Category: Diocese of Scranton News

(OSV News) – Pope Leo XIV prayed with the sick at the Lourdes grotto in the Vatican Gardens on Feb. 11, asking Our Lady of Lourdes to accompany all those who suffer in the world.

Shortly after his Wednesday audience, the pope lit a candle in the Marian grotto and knelt in prayer before the statue of Our Lady of Lourdes on the World Day of the Sick. He was joined by about a dozen people in wheelchairs accompanied by their caregivers who sang “Immaculate Mary,” the popular Lourdes hymn.

The pope thanked those present for joining him in prayer and reflected on Mary’s role in accompanying people through suffering.

“It is a very beautiful day that reminds us of the closeness of Mary, our mother, who always accompanies us and teaches us so much: what suffering means, what love means, what it means to entrust our lives into the hands of the Lord,” Pope Leo said.

He prayed for God’s blessing on the sick and all those who care for them, including doctors, nurses and others who provide support in difficult moments.

The Catholic Church marks the World Day of the Sick each year on Feb. 11, the feast of Our Lady of Lourdes. The world day was instituted by Pope John Paul II in 1992, a year after he had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.

The feast day marks the anniversary of the first apparition of Our Lady of Lourdes to St. Bernadette Soubirous in 1858 in Lourdes, France. The 14-year-old girl saw the Blessed Virgin Mary standing in a small grotto. During a total of 18 apparitions over the course of six months, thousands of people gathered around Bernadette to witness these events. A new spring surged where Bernadette had been instructed to drink, and many miraculous healings occurred. Today, Lourdes is a Marian shrine visited by millions.

The Lourdes grotto in the Vatican Gardens dates back to Pope Leo XIII, who decided near the end of his life to install a reproduction of the Lourdes grotto in France. It was solemnly inaugurated in 1905 by his successor Pope Pius X.

In his message for the 2026 World Day of the Sick, Pope Leo urged Catholics to embrace a “Samaritan spirit” and to give of themselves “for the good of all who suffer, especially our brothers and sisters who are sick, elderly or afflicted.” The pope also imparted an apostolic blessing to all who are sick, to their families and to those who care for them, including pastoral and health care workers.

Pope Leo’s message concluded with the following prayer to the Blessed Virgin Mary, Health of the Sick, “Sweet Mother, do not part from me. Turn not your eyes away from me. Walk with me at every moment and never leave me alone. You who always protect me as a true Mother, obtain for me the blessing of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.”

VATICAN CITY (CNS) – Ignorance of sacred Scriptures is ignorance of Jesus Christ, Pope Leo XIV said during his weekly general audience.

“The ultimate purpose of reading and meditating on the Scriptures,” he said Feb. 11, is “to get to know Christ and, through Him, to enter into a relationship with God, a relationship that can be understood as a conversation, a dialogue.”

Also, with the season of Lent beginning in one week, Feb. 18, the pope said the season “is a time for deepening our knowledge and love of the Lord, for examining our hearts and our lives, as well as refocusing our gaze on Jesus and his love for us.”

“May these coming days of prayer, fasting and almsgiving be a source of strength as we daily strive to take up our own crosses and follow Christ,” he said during his audience in the Paul VI Audience Hall.

In his main catechesis, Pope Leo continued his series of talks on Vatican II, specifically the Dogmatic Constitution “Dei Verbum,” on divine revelation and the Word of God.

The word of God is a source of comfort, guidance and strength for Christians, he said, and it should be shared with others, too, he said.

“Indeed, we live surrounded by so many words, but how many of these are empty!” he said.

“On the contrary, the Word of God responds to our thirst for meaning, for the truth about our life,” he said. “It is the only Word that is always new: revealing the mystery of God to us, it is inexhaustible, it never ceases to offer its riches.”

Sacred Scripture is “the means by which we come to know the incarnate living Word of God who is Jesus Christ,” the pope said in his summary in English. “Indeed, praying with Scripture opens the door for an intimate relationship with God who, through these sacred writings, invites us into conversation with him.”

“As St. Jerome rightly points out, ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of God,” he said, encouraging all faithful to read and reflect on the word of God every day, so that it may “nourish our hearts and our minds and lead us to the fullness of life.”

Speaking to Portuguese-speaking visitors, Pope Leo said prayerfully reading the word of God is a special kind of “nourishment” and an invigorating “medicine in moments of weakness”; from it, the faithful can draw “light and comfort.”

