Category: 2020 News

 

GOULDSBORO — The letter bearing good news from clear across the country couldn’t have come at a better time.

In early September, the small Parish of Saint Rita in Gouldsboro received word they were selectively chosen for a prestigious grant award from Oregon Catholic Press (OCP) in Portland.

For the intimate Pocono faith community, the $1,000 grant came on the heels of a summer season that was wreaked havoc by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

According to Tony Butel, Parish Life Coordinator who splits his time and administrative efforts between Saint Rita’s and Saint Elizabeth Parish in Bear Creek, both rural parishes nestled in the northeast foothills of the Scranton Diocese rely heavily on in-pew financial contributions from summer vacationers and visitors. However, with strict social distancing guidelines in place due to COVID-19, Saint Rita’s was greatly hampered by the sparse number of the transient churchgoers.

“We are a small parish with a very small church,” Butel said, indicating seating capacity under normal circumstances at the Gouldsboro worship site can accommodate just 110 faithful.

“When I received notice that (OCP) was offering grants up to $1,000, we applied,” he continued.

The grant application indicated that grants were to be used to aid parishes with their liturgical services. Butel noted that his appeal to be among the grant recipients included Saint Rita’s lack of size and that any assistance would help them, especially with their worship needs.

“Shortly after we had sent in the application,” Butel explained, “we experienced the shut down due to the coronavirus.”

When allowed to reopen, social distancing restrictions would limit the church’s capacity to a maximum of 25 to 27 people. However, as Butel indicated, single worshippers and couples comprise most of Saint Rita’s Mass attendance.

“We are more likely to have only 12 to 18 people attending any particular Mass,” he said, “and that presents a challenge financially in only that many are (making contributions) on a weekly basis.”

Butel concluded that the Pocono church has been able to weather the pandemic fairly well financially, due to a parish fundraiser and the generosity of members of Saint Rita’s and summer guests who forwarded contributions otherwise.

“To get the grant from OCP to help us with our liturgical expenses is a huge assist,” he commented.

In his letter to Bishop Bambera announcing the approval of the grant to the Scranton Diocesan parish, OCP Publisher Wade Wisler stated Saint Rita’s was chosen for the award from hundreds of applications from parishes “large and small” across the United States.

“It is our sincere hope that the grant will help Saint Rita Parish meet the needs they so clearly presented in their grant application,” Wisler wrote. “Every application was of remarkable merit and each parish’s needs were worthy of assistance. We take great satisfaction in knowing that so many parishes are committed to fulfilling the needs of their communities.”

Although some minor restrictions apply, OCP sponsors the program yearly with varying award amounts. Applications for the OCP Parish Grants Program may be submitted online at ocp.org/grants in early 2021.

 

Looking to help others during the pandemic?

SCRANTON – A global pandemic will not stop volunteers in the Diocese of Scranton from getting their hands dirty and making a difference in the community.

The Diocesan Office for Parish Life and Vocations Office have partnered this month to launch “Scranton Serves,” a call to action for individuals, families and groups to carry on the work of Christ in their respective communities.

The three-month initiative will last through the end of 2020. It is being held in place of the annual Diocesan Day of Service which is typically held in September.

“For the last three years, the Diocesan Day of Service was a highlight, not just to individual young people, but parish communities and schools,” Shannon Kowalski, Director for Service and Mission, said.

Instead of coordinating large groups of volunteers on the same day, “Scranton Serves” will allow individuals, parish groups and school groups to take part in service projects at varying times that are convenient for them.

“We have reached out to all the agencies and non-profits that we have partnered with in the past,” Dominick Costantino, Vocation Program Coordinator, explained. “Some of them shared with us that they could really use volunteers with the upcoming holidays of Thanksgiving and Christmas. So instead of just doing a day, a week or a month, we decided to challenge young people and all those in the 11 counties of the diocese to get out and serve, make a difference for good in the last three months of 2020 and really help our brothers and sisters who are in need.”

Costantino says organizers have been approached by many people who are still looking to give back despite the coronavirus pandemic.

“Just because our circumstances have changed and we cannot do what we normally would, that doesn’t mean the need is any less significant for these agencies. In fact, they need us a little bit more, so knowing that we weren’t just going to throw in the towel, but we had to re-charter our course,” Kowalski added.

