Category: Diocese of Scranton News

(OSV News) – The U.S. bishops are calling the faithful to donate to the annual collection for the Church in Latin America, to help support ministries among the poor in Mexico, Central and South America, and the Caribbean — and to “honor Pope Leo XIV and, above all, serve the Lord who calls us to love our neighbors.”

Many dioceses will take this offering up in their parishes at Masses the weekend of Jan. 24-25.

Supported by the generosity of the U.S. faithful, the collection funds different ministries such as faith formation projects for teenagers, marriage enrichment, prison outreach and evangelization-centered gatherings. They represent the types of initiatives that inspired Pope Leo, then-Father Robert Prevost, “to go to Peru as a missionary,” according to a news release from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

The Jan. 8 USCCB statement also pointed out that Pope Leo, while bishop of Chiclayo, Peru, received several grants from the Collection for the Church in Latin America, with which the diocese “improved youth ministry in impoverished parishes, promoted care for the environment and educated thousands of parents, teachers and catechists in the prevention of child abuse.”

Bishop Edgar M. da Cunha of Fall River, Massachusetts, serves as chairman of the USCCB’s Subcommittee on the Church in Latin America, which coordinates this annual collection and grants its funds.

“Pope Leo XIV’s faith journey embodies the spirit of why the bishops of the United States created the Church in Latin America program six decades ago to make an impact in Latin America,” he said in the USCCB statement.

In 2024, the Collection for the Church in Latin America allocated resources to 344 projects of evangelization, formation, and pastoral action in countries including Venezuela, Ecuador, Haiti, Colombia, Cuba and Mexico, according to the USCCB.

“Thanks to the people of God, we are able to help with more than $8 million,” said Father Leo Pérez, director of the Church in Latin America Program of the USCCB’s Office of National Collections, who noted that these resources are invested in “the formation of seminarians and religious women, as well as youth ministry, catechism, lay gatherings, etc.”

A member of the Missionary Oblates of Mary, Father Pérez told OSV News that for the U.S. bishops, it is essential to send resources to countries such as Cuba, Nicaragua, Venezuela and Haiti “because they are suffering greatly, and it is not easy to send money to those countries, so we know how to do it, and we are in contact with those most in need in those countries.”

Bishop Emilio Aranguren Echeverría of Holguín, Cuba, said the resources they receive are used for basic needs and invested in formation efforts, such as catechesis for children, adolescents and young people; Christian initiation for adults; formation of pastoral agents; and materials and printing for evangelization.

“Our vehicles are old, and there are also difficulties with fuel and its price, so the aid we receive allows us to run a program to serve these communities,” Bishop Aranguren told OSV News.

Bishop Aranguren also spoke of a pastoral study underway in Cuba “about the functioning of small communities with the traditions of our culture and our religiosity” and the importance of traditions, such as “novenarios” for those faithful who have lost a loved one and who gather for nine days to pray for the eternal rest of his or her soul.

“The generosity of our faithful is very, very great, but what our faithful offer is their service, their actions,” he said, highlighting “the catechist who can offer Saturday afternoon, the visitor to the sick who dedicates two days or two afternoons a week, the lay missionary who moves from one place to another.”

Bishop Aranguren also emphasized that thanks to the generosity of Catholics in the United States they can meet basic needs, so that parishes have the minimum resources to guarantee the celebration of the sacraments and daily pastoral care in parish offices.

Bishop José Antonio Da Conceição Ferreira of Puerto Cabello, Venezuela, who also serves as the Venezuelan Episcopal Conference’s secretary general, said the annual collection helped Catholics in his country “strengthen our communities and larger processes such as those at the level of the episcopal conference.”

“The needs of the diocese are many because it is a very poor diocese, impoverished by the social, political and economic situation of the country,” the bishop told OSV News. “We have many shortcomings in terms of infrastructure, in terms of supporting the clergy, in terms of being able to launch more pastoral projects.”

According to the United Nations, Venezuela has faced years of economic collapse, political instability, and a humanitarian crisis that has left millions in urgent need of assistance. The recent U.S. military intervention that resulted in the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro — largely seen as a dictator by the international community — was both celebrated and criticized by many leaders around the world and had caused tensions and uncertainty in the country.