“Christians are called to listen to the word of God, to keep it in their hearts, and to put it into practice in their daily lives, because it is alive, effective and a light on their path,” he told Arabic-speaking visitors, which included members of the Sisters of Nazareth living in Haifa, Israel.

Pope Leo said in his English summary that there is a “profound and vital connection” between the word of God and the Catholic Church.

“Sacred Scripture, which has been entrusted to the Church and is guarded by her, reveals its meaning and manifests its strength in the life and faith of the Church, above all in the celebration of the Holy Eucharist,” he said.

“For this reason, the Church continually meditates upon and interprets Scripture because it is the means by which we come to know the incarnate living Word of God who is Jesus Christ,” he added.

To mark the feast of Our Lady of Lourdes, celebrated Feb. 11, Pope Leo began the general audience with lighting a candle placed in front of a statue of Our Lady, and he joined in singing the “Immaculate Mary,” also known as the Lourdes Hymn, with the thousands of faithful in the hall.

After the general audience, he visited the replica of the grotto at Lourdes in the Vatican Gardens and lit a candle there, too, “as a sign of my prayer for all the sick, whom we remember with particular affection today, World Day of the Sick.”

Gathered together with a small group of people experiencing illness and those who care for them, the pope said, “We pray for you.”

Thanking them for taking part in the moment of prayer, he said, the feast day “reminds us of the closeness of Mary, our mother, who always accompanies us and teaches us so much: what suffering means, what love means, what it means to entrust our lives into the hands of the Lord.”

(OSV News) – Venerable Fulton J. Sheen will soon be beatified, now that the Vatican has given the green light, the Diocese of Peoria, Illinois, announced Feb. 9. No date or location for the beatification was given.

The announcement comes six years after the Holy See had postponed the beatification, initially scheduled for December 2019, only weeks before the event was to take place.

“The Holy See has informed me that the Cause for the Venerable Servant of God Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen can proceed to Beatification,” Bishop Louis Tylka of Peoria said in a Feb. 9 statement. “The next step in the process is the celebration of the Beatification, in which Fulton Sheen would be declared Blessed.”

He added, “We are working with the Dicastery of the Causes of Saints at the Vatican to determine the details for the upcoming Beatification.”

The bishop said the date and event details will be released soon through celebratesheen.com, the website for Archbishop Sheen’s cause.

“Archbishop Fulton Sheen was one of the greatest voices of evangelization in the Church and the world in the 20th century,” Bishop Tylka said. “I have long admired his lifelong commitment to serve the Church as a priest, rooted in his deep devotion to the Blessed Mother and the Eucharist. As he journeyed through the different stages of his life, his ability to share the Gospel and truly relate to people drew countless souls into an encounter with Jesus — one that transformed not only his life, but more importantly, the lives of those he touched.”

Archbishop Sheen’s cause for canonization, opened in 2002, has been stalled by two controversies — a public battle to relocate his remains from St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York to its current location, the side chapel of the Cathedral of St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception in Peoria; and, more significantly, concerns that as bishop of the Diocese of Rochester, New York, from 1966-1969, the prelate might have overlooked sexual abuse by at least one former diocesan priest there.

The latter concern was magnified after the state of New York adopted lookback laws that allowed hundreds of abuse claims to be considered, with the Diocese of Rochester ultimately filing for bankruptcy. The bankruptcy was finalized in September 2025, after the establishment of a $256.35 million settlement fund for abuse survivors.

In July 2019, then-Bishop Daniel R. Jenky of Peoria announced Pope Francis had approved a miracle attributed to the intercession of Archbishop Sheen, which led the way to the announcement he would be beatified. The announcement was made on Nov. 18, 2019, that Pope Francis had called for the beatification to be held Dec. 21, 2019, in Peoria.

A little more than two weeks later, a Dec. 3, 2019, news release from the Diocese of Peoria said it had been informed the previous day that the Holy See had decided to postpone the Dec. 21, 2019, ceremony “at the request of a few members” of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops over the possibility that abuse-related concerns might surface.

The Dec. 3 statement from the Diocese of Peoria said, “In our current climate it is important for the faithful to know that there has never been, nor is there now, any allegation against (Archbishop) Sheen involving the abuse of a minor.”