Volunteer opportunities that are part of “Scranton Serves” are listed on the Diocese of Scranton website (www.dioceseofscranton.org). The non-profits and groups seeking help are listed under one of the four episcopal regions of the diocese.

Some of the first groups that expressed a need for volunteers include Friends of the Poor in Scranton, Ruth’s Place in Wilkes-Barre and the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary in Dunmore.

“We are doing our best to offer a wide arrangement of service sites and they will be located throughout the diocese,” Kowalski said.

“It is going to be an ongoing resource. As agencies let us know their needs, the dates and times they need volunteers, we will have all of that information on the Diocese of Scranton website,” Costantino added. “Even if you don’t have a group or organization, you can go volunteer on your own.”

Organizers say they also understand that some people might not feel comfortable going out to volunteer, so they have also included service projects that can be done at home, including writing cards to homebound parishioners or residents of a local nursing home and sending a surprise meal to a family in need.

Anyone with questions regarding “Scranton Serves” can contact the organizers at either Shannon-Kowalski@dioceseofscranton.org or Dominick-Costantino@dioceseofscranton.org.

 

 

You have saved us

WILKES-BARRE – The generosity of a small parish in Luzerne County is making a difference on the other side of the world.

Through donations, parishioners of Saint Andrew Parish in Wilkes-Barre have helped to feed families in Africa, care for children in an orphanage, start small businesses and even put in a public toilet.

“The people of Saint Andrew Parish have changed the lives of their fellow children of God in Nigeria,” Deacon Bill Behm, Parish Life Coordinator, said.

The outreach efforts started when Father Chikadi J. Anyanele, better known as Father John, a missionary from the Congregation of the Missionaries of Mariannhill, came to visit the parish before the COVID-19 pandemic.

While spending nearly two weeks at Saint Andrew Parish, Father John celebrated daily and weekend Masses and interacted with parishioners.

“He anointed those people who were dying, he visited the sick, he went with me to hospitals and nursing homes,” Deacon Behm explained.

One particular story also stood out in helping Father John build an instant and memorable rapport with parishioners.

One morning during his visit, Deacon Behm spotted Father John deep in prayer behind the rectory. The spot where he was praying is marked with a clothesline in the shape that resembles a cross.

“He said, ‘Isn’t this where your first pastor is buried?’” Deacon Behm recalled. “I said, no, it’s the last pastor’s herb garden…I told the parish that story and the laughter didn’t stop for a couple of minutes.”

By the time the coronavirus pandemic hit, Father John had returned to his native Nigeria. By chance, Deacon Behm reached out to see how he was doing and that is when the Parish Life Coordinator learned of a severe need for food in the missionary’s home village of Umuizi-Umunkwo.

Deacon Behm mentioned the conversation to parishioners during Mass and people instantly wanted to help.

“Suddenly, people were dropping off money at the rectory, they were dropping it in the mail slot, putting it in the Sunday collection marked for Father John,” the deacon said.

Since March, the parish has sent approximately $2,000 to help Father John and the people in Nigeria through the help of the Amen Foundation.

Father John has kept in regular communication with the parish.

During a recent voicemail message, Father John told the people of Saint Andrew Parish, “you have saved not just me, but widows who have children who could not feed well any longer, I have shared your gift with them….We are grateful to all of you.”

Father John has also provided the parish with pictures and an accounting of how the money has been spent.

The listing includes providing four 50-kg bags of rice to women of the African village at the start of the COVID-19 lockdown, supporting several individuals with money to begin small businesses and caring for sick members of the community.

“He gave some seed money to people to plant food, plant gardens and to be able to feed themselves and sell the produce to become more self-sufficient,” Deacon Behm explained. “He also helped someone who started a business making shoes out of discarded tire rubber.”

Deacon Behm has been deeply touched by the compassionate response of his parish.

“We are part of the universal Church. It doesn’t matter what color we are, it doesn’t matter what continent we’re from, what matters is that we’re all universal children of a God who loves us all,” he said. “We cared enough to think beyond ourselves and think of the world and think of a friend who they met that is struggling.”

 

 

SCRANTON – The month of November will once again begin with a gathering of the young church in the Diocese of Scranton.

