Category: Diocese of Scranton News

 

SCRANTON – A generous gift from the estate of a Lackawanna County native with a lifetime of service in education will continue to help shape the minds of the next generation of faith-filled leaders in the Diocese of Scranton.

On Oct. 28, 2021, the John P. and Ann Marie Martin Charitable Trust announced a $150,000 gift to create the John P. and Ann Marie Martin Endowed Scholarship. Funding will be used each year to provide a need-based scholarship to an eligible student or students at one of the Diocese of Scranton’s Catholic Schools.

“He never forgot his roots. He had anthracite coal dust in his blood. He never forgot where he came from and always felt dedicated and committed to the area,” Thomas J. Posatko, Executive Secretary, John P. and Ann Marie Martin Charitable Trust, said of his friend.

Dr. Martin was born and raised in Scranton. He started his education work as the director of athletics at West Central Catholic High School and as assistant superintendent of schools for the Diocese of Scranton from 1965-1967. He was a founding trustee at Luzerne County Community College and an associate professor and campus chaplain at Misericordia University.

As recognition for his decades of service to the education field, the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey designated him founding dean emeritus for the School of Health Related Professions. He was also the associate and acting dean of the College of Allied Health Professions at Hahnemann Medical College in Philadelphia.

Dr. Martin died in 2019. His wife, the former Ann Marie Gerrity, died in 2006.

“John knew that the elementary and secondary grade levels are the places where you have to start to make sure children have a unique experience,” his friend, Monsignor John Bendik, said.

The Diocese of Scranton scholarship recipient(s) will be selected on an annual basis under the direction of the Diocesan Superintendent of Schools in accordance with Diocesan Schools tuition assistance policies.

The announcement of this endowed scholarship comes at a time when the Diocese of Scranton has seen a nine-percent increase in enrollment for the 2021-2022 academic year. This gift will help to retain and recruit additional students.

Friends of Dr. Martin say this gift will keep his outstanding commitment to educational values alive.

“He was born and raised in a strong Catholic environment. He was very dedicated and committed to both the school we went to, Central Catholic, and to sports in particular,” Posatko added. “He was involved in all aspects of the school and there all the time.”

 

PLAINS TOWNSHIP – Hundreds of Catholic men got a lesson in being a leader, protector and provider at the sixth annual “Be a Man Catholic Men’s Conference” on Oct. 30, 2021, at the Woodlands Inn & Resort.

The daylong event featured several speakers, Adoration, Reconciliation as well as the opportunity to celebrate Mass with the Most Reverend Joseph C. Bambera, Bishop of Scranton.

Organizers of the event say the conference aimed to challenge all men, regardless of whether they are single, married or clergy, to explore how they could be good fathers in an increasingly fatherless society.

 

Father Glenn Sudano

Father Glenn Sudano, CFR, one of the eight founding members of the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal, kicked off the conference by challenging attendees about their mission in life.

“We have the Holy Spirit within us. The question is, is this flame which burns within us, a pilot light or is it burning brightly?” he asked. “Christ wants us to feed and fan the flame of faith.”

Father Sudano focused on the changing times we live in, citing examples that more people shop on Sundays than attend Mass and have destination beach weddings than traditional church weddings.

“It’s getting colder, spiritually things are getting colder, hearts are getting hardened. People are no longer feeling a sense of God’s presence,” he explained.

Stressing that each man in the audience can change themselves by cutting out what is negative, Father Sudano ended on an upbeat note.

“Dig down deep, go deeper, go deeper into the Word. Read the Scriptures every day, go to Mass, Adoration and forgive people that injure you. Pray in every which way!” he added.

 

Karl Keating

Karl Keating, founder of Catholic Answers, a lay apostolate of Catholic apologetics and evangelization, was the second speaker to take the stage.

The author explained that it was much easier to be Catholic when he was growing up decades ago, since it had tremendous influence in the movie industry and media.

“The Church was respected even when it was opposed,” Keating said.

Despite the changing times, Keating stressed that every man in the crowd can do something.

“We are all given talents, our talents are of various sorts. Some people have more than others but none of us is talentless,” he explained.

Unfortunately, Keating said many people are unaware what is happening around them because they are focused largely on themselves.