However, a Dec. 5 statement from the Diocese of Rochester, New York, said it had “expressed concern about advancing the cause for the beatification of Archbishop Sheen at this time without a further review of his role in priests’ assignments.” The statement said the Rochester Diocese, prior to the Vatican announcement Nov. 18 that Pope Francis approved the beatification, had provided documentation expressing its concern to the Diocese of Peoria and the Congregation for Saints’ Causes via the apostolic nunciature in Washington.

The one-time New York lookback window, part of the state’s Child Victims Act, was open from August 2019 until August 2021.

In December 2024, Msgr. Jason Gray, executive director of the Archbishop Fulton John Sheen Foundation, told OSV News that “Sheen is clean. … Not one accusation has been raised that impugned Sheen.”

Msgr. Gray said the foundation has examined “all of the pleadings” relevant to claims against the Rochester Diocese, and “there hasn’t been anything that was brought up there” implicating Archbishop Sheen.

Msgr. Gray also told OSV News that “the desire to see Sheen beatified is increasing, and there is a growing devotion to him,” as evidenced by a surge in visits to his tomb, requests for both relics and for his more than 50 books, and reports of favors and graces received through Archbishop Sheen’s intercession.

Archbishop Sheen is remembered as one of the most influential and innovative evangelists in American history. Once dubbed “God’s microphone,” Archbishop Sheen announced God’s truth in a non-confrontational, yet no less life-giving, manner to untold millions through radio, print and television.

Born in El Paso, Illinois, on May 8, 1895, Archbishop Sheen resolved to serve the Church as a priest from an early age. He was assigned to academic ministry following his ordination to the priesthood on Sept. 20, 1919, for the Diocese of Peoria.

After studies in Europe, a promising future as a professor awaited Archbishop Sheen. First, though, his bishop called him back to a parish in Peoria to test his obedience. And he zealously took on the task. In less than a year, though, Archbishop Sheen landed a professorship at The Catholic University of America in Washington. For a quarter century, he was known there for his engaging and stimulating lectures. During that time, he published more than half of his over 60 books, informed by a lively and heroic faith.

During the 1930s and 1940s, then-Msgr. Sheen became a household name as host of “The Catholic Hour,” broadcast nationally from NBC radio in New York. The priest emerged as a national voice, a prophetic truth-teller who spoke out on a host of issues, particularly the threats of communism.

Having to give up his professorship after appointment as director of the Society for the Propagation of the Faith in 1950, Msgr. Sheen moved to New York City. The next year, he was appointed an auxiliary bishop of New York, ordained in Rome on June 11, 1951. Bishop Sheen began his work on behalf of the global missions with great energy, and his innovative efforts enabled him to evangelize at the same time. He donated all media earnings to the missions.

Beginning in 1952, Bishop Sheen proposed eternal truths each Tuesday evening to tens of millions via his “Life Is Worth Living” TV program, armed only with his charisma and intellect – and his famous cape and chalkboard. After his first year on the air, Bishop Sheen won an Emmy award for best television personality. Upon acceptance, he famously thanked his writers: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.

Bishop Sheen was a charitable and attentive pastor who treated prince and leper alike. His intelligence, wit and sense of humor made him an effective evangelist. And with clear teaching and common sense, Bishop Sheen helped people make sense of life’s problems. He was never afraid to proclaim Christ and brought many converts to Catholicism.

Throughout his 60-year priesthood, Bishop Sheen sought to conform himself more closely to Christ by observing a daily Eucharistic Holy Hour, what he called “the hour that makes my day.” He also was intensely devoted to the Mother of God.

Bishop Sheen battled various temptations and difficulties throughout his life — including a decade of behind-the-scenes hostility from Cardinal Francis Spellman of New York, which caused Bishop Sheen great pain. But in the face of his troubles, Bishop Sheen persevered in virtue. He understood his sufferings in light of God’s providence: “Christianity begins not with sunshine, but with defeat. During those days when my life was backed up against the cross, I began to know and to love it more.”

Despite his best efforts as bishop in Rochester, New York (1966-69) — what many considered to be an exile — Bishop Sheen’s brief tenure was met with great resistance, resulting in a good deal of self-described failure. After retirement, Bishop Sheen was appointed titular archbishop of Newport, Wales, by Pope St. Paul VI. Archbishop Sheen delivered retreats aimed at renewal of the priesthood throughout the country and maintained a voice in the public square through regular media appearances.

The temptations and sufferings Archbishop Sheen faced purified him and intensified his union with Christ. He maintained “God has been easy with me.” Toward the end of his life, writing in his autobiography, Archbishop Sheen apologized for his failures, wondering “Was I inspiring anyone to imitate Christ in the daily carrying of His Cross?”

