Category: 2024 News

SCRANTON – Faithful throughout the Diocese of Scranton observed Good Friday on March 29 with various street processions and liturgies in their parishes.

The Liturgy of the Lord’s Passion at the Cathedral of Saint Peter, which was led by the Most Rev. Joseph C. Bambera, allowed people to pray and reflect on the significance of the day.

The solemnity of Good Friday was underscored as Bishop Bambera and the other ministers processed silently into the Cathedral at 12:10 p.m. The Bishop and Deacons then prostrated themselves on the sanctuary floor before the liturgy began.

On Good Friday, the faithful observe the passion and death of Jesus Christ. They are encouraged to ponder the five Sacred Wounds Jesus suffered during the crucifixion and bring their own wounds and sins to the foot of the cross. In His own body, Jesus brought our sins to the cross so that all of us may be healed.

Father Jeffrey D. Tudgay, Pastor of the Cathedral of Saint Peter and Immaculate Conception Parishes, served as homilist for the Commemoration of the Lord’s Passion. He focused much of his remarks on that redemption.

“In Christ, and through His cross, everything in God’s beautiful creation is redeemed,” Father Tudgay said.

Having just listened to the Passion of Christ in the Gospel, Father Tudgay reflected on the “silence” of God as Christ was on the cross.

“As the drama of Christ’s arrest and condemnation unfold, and as he’s goaded to call down the powers of heaven into the agony of the moment, the suffering servant (Jesus) cries out from the cross, ‘My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?’ The Father’s response: silence,” Father Tudgay said.

The Cathedral pastor compared that with other moments when the Father’s voice was “clearly heard” – including at his baptism at the Jordan River and the Transfiguration.

Father Tudgay suggested that the Father’s silence can deepen our understanding of the love of Christ.

“What we see in the cross of Jesus Christ is an expression of the urgency of God’s desire – Christ stopping at nothing – in order to fulfill the mission given to Him by the Father,” Father Tudgay explained. “The cross of Christ is everywhere in our world. It’s the eyes of faith that allow us to see it. The cross of Jesus Christ makes God’s love tangible for all.”

Wrapping up his homily, Father Tudgay said Christ’s plea resembles any human suffering that might seem to go unheard or unanswered.

“What we know today and what we contemplate today is that the silence is fully redemptive,” he said. “Today the silence that the Christian church observes is an invitation for us to contemplate the radical compassion of God, to know with certainty, that there is nothing, nothing in human existence, even death itself, that is alienated from the redeeming presence of the cross of Jesus Christ.”

Following Solemn Intercessions, Adoration of the Holy Cross took place inside the Cathedral of Saint Peter. Each person in attendance was invited to approach the sanctuary and genuflect, bow, kiss, or show an appropriate sign of reverence for the cross.

SCRANTON – In the presence of several hundred people, the Most Rev. Joseph C. Bambera, Bishop of Scranton, celebrated the Evening Mass of Lord’s Supper at the Cathedral of Saint Peter on March 28, 2024.

As the Sacred Triduum began, Bishop Bambera acknowledged the three important gifts being celebrated at the Mass.

“On this night, we give thanks for God’s abiding presence, for his presence given to us in the Eucharist, for the blessing of priestly ministry, and for the invitation given to all the baptized, to serve, to follow in the footsteps of Jesus, and to reach out to our brothers and sisters in care,” the Bishop said.

After the homily, Bishop Bambera knelt to wash and dry the feet of a dozen parishioners, following the example of Jesus at the Last Supper.

Rev. Gerald W. Shantillo, Vicar General and Moderator of the Curia, delivered the homily, reflecting on the gifts of service, priesthood, and the Eucharist.

“As Jesus gives us these three gifts at the Last Supper, He fully recognized that in doing so, we are called to share in the risk of His mission, even when it makes us uncomfortable,” Father Shantillo said.

When it comes to serving others, he raised many of the questions people raise when they are hesitant to serve: Will it take too much time? Will others judge me? Do they deserve it?

“Let us pray for a world where priests, families, parishes, countries, and government leaders want to wash the feet of others, want to love, compromise, show mercy, forgive, and sacrifice for peace,” he said.

