Category: Diocese of Scranton News

SCRANTON – Celebrate and honor World Refugee Day!

On Saturday, June 18, 2022, everyone is invited to join local Scranton refugee communities for a time of sharing, learning, fellowship and celebration that honors global refugees from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The event, to be held at YMS of R Park in South Scranton, 1000 Kane Street, will include cultural songs and music, refreshments, games and activities for kids.

World Refugee Day is an annual international day, designated by the United Nations, to celebrate the strength and courage of people who have been forced to flee their home countries to escape conflict or persecution.

SCRANTON – Calling all young adults!

The Diocese of Scranton is planning a pilgrimage to World Youth Day 2023 in Lisbon, Portugal.

Young Adults ages 18-35 are invited to journey with us for this gathering of young people from all over the world with the Pope. World Youth Day is also a pilgrimage, a celebration of youth, an expression of the universal Church and an intense moment of evangelization for the youth world.

Our trip package includes flights, ground transportation, most meals, WYD events in Lisbon, a day in Fatima and a visit to the Chapel of the Apparitions, 2 days in Barcelona, and a tour of Montserrat Monastery. Shorter trip packages are also available.

For more information, contact Shannon Kowalski at skowalski@dioceseofscranton.org or (570) 207-2213.

 

SCRANTON – Several priests who are celebrating milestone anniversaries of their ordination year were honored and recognized during the 2022 Mass for Priest Jubilarians on Thursday, June 9, 2022 at the Cathedral of Saint Peter in Scranton.

The Most Reverend Joseph C. Bambera, Bishop of Scranton, served as principal celebrant and homilist. During the Mass, the bishop recognized his brothers who have served the Diocese of Scranton for 65 years and 50 years respectively.

Being honored for 65 years of service are Reverend Michael J. Rafferty and Monsignor William P. Ward.

Being honored for 50 years of service are Reverend William J. Karle, Reverend Connell A. McHugh and Reverend Joseph R. Kakareka.

“Today, the Church of Scranton has the privilege of honoring a group of men who have sought to witness in their lives the life and love of Jesus Christ,” the bishop said. “Teaching us to pray, celebrating the Eucharist, proclaiming the Gospel, administering sacraments and walking in countless numbers of ways with the people who God entrusted to their care, these are the merciful works that enabled these priests to speak to us in both word and deed.”

The 2022 Mass for Priest Jubilarians was broadcast live by CTV: Catholic Television of the Diocese of Scranton and is available for viewing on the Diocese of Scranton website and Diocese of Scranton YouTube channel.

WASHINGTON (CNS) – “Life and Dignity for All” is the theme of this year’s Religious Freedom Week of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

The observance opens June 22, the feast day of Sts. Thomas More and John Fisher, both English martyrs who fought religious persecution. The week ends June 29, the feast of Sts. Peter and Paul, and includes the Nativity of St. John the Baptist, which is June 24.

“This year, as we approach the Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization,” the USCCB “is especially mindful of the debates around our country about abortion,” said a news release about Religious Freedom Week. “The Catholic Church plays a crucial role in bearing witness to the Gospel of life and serving all who will be affected by these discussions and their outcomes.”

The Dobbs case involves a Mississippi law banning abortion after the 15th week of pregnancy. An initial draft of a Supreme Court opinion in the case that was leaked May 2 indicated the high court is set to overturn its Roe v. Wade decision, which 50 years ago legalized abortion nationwide.

The court also is expected to overturn its 1992 ruling in Planned Parenthood v. Casey, which affirmed Roe and prohibited regulations that created an “undue burden” on women seeking an abortion.

If the final ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization overturns Roe and Casey, the issue of abortion would be returned to the states.

Another a major area of concern continues to be protecting the religious freedom of U.S. Catholic institutions, such as schools, hospitals and child welfare service providers, “to carry out their missions with integrity” and in accordance with their religious beliefs, the USCCB news release said.

“In particular, protecting Catholic adoption and foster care will become even more vital, as we take new steps in building a culture of life and dignity for all in the United States,” it said.

“To build a culture of life and dignity for all,” the Catholic Church “must support women and children,” the release added.