After nearly two years in and out of the hospital following open-heart surgery, Archbishop Sheen died Dec. 9, 1979, in New York City, in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament. He was declared venerable in 2012.

Bishop Tylka said that Archbishop Sheen, particularly in his work for the missions, “helped us recognize that the Church is meant for all people” and that “as members of the Church, we are called to serve everyone, especially those most in need and those longing to hear and experience the Gospel, wherever they may be in the world.”

“Archbishop Sheen will be a special blessing for the Church in the United States, where he was a powerful evangelist on radio, television, and in personal appearances,” he said.

Bishop Tylka expressed thanks for “the collaboration, assistance, generosity, and prayers from the Holy See, my brother Bishops, clergy and lay people from around the world in moving this cause forward.”

(OSV News) – The Vatican press office confirmed that Pope Leo XIV has no plans to visit the U.S. this year.

“The pope will not be going to the United States in 2026,” Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said in response to journalists’ questions Feb 8.

Vice President J.D. Vance extended an invitation on behalf of President Donald Trump during a May 19 meeting with Pope Leo, not long after his papal election, the Reuters news agency reported.

According to a handout video shared by the Vatican, the pope was heard saying that he would visit “at some point.”

While many had hoped that Pope Leo would visit his homeland, the trip seemed unlikely to happen in the immediate future, given the growing divide between the Trump administration and the pope over his criticism of U.S. policies targeting migrants.

Speaking with journalists outside Castel Gandolfo Sept. 30, the pope said Catholic politicians should be judged by their overall policy positions, not just a single issue.

“Someone who says I’m against abortion but is in favor of the death penalty is not really pro-life,” the pope said. “And someone who says I’m against abortion, but I’m in agreement with the inhuman treatment of immigrants in the United States, I don’t know if that’s pro-life.”

At another press scrum Nov. 18, the pope expressed his support for the pastoral message released by the U.S. bishops’ conference on the enforcement of immigration policies in the country.

“When people are living good lives — and many of them (in the United States) for 10, 15, 20 years — to treat them in a way that is extremely disrespectful, to say the least,” is not acceptable, the pope said Nov. 18.

The pope said that while every country “has a right to determine who and how and when people enter,” it was also important “to look for ways of treating people humanely, treating people with the dignity that they have” when enforcing immigration policies.

Despite the pope’s criticism, Trump said he was unaware of the pope’s comments and was open to meeting with him.

“Sure, I will. Why not?” the president said in an interview with Politico published Dec. 9.

The Holy See typically announces papal visits months or even just weeks in advance, and it has not issued any announcement about the pope’s 2026 travel destinations.

However, bishops in Angola, Algeria and Spain have confirmed that Pope Leo will visit their countries this year.

Pope Leo has also expressed his desire to visit Latin America during a press conference aboard the papal flight to Rome Dec. 2.

“Obviously, I would love to visit Latin America; Argentina and Uruguay are waiting for the pope’s visit. Peru, I think they will receive me, too! And then, if I go to Peru, (I could visit) many neighboring countries as well. But the plan is not yet defined,” the pope said.

NEW YORK (OSV News) – The world “always has and always will need a missionary Church,” said Archbishop Ronald A. Hicks in his first homily as the new shepherd of the Archdiocese of New York.

“The mission is before us,” he said. “The world is waiting with hope. And behold, God is with us always.”

Moments after his Feb. 6 installation Mass at St. Patrick’s Cathedral — a liturgy that that filled “America’s parish church” with at least some 2,000 congregants — Archbishop Hicks reaffirmed the words he spoke at the time of his December appointment by Pope Leo XIV: The Church is meant to go forth from the pews to the peripheries, bringing the Gospel of Christ’s saving love to a wounded and warring world.

“This is a call to be a missionary Church, not a country club,” said Archbishop Hicks, now the 11th archbishop of New York. “A club exists to serve its members. The Church exists, on the other hand, to go out and serve all people, on fire with faith, hope, and charity in the name of Jesus Christ.

“This is not a criticism; it’s simply an invitation to constantly renew who we are and to rediscover why the Church exists,” he stressed.

That message — delivered with fervor, humility and a gentle wit — set the tone for the bilingual installation Mass, a liturgy of both splendor and warmth that blended the solemnity of the Church’s sacred tradition of episcopal succession with pastoral closeness and affection.

