Lazarus is depicted in stained-glass at the Cathedral Basilica of St. James in Brooklyn, N.Y., Nov. 30, 2006. In a decree published Feb. 2, the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments said Pope Francis has approved adding the memorial of Martha, Mary and Lazarus to the General Roman Calendar. (CNS photo/Nancy Wiechec)

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Recognizing their welcome of and witness to Christ, Pope Francis has approved changing the liturgical feast of St. Martha to include her sister and brother, Mary and Lazarus, on the church’s universal calendar of feast days.

The names of Mary and Lazarus will be added to the July 29 feast on the General Roman Calendar, the universal schedule of holy days and feast days for the Latin rite of the Catholic Church.

The Vatican Feb. 2 published the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments’ decree ordering the change in calendars.

Signed by Cardinal Robert Sarah, the congregation’s prefect, the decree said Pope Francis approved the memorial for Martha, Mary and Lazarus after “considering the important evangelical witness they offered in welcoming the Lord Jesus into their home, in listening to him attentively, (and) in believing that he is the resurrection and the life.”

“In the household of Bethany, the Lord Jesus experienced the family spirit and friendship of Martha, Mary and Lazarus, and for this reason the Gospel of John states that he loved them,” it said. “Martha generously offered him hospitality, Mary listened attentively to his words and Lazarus promptly emerged from the tomb at the command of the one who humiliated death.”

The decree explained that “the traditional uncertainty of the Latin church about the identity of Mary — the Magdalene to whom Christ appeared after his resurrection, the sister of Martha, the sinner whose sins the Lord had forgiven — which resulted in the inclusion of Martha alone on 29 July in the Roman Calendar, has been resolved in recent studies and times,” thus paving the way for celebrating the siblings in one memorial.

A separate congregation decree, also published Feb. 2, said the pope also approved the optional memorial of three doctors of the church: Sts. Gregory of Narek, a 10th-century Armenian monk; John of Avila, the famed 16th-century preacher, confessor and spiritual writer; and 12th-century German abbess Hildegard of Bingen.

Mary Magdalene is pictured in a stained-glass window in the Church of St. Waudru in Mons, Belgium. In a decree published Feb. 2, the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments said Pope Francis approved adding the memorial of Martha, Mary and Lazarus to General Roman Calendar, the universal schedule of holy days and feast days for the Latin rite of the Catholic Church. (CNS photo)

The saints, who hail from both the Eastern and Western church traditions, were declared doctors of the church for their important contributions to theology and spirituality.

In its decree, the congregation explained that those given the title of “doctor of the church” exemplify the “link between holiness and understanding things divine and also human.

“Indeed, the wisdom that characterizes these men and women is not solely theirs, since by becoming disciples of divine wisdom, they have themselves become teachers of wisdom for the entire ecclesial community,” it said. “It is in this light that the holy ‘doctors’ are inscribed in the General Roman Calendar.”

The optional memorial for St. Gregory of Narek will be celebrated Feb. 27, while those for Sts. John of Avila and Hildegard of Bingen will be celebrated May 10 and Sept. 17, respectively.

There are currently 36 doctors of the church, including Sts. John Chrysostom, Augustine, Catherine of Siena and Therese of Lisieux.

 

EAST STROUDSBURG — Bundled up in jackets, hats and gloves, dozens of people took to the streets of Monroe County on Jan. 29 to call for an end to legalized abortion.

After youth groups from Saint Matthew Parish and Our Lady Queen of Peace determined they could not make their annual trip to Washington for the 2021 March for Life, they decided to co-organize a local “March for Life” throughout East Stroudsburg.

“I feel like it’s more powerful to do local things sometimes,” Kyli Ramsay, 17, a parishioner of Our Lady Queen of Peace Parish in Brodheadsville, said.

Ramsay has made the trip to the March for Life in Washington five times. While she calls each of those experiences powerful, she admitted holding this year’s march locally would likely have a greater impact.

“It has been cool to see the different people that get involved across churches, the kids that I know from school,” Ramsay said. “Sometimes it’s not always people that you would expect.”

The local March for Life in East Stroudsburg lasted for more than an hour. Marchers started at Saint Matthew Parish and followed a pre-determined route that took them near the community’s hospital, university and other landmarks. Participants created signs and offered prayers along the way.