Addressing the needs of his diocese with regard to the collection, Bishop Da Conceição Ferreira said that “there are many dreams and hopes, but sometimes the economic factor is what slows us down a little. It’s not that we’re not working, because we work hard, but the economic factor is sometimes what slows down our work.”

Bishop Da Conceição Ferreira pointed out that thanks to these grants, Catholic leaders have launched new projects or promoted existing ones to give them continuity.

“In the case of my diocese, the youth ministry has carried out some formation processes with young people, and it has truly been thanks to this support that the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops has given us through its Latin America section,” he said.

“Gratitude must also be expressed in concrete gestures, and I believe that every Catholic who supports this collection is giving thanks to God, which then translates into support for formation and pastoral processes in the churches of Latin America, which are so much in need,” he added. “It is an impetus to continue.”

WASHINGTON (OSV News) – The Department of Homeland Security said Jan. 14 it issued an interim final rule reducing wait times for religious worker visas. Catholic advocates were among those who pushed the Trump administration to address the backlog in their visa category.

In its announcement, the department said its regulation change would reduce the wait time applicants are required to remain outside the U.S.

A spokesperson for DHS said in a statement the department “is committed to protecting and preserving freedom and expression of religion.”

“We are taking the necessary steps to ensure religious organizations can continue delivering the services that Americans depend on,” the spokesperson said. “Pastors, priests, nuns, and rabbis are essential to the social and moral fabric of this country. We remain committed to finding ways to support and empower these organizations in their critical work.”

The new rule removes the requirement for R-1 religious workers to reside outside the U.S. for a year upon reaching the visa’s statutory five-year maximum period.

DHS said in its announcement that while R-1 religious workers will still have to leave the U.S., there is no longer a minimum time requirement for them to reside and be physically present outside the U.S. before reapplying for the R-1 visa.

Archbishop Paul S. Coakley of Oklahoma City, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, and Bishop Brendan J. Cahill of Victoria, Texas, chair of the USCCB’s Committee on Migration, said in a joint statement, “We are tremendously grateful for the Administration’s work to address certain challenges facing foreign-born religious workers, their employers, and the American communities they serve.”

The DHS announcement came shortly after Archbishop Coakley met with President Donald Trump at the White House, although the topics of their Jan. 12 meeting have not been made public.

The USCCB is among the organizations that have worked to address the religious worker visa backlog. Bishop Mark J. Seitz of El Paso, Texas, the migration committee’s previous chair, told the bishops’ fall plenary assembly in Baltimore in November that he was “very optimistic” there would be “positive developments in the very near future” on the issue of religious worker visas.

R-1 non-immigrant religious worker visas allow some religious workers outside the U.S. — such as Catholic priests and nuns — to legally enter the U.S. to serve their faith communities. These are initially granted for a 30-month period, with one possible renewal allowing for a total of 5 years, so they can be in the U.S. to carry out ministry work.

While within that window, they can apply for employment-based EB-4 status so they can legally remain in the U.S. without interruption. However, there is a significant backlog for such visas, as there is greater demand than the number of visas issued. That backlog could have a grave impact on the church in the U.S., as the National Study of Catholic Priests — released in 2022 by The Catholic University of America’s Catholic Project — indicated 24% of priests serving in the U.S. are foreign-born, with many of them also subject to visa renewals.

The R-1 visa rule change, by eliminating the requirement to have residency outside the U.S. for one year before reapplying, is expected to help prevent these religious workers serving U.S. faith communities from having to be reassigned outside the U.S.

In their statement, Archbishop Coakley and Bishop Cahill added, “The value of the Religious Worker Visa Program and our appreciation for the efforts undertaken to support it cannot be overstated.”

“This targeted change is a truly significant step that will help facilitate essential religious services for Catholics and other people of faith throughout the United States by minimizing disruptions to cherished ministries,” they said. “In order to provide the full extent of the relief needed and truly promote the free exercise of religion in our country, we continue to urge Congress to enact the bipartisan Religious Workforce Protection Act.”