Embraces, laughter, prayerful quiet, applause and more than one standing ovation marked key moments of the sacred celebration.

Even as he processed outside the cathedral ahead of his formal entrance, Archbishop Hicks was greeted by dozens of youth and young adults from the Neocatechumenal Way — a Vatican-approved Catholic formation program that originated in Spain — who joyfully sang hymns in his honor, braving the winter chill behind a barricade across the street from the heavily guarded cathedral.

Knocking on the doors of the cathedral with a hammer, Archbishop Hicks was admitted by St. Patrick’s rector, Father Enrique Salvo, and then greeted by his predecessor, Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan, who welcomed the new shepherd on behalf of the Archdiocese of New York’s faithful.

Also greeting Archbishop Hicks were several dozen fellow prelates, including Cardinal Blase J. Cupich of Chicago — whom the archbishop, a Chicago native ordained a priest of that archdiocese — thanked in his homily for more than 11 years of “example and mentorship.”

Archdiocesan vicar general Msgr. Joseph LaMorte presented Archbishop Hicks with a crucifix, which the archbishop kissed before being presented with holy water by Father Salvo and blessing the congregation.

Archbishop Paul S. Coakley of Oklahoma City, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, and bishops from throughout the nation, including several from the Eastern Catholic churches, awaited Archbishop Hicks as well, preceding him up the aisle to the sanctuary.

Archbishop Hicks pressed his hand to his heart as the entrance hymn, “All Creatures of Our God and King,” concluded — the first of several such gestures he made throughout the liturgy, which he celebrated with joyful intensity and energy.

Following the entrance procession to the sanctuary, Cardinal Dolan greeted the congregation from the cathedra, the episcopal throne, before Cardinal Christophe Pierre, the apostolic nuncio to the U.S., prepared to read the apostolic letter in which Pope Leo formally appointed Archbishop Hicks as the shepherd of New York.

Cardinal Pierre first commended Cardinal Dolan for his 17 years of service to the Archdiocese of New York, prompting applause and a standing ovation.

“And by the way, did you know it is his birthday?” added Cardinal Pierre, with the choir promptly singing a brief version of “Happy Birthday” to Cardinal Dolan, who turned 76.

A year ago, after his 75th birthday, Cardinal Dolan submitted his resignation to the pope as required by canon law. On Dec. 18, Pope Leo accepted his resignation and named Archbishop Hicks, then bishop of Joliet, Illinois, as his successor.

Applause and a standing ovation marked Archbishop Hicks’ formal acceptance of Pope Leo’s appointment, with the new shepherd of New York displaying the document to those present. He and Cardinal Dolan embraced, and Archbishop Hicks then seated himself at the cathedra, greeting a number of faith leaders — among them, Greek Orthodox Archbishop Elpidophoros of America and representatives of the Jewish and Muslim communities.

Throughout the Mass, hymns and readings flowed easily from English to Spanish to Latin, and from chant to modern liturgical compositions, reflecting both the Church’s ancient heritage and its message to the current moment.

A sense of history, both ecclesial and personal, infused Archbishop Hicks’ installation. He chose to wear the pectoral cross of the first archbishop of New York, Archbishop John Hughes, and used the crozier of Cardinal Patrick Hayes, the see’s fourth archbishop.

Family members, including his brother and sister-in-law, served as gift-bearers. The first reading was proclaimed in Spanish by Samuel Jimenez Coreass, a former orphan at Nuestros Pequeños Hermanos, a home caring for more than 3,400 abandoned and orphaned children in Latin America and the Caribbean. In July 2005, with permission from Cardinal Francis E. George, then-Father Hicks moved from Chicago to El Salvador to begin his five-year term as the organization’s regional director.

Archbishop Hicks alternately delivered his homily in English and Spanish — and began by quoting one of his favorite hymns, “Alma Misionera” by Enrique Garcia Velez, also sung during holy Communion: “Señor, toma mi vida nueva. … Estoy dispuesto a lo que quieras, no importa lo que sea, tú llévame a servir” (“Lord, take my new life. … I am willing to do whatever you want, no matter where it is you take me to serve”).

“We exist to follow Jesus, who fed the hungry, healed those ill in body and spirit, rejected hatred and proclaimed love,” said Archbishop Hicks.

He explained, “We are called to be a missionary Church; a Church that catechizes, evangelizes and puts our faith into action; a Church made up of missionary disciples who go out and make disciples, passing the faith on from one generation to the next.”