To that end, the USCCB’s Committee on Pro-Life Activities in 2020 launched the “Walking with Moms in Need” nationwide initiative. Its aim is “to engage every Catholic parish in providing a safety net to ensure that pregnant and parenting moms have the resources, love and support they need to nurture the lives of their children.”

In starting the initiative, the U.S. bishops said they want to ensure “our Catholic parishes are places of welcome for women facing challenging pregnancies or who find it difficult to care for their children after birth, so that any mother needing assistance will receive life-affirming support and be connected to appropriate programs and resources where she can get help.”

Among its goals is to help Catholics “recognize the needs of pregnant and parenting moms in their communities, enabling parishioners to know these mothers, to listen to them, and to help them obtain the necessities of life for themselves and their children.”

Another focus of Religious Freedom Week is international, the USCCB release said. The USCCB’s Committee for Religious Liberty has collaborated with the Office of International Justice and Peace “to raise awareness about religious liberty in China and in solidarity with people throughout the world who suffer for their faith.”

The USCCB provides “Pray-Reflect-Act” resources at www.usccb.org/ReligiousFreedomWeek. Each day focuses on different religious liberty topics and this year’s daily themes intersect with life issues.

“Through prayer, education and public action during Religious Freedom Week, the USCCB continues to advocate for the essential right of religious freedom for Catholics and for those of all faiths,” the release added.

WASHINGTON (CNS) – In the Catholic Church, permanent deacons “are entrusted with the unique responsibility of bringing Christ to every corner of society,” said the chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Clergy, Consecrated Life and Vocations.

They carry out their ministry “in imitation of Christ the servant and impelled by the spirit of charity,” said Bishop James F. Checchio of Metuchen, New Jersey.

He made the remarks on the unique role deacons have in the Catholic Church in a statement issued June 2 with the results of an annual survey that provides a portrait of the permanent diaconate in the U.S.

“By virtue of their ordination, deacons witness to Christ in the workplace, within their families and among the members of their community, especially the poor,” Bishop Checchio said. “The church is grateful to all permanent deacons who extend Christ’s mercy and healing to all those in need.”

Conducted for the USCCB by the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate at Georgetown University since 2005, the study provides a detailed snapshot of the state of the permanent diaconate in the United States.

Findings include the percentage of active vs. nonactive deacons; the archdioceses/dioceses and eparchies with the largest number of permanent deacons; sociocultural demographics; and ministerial involvement.

With contact information provided by the National Association of Diaconate Directors and CARA’s Catholic Ministry Formation database, CARA contacted the 183 dioceses and eparchies in the United States that have an active permanent diaconate office and formation program.

Of this total, 141 responded to the survey for an overall response rate of 77%.

Some of the major findings of the report follow:

— Responding archdioceses/dioceses with the largest number of permanent deacons include Chicago, 804; Los Angeles, 498; and Joliet, Illinois, 497. Adjusting for Catholic population size, Latin-rite dioceses with the lowest ratio of Catholics per permanent deacon include Lexington, Kentucky, 477 Catholics per deacon; Amarillo, Texas, 547; Rapid City, South Dakota, 678; Pueblo, Colorado, 681; and Anchorage, Alaska, 699.

— The 138 Latin-rite archdioceses/dioceses that responded to this question report a total of 16,765 permanent deacons, both active and not active. The three eparchies that responded reported a total of 36 permanent deacons. “Extrapolating to include archdioceses/dioceses and archeparchies/eparchies that did not respond to the survey,” the report said, “it can be estimated that there were as many as 20,888 permanent deacons in the United States in 2021-2022.”

— Latin-rite archdioceses/dioceses reported having 11,746 permanent deacons active in ministry. The three eparchies reported 31 active permanent deacons. “Extrapolating to include arch/dioceses and arch/eparchies that did not respond to the survey,” the report said, “it can be estimated that there are 14,586 deacons active in ministry in the United States in 2021-2022, or about 70% of all permanent deacons.”

— During the 2021 calendar year, 458 new permanent deacons were ordained in the archdiocese/dioceses that responded to the survey. At the same time, 512 deacons retired from active ministry and another 393 deacons died. “As is the case with priests in the United States, there are not enough new permanent deacons being ordained to make up for the numbers who are retiring from active ministry and dying each year,” the report said.

