Conference organizers pictured above are, first row from left: Chris Calore, Bill Leandri, Dr. Lou Guarnieri, Ralph Marino, Dr. Chris Carr, Michael Kilmer, John Witkowski, Jim Gerichten and Joe Alinoski. Second row: Marc Guarnieri, Joe Adcroft, Scott Reinbold, Jim Biondo, Gerard Schmidt and George Hayden.
The sixth “Be A Catholic Man” Catholic Men’s Conference in the Diocese of Scranton is planned for Saturday, Oct. 30, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Holy Redeemer High School in Wilkes-Barre.
“Called to Fatherhood” will be theme for this year’s conference, dedicated to the patronage of Saint Joseph.
The event will feature national Catholic speakers who will challenge all men – single, married and ordained – to live virtuous lives in a secular world.
The day’s program will include the Rosary, Eucharistic adoration, sacramental confessions, lunch break and a closing Mass celebrated by Bishop Joseph C. Bambera.
For more information, contact Michael Kilmer at (570) 746-0100 or michaelkilmer71@gmail.com. Further details will be forthcoming.
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SCRANTON – The annual Mass in Italian will be celebrated at 10 a.m. on Sunday, Sept. 5, at the Cathedral of Saint Peter in Scranton. All are welcome to attend.
The liturgy is celebrated in conjunction with La Festa Italiana, which occurs over the Labor Day weekend, Friday through Monday, Sept. 3-6, on Courthouse Square, one block away.
Father David Cappelloni, V.F., La Festa chaplain, has announced that the Most Reverend Joseph C. Bambera, Bishop of Scranton, will preside and the homilist will be Oblates of Saint Joseph Father Paul A. McDonnell.
Concelebrants will be priests from the Diocese of Scranton. Deacons from the Diocese will also participate.
The Mass will be broadcast live by CTV: Catholic Television of the Diocese of Scranton and will be rebroadcast on Tuesday, Sept. 7, at 8 p.m., and Wednesday, Sept. 8, at 10 a.m. It will be available for viewing later in the week on the Diocesan website at www.dioceseofscranton.org.
Father McDonnell, OSJ, a member of the Congregation of the Oblates of Saint Joseph, was ordained a priest on Aug. 10, 1991, by the late Bishop Francis X. DiLorenzo. He is a native of West Pittston and a graduate of Wyoming Area High School, immediately afterwards entering the Oblates of Saint Joseph
Seminary, Laflin, where he obtained a bachelor of arts degree in Philosophy at King’s College, Wilkes-Barre. He then left for Italy for five years, first completing the novitiate year in Padua and then in Rome for theological studies at the Angelicum & Lateran Universities.
Father McDonnell has served in various roles throughout his 30 years of priesthood, namely as pastor of the former Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish (Saint Joseph Marello), Pittston, rector of the Oblates Seminary and the first provincial superior of the newly united USA Province of the Oblates of Saint Joseph, residing at their headquarters in Santa Cruz, Calif. from 2013 – 2020.
Last summer, he returned to his native area to resume his duties as rector of the religious community in Laflin and most recently has been appointed by Bishop Bambera to serve as Sacramental Minister of Our Lady of the Eucharist Parish, Pittston.
This year’s Italian Mass is being offered in memory of all those members and friends of La Festa Italiana who passed away since the last Mass was celebrated, including Ray Alberigi, John “Jack” Brunetti, Christina Caprio, Father Andrew Gallia, Patrick A. Luongo, Joseph “Chef” Schiavone, Kevin Shaughnessy and Father Joseph Sica.
Music ministry for the Italian Mass will be provided by the choir of Saints Anthony and Rocco Parish, Dunmore; accompanied by a brass quartet, all directed by Joseph Moffitt. Dominick DeNaples, mandolin; Patrick Loungo, Nicholas Luongo, Lou Cossa, guitar, and Monica Spishock, timpani, will also accompany.