The archbishop called for “a Church that takes care of the poor and the vulnerable,” “respects and upholds life, from conception to natural death,” “cares for creation, builds bridges, listens synodally” and “protects children, promotes healing for survivors and for all those who have been wounded by the Church.”

“A Church that shows respect for all, building unity across cultures and generations,” Archbishop Hicks continued.

And, he said, “I believe the world always has and always will need a missionary Church. A Church that proclaims Jesus Christ clearly and without fear. A Church that forms missionary disciples, not passive spectators. A Church that goes out to the peripheries.”

Archbishop Hicks said that, as a shepherd of that Church, “I come to walk with you, to serve you, and to proclaim Jesus Christ to you.”

“Somos una Iglesia misionera, enviada por Cristo al corazón del mundo,” he said. “So as always, let’s go out, strengthened by the Eucharist, sent by the Lord, and guided by the Holy Spirit.”

Pope Leo XIV’s complete letter can be found in English by clicking here.

Pope Leo XIV’s complete letter can be found in Spanish by clicking here.

 

VATICAN CITY (CNS) – Just as the 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan Cortina were about to begin, Pope Leo XIV called on the Catholic Church to recognize sport as an opportunity to offer much-needed human and spiritual guidance.

With so many dangers and distortions threatening the integrity of athletics and the dignity of players, the Church can help strengthen the needed harmony between people’s physical and spiritual development, he wrote, helping sport become a place “for athletes to learn to take care of themselves without falling prey to vanity, to push themselves to their limits without harming themselves and to compete without losing sight of fraternity.”

Pope Leo, who considers himself “a decent amateur tennis player,” issued a letter on “the value of sport,” Feb. 6, titled “Life in Abundance,” from Jesus’ declaration, “I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly,” from the Gospel according to St. John (10:10).

The need for holistic, integral human development is critical, he wrote, because “the danger of narcissism … permeates the entire sporting culture today. Athletes can become obsessed with their physical image and with their own success, measured by visibility and approval.”

And sometimes sports can take on a “quasi-religious dimension” with athletes perceived as “saviors,” he wrote. “When sport claims to replace religion, it loses its character as a game that benefits our lives, becoming instead aggrandized, all-encompassing and absolute.”

The pope dated and released the eight-page letter the same day the XXV Winter Olympic Games in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo began Feb. 6. Set to run until Feb. 22, the international sporting event will be followed by the XIV Paralympic Games March 6-15.

Offering his “greeting and good wishes to those who are directly involved” in the Games, the pope also encouraged all the world’s nations to “rediscover and respect” the Olympic Truce as a symbol and promise of hope and reconciliation in “a world thirsting for peace.”

“We need tools that can put an end to the abuse of power, displays of force and indifference to the rule of law,” he wrote, decrying the “radicalization of conflict and a refusal to cooperate” as well as a “culture of death.”

The world is witnessing “lives broken, dreams shattered, survivors’ trauma, cities destroyed — as if human coexistence were superficially reduced to a video game scenario,” he wrote, repeating St. John Paul II’s warning that aggression, violence and war are “always a defeat for humanity.”

The Olympic Truce is built on the belief that participating in public sport with a spirit of “virtue and excellence” promotes greater fraternity, solidarity and the common good, he wrote.

“International competitions offer a privileged opportunity to experience our shared humanity in all its rich diversity,” he wrote. “Indeed, there is something deeply moving about the opening and closing ceremonies of the Olympic Games, when we see the athletes parade with their national flags and in the traditional garments of their countries.”

These global gatherings “can inspire us and remind us that we are called to form one human family” and that “the values promoted by sport — such as loyalty, sharing, hospitality, dialogue, and trust in others — are common to every person, regardless of ethnic origin, culture or religious belief,” he wrote.

While the pope praised the power and potential of the Olympics, the bulk of the letter was dedicated to all levels of sport, from those engaged in informal fun to serious athleticism.

Like his predecessors, Pope Leo highlighted the virtues of engaging in physical activity and competition as well as warned against current risks that threaten healthy values.

He criticized the perennial problems of using sports as a platform to push political or ideological interests, doping and seeking profits or winning at all costs, warning against the “dictatorship of performance.”

“When financial incentives become the sole criterion, individuals and teams may also fall prey to subjecting their performance to the corruption and influence of the gambling industry,” he wrote. “Such dishonesty not only corrupts sporting activities themselves, but also demoralizes the general public and undermines the positive contribution of sport to society as a whole.”