The March for Life in East Stroudsburg was the first big pro-life event for David Mierzwa, 16, a parishioner of Saint Matthew Parish. Even though temperatures for the walk were barely over 12 degrees, he marched in order to spread a pro-life message to his peers.

“God intended us to have new life and Jesus was a part of that. Mary was a virgin and God gave her the blessing to have Jesus. Jesus was a great example that all babies should have a chance,” Mierzwa said.

The cold weather also didn’t bother marcher Andrew Lafiura, 16, a parishioner from Our Lady of Queen of Peace Parish.

“It could be in the negatives (temperatures) and there would be the same amount of people,” the Effort teenager said. “I think it’s astonishing that people are doing this locally.”

Local marchers acknowledged that it has been 48 years since two Supreme Court decisions removed protections for the unborn.

On Jan. 22, 1973, the Supreme Court ruled in Roe v. Wade that a fetus was not a person but a “potential life” without constitutional rights of its own, and limited state regulation of abortions according to each trimester. That same day, the court’s Doe v. Bolton decision prohibited state regulation of abortion during all trimesters if the procedure was sought for reasons of maternal health, including “physical, emotional, psychological, familial” factors or the woman’s age.

For teenagers, the abortion debate can be a sensitive subject and difficult to talk about.

“It is really hard. My generation very much advocates for pro-choice, a lot of them do and I think a lot fail to understand what they really mean when they say that,” Ramsay explained.

Lafiura agreed that discussing abortion is not a “light-hearted” topic, he says seeing so many people take part in the local march will help facilitate those talks.

“To see so many people understanding each other for this huge topic is amazing,” he said.

In addition to people from the two parishes organizing the local March for Life taking part, parishioners and friends from many other parishes, including Saint Maximilian Kolbe Parish in Pocono Pines, Our Lady of Victory Parish in Tannersville and Saint Jude Parish in Mountain Top also participated.

Boiling his experience up in just a few words, Mierzwa said, “We want people to know that a life is a life and that

 

A screen capture shows Pope Francis speaking during a Feb. 4, 2021, virtual meeting marking the International Day of Human Fraternity, a new effort to promote dialogue between cultures and religions. The pope was among several world and religious leaders who participated in the meeting. (CNS photo)

VATICAN CITY (CNS) – The world must begin to realize its shared humanity in order to live peacefully, otherwise it risks falling apart in endless conflicts, Pope Francis said.

“Today, there is no time for indifference,” the pope said Feb. 4 at a virtual event commemorating the first International Day of Human Fraternity.

“We cannot wash our hands of it, with distance, with disregard, with contempt. Either we are brothers and sisters or everything falls apart. It is the frontier, the frontier on which we have to build; it is the challenge of our century, it is the challenge of our time,” he said.

The pope was among several world and religious leaders who took part in the Feb. 4 virtual event, which was hosted in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, by Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the crown prince.

Among those taking part in the online global meeting were Sheikh Ahmad el-Tayeb, grand imam of al-Azhar University, and António Guterres, secretary-general of the United Nations.

This is a promotional image for the Feb. 4 International Day of Human Fraternity. Pope Francis was among several world and religious leaders who participated in a virtual meeting Feb. 4 to mark the celebration, which has been established by the United Nations. (CNS photo/Vatican Newsm handout)

The date chosen for the event marks the day in 2019 that Pope Francis and Sheikh el-Tayeb signed a document on promoting dialogue and “human fraternity” during his apostolic visit to the United Arab Emirates.

The Higher Committee of Human Fraternity was established after the pope’s visit to implement concrete proposals toward fraternity, solidarity and mutual understanding proposed in the document.

The event also included a presentation of the committee’s Zayed Award for Human Fraternity to Guterres and to Moroccan-born Latifa Ibn Ziaten.

Accepting the award, Guterres thanked Sheikh el-Tayeb and Pope Francis for “pushing humankind to come together in unity, in dialogue to promote peace, to promote fraternity, to promote the unity that is necessary to address all the challenges to defeat hate and to make sure that human solidarity wins the battles we are facing.”

Ziaten was honored for her work in France in promoting peace and dialogue to young people who often fall prey to extremist ideology. Ziaten established the Imad Association for Youth and Peace, which she founded after her son, a French soldier, was murdered in 2012 by a Muslim extremist in Toulouse.