The Most Rev. Joseph C. Bambera, Bishop of Scranton, will celebrate the annual Leave a Mark Mass which is celebrating its fifth anniversary in 2020. The idea for the Mass came after Pope Francis spoke to pilgrims at World Youth Day 2016 in Poland.

“Dear young people, we didn’t come into this world to ‘vegetate,’ to take it easy, to make our lives a comfortable sofa to fall asleep on,” the Holy Father said in 2016. “No, we came for another reason: to leave a mark. It is very sad to pass through life without leaving a mark.”

For the past few years, hundreds of young people have gathered in the Cathedral of Saint Peter with Bishop Bambera to kickoff National Vocation Awareness Week in the Diocese of Scranton.

Bishop Bambera is inviting the young church of the Diocese of Scranton to gather once again this year in the Cathedral of Saint Peter on Sunday, Nov. 1, 2020, for a special Mass at 7:00 p.m. Due to the current pandemic, there will not be a reception following the Mass.

Young adults (age 18-40) will be required to make a reservation in order to attend. Masks and social distancing will be enforced. The Mass will be broadcast live by CTV: Catholic Television of the Diocese of Scranton. It will also be livestreamed on diocesan social media platforms for those who are unable to attend in person.

“This is my first Leave a Mark event as vocation director,” Father Alex Roche said. “I look forward to seeing young adults from throughout the diocese gather as we kickoff this special week in the life of vocation ministry. In addition to those who will gather in the Cathedral, I also hope many will join us in prayer through diocesan media.”

For more information about this event and/or to register, please contact the Diocesan Vocation Office at (570) 207-1452 or visit vocations.dioceseofscranton.org.

 

SCRANTON – One of the most daunting challenges the coronavirus health crisis has posed is the clergy’s vocational call to minister spiritually to the gravely ill and those near death.

Indicating that throughout the ages the Church has dedicated great care to the spiritual needs of the ill and homebound – and that in times of crisis such needs are even more urgent – Father Tom Petro, pastor of Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish in Dupont, said, “The Church’s ministers, sometimes at great personal cost, always strive to bring the sacraments to the sick and the dying. This current pandemic has changed much about the way we conduct ourselves, even the way we care for one another.”

Hospitals have imposed greater restrictions and guidelines for visitors of all patients, even those not afflicted with the coronavirus. Nursing homes that once hosted Masses for their residents have suspended such services, and pastors and deacons have seen a drastic reduction in Holy Communion calls for their homebound parishioners.

“With each of these specific challenges,” Father Petro said, “the priests, deacons and extraordinary ministers of the Eucharist in our parishes are adapting to meet the needs of those whom they serve.”

Answering the Call

Indicative of these trials and speaking on behalf of their clerical colleagues in our local Church and around the world, two young priests of the Diocese of Scranton recently recounted their experiences in encountering COVID-19 head on in an effort to provide hands-on spiritual care in a healthcare combat zone.

Ordained just two years ago, Father Ryan Glenn began his priestly ministry as an assistant pastor at Saint John Neumann Parish in South Scranton, where he served until his recent appointment to Saint Matthew Parish in East Stroudsburg.

Father Glenn recalled a “most beautiful encounter” during the height of the pandemic in early spring when he was summoned to a nursing facility to provide the sacrament of anointing of the sick.

Following a myriad of temperature checks, questionnaires and signatures, he was allowed entry into the facility and was immediately armed with a thick plastic outer garment, a second mask (to be placed over his own), and a pair of surgical gloves.

“I then found my way to the patient’s room,” Father remembered. “The patient was unconscious, but the nurse who called me (for the visit) remained at her side, as did two other staff members. Together, we represented the Church as we surrounded one of our fellow Christians,” who was near death.

After reciting the Prayers of the Anointing ritual, the young priest anointed the patient’s head and hands using a cotton swab dipped in the Sacred Oils and offered the commendation of the dying.

Upon leaving the room with the two hospital staffers, Father Glenn became aware the nurse remained in the room to whisper her last goodbyes to the patient. The scene was palpable.

“In the midst of the many medical demands of that moment, the nurse knew the power of prayer and the importance of faith for her patient,” he remarked. “It was a privileged moment of grace for me, not only to accompany this dying person at the end of life, but also to witness the goodness and humanity of this front line hero.”