— Close to all active permanent deacons — 95% — are at least 50 years old. About a fifth, or 20%, are in their 50s; two-fifths, 41%, are in their 60s; and about another two-fifths, 36%, are 70 or older.

— Nine in 10 active permanent deacons, or 93%, are currently married; 4% are widowers; and 2% have never been married.

— Seven in 10 active permanent deacons, or 72%, are non-Hispanic whites. One in five active permanent deacons, 21%, are Hispanic or Latino; 3% are Asian or Pacific Islander; and 2% are African American.

— Among permanent deacons who are financially compensated for ministry, one in five (19%) is entrusted with the pastoral care of one or more parishes; one in four (25%) works in other parish ministerial positions, such as director of religious education, youth minister; and one in seven (15%) works in parish non-ministerial positions, such as administration, business, finance.

— Seven in 10 active permanent deacons (67%) have at least a college degree. One in seven (14%) has a graduate degree in a field related to religion or ministry.

— Close to all dioceses and eparchies (98%) require an annual retreat of deacons. On average, three in four (75%) deacons participate in the retreat. Four in five responding archdioceses/dioceses (83%) provide couples retreats for deacons and their wives. Nine in 10 archdioceses/dioceses (86%) provide annual gatherings of deacons in addition to or apart from a retreat.

— Nine in 10 archdioceses/dioceses (94%) have a minimum age requirement for acceptance into the diaconate formation program — with the minimum age ranging from 28 to 60, with a median of 33.

NEW YORK (CNS) – The brutal attack on people at a Catholic church in Nigeria on Pentecost Sunday is “an attack on the entire church,” said a U.S. official of Aid to the Church in Need, an international Catholic charity.

According to the Reuters news agency, gunmen fired at people inside and outside St. Francis Xavier Church in Owo, located in the southwestern state of Ondo. At least 50 people were reportedly killed during Mass June 5. Dozens more were injured and rushed to nearby hospitals.

“We extend our prayers for the victims, the wounded, their families and the entire Catholic community of Owo,” said George Marlin, chairman of the board of Aid to the Church in Need/USA, which is based in New York. “We stand with the Diocese of Ondo to help treat the wounded and those traumatized by this horrible tragedy.”

“This is the latest in the ongoing wave of brutal attacks on Nigeria’s Christians,” he said in a June 6 statement. “Political and religious leaders around the world must condemn this barbarism and put pressure on Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari to do what it takes finally to stop the violence and protect the Nigerian people.”

Marlin called it “imperative” that the U.S. State Department “reinstate Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern that violates religious freedom. Christians are not the only victims of faith-based violence in Nigeria, but they are the principal target,” he stated.

On Nov. 17, 2021, as required by the International Religious Freedom Act, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken identified 10 “Countries of Particular Concern” — those who are in severe violations of religious freedom — but he omitted Nigeria. The announcement was met immediately with severe criticism by human rights and religious rights organizations.

On June 2 of this year, in releasing the State Department’s 2021 Report on International Religious Freedom, Blinken noted that in Nigeria, “several state governments are using antidefamation and blasphemy laws to punish people for expressing their beliefs.”

No group had claimed responsibility for the attack in Owo as of June 6.

Aid to the Church in Need, which serves “the suffering and persecuted church” around the world, “will come to the aid of our brothers and sisters in Nigeria in solidarity of prayer and support,” Marlin added.

In other U.S. reaction, Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan of New York also noted that the attacks in Owo are the latest “in a growing number of attacks on Christians in Nigeria,” but he called the June 5 attack “especially horrific” because at least 50 worshippers “were slaughtered merely for gathering to celebrate the great feast of Pentecost,” recognized traditionally as the “birthday of the church.”

“We pray for the repose of the souls of those who lost their lives in this attack, and for the comfort of all who mourn for them,” the cardinal said in a June 6 statement.

He added that New York Catholics’ prayers “are all the more fervent” as they recall that Bishop Jude Arogundade of Ondo was “a beloved pastor here in the Archdiocese of New York” before he returned home to Nigeria to serve as bishop.

Cardinal Dolan called “on the world community, including the United States, to take notice of this rising tide of anti-Catholic and anti-Christian attacks taking place in Nigeria, and work to restore protection for the fundamental right of religious liberty wherever and whenever it is threatened.”

