Dear Friends,

In the Gospel from Saint Mark that will be proclaimed during the great Vigil of Easter this year, we are told that women, who were followers of Jesus, went to his tomb to anoint his body in the early hours of that first Easter day. They had witnessed the torture and death of their friend and teacher whom they had come to know as their Lord and Master. Their grief was mixed with pain, uncertainty and fear for themselves, their families and friends. Yet, despite the obstacles that they faced, they made their way to the tomb of Jesus.

Pope Francis reflected on the faith of these first believers.

“In this situation, the women did not allow themselves to be paralyzed. They did not give in to the gloom of sorrow and regret, they did not morosely close in on themselves, or flee from reality. . . . They did not stop loving; in the darkness of their hearts, they lit a flame of mercy,” Pope Francis said. “They responded to sorrow with trust in the Lord. And then they met Jesus, the giver of all hope . . . who proclaimed: ‘Do not be afraid.’”

 Through their encounter with the risen Jesus, the lives of those who ventured to his tomb just days after his crucifixion were changed forever! Their lives were changed because God had redirected the course of human history through the resurrection of his Son. By embracing our humanity, Jesus not only gave us hope by identifying with us in his life, suffering and death. He also provided us a way forward amid the pain and struggles of our lives by defeating death through the power of the resurrection!

 A year ago at this time, it seemed as if our world had suddenly come to a crashing halt! Not unlike what was experienced by the first followers of Jesus, we were confronted with unexpected suffering and death. We were uncertain of how best to respond. We hid in our homes for fear of what we might experience, not only from unknown individuals but also from neighbors, co-workers and those whom we love the most. While our churches were closed, we prayed fervently that the wave of suffering enveloping our world might stop before it crashed into our lives.

Even though our days found us consumed with uncertainty, pain and confusion, we took great comfort in the example of healthcare workers, first responders, clergy, women and men religious, essential workers, volunteers and so many others. They consoled us and more importantly, they inspired us, didn’t they? Like the women who ventured to the tomb of Jesus on that first Easter day, these selfless souls would not allow themselves to be paralyzed, but instead, worked tirelessly to keep the flame of hope burning in our lives. And so did all of you! More than you might realize, you provided hope. In so many and different ways, you responded to the needs of your brothers and sisters and you served generously and selflessly.

In short, my friends, through your faith and belief in the resurrection of Jesus and all that it means for our lives, you made as your own the teaching of Pope Francis in his most recent encyclical letter, Fratelli tutti, that reminds us, “No one is saved alone; we can only be saved together.” This reality, my friends, that you and so many have lived and experienced especially during this past year, was born in an empty tomb in the initial moments of the life of our Church on that first Easter morning.

On Palm Sunday, just a few days ago, Pope Francis reminded us of the power of the resurrection in the midst of the uncertainty and pain of these challenging days.

“God is at our side in every affliction, in every fear; no evil, no sin will ever have the final word. God triumphs . . . through the wood of the cross,” he said.

Therein, my friends, is what we believe as Christians and the real blessing and gift of Easter. The risen Jesus alone has the power to carry us through the darkest of days to discover consolation, joy and the true meaning and purpose of our lives as his people.

To over 85 catechumens and candidates who await baptism and full communion in the Catholic Church, please know of our prayers for you. Your openness to the Spirit of God is cause for great joy. Welcome to our Catholic family. In so many ways, you are witnessing the Church at its best as so many selflessly serve their brothers and sisters.

My friends, thankfully we are beginning to see glimmers of light and hope emerge throughout our world, even as we continue to confront that challenges that we have faced for well over a year. During this Holy Week, I pray that we will all come to appreciate more deeply than ever the fact that we are indeed blessed in more ways than we might believe or imagine. May we trust in God’s promise to sustain us and dispel our deepest fears. And may we open our hearts to the risen Jesus and allow him to fill them with his love and peace.

This is the day that the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad!

Faithfully yours in the Risen Christ,

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

 

  

Bishop Joseph C. Bambera celebrates the Blessing of the Oils and the Consecration of the Chrism.

 Bishop Bambera expresses gratitude during Chrism Mass

SCRANTON – Referencing Psalm 133, Bishop Joseph C. Bambera began his homily during this year’s Chrism Mass by saying how wonderful it was to have all of the priests from across the 11 counties of the Diocese of Scranton together in one place.

“It is so very good to be with all of you,” Bishop Bambera said. “Thank you for your selfless, creative and faithful ministry to this local Church.”