Ashley Yando-DeFlice is the cantor and leader of prayer. The guest vocalist will be Olivia DiMattio.
The lectors are Heather Luciani and Sister Catherine Iacouzze, MPF. The Prayer of the Faithful will be led by Diane Alberigi, Frank Castellano and Karen Clifford.
The Offertory gifts will be presented by La Festa President Chris and Ann Celli DiMattio, Grace Castellano, Honorable Robert Mazzoni, UNICO National President Steve Pelonero and Robert W. Pettinato, founding member of La Festa.
James Baress, Patrick Caramanno, Joshua Cillo, Stephen Eboli, Jonathan Eboli, Richard Garofalo and Joseph Wentline are the ushers.
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A woman wearing a protective mask and face shield prays during Easter Mass in Manila, Philippines, in this April 4, 2021, file photo. In a written message prepared on behalf of Pope Francis, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican secretary of state, reflected on how the the COVID-19 pandemic confirmed changes previously underway in people’s understanding and participation in Sunday Mass. The message was for the 71st National Liturgical Week in Cremona, Italy. (CNS photo/Lisa Marie David, Reuters)
VATICAN CITY (CNS) – Pope Francis encouraged new courses of action for parishes to help people understand the importance of Sunday Mass and parish ministries, a top Vatican official wrote in a message.
The message was sent on behalf of the pope Aug. 23 to the 71st National Liturgical Week, by Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican secretary of state. The meeting, held Aug. 23-26 in the Italian city of Cremona, brought together pastoral workers, religious and priests to discuss ways to encourage the faithful to attend the Sunday liturgy and participate in other liturgical celebrations, rites and the sacraments.
In the written message, the cardinal said the pandemic and its restrictions, which had prevented the faithful from gathering like before, underlined the importance of the liturgy in Christian life.
But, what happened during the pandemic and the difficulty in resuming liturgical activities, he wrote, “confirmed what was already observed at Sunday assemblies on the Italian peninsula, an alarming indication of the advanced stage of an epochal change.”
It had been noticed, even long before the pandemic, there has been a shift in how people perceive “time” and “space,” which has had repercussions on the meaning of Sunday for most people and how most people experience community and the family, he said.
For this reason, he wrote, the Sunday liturgy, which should be “the true summit” of all parish activities and the source of energy for missionary life, is “off-balanced,” in terms of which age groups normally attend, and in terms of the “difficulty in finding a harmonious integration in parish life.”
Cardinal Parolin wrote, “the Holy Father hopes that the National Liturgical Week, with its proposals for reflection and moments of celebration … may identify and suggest some liturgical pastoral care guidelines to offer parishes, so that Sunday, the eucharistic assembly, ministries and the rites may emerge from the margins, from which they seem inexorably to be falling, and regain their centrality in the faith and spirituality of believers.”
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The U.S. Supreme Court in Washington is seen June 24, 2021. (CNS photo/Tyler Orsburn)
WASHINGTON (CNS) – The U.S. Supreme Court late Aug. 24 said the Biden administration must restore a Trump-era immigration policy known as “Remain in Mexico.”
The Migration Protection Protocols policy, or MPP, as it is is formally known, was first implemented in 2019 and required asylum-seekers be returned to Mexico to await adjudication of their cases.
Critics of the policy said these migrants regularly faced dangerous and inhumane conditions in Mexico.
The high court, in an unsigned order, declined to block an Aug. 13 ruling by U.S. District Court Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk reinstating the policy.
He blocked Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas of the Department of Homeland Security from implementing a June 1 memo that formally ended the Migration Protection Protocols.
Kacsmaryk, a judge of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas, whose jurisdiction is the Amarillo division, stayed his decision for seven days to allow the Biden administration to file an appeal.
The stay expired at midnight Aug. 24, legally mandating the Biden administration to reinstate the policy Aug. 25.
The administration said it will follow the law, while appealing Kacsmaryk’s ruling.
