Category: Diocese of Scranton News

SCRANTON – Every summer, the Diocese of Scranton holds a Wedding Anniversary Celebration for couples celebrating milestone anniversary years.

This year’s Mass will be held at the Cathedral of Saint Peter on Sunday, June 28, 2026, at 2:30 p.m.

Couples who are celebrating 10, 25, 40, and 50 years of marriage are invited to register for the Mass, where couples will renew their wedding commitment.

Immediately following the liturgy, there will be a reception with light refreshments at the Diocesan Pastoral Center, which is across the street from the Cathedral (330 Wyoming Avenue).

Pre-registration is required.

To register, visit the Diocese of Scranton website.

For more information, please call Bridget Maille, Program Coordinator, Family Life at (570) 207-2213 x1133 or email familylife@dioceseofscranton.org.

 

SCRANTON – Cada verano, la Diócesis de Scranton celebra una Misa de Aniversario de Bodas para las parejas que conmemoran años importantes de matrimonio.

La Misa de este año se llevará a cabo en la Catedral de San Pedro el domingo 28 de junio de 2026 a las 2:30 p.m.

Las parejas que celebran 10, 25, 40 y 50 años de matrimonio están invitadas a inscribirse para la Misa, durante la cual renovarán su compromiso matrimonial.

Inmediatamente después de la liturgia, habrá una recepción con refrigerios ligeros en el Centro Pastoral Diocesano, ubicado al otro lado de la calle de la Catedral (330 Wyoming Avenue)

Se requiere inscripción previa.

Para inscribirse, visite el sitio web de la Diócesis de Scranton.

Para más información, por favor comuníquese con Bridget Maille al (570) 207-2213 ext. 1133 o por correo electrónico a familylife@dioceseofscranton.org.

SCRANTON – Carol Mueller and Christina Curran of the Mueller Family McDonald’s presented a check for $10,000 to Diocese of Scranton Scholarship Foundation on Friday, March 20, 2026.

The donation was a result of the annual Fry Fundraiser that kicked off National Catholic Schools Week Jan. 25, 2026, and ended Feb. 15, 2026. A total of 21 Mueller Family McDonald’s locations in Bradford, Lackawanna, Luzerne, Susquehanna, Wayne, and Wyoming counties participated by donating a portion of every large order of french fries sold during that period.

“We are so grateful to the Mueller family for their generosity and commitment to supporting families in need. This support is needed more than ever and ensures an excellent faith-based education is affordable and available to those desiring to attend one of our schools,” Kristen Donohue, Diocesan Secretary for Catholic Education/Superintendent of Schools, said.

Shown above at the check presentation are, from left: Carol Mueller, Christina Curran, and Kristen Donohue.

(OSV News) – More U.S. Catholic bishops are speaking out in defense of Pope Leo XIV after President Donald Trump began denouncing the pope at length on social media and in verbal statements.

Shortly after Trump posted his 330-word condemnation of the vicar of Christ April 12 — followed 46 minutes later with a now-deleted image seemingly depicting him as Jesus Christ — Archbishop Paul S. Coakley of Oklahoma City, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, issued a statement that the pope is neither Trump’s “rival,” nor “a politician.”

“He is the Vicar of Christ who speaks from the truth of the Gospel and for the care of souls,” he stated.

The USCCB president’s statement was followed by an initial flurry of statements from fellow bishops the following day. Many more bishops have joined their voices as Trump has not only rejected the request from Bishop Robert E. Barron of Winona-Rochester, Minnesota, a member of Trump’s Religious Liberty Commission, to apologize to Pope Leo, but also has continued his diatribes against the pope over social media.

“I stand in solidarity with the Holy Father as he speaks out against war and speaks truth about the gospel with the mission to bring people closer to God,” said Archbishop Shelton J. Fabre of Louisville, Kentucky, in his April 13 statement.

“As the Vicar of Christ, Pope Leo XIV will continue to advocate for peace, spread the message of hope, and pray for a conversion of hearts,” he said.

“Pope Leo’s role is pastoral, not political,” Archbishop James R. Golka of Denver affirmed in an April 13 statement, emphasizing that Trump’s language toward the pope “fails to reflect the respect owed to the Successor of Peter and does not serve the common good.”