In regards to the priesthood, Father Shantillo explained God does not call men to the priesthood for the individual themselves, but for those he will serve.

“We thank God for the gift of the priesthood and for men who take a risk to dedicate their lives to serve Christ and His Church,” he said. “Let us pray for more priests and for the seminarians who serve here tonight.”

Finally, in speaking about the Eucharist, Father Shantillo reminded the faithful that the Eucharist’s true end is not simply in the act of Adoration or consumption, “but rather our healing, forgiveness, transformation, strength and conversion.”

Following the Mass of the Lord’s Supper, Bishop Bambera led a Eucharistic procession to the Altar of Repose where the faithful were invited to spend time in silent prayer and meditation.

ROME (CNS) – As Pope Francis poured water over their feet, dried them with a towel and kissed their feet, 12 women inmates at Rome’s Rebibbia prison wept.

The pope celebrated the evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper March 28 at the women’s prison under a tent set up outside.

The 12 women whose feet were washed by Pope Francis during the liturgy sat on stools on a raised platform so the pope, who has difficulty walking, could wash their feet while seated in his wheelchair.

Many of the women were wearing warmup suits and were fidgeting as they awaited the pope. They included women from Italy, Bulgaria, Nigeria, Ukraine, Peru, Venezuela and Bosnia-Herzegovina. All are housed in the medium-security section, Vatican News reported.

Since it was Pope Francis’ first Holy Thursday visit to a prison with only women present, it was the first time as pope that he washed the feet only of women.

After Mass, he gave a large chocolate Easter egg to a little boy, the only toddler currently living with his mother in the prison, according to the prison director. Italian prisons have special units for mothers with children and the law allows women who are detained to keep their children with them until they are 3 years old.

Pope Francis has made a tradition of celebrating the Holy Thursday Mass at a prison or juvenile detention facility, often washing the feet of both men and women, whether Catholic or not.

And, keeping with his practice at the facilities, he gave only a brief homily, speaking without notes.

By washing his disciples’ feet, Jesus humbles himself, the pope said. “With this gesture, he makes us understand what he had said, ‘I came not to be served but to serve.’ He teaches us the path of service.”

The evening Gospel reading also included the line, “The devil had already induced Judas, son of Simon the Iscariot, to hand him over.”

Pope Francis told the women that Judas was incapable of love, and so “money, selfishness lead him to this horrible thing” of betraying Jesus.

But, the pope said, “Jesus forgives everything. Jesus always forgives. He only asks that we ask pardon.”

Quoting a “wise, old woman,” Pope Francis said, “Jesus never tires of forgiving, but we tire of asking forgiveness.”

“Today, let’s ask the Lord for the grace not to tire,” he said. “All of us have small failures, big failures — everyone has their own story — but the Lord awaits us always with open arms and never tires of forgiving.”

Before he washed the women’s feet, he encouraged the women to pray that “the Lord will make all of us grow in the vocation of service.”

The Vatican press office said about 200 people were present, including many seated outside the tent on the lawn. The prison director said 360 women are currently housed at the facility.

Archbishop Diego Giovanni Ravelli, the papal master of liturgical ceremonies, was the main celebrant at the altar.

Father Andrea Carosella, the main chaplain at the Rebibbia prison complex, told Vatican News that the women themselves invited the pope. “For them, the pope’s visit is a sign of his great attention to the prison reality and is a great encouragement.”

Pope Francis washing the women’s feet, he said, “is a sign of the mercy and love of God who goes out to meet the suffering and pain of humanity.”

Sister Maria Pia Iammarino, a member of the Franciscan Sisters of the Poor, told Vatican News that Pope Francis’ ministry to the women is a model.

In her ministry at the prison, she said, “I do not need to tell them that God loves them, but to be a witness of God’s love for them, to look at them with benevolence and acceptance without judgment. Then, when you have gained the trust of the inmates, you can add words.”

Dear Friends,

“Do not be amazed! You seek Jesus of Nazareth, the crucified. He has been raised; he is not here. … But go and tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him, as he told you.’”

These words from Saint Mark’s Gospel confronted the first followers of Jesus on the day of his resurrection and boldly affirmed God’s promise to save his people. Yet, despite the hope that such words imparted, the followers of Jesus were still amazed and fearful. They didn’t understand. They would come to faith in the resurrection- but not immediately.

