“For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me” (Matthew 25:35)
Faith is not just about belief. It is also about action.
As noted in the verse above from Matthew’s Gospel, how we treat others – particularly the most vulnerable in society – is directly linked to our relationship with Christ.
Put simply, when we serve those in need, we are serving Jesus Himself.
This basic principle is put into action every day across northeastern and north central Pennsylvania without a second thought: from young students collecting food for the less fortunate, to community organizations working together to provide nightly shelter to those experiencing homelessness, and parishioners in our parishes visiting the sick and lonely.
As Christians, this verse should also shape how we approach complex societal issues, reminding us to always act with mercy, dignity, and love.
The issue of immigration in the United States is one that often divides us. For some, the conversation revolves around safety, security, and order in our great nation, while for others, it is about compassion and human rights.
As followers of Christ, we must never forget one of the central and basic tenets of our faith: the dignity of every human person. Every person is made in the image and likeness of God – and that inherent dignity cannot be taken away by status or nationality.
From the very beginning of Scripture, God’s command to welcome the stranger is clear. The parents of Jesus had to flee their own land and take refuge in Egypt to save the life of their child.
Likewise, we must see Christ in those who seek refuge among us – whether because of war and widespread violence, religious and ethnic persecution, or human rights abuses. For many of these individuals, the decision to leave their homeland is often born out of desperation – and in the face of these concerns – we all have a responsibility to respond with compassion and understanding.
While the Catholic Church teaches us that individuals and families have the right to migrate, likewise, no country should be unduly burdened by those seeking refuge. To be clear, the United States has the responsibility to secure its borders and keep its citizens safe. Yet, as Pope Francis recently noted in a letter to the Bishops of the United States, “the true common good is promoted when society and government, with creativity and strict respect for the rights of all … welcomes, protects, promotes and integrates the most fragile, unprotected and vulnerable.”
Like many of my brother bishops, I am calling on our political leaders to set aside partisan politics and to fix our broken immigration system. But I pray that they do so in a way that respects Gospel values. Threats of mass deportations and allowing immigration officials to enter churches, schools, and healthcare facilities to conduct arrests, have only led to fear and anxiety for many of our brothers and sisters who live in our neighborhoods, attend our schools, provide useful services throughout our communities and worship with us on a regular basis.
Since its inception, our nation has been built upon the presence of immigrants who have contributed to the well-being and greatness of our land. As such, it is essential that we continue to support proper, legal pathways for immigration, ensuring that those who seek to contribute to society can do so in a manner that honors both their dignity and the lawful order of our communities.
As we pray for a system that honors the dignity of all people, one that is always guided by God’s love and justice, let us all remain hopeful that with faith, dialogue, and a commitment to justice, a solution to the complex challenges of immigration may be addressed in a way that honors the dignity of all.
May Our Lady of Guadalupe, the patroness of the Americas, intercede for us and for our nation, guiding us toward solutions that uphold the dignity of all people and reflect the mercy of Christ.
Defendiendo la Dignidad de Todos- Un Mensaje sobre la Inmigración del Muy Reverendo Joseph C. Bambera, Obispo de Scranton
“Porque tuve hambre, y me diste de comer; tuve sed, y me diste de beber; era forastero, y me acogiste” (Mateo 25:35)
La fe no es solo cuestión de creencias. También se trata de acción.
Como se señala en el versículo anterior del Evangelio de Mateo, cómo tratamos a los demás – particularmente a los más vulnerables en la sociedad – está directamente vinculado a nuestra relación con Cristo.
En pocas palabras, cuando servimos a los necesitados, estamos sirviendo al propio Jesús.
Este principio básico se pone en acción todos los días en el noreste y centro-norte de Pensilvania, sin pensarlo dos veces: desde los estudiantes más jóvenes recolectando alimentos para los menos afortunados, hasta las organizaciones comunitarias que trabajan juntas para proporcionar refugio nocturno a quienes experimentan la falta de vivienda, y los feligreses de nuestras parroquias visitando a los enfermos y solitarios.
Como cristianos, este versículo también debe moldear nuestra forma de abordar los complejos problemas sociales, recordándonos actuar siempre con misericordia, dignidad y amor.