The Chrism Mass, held on Tuesday, March 30, at the Cathedral of Saint Peter, was the first time that priests have been able to all come together in more than a year – since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We have all been wounded and broken during this past year. If we’re honest, we must admit that we’ve been confronted like never before in our lives,” the bishop added.

Priests from the Diocese of Scranton celebrate the Chrism Mass on Tuesday, March 30, 2021, at the Cathedral of Saint Peter in Scranton. This is the first time that they have all been able to come together since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. (Photos/Mike Melisky)

Over the last year, many people, priests included, have faced loneliness, fear and uncertainty. They have worried not only about their own health and their family but also for the safety of the faithful people that they care for.

“It is in the honest embrace of our wounds that we will come to understand something about ourselves, our faith, our priesthood and our God,” Bishop Bambera explained. “Today, as we start to see glimmers of light in our world, I trust that we’re also beginning to recognize the hope promised by Jesus.”

During his homily, the bishop told his brother priests that they have brought more to this past year than they might give themselves credit for.

“First of all brothers, we bring what we have been given. We bring what the Church has entrusted to us. Through the priesthood we have received, we bring the mysteries of God through the Holy Eucharist and the Sacramental Life of the Church. In these gifts, Christ himself heals and teaches,” the bishop said.

Drawing upon the words of Pope Francis in Fratelli Tutti, the bishop said, “No one is saved alone.”

“Thank you for your ministry, thank you for your service so generously given in the face of so many obstacles,” the bishop added.

Rev. Glenn E. McCreary, V.E., forefront, and priests from the Diocese participate in the Chrism Mass at the Cathedral of Saint Peter in Scranton on March 30, 2021.

During the Chrism Mass, the holy oils used throughout the year in the Diocese of Scranton for baptisms, confirmations, ordinations and other milestone events were blessed by Bishop Bambera.

The Chrism Mass has special significance for the clergy. During the Mass, the priests renewed the promises they made at their ordinations. In addition, the priests renew their promise of obedience to the bishop.

Due to the ongoing pandemic, this year’s Chrism Mass was limited to priests to adhere to physical distancing guidelines. Members of the public participated by a live broadcast on CTV: Catholic Television of the Diocese of Scranton and livestreaming on the Diocese of Scranton’s YouTube channel and social media platforms.

 

Pope Francis breathes on chrism oil during the Holy Thursday chrism Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican April 1, 2021. (CNS photo/Andrew Medichini, Reuters pool)

VATICAN CITY (CNS) – Living and preaching the Gospel always involves embracing “the cross,” whether it be in the form of misunderstanding, hostility or outright persecution, Pope Francis told Rome priests gathered for the chrism Mass.

In the life of Jesus and in the lives of his disciples today, “the hour of joyful proclamation, the hour of persecution and the hour of the cross go together,” the pope said at the Mass April 1 at the Altar of the Chair in St. Peter’s Basilica.

Pope Francis did not celebrate a chrism Mass last year because Italy, and much of the world, was in the midst of the first huge wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.

But even with vaccines being distributed and death rates dropping, Italy was under a modified lockdown, so only about 75 priests representing their confreres in the Diocese of Rome were able to attend the Mass with their bishop, the pope.

At total of about 200 people, including three dozen cardinals, were present for the liturgy. The principal concelebrants were Cardinal Mauro Gambetti, the new vicar for Vatican City, and Cardinal Angelo De Donatis, vicar for Rome.

The chrism Mass has two unique characteristics: the blessing of the oils used for the sacraments of baptism, confirmation, ordination and the anointing of the sick; and priests renewing the promises they made at ordination.

Deacons brought the oils in large silver urns to the pope, who prayed that God would bless them and the people who will be anointed with them.

Then the priests present vowed that they were “resolved to be more united with the Lord Jesus and more closely conformed to him,” and that, out of love for Christ, they renewed the promises they “willingly and joyfully pledged” on the day of their ordination.

The liturgy also includes the bishop asking the faithful present to pray for their priests and for him. Pope Francis slightly altered the text of the second prayer, asking the congregation, “Pray for me — I need it — so that I may be faithful to the apostolic service entrusted to me and so that in your midst I may be made day by day more the image of Christ, the priest — simply that — good shepherd, teacher and servant of all.”

In his homily, Pope Francis acknowledged how many obstacles a priest can encounter as he teaches, preaches and celebrates the sacraments.