He also criticized “pay-to-play” programs, which often require costly fees for children to participate, when organized sports should be accessible to everyone.

“In other societies, girls and women are not allowed to participate in sports. Sometimes, in religious formation, especially of women, there is a mistrust and fear of physical activity and sport,” he wrote in the letter, encouraging greater efforts to make sport more accessible to diversity and fraternity, too.

He also warned against “transhumanism” or technologies, including AI, being applied to enhance performance, artificially separating body and mind, and “transforming the athlete into an optimized, controlled product, enhanced beyond natural limits.”

“Finally, we must question the growing assimilation of sport into the logic of video games,” Pope Leo wrote, pointing to the “extreme gamification of sport,” turning it into “simply a device for consumers” and disconnecting it from “concrete relationships.”

The pope said, “There is an urgent need to reaffirm integral care of the human person; physical well-being cannot be separated from inner balance, ethical responsibility and openness to others,” calling on the Church “to recognize sport as an opportunity for discernment and accompaniment and to offer human and spiritual guidance.”

He asked that every national bishops’ conference have an office or commission dedicated to sport and help unite parishes, schools, universities, oratories, associations and neighborhoods in a “shared vision.”

“Pastoral accompaniment of sport is not limited to moments of celebration, but takes place over time through sharing the efforts, expectations, disappointments and hopes of those who play daily on the field, in the gym or on the street,” he added.

He called for seeking out those “who have combined passion for sports, sensitivity to social issues and holiness,” such as St. Pier Giorgio Frassati, who “perfectly combined faith, prayer, social commitment and sport.” Pope Leo canonized the 24-year-old Italian Sept. 7 at the Vatican.

The fullness of life “integrates our bodies, relationships and interior lives,” the pope wrote. “In this way, sport can truly become a school of life, where all can learn that abundance does not come from victory at any cost, but from sharing, from respecting others and from the joy of walking together.”

ROME (OSV News) – Pope Leo XIV has called on people around the world to pray for children living with incurable diseases in a video message released by the Vatican Feb. 5.

The four-minute video, published by the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network for the pope’s February prayer intention, shows Pope Leo kneeling in prayer inside the Church of San Pellegrino in Vatican City while looking at drawings made by children being treated at Rome’s Bambino Gesù Hospital for Children.

“Lord Jesus, who welcomed the little ones in your arms and blessed them tenderly, today we bring before you the children living with incurable illnesses,” the pope prayed.

“Sustain their families in hope, in the midst of weariness and uncertainty, and make of them witnesses of a faith that grows stronger through trial,” he added.

At the start of each month, the pope releases a video in which he offers a prayer for a specific intention, inviting people to join him in praying it regularly. February’s intention is for children living with incurable illnesses. On Feb. 11, the feast of Our Lady of Lourdes, the Church will celebrate the World Day of the Sick.

“Lord, teach us to recognize your face in every suffering child,” Pope Leo prayed. “May their vulnerability awaken our compassion, and move us to care, accompany, and love with concrete gestures of solidarity.”

Many incurable diseases affecting children are rare genetic or chronic conditions that require lifelong treatment and monitoring. These include certain pediatric cancers, severe neurological disorders, heart defects and rare metabolic diseases. While medical advances have improved survival rates and quality of life for some children, many conditions remain without a cure and can involve ongoing pain, disability or progressive decline. Among the more than 6,000 identified rare diseases, 70% start in childhood.

According to UNICEF, more than 2.1 billion children and adolescents under the age of 20 worldwide are affected by chronic illnesses or long-term health conditions, including cancer, Type 1 diabetes, and heart and respiratory diseases. Each year, around 1 million children under 20 die from these illnesses, many of which could be treated or effectively prevented with adequate access to health care.

In his prayer, Pope Leo asked that sick children “may never lack proper medical care, human and compassionate attention, and the support of a community that accompanies them with love.”

He also asked the Lord to “bless the hands of doctors, nurses, and caregivers, so that their work may always be an expression of active compassion.”

“May your Spirit enlighten them in every difficult decision, and grant them patience and tenderness to serve with dignity,” he said.