“People go about their daily lives worrying about this week’s paycheck, next month’s mortgage. They don’t, in general, have the larger picture,” he said.

Keating’s main message to the crowd was that it is never too late to do something beautiful for God.

“We’re all incompetent and yet, we’re all loved beyond measure by a God beyond measure. How this can be, we cannot understand fully here below, but someday, once we see Him face to face, we will understand fully. In the meantime, there’s gratitude,” Keating ended his presentation saying.

Jim O’Day

Jim O’Day, director of Integrity Restored, the third and final conference speaker, took the stage following lunch.

“Everybody in this room is responsible to the man next to you,” the husband, father and grandfather said.

O’Day explained several stories in which his Catholic faith became relevant in his life. When his girlfriend became pregnant at 21, two male family members tried encouraging them to get an abortion.

“I knew in my heart that was wrong,” he said. “I can promise you that I was scared to death. The abortion sounded a lot easier but we didn’t do it because of that little tiny voice inside.”

Ten years later, O’Day explained his boss helped him have an epiphany that he was not a good husband, father or Catholic. That helped bring him back to the Catholic Church in a much more intentional way.

“On the outside, I looked like I had it all together. I looked like I was a good husband. I looked like I was a good father but it was all a front. Inside, where it matters, I was still that boy from Queens who was broken, who was angry, who was lust-filled, who liked drinking,” O’Day explained.

As the director of Integrity Restored, O’Day now helps other men with an addiction to pornography through a Catholic perspective.

“It is the biggest impediment to evangelization and a faith-filled life in the Church today and it doesn’t matter if you go to Mass every Sunday. It affects everybody,” he said. “If you’re struggling, reach out to a brother.”

The title of O’Day’s presentation was “Fatherless Sheepdog.” He said as Catholic men, everyone in the audience is called to be a protector – but they can only do that if they themselves are healthy first.

“Build strong relationships with the men in this room. Use the Catholic faith to inform your decisions on how you support each other,” he said. “It is our time now to immediately stand up, be there for each other and be willing to take a stand.”

 

Bishop Joseph C. Bambera

The conference concluded with Mass celebrated by the Most Reverend Joseph C. Bambera, Bishop of Scranton, who spoke of Saint Joseph during his homily. The bishop explained that just as Saint Joseph met the challenges of fatherhood in his day, Catholic men today must also meet them now.

The bishop said we have a lot to learn from Saint Joseph, who served as a protector of the Holy Family and teacher who showed Jesus the dignity of work and the value of human life.

“Joseph understood that God was worshipped most authentically when people of faith fulfilled the law expressly noted in the book of Leviticus, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself,’” Bishop Bambera explained. “Don’t be deceived, brothers, into believing that somehow this commandment is easily fulfilled.

It is a reminder of the cost of discipleship as we discover within it both the blessing and also the challenge that has been confronted by believers since the days when God first established a relationship with his people.”

In a world filled with division, polarization and hatred, the bishop said we all need to treat our neighbors with love and respect regardless of the color of their skin, language, lifestyle, wealth or political affiliation.

“May we always seek to fulfill God’s will like our patron, Saint Joseph, who understood well the great commandment to love God and to love and respect every life that God places into our own,” Bishop Bambera said.

 

SCRANTON – After taking numerous classes to learn more about their faith, two women were commissioned as lay ministers for the Diocese of Scranton during a special Mass at the Cathedral of Saint Peter on Oct. 26, 2021.

The Most Reverend Joseph C. Bambera, Bishop of Scranton, served as principal celebrant and homilist.

The newly commissioned lay ministers are Michele Cohen from Our Lady Queen of Peace Parish in Brodheadsville and Kathy Grinaway from Saints Peter & Paul Parish in Plains.

“I wanted to learn more about my faith,” Cohen said when asked what prompted her to begin lay ministry formation classes. “I am always seeking more knowledge and want to be involved in my parish.”

“I’ve been involved with my church for a long time. I taught faith formation, I’m a Eucharistic minister, lector and I’ve been on parish council for a while,” Grinaway said. “I thought this sounded really amazing because it was a way for me to get to understand my faith better.”

