Category: Bishop’s Letters

 

“For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me” (Matthew 25:35) 

Faith is not just about belief. It is also about action.

As noted in the verse above from Matthew’s Gospel, how we treat others – particularly the most vulnerable in society – is directly linked to our relationship with Christ.

Put simply, when we serve those in need, we are serving Jesus Himself.

This basic principle is put into action every day across northeastern and north central Pennsylvania without a second thought: from young students collecting food for the less fortunate, to community organizations working together to provide nightly shelter to those experiencing homelessness, and parishioners in our parishes visiting the sick and lonely.

As Christians, this verse should also shape how we approach complex societal issues, reminding us to always act with mercy, dignity, and love.

The issue of immigration in the United States is one that often divides us. For some, the conversation revolves around safety, security, and order in our great nation, while for others, it is about compassion and human rights.

As followers of Christ, we must never forget one of the central and basic tenets of our faith: the dignity of every human person. Every person is made in the image and likeness of God – and that inherent dignity cannot be taken away by status or nationality.

From the very beginning of Scripture, God’s command to welcome the stranger is clear. The parents of Jesus had to flee their own land and take refuge in Egypt to save the life of their child.

Likewise, we must see Christ in those who seek refuge among us – whether because of war and widespread violence, religious and ethnic persecution, or human rights abuses. For many of these individuals, the decision to leave their homeland is often born out of desperation – and in the face of these concerns – we all have a responsibility to respond with compassion and understanding.

While the Catholic Church teaches us that individuals and families have the right to migrate, likewise, no country should be unduly burdened by those seeking refuge. To be clear, the United States has the responsibility to secure its borders and keep its citizens safe. Yet, as Pope Francis recently noted in a letter to the Bishops of the United States, “the true common good is promoted when society and government, with creativity and strict respect for the rights of all … welcomes, protects, promotes and integrates the most fragile, unprotected and vulnerable.”

Like many of my brother bishops, I am calling on our political leaders to set aside partisan politics and to fix our broken immigration system. But I pray that they do so in a way that respects Gospel values. Threats of mass deportations and allowing immigration officials to enter churches, schools, and healthcare facilities to conduct arrests, have only led to fear and anxiety for many of our brothers and sisters who live in our neighborhoods, attend our schools, provide useful services throughout our communities and worship with us on a regular basis.

Since its inception, our nation has been built upon the presence of immigrants who have contributed to the well-being and greatness of our land. As such, it is essential that we continue to support proper, legal pathways for immigration, ensuring that those who seek to contribute to society can do so in a manner that honors both their dignity and the lawful order of our communities.

As we pray for a system that honors the dignity of all people, one that is always guided by God’s love and justice, let us all remain hopeful that with faith, dialogue, and a commitment to justice, a solution to the complex challenges of immigration may be addressed in a way that honors the dignity of all.

May Our Lady of Guadalupe, the patroness of the Americas, intercede for us and for our nation, guiding us toward solutions that uphold the dignity of all people and reflect the mercy of Christ.

 

Defendiendo la Dignidad de Todos- Un Mensaje sobre la Inmigración del Muy Reverendo Joseph C. Bambera, Obispo de Scranton 

 

“Porque tuve hambre, y me diste de comer; tuve sed, y me diste de beber; era forastero, y me acogiste” (Mateo 25:35) 

La fe no es solo cuestión de creencias. También se trata de acción.

Como se señala en el versículo anterior del Evangelio de Mateo, cómo tratamos a los demás – particularmente a los más vulnerables en la sociedad – está directamente vinculado a nuestra relación con Cristo.

En pocas palabras, cuando servimos a los necesitados, estamos sirviendo al propio Jesús.

Este principio básico se pone en acción todos los días en el noreste y centro-norte de Pensilvania, sin pensarlo dos veces: desde los estudiantes más jóvenes recolectando alimentos para los menos afortunados, hasta las organizaciones comunitarias que trabajan juntas para proporcionar refugio nocturno a quienes experimentan la falta de vivienda, y los feligreses de nuestras parroquias visitando a los enfermos y solitarios.

Como cristianos, este versículo también debe moldear nuestra forma de abordar los complejos problemas sociales, recordándonos actuar siempre con misericordia, dignidad y amor.

El tema de la inmigración en los Estados Unidos es uno que a menudo nos divide. Para algunos, la conversación gira en torno a la seguridad, el orden y la protección en nuestra gran nación, mientras que para otros, se trata de compasión y derechos humanos.