The pope’s “words throughout these early months of his pontificate all cry out the same urgent appeal: lay down weapons, choose dialogue, protect innocent life,” said Archbishop Gregory J. Hartmayer of Atlanta in an April 13 message published by that archdiocese’s newspaper, The Georgia Bulletin.

Archbishop Alexander K. Sample of Portland, Oregon, said in an April 14 Facebook post that Trump’s disparagement of Pope Leo as “weak and “very liberal” was “misguided.”

“The Holy Father’s call for peace, dialogue, and conversion of heart in the face of war arises not from partisanship or political bias, but from his Christian identity and mission as Supreme Pastor of Christ’s Church on earth,” said Archbishop Sample. “The Church’s mission is to preach the Good News of her divine founder, Jesus Christ, proclaiming peace, truth, and the dignity of every human person.”

Even as more bishops spoke out in defense of Pope Leo’s exercise of the teaching office, Vice President JD Vance, a Catholic who converted in 2019, joined the fray defending Trump on Fox News Sunday and dismissing the Jesus-like AI-generated image of Trump looking like Jesus — widely panned as blasphemous — as a “joke.”

Vance delivered a new rebuke to Pope Leo April 14 at the Turning Point USA conference in Athens, Georgia, claiming that while he respected the pope, Pope Leo should “be careful when he talks about matters of theology” in criticizing the U.S.-Israel war with Iran.

Vance’s comments, along with the growing wave of bishops’ statements in solidarity with Pope Leo, point to a fundamental difference between how the president and the Church understand the role of the pope.

“President Trump sees Pope Leo as simply an American,” Mathew Schmalz, professor of religious studies at the College of the Holy Cross, told OSV News. “However, the pope is articulating a vision that reflects broader themes in Catholic doctrine, and his experience in the Global South.”

That point was also made by the Catholic bishops of Tennessee, Bishop J. Mark Spalding of Nashville, Bishop David P. Talley of Memphis and Bishop Mark Beckman of Knoxville, joined by Rick Musacchio, executive director of the Tennessee Catholic Conference, the public policy arm of the state’s bishops.

In an April 13 statement released through the Catholic conference, they said that “it is entirely appropriate that Pope Leo comment from the truth of Jesus’ teaching in the Gospels on life and death matters that affect souls.”, also signed on to the statement.

They pointed to “the long tradition of popes speaking against war,” citing St. Paul VI’s 1965 address to the United Nations, in which the pope declared, “Never again war, never again war! It is peace, peace, that has to guide the destiny of the nations of all mankind! … A person cannot love with offensive weapons in his hands.”

“When Catholic leaders engage in dialogue in the public square, they do so with the understanding that no political party encompasses the fullness of our teaching,” the Tennessee statement said. “They do not choose sides as politicians, but rather express clear moral principles.”

Archbishop Ronald A. Hicks of New York took to his Catholic Faith Network show, “All Good Things with Archbishop Hicks” April 14 to say the pontiff’s teaching “shouldn’t surprise any of us.”

“He is concerned about peace in the world and the salvation of souls,” he said, “and that he wants us to work and live for justice and peace.”

In an April 13 statement, Bishop Michael M. Pham of San Diego noted that “throughout history, the papacy has served as a vital voice for peace, justice, and the care of the most vulnerable.”

“Pope Leo’s leadership continues in that tradition, offering guidance that transcends politics and speaks to shared human values,” he said, adding that it comes at a time when “our world is under tremendous turmoil by leaders who execute decisions disregarding the moral implications that lead to greater division, hatred, and death.”

Bishop David M. O’Connell of Trenton, New Jersey, published an extensive reflection on the matter April 14, observing that “the Catholic Church’s mission” — namely, “to proclaim Jesus Christ, to defend the dignity of every human person, and to guide souls toward salvation” — “does not depend on political approval or cultural consensus.”

“Moreover,” said Bishop O’Connell, “the Church herself has a true freedom to preach the faith, teach her social doctrine, and pass moral judgment when fundamental rights of the person or the salvation of souls require it.”