Father Roger Landry, national chaplain for Aid to the Church in Need/USA, noted that the vestments a priest wears to celebrate Mass on Pentecost are “red, signifying the fire of the Holy Spirit.”

“Little did the Catholics at St. Francis Xavier in Owo, on the feast celebrating the church’s birthday, know that their garments would similarly be drenched red in blood,” he said in a statement.

But “our beloved brothers and sisters in the faith, including the little children, have not died in vain,” the priest added. “Their blood will fertilize the soil of the faith in Nigeria and their martyrdom has already inspired and emboldened believers around the world.”

WASHINGTON (CNS) – In response to the multiple mass shootings in recent weeks, the chairmen of four U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ committees sent a letter to Congress urging lawmakers to “stop the massacres of innocent lives.”

“We urge all members of Congress to reflect on the compassion all of you undoubtedly feel in light of these tragic events and be moved to action because of it,” the bishops wrote in a June 3 letter.

They said finding a way to stop ongoing acts violence as demonstrated in Ulvade, Texas, and Buffalo, New York, to name just a few examples, requires a broad response that examines “mental health, the state of families, the valuation of life, the influence of entertainment and gaming industries, bullying and the availability of firearms.”

And although they see a need for broad reform, they focused on guns in particular, stressing that “among the many steps toward addressing this endemic of violence is the passage of reasonable gun control measures.”

The letter was signed by Archbishop Paul S. Coakley of Oklahoma City, chairman of the Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development; Archbishop Salvatore J. Cordileone of San Francisco, chairman of the Committee on Laity, Marriage, Family Life and Youth; Archbishop William E. Lori of Baltimore, chairman of the Committee on Pro-Life Activities; and Bishop Thomas A. Daly of Spokane, Washington, chairman of the Committee on Catholic Education.

These committee leaders noted that even though work needs to be done to address the root causes of violence, there were practical steps Congress could take right now by supporting legislation to expand background checks for gun sales.

They also criticized Congress for its lack of action on gun control, noting that in the 10 years since the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, “very little has been done by Congress to regulate these weapons and prevent another catastrophe.”

“We urgently call on members of Congress to work together in a bipartisan fashion to make these horrific attacks less likely to happen again,” they wrote.

The bishops said the USCCB has long supported measures to address gun violence and continues to do so.

Looking at specific measures, they said they support a total ban on assault weapons and limitations on civilian access to high-capacity weapons and ammunition magazines. They also cited their support for universal background checks for all gun purchases.

“We ask that Congress pass a federal law to criminalize gun trafficking,” the bishops added, saying this was particularly important because the United States “not only suffers from domestic gun violence but is a major international exporter of weapons.”

The church leaders also said they support proposals for a more appropriate minimum age for gun ownership and a ban on bump stocks — additional gun parts which dramatically increase the guns’ rate of firing.

They pointed out that while “strengthened gun laws could reduce mass-casualty events, not even the most effective gun laws, by themselves, will suffice to address the roots of these violent attacks in our country” and stressed the need for improved mental health care access and resources as well as “peacebuilding in our communities through restorative justice models.”

“Bipartisanship is never more important than when it is required to protect life and end the culture of death. We invite you to support these measures and to be part of building up the culture of life that is so needed in our society, not just as elected officials but as mothers and fathers, grandparents, and aunts and uncles of little children or teachers whom you expect to return home safely today,” they wrote.

The bishops’ letter was sent to Congress the day after President Joe Biden addressed the nation from the White House June 2 pleading with Congress to pass what he described as “rational, commonsense measures” to curb gun violence. He said it was time to put an end to the “carnage” and loss of American lives.

The president called for the ban on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines to be reinstated and said the minimum purchasing age for semi-automatic weapons should be raised from 18 to 21.

He also called for a strengthening of background checks and red-flag laws aimed at keeping guns away from those with mental illness. He also urged a repeal of the immunity that shields gun manufacturers from liability.

While Biden was addressing the nation, the U.S. House Judiciary Committee passed a gun control package following heated discussion. The legislation, called Protecting Our Kids Act, includes eight bills related to gun control, expected to be on the House floor the week of June 6.