Congratulating her for the award, the pope said that despite the pain of losing a child, Ziaten risked her life to “dare to say, ‘We are brothers and

This is the logo for the Feb. 4 International Day of Human Fraternity, a new effort to promote dialogue between cultures and religions. Pope Francis was among several world and religious leaders who participated in a virtual meeting Feb. 4 to mark the celebration, which has been established by the United Nations. (CNS photo/Vatican News, handout)

sisters’ and to sow words of love.”

“Thank you being the mother of your son, of so many boys and girls; for being a mother of this humanity that is listening to you, learning from you the path of fraternity,” he said.

Thanking the pope and Sheikh el-Tayeb for the award, Ziaten said the recognition “will really help me in my fight, my work today.

“I lost a son, but today I reach out to many children. Today I’m a second mother to many children I saved in detention centers, in homes, in schools so they don’t fall into hatred,” she said.

In his address, the pope began by greeting participants as “sisters and brothers” and affectionately greeted Sheikh el-Tayeb as “my brother, my friend, my companion in challenges and risks in the struggle for fraternity.”

The pope thanked the grand imam “for his company on the path of reflection and the drafting” of the document on human fraternity.

“Your testimony helped me a lot because it was a courageous testimony. I know it was not an easy task. But with you we could do it together and help each other. The most beautiful thing of all is that first desire of fraternity turned into true fraternity. Thank you, brother; thank you,” he said.

The pope also thanked Judge Mohamed Mahmoud Abdel Salam, secretary-general of the Higher Committee of Human Fraternity, calling him “l’enfant terrible” of the project, a French expression meaning a successful person who uses unorthodox or innovative methods to achieve their goals.

The pope thanked Salam for his efforts and lauded him as “hard-working, full of ideas” and one “who helped us to move forward.”

Fraternity, he continued, not only means respecting and listening to others “with an open heart,” it also means remaining firm in one’s own convictions; otherwise “there is no true fraternity if one’s own convictions are negotiated.”

“We are brothers and sisters, born of the same father; with different cultures and traditions, but all brothers and sisters. And while respecting our different cultures and traditions, our different citizenships, we must build this fraternity, not negotiate it,” the pope said.

Pope Francis said the International Day of Human Fraternity was a moment of listening, of sincere acceptance and “of certainty that a world without brothers and sisters is a world of enemies.”

“It not only takes a war to make enemies,” the pope said. “It is enough with that technique — it has become a technique — that attitude of looking the other way, of getting rid of the other as if he or she didn’t exist.”

A Vatican stamp commemorates Pope Francis’ meeting with Rabbi Riccardo Di Segni, chief rabbi of Rome, at the main synagogue in Rome Jan. 17, 2016. (CNS photo/Vatican stamp and coin office)

 

VATICAN CITY (CNS) – Pope Francis’ ongoing efforts to promote interreligious dialogue will be highlighted in a new series of Vatican stamps.

The series, which will be released in late February, feature photographs of some of the pope’s meetings over the past six years with leaders of other world religions.

At the end of his weekly general audience Feb. 3, Pope Francis praised the decision of the United Nations to mark an International Day of Human Fraternity Feb. 4.

“I am very pleased that the nations of the entire world are joining in this celebration aimed at promoting interreligious and intercultural dialogue,” the pope said. The U.N. resolution establishing the day “recognizes ‘the contribution that dialogue among all religious groups can make toward an improved awareness and understanding of the common values shared by all humankind.’ May this be our prayer today and our commitment every day of the year.”

The Vatican Philatelic Office said the stamp series illustrates Pope Francis’ teaching in his encyclical “Fratelli Tutti” that, as the encyclical said, “the different religions, based on their respect for each human person as a creature called to be a child of God, contribute significantly to building fraternity and defending justice in society.”

A Vatican stamp commemorates Pope Francis’ meeting with Somdej Phra Maha Muneewong, supreme patriarch of Thailand’s Buddhist community, in Bangkok Nov. 21, 2019. (CNS photo/Vatican stamp and coin office)

“Dialogue between the followers of different religions does not take place simply for the sake of diplomacy, consideration or tolerance. In the words of the bishops of India, ‘the goal of dialogue is to establish friendship, peace and harmony, and to share spiritual and moral values and experiences in a spirit of truth and love,'” the pope wrote in the encyclical.