DHS said in an Aug. 24 statement that it “respectfully disagrees with the district court’s decision and regrets that the Supreme Court declined to issue a stay. DHS has appealed the district court’s order and will continue to vigorously challenge it.”
“As the appeal process continues, however, DHS will comply with the order in good faith,” it said. “Alongside interagency partners, DHS has begun to engage with the government of Mexico in diplomatic discussions surrounding the Migrant Protection Protocol. DHS remains committed to building a safe, orderly and humane immigration system that upholds our laws and values.”
The Biden administration had sought emergency action from the high court to stay the judge’s ruling, but the high court said the administration “failed to show a likelihood of success on the claim that the (Mayorkas) memorandum rescinding the Migrant Protection Protocols was not arbitrary and capricious.”
President Joe Biden had called a halt to the protocols Jan. 20, Inauguration Day. The Mayorkas June memo formally ended the policy and allowed applicants with open cases to enter the United States.
An earlier challenge to this memo, filed by the states of Texas, Missouri and Arizona, was dismissed by the U.S. Supreme Court June 21.
Kacsmaryk’s 53-page ruling came in a different lawsuit filed by Texas and Missouri. He said that in terminating the policy, the Biden administration had violated the Administrative Procedure Act, a law that dictates what procedures agencies must go through to implement certain policies.
Anna Gallagher, executive director of the Catholic Legal Immigration Network Inc., or CLINIC, said the Supreme Court’s order will “deepen human suffering and continue to erode U.S. law and values at the U.S.-Mexico border.”
“‘Remain in Mexico’ is an assault on human rights and U.S. asylum law,” she said in an Aug. 25 statement. “Both are already under attack due to the Biden administration’s decision to keep Title 42 in place.”
Title 42, is a provision of U.S. public health law that was activated by the Trump administration to expel migrants at the border, with the exception of minors, over COVID-19 concerns.
“Our message to the Biden administration at this critical moment is clear: We will hold you to your promise to restore the soul of America. To do so, you must take immediate action to end ‘Remain in Mexico,'” Gallagher added.
CLINIC cited a February 2021 study by Human Rights First documenting over 1,500 cases of asylum-seekers and migrants — including 350 cases of children — who it said were “murdered, raped, tortured, violently assaulted or kidnapped due to forcible return to Mexico under this policy.”
“The full picture of the human devastation caused by this inhumane policy is unknown, as the overwhelming majority of the tens of thousands of people affected have not been interviewed or been able to share their story,” according to CLINIC.
In his ruling, Kacsmaryk, an appointee of President Donald Trump, said the states of Texas and Missouri are being harmed by Biden’s reversal of the policy because when migrants are released into the U.S., they are using health care services, and because their children must be enrolled in U.S. schools, they are straining educational resources.
He also said that in his memo, Mayorkas did not acknowledge the rise in border crossings. According to The Texas Tribune, U.S.-Mexico border apprehensions for the fiscal year surpassed 1 million in June.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said in an Aug. 14 statement that “dangerous criminals are taking advantage of the lapse in law enforcement and it’s resulting in human trafficking, smuggling, a plethora of violent crimes, and a massive, unprecedented burden on state and federal programs for which taxpayers must foot the bill.”
He said Biden must act to end the “lawlessness” that he said is destroying our communities.
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Pope Francis leads his general audience in the Paul VI hall at the Vatican Aug. 25, 2021. (CNS photo/Paul Haring)
VATICAN CITY (CNS) – Hypocrites are afraid of the truth, fearful of who they really are and incapable of truly loving, Pope Francis said during his weekly general audience.
What hypocrites do “is like putting makeup on your soul, like putting makeup on your behavior” and hiding the truth, the pope said Aug. 25 to those gathered in the Paul VI audience hall at the Vatican.
All this pretending, he said, “suffocates the courage to openly say what is true and thus the obligation to say the truth at all times, everywhere and in spite of anything can easily be evaded,” he said.