“Pope Leo has made the summons to compassion and the longing for peace the central focus of his ministry as the Holy Father,” said Archbishop Richard G. Henning of Boston in his April 13 statement. “He speaks in accord with the dignity of his office and in fidelity to his mission.”

In his April 13 statement, Bishop Joseph C. Bambera of Scranton, Pennsylvania, reflected on the message Pope Leo delivered at an April 11 prayer vigil for peace at St. Peter’s Basilica, during which the pope said, “War divides; hope unites. Arrogance tramples upon others; love lifts up.”

“He was speaking from the heart of the Gospel,” said Bishop Bambera, who said he was “deeply saddened” by both Trump’s comments about the pope and also by the AI-generated image Trump eventually deleted “that seemingly portrays him in the place of Jesus Christ.”

“I am praying for the President, that he may be guided by wisdom, humility and a sincere pursuit of peace,” the bishop said. “I am also praying for Pope Leo that he may be strengthened to continue speaking boldly for peace and justice, even in the face of criticism.”

ANNABA, Algeria (OSV News) – Pope Leo XIV offered Mass April 14 at the basilica built near the site where St. Augustine died nearly 1,600 years ago, making a deeply personal pilgrimage in the footsteps of St. Augustine in Algeria.

“Here the martyrs prayed; here St. Augustine loved his flock, fervently seeking the truth and serving Christ with ardent faith,” the pope said in his homily, delivered in French. “Be heirs to this tradition, bearing witness through fraternal charity to the freedom of those born from above as a hope of salvation for the world.”

Preaching to hundreds of people inside the Basilica of St. Augustine, the pope, who called himself a “son of Augustine” in his first speech as pope from the loggia of St. Peter’s Basilica, emphasized Augustine’s dramatic conversion from a restless seeker of truth to one of Christianity’s greatest saints.

“We revere him for his conversion even more than for his wisdom,” said Pope Leo, who twice quoted directly from St. Augustine’s autobiography “Confessions.”

He also recalled the role of Augustine’s mother, St. Monica, whose persistent prayers and tears accompanied her son’s conversion.

“Can we truly start our lives over again?” Pope Leo asked the congregation. “Yes! The Lord’s response, so full of love, fills our hearts with hope. No matter how weighed down we are by pain or sin: The crucified One carries all these burdens with us and for us.”

The Mass marked the second day of the pope’s 11-day pilgrimage through four African nations — Algeria, Cameroon, Angola and Equatorial Guinea — and the culminating moment of the first papal visit to the North African country.

Before the Mass, Pope Leo visited the nearby archaeological ruins of ancient Hippo Regius, the Roman city where Augustine served as bishop from about A.D. 396 until his death in 430, as Vandal forces besieged its walls.

Arriving in the rain beneath a white umbrella, the pope laid a wreath of flowers, planted a small olive tree and paused in silent prayer before the ancient columns.

White doves, released in his honor, settled on the ruins around him while an Algerian choir and musicians playing traditional mizmar and oud instruments performed for the pope.

At the age of 70, Pope Leo has spent most of his life as an Augustinian, including as prior general of the Augustinian Order, during which he twice visited the Augustinian missionaries in Algeria.

Since his election last May, Pope Leo’s homilies and public addresses have returned repeatedly to St. Augustine’s writings, frequently quoting the doctor of the Church.

On the papal plane en route to Algiers on April 13, the pope told OSV News that he recommends St. Augustine’s “Letter to Proba,” written in A.D. 412, as a beautiful reflection on prayer in which “Augustine gives some wonderful guidelines and hints, if you will, about how our prayer can really be meaningful.”

He also pointed to Augustine’s “Confessions” as suggested spiritual reading.

“On this trip especially I would say if anyone has not read ‘The Confessions of St. Augustine,’ it is a great place to start,” the pope said.

In his homily in the basilica, Pope Leo drew directly from that text, quoting Augustine’s celebrated prayer: “Give, O Lord, what you command, and command what you will.”

He also cited the saint’s reflection, “I could not therefore exist, could not exist at all, O my God, unless you were in me. Or should I not rather say, that I could not exist unless I were in you.”

The basilica where the pope offered Mass was constructed between 1881 and 1907 on a hill overlooking the archaeological site of the ancient church where Augustine preached. The basilica today holds a relic of one of the saint’s arm bones.