The stamp series marks the beginning of the ninth year of Pope Francis’ pontificate, which begins March 13.

The four designs in the series show: The pope’s January 2016 meeting with Rabbi Riccardo Di Segni, chief rabbi of Rome; his February 2019 meeting with Sheikh Ahmad el-Tayeb, grand imam of Egypt’s al-Azhar mosque and university; Pope Francis’ November 2019 meeting with Somdej Phra Maha Muneewong, supreme patriarch of Thailand’s Buddhist community; and his January 2015 meeting with Ndu-Kurukkal SivaSri T. Mahadeva, a Hindu leader, in Sri Lanka.

 

While the COVID-19 pandemic continues to affect our community, one of the realities that hasn’t changed is the fact that many people don’t have the resources to feed themselves or their families.

Fortunately the Saint Francis of Assisi Kitchen in Scranton remains able to alleviate this need. Since 1978, the Kitchen has been serving a free, hot, nutritious meal to approximately 250 men, women and children each day. In addition to the traditional daily midday meal, the Kitchen has also provided an evening meal on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 5‑6 p.m.

In recent years the Mid-Valley Outreach Program was launched in conjunction with several parishes to offer weekly meals in Carbondale, Archbald and Olyphant. The Kitchen also operates the Saint Francis Client-Choice Food Pantry and the Saint Francis Free Clothing Store.

Volunteers prepare the meals in take-out containers.

The Kitchen has been able to do all of this via the dedicated service of staff and volunteers, and with financial support from the community – primarily through the annual Host‑for‑a‑Day campaign. The 2021 campaign is now underway.

The Host‑for‑a‑Day campaign seeks contributions of $100 or more. This helps the Kitchen provide the daily meal.

In effect, each contributor becomes a “host” for a day. Contributors may then select a date on which they, or someone they designate, will be recognized as the provider for that meal.

During the pandemic, the Kitchen has modified its program by providing the daily midday meal in Scranton in take-out containers. The evening meals were suspended for a time but resumed at the end of July, also as take-outs. The Mid-Valley Outreach Program also had to be suspended, but meals in Carbondale resumed in December. The food pantry and clothing store are open, with safety precautions in place.

Saint Francis of Assisi Kitchen has launched its 2021 Host‑for‑a‑Day campaign, which is the primary means of financial support for the Kitchen’s mission to provide a free daily meal to area needy. Pictured are Kitchen Advisory Board member Michele Bannon, campaign chair; and Kitchen Executive Director Rob Williams.

“Naturally this has been a challenging time and we have made changes to ensure the safety of our guests, staff and volunteers,” said Rob Williams, the Kitchen’s executive director. “Throughout this period, however, we have provided a meal in some fashion every single day. We are truly blessed!”

Michele Bannon, a member of the Kitchen’s Advisory Board, is chairing the campaign and leading the effort with her fellow board members.

“The community has always supported this campaign in a wonderful way,” she said. “This year the need is greater than ever, and we are hopeful that our supporters will again join with us to sustain the mission of the Kitchen.”

This year’s Host‑for‑a‑Day campaign is being conducted with safety precautions in place. Traditionally the members of the Kitchen’s Advisory Board contact supporters they have sold tickets to over the years. This year the majority of the past contributors to the campaign are receiving an appeal directly from the Kitchen through the mail.

Throughout the pandemic the Kitchen has continued to feed its guests. They receive their daily meals in take-out containers outside the building.

Also, out of concern for the health and safety of benefactors and board members, the typical Appreciation Reception that concludes the campaign will not be held in a gathered way. Instead, the culmination of the campaign will be marked with a Virtual Celebration consisting of a pre-recorded program. The release date will be Wednesday, April 28, at 6 p.m. Information on how to view the program will be announced as details are finalized.

Anyone who does not receive an appeal through the mail can make a Host‑for‑a‑Day gift by calling the Kitchen at 570-342‑5556, or sending a check to Saint Francis of Assisi Kitchen, 500 Penn Avenue, Scranton PA 18509. Donations can also be made online at: www.stfranciskitchen.org or facebook.com/stfranciskitchen

Those who would like to sponsor the Virtual Reception are asked to call the Kitchen at 570-342‑5556.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pope Francis greets people during an encounter with the elderly in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican in this Sept. 28, 2014, file photo. During his Jan. 31 Sunday Angelus, the pope announced the establishment of a World Day of Grandparents and the Elderly. (CNS photo/Paul Haring)

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Pope Francis announced the establishment of a World Day of Grandparents and the Elderly as a reminder of the important role they play as a link between generations.