The pope continued his series of talks on St. Paul’s Letter to the Galatians and focused on the dangers of the law by looking at the apostle Peter’s “inconsistency” at Antioch.
Gentile Christians were free from the Jewish law, but there was pressure from people from Jerusalem that caused Sts. Peter and Barnabas to draw back from what the Gospel said.
That is why, in his letter, St. Paul condemns St. Peter “to his face because he clearly was wrong” by trying to appease critics who still observed Mosaic law and to justify his hypocritical behavior.
“Peter had been eating with the Christians of pagan origin without any difficulty; however, when some circumcised Christians from Jerusalem arrived in the city, he then no longer did so, because he did not want to incur their criticism,” Pope Francis said.
“Watch out. The mistake was paying more attention to the criticism, to make a good impression than the reality of the relationships,” the pope said.
This was serious in St. Paul’s eyes, because other disciples imitated St. Peter, and, even though he did not mean to, “Peter was, in fact, creating an unjust division within the community” by not being transparent or clear about what he was doing, Pope Francis said.
In his letter, St. Paul “wanted to remind the Christians of that community that they were absolutely not to listen to those who were preaching that it was necessary to be circumcised, and therefore be ‘under the law’ with all of its prescriptions,” Pope Francis said.
These “fundamentalist preachers,” he said, “created confusion and deprived that community of any peace.”
In his reproach to St. Peter, St. Paul uses the term “hypocrisy,” which “the apostle wanted to combat forcefully and convincingly,” the pope said.
Hypocrisy can be seen as a “fear of the truth. It is better to pretend rather than be yourself,” he said.
Wherever people are living “under the banner of formalism, the virus of hypocrisy easily spreads,” he said, mimicking the kind of strained, forced smile one might see — a smile “that doesn’t come from the heart,” but comes from a person “who tries to get along with everyone,” but, in the end, gets along with no one.
“Hypocrites are people who pretend, flatter and deceive because they live with a mask over their faces and do not have the courage to face the truth,” he said. “For this reason, they are not capable of truly loving” because they are limited by their ego and cannot “show their hearts transparently.”
Hypocrisy can be hidden at a workplace “where someone appears to be friends with their colleagues while, at the same time, they stab them behind the back due to competition,” he said.
It is not unusual to find hypocrites in the world of politics, when someone lives one way in public and another way in private, he added.
“Hypocrisy in the church is particularly detestable. Unfortunately, hypocrisy does exist in the church and there are many hypocritical Christians and ministers,” he said.
Jesus, too, condemned hypocrisy, Pope Francis said, asking people to read Chapter 23 of the Gospel according to St. Matthew to see how often Jesus condemned such behavior.
“Let’s not be afraid to be truthful, to speak the truth, to hear the truth, to conform ourselves to the truth, so that we can love. A hypocrite does not know how to love,” he said.
“To act other than truthfully means jeopardizing the unity of the church, that unity for which the Lord himself prayed,” the pope said.
At the end of the general audience, the pope greeted athletes competing at the Paralympics in Tokyo. He thanked them for showing the world what hope and courage look like.
These athletes, he said, “show how pursuing a sport helps overcome seemingly insurmountable difficulties.”
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Afghans make their way to a bus taking them to a refugee processing center upon arrival at Dulles International Airport in Dulles, Va., Aug. 24, 2021. (CNS photo/Kevin Lamarque, Reuters)
August 17, 2021
WASHINGTON—A widespread humanitarian crisis is unfolding in Afghanistan, with the Taliban swiftly seizing control of the capital on August 15. Thousands of people who have worked as interpreters, translators, and in other capacities alongside the United States military over the past twenty years, including Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) applicants, find themselves and their families in danger. The United States is in the process of evacuating diplomats and other U.S. government employees. However, all commercial flights to and from Kabul’s airport have been suspended for the time being. Yesterday, the President authorized use of up to $500 million from the Emergency Refugee and Migration Assistance Fund for meeting the urgent needs of Afghan refugees and SIV applicants.