A small and very diverse Catholic community carries on Augustine’s legacy in modern Algeria, a nation that is more than 99% Muslim. Attending the Mass were many young Catholics from different African countries who are studying in Algeria.

“Dearest Christians of Algeria, you remain a humble and faithful sign of Christ’s love in this land,” Pope Leo said.

“Your presence in this country is like incense: a glowing grain that spreads fragrance because it gives glory to the Lord and joy and comfort to so many brothers and sisters,” he added.

The readings at Mass were read in Arabic, English and French, reflecting the multinational character of Algeria’s Catholic faithful, whom Algiers Cardinal Jean-Paul Vesco described on April 13 as “a mosaic Church composed of several dozen nationalities.”

The Augustinian community has been present at the basilica there since 1933. Currently, three Augustinians of different African nationalities serve the site full time, welcoming pilgrims and celebrating weekly Mass for local Christians.

“The Apostles proclaim that our lives can change because Christ has risen from the dead,” Pope Leo said in his homily.

“The primary task of pastors as ministers of the Gospel is therefore to bear witness to God before the world with one heart and one soul, not permitting our concerns to lead us astray through fear, nor trends to undermine us through compromise,” he said.

Before the Mass, Pope Leo visited a nursing home adjacent to the basilica run by the Little Sisters of the Poor, where five sisters and a team of volunteers and staff care for approximately 40 elderly residents, the majority of whom are Muslim. The facility contains both a chapel and a small mosque. The pope greeted residents and listened to the testimony of one Muslim resident.

“Wherever there is love and service, God is there,” Pope Leo told the residents.

“God’s heart is torn apart by wars, violence, injustice and lies,” he said. “But our Father’s heart is not with the wicked, the arrogant or the proud. God’s heart is with the little ones, with the humble, and with them he builds up his Kingdom of love and peace day by day, just as you are striving to do here in your daily service, in your friendship and life together.”

Pope Leo flew to Annaba from Algiers aboard a chartered Air Algérie flight, escorted by Algerian military fighter jets for the roughly one-hour journey. The pope flew back to Algiers in the evening before departing the following morning on a flight of more than five hours to Yaoundé, Cameroon.

(OSV News) – Two U.S. bishops, who lead the U.S. Catholic bishops’ efforts on pro-life and migration concerns, have advised the new head of the Department of Homeland Security of their “grave concern” over the treatment of pregnant and postpartum women in immigration detention.

“There are increasing numbers of alarming reports of pregnant mothers not getting the medical care they need while in immigration detention, tragically resulting in miscarriage in some cases, as well as reports of nursing mothers being separated from their babies when detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement,” wrote Bishop Daniel E. Thomas of Toledo, Ohio, and Bishop Brendan J. Cahill of Victoria, Texas, in an April 13 letter addressed to DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin.

The two prelates respectively chair the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Pro-Life Activities and Committee on Migration.

Their letter follows a Feb. 13 letter in which more than 30 pro-life leaders urged President Donald Trump, Mullin’s predecessor Kristi Noem and ICE Acting Director Todd Lyons to reinstate federal guidance that would largely prevent immigration detention for pregnant and new mothers.

“Medical advocacy groups and investigative reporting have documented prolonged detention of women with high-risk pregnancies, delayed emergency treatment, miscarriages, and stillbirths,” stated the letter, whose signatories spanned the ideological and religious spectrum. “Simply stated, unborn children are dying because of this policy.”

A new joint report from the Women’s Refugee Commission and Physicians for Human Rights found that “ICE is violating its own policy to keep parents and children together,” while “detaining pregnant and postpartum women and not providing adequate medical care for pregnant women with life-threatening conditions.”

Among the violations cited in the report were “mistreatment, inadequate healthcare, insufficient food, and shackling of pregnant and postpartum women in detention.”

One 25-year-old pregnant woman interviewed after her deportation to Honduras told report authors that she had bled for several days while in detention, but had received no medical attention despite multiple requests for aid.

According to the same report, another woman was deported following an untreated miscarriage.

Additionally, a February 2026 BabyCenter poll of over 500 pregnant women found that 1 in 5 said ICE activity has prevented them from seeking prenatal medical care.