We know from accounts recorded in the Acts of the Apostles that the early Christian community did come to embrace Easter faith. We know too that despite the challenges that they faced, because of their encounter with the risen Jesus, they were of one mind and heart and worked together to proclaim by their lives the living presence of God in the world.

And yet, not unlike the experiences of those first Christians, the harsh reality of life continues to confront us with suffering and death. We have only to look to the Holy Land and the war raging between Israel and Hamas – to Ukraine – to Haiti – to Syria – to the families who grieve senseless deaths from the recent terrorist attack in Moscow – and to far too many lands around the globe that are enveloped by political unrest, abuse and blatant disrespect for human life. The scope of suffering and pain that is present throughout our world on a daily basis is incomprehensible.

While hardly free from grief and pain in our own land, in our families, and in our personal lives, we can choose to retreat from the global reality confronting so many of our brothers and sisters. Or, we can turn to the only thing that enables our broken world and lives to find healing, hope and peace: the Easter miracle – the promise of redemption won for us through the suffering, death and resurrection of Jesus!

The great Christian martyr, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, who was executed in a Nazi death camp weeks before the Allied victory in World War II, challenged his fellow Christians to understand that the resurrection does not merely promise us life in God’s eternity. Nor should redemption be reduced to “being redeemed out of sorrows, hardships and longings or an escape route out of earthly tasks and difficulties.” Rather, the risen Christ “takes hold of human beings in the midst of their lives. … Christ did not die to take us out of the world, but to affirm our existence in it. Yes, we have the hope of resurrection in the future. But we have the faith of redemption in the here and now.”

Pope Francis, reflecting upon our need for hope as we navigate a complicated world and our own challenging lives, put it best.

“To experience the hope of Easter, we must be willing to enter into the mystery of God. … The mystery demands that we not be afraid of reality: that we not be locked into ourselves, that we not flee from what we fail to understand, that we not close our eyes to problems or deny them, that we not dismiss our questions. … To enter into the mystery of God, we need the humility to recognize who we really are, creatures with strengths and weaknesses, sinners in need of forgiveness,” the Holy Father said.

As such, we need to appreciate our powerlessness and our absolute dependence upon God.

In fact, powerlessness and dependence upon God become the very seedbeds for faith; a faith born not from some sort of proof – but born within hearts that are humble enough to seek the presence of God – a faith characterized at times by uncertainty and doubt – but a faith, nonetheless, that leads to an unshakable trust in a person: the person of Jesus, risen from the dead. That is Easter, brothers and sisters, and where we find hope and lasting peace.

One of the greatest signs of the power of the resurrection is the presence of 177 catechumens and candidates from throughout the Diocese of Scranton who will be baptized into the life, death and resurrection of Jesus and presented for full communion in the Catholic Church during the great Vigil of Easter. These catechumens and candidates – our relatives, neighbors and friends – will join with thousands of catechumens and candidates from around the world to publicly profess their faith in Jesus Christ and to assume their place with us in Jesus’ body, the Church.

Brothers and sisters, thank you for your willingness to walk with me on this incredible journey of faith, along with our dedicated priests and deacons and women and men in consecrated life, as together we seek to proclaim the risen Jesus and his gospel of life.

This is the day that the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad!

Faithfully yours in the Risen Christ,

 

Most Reverend Joseph C. Bambera
Bishop of Scranton

 

 

SCRANTON — More than any other day of the liturgical year, the Tuesday of Holy Week spiritually draws the hearts and souls of faithful throughout the Diocese of Scranton to the solemn setting of the Cathedral of Saint Peter in downtown Scranton for the celebration of the Pontifical Mass of the Sacred Chrism.

On Tuesday afternoon, March 26, as principal celebrant and homilist for the venerable gathering, the Most Rev. Joseph C. Bambera, Bishop of Scranton, once again warmly welcomed to the Mother Church of the Diocese the throng of worshippers of all ages who came from the four corners of the 11-county Scranton See to take part in the annual Eucharistic liturgy, so richly concelebrated by the priests serving the Diocese in northeastern and north central Pennsylvania.