In response to these events, Bishop Mario E. Dorsonville, auxiliary bishop of Washington and chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) Committee on Migration, and Bishop David J. Malloy of Rockford, chairman of the USCCB’s Committee on International Justice and Peace, issued the following statement:
“We have known that the withdrawal of American forces and evacuation of vulnerable Afghans, including those who supported our military or worked with NGOs and other organizations, would be a complicated process that had the potential for instability in Afghanistan. The images and videos coming out of the country are difficult to view, as people make life or death decisions in desperation. We are particularly concerned for all those requiring evacuation, as well as Afghan women and girls, who risk losing opportunities gained over the last two decades and now face potential mistreatment.
“For the past few weeks, staff from the USCCB, Catholic Charities, and other partners have been at Fort Lee in Virginia, assisting the U.S. government in the welcoming and resettlement of SIV applicants and their families. We will continue that work as long as necessary until those who are in harm’s way are brought to safety.
“The government’s goal to relocate as many as 30,000 SIV applicants to the United States remains a monumental task that hangs in the balance. We know that time is of the essence to help our brothers and sisters in need, and we call on our government to act with the utmost urgency, considering all available avenues to preserve life. We also join the Holy Father in praying for peace in Afghanistan—‘that the clamor of weapons might cease and solutions can be found at the table of dialogue.’”
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CARBONDALE – Catholic Social Services of the Diocese of Scranton is continuing its outreach to the community during the COVID-19 pandemic.
A free food distribution event will be held on Thursday, Aug. 26 from 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. at the Catholic Social Services Carbondale Office, 34 River Street, Carbondale.
No pre-registration is necessary.
Anyone in need is welcome to either drive-up or walk-up for assistance.
This special food distribution is in addition to the normal hours for the Catholic Social Services Carbondale food pantry, which are Monday, 9:00 a.m.-Noon; Tuesday and Wednesday, 9:00 a.m.-Noon and 1:00-4:00 p.m.; Thursday, 1:00-4:00 p.m.; and Friday, 9:00 a.m.-Noon.
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Shown left to right are participating Knights of Columbus Grand Knights and Council Representatives: (1st Row) Michael Yavorchak, G.K. Plymouth Council 984; James Ford, G.K. Nanticoke Council 913; Rev. Gerald J. Gurka Pastor; Christopher Calore, Plymouth Council 984 and Rally Coordinator; Mike Frantz, P.G.K., Sacred Heart, Glen Lyon Council 10676; Paul S. Makuch, past G.K., P.F.N., Wilkes-Barre Council 302; (2nd Row) George Grantuskas, P.G.K. Plymouth Council 984; Thomas Havrilak, G.K. Kingston Assumpta Council 3987; Francis Kennedy, past G.K., District 44 Deputy, Ashley Council 12089; John Duesler, past G.K., P.F.N., Kingston Assumpta Council 3987; Sam Wolfe, F.N., Color Cor Commander, Plymouth Council 11901; David Miller, Recording Secretary, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, Swoyersville Council 12976; and Matt Owazany, P.G.K., Dist. Deputy, Plymouth Council 984.
The combined Knights of Columbus Councils of Wyoming Valley will host their 44th annual Rosary Rally on Sunday, September 26th, at St. John the Baptist Church, 126 Nesbitt Street, Larksvillle, Pa.. Father Gerald J. Gurka is Pastor.
The Knights of Columbus will begin a Rosary Procession with the Our Lady of Fatima Statue, followed by the participating faithful, at 2 pm on the Parish Grounds.
The Rosary is dedicated to prayer and sacrifice in reparation for sin and for the salvation of souls as Our Lady has requested at Fatima, Portugal.
Those unable to process are invited to go directly to the Church at 3 pm., at which time the Knights will lead the Glorious Mysteries of the Rosary. Sunday’s Eucharistic Liturgy will be celebrated at 3:20 pm, immediately following the Rosary. Refreshments will be served after Mass. All are welcome.