The story from Luke’s Gospel of Jesus reading the Scriptures in the synagogue at Nazareth, arousing both admiration and anger, the pope said, shows how “Jesus’ words have the power to bring to light whatever each of us holds in the depths of our heart, often mixed like the wheat and the tares.”

“The preaching of the Gospel is always linked to the embrace of some particular cross,” Pope Francis said. “The gentle light of God’s word shines brightly in well-disposed hearts but awakens confusion and rejection in those that are not.”

That conflict is seen repeatedly in the Gospels, the pope said, noting how, for example, “the tender love of the merciful father irresistibly draws the prodigal son home, but also leads to anger and resentment on the part of the elder son” or how “the generosity of the owner of the vineyard is a reason for gratitude among the workers called at the last hour, but it also provokes a bitter reaction by one of those called first, who is offended by the generosity of his employer.”

The cross, including misunderstanding, rejection and persecution, is present in the Gospel from the very beginning of Jesus’ life, the pope said. “The cross is not an afterthought, something that happened by chance in the Lord’s life.”

And, he told the priests, “it is true that the cross is present in our preaching of the Gospel, but it is the cross of our salvation.”

“We are not scandalized” by the presence of the cross — “the large crosses of humanity and the small crosses in the lives of each of us” — he said, because “Jesus himself was not scandalized by seeing that his joyful preaching of salvation to the poor was not received wholeheartedly, but amid the shouts and threats of those who refused to hear his word.”

“We are not scandalized because Jesus was not scandalized by having to heal the sick and to set prisoners free amid the moralistic, legalistic and clerical squabbles that arose every time he did some good,” the pope continued.

“The Lord always gives us what we ask for, but he does so in his divine way,” Pope Francis said. “That way involves the cross. Not for masochism. But for love, love to the very end.”

 

SCRANTON — “Hallelujah!”

Faithful of the Diocese of Scranton will undoubtedly be filled with “greater joy than ever during this Easter season” as churches once again open wide their doors for the most solemn time of the year in the Christian world.

As the coronavirus pandemic suspended in-person participation at houses of worship and The Catholic Light front-page headline at this time last year read “Holy Week at Home,” Catholics had to resort to social media to “attend” traditional Holy Week and Easter services and liturgies celebrated before empty pews.

It has been a long year indeed.

But the hope of Easter takes on a whole new meaning in 2021 as worshippers are joyfully returning to their rightful place to personally take part in the sacred ceremonies, both in person and as faith communities, beginning with the start of Holy Week on Palm Sunday.

The exuberance diocesan faithful are experiencing this Easter season reminded Chris Calore of the last words of Saint Pope John Paul II before he died in 2005: “Let me go to the house of our Father.”

“Likewise, let us go to our Father by receiving him in the sacraments of confession and the Eucharist,” Calore, a member of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish in Swoyersville, said. “There is a physical, spiritual and emotional need for worshipping together in the Church that the Lord left us. Our return to worship in a body, as brothers and sisters and a family, is so important, particularly during this most holy season.”

He continued by lauding pastors and parish staffs for accommodating the general public in providing for a smooth transition back into our churches.

“We have learned much about how to congregate safely,” Calore noted. “Thankfully, we have used this knowledge and can once again be nourished by the Lord’s Sacraments — His Body and Blood.”

Gail Gayeski of Luzerne, who worships at both the Cathedral Parish of Saint Peter and Saint Ignatius Parish in Kingston, lamented the inability to physically be present in church for Palm Sunday, the Sacred Triduum and Easter Sunday a year ago.

“This is the holiest time of the year for Catholic Christians and not to be able to attend and receive Holy Communion was indeed a sacrifice for everyone,” Gayeski commented. “How filled with joy we are to go back to our churches in person. This Easter will be a particularly happy one for us all.”

Continuing the “absence makes the heart grow fonder” theme, she feels a great lesson was learned by what Catholics experienced due to the health crisis.

“I think all of this may have given us a greater understanding and appreciation of the suffering going on in our world,” Gayeski said, “where people longing for Christ’s presence do not have the opportunity to worship because of governments that prohibit Christian worship.”

She added how grateful she is for the “extraordinary efforts” both of her parishes put forth to livestream Masses online during the pandemic. “Of course, CTV (Catholic Television) was never more valuable to all of us than during this past year.”