The traditional Holy Week observance and gathering of the priests of the Diocese — customarily the largest of its kind each year — celebrates their clerical brotherhood and shared divine vocation.

During the Mass, priests and deacons, along with lay representatives from Diocesan parishes, acknowledge the Bishop’s role as the unifying symbol for Church governance and pastoral guidance.

All of the priests also recommit themselves to their office by renewing the promises they made on the day of their ordination to the priesthood, including their vow of obedience to the Bishop.

“I love coming to this gathering,” said Father John Chmil, pastor of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish in Swoyersville. “I especially look forward every year to renewing my priestly vows and promises, and the commitment to serve God’s people.”

Echoing similar sentiments was Father Gus Ricciardi, who serves as pastor of Old Forge’s Prince of Peace Parish.

“This Chrism Mass is a wonderful opportunity for us as fellow priests to get together not only for the camaraderie, but in fraternal community to renew our vows in support of each other and with the support of the Bishop,” Father Ricciardi commented.

Holding to ancient tradition, the Mass of the Sacred Chrism is highlighted by the blessing of the Holy Oils used during the conferral of sacraments throughout the Church year. They include the Oil of the Sick, and the Oil of Catechumens, which are used in the celebration of Baptism, Confirmation, Holy Orders, the Anointing of the Sick, and the Rites of the Catechumenate.

Father Bob Simon, pastor of Our Lady Queen of Peace Parish, Brodheadsville, described the annual Chrism Mass gathering as a “beautiful time for our priests, deacons, and religious brothers to celebrate our ministry in the company of our Bishop.”

He further expressed, “It is also so special because you reflect and think about all the people who will be anointed during the coming year with the sacred oils that will be blessed here tonight.”

Bishop Bambera began his homily by referring to the day’s Chrism Mass as a sign of the unity of God’s people with their bishop and a time when the Church calls everyone to engage in the journey of the sacramental life it offers to all believers.

“Beginning with our first encounter with the Lord at Baptism and continuing with Confirmation, Holy Orders and the Anointing of the Sick, right up to the moment when we prepare for our final journey to meet the Lord, through the use of sacred oils that we bless this day, God’s merciful love is poured forth into our lives,” Bishop Bambera stated.

Addressing his brother priests directly, the Scranton Bishop offered, “Brothers, I thank you for engaging in the hard work of priestly ministry in these challenging times — times that demand a great deal from each of us as we discern how best to continue to serve our people and parishes.”

“Without a doubt, we are richly blessed with generous seminarians who join us today, as well as the presence of so many international priests who minister among us apart from their families, home dioceses and religious communities,” he added.

In his concluding remarks, Bishop Bambera spoke to the faithful of the Diocese of Scranton by saying, “To all my brothers and sisters who make up this local Church, thank you for living your baptism, for embracing the values of the Gospel and for doing your part in building up God’s Kingdom.”

SCRANTON – Holy Week began in parishes across the Diocese of Scranton on March 24 with Palm Sunday Masses.

At the Cathedral of Saint Peter, the Most Rev. Joseph C. Bambera, Bishop of Scranton, began the 12:15 p.m. liturgy in the Cathedral Prayer Garden, where he blessed the palms and led the faithful on a procession down Wyoming Avenue.

The Bishop began his homily by noting the tension between the “sense of celebration” as the faithful echo the hosannas shouted by the people of Jerusalem as Jesus enters the city and the account of Jesus’ passion and death in the Gospel.

“This tension that permeates today’s liturgy reflects so much of what we experience in life, doesn’t it? We seek peace and harmony in our lives and in our families. Yet, we so often stoke fires of division and alienation,” Bishop Bambera said. “We struggle to do the good, while yielding to self-consumed needs and desires. Most pointedly on this day, we are reminded by the Word of God that the faith we profess with our lips does not always reflect what we profess by our lives.”

Bishop Bambera stressed that by coming into the world, Jesus gave us a way forward.

“The radical humility that Jesus showed in eschewing self-glorification, assuming the role of a selfless servant and embracing His Father’s will, even to the cross, is what we are called to make as our own,” he said. “It is only through our imitation of Jesus’ pattern of living that we will ever discover the means to face the challenges of life with hope and be given a taste of God’s enduring peace.”