Como seguidores de Cristo, nunca debemos olvidar uno de los principios centrales y básicos de nuestra fe: la dignidad de toda persona humana. Cada persona está hecha a imagen y semejanza de Dios, y esa dignidad inherente no puede ser arrebatada por el estatus o la nacionalidad.

Desde el principio de las Escrituras, el mandato de Dios de acoger al extranjero es claro. Los padres de Jesús tuvieron que huir de su tierra y refugiarse en Egipto para salvar la vida de su hijo.

De igual manera, debemos ver a Cristo en aquellos que buscan refugio entre nosotros – ya sea por la guerra y la violencia generalizada, la persecución religiosa y étnica, o las violaciones a los derechos humanos. Para muchos de estos individuos, la decisión de abandonar su tierra natal nace a menudo de la desesperación, y ante estas preocupaciones, todos tenemos la responsabilidad de responder con compasión y comprensión.

Mientras que la Iglesia Católica nos enseña que los individuos y las familias tienen el derecho a migrar, igualmente, ningún país debe ser excesivamente cargado por aquellos que buscan refugio. Para ser claros, los Estados Unidos tienen la responsabilidad de asegurar sus fronteras y mantener a salvo a sus ciudadanos. Sin embargo, como el Papa Francisco señaló recientemente en una carta a los obispos de los Estados Unidos, “el verdadero bien común se promueve cuando la sociedad y el gobierno, con creatividad y un estricto respeto por los derechos de todos… acogen, protegen, promueven e integran a los más frágiles, desprotegidos y vulnerables.”

Como muchos de mis hermanos obispos, hago un llamado a nuestros líderes políticos para que dejen de lado la política partidista y arreglen nuestro sistema de inmigración roto. Pero rezo para que lo hagan de una manera que respete los valores del Evangelio. Las amenazas de deportaciones masivas y permitir que los funcionarios de inmigración entren en iglesias,

escuelas y centros de salud para realizar arrestos, solo han generado miedo y ansiedad en muchos de nuestros hermanos y hermanas que viven en nuestros vecindarios, asisten a nuestras escuelas, brindan servicios útiles a lo largo de nuestras comunidades y adoran con nosotros de manera regular.

Desde su inicio, nuestra nación ha sido construida sobre la presencia de inmigrantes que han contribuido al bienestar y la grandeza de nuestra tierra. Por lo tanto, es esencial que sigamos apoyando caminos legales y adecuados para la inmigración, asegurando que aquellos que buscan contribuir a la sociedad puedan hacerlo de una manera que honre tanto su dignidad como el orden legal de nuestras comunidades.

Mientras oramos por un sistema que honre la dignidad de todas las personas, uno que siempre esté guiado por el amor y la justicia de Dios, sigamos teniendo esperanza de que, con fe, diálogo y un compromiso con la justicia, se pueda abordar la solución a los complejos desafíos de la inmigración de una manera que honre la dignidad de todos.

Que Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe, patrona de las Américas, interceda por nosotros y por nuestra nación, guiándonos hacia soluciones que defiendan la dignidad de todas las personas y reflejen la misericordia de Cristo.

 

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Eight hundred years ago as the Church celebrated the latter days of Advent and prepared to commemorate the birth of Jesus, a cherished tradition in our lives as Christians was born.  Traveling from Rome to Assisi after having just received approval from the Pope for his brotherhood, Saint Francis stopped along the way in the little Italian town of Greccio.   Having visited the Holy Land, the caves in Greccio reminded Francis of the countryside of Bethlehem.  So he asked a local man named John to help him celebrate with the faithful of the town the holy night of Christmas by replicating the original scene in Bethlehem. 

Saint Francis’ biographers described in detail what then took place in Greccio.  “On December 25^th, friars came to Greccio from various parts, together with people from the farmsteads in the area, who brought flowers and torches to light up the holy night.  When Francis arrived, he found a manger full of hay, an ox and a donkey.  All those present experienced a new and indescribable joy in the presence of the Christmas scene.  The priest then solemnly celebrated the Eucharist over the manger, showing the bond between the Incarnation of the Son of God and the Eucharist.  At Greccio, there were no statues – just a manger, an ox and a donkey; the nativity scene was enacted and experienced by all who were present.”

That Christmas night, eight centuries ago, began the tradition of the Nativity scene that we maintain in our churches and in our homes.  For all its familiarity and the tendency that we may have to diminish its significance in the face of so many other competing symbols and traditions associated with Christmas, we would do well to pause at some point in this sacred season to reflect upon the message that lies at the heart of this treasured scene.  Like the faithful people of Greccio, Italy, look beyond the statues or figurines and imagine yourself in Bethlehem in a cave, with animals, straw, dirt and a promise provided by a newborn baby boy. 