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RILEYVILLE — Bishop Joseph C. Bambera will serve as principal celebrant of a Pontifical Concelebrated Mass of Thanksgiving on Sunday, Aug. 22, at 9 a.m. at Saint Joseph Church in Rileyville. The celebration marks the 150th anniversary of the mission church of Saint John the Evangelist Parish, Honesdale, where Father William Langan serves as pastor.
The sesquicentennial celebration will continue following the jubilee liturgy with a testimonial reception in the church’s social hall.
According to a written history of Saint John the Evangelist in Honesdale, compiled by Mary Heaton on the occasion of the parish’s 150th anniversary in 1992, the Church of Saint Joseph in Rileyville was established in 1871 as a mission worship site of Saint Juliana Parish at Rock Lake by the presiding pastor, Father Thomas Brehony.
In 1944, the care of Saint Joseph’s was assumed by Saint Mary Magdalen Parish, Honesdale, with Saint John the Evangelist taking over the guardianship of the small mission church three years later.
Constructed on Wayne County farmland purchased by Isaac Dougherty, Saint Joseph’s was considered a typical white country church, with the original structure forming the body of the religious edifice. The sacristy and a partition creating a vestibule area in the front of the place of worship were later additions, as was the small front entrance.
Early years found no regularly scheduled Eucharistic celebrations scheduled at Saint Joseph’s. Word of the pastor’s arrival would spread, and parishioners would walk or travel by horseback to worship. Eventually, Mass was scheduled for the fifth Sunday of the month.
On the grounds of Saint Joseph Church in Rileyville, Father William Langan, pastor of Saint John the Evangelist in Honesdale, dedicates the new social hall of the parish’s mission church (inset) in 2017.
In the early 1960s, Saint Joseph’s received extensive renovations, including interior and exterior painting, replacement of the cross on the church tower, new altar and altar rails, pews, tile flooring and wainscoting. An acre of land was purchased to provide a 55-car parking lot.
The centennial celebration of Saint Joseph Church was held on Sunday, Aug. 15, 1971, with the Most Rev. J. Carroll McCormick, sixth bishop of Scranton, serving as principal celebrant. A testimonial dinner followed at the Elks Lodge in Seelyville.
In 1989, the sacristy of Saint Joseph’s was refurbished and a restroom was added. Later improvements included new sidewalks, repairs to the stained glass windows and ventilators, and new storm windows. Dedication of a new social hall situated adjacent to the church on the pastoral grounds was celebrated in 2017.
The Mission Church of Saint Joseph continues as a vital extension of Saint John the Evangelist Parish. A Sunday Mass is offered each week at 9 a.m., preceded by the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
For as long as she can remember throughout her 87 years of life, Helen Adams attended Mass at Saint Joseph Church with her family until the onset of the COVID-19 crisis. She recalled receiving her sacraments of Baptism, First Communion and Confirmation at the country church in Rileyville — the last of which was conferred upon her and one other Confirmant by Bishop William J. Hafey, fourth bishop of Scranton.
“Our son received religious education at the church with their mother as their teacher,” Adams said. “I taught classes at Saint Joseph for many, many years. Both boys were altar servers until they got taller than the priest.”
The Grotto of the Blessed Mother at Saint Joseph Church in Rileyville was dedicated in 2004, blessed by senior priest Father Edward Finn, during a ceremony attended by many members of the local community. The project, coordinated by the church’s Altar and Rosary Society, began as a dream and ended as an endeavor of faith. The Marian shrine was designed and erected by Paolo Ul, who was assisted by three other men from the Portuguese community of Nativity of Our Lord Church in South Scranton, where Father Finn celebrated Mass for the Brazilian immigrant faithful. Parishioners raised funds, and volunteers from the parish and community, including inmates from the Wayne County Prison, hauled ten tons of stone from local fields and installed lighting. The white stone at the apex of the niche was offered as a gift by Kathy Fives of Honesdale, who had returned with the souvenir from her pilgrimage to the Shrine of Our Lady in Medjugorje in the former Yugoslavia.