In their letter, Bishop Thomas and Bishop Cahill noted their USCCB committees had last year “expressed deep concern with U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s rescission of guidance on caring for pregnant and postpartum mothers and their infants in its custody.”

However, they noted ICE policy “still recognizes the vulnerability of these women and their children by generally discouraging their arrest and detention.”

“Unfortunately, that policy seems to no longer be followed in practice,” they added.

The bishops urged ICE “to abide consistently by Directive 11032.4, Identification and Monitoring of Pregnant, Postpartum, or Nursing Individuals, which is already in place, and thereby to avoid the arrest and detention of pregnant and postpartum mothers,” except in “exceptional circumstances” provided in the directive, such as “national security concerns or imminent risk of physical danger to themselves or others.”

“Doing so would be consistent with this Administration’s recent pro-life actions, including those explicitly welcomed by the USCCB’s Committee on Pro-Life Activities in January,” said the bishops, referencing a Jan. 27 statement in which Bishop Thomas expressed his gratitude for “multiple steps” taken by the Trump administration to protect unborn children.

“No matter one’s immigration status, there is no overarching justification for separating nursing infants from their mothers or endangering the health and safety of pregnant women or their preborn babies,” the bishops said. “In this regard, we urge you in the strongest possible terms to extend the Administration’s commitments on life to all vulnerable mothers, infants, and children in the womb.”

WASHINGTON (OSV News) – President Donald Trump lashed out at Pope Leo XIV on social media and in verbal remarks April 12, calling him “weak on crime” and “terrible for foreign policy,” as tensions escalate in the Mideast.

Pope Leo has been a staunch critic of combat operations generally, including those initiated by the U.S. and Israel against Iran on Feb. 28. He also condemned Trump’s threat to wipe out Iran’s “whole civilization,” which the president later backed down from, citing negotiations with Pakistani mediators.

The pontiff held a special evening prayer vigil for peace in St. Peter’s Basilica April 11.

“I don’t want a Pope who thinks it’s OK for Iran to have a Nuclear Weapon,” Trump said in a post on his social media website, Truth Social, Sunday night. “I don’t want a Pope who thinks it’s terrible that America attacked Venezuela, a Country that was sending massive amounts of Drugs into the United States and, even worse, emptying their prisons, including murderers, drug dealers, and killers, into our Country. And I don’t want a Pope who criticizes the President of the United States because I’m doing exactly what I was elected, IN A LANDSLIDE, to do, setting Record Low Numbers in Crime, and creating the Greatest Stock Market in History.”

Pope Leo, the first U.S.-born pope, has called for the rejection of nuclear weapons, and there is no evidence he supports Iran having such weapons.

Trump claimed Pope Leo was elected as pope because the Church thought an American pontiff would be “the best way to deal with President Donald J. Trump.”

“If I wasn’t in the White House, Leo wouldn’t be in the Vatican,” he wrote.

Elsewhere in the post, the president also alleged the Catholic Church demonstrated “fear” during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I like his brother Louis much better than I like him, because Louis is all MAGA,” Trump said. “He gets it, and Leo doesn’t!”

Archbishop Paul S. Coakley of Oklahoma City, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops said in a brief statement late April 12 that he was “disheartened that the President chose to write such disparaging words about the Holy Father.”

“Pope Leo is not his rival; nor is the Pope a politician,” Archbishop Coakley said. “He is the Vicar of Christ who speaks from the truth of the Gospel and for the care of souls.”

The post from Trump came shortly after Vice President JD Vance failed to secure the key concessions the U.S. sought from Iran in a marathon 21 hours of negotiations in Islamabad, Pakistan. It also came the same day Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, a Trump ally, lost an election in that country, despite support from Trump and Vance.

Trump made similar comments about Pope Leo to reporters on April 12, telling them, “I don’t think he’s doing a very good job.”

“I’m not a big fan of Pope Leo,” Trump said. “He’s a very liberal person.”

Trump’s post also came shortly after a report by The Free Press — which was disputed by both the Pentagon and the Vatican — which claimed the Vatican’s top diplomat in the U.S. was brought to the Pentagon in January for a “bitter lecture” about comments from Pope Leo after Trump’s Venezuela operation that some senior U.S. defense officials perceived as criticism of the Trump administration.