Also very thankful for being able to participate in the Catholic Mass “virtually” when COVID kept faithful at a distance is Attorney Tim Foley, a parishioner of Saint Gregory Parish in Clarks Green, who also serves as a lector at Saint Peter’s Cathedral.

However, he noted, something was missing.

“As time went on, I realized I missed the community aspect of the congregation,” Foley recalled, “but most importantly, I became more aware of the absence of the Eucharist.”

Greatly anticipating the opportunity to personally take part in this year’s Holy Week events, he remarked, “I am looking forward to participating and receiving Holy Communion in person during the Easter services and beyond. The Easter season and the customary services of Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Sunday have always been a positive tradition in our house for many years.”

Pittston resident Cathy Mack rejoiced upon the opportunity to participate in the Eucharistic liturgy at her parish of Saints Peter & Paul, Plains, when churches throughout the diocese reopened following the pandemic’s initial impact.

“For me it was a sad, empty, detached feeling not being able to attend Mass in person,” Mack said as she looks forward with great joy and anticipation to being present for this year’s solemn celebrations of Holy Week, Easter Sunday and Divine Mercy Sunday.

“We need these blessings,” Mack remarked. “Churches have always been our sanctuaries, places where we feel safe and protected as we worship in our Lord’s temples.”

She continued by stressing how important it is to engage in the sacraments, especially during the Solemn Paschal Season. “Our churches provide us with the greatest gift of all — the physical presence of the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ!”

Acknowledging that Easter 2021 will be vastly different from a year ago, Immaculate Heart of Mary Sister Janet Jeffers noted that as life drastically changed for America and the world during the past 12 months, faithful of the Scranton Diocese experienced major changes in how we celebrate our religious rites.

“It appears the worst of COVID-19 is behind us,” Sister Janet, who lives in community in South Scranton and celebrated her 50th anniversary of religious profession in 2019, said with renewed hope. “We are in a ‘new place.’ Our parishes have opened and we see increasing numbers of our members ‘coming home.’”

The former executive director of Catholic Social Services of the Diocese for Lackawanna/Wayne Counties reflected on the holiest week of the liturgical year as a time filled with powerful accounts and images of the final days in the life of Christ.

“During this time, we recall His life and the ultimate sacrifice Jesus made for each one of us,” she related, referring to Palm Sunday, Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter as great gifts of faith to be experienced by all.

Sister Janet concluded, “We are an Easter people. Signs of life abound; don’t miss them. May all of us celebrate the graces, gifts and blessings of this very holy season. Blessed Easter! Alleluia!”

 

 

SCRANTON – The month of April is Child Abuse Prevention Month. It is a time to recognize the importance of families and communities working together to prevent child mistreatment.

Bishop Joseph C. Bambera will celebrate a Healing Mass for Survivors of Abuse at 12:10 p.m. on Thursday, April 8, 2021 at the Cathedral of Saint Peter in Scranton.

The Mass is open to the public following COVID-19 safety protocols. No reservations are required.

The Mass will also be broadcast live on CTV: Catholic Television of the Diocese of Scranton and livestream on the Diocese of Scranton website, YouTube channel and social media platforms.

 

 Epiphany Parish in Sayre recently broadcast funeral Mass with 700 viewers

With the help of donations, Epiphany Parish in Sayre invested in professional livestreaming equipment during the COVID-19 pandemic. The parish believes livestreaming Masses and funerals has helped to keep their parish community connected over the last year.

SAYRE – What began with just a cell phone and tripod last year at Epiphany Parish has now turned into a brand new ministry aimed at keeping people connected.

It was Palm Sunday 2020 when the parish in northern Bradford County livestreamed its first Mass to Facebook. While there were initial glitches and audio problems, they were quickly corrected.

“We had to make sure that we, first of all, had internet in the Church. We did not so we had to run a booster router from the front of the rectory to the back of the rectory,” Rev. Andrew S. Hvozdovic, pastor, said.

At the urging of parishioners, Father Hvozdovic decided to make the parish’s livestreaming equipment permanent. With the help of the church organist, Larry Hoey, who did a lot of research, the parish decided to invest in a professional two-camera set-up for the church.

“We have a camera mounted now on the choir loft and we have a second camera that is mounted on the first pillar of the church and that one rotates so we are now able to get shots as we process in from the back of the church and close ups on the altar,” Father Hvozdovic explained.

A light near the livestream station gives a signal to the cantor when it is time to begin Mass at Epiphany Parish in Sayre.