Grinaway said the flexibility of the program’s online classes was particularly important for her since she works full time. She says she learned the most from a class on Vatican II.

“I was young, eight or nine, when Vatican II came about but I don’t think I understood the importance of the mission of the laity in Vatican II. That really stuck in me,” she explained.

“I loved all of the classes but especially the class on the Sacraments, the Old and New Testaments, Ecclesiology and my classes on Catholic Social Teaching,” Cohen added. “I loved exploring the encyclicals, which many popes wrote in regards to this, and learning more about many Catholic saints I admire who embody these teachings.”

Prior to their commissioning Mass, both women completed projects to put the skills that they learned into action. Cohen put together a “virtual walk” to Bethlehem to meet Christ for Christmas during the pandemic. Grinaway focused on getting more lay people involved in parish ministries by holding a ministry fair.

During the Lay Ministry Commissioning Mass, Bishop Bambera thanked both women for diving deeper into their faith to help their parish communities.

“We give thanks for your commitment and for your resolve to use the gifts that God has planted in your hearts to build up the Kingdom of God,” Bishop Bambera said.

Both women encourage others interested in learning more about their faith to get involved in the lay ministry formation program.

“The program consisted of great classes, great teachers and mentors, workshops, nights of reflection, retreats and spiritual direction which forced me to grow and reflect on my prayer life, my relationships, my presence in the world and in how I live the gospel,” Cohen said. “Sometimes, I didn’t like what I saw in myself and it was a struggle to persevere, to change things I knew needed changing, which I’m still working on.”

“It is so important for people, no matter their age, to keep learning about their faith. Even if it’s just a couple classes, they’ll get hooked because you will want to learn more,” Grinaway said. “I’m not going to quit being involved. I will never know everything but I’m going to try my best to do it. I just don’t think you can ever learn too much.”

For more information on the Diocesan Certificate in Lay Ministry, visit dioceseofscranton.org or contact Kitty Scanlan, Coordinator for Lay Ministry Formation at (570) 207-2213.

 

Online survey now available on Diocese of Scranton website at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/Y3FRDX6

La encuesta en línea ahora está disponible en el sitio web de la Diócesis de Scranton en: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/NRB7GJY

SCRANTON – Do you believe the Diocese of Scranton listens to its parishioners? Are you challenged to use your gifts and talents to better the life of your parish and the whole Church? Do you believe the Church is transparent and accountable in its decision-making processes?

The Diocese of Scranton invites everyone to answer these three questions and more as part of the local listening phase of the 2023 Synod of Bishops, which is now underway.

The word “synod” is an ancient Greek word. While unfamiliar to many, a synod is a journey of discernment, in which the people of God are called to pray and reflect upon the Holy Spirit’s will for the Church.

Pope Francis has asked every diocese in the world to develop a process to listen to the faithful of parishes, religious orders and Catholic movements and prayerfully consider the ways in which they currently experience the church as “synodal,” that is, as a community that walks together and to suggest ways to strengthen that in practice.

“What the Holy Father has challenged us to do is to create a mechanism where that listening posture can make its way through every aspect of our diocese,” Father Jeffrey D. Tudgay, J.C.L., pastor, Saint Eulalia Parish, said. “Based on what we hear, based on what we observe, based on what we discern, it will really determine the vision and future of the Church.”

Father Tudgay and Jennifer Housel, Director for Community and Family Development in the Office for Parish Life, have been selected by Bishop Joseph C. Bambera to lead a local Diocesan Synod team, which is coordinating this process.

“The Diocese of Scranton will be taking a three-pronged approach,” Housel explained.

First, there will be an online survey for anyone in the 11 counties of the Diocese of Scranton to participate. The online survey went live on Nov. 14 and is currently available on the main page of the Diocese of Scranton’s website in both English and Spanish.

“People are invited to share their hopes, their dreams, their concerns and their struggles in reference to how our church is achieving its mission in journeying together,” Housel said.

The ten questions of the online survey are also printed on Page 3 of this edition of The Catholic Light. Anyone without internet access is invited to call the Diocese of Scranton’s Synod Voicemail line at (570) 591-5024 and leave their responses to the questions. Both English and Spanish speaking parishioners may leave a message on the Synod Voicemail.