“Leo should get his act together as Pope, use Common Sense, stop catering to the Radical Left, and focus on being a Great Pope, not a Politician,” Trump continued in his post. “It’s hurting him very badly and, more importantly, it’s hurting the Catholic Church!”

In remarks after praying the Regina Caeli April 12, Pope Leo expressed solidarity with those suffering from conflict, also notably in Sudan and Lebanon, saying, “I appeal to the parties in conflict to cease fire and urgently seek a peaceful solution.”

A recent NBC News Survey found that Pope Leo has the highest net favorability rating among more than a dozen key public figures and organizations in the U.S. at +34%. The same survey found Trump trailing him at a -12% rating.

VATICAN CITY (CNS) – Warning against an increasingly unpredictable and aggressive “delusion of omnipotence” threatening the globe, Pope Leo XIV called on world leaders and individuals to empty their hearts and minds of hatred and violence, and to start serving life.

“Enough of the idolatry of self and money! Enough of the display of power! Enough of war! True strength is shown in serving life,” he said during a special evening prayer vigil for peace in St. Peter’s Basilica April 11.

“Those who pray are aware of their own limitations; they do not kill or threaten with death,” he said. “Instead, death enslaves those who have turned their backs on the living God, turning themselves and their own power into a mute, blind and deaf idol, to which they sacrifice every value, demanding that the whole world bend its knee.”

“Let us listen to the voices of children,” who write to him all the time, recounting “all the horror and inhumanity of actions that some adults boast of with pride,” he said.

The vigil, which drew thousands of people inside and outside the basilica, featured the recitation of the glorious mysteries of the rosary. Before each mystery was recited, women wearing traditional dress from countries representing the different continents of the world lit small lamps from a flame from the Lamp of Peace from Assisi that was placed below a statue of Our Lady Queen of Peace.

Prayer can move mountains, he said in his remarks in Italian. “War divides; hope unites. Arrogance tramples upon others; love lifts up. Idolatry blinds us; the living God enlightens.”

It just takes a tiny bit of faith “to face this dramatic hour in history together,” he said.

For a people of faith in the risen Lord who conquered death with love, he said, “nothing can confine us to a predetermined fate, not even in this world where there never seem to be enough graves, for people continue to crucify one another and eliminate life, with no regard to justice and mercy.”

While the pope did not mention any one current conflict in his remarks, he did recall St. John Paul II’s fervent efforts and calls for peace during the 2003 invasion of Iraq conducted by the U.S. with the assistance of a multi-national coalition.

“I make his appeal my own this evening, relevant as it is today,” Pope Leo said, referring to his predecessors’ calls for “No more war.”

“The Church is a great people at the service of reconciliation and peace,” he said. “She advances without hesitation, even when rejecting the logic of war may lead to misunderstanding and scorn.”

The Church “proclaims the Gospel of peace and instills obedience to God rather than any human authority, especially when the inherent dignity of other human beings is threatened by continuous violations of international law,” Pope Leo said.

With the help of prayer and God, people can help “break the demonic cycle of evil” and be at the service of the Kingdom of God, where there is “no sword, no drone, no vengeance, no trivialization of evil, no unjust profit, but only dignity, understanding and forgiveness,” Pope Leo said.

“It is here that we find a bulwark against that delusion of omnipotence that surrounds us and is becoming increasingly unpredictable and aggressive,” he added.

He criticized the use of God’s name in justifying violence, saying “even the holy name of God, the God of life, is being dragged into discourses of death.”

Those invoking God’s name in such a way erase a world made up of brothers and sisters with one heavenly Father and instead create a “nightmare” where the world is made up of enemies and threats, rather than calls to listen and to come together.

Speaking to the world’s leaders, the pope said, “Stop! It is time for peace! Sit at the table of dialogue and mediation, not at the table where rearmament is planned, and deadly actions are decided!”

However, all the world’s people also have a duty to reject the violence in their own hearts and minds, and help build a kingdom of peace each and every day in one’s own home, school and community, he said.