The parish has also created an area where the Masses are professionally produced with computers and graphics. In all, the cost of the equipment has been about $10,000.

While a significant expense, Father Hvozdovic says donations covered the cost. Parishioners were happy to donate to the effort after a request was placed in the parish bulletin.

“We’re getting donations from people all over the country who used to live in Sayre that moved away. We’re hearing messages that they’re thrilled that they’re able to reconnect with their home parish,” Father Hvozdovic added.

Since Mother’s Day 2020, Epiphany Parish has been professionally broadcasting its 9:00 a.m. Mass on Sunday morning.

“We’re reaching out to parishioners, for example, that have not attended Mass even prior to COVID for health reasons and now they’re thrilled because they’re able to participate in the Mass. We have Eucharistic ministers that go after the 9:00 o’clock Mass on Sunday to their homes and actually bring them communion,” Father added.

Besides keeping the faithful connected, starting the livestreaming efforts have also connected parishioners in another way.

“It has helped us to form a whole new ministry,” Father Hvozdovic explained. “We call it our technology ministry in the parish. We have high school kids who are assisting with this. We have five or six adults that are assisting with it as well.”

Working closely with the Parish Pastoral Council to institute the technology ministry, Epiphany’s pastor believes the livestreaming efforts have opened up a completely new way of spreading the Gospel message.

“I told the Pastoral Council, what would Jesus do if he had technology? I think he would take advantage of it as we are too,” he explained.

The parish now even offers livestreaming of all funerals as part of its bereavement ministry.

One funeral in February 2021 had approximately 700 people viewing it from all over the country.

“A lot of the second cousins and third cousins and great uncles and aunts just could not come. We had family viewers who were watching it from all over the country,” Father Hvozdovic said.

Even as more people have returned to church for in-person Masses, viewership on the livestream has been consistent.

“The viewership has remained very steady and we’re surprised by that because people are returning to church because people are getting vaccinated and they’re feeling more comfortable to return to church,” Father Hvozdovic said.

When asked if he believes Epiphany Parish will continue livestreaming Masses even after the coronavirus pandemic ends, the Sayre pastor said simply, “Yes. This is the new norm.”

In the Diocese of Scranton, more than 75-percent of parishes have started livestreaming Masses over the last year.

For those that have not yet started, Father Hvozdovic believes there is an unfounded fear.

“I think it’s just the fear of the unknown of technology. I just encourage guys, saying you’re going to have to do this, bite the bullet, go out of your comfort zone. It is possible and very, very much appreciated,” he explained.

Father Hvozdovic says the benefits greatly outweigh the risks.

“People really like to attend their own church. That is what I hear so much. People who have left the area or have been homebound prior to COVID say it’s so great I can worship in my own church again via the internet,” he added.

 

 

Bishop Joseph C. Bambera carries palm branches at the start of Palm Sunday Mass at the Cathedral of Saint Peter in Scranton on March 28, 2021. (Photos/Mike Melisky)

SCRANTON – As Laura Welde celebrated Palm Sunday Mass at the Cathedral of Saint Peter on March 28, she reflected on how much has changed since Holy Week last year.

“It is a blessing because last year we weren’t able to come to church and this year we are able to come and I really missed it last year,” she said.

The Archbald woman called Palm Sunday Mass at the Cathedral “uplifting.” Welde is glad that the church community is able to gather in-person again even as COVID-19 continues to infect thousands of people daily in Pennsylvania.

“I think with everything going on in the world today it’s very, very important for us to have our religion,” Welde explained.

The Most Reverend Joseph C. Bambera, Bishop of Scranton, served as principal celebrant and homilist for the 12:15 p.m. Mass on Palm Sunday at the Cathedral of Saint Peter. Safety protocols, which included masks and physical distancing, were strictly enforced.

Speaking with the media after Mass, the bishop said it is extremely important for the Church to celebrate the Eucharist communally.

“It was so meaningful to be able to see as many people as we did here today, coming together. The Eucharist is meant to be celebrated as a community. While we were able to do that from afar (through livestream Masses and Catholic Television), it clearly resonates with all of our spirits to be able to join with brothers and sisters of faith to affirm our beliefs,” Bishop Bambera said.

While the bishop acknowledged that glimmers of hope are on the horizon in terms of vaccines and lower numbers of coronavirus infections, he said it is important that people not let their guard down with safety protocols. That is why this year’s Passion Narrative was shortened.