That legislation, if enacted, would permit religious workers already in the U.S. on temporary R-1 status with pending EB-4 applications to stay in the U.S. while waiting for permanent residency. The bipartisan legislation was introduced in the Senate by Sens. Tim Kaine, D-Va., Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Jim Risch, R-Idaho, and in the House by Reps. Mike Carey, R-Ohio, and Richard Neal, D-Mass. In statements at the time, Kaine and Collins both cited priest shortages in their states. All five lawmakers behind the legislation are Catholic.

Miguel Naranjo, director of religious immigration services at the Catholic Legal Immigration Network, also known as CLINIC, said in comments to OSV News, “The Department of Homeland Security’s decision to reduce the minimum time foreign-born religious workers must spend outside the country before re-applying for R1 status is a positive and pragmatic step — one that CLINIC, our partners and faith leaders across the country have advocated for.”

“However, while today’s DHS announcement offers welcome relief, religious workers are still required to depart the U.S. after five years, even though they may now return for a new R-1 period without waiting a full year abroad,” Naranjo said.

“This change, while helpful,” he added, “does not fully resolve the challenges facing clergy, particularly as travel bans continue to prevent many from obtaining visas at all. We hope this and future DHS decisions reflect a deeper recognition of the vital role foreign-born clergy and faith workers play in sustaining U.S. congregations, faith-based nonprofits and the communities in which they serve.

In a statement, the Hope Border Institute, a group that works to apply the perspective of Catholic social teaching in policy and practice to the U.S.-Mexico border region, said, “Our foreign-born priests and religious are critical to the fabric of the Catholic Church in this country.”

“Immigrants play a crucial role in the strength of our faith communities, and this was a crucial step to guarantee that many parishes and local communities can have a reprieve from the uncertainty surrounding the ability of their priests and religious to remain in the United States,” their statement said. “However, we still await an end to the attacks on the dignity of every person through mass deportations, which continue to threaten all of our migrant brothers and sisters, who are all part of the crucial foundation of the Church in the United States.”

The regulation change comes as Catholic advocates have expressed concern about some other Trump administration immigration policies.

At their November meeting, the bishops approved a “special pastoral message” — their first since 2013 when they objected to the Obama administration’s contraceptive mandate — voicing “our concern here for immigrants.” The bishops’ special message opposed “the indiscriminate mass deportation of people” and also prayed “for an end to dehumanizing rhetoric and violence, whether directed at immigrants or at law enforcement.”

The statement, which did not name Trump, came as a growing number of bishops have acknowledged that some of the administration’s immigration policies risk presenting the church with both practical challenges in administering pastoral support and charitable endeavors, as well as religious liberty challenges, such as a policy easing restrictions on Immigration and Customs Enforcement actions at what are seen as sensitive locations, including houses of worship.

J. Kevin Appleby, senior fellow for policy at the Center for Migration Studies in New York and the former director of migration policy at the USCCB, told OSV News that the DHS regulation change was “very good news for the Church in the US.”

He said, “It will help the bishops provide pastoral care to the Catholic faithful nationwide, especially immigrant communities, by ensuring foreign-born clergy can continue their ministries. Moving forward, the bishops will be able to meet the pastoral needs of their flock with confidence.”

(OSV News) – As the Catholic Church prepares to join Christians around the world in commemorating the 2026 Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, the theme chosen also reflects Pope Leo XIV’s hope of unified humanity in an increasingly individualistic world.

“There is one body and one Spirit,” drawn from St. Paul’s Letter to the Ephesians, is the theme.

Unity is “more than simply an ideal,” but a “divine mandate at the core of our Christian identity,” according to resource materials for the week published by the Vatican.

“It represents the essence of the Church’s calling — a call to reflect the harmonious oneness of our life in Christ amidst our diversity,” the materials stated. “This divine unity is central to our mission and is sustained by the profound love of Jesus Christ, who has set before us a unified purpose.”

The material for the Jan. 18-25 octave of prayer, which was published on the website of the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity, was prepared by the Armenian Apostolic Church, as well as members of the Armenian Catholic Church, and evangelical churches.

The full theme chosen for the week of prayer reads, “There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling,” which “encapsulates the theological depth of Christian unity,” the materials said.

The theological vision of Christian unity has also been a recurring theme since the start of Pope Leo’s pontificate, starting with his motto: “In Illo uno unum” (“In the One, we are one.”)