El tema de la inmigración en los Estados Unidos es uno que a menudo nos divide. Para algunos, la conversación gira en torno a la seguridad, el orden y la protección en nuestra gran nación, mientras que para otros, se trata de compasión y derechos humanos.
Como seguidores de Cristo, nunca debemos olvidar uno de los principios centrales y básicos de nuestra fe: la dignidad de toda persona humana. Cada persona está hecha a imagen y semejanza de Dios, y esa dignidad inherente no puede ser arrebatada por el estatus o la nacionalidad.
Desde el principio de las Escrituras, el mandato de Dios de acoger al extranjero es claro. Los padres de Jesús tuvieron que huir de su tierra y refugiarse en Egipto para salvar la vida de su hijo.
De igual manera, debemos ver a Cristo en aquellos que buscan refugio entre nosotros – ya sea por la guerra y la violencia generalizada, la persecución religiosa y étnica, o las violaciones a los derechos humanos. Para muchos de estos individuos, la decisión de abandonar su tierra natal nace a menudo de la desesperación, y ante estas preocupaciones, todos tenemos la responsabilidad de responder con compasión y comprensión.
Mientras que la Iglesia Católica nos enseña que los individuos y las familias tienen el derecho a migrar, igualmente, ningún país debe ser excesivamente cargado por aquellos que buscan refugio. Para ser claros, los Estados Unidos tienen la responsabilidad de asegurar sus fronteras y mantener a salvo a sus ciudadanos. Sin embargo, como el Papa Francisco señaló recientemente en una carta a los obispos de los Estados Unidos, “el verdadero bien común se promueve cuando la sociedad y el gobierno, con creatividad y un estricto respeto por los derechos de todos… acogen, protegen, promueven e integran a los más frágiles, desprotegidos y vulnerables.”
Como muchos de mis hermanos obispos, hago un llamado a nuestros líderes políticos para que dejen de lado la política partidista y arreglen nuestro sistema de inmigración roto. Pero rezo para que lo hagan de una manera que respete los valores del Evangelio. Las amenazas de deportaciones masivas y permitir que los funcionarios de inmigración entren en iglesias,
escuelas y centros de salud para realizar arrestos, solo han generado miedo y ansiedad en muchos de nuestros hermanos y hermanas que viven en nuestros vecindarios, asisten a nuestras escuelas, brindan servicios útiles a lo largo de nuestras comunidades y adoran con nosotros de manera regular.
Desde su inicio, nuestra nación ha sido construida sobre la presencia de inmigrantes que han contribuido al bienestar y la grandeza de nuestra tierra. Por lo tanto, es esencial que sigamos apoyando caminos legales y adecuados para la inmigración, asegurando que aquellos que buscan contribuir a la sociedad puedan hacerlo de una manera que honre tanto su dignidad como el orden legal de nuestras comunidades.
Mientras oramos por un sistema que honre la dignidad de todas las personas, uno que siempre esté guiado por el amor y la justicia de Dios, sigamos teniendo esperanza de que, con fe, diálogo y un compromiso con la justicia, se pueda abordar la solución a los complejos desafíos de la inmigración de una manera que honre la dignidad de todos.
Que Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe, patrona de las Américas, interceda por nosotros y por nuestra nación, guiándonos hacia soluciones que defiendan la dignidad de todas las personas y reflejen la misericordia de Cristo.
“Celebrating the Birth of Christ and the Promise of Hope:” Bishop Bambera’s Christmas Message 2025
Dear Friends in Christ,
The very first spoken words recorded in Saint Luke’s gospel, as the evangelist chronicles the birth of Jesus, are words of hope shared with poor shepherds who represent the broken, suffering world Jesus was born to save. “Do not be afraid. … A savior has been born for you who is Christ and Lord” (Luke 2:10,11).