Both the online survey and phone line are completely anonymous. Individuals do not have to provide their name or any identifying information other than some basic demographic questions.

The second part of the local listening phase will be parish and community group gatherings.

“We’re really encouraging parish communities to have in-person gatherings between now and the end of March 2022,” Housel said. “We really want to hear what everyone has to say, recognizing that some of what we hear will be painful and that is necessary and an important part of this process.”

The third part of the Diocese of Scranton’s plan involves Bishop Bambera convening a Pre-Synodal meeting in the spring, to further address the information that has been gathered and solicit feedback from parish and community representatives.

During the local listening phase, Pope Francis has encouraged dioceses around the world to pay particular attention to people “on the margins” of society and gather their input as well.

“Pope Francis brings an incredible sense of self-awareness,” Father Tudgay said. “He’s not obtuse to people who are in pain, people who are struggling, people who have been hurt by the Church.”

After listening to all people locally, the Diocese of Scranton, and all other dioceses in the United States will submit a summary of local discussions to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, which will then synthesize all of the responses into a final written presentation for the Vatican.

The Diocese of Scranton’s online survey and many more resources, including Frequently Asked Questions, can be found on the Diocese of Scranton’s website at dioceseofscranton.org.

 

PLAINS — Father John Lambert, pastor, announces Saints Peter & Paul Parish will host a day of devotion with Eucharistic celebration on Sunday, Nov. 28, honoring Saint Padre Pio, as the parish welcomes the saint’s relics from the Saint Pio Foundation in New Rochelle, N.Y.

The commemorative gathering opens at 1 p.m. with recitation of the Holy Rosary, followed by a brief introduction.

Sunday Mass will be offered at 2 p.m. at Saints Peter & Paul Church, 13 Hudson Road, Plains, followed by exposition and benediction of the Blessed Sacrament.

Serving as principal celebrant and homilist for the liturgical celebration will be Franciscan Father Pio Mandato who received his First Communion from Padre Pio of Pietrelcina in Italy and currently serves in the Scranton Diocese.

The Mass will be concelebrated by Father Lambert and Saint Joseph Oblate Father Paul McDonnell, rector of the Oblates of Saint Joseph Chapel, Laflin, and Sacramental Minister for Our Lady of the Eucharist Parish, Pittston.

The day’s celebration will conclude with veneration of relics of Saint Padre Pio, in conjunction with video presentations on the life of the saint.

All faithful throughout the Diocese are welcome to attend. For more information, contact Cathy Mack, coordinator, at (570) 654-6063.

 

SCRANTON – A lay organization of faithful Catholics has named the Diocese of Scranton as being one of the most financially transparent dioceses in the United States.

For five years, Voice of the Faithful has reviewed all U.S. Catholic dioceses’ online financial transparency. The group’s 2021 report identifies the Diocese of Scranton as one of only four dioceses to receive an overall score of 100% in regards to transparency. This year’s other top-scoring dioceses included Bridgeport, Charleston and Orlando.

The Voice of the Faithful’s fifth annual review of all dioceses was conducted between June 1 and Aug. 31 by three independent reviewers and their report, “Measuring and Ranking Diocesan Online Financial Transparency: 2021 Report,” was released on Nov. 12, 2021.

The Diocese of Scranton’s score increased from 90% in 2020 to 100% during this year’s review.

“Financial transparency is extremely important because it not only fosters trust among the faithful but also helps to protect against fraud and ensures that funds donated for the Church actually go to those purposes for which they are intended,” Most Reverend Joseph C. Bambera, Bishop of Scranton, said.

In its report, Voice of the Faithful noted that Scranton is one of the six dioceses covered in the 2018 Pennsylvania grand jury report.

“Some of the six have worked hard to improve transparency. Scranton is clearly one of them,” the report noted.

Voice of the Faithful scores dioceses’ financial transparency practices on a scale from zero to 100. The organization awards each diocese points for publishing a variety of financial documents, including audited financial reports, information about the diocese’s cathedraticum (tax collected from individual parishes) and a current list of members on the diocesan finance council.

Information on the Diocese of Scranton’s financial policies and guidelines, audited financial reports and finance council members can be found at dioceseofscranton.org/directory/offices/financial-services.