During his return flight from Lebanon Dec. 2, Pope Leo noted that although his motto is a Christ-centric hope for unity, that hope is not limited to just Christians, but an invitation “to all of us and to others” to promote “authentic unity and understanding, respect and human relationships of friendship and dialogue in the world.”

For the pope, true and sincere unity increases the hope that “we will put aside the arms of war, that we will leave aside the distrust, the hatred, the animosity that has so often been built up, and that we will find ways to come together and be able to promote authentic peace and justice throughout the world.”

Pope Leo also told journalists aboard the papal flight that his first apostolic visit to Turkey and Lebanon, which commemorated the 1,700th anniversary of the First Council of Nicaea, was “organized thinking about ecumenical affairs” and “seeking unity in the Church.”

During his visit, the pope signed a joint declaration with Orthodox Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople, which stressed that unity could not be reduced to mere agreements.

Christian unity, the declaration stated, “is not merely the result of human efforts, but a gift that comes from on high.” It went on to call all Christians to earnestly seek “the fulfilment of the prayer that Jesus Christ addressed to the Father: ‘that they may all be one, even as you, Father, are in me, and I in you … so that the world may believe.'”

The choice of the Armenian Apostolic Church in preparing the resource materials for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, was notable given the pope’s admiration for the suffering endured by the people of Armenia, which he expressed during his Nov. 30 visit to Archbishop Sahak II Mashalian, the Armenian Apostolic patriarch of Constantinople, in Istanbul.

Reflecting on the Nicene Creed, Pope Leo said unity must take the form of “a communion which does not imply absorption or domination, but rather an exchange of the gifts received by our Churches from the Holy Spirit.”

When Christians gather to pray as one during the week of prayer, its theme, the witness of Armenian Christians and Pope Leo’s vision for unity all converge on a central message that Christians are called not only to reflect on unity, but to live it.

SCRANTON – The Most Rev. Joseph C. Bambera, Bishop of Scranton, will once again travel throughout the Diocese of Scranton during Lent 2026 to lead Holy Hours in each of the Diocese’s 12 deaneries, continuing a tradition that began several years ago.

The 2026 Lenten Holy Hours will begin on Thursday, Feb. 19 at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish in Wyalusing, Bradford County, and continue through Tuesday, March 24, at SS. Peter and Paul Parish in Plains, Luzerne County.

Each Holy Hour will offer Catholics the opportunity to gather for prayer, reflection, and Eucharistic devotion during the Lenten season.

First launched several years ago as part of the National Eucharistic Revival, the Lenten Holy Hours with Bishop Bambera have drawn strong participation and elicited positive responses from parishioners. Many attendees return year after year, finding the evenings to be a moment of quiet encounter with Christ.

Each Holy Hour includes Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, time for silent prayer and adoration, a homily offered by Bishop Bambera, and sacred music that enhances the reverent atmosphere.

“It is such a special occasion to have the Bishop with us and to have him here in our little town,” Christine Aydelotte said after a 2024 Holy Hour at Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish in Tunkhannock. “He helps to strengthen our bond with Jesus. He’s an inspiration and a reminder that we all play a small part in our one Holy Catholic Apostolic Church.”

Amid a busy and often chaotic season – leading up to Easter – many parishioners have found profound peace in spending quiet time in prayer before the Lord.

“If people put themselves fully into this experience and really sit with the Lord, He makes Himself known. I think everyone, when they fully enter into it, has their own personal revelation,” Concetta Cooney said following a 2025 Holy Hour at Saint John the Evangelist Parish in Pittston.

A full schedule of dates and locations for the 2026 Holy Hours is located below. Every Holy Hour will take place at 7 p.m.

All are welcome to attend any of the Holy Hours, regardless of parish or deanery affiliation.

With the beginning of Lent now only a month away, Bishop Bambera invites the faithful to save the dates of these special Holy Hours and encourages them to attend at least one of the special evenings of prayer.

NEWPORT TWP. – The pews of Saint Adalbert Church in Glen Lyon were filled one final time on Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, as approximately 350 faithful gathered at 2 p.m. for a Closing Mass for the affectionately-known “Church on the Hill.”