Being Christ for the Dying

Prior to receiving his new appointment as Diocesan Director of Vocations and Seminarians, Father Alex Roche served as the pastor of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish in Lake Silkworth.

While shepherding the small, rural Luzerne County parish in early April, Father Roche received a call from a woman whose older relative was in a nearby nursing home and losing his battle with COVID-19. Not quite certain what was permissible at the time, the priest of eight years contacted the nursing home. After being redirected a number of times, he was told since the man was actively dying, he would be permitted to anoint him in person.

“When I arrived, it honestly felt like a scene out of a movie,” Father Roche said, “with everyone in their rooms, doors locked, nurses and employees in full PPE (personal protective equipment).”

He would be the first non-employee and non-resident inside the facility in a month.

“After being screened, I was suited up with an N95 mask, gown, and gloves,” he recalled. “There wasn’t an exposed place on my body. It was obvious that it had been a very stressful and challenging few weeks,” noting that nursing homes care for residents — not patients – who staff come to know well and with whom they develop a relationship.

Upon entering the room alone, Father noted, the parishioner immediately grabbed his gloved hand, and a brief, labored conversation ensued between priest and resident.

“I was able to administer Last Rites and pray with him,” he explained, “and it struck me how difficult it was for this poor man to spend his dying days alone and struggling to breathe. But I felt thankful for the grace to be able to share Christ’s love with him and administer the sacraments in his moment of need.”

When the man passed away a few days later, Father Roche considered himself privileged to celebrate his funeral Mass.

Noting he has spiritually ministered to many sick and dying before and after the poignant nursing home visit, Father remarked this first experience of anointing someone stricken with the coronavirus is unforgettable and a moment he will return to in prayer for the rest of his life.

“A lot of things can happen to us in this life,” Father Roche shared. “Almost anything can be taken away, but the grace of God is always available for those who ask for it. Even when (it seems) we are alone, God is present. Even when things seem bleak and dim, the light of Christ can be seen illuminating the darkness.”

Spiritually Hungry

Father Glenn also related that on several occasions he was called to anoint patients but was unable to have direct contact with them.

“Nobody but the doctors and nurses were allowed in the rooms,” Father remarked, “but on behalf of the Church I knew it was important to be united with these isolated patients in prayer.”

“It was very sad not to be able to enter the room, but I also trust that the power of prayer is not hindered by any barriers,” he offered.

Father Glenn also shared the encounter with a parishioner who himself contacted the priest for the sacraments of reconciliation, anointing of the sick, and Holy Communion while recovering from a severe respiratory illness.

“Although I experienced some hesitancy about venturing outside of the rectory, I knew I needed to be with this parishioner during his time of need and to bring some spiritual comfort in the midst of this struggle. There is such a need and hunger for these grace-filled rites and moments,” he concluded.

 

 

The Word of God must be living and vibrant

SCRANTON – Having successfully completed their second year of formation for ordination to the permanent diaconate, nine men were installed in the Ministry of Lector at the Cathedral of Saint Peter on Oct. 3, 2020.

The Most Rev. Joseph C. Bambera, Bishop of Scranton, served as principal celebrant and homilist for the 12:10 p.m. Mass.

The men installed are: John F. Bankus, Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish, Swoyersville; John F. Bubb, Saint Joseph the Worker Parish, Williamsport; Martin J. Castaldi, Sr., Divine Mercy Parish, Scranton; Matthew R. Eisley, Saint Joseph the Worker Parish, Williamsport; William D. Flowers, Saint Nicholas Parish, Wilkes-Barre; Thomas A. Kostic, SS. Cyril and Methodius Parish, Hazleton; Steven J. Miller, Our Lady of Victory Parish, Tannersville; Nicholas M. Rocco, Saint Eulalia Parish, Roaring Brook Township; and Frank H. Zeranski, Saint Catherine of Siena Parish, Moscow.

As lectors, the men will proclaim the Word of God in liturgies and will continue their formation toward ordination as permanent deacons.

“I’m just trusting that He will lead the way and keep me on the path. I’m trusting in Him,” Steven J. Miller said following the Mass.