In God’s plan to save his people, Jesus didn’t set himself apart from the ordinariness of human life.   No, Jesus immersed himself in the human condition of our world, for all its beauty and peace, its brokenness and pain, its sin and suffering.  And he did so for a reason:  In coming into our lives as a baby born in a manger – hardly a sign of power, self-sufficiency or pride – God lowered himself so that we could walk with him and he could stand beside us, not above or far from us, to lead us on the pathway to his promise of life and peace. 

All too often, however, we are quick to leave the cave of Bethlehem and travel other pathways to achieve meaning and purpose in our lives.  We set aside the message of salvation proclaimed throughout the ages by the life, love, mercy and forgiveness of Jesus.  We’re reluctant to heed his invitation to walk in his footsteps.  Then we wonder why our lives are so unsettled and peace in our hearts, our homes and our world appears to be so elusive.  We wonder why God can’t provide us with a way out of suffering and pain in Israel, Ukraine, far too many places throughout our world, at our borders, in our neighborhoods, in our families and in our hearts. 

Brothers and sisters, the good news and blessing of Christmas is that God has already provided us a way forward with hope if we are wise and humble enough to embrace the message of Bethlehem and the birth of his Son.

May we pray during these cherished days for peace in our troubled world, especially in the Holy Land where our Prince of Peace was born.  And may we open our hearts to the grace of God and the great mystery of salvation won for us through the simple story begun in a cave in Bethlehem that continues to be the world’s true and lasting reason for hope! 

With gratitude for the privilege of serving as your Bishop and with prayers for a holy and blessed Christmas for you, your family and all you hold dear, I am

​​​​Faithfully yours in Christ, 

 

 

Mr. James Thomas Tracy, formerly an incardinated priest of the Diocese of Scranton, has been removed from the clerical state effective April 5, 2023.

Mr. Tracy’s involuntary dismissal from the clerical state was a disciplinary response resulting from a canonical process executed in the Diocese of Scranton. Authorized and reviewed by the Vatican’s Dicastery for the Clergy, the dismissal was personally decided and executed by the Holy Father, Pope Francis.

Because Mr. Tracy has been removed from the clerical state, he is forbidden to function as a priest in the Catholic Church and should no longer present himself as a priest. Catholics should not, under any circumstance, approach Mr. Tracy for the celebration of any sacrament or for any priestly ministry.

Mr. Tracy lives privately and is no longer affiliated with the Diocese of Scranton in any official capacity.

 

On Sunday, May 14, 2023, the Saints Francis & Clare Progressive Catholic Community reopened the former Saint Mary of Czestochowa Church building in Moosic for worship. The Diocese of Scranton sold the church property in September 2014 during a previous parish consolidation process.

In response to questions that have been received, we wish to remind the faithful that the Progressive Catholic Church is neither affiliated with the Diocese of Scranton nor in communion with the universal Catholic Church.

The faithful of the Diocese of Scranton should not attend Masses nor receive the sacraments provided by the Progressive Catholic Church community. Particularly regarding the sacraments of Confession and Marriage, these celebrations would not only be illicit, but also invalid.

Faithfully yours in Christ,
†Joseph C. Bambera
Most Reverend Joseph C. Bambera, D.D., J.C.L.
Bishop of Scranton

 

 

SCRANTON (April 25, 2023) – The Most Reverend Joseph C. Bambera, Bishop of Scranton, released the following statement on the announcement of the Most Reverend Timothy C. Senior being named Twelfth Bishop of Harrisburg on Tuesday, April 25, 2023:

“As Bishop of the Diocese of Scranton, I am delighted to extend congratulations, best wishes and prayers to Bishop-designate Timothy C. Senior, who has been appointed by our Holy Father, Pope Francis, to become the twelfth Bishop of the Diocese of Harrisburg.

“Bishop-designate Senior brings wide ranging pastoral and administrative experience to his new position, which will undoubtedly help him to shepherd the faithful of the 15-counties that make up the Harrisburg Diocese. Having known Bishop Senior well and having worked with him on issues facing the Church here in Pennsylvania for many years, I have no doubt that he will dedicate himself
tirelessly to promoting the Gospel message and the mission of Jesus Christ.

“I ask the faithful of the Diocese of Scranton to join me in praying for Bishop-designate Senior as he prepares to accept this new assignment.