“Let us believe once again in love, moderation and good politics,” he said, urging people to learn more and “get personally involved” in being part of “the mosaic of peace!”

“Dear brothers and sisters, let us return home having made a commitment to pray without ceasing and without growing weary, a commitment to a profound conversion of heart,” the pope said.

Before entering the basilica, Pope Leo greeted the faithful gathered in St. Peter’s Square, thanking them for their presence. He explained his reason for calling for the prayer vigil, which was also being joined by countless others around the world, either online or in their own parishes.

By praying the rosary together, he said, “we want to tell the whole world that it is possible to build peace, a new peace, that it is possible for all people, of all religions, of all ethnicities, to live together, and that we want to be disciples of Jesus Christ, united as brothers and sisters, all united in a world of peace.”

SCRANTON – Faithful of the Diocese of Scranton gathered at the Cathedral of Saint Peter on Friday, April 3, 2026, to commemorate Good Friday of the Passion of the Lord, one of the most solemn liturgies of the Church year.

The Most Rev. Joseph C. Bambera, Bishop of Scranton, served as principal celebrant, with Father Jeffrey Tudgay, Cathedral Pastor, delivering the homily.

The liturgy began in silence and included the proclamation of the Passion of Jesus Christ according to Saint John, along with the Solemn intercessions for the needs of the Church and the world.

The congregation also participated in the Veneration of the Holy Cross and received Holy Communion.

In his homily, Father Tudgay reflected on the relationship between love and freedom, emphasizing that “love has consequences” and must be freely chosen.

He noted that the Passion reveals “perfect love” and “perfect freedom” in the person of Christ, who endured betrayal, suffering, and death, yet responded with mercy and forgiveness.

“Every nuance of human behavior that can alienate us from one another is experienced by Jesus … and all of it is taken to the cross and all of it is forgiven,” Father Tudgay said.

He added that Christ’s final words, “It is finished,” changed the course of human history because they “illustrate the perfect use of freedom and the perfect choice that perfect love demands.”

Concluding his reflection, Father Tudgay invited the faithful to consider their own response to Christ’s sacrifice.

“Today, we realize that our relationship with Jesus Christ and His love for us, which redeems us and frees us from sin and death, has profound consequences for each one of us. It demands choices, it changes everything, and so, in freedom, how do we respond?” he ended his homily by asking.

SCRANTON – The Evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper was celebrated April 2, 2026, at the Cathedral of Saint Peter in Scranton, marking the beginning of the Sacred Triduum.

The liturgy recalled the institution of the Holy Eucharist, the priesthood, and Christ’s call to service, as proclaimed in the Gospel of Saint John: “I have given you a model to follow, so that as I have done for you, you should also do.”

During the Mass, the Most Rev. Joseph C. Bambera, Bishop of Scranton, washed the feet of 12 individuals, reflecting Jesus’ humble service to his disciples. The celebration also included the Liturgy of the Word, the Eucharistic Prayer and Communion, drawing the faithful into the mystery of Christ’s sacrifice and love.

In his homily, Father Gerald W. Shantillo, Vicar General and Moderator of the Curia, invited the faithful to reflect on the depth of Holy Week, acknowledging that “Holy Week can be overwhelming, as we drink in the most intense moments of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection.”

He encouraged prayers for those suffering in today’s world, especially in areas affected by war, adding, “Jesus, King of Peace, give us peace – especially in the Holy Land.”

Father Shantillo reflected on Christ’s agony in the Garden of Gethsemane, noting “there is much to agonize over in our lives – however, agony can be a blessing if we let it lead us to God and not to ourselves.”

He emphasized that, even before entering into his suffering, Jesus provided for his followers through the gift of the Eucharist and the example of service in the washing of feet.

“Remember when we kneel that we are in the very same posture that Jesus was in the garden his very night. Can we hand over to God what burdens us and trust in his providence?” Father Shantillo asked. “God doesn’t call us to solve all the problems of the immense world. He calls us to unite ourselves to him through the Eucharist and to serve our neighbors.”

The Mass concluded with the solemn procession and transfer of the Most Blessed Sacrament to the Altar of Repose, inviting the faithful to prayer and reflection in the presence of the Lord.