“We’ve tried to use shorter readings, we’ve tried to keep at a minimum the amount of time that we are spending together because we are still social distancing but at the heart is the same spirit and the same Eucharist that we always celebrate when we gather, so that is really what gives us hope today,” he explained.

During his homily, Bishop Bambera said that over the last year many people have struggled with questions about life, death, faith and God. The bishop turned to the Passion Narrative itself to address some of those concerns.

With the Twelfth Station of the Cross behind them, two parishioners recite The Lord’s Prayer during Palm Sunday Mass at the Cathedral of Saint Peter on March 28, 2021.

“Jesus said one thing as he hung from the cross: ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’ Abandoned by his closest followers, in the midst of his agony on the cross, Jesus questioned whether his Father had abandoned him as well,” the bishop said.

Bishop Bambera said Pope Francis addressed this idea of abandonment in his Palm Sunday homily last year.

“When we find ourselves at a dead end, with no light and no way of escape, when it seems that God himself is not responding, we should remember that we are not alone. Jesus experienced total abandonment…in order to be one with us in everything. He did it for me, for you, for all of us; he did it to say to us:

‘Do not be afraid, you are not alone,’” the bishop said quoting Pope Francis 2020 homily.

During Holy Week, the bishop stressed that people should not forget to focus on the example of Jesus, who teaches us by the embrace of His cross, how to discover the means to life and peace.

 

Pope Francis is pictured as cardinals walk in procession at the conclusion of Palm Sunday Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican March 28, 2021. (CNS photo/Paul Haring)

VATICAN CITY (CNS) – A Christian life should be filled with amazement – astonishment at the son of God suffering and dying for humanity and awe at realizing how precious and loved people are in his eyes, Pope Francis said.

“Can we still be moved by God’s love? Have we lost the ability to be amazed by him?” the pope asked in his homily during Palm Sunday Mass, marking the start of Holy Week.

“Let us be amazed by Jesus so that we can start living again, for the grandeur of life lies not in possessions and promotions, but in realizing that we are loved and in experiencing the beauty of loving others,” he said at the Mass March 28.

Palm Sunday Mass, the liturgy that begins with a commemoration of Jesus entering Jerusalem among a jubilant crowd, began with a small procession toward the Altar of the Chair in St. Peter’s Basilica with a few dozen concelebrating cardinals and bishops walking ahead of Pope Francis.

Dressed in red vestments, the color of the Passion, they held large woven palm fronds while the reduced congregation of faithful were sitting distanced in the pews, wearing facemasks and holding small olive branches. Broadcast and livestreamed over a wide range of media, the pope preached in his homily about Holy Week marking an important time to be amazed by Jesus, who completely overturned people’s expectations.

Instead of being “a powerful liberator at Passover,” he arrives on a lowly donkey “to bring the Passover to fulfillment by sacrificing himself” and, instead of triumphing over the Romans by the sword, “Jesus comes to celebrate God’s triumph through the cross,” the pope said.

What is amazing, he said, “is the fact that he achieves glory through humiliation. He triumphs by accepting suffering and death, things that we, in our quest for admiration and success, would rather avoid.”

Even more astonishing is that he endures all this pain and humiliation “for us, to plumb the depths of our human experience, our entire existence, all our evil. To draw near to us and not abandon us in our suffering and our death. To redeem us, to save us,” the pope said.

With his love, sacrifice and salvation, “now we know that we are not alone: God is at our side in every affliction, in every fear; no evil, no sin will ever have the final word,” he said.

“Let us ask for the grace to be amazed,” he said, because not only is a Christian life without amazement “drab and dreary,” how can people proclaim “the joy of meeting Jesus, unless we are daily astonished and amazed by his love, which brings us forgiveness and the possibility of a new beginning?”

Pope Francis asked that people begin Holy Week with this sense of amazement, by gazing upon Jesus on the cross, and saying to him, “Lord, how much you love me! How precious I am to you!”

“With the grace of amazement we come to realize that in welcoming the dismissed and discarded, in drawing close to those ill-treated by life, we are loving Jesus. For that is where he is, in the least of our brothers and sisters, in the rejected and discarded,” the pope said.

After the Mass and before praying the Angelus, Pope Francis recalled this was the second Holy Week celebrated during the COVID-19 pandemic. While last year was experienced more as a shock, this year “it is more trying for us” and the economic crisis has become very burdensome.