The Mass was celebrated by the Most Rev. Joseph C. Bambera, Bishop of Scranton, with Father James E. McGahagan, a native son of the community and longtime priest of the Diocese of Scranton, serving as homilist.

Throughout the liturgy, the voices of the Holy Spirit Parish choir echoed through the ornate interior built by hard-working Polish immigrants who sacrificed to establish a spiritual home for their community.

While the occasion was marked by sadness, the tone of the celebration consistently pointed toward gratitude, faith, and hope – themes echoed throughout the homily and remarks from Bishop Bambera.

“It is a bittersweet day – no doubt,” Bishop Bambera said following Communion. “But thank you for filling this church as it should be, to give honor and praise to God and thanksgiving for the blessing that this sacred space has been to so many of you.”

Saint Adalbert Church, founded 137 years ago when Glen Lyon was known as Morgantown, flourished for decades as a center of faith and community life.

Over time, however, demographic shifts, declining Mass attendance, rising costs, and mounting maintenance needs brought significant challenges. In recent years, average weekend Mass attendance at Saint Adalbert had declined to approximately 50 to 55 people, while an independent facilities assessment identified hundreds of thousands of dollars in necessary repairs that would be needed over the next decade.

After several years of discussion and prayer through the Diocese of Scranton’s Vision 2030 Pastoral Planning Process, the decision was made to close Saint Adalbert Church and suppress Holy Spirit Parish, which had been formed in 2010 and included Saint Adalbert, Saint Mary Church in Mocanaqua, and Saint Martha Church in Fairmount Springs.

Under reconfiguration, Saint Mary Church has now become a secondary worship site of Saint Faustina Kowalska Parish in Nanticoke, while Saint Martha Church has become a secondary worship site of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish in Hunlock Creek.

Acknowledging the pain of the moment, Bishop Bambera reminded the faithful that the Church’s identity is rooted not in buildings, but in its people.

“This is a difficult day. Make no mistake about it,” he said. “We have to say goodbye to a cherished part of so many of our lives. It is not a day that any parishioner, any priest, or any bishop would ever relish – but we take hope in our faith.”

Bishop Bambera spoke personally of change and sacrifice, recalling his own experiencing presiding at a closing Mass of a church several years ago where his great-grandparents were founding members.

“Change is never easy,” he said, “and the loss of a treasured house of worship is particularly painful for all who have experienced the consolation of our faith within the walls of this church.”

Yet, he noted, change has always been a part of the Church’s story.

“If my great-grandparents – and yours – were unwilling to change in response to the circumstances of their lives in Poland over a century ago, they would have never ventured to this land,” he said. “They taught us that despite the heartaches and losses they endured, life goes on. For them, the most important legacy to pass from one generation to the next is the faith that sustains us.”

Father McGahagan, who began his homily speaking Polish, powerfully recalled the sacrifices of Saint Adalbert’s founders – many of them poorly paid coal miners – who built a magnificent church with little more than faith and determination.

“As we look around at the beauty of this church, we find it amazing to see what they were able to do when they had so little for themselves,” he said. “What a tribute to their faith, their generosity, and their desire to celebrate that faith.”

He reflected on memories tied to the parish – baptisms, weddings, funerals, Stations of the Cross, and crowded holy days – memories shared by nearly everyone gathered.

“All of you here have similar, emotionally charged memories,” Father McGahagan said. “Today, we have gathered in sadness with the realization that those days have passed.”

Still, he urged parishioners not to grieve without hope.

“At this moment, we must remember the words of Saint Paul when he wrote that he would not have us grieve like those who have no hope,” he said. “Because of our faith in Jesus, risen from the dead, we face this loss as we face the loss of loved ones, grieving – but not without hope. Brought low – but not crushed – drawing from Christ Jesus himself the strength to go on and remain strong and faithful.”

Throughout the Mass, the message was clear: the Church lives on in the people who carry its faith forward.

“This church has been a spiritual beacon in our lives,” parishioner Heidi Jarecki said. “As time went on, our population diminished and so that led us to today. It’s very emotional for a lot of us. We are very humble and grateful that our church has been here all these years.”