The measure would raise the age of purchasing semi-automatic rifles from 18 to 21, create new requirements for storing guns in a home with children, prevent gun trafficking, require firearms to be traceable and regulate bump stocks.

It was expected to pass in the House but not the divided Senate, where it needs 60 votes.

Republicans in Congress have criticized Democrats for rushing to pass gun legislation and have blamed recent mass shootings on mental health issues and an overall lack of family values.

VATICAN CITY (CNS) – Sitting in a wheelchair in the courtyard of the Apostolic Palace, Pope Francis allowed himself to be grilled by a group of youngsters, including one who asked when he would go to Ukraine “to save all the children who are suffering there.”

“I want to go to Ukraine, but I must wait for the moment, you know,” Pope Francis responded to Sachar, a boy from Ukraine now living in Rome.

“I have to look for the right time to do it,” the pope said June 4, explaining that he would not want to do something “that could do more harm to the whole world than good.”

The pope added that within the next week, he would be meeting with representatives of the Ukrainian government “who are coming to talk about a possible visit of mine there. Let’s see what happens.”

Pope Francis had told reporters April 2 he was considering a possible visit to the Ukrainian capital. But in late April, he started talking more negatively about the idea. He told the Argentine newspaper La Nación April 21 that “I cannot do anything that puts higher objectives at risk, which are the end of the war, a truce or, at least, a humanitarian corridor.”

“What good would it do for the pope to go to Kyiv if the war were to continue the next day?” he said.

Sachar and other Ukrainian youngsters whose families are assisted by the Ukrainian Basilica of Santa Sofia in Rome joined children assisted by a Rome institute helping the visually impaired for the meeting with Pope Francis as part of the ongoing “Children’s Train” project of the Pontifical Council for Culture.

Nicole asked the pope what kind of responsibility he feels “being pope or at least the most important person in the world.”

Pope Francis let her assumption slide, but said everyone has responsibilities, some of which change over time. Youngsters have a responsibility to study and to contribute to their families.

As for being pope, he said, “it’s true that it is a bit heavy sometimes, because it’s scary. But I try to experience it in the most natural way, because if the Lord asked this of me, it is because he will give me the strength not to make a mistake, to be careful not to make mistakes.”

Caterina asked if it is tiring being the pope, to which he responded, sometimes, “but if you ask me if it’s more tiring than the work of a dad or mom? No. No.”

VATICAN CITY (CNS) – When the Vatican announced Pope Francis would travel to L’Aquila in central Italy Aug. 28 to open a seven-centuries-old celebration of forgiveness, people on social media began speculating that the pope would resign.

The 85-year-old pope will make his morning trip to L’Aquila just one day after a scheduled consistory to create 21 new cardinals and the day before a two-day meeting with the cardinals to discuss the reform of the Roman Curia, one of the main projects of his papacy.

Included in the trip, the Vatican said June 4, is a Mass in the square outside the medieval Basilica of Santa Maria di Collemaggio on the edge of town. The basilica is the burial place of St. Celestine V, a 13th-century pope who abdicated just a few months after his election.

When then-Pope Benedict XVI visited in 2009, he placed the long woolen pallium he had worn during his installation Mass on top of Pope Celestine’s glass casket as a gift. When Pope Benedict resigned in 2013, many people wondered if that gesture four years earlier had been a sign.

But Cardinal Giuseppe Petrocchi of L’Aquila, announcing Pope Francis’ visit on the archdiocesan website, focused only on the celebration of the Celestinian Pardon and Pope Francis’ concern for the people of the archdiocese still recovering from an earthquake in 2009 in which almost 300 people lost their lives.

Pope Francis also is scheduled to visit the L’Aquila cathedral, which is still closed to the public because of damage from the quake, and meet with the families of those who died.

The pope’s visit, the cardinal said, is a sign of his love for “our church and our city, which is even more precious when we take into account his pressing pastoral commitments and some painful health problems.”

At the heart of the Celestine Pardon, celebrated annually Aug. 28-29, is the granting of a plenary indulgence to everyone who visits the Collemaggio basilica, goes to confession, receives Communion and prays for the intentions of the pope. Pope Celestine established the celebration in 1294.

“Pope Francis will be the first pontiff to open the Holy Door after 728 years,” Cardinal Petrocchi wrote.