This year, on Christmas Eve, that same message of hope will resound throughout our world. On that sacred night, Pope Francis will open the Holy Door in Saint Peter’s Basilica in Rome to begin a Jubilee Year which the Church celebrates every twenty-five years in accordance with an ancient tradition. Rooted in Saint Paul’s words from his letter to the Romans, “Hope does not disappoint,” the Holy Father will invite the entire Church to begin a journey throughout the upcoming year during which we open our hearts to the life-giving message of Christmas and the presence of the living God in our midst.
Praying that “the light of Christian hope might illumine every man and woman, as a message of God’s love addressed to all,” and that “the Church might bear faithful witness to this message in every part of the world,” four days later, on the feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph, Pope Francis will open the Holy Door of the Archbasilica of St. John Lateran, the Cathedral of Rome. On that day, by decree of the Holy Father, the Church of Scranton will join with bishops and faithful in every cathedral throughout the world to celebrate Mass and to mark the solemn opening of the great Jubilee Year.
Brothers and sisters, more than we realize, we need the hope promised through this Jubilee Year. We need to embrace like never before the life that has been won for us by Jesus and to allow its light to illumine our lives! And we need the assurance of knowing that we are forgiven and loved, that our lives matter, and that, like the shepherds of Bethlehem, we have nothing to fear.
Sadly, our world has become a frightening and disappointing place. Random acts of violence are all too common in our land. Wars are raging throughout our world in the Middle East, Ukraine, Africa and countless other places. Life is still sadly disregarded, especially in the unborn, the poor, disabled and elderly. And immigrants and refugees seeking a better life are forced to the margins of society by discrimination, bigotry and hatred.
Yet, for all of us who are humble enough to acknowledge the difficulties that we face and to look, to listen, and to open our hearts to the power and presence of God, the blessing of Christmas and the promise the great Jubilee Year are treasures steeped in hope for all believers. During the Jubilee Year, there will be countless opportunities both here in our Diocese, in Rome, and throughout our world, to grow in our faith and to celebrate our life as disciples of Jesus, reborn through Baptism and renewed in spirit through His redeeming grace.
In announcing the Jubilee Year some time ago, Pope Francis invited us all to “fan the flame of hope that has been given us and help everyone to gain new strength and certainty by looking to the future with an open spirit, a trusting heart and far-sighted vision.” He went on to share that “the forthcoming Jubilee can contribute greatly to restoring a climate of hope and trust as a prelude to the renewal and rebirth that we so urgently desire” in our lives, in our families and in our world.
May the power of hope fill our lives as we prepare to celebrate the birth of our Savior, Jesus, and look forward with confidence and hope to the Jubilee Year of grace.
With gratitude for your presence within the Diocese of Scranton and with prayers for a blessed Christmas for you and your families, I am
Faithfully yours in Christ,
Most Reverend Joseph C. Bambera, D.D., J.C.L.
Bishop of Scranton
Bishop Bambera’s Lenten Message 2024
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
In his 2024 Lenten message to the Church, Pope Francis invites us to reflect upon the desert experience that is so prevalent in the life of Jesus and throughout the sacred scriptures. “Lent is the season of grace in which the desert can become once more – in the words of the prophet Hosea – the place of our first love (cf. Hos 2:16-17). God shapes his people, he enables us to leave our slavery behind and experience a Passover from death to life.”
Essentially, the sacred season of Lent encourages us to step apart from the frenetic pace of life that has consumed us and to reflect – in the desert of our hearts – what it means to be a disciple of Jesus and to embrace his life and saving grace. In the midst of a world fraught with upheaval and pain as a result of wars, political and social polarization, and far too many “isms” and “phobias” that have proliferated throughout the globe, resulting in discrimination, hatred, pain and suffering, we need to step apart to assess our own role in contributing to the breakdown of peace and respect for the lives that God has placed within our own. “If our celebration of Lent is to be fruitful,” Pope Francis asserts, “the first step is to desire to open our eyes to reality.”
In the liturgy of Ash Wednesday every year, we listen to the words of the prophet Joel, who sets the stage not only for the season of Lent but for our response to the Lord’s call to discipleship. And he does so by challenging us to change our lives – not merely by performing religious gestures and practices – but by peering intensely into our hearts to insure that our spirit is honest and pure and open to the transforming power and presence of God. Saint Matthew, in that same liturgy, reinforces the words of the prophet as he calls us to pray, fast, and to give alms in support of the poor – not because such behavior will make us righteous – but because such acts for the true follower of Jesus are simply the consequence of faithful lives rooted in Jesus, who teaches us how best to live.