“It was a tough decision to make but it was one that had to be made and now we have to move on,” parishioner Joseph Hillan added. “On Christmas Eve we had a nice crowd of 175 people. If we had those 175 people every week, we wouldn’t be in this situation that we are today.”

At the end of the Mass, all parishioners were invited to reverence the altar one final time and then leave the church. At 3:52 p.m., the doors were locked one final time, and the Blessed Sacrament was given a police escort to Saint Faustina Parish.

“May our memories today be filled with gratitude and hope,” Bishop Bambera said. “Gratitude for all that has been, and hope for all that will be, through the grace of God present in our lives.”

ARCHBALD – From the window of the room where Austin Burke paints, he can see the spire of Saint Thomas Aquinas Church in Archbald, his home parish and spiritual anchor.

The view is not lost on him as he spends many mornings carefully sketching, mixing colors, and patiently bringing to life some of the most sacred and iconic church buildings across the Diocese of Scranton – one brushstroke at a time.

For nearly the past year, Burke has been quietly undertaking a remarkable act of stewardship.

The retired community leader has committed himself to painting Catholic churches throughout the Diocese, donating every completed work to benefit the Catholic Foundation for the Diocese of Scranton.

More than a dozen churches have already been captured on canvas, representing communities from Dunmore, Stroudsburg, Williamsport, Wilkes-Barre to Scranton, with more to come.

“I feel blessed. I really do,” Burke said. “God’s given me some talent, given me the health to go through with it, given me the community and the affirmation to say, ‘Austin, we like your stuff.’ I totally feel blessed and privileged to be able to do this.”

Burke, a native of Archbald, is well known across northeastern Pennsylvania for his decades of leadership in economic development. He served for 40 years with the Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce and later as Pennsylvania’s Secretary of Community and Economic Development under Governor Ed Rendell.

But while business and civic leadership have defined his professional life, art has long lived quietly alongside it.

“I’ve always had an interest in art,” Burke said.

That interest took a more serious turn in 1997 during a family vacation in Florida, when Burke borrowed a set of watercolors and began painting clouds.

“When I came home, I continued,” he joked. “I started slow. I painted trees for the next month.”

After retiring in 2013, Burke audited art courses at Keystone College and immersed himself in color theory, perspective, and drawing.

“I ended up taking 15 art courses and that really upped my game,” he acknowledged.

Over time, his paintings of Scranton-area landmarks gained attention. But Burke found himself increasingly drawn to churches.

“I think the most iconic buildings that we have in Lackawanna County are all of our churches,” he said. “They are real treasures that we have.”

For Burke, churches represent far more than architecture.

“A church is where humanity encounters God,” he reflected. “Not only do you encounter God there, but you meet your community there, and that is important.”

That insight eventually led to an idea: using his talent to help raise money for the Catholic Foundation for the Diocese of Scranton. Burke offered to paint local churches and the artwork could be put up for auction online.

Diocesan leaders embraced the idea – and encouraged him to expand beyond his home region.

“The Bishop said, ‘Would you mind doing a few more out in Williamsport, Muncy and Stroudsburg?” Burke recalled. “I was honored.”

Each painting is a significant commitment.

Most are 16-by-20-inch oil paintings, with the Cathedral of Saint Peter a little larger. Burke and his wife, Marianne, travel to each location, carefully photographing the church under ideal lighting conditions.

“Morning light is different from evening light,” he explained.

In his home studio, the process begins with days of sketching.

“If you don’t get the sketch right, you don’t know what you’re going to paint,” he said.

In total, Burke estimates that each painting takes about 200 hours from start to finish.

“These churches, they have great stained glass, stonework and buttresses,” he said. “Those lines often pull the whole painting together.”

Painting, for Burke, is a daily discipline.

“I like to paint most mornings,” he said, noting author Stephen King’s advice to work every day. “I would bet you that I paint four or five days a week for several hours.”

Some churches present unique challenges. He joked about the countless stones at Saint Catherine of Siena Church in Moscow but also acknowledged the joy that comes when a painting finally reveals a building’s true beauty – as what happened with Annunciation Church (Saint Joseph the Worker Parish) in Williamsport.

“All of a sudden – bang – you can see what a beautiful church this is,” he said, reflecting on the color he used for the columns near the church’s stained-glass windows. “That was one of the delights.”