Adams reminisced how she enjoyed the various celebrations at the mission church during her lifetime, while witnessing improvements to the house of worship: from the introduction of electricity to the church, to the digging of a well to allow running water for restroom facilities, to the installation of the first heating system, to, most recently, the construction of a much-needed social hall for church functions.
“We were grateful for a shrine to our Blessed Mother at the edge of the cemetery with its beautiful hand-crafted stone grotto and very special flower garden,” she added.
The Saint Joseph parishioner explained how her family history is inextricably intertwined with that of the venerable church.
“Four Burke brothers came to the area from Ireland during the Potato Famine,” Adams noted. “One of them, Thomas, was my great grandfather. He was listed as one of the original members of the church and as one who physically helped build Saint Joseph’s.”
She further indicated that Thomas Burke and Eliza Byrnes were united in marriage at Saint Joseph Church exactly 150 years ago at Saint Joseph Church — coinciding with the sesquicentennial celebration. “My grandmother said this was the first wedding in the new church,” she noted.
Adams remarked that upon entering Saint Joseph Church, the first two windows are dedicated to the Burke family and the family of her other great grandparents, Patrick and Jane Osborne. “Their son, James, married Mary ‘Mamie’ Burke in 1893,” she said.
As she looks forward with grand anticipation to the 150th anniversary of historic Saint Joseph Church, Adams remarked that each celebration and turn in the road down through the ages at the simple Catholic worship site evokes special memories — and challenges.
“When I was a child, I had Doherty girls for my religious education teachers,” Adams recollected. “When one left the area, there would be a sister to take her place,” pointing out the Doherty family included numerous children. “Now, when a church leader closes a door, there is a wonderful ‘Kathy’ or ‘Linda’ to accept responsibility. God has blessed us and the future will be bright.”
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SCRANTON — Responding to Suicide: A Pastoral Handbook for Catholic Leaders, majorly attributed to Deacon Ed Shoener of the Cathedral of Saint Peter Parish, has been named Resource of the Year by the Association of Catholic Publishers.
The book earned a first-place award in resources for ministry in the ACP’s 2020 Excellence in Publishing Awards, which qualified it as a Resource of the Year finalist.
Recognized and hailed as an invaluable contribution in the arena of Catholic mental health ministry, particularly with regard to suicide, Responding to Suicide was compiled and edited by Deacon Shoener and Auxiliary Bishop John P. Dolan of San Diego, both of whom contributed to the work.
One member of ACP’s five-judge panel emphasized that one of the strengths of the book is that it focuses on a timely topic presented in an accessible way. Another judge noted that it explores the psycho-social-spiritual aspects of suicide in a balanced and pastoral, making the book a necessary resource for those in parish ministry.
“We so much appreciate ACP’s recognition of Responding to Suicide as Resource of the Year,” Karey Circosta, publisher and CEO of Ave Maria Press, said. “The Association of Catholic Health Ministers, Deacon Ed Shoener and Bishop John P. Dolan created a unque and much-needed book that allows pastoral leaders to better understand suicide and more effectively minister to those who are grieving. Their work is a blessing to the Church.”
Ordained to the permanent diaconate in 2004, Deacon Shoener launched his Catholic Mental Health Ministry, based at the Scranton Cathedral, in 2017. He began the support ministry following the death of his daughter, Katie, who took her own life after a 12-year battle with depression.
Deacon Shoener currently serves as president and a founding member of the Association of Catholic Mental Health Ministers.
In 1944, the care of Saint Joseph’s was assumed by Saint Mary Magdalen Parish, Honesdale, with Saint John the Evangelist taking over the guardianship of the small mission church three years later.
The Mission Church of Saint Joseph continues as a vital extension of Saint John the Evangelist Parish. A Sunday Mass is offered each week at 9 a.m., preceded by the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