 

The full text of Pope Leo XIV’s prayer for children with incurable diseases can be found below:

“Lord Jesus,
who welcomed the little ones in your arms and blessed them tenderly,
today we bring before you the children living with incurable illnesses.
Their fragile bodies are a sign of your presence,
and their smiles, even in the midst of pain, are a testimony of your Kingdom. We ask you, Lord, that they may never lack proper medical care,
human and compassionate attention,
and the support of a community that accompanies them with love.

Sustain their families in hope,
in the midst of weariness and uncertainty,
and make of them witnesses of a faith that grows stronger through trial.
Bless the hands of doctors, nurses, and caregivers,
so that their work may always be an expression of active compassion.
May your Spirit enlighten them in every difficult decision,
and grant them patience and tenderness to serve with dignity.
Lord, teach us to recognize your face in every suffering child.
May their vulnerability awaken our compassion,
and move us to care, accompany, and love
with concrete gestures of solidarity.
Make of us a Church that,
animated by the feelings of your Heart
and moved by prayer and service,
knows how to uphold fragility,
and in the midst of suffering, becomes a source of comfort,
a seed of hope, and a proclamation of new life.
Amen.”

SCRANTON – The Most Rev. Joseph C. Bambera, Bishop of Scranton, will once again travel throughout the Diocese of Scranton during Lent 2026 to lead Holy Hours in each of the Diocese’s 12 deaneries, continuing a tradition that began several years ago.

The 2026 Lenten Holy Hours will begin on Thursday, Feb. 19 at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish in Wyalusing, Bradford County, and continue through Tuesday, March 24, at SS. Peter and Paul Parish in Plains, Luzerne County.

Each Holy Hour will offer Catholics the opportunity to gather for prayer, reflection, and Eucharistic devotion during the Lenten season.

This year’s theme that Bishop Bambera will preach on is: Finding Peace in Challenging Times.

First launched several years ago as part of the National Eucharistic Revival, the Lenten Holy Hours with Bishop Bambera have drawn strong participation and elicited positive responses from parishioners. Many attendees return year after year, finding the evenings to be a moment of quiet encounter with Christ.

Each Holy Hour includes Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, time for silent prayer and adoration, a homily offered by Bishop Bambera, and sacred music that enhances the reverent atmosphere.

“It is such a special occasion to have the Bishop with us and to have him here in our little town,” Christine Aydelotte said after a 2024 Holy Hour at Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish in Tunkhannock. “He helps to strengthen our bond with Jesus. He’s an inspiration and a reminder that we all play a small part in our one Holy Catholic Apostolic Church.”

Amid a busy and often chaotic season – leading up to Easter – many parishioners have found profound peace in spending quiet time in prayer before the Lord.

“If people put themselves fully into this experience and really sit with the Lord, He makes Himself known. I think everyone, when they fully enter into it, has their own personal revelation,” Concetta Cooney said following a 2025 Holy Hour at Saint John the Evangelist Parish in Pittston.

Every Holy Hour will take place at 7 p.m.

All are welcome to attend any of the Holy Hours, regardless of parish or deanery affiliation.

With the beginning of Lent now only a month away, Bishop Bambera invites the faithful to save the dates of these special Holy Hours and encourages them to attend at least one of the special evenings of prayer.

SCRANTON – On Ash Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026, the Most Rev. Joseph C. Bambera, Bishop of Scranton, will be principal celebrant and homilist for the 12:10 p.m. Mass at the Cathedral of Saint Peter in Scranton.

Ash Wednesday marks the start of Lent, a 40-day season of prayer, fasting and almsgiving that ends at sundown on Holy Thursday. It is a period of preparation to celebrate the Lord’s Resurrection at Easter.

During Lent, fasting and abstinence regulations are observed. Fasting and abstinence are church-imposed penitential practices that deny us food and drink during certain seasons and on certain days. These acts of self-denial dispose us to free ourselves from worldly distractions, to express our longing for Jesus, to somehow imitate His suffering.

Fasting is to be observed on Ash Wednesday (Feb. 18, 2026) and Good Friday (April 3, 2026) by all Catholics over 18 years of age to the beginning of their 60th year. On days of fasting, one full meal is allowed. Two smaller meals, sufficient to maintain strength, may be taken according to one’s needs, but together should not equal another full meal, unless dispensed or excused.

Abstinence from meat is to be observed by all Catholics who are 14 years of age or older. Ash Wednesday, all of the Fridays of Lent, and Good Friday are days of abstinence.

A full listing of Ash Wednesday Masses for all 102 parishes in the Diocese of Scranton is now available on the Diocese of Scranton website at dioceseofscranton.org.