The Voice of the Faithful’s 2021 report shows that overall, diocesan online financial transparency scores increased from 65% in 2020 to 69% in 2021.

Voice of the Faithful 2021 reviewers concluded that, “Although significant progress has been achieved in the last decade, and in particular during the last three years, members of the church in the U.S. must be vigilant if they wish to prevent financial mismanagement and abuse.”

 

SCRANTON – Maybe you have visited your parish office recently and noticed a puzzle box with an image that looked a lot like your church.

Or perhaps you have spotted a parish Facebook post offering a chance to win a set of AirPods Pro wireless earbuds or a GoPro HERO action camera.

Or maybe you have already ventured over to the Scranton.igivecatholic.org website and seen the YETI Hopper Backflip Cooler, the Blackstone Adventure Ready Griddle and a host of other prizes.

Wondering what all this “stuff” is about?

This year, for the first time, the Diocese of Scranton has joined the nationwide #iGiveCatholic movement in conjunction with Giving Tuesday. The “stuff” is just a small part of the fun.

Celebrated annually on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving, Black Friday and Cyber Monday, #iGiveCatholic is the U.S. Catholic Church’s Giving Day that kicks off the charitable season and brings the Catholic community together to give thanks and give back. As the first-ever giving day created to celebrate our unique

Catholic heritage, #iGiveCatholic inspires faithful stewards to “Give Catholic” for #GivingTuesday, a global day of giving.

Declared “the most successful Catholic crowdfunding event to date” by the National Catholic Register, the goal of #iGiveCatholic is to rally the Catholic community in support of parishes, schools, and nonprofit ministries. All Catholic Dioceses are invited to participate, and this year the Diocese of Scranton signed on for the first time to promote the Diocesan Annual Appeal and give parishes an exciting way to increase participation and meet their goals earlier than usual.

“We were looking for a fresh new way to make the Appeal, well, more appealing,” Sandra Snyder, Diocesan Director of Foundation Relations and Special Events, explained. “This year, we really wanted to shift our focus to donor participation in addition to dollar goals, and when we learned about #iGiveCatholic, we thought it was the perfect platform for what we were trying to do.”

Those who have donated to the Diocese through the annual NEPA Gives event, which takes place each June in conjunction with the Scranton Area Community Foundation and the regional nonprofit community, will find the platform, Give Gab, quite familiar, Snyder said.

The leaderboard-style website, complete with digital donor walls, allows Dioceses to create customized giving pages and Diocesan organizations to create customized pages within the main page. This year, the Diocese of Scranton invited all of its parishes to create pages in an effort to attract new donors and engage loyal donors anew. Thirty-four parishes have created personal giving pages, and 17 of those 34 also have accepted the Diocese’s first-ever Puzzle Challenge. Each “puzzle parish” has received a personalized 500-piece puzzle and will ask parishioners to sponsor pieces through donations to the Appeal in an effort to complete the puzzle by Nov. 30 and compete for cash prizes.

The other 17 parishes have created personalized giving pages, and all remaining parishes have been asked to promote the generalized Diocesan Annual Appeal sub-page, with parishioners who donate crediting their parish in the comments section of the online giving form.

To energize the campaign, the Diocese is giving away four $1,000 cash prizes to the top-performing parishes as well as 14 individual prizes for which anyone who makes an online donation during the special challenge period will be eligible. All donors’ names will automatically be placed into a raffle.

The prize lineup includes: a YETI Hopper Backflip 24 Cooler, a Blackstone Adventure Ready Tabletop Griddle, a Heat Storm Infrared Tripod Patio Heater, a HydroFlask jug and mug, a pair of HydroFlask food bowls, three sets of customized YETI lowball cups, a Loaves and Fishes hand-painted Armenian Pottery bread plate, a nautically themed cheese wheel and serving set, a Tree of Life outdoor artistic wall hanging, a Catholic compass, a Faith, Hope and Love travel cup trio and a PacEarth 10-Liter Dry Bag.

