayer, like praying the Rosary.

Second, this dispensation is for this year (2024) only. Next year, in 2025, the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception will fall on a Monday and there will be NO dispensation from the obligation to attend Mass on that day.

Please be assured of my prayers for you and your family as the sacred season of Advent approaches.

 

Faithfully yours in Christ,

 

Most Reverend Joseph C. Bambera, D.D., J.C.L.

Bishop of Scranton