Pope Francis puts these three pillars of our lives as followers of Jesus into perspective. “Today, the cry of so many of our oppressed brothers and sisters rises to heaven. Let us ask ourselves: Do we hear that cry? Does it trouble us? Does it move us? … It is time to act. … Love of God and love of neighbour are one love. … For this reason, prayer, almsgiving and fasting are not three unrelated acts, but a single movement of openness and self-emptying, in which we cast out the idols that weigh us down, the attachments that imprison us. … In the presence of God, we become brothers and sisters, more sensitive to one another. In place of threats and enemies, we discover companions and fellow travelers. This is God’s dream, the promised land to which we journey once we have left our slavery behind.”
By providing greater opportunities for prayer and reflection, Lent then becomes both a time for personal conversion and a favorable season for opening the doors to all those in need and recognizing in them the face of Christ as it challenges us to consider the gift and blessing of the Sacrament of Baptism in our lives.
On the First Sunday of Lent, we will welcome catechumens into the ranks of the elect; those from our midst who have begun the journey of conversion and who will soon experience the saving power of Jesus in the Easter mysteries of Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist. Their “yes” to the Lord’s call gives us hope and should encourage us to recommit ourselves to the vows that were made at our own baptisms. Their “yes” reminds us that we too are called to look beyond ourselves to something more in life.
As we continue to give thanks for the singular gift of God’s presence in the Holy Eucharist during the third year of Eucharistic Revival in our land, I will once again celebrate a Holy Hour before the Blessed Sacrament in each of our twelve deaneries throughout the weeks of Lent. I look forward to praying with many of you as we seek God’s healing grace.
Finally, I encourage all of us to avail ourselves of the Lord’s mercy and healing in the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
My friends, in the desert of our hearts, Lent calls us to reflect upon our relationship with God and to recognize that God is ever faithful and present, particularly amid the challenges that envelope our broken world and fragile lives. May we be humble enough to open our lives to God’s merciful presence and walk with him on the life-giving journey of conversion and renewal.
Please know of my prayers for a fruitful observance of Lent.
Faithfully yours in Christ,
Most Reverend Joseph C. Bambera, D.D., J.C.L.
Bishop of Scranton
Bishop Bambera’s 2023 Christmas Message
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
Eight hundred years ago as the Church celebrated the latter days of Advent and prepared to commemorate the birth of Jesus, a cherished tradition in our lives as Christians was born. Traveling from Rome to Assisi after having just received approval from the Pope for his brotherhood, Saint Francis stopped along the way in the little Italian town of Greccio. Having visited the Holy Land, the caves in Greccio reminded Francis of the countryside of Bethlehem. So he asked a local man named John to help him celebrate with the faithful of the town the holy night of Christmas by replicating the original scene in Bethlehem.
Saint Francis’ biographers described in detail what then took place in Greccio. “On December 25th, friars came to Greccio from various parts, together with people from the farmsteads in the area, who brought flowers and torches to light up the holy night. When Francis arrived, he found a manger full of hay, an ox and a donkey. All those present experienced a new and indescribable joy in the presence of the Christmas scene. The priest then solemnly celebrated the Eucharist over the manger, showing the bond between the Incarnation of the Son of God and the Eucharist. At Greccio, there were no statues – just a manger, an ox and a donkey; the nativity scene was enacted and experienced by all who were present.”
That Christmas night, eight centuries ago, began the tradition of the Nativity scene that we maintain in our churches and in our homes. For all its familiarity and the tendency that we may have to diminish its significance in the face of so many other competing symbols and traditions associated with Christmas, we would do well to pause at some point in this sacred season to reflect upon the message that lies at the heart of this treasured scene. Like the faithful people of Greccio, Italy, look beyond the statues or figurines and imagine yourself in Bethlehem in a cave, with animals, straw, dirt and a promise provided by a newborn baby boy.