“We chose an outdoors theme when selecting our prizes this year in keeping with the spirit of the times,” Snyder explained. “For all of the trials and tribulations the pandemic has brought us, we also know there were some silver linings. For many, the upside was a newfound love for God’s creation, for nature, for adventure, and for the great outdoors in general. Our prizes celebrate that spirit.”

A Facebook event page, https://www.facebook.com/iGiveCatholicDioceseofScranton, will allow anyone to follow our progress as well as learn about what Snyder called special “pop-up prize challenges” that will be offered throughout the event.

“We’ll be giving away a Dick’s gift card every day of the challenge, and all donors on that day will be eligible,” Snyder said. “Additionally, we’ll offer regional challenges with fun prizes donated by our parishes: think pierogies, meatballs and sauce, meatloaf dinners and much more. We really want to showcase the hard work and talents of so many dedicated parishioners by offering prizes that bring widespread attention to these important seasonal parish fundraisers.”

#iGiveCatholic is a bishop-led initiative in partnership with lay leaders in Catholic philanthropy. Directors are the Most Rev. Gregory M. Aymond, chairman, His Eminence Wilton Cardinal Gregory, and Most Rev. Joseph R. Kopacz.

Bishop Joseph C. Bambera released a video message to the faithful of the Diocese of Scranton just before #iGiveCatholic kicked off, encouraging parishioners to consider giving generously.

“This special giving period … offers us a special opportunity to support the work of our church,” Bishop Bambera said, noting that the campaign supports all Diocesan ministries. “The goal of #iGiveCatholic is to inspire our Catholic community to come together in an intentional way, supporting the ministries that help our families, our children, as well as the poor and the vulnerable. Together we are doing the work of the Lord and building his Kingdom.”

 

ROARING BROOK TOWNSHIP – Warm socks may seem like an easy way to stay cozy in wintertime, but for some people they are a luxury and not to be taken for granted.

During its annual “Socktober” collection, Saint Eulalia Parish collected 637 pairs of socks to be donated to four local organizations that assist people experiencing homelessness.

“It’s nice when you can identify that there are needs in your community, and in a small way, help to alleviate and bring comfort to people,” Lisa Cummings, chairperson of the parish Social Concerns Committee, explained.

Saint Eulalia Parish began its “Socktober” collection four years ago after speaking with organizations that help the less fortunate.

“They said the most important thing they need is socks because their feet get wet and they don’t have any place to launder them. They throw them away and get a new pair eventually so that they can stay warm and dry,” parishioner Helen Hilborn added.

All of the socks donated will be given to Saint Anthony’s Haven, a shelter run by Catholic Social Services of the Diocese of Scranton; Keystone Mission; Saint Francis of Assisi Kitchen and the Community Intervention Center in Scranton.

Many of the socks donated were made of heavy-duty material that will make a difference.

“It’s a small way, as we always say, to be the hands and feet of Christ,” Cummings explained.

The “Socktober” collection is the first of many fall and winter projects that have been identified by the parish. The next big project is Saint Eulalia’s Sleigh, which provides Christmas presents to the children of prisoners, residents of Saint Mary’s Villa, five families at the Catherine McAuley Center in Scranton as well as parish families in need of assistance.

“This is a really generous parish,” Hilborn ended by saying.

 

 

WILLIAMSPORT — After nearly three months of silent dormancy, the bells of Saint Boniface Church at 326 Washington Blvd. are ringing out welcomed tones once again, much to the delight of parishioners and the surrounding community alike.

The venerable bell system has been a treasured extension of the Williamsport parish of Saint Boniface since its founding nearly 150 years ago in 1875, and the Saint Boniface bells survived a fire that destroyed the original parish church in 1972.

Nearly 50 years later, a routine maintenance inspection recently revealed nature’s elements had indeed taken their “toll” on the church bell tower, according to Saint Boniface pastor Father Bill Corcoran, who indicated the deterioration had presented a potentially dangerous situation.

“Our choice was to do repair work or shut them off,” Father Corcoran said. “During the pandemic, with reduced (church) attendance and a cautious spending approach, I was considering not repairing them for a period of time until we had clarity about the future.”

However, as the pastor noted, parishioners as well as non-parishioners felt very strongly about restoring the bells. “They loved the sound, especially from their nearby homes,” he remarked.