As Holy Week began, the Bishop stressed our faith calls us to affirm that God delivers us from the darkness of sin and the “brokenness of our world.”

“Make no mistake; our experience of this Holy Week will not take away the harsh realities of life that we face each day. But our authentic embrace of the example of Jesus’ life and our willingness to care for the lives that God has given to us – even as we bear the crosses laid upon our shoulders – do have the power to open our lives to the mystery of God’s saving grace.”

Bishop Bambera will celebrate the Paschal Triduum at the Cathedral of Saint Peter at these times:

HOLY THURSDAY, MARCH 28

Holy Thursday marks the day on which Christ instituted the Holy Eucharist and the priestly Order and gave us the commandment concerning fraternal charity.
The Pontifical Evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper, which will include the Rite of the Washing of Feet, will begin at 5:30 p.m., with Bishop Bambera serving as the principal celebrant. Following this Mass there will be the transfer of the Most Blessed Sacrament to the place of repose. Adoration will continue until 9:00 p.m. Night Prayer will be celebrated at 9:00 p.m. and broadcast via livestream.

GOOD FRIDAY, MARCH 29

The Commemoration of the Passion and Death of the Lord celebrated by Bishop Bambera will begin at 12:10 p.m. In addition, the Stations of the Cross will be prayed at 5:00 p.m. Good Friday is a day of fast and abstinence.

HOLY SATURDAY, MARCH 30

Bishop Bambera will be the principal celebrant and homilist of the Easter Vigil Mass at the Cathedral beginning at 8:00 p.m.

EASTER SUNDAY, MARCH 31

Easter Sunday of the Resurrection of the Lord is the most joyous day in the Church year. On Easter Day, Bishop Bambera will celebrate a Pontifical Mass at 10:00 a.m. at the Cathedral.

Additional Masses at the Cathedral during the day will be at 6:30 a.m. and 12:15 p.m.

VATICAN CITY (CNS) – Only Jesus can deliver humanity from hatred and violence, Pope Francis said on Palm Sunday.

“Jesus entered Jerusalem as a humble and peaceful king,” he said in brief remarks after celebrating Palm Sunday Mass in St. Peter’s Square. He prayed that the faithful would open their hearts to the Lord because he alone “can deliver us from animosity, hatred, violence, because he is mercy and the forgiveness of sins.”

On a sunny and windy day, about 60,000 people attended the Mass March 24, which began with a solemn procession of hundreds of people carrying green palm branches followed by about 60 cardinals and bishops, carrying “palmurelli,” pale green palm branches that were woven and braided.

Dressed in red vestments, the color of the Passion, Pope Francis presided over the Mass, the solemn beginning of Holy Week, but he skipped the homily and did not have an aide read any prepared remarks. Cardinal Claudio Gugerotti, prefect of the Dicastery for Eastern Churches, was the main celebrant at the altar.

The Vatican offered no explanation about why there was no homily. The pope did read brief remarks after praying the Angelus, greeted the cardinals in attendance from his wheelchair, and he rode in the popemobile for about 15 minutes enthusiastically greeting the faithful, waving, gesturing, offering a thumbs up and occasionally calling out remarks to those he saw.

In his brief remarks, he expressed his sorrow over a deadly attack in Moscow March 22 in which more than 130 people were killed inside a crowded concert venue.

He prayed for the victims of this “cowardly terrorist attack” and called for the conversion of the “hearts of those who plan, organize and carry out these inhumane actions that offend God, who commanded, ‘Thou shalt not kill.'”

The pope extended his prayers to all people who suffer because of war, particularly those in Ukraine, “where so many people find themselves without electricity because of intense attacks against the infrastructure that, in addition to causing death and suffering, carry the risk of an even larger humanitarian catastrophe.”

He also asked people not to forget about the people of Gaza who “are suffering so much” and the many other places experiencing war.

MILFORD – With Holy Week now underway, Stations of the Cross are not only being prayed, but reenacted, around the Diocese of Scranton.

Numerous parishes and Diocesan schools have been holding ‘Living Stations of the Cross’ presentations recently, which are opportunities for students to read and act out the Stations in a prayerful and moving way that often incorporates music.