In God’s plan to save his people, Jesus didn’t set himself apart from the ordinariness of human life. No, Jesus immersed himself in the human condition of our world, for all its beauty and peace, its brokenness and pain, its sin and suffering. And he did so for a reason: In coming into our lives as a baby born in a manger – hardly a sign of power, self-sufficiency or pride – God lowered himself so that we could walk with him and he could stand beside us, not above or far from us, to lead us on the pathway to his promise of life and peace.
All too often, however, we are quick to leave the cave of Bethlehem and travel other pathways to achieve meaning and purpose in our lives. We set aside the message of salvation proclaimed throughout the ages by the life, love, mercy and forgiveness of Jesus. We’re reluctant to heed his invitation to walk in his footsteps. Then we wonder why our lives are so unsettled and peace in our hearts, our homes and our world appears to be so elusive. We wonder why God can’t provide us with a way out of suffering and pain in Israel, Ukraine, far too many places throughout our world, at our borders, in our neighborhoods, in our families and in our hearts.
Brothers and sisters, the good news and blessing of Christmas is that God has already provided us a way forward with hope if we are wise and humble enough to embrace the message of Bethlehem and the birth of his Son.
May we pray during these cherished days for peace in our troubled world, especially in the Holy Land where our Prince of Peace was born. And may we open our hearts to the grace of God and the great mystery of salvation won for us through the simple story begun in a cave in Bethlehem that continues to be the world’s true and lasting reason for hope!
With gratitude for the privilege of serving as your Bishop and with prayers for a holy and blessed Christmas for you, your family and all you hold dear, I am
Faithfully yours in Christ,
†Joseph C. Bambera
Most Reverend Joseph C. Bambera, D.D., J.C.L.
Bishop of Scranton
Previous Letters
Notice to the Christian Faithful of the Diocese of Scranton Regarding Mr. James Thomas Tracy
Bishop Bambera’s Easter Message: Turn to the Risen Jesus for hope and peace April 5, 2023
Bishop Bambera’s March for Life Letter 2023
Bishop Joseph C. Bambera’s 2022 Christmas Message
Pennsylvanians for Human Life Respect Life Breakfast November 5, 2022
Bishop Bambera’s 2022 Lenten Message: “Let us not grow tired of doing good!” February 24, 2022
Bishop Bambera’s 2021 Christmas Message
Bishop Bambera’s Letter for World Mission Sunday October 21, 2021
Life is a gift to respect: A message from the Most Rev. Joseph C. Bambera September 28, 2021
Bishop Bambera’s Letter to the Faithful regarding Delta Variant August 6, 2021
Dispensation of Mass Obligation to End August 15 in Diocese of Scranton July 15, 2021
Bishop Bambera’s Letter to the faithful, welcoming them back to Mass May 27, 2021
Statement of the Most Reverend Joseph C. Bambera on Verdict in Trial of Derek Chauvin April 20, 2021
Bishop Bambera’s 2021 Easter Message April 1, 2021
Bishop Joseph C. Bambera’s Letter to the Jewish Community for Passover March 26, 2021
Statement of Bishop Joseph C. Bambera Regarding COVID-19 Vaccines
Bishop Bambera’s 2021 Lenten Message March 4, 2021
Bishop Bambera’s Statement on the Inauguration of President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. January 20, 2021
March for Life 2021 Letter January 13, 2021
Statement Of Bishop Bambera On McCarrick Report November 16, 2020
World Mission Sunday October 15, 2021
Respect Life Sunday October 4, 2020
A VOTE FOR LIFE: A message from the Most Rev. Joseph C. Bambera September 17. 2020
Bishop Joseph C. Bambera’s Reflection on George Floyd’s Death June 5, 2020
Planning for the Future: What to Expect When Public Masses Resume
Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord March 25, 2020
Diocese of Scranton Coronavirus Update March 16, 2020
Statement of Bishop Joseph Bambera on Current Immigration Situation July 18, 2019
Bishop Bambera’s Statement on USCCB’s New Polices on Child Protection June 27, 2019
Bishop’s Statement on Shooting at Congregation Chabad Synagogue April 29, 2019