Father Corcoran explained that when the dilemma was put before the parish council, two parishioners came forward and offered to conduct a silent campaign for the $30,000 required for the restoration project. In a matter of weeks, the needed funds were raised through the generosity of 25 members of Saint Boniface and the community at large.

On Sunday, Oct. 31, the parish received an All Hallows Eve treat when Father Corcoran blessed and dedicated the refurbished church bells, followed by a special reception for those donors who made the joyous event possible.

Today, the Saint Boniface Church bells once again peal every quarter hour as a call to pause and pray, with their traditional chimes filling the local neighborhoods.

“To let (the bells) lay dormant would have been another defeat in the wake of COVID,” Father Corcoran concluded. “It was a great example of people’s desire to invest in the present and future of Saint Boniface and was truly a wonderful moment of community.”

 

 

SCRANTON — Through the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network, His Holiness Pope Francis released in early November a video message in which he expressed his closeness to all those who are feeling overwhelmed in their daily life — especially those suffering from stress and depression — and implored the faithful to pray that they receive the help they need.

As the Pontiff turned his gaze toward the care, compassion and concern for those battling mental illness, his monthly intention for November led the Vatican to contact the Association of Catholic Mental Health Ministers and, in particular, the association’s president and founding member, Deacon Ed Shoener, who serves in diaconal ministry at the Cathedral Parish of Saint Peter.

Deacon Shoener said direct contact by the Holy See is not nearly as eventful as that of the Holy Father’s call to address a central issue in the lives of millions of people: mental health.

“Our mission is to support the growth of mental health ministry in the Church,” Deacon Shoener noted. “Pope Francis has said that we need to fully overcome the stigma with which mental illness has often been branded in order to ensure that a culture of community prevails over the mentality of rejection.”

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 in 2016.

“I now bring Katie’s joyfulness and exuberance into the world by transforming her suffering into service to those who suffer from mental illness,” he explained. “That was my inspiration for joining the dedicated people to establish the Association of Catholic Mental Health Ministers (ACMHM) in 2018.”

In the papal broadcast message, Pope Francis asserts that in many cases, “sadness, apathy and spiritual tiredness end up dominating people’s lives, which are overloaded due to the rhythm of life today.”

People experiencing depression often need someone to talk to, and they can benefit from psychological counseling and reading what Jesus has to say, the Holy Father offered. Thus, his Apostleship of Prayer intention for November reads: “Let us pray that people who suffer from depression or burnout will find support and a light that opens them up to life.”

The words resonated profoundly with the Saint Peter Cathedral deacon, who has been emphasizing the same precise message for years.

“We are committed to following the Pope’s call to build a community of warmth and affection where people who live with depression and other mental health challenges can find hope and healing,” Deacon Shoener explained.

A recently published study estimates that about one in ten people worldwide lives with a mental health disorder — that is to say, approximately 792 million, or 11% of the population. Among the various disorders that exist, the study identifies depression (264 million, 3%) and anxiety (284, 4%) as the most prevalent in people’s lives.

The worldwide COVID-19 pandemic has caused the death of millions of people, but as also tried the mental and emotional resilience of countless others. Aware of this reality, the plea of Pope Francis is that we “be close to those who are exhausted, to those who are desperate, without hope. Often we should simply listen in silence.”

His Holiness continued, “Let us not forget that, along with the indispensable psychological counseling…Jesus’ words can also help,” alluding to the Lord’s urging in Matthew’s Gospel: “Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest.”

This month’s edition of the Pope’s video was created with the support of the ACMHM, which offers support to those suffering some form of mental illness and fosters actions to prevent any kind of discrimination that would impede them from participating fully in the life of the Church.

Deacon Shoener indicated the association views the legacies of Saint Dymphna and Saint John of God as models for mental health ministry, providing free prayer cards of the saints for us in mental health ministries.

“On each card there is an image of the saint turning from the darkness, which so often envelopes people who suffer with mental illness, and looking toward the light of Christ,” he explained. “At the bottom of the card is the phrase, ‘The Pain is Real — but so is Hope.’”

Inquiries about the Catholic Mental Health Ministers Association may be directed to info@catholicmhm.org and Deacon Ed Shoener at (570) 207-2229.