During his Sunday Angelus address Jan. 31, the pope said the day will be celebrated every year on the fourth Sunday of July to coincide with the feast of Sts. Joachim and Anne, Jesus’ grandparents. The first celebration of this day will be July 25.

“It is important for grandparents to meet their grandchildren and for grandchildren to meet their grandparents because — as the prophet Joel says — grandparents, before their grandchildren, will dream and have great desires, and young people — taking strength from their grandparents — will go forward and prophesy,” he said.

Highlighting the Feb. 2 feast of the Presentation of the Lord, the pope said the recognition of Christ as the Messiah by the elderly Simeon and Anna is a reminder that “the Holy Spirit still stirs up thoughts and words of wisdom in the elderly today.”

“Their voice is precious because it sings the praises of God and safeguards the roots of peoples,” he said. “They remind us that old age is a gift and that grandparents are the link between generations, passing on the experience of life and faith to the young.”

“Grandparents are often forgotten and we forget this wealth of preserving roots and passing on,” he added.

In a statement published shortly after the pope’s announcement, Cardinal Kevin J. Farrell, prefect of the Dicastery for Laity, the Family and Life, said the yearly event was “a gift to the whole church” that emphasizes the pastoral care of the elderly as “a priority that can no longer be postponed by any Christian community.”

“In the encyclical, ‘Fratelli Tutti,’ the Holy Father reminds us that no one is saved alone. With this in mind, we must treasure the spiritual and human wealth that has been handed down from generation to generation,” he said.

Cardinal Farrell added that “today, more than ever, we are committed to making every effort to dismantle the throwaway culture and to enhance the charisms of grandparents and the elderly.”

The dicastery said Pope Francis will mark the first World Day of Grandparents and the Elderly July 25 with an evening Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica. However, the Mass will be “subject to sanitary regulations in place at the time.”

“Closer to the world day, the Dicastery for Laity, the Family and Life will announce any further initiatives that will mark the event,” the statement said. “As of now, the dicastery is inviting parishes and dioceses around the world to celebrate this world day at the local level in ways that are suited to their pastoral context.”

 

January 26, 2021

WASHINGTON – The on-site evening program for the January 28 National Prayer Vigil for Life will take place at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, DC, is closed to the public and will be taking place virtually. There will be several broadcast and livestreaming options for the various Vigil prayer events occurring during January 28-29, which are listed in this announcement.

2021 National Prayer Vigil for Life (All times are in Eastern Time.)

Thursday, January 28: 

8:00 PM          National Rosary for Life

8:30 PM          Opening Mass with Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann of Kansas City in Kansas

9:45 PM          Holy Hour for Life

11:00 PM ~     Live-stream of bishop-led holy hours throughout the night

 

Friday, January 29: 

~ 8:00 AM      Closing Mass with Archbishop William E. Lori of Baltimore

The live television broadcasts on January 28 from 8:00-11:00 PM and on January 29 from 8:00-9:00 AM will be provided by the Eternal Word Television Network (EWTN) and will also be available via live-stream on the Basilica’s website.

The overnight bishop-led holy hours will take place during January 28-29 from 11:00 PM – 8:00 AM. Live-streaming information is available on the USCCB’s website.

A plenary indulgence is available this year for those participating in the Opening or Closing Mass and/or the Prayer Vigil, whether virtually or in person (the other usual conditions for a plenary indulgence apply).

 

A hand-sanitizer dispenser is seen at St. James Church in Setauket, N.Y., Sept. 3, 2020. Many parishes have found creative ways to remind worshippers to follow COVID-19 health guidelines during the ongoing pandemic. (CNS photo/Gregory A. Shemitz)

WASHINGTON (CNS) — According to a new poll by the Pew Research Center, more Americans say the coronavirus pandemic has strengthened their religious faith than those in 13 other nations that possess what Pew called “advanced economies.”

On the other side of the coin, though, a majority in every country, the United States included, said the pandemic has made no difference in the level of their faith.