When asked to describe his feelings, Miller replied, “energized, happy and a little scared. It is a large responsibility but it is something we will grow into as well. I trust that the spirit will be with us.”

Nicholas M. Rocco expressed not only excitement but gratefulness.

“It’s such a great honor to be bestowed this ministry and to be able to serve the Church in the Diocese of Scranton,” he explained.

During the first two years of their diaconate program, the nine men have grown close.

“We have such a great class. We’re very close and very tight. Just like Jesus chose a group of disciples to follow Him, we are a group as well. We are going through this process together, bonding closer and learning from each other as well,” Rocco added.

During his homily, Bishop Bambera told the men this moment is not merely a stepping stone in their diaconal formation.

“You are being called to a special recognition of the Word of God in your lives that is essential to the life of the Church,” the bishop explained. “You are being given a responsibility in the service of our faith, namely, to proclaim the Word of Life in the liturgical assembly, to instruct children and adults in the ways of the Gospel and to bring the message of salvation to those who have not yet received it.”

As he reflected on the bishop’s message, William D. Flowers came to appreciate the gravity of the moment.

“It’s bringing the Gospel closer to people, getting people closer to the Gospel,” Flowers said. “It makes me feel good and I’m hoping that it makes them feel better, receiving the Word and I’m just glad that I’m able to do that.”

Flowers said he has felt called to the diaconate for quite some time.

“I feel that it was meant to be,” he added.

During the Mass, Bishop Bambera reminded the men that Pope Francis often reflects upon the centrality of the Word of God in Christian Life.

In fact, just three days before the Mass, in a letter commemorating the 1600th anniversary of the death of Saint Jerome, the Holy Father emphasized the need for those who can exercise diaconal functions.

“I pray that this understanding of the vital role of the Word of God in our lives as Christians impresses upon you the urgency of caring for the treasure that is being handed on to you this day,” the bishop said.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, attendance at the Mass was limited to family members but it was broadcast live on CTV: Catholic Television and shared on the Diocese of Scranton social media platforms.

Rocco expressed the importance of his family and friends who have supported, encouraged and prayed for him along this journey.

“I could not have gone through this process or gotten so far into this process without the support of my wife and my four daughters, my mother and my family as well, to have their support is necessary to complete this task,” Rocco explained. “Whenever you feel like you’re having a struggle trying to complete things or life gets in the way, they’re always there to support you and encourage you.”

 

 

 

The virtual President’s Business Council (PBC) 19th Annual Award Celebration honoring Margaret “Maggie” Quinn Mariotti, Au.D., P’10, John R. Mariotti, D.M.D., ’75 and Monsignor Joseph G. Quinn, J.D., J.C.L., ’72, raised more than $900,000. Proceeds from October 8th celebration, during which the honorees were presented with the University’s President’s Medal, support the University’s Presidential Scholarship Endowment Fund, and this year will also support the James P. Sweeney, S.J., Family Outreach Fund for students facing unexpected financial hardship and the Scott R. Pilarz, S.J., Scholarship, a need-based scholarship established in 2011 by the Sorbera Family.

“Tonight, we gather in spirit from all over the country and the world,” said Rev. Scott R. Pilarz, S.J., president of The University of Scranton at the virtual celebration. “Tonight, we celebrate what is best about Scranton. Our honorees Maggie and John Mariotti and Monsignor Quinn are great examples of the best about Scranton. Ours is a University committed to building community and I know few people who are more committed to building community than these great friends – Maggie, John and Joe.”

In presenting the President’s Medal, the University and the PBC recognize individuals who have achieved excellence in their fields and who have demonstrated extraordinary compassion for others while personifying the University’s mission of Catholic and Jesuit excellence and service.

In his remarks, Father Pilarz recalled that Monsignor Quinn chaired the University’s Presidential Search Committee in 2003 “that had the audacity to pluck someone out of the classroom with no administrative experience and whose scholarly life was dedicated to 16th century poetry. Only Joe Quinn would have an imagination big enough to make me the President of The University of Scranton.”

Father Pilarz said Maggie and John Mariotti were his “special Scranton welcome wagon,” noting “their love for Scranton was contagious.”