A moving reenactment of Jesus’ Via Dolorosa, or final journey to Calvary, was presented by faith formation students at Saint Patrick Parish in Milford on Friday, March 22, 2024.

“We practiced for three weeks, for about an hour each time,” eighth grader Patrick Fleming said.

Fleming portrayed Jesus this year and found the experience to be a powerful opportunity to reflect on His journey.

“I really understand it fully now,” he said.

Angelica Barcia served as narrator for the second year in a row.

She appreciates participating in the Living Stations because it gives everyone a full understanding of the many things that Jesus had to endure before His death.

“It’s so important for people to realize that He didn’t just die on the cross for our sins,” Barcia said. “He was human and He had all the mental capacities that we do.”

After participating in the presentation for several years now, Barcia says the Stations of the Cross now hit “closer to home.”

“It’s not just a story,” she said. “This helps me visualize and understand exactly what lengths Jesus went through when He died on the cross for us.”

She is often struck by the reactions from the audience.

“I think people understand it better, and emotionally, they have a deeper connection with it,” Barcia added. “You definitely see it in their facial expressions.”

Connor Giblin, a high school sophomore, participated in the program for the first time this year. The presentation also impacted him.

“Going through it, it really makes me appreciate everything He (Jesus) did for us on a whole new level,” he said.

Giblin will receive the Sacrament of Confirmation at the Easter Vigil Mass this year. Participating in the Living Stations allowed him to reflect on Jesus’ journey in preparation of that special day.

“When I sat down and listened to each Station individually and I realized what He had to go through, it was a shock to my core, it sent a chill down my spine,” he said.

Giblin portrayed a soldier, and while not the biggest part, it was certainly meaningful.

“You feel like you’re in the soldier’s position and you realize what they had to put Jesus through. Morally, it feels wrong to me, being in that position, but that really connects me to the scene even more,” he explained.

Other students participating in the Living Stations included: Kaitlin Murphy as Mary, Cristian Caciralli as Simon, Clare Barcia as Veronica, Slawomir Kratochwill as a soldier, and Emersyn Delrio, Selena Dolan, Angelina Giovane and Adele Kahmar as holy women.

The Living Stations reenactment at Saint Patrick Parish was directed by Laurie Barcia of Milford, featured costumes by Michelle Baron, also of Milford, music by the parish’s music ministry, and professional lighting by Micah Sweeney and Kevin Striker. Special prayers were led by Father Joseph Manarchuck, pastor.

The presentation was followed by a “Glow in the Dark” egg hunt in Saint Patrick’s Hall, with pizza provided by the Knights of Columbus.

EYNON – More than two decades after permanently closing its doors, the former Saint Mary of Vilna Church on Third Street was taken down by demolition crews March 13, 2024.

Workers from Stafursky Paving Company began shortly after 8:00 a.m., and after more than four hours of steady and meticulous work, the building was mostly gone by noon.

“We want to remember the history here, the parishioners who built Saint Mary of Vilna, and the many sacraments celebrated here,” Father Ryan Glenn, Pastor, Christ the King Parish in Archbald, said. “We recognize the church as a living organism and this particular site has been closed for more than 20 years.”

The church permanently closed in spring 2001 due to a mold problem after being plagued by moisture and water drainage issues. After final consultation with parish leaders in 2023, a decision was made to bring down the church building.

“This is really an act of being a good neighbor, making sure this building doesn’t cause any harm,” Father Glenn said as he personally observed the demolition. “It is a sign that we’re continuing to move forward as parishes here in the Mid Valley.

During Lent, we’re reminded that something has to die for something new to be born. That is our faith.”

Christ the King Parish – with its worship sites of Saint Thomas Aquinas Church, Archbald, and Saint Mary of Czestochowa Church, Eynon – recently linked with Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary Parish in Jermyn.

Lovey Wargo has lived across the street from Saint Mary Vilna Church since she was nine years old.

As she watched the crews work, her mind filled with many memories, from the baptisms of her five children to previous pastors who had served there.

“I used to help with the collections and I used to help with the flowers,” Wargo explained. “My sister-in-law also fixed anything. When the Sacred Heart (statue’s) fingers were broken, she fixed all that and we repainted every one of them.”

The church plans to retain the land and plant grass at the site.