With the exception of Australia, Canada, Japan and South Korea, the other nations surveyed were all European: Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom.

The survey, released Jan. 27, showed that 28% of Americans said the pandemic had strengthened their own religious faith, and 28% said it had strengthened the faith of people in their country.

The countries closest to the United States were Spain, where 16% of respondents said the pandemic had strengthened their faith, with 17% saying it had strengthened the faith of other Spaniards, and Italy, where 15% said it had strengthened their own faith and 19% said it had strengthened the faith of other Italians.

Across all 14 countries surveyed, the median was 10% saying the pandemic had strengthened their own faith, while 15% said it had strengthened the faith of people in their country.

The only country of those surveyed that registered single digit increases to each question was Japan, where 5% said it had strengthened their own faith and 5% said it had strengthened the faith of people in their country.

Nine percent of South Koreans said the pandemic had actually weakened people’s faith. Compared to 10% who said it had strengthened their faith, it was a net positive of just 1%. The only country with as small a net gain was Sweden, where 3% said it had strengthened their faith and 2% said it had weakened it.

In the United States, 68% of those surveyed said their own faith had not changed much, and 47% said the faith of other Americans had stayed about the same.

The survey was conducted June 10-Aug. 3 last year, as people in the affected countries had been under social distancing rules, national lockdown orders, or both. Pew did phone surveys of 14,276 adults total in all 14 countries.

More favorable responses were given when asked whether the pandemic had strengthened family bonds. Spain topped out at 42%, with the United States, the United Kingdom and Italy each registering 41%. Yet even in those countries, a higher percentage of respondents said that had not changed much, either.

For those who say their faith is very important to them, Spain led, as 49% said the pandemic had strengthened their faith, compared to 6% of Spaniards who said their faith is either somewhat, not too important, or not at all important, a net difference of 43, which also led all 14 nations surveyed.

Among Americans, 45% of those who say their faith is very important to them said the COVID crisis had strengthened their faith, compared to 11% who held faith less important or unimportant, a difference of 34 points. Overall, 49% of Americans said religion is very important in their lives, as do 24% of Spaniards.

While focus is usually given to white evangelicals in the United States for their religiosity, there was one area where U.S. Catholics outshone their evangelical counterparts.

According to Pew, 48% of Catholics surveyed said the pandemic “strengthened bonds with their immediate family members, which is higher than the share of white evangelical Protestants (34%) who say their family relationships are stronger as a result of the pandemic.”

However, 49% of white evangelicals said the pandemic had strengthened their faith, compared to 35% of Catholics, and 43% of evangelicals said the crisis had strengthened their fellow Americans’ faith, compared to 30% of Catholics.

Regardless of nation, people with lower incomes reported stronger faith than those with higher incomes. In the United States, 34% of respondents with lower incomes said their faith had been strengthened because of COVID. The 22% recorded by Americans with higher incomes, though, is higher than the highest percentage of lower-income people from any other country with enough respondents to make the response statistically significant.

Asked whether Americans’ responses represented a pause in the nation’s continuing slide toward secularization, Neha Sahgal, associate director of research for Pew, replied: “I wouldn’t go that far. One thing is pretty clear, that in the last few years in the United States, there is a secularization trend — more people saying they have no religion, and a fall in the faith of the people who say they are observant.”

Sahgal added, “The greater proclivity” of Americans saying their faith or that of the nation is stronger as a result of COVID “is largely being driven by this groups who is already religious.”

 

SCRANTON – For the last 47 years, Catholic schools across the country have participated in Catholic Schools Week and this year will be no exception.

Traditionally held the last week of January, this year’s celebration will take place from Jan. 31 – Feb. 6, 2021. Each of the Diocese of Scranton’s 19 Catholic Schools are busy preparing numerous activities in which students can participate.

Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, principals and staff members are adjusting some popular annual activities to make sure safety remains paramount.

“While faced with unprecedented challenges, our Catholic schools have been at the forefront of providing an excellent, in-person, education. We have been nimble and innovative and never forgotten why we are called to this work – to serve children and families,” Jason Morrison, Diocesan Secretary of Catholic Education/Chief Executive Officer, said. “Because of our health and safety protocols, Catholic Schools Week will look different. However, our schools will use new technologies and platforms to bring to life the Catholic School difference.”