Five of the University’s class of 2021 Presidential Scholars also spoke during the celebration: Molly Elkins, Owings, Maryland, a biochemistry, cell and molecular biology and philosophy double major and member of the Special Jesuit Liberal Arts Honors Program, undergraduate Honors Program and the Magis Honors Program for STEM; Hannah Graff, Melville, New York, an accounting major currently pursuing her master’s in accountancy with a concentration in forensic accounting; Jacob Myers, Ambler, a biochemistry, cell and molecular biology and philosophy double major and member of the Special Jesuit Liberal Arts Honors Program and the Magis Honors Program for STEM; Megan Osborne, Mifflinville, a mathematics major; and Amanda Tolvaisa, Springfield, an English and philosophy double major and member of the University’s Special Jesuit Liberal Arts Honors Program.

The Presidential Scholars expressed their gratitude to those whose generous support made their scholarships possible, and spoke of the research, internship and academic opportunities the scholarships offered to them.

“The Presidential Scholarship and my time at Scranton has given me an unrivaled education in science supplemented by a robust background in the humanities,” said Myers. “This experience has allowed me to participate in several research programs funded through the NSF (National Science Foundation) over the last several years. This past summer, I had the opportunity to work on determining how long SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19, survives on surfaces in order to better understand its transmission.”

Through its previous 18 dinners, the PBC has generated over $16 million for the Presidential Scholarship Endowment Fund.

The President’s Business Council (PBC) 19th Annual Award Celebration can be seen here. For additional information, contact Timothy J. Pryle ’89, executive director of the PBC, at 570-941-5837 or pbc@scranton.edu.

10-14-20

About the honorees

Monsignor Joseph G. Quinn has been a priest in the Diocese of Scranton for 35 years and currently serves as pastor of Our Lady of the Snows Parish in Clarks Summit. For 16 years, he was the rector of St. Peter’s Cathedral. Prior to his current role, he was the vice president for mission and ministry at Fordham University.

Monsignor Quinn received a bachelor’s degree in accounting from The University of Scranton and a juris doctorate from Seton Hall University. At the age of 25, he was appointed a federal magistrate judge for the U.S. District Court, becoming the youngest person in the country to serve in that position. After resigning his post, he entered the seminary and completed his studies at the North American College in Rome, earning graduate degrees in theology from the Gregorian University and the Angelicum University.

He has served on numerous boards, including as a member of the Board of Advisors of the North American College and as the founding chairman of the Scranton Preparatory School Board of Trustees. He is a former member of the University’s Board of Trustees, which he served for 15 years.

Dr. Margaret “Maggie” Quinn Mariotti is a retired clinical audiologist whose private practice included offices in Honesdale and Clarks Summit. She has held several clinical audiologist positions at various institutions, including the U.S. Army Hospital Ear, Nose and Throat Clinic at Fort Stewart, Ga. Dr. Mariotti also taught as an adjunct professor in the communication sciences and disorders program at Marywood University.

She was a Pennsylvania Speech and Hearing Association liaison and served as a board member of the Women’s Resource Center and the IHM Foundation. Dr. Mariotti was a member of the University’s Board of Trustees from 2003 through 2010. She earned a bachelor’s degree in communication sciences and disorders from Marywood University, a master’s degree in audiology from Temple University, and a doctorate in audiology from the University of Florida.

Dr. John R. Mariotti has worked as an orthodontics and dentofacial orthopedics practitioner for 35 years and is certified by the American Board of Orthodontics. Dr. Mariotti earned a bachelor’s degree in biology from the University and a doctor of dental medicine degree from Temple University. He was commissioned as a U.S. Army captain in the Army Dental Corps at Fort Stewart, Ga. After completing his tour of duty, Dr. Mariotti pursued his post-graduate degree in orthodontics at the Eastman Dental Center at the University of Rochester. At Eastman, he conducted research in growth and development and TMJ disorders.

Dr. Mariotti served as president and chair of the board of the Scranton District Dental Society and is a past board president of the Middle Atlantic Society of Orthodontists. An active member of the University’s Medical Alumni Council, he became a member of the Board of Trustees in 2019.

The Mariottis, who reside in Jefferson Township, have four children.

The Quinns are two of the 12 children of the late June Scanlan Quinn and John A. Quinn Sr., D.D.S., ’40.