“On behalf of the priests, deacons, religious, and lay faithful of the Diocese of Scranton, I also extend heartfelt congratulations to Bishop Ronald W. Gainer who has led the Diocese of Harrisburg since 2014 and now will become Bishop Emeritus.”

My Dear Friends,

In 1973, the United States Supreme Court issued its infamous Roe v. Wade decision, legalizing abortion throughout our land. For 50 years, committed Catholics, Protestants, Orthodox, those of other faith traditions and some with no religious affiliation have labored, marched and prayed to overturn this decision in an effort to protect the lives of the most vulnerable among us – unborn infants in the womb. On June 24, 2022, just seven months ago, these noble efforts of so many bore fruit as the Supreme Court overturned the constitutional right to abortion in its Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision.

This year has given us all hope. Yet, brothers and sisters, for as encouraging as the past year has been, more than ever, we need to cling to this hope! For the task that we have engaged to build a culture of life in our land remains unfinished.

On Friday, Jan. 20, 2023, marchers from throughout our country will converge on our nation’s capital for the 50th annual March for Life. This year, however, rather than marching to the steps of the Supreme Court, where marchers have gone for decades to ask our highest Court’s Justices to overturn Roe v. Wade, participants will march to a new front in our battle for life: the steps of the United States Capitol.

The theme for this year’s march is Next Steps: Marching in a Post-Roe America. It reminds us of the shift and expansion of the focus of our cause that has occurred since the justices overturned Roe. It is not only incumbent upon us who treasure life to advocate for federal pro-life policies. Now, we must work for the establishment of life-saving protections for the unborn in our state legislatures as well. Given this new landscape in our work to preserve and cherish life, I was honored to join with so many of you from throughout our 11 counties in Harrisburg this past September – close to 6,000 pro-life Pennsylvanians in all – for the first state march since Roe was overturned.

Sadly, for all of the strides that have recently been achieved, the tension that is present in our land following the Supreme Court’s decision is palpable. As such, it is vital that we not only continue our advocacy efforts in Pennsylvania and throughout our country, but that we especially continue to support mothers in need as an integral component of our next steps in building a culture of respect for all of human life.

We need to acknowledge with humility that the Church not only advocates for life in the womb but also works tirelessly to support life in all its forms from conception to natural death. In addition to serving the countless numbers of suffering lives that make their way into our midst, the Church in the United States and right here in our own diocese has developed scores of ministries dedicated to helping mothers facing challenging pregnancies and those who may struggle to care for their children after they are born. Through pregnancy care centers and parish-based ministries such as Walking with Moms in Need – to Shepherds Maternity House in East Stroudsburg that provides a safe home and assistance for pregnant woman and mothers and their newborn babies – to ministries like Project Rachel that offer hope, healing and spiritual renewal to women and couples who suffer after participating in abortion, our Church continues to offer a way forward to those who seek to live the Gospel of Life.

Yet, my friends, remember always that we engage this noble cause not for political reasons but as people of faith. Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, who recently passed to his eternal reward, reminded all of us of what is foundational to the cause that we have engaged. “God’s love does not differentiate between the newly conceived infant still in his or her mother’s womb and the child or young person, or the adult and the elderly person. God does not distinguish between them because he sees an impression of his own image and likeness (Gn 1:26) in each one. … Life is the first good received from God and is fundamental to all others; to guarantee the right to life for all and in an equal manner for all is the duty upon which the future of humanity depends.”

Simply put, if we desire to live our lives as Christians with authenticity, we have no choice but to proclaim the sanctity of life. We cannot merely speak of our respect for human life or self-righteously criticize those whose beliefs may be different from our own. We must enliven our words with action. Yet, in the midst of all that we are charged to do as disciples of Jesus, his way must always be our way. We must engage a different kind of war – a different kind of battle – than that which has been engaged by many in our land, sadly on both sides of this cause. Jesus never addressed violence with violence. Nor can we! Recall the words of a contemporary prophet of non-violence, the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that.”

Brothers and sisters, ours is a noble cause rooted in faith and in the dignity of each human person – to bring to completion the unfinished work that has been engaged in our land for some 50 years so that the masterpiece of God’s creative work – the human person – will be respected and treasured from the moment of conception to its natural end. May we be guided by words of Pope Francis, as he challenges us to give witness to our faith, “Being Catholic entails a great responsibility … The Lord counts on you to spread the Gospel of Life.”

Faithfully yours in Christ,

Most Rev. Joseph C. Bambera, D.D., J.C.L.
Bishop of Scranton