Each year, the National Catholic Education Association (NCEA) chooses a theme to highlight an aspect of Catholic schools. This year’s theme, “Catholic Schools: Faith. Excellence. Service.” calls attention to the purpose of Catholic schools – to form disciples, to grow the whole person and encourage students to be witnesses to Catholic social teaching.

“Catholic Schools Week sets aside time to reflect on the truly remarkable and amazing schools we have and, in a fun way, celebrate them,” Superintendent of Schools Kristen Donohue added. “Although the pandemic requires some changes to the activities planned for the week to be conducted virtually, we will in a genuine and creative way, share our gratitude for our schools while also sharing good health.”

In addition to holding fun events for students, numerous Diocesan schools are planning events that will show their students’ kindness and generosity to others. A central aspect of Catholic education is learning the importance of service to others.

Some of the activities currently being planned include Saint Mary of Mount Carmel School in Dunmore holding a collection for the Saint Francis of Assisi Kitchen, while All Saints Academy in Scranton will collect canned food items.

Catholic school students at Saint Agnes School in Towanda and Epiphany School in Sayre will make Valentine’s Day cards for residents of personal care and nursing homes.

Many other Diocesan schools are planning similar events.

“Our school’s motto this year is ‘See the face of God in all you meet; be kind, loving, compassionate, and respectful,’ so for every one fun activity we have scheduled, we are also doing one service project,” Kelly Wilhelm, principal of Saint Agnes School in Towanda, said. “Our Pre-Kindergarten teacher has done projects for a personal care home that is located very close to the school and they have always been so appreciative. When we talked about projects that the whole school could do, we decided that valentines would be perfect. The children will make at least one during their class time and for those that finish faster, maybe one or two more, so we know that every resident will receive a special gift from a Saint Agnes student. Each valentine will be as unique as the student who make it.”

Catholic schools offer academic excellence and a faith-filled education for students nationwide. National test scores, high school graduation rates, college attendance and other data show that Catholic schools frequently outperform schools in both the public and private sectors.

National statistics show that 99-percent of Catholic school students graduate from high school. The percentage of high school graduates who attend a four-year college is 85-percent, compared to 44-percent of public school students.

Catholic schools also save taxpayers money. Based on the average public school per pupil cost of $12,756, Catholic schools provide $22 billion in savings each year for the nation.

 

Pope Francis leads his general audience in the library of the Apostolic Palace at the Vatican Jan. 27, 2021. The pope continued his series of talks on prayer, reflecting on the theme “Praying with Sacred Scripture.” (CNS photo/Vatican Media)

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Praying with Scripture is not meant to be a mindless repetition of biblical quotes but instead is a gift that is meant to be accepted in people’s hearts, Pope Francis said.

During his weekly general audience Jan. 27, the pope said the words contained in Scripture were “not written to remain imprisoned on papyrus, parchment or paper, but to be received by a person who prays, making them blossom in his or her heart.”

He also said Christians must not exploit the Bible or use it for “ulterior motives” like justifying “his or her own philosophical and moral view.”

“It irritates me a little when I hear Christians who recite verses from the Bible like parrots: ‘Oh, yes, the Lord says (this), he wants this,'” the pope said, departing from his prepared remarks.

“But did you encounter the Lord with that verse? It is not a question only of memory; it is a question of the memory of the heart, that which opens you to the encounter with the Lord. And that word, that verse, leads you to the encounter with the Lord,” he said.

Livestreaming his audience from the library of the Apostolic Palace, the pope continued his series of talks on prayer by looking at how Christians pray with Scripture.

“The Bible was not written for a generic humanity, but for us, for me, for you, for men and women in flesh and blood, men and women who have a name and a surname, like me, like you,” he said.

The Christian tradition of “Lectio Divina,” reflecting on and praying with the biblical readings, allows Christians to enter “into dialogue with the Scripture,” he said. And recognizing oneself in a particular passage, biblical character or situation “is a grace.”

However, he added, praying with Scripture is “delicate” because those who pray “must not slip into subjective interpretations” but instead be united to Scripture and view it as “an icon to be contemplated.”

Pope Francis said the word of God “inspires good intentions,” gives strength and serenity to those in need and “even when it challenges us, it gives us peace.”

“On ‘weird’ and confusing days, it guarantees the heart a core of confidence and of love that protects it from the attacks of the evil one,” he said.