The devil “is taking advantage of the crisis to disseminate distrust, desperation and discord,” he said, but Jesus is taking up the cross, taking “on the evil that this situation entails, the physical and psychological evil, and, above all, the spiritual evil.”

“What should we do?” he asked.

People should be like Mary, the mother of Jesus, and follow her son, he said.

“She took upon herself her own portion of suffering, of darkness, of confusion, and she walked the way of the Passion keeping the lamp of faith lit in her heart. With God’s grace, we too can make that journey,” the pope said.

The pope also asked that people pray for all victims of violence, “especially those of this morning’s attack in Indonesia, in front of the cathedral of Makassar.”

At least 14 people were wounded in what police suspect was a suicide bomb attack outside the cathedral. As of March 28, no group had claimed responsibility for the bombing.

 

Volunteer Mary Ann Wills prepares bags of food to be given out during a special Easter food distribution at Saint Vincent de Paul Kitchen and Food Food Pantry in Wilkes-Barre March 30. (Photo/Dan Gallagher)

“Food is not a luxury, it is a necessity”

WILKES-BARRE – Just five days before Easter, Saint Vincent de Paul Kitchen and Food Pantry opened its doors to the community for a special holiday food distribution on March 30.

“A lot of people are struggling. We’re here to help them and support them,” Kitchen Director Mike Cianciotta said. “Food is not a luxury. It is a necessity.”

The Easter food distribution was open to anyone in need, no pre-registration was required. It took place at the Kitchen and Food Pantry property on East Jackson Street.

Volunteers Mary Ann Wills and Bill Leonhardt assisted members of the community that came looking for help.

“I feel like I’m doing something to help somebody that needs help, rather than sitting at home on the couch,” Wills said. “This is eye-awakening down here when you see the people coming through that are needy in the community.”

“They are so grateful to be getting something. It does me good (to help),” Leonhardt added.

The food distribution lasted from 9:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. Individuals and families were given ham and other essential items to help them cook an Easter feast at home.

“They’re going to have a nice Easter dinner that everybody should have,” Wills explained.

The special Easter food distribution held on March 30 comes in addition to meals served at the kitchen every day of the year, including holidays.

On Easter Sunday, April 4, Saint Vincent de Paul Kitchen will provide an Easter dinner to anyone in need. The meal, which will be served in to-go containers, will be a ham dinner, including a starch, vegetable and dessert. There will also be assorted fresh fruit that clients will be able to take home.

The Easter dinner at Saint Vincent de Paul Kitchen will be served from 11:00 a.m. until 12:30 p.m., which is the same time that meals are served on a daily basis.

In addition, Saint Vincent de Paul Kitchen plans to reopen its clothing room to the public on Tuesday, April 20, 2021. The clothing room will be open on Tuesday and Thursday from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.

“We will only be able to allow two or three people inside at a time, with masks and physical distancing measures, but we want to get it open to help people for summer,” Cianciotta said.

Anyone who has spring or summer clothing that they would like to donate to the clothing room can start dropping items off at Saint Vincent de Paul Kitchen any day of the week between 9:00 a.m. and noon. The community is kindly asked to refrain from donating winter clothing items at this time.

 

 

Saint John Neumann senior Zach Lisi shows off 24 Easter boxes that have been shipped to military members around the world.  

 WILLIAMSPORT – The senior project of a Lycoming County teenager is having an impact around the globe.

Zach Lisi, a senior at Saint John Neumann Jr./Sr. High School, recently sent 24 special Easter boxes to members of the military stationed throughout the country and the world.

“It made me feel good to brighten their day,” Lisi explained.

The Easter boxes were filled with candy and notes of appreciation written by students at Saint John Neumann Regional Academy.

To raise money to ship the boxes, Lisi put together a “Penny War” fundraiser at his school from March 10-19.

“I put jars out in front of the office and each class put money in them. Each penny was worth one point. If you put nickels, dimes or quarters in other jars they lost a certain amount of points,” the high school senior said.

A total of $234 was raised from the “Penny War” fundraiser. The senior class raised the most money and earned a pizza party as a reward.

“I used that money to ship the boxes. People donated the candy and other items to put in the boxes,” Lisi added.

All seniors at Saint John Neumann must complete a service project prior to graduation. In keeping with the Gospel message of helping others, Lisi explained what sparked his interest in helping military members.

“I just felt bad that they weren’t home with their families so I wanted to make them feel appreciated,” he said.

The first Easter box arrived less than a week after it was shipped out.