For Burke, the greatest reward comes when others see the finished work.

“When you get it right, you bring joy to people that see it – and that brings joy to me,” he said.

Displayed in early January at a leadership donor reception for the Catholic Ministries Appeal, the paintings sparked pride among parishioners from across the Diocese.

Burke hopes his paintings also help people recognize the breadth and diversity of the Church of Scranton.

“I’d like to see people recognize how huge this diocese is,” he said, “and the variations (of churches) depending on where immigrants come from.”

As the Catholic Foundation for the Diocese of Scranton prepares for an auction of Burke’s paintings after Easter 2026, his effort already stands as a powerful witness. It is a reminder that stewardship takes many forms – and that the gifts God gives to each of us, when offered generously, can help build the Kingdom in unexpected and lasting ways.

“The Foundation is going to be great, and I hope this helps drive home the fact that we have one huge community,” Burke said.

 

SCRANTON – One of the Diocese of Scranton’s most popular and creative fundraisers is returning for a milestone season, as Rectory, Set, Cook! will launch its fifth annual competition next month – with the hopes of surpassing $1 million raised since its inception.

The 2026 Rectory, Set, Cook! campaign will officially kick off on Tuesday, Feb. 17, and continue through 4:00 p.m. on Friday, March 27, inviting everyone across northeastern and north central Pennsylvania to support priests-turned-“pastor chefs” as they cook – and compete – for a good cause.

Half of all funds raised through Rectory, Set, Cook! benefit Catholic Social Services of the Diocese of Scranton, specifically supporting hunger and homelessness initiatives, while the remaining half goes directly to the participating priest’s parish.

The new season will begin with a Launch Party on Tuesday, Feb. 17, from 6-8:30 p.m. at the Diocesan Pastoral Center in Scranton. The 21-and-over event will feature food from local restaurants, musical entertainment from some of the pastor chefs, and a collaborative beer brewed by Breaker Brewing Company in partnership with Father Brian Van Fossen. Admission is $20 at the door.

Now in its fifth year, Rectory, Set, Cook! has grown into a signature fundraiser for Catholic Social Services, combining friendly competition, humor, and generosity.

Priests from across the Diocese film short cooking videos – sometimes solo, sometimes alongside parishioners, friends, or fellow clergy – encouraging donations and votes through an online platform.

For Father Michael Boris, assistant pastor at Saint Ignatius Loyola Parish in Kingston and Holy Family Parish in Luzerne, the competition is about much more than cooking.

“I really do think it’s important that we support Catholic Social Services,” Father Boris said. “As a priest, I have an obligation to do what I can to promote those services.”

Entering his third year in the competition, Father Boris this year is cooking Pan-Seared Chicken with Lemon Riccotta Pasta alongside several parishioners.

“Every time I do it, I’m impressed with how the people I work with come together,” he added. “I think it helps them appreciate what we do as priests – and I get to learn new skills.”

Monsignor Jack Bendik, who has participated in Rectory, Set, Cook! every year since its launch, said his continued involvement reflects an enduring commitment to service.

“I want to show that even though we’re retired, we still have a commitment to the Diocesan mission – especially to the poor,” Monsignor Bendik said. “Everything we receive is given to the poor.”

Monsignor Bendik will be joined by Father Phil Sladicka in this year’s video for the Villa Saint Joseph. The pair will share several simple, crowd-pleasing recipes, including a zucchini quiche that became a parish favorite in Avoca.

“Every time I had Bible study or a Sunday morning gathering, this was so easy to make that I would feed it to everybody and they loved it,” he said. “They kept coming back.”

Since its inaugural year in 2022, Rectory, Set, Cook! has steadily grown, raising $171,747 in its first year, followed by $197,412 in 2023, $218,001 in 2024, and a record-breaking $227,162 in 2025.

Proceeds have supported food pantries, kitchens, emergency shelters, and housing initiatives across the Diocese, helping Catholic Social Services respond to increasing needs in local communities.

For more information on Rectory, Set, Cook!, visit the Diocese of Scranton’s website or follow Diocesan social media channels.

It is also not too late for priests to participate in this year’s effort. For more information, contact Shannon Kowalski at Skowalski@dioceseofscranton.org.