“That will provide access to the cemetery and we’re hoping that it actually allows easier access to the cemetery, so people can visit their loved ones without the risks and hazards of having the old church on the grounds,” Father Ryan said.

Before moving forward with demolition, Christ the King Parish hired Alicon Environmental, Inc., to do an asbestos survey of the site. As part of its work, the demolition company consulted with the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection to ensure the work could be completed safely.

One last remaining artifact from the church was retrieved on the day of demolition – the cornerstone that contained a small metal time capsule from more than a century ago.

“We’re very excited to see what’s inside that time capsule and to share the contents with the parish. It’s that living link with the history of the parish,” Father Ryan added.

The container contained a letter and photo from 1915. The photo is believed to be of the former pastor of the church, and the letter, which is mostly intact, is written in either Lithuanian or Latin. The parish is currently working to translate the contents of the letter and will plan to share it with the community.

VATICAN CITY (CNS) – Just before some 1,500 priests, bishops and cardinals renewed their priestly promises, Pope Francis asked them to embrace “compunction,” which he said was “an aspect of the spiritual life that has been somewhat neglected yet remains essential.”

Looking at its etymology, he said that “compunction is ‘a piercing of the heart’ that is painful and evokes tears of repentance,” but it also is the only path to spiritual growth and to a merciful ministry to others.

Presiding over the chrism Mass March 28 in St. Peter’s Basilica, Pope Francis ended his lengthy homily by thanking the priests present and, by extension, those around the world.

“Thank you, dear priests, for your open and docile hearts. Thank you for all your hard work and your tears. Thank you, because you bring the miracle of God’s mercy to our brothers and sisters in today’s world,” he said. “May the Lord console you, strengthen you and reward you.”

Pope Francis preached for more than 20 minutes without apparent difficulty. While he presided over the chrism Mass, which is named after the olive oil mixed with balsam that is blessed during the liturgy, the principal concelebrant at the altar was Cardinal Angelo De Donatis, the pope’s vicar for Rome.

The Holy Week Mass was the first major liturgical celebration in the basilica since the towering baldachin over the main altar was wrapped in scaffolding for a 10-month restoration project funded by the Knights of Columbus.

Some 40 cardinals, 40 bishops and 1,500 priests concelebrated the liturgy.

After the homily, the clergy present renewed the promises made to their bishop at their ordinations and pledged to strive to be more united to Christ, “faithful stewards” of the sacraments and zealous pastors of souls.

Twelve deacons then wheeled large silver urns of oil down the center aisle of St. Peter’s Basilica for the pope’s blessing. The blessed oils will be distributed to Rome parishes and used for the sacraments of baptism, confirmation, ordination and the anointing of the sick in the coming year.

In his homily, Pope Francis said that compunction is “not a sense of guilt that makes us discouraged or obsessed with our unworthiness, but a beneficial ‘piercing’ that purifies and heals the heart” and often leads to the gift of tears, which are “the holiest waters after those of baptism.”

Christians who feel compunction, he said, “increasingly feel themselves brothers and sisters to all the sinners of the world, setting aside airs of superiority and harsh judgments” and are “filled with a burning desire to show love and make reparation.”

“Dear brother priests, from us, his shepherds, the Lord desires not harshness but love, and tears for those who have strayed,” the pope said. “How greatly we need to be set free from harshness and recrimination, selfishness and ambition, rigidity and frustration, in order to entrust ourselves completely to God and to find in him the calm that shields us from the storms raging all around us.”

In increasingly secular societies, Pope Francis said, priests and other church workers can be tempted to be “hyperactive” and yet feel completely inadequate.

“When that happens, we can become bitter and prickly,” he said. But “if bitterness and compunction are directed not to the world but to our own hearts, the Lord will not fail to visit us and raise us up.”

Compunction, Pope Francis said, should promote “a spirit of repentance,” but one motivated by love for the Lord and certain of the Lord’s love always.

“Let us rediscover our need to cultivate prayer that is not obligatory and functional, but freely chosen, tranquil and prolonged,” he told the priests. “Let us return to adoration and the prayer of the heart. Let us repeat: Jesus, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner. Let us sense God’s grandeur even as we contemplate our own sinfulness and open our hearts to the healing power of his gaze.”