Category: Diocese of Scranton News

INDIANAPOLIS (OSV News) – Absolute silence filled Lucas Oil Stadium as tens of thousands of people dropped to their knees to adore Jesus Christ in the Blessed Sacrament as the long-anticipated National Eucharistic Congress officially got underway on the evening of July 17 in Indianapolis.

More than 100 spotlights trained on a large, golden monstrance on an altar in the center of the stadium as a powerful holy hour – which took place before any talks, music or greeting by the evening’s three emcees – began the congress’s first revival night filled with prayer, powerful speakers and praise-and-worship music.

Just before Bishop Andrew H. Cozzens of Crookston, Minnesota – the driving episcopal force behind the congress – walked onto the floor carrying the monstrance, the 30 perpetual pilgrims who had walked the four National Eucharistic Pilgrimage routes entered the stadium. Carrying icons of each route’s respective patron saints – St. Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin, St. Junipero Serra, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton and the Blessed Virgin Mary – the pilgrims took the final steps that officially completed their eight-week journey from points north, south, east and west across the U.S. to the July 17-21 congress in Indiana’s capital city.

After a time of silent prayer and praise and worship, Bishop Cozzens knelt for a second time in front of the monstrance.

“Lord, we wanted to give you the first words of our National Eucharistic Congress,” he said. Kneeling before Jesus in the Eucharist, Bishop Cozzens recounted how the National Eucharistic Revival — launched in 2022 — has led Catholics to gather to study, teach and pray with the Eucharist, spending countless hours in adoration and small groups, and in parish and diocesan initiatives.

“Lord, we made a National Eucharistic Pilgrimage for you,” he prayed. “For the last 65 days we brought your living presence across this land, across the East, West, North and South. We visited large churches and small churches. We had large processions in cities and small processions in prisons. We visited nursing homes and homeless shelters. Lord, we tried to share with everyone we met along the way your unspeakable love.”

He said the pilgrimage prayed for the country and the church and brought those prayers to the congress. He thanked Jesus for the miracles the pilgrims saw along the way: conversion, people return to the faith, physical and spiritual healings.

“We hope to see more,” he said.

He told Jesus that the tens of thousands of Catholics in the stadium had gathered there to give him thanks and praise and to be changed into “missionary disciples, people filled with the joy of the Gospel, people so grateful for the salvation you purchased for us.”

He prayed for deeper conversion for individuals, peace in wartorn countries, those affected by abuse, and unity in both the country and the church. Bishop Cozzens invited attendees to share in silence their own desires with Jesus, and then asked them to pray that the Lord would also reveal his desires for them.

“Jesus, I trust in you,” he prayed, and the stadium resounded as people echoed his prayer.

“Lord, we have come here because we want a revival, a Eucharistic revival, and we want every Catholic to realize that you are alive in the Eucharist, and to encounter your love,” he said. “And Lord, we know that this revival, it has to begin with us.”

After the holy hour concluded and Bishop Cozzens processed out with the Eucharist, the revival’s emcees then took the stage: Father Joshua Johnson, vocations director for the Diocese of Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Montse Alvarado, president of EWTN News – who greeted the attendees in Spanish and English – and Sister Miriam James Heidland, a member of the Society of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity. The three talked about their own personal experiences with the Eucharist and what the congress meant to them before introducing the other speakers that evening.

Cardinal Christophe Pierre, the papal nuncio to the U.S., was the night’s keynote speaker. He opened with the reflection that “perhaps our main prayer for this Eucharistic congress should be this: that we as a church may grow in our unity so that we become more fruitful in our mission.”

He invited those present to reflect on the basic question of “what is Eucharistic revival?” and “how will we know that we are experiencing Eucharistic revival?”

Revival is “always accompanied by sacramental devotion,” he said, but it “must extend beyond devotional practices as well.”

“When we are truly revived by the Eucharist,” he said, “then our encounter with Christ’s real presence in the sacrament opens us to an encounter with him in the rest of our life. This means seeing him everywhere we go.”

He reminded those gathered that Christ “is also present in our encounters with people from whom we would otherwise consider ourselves divided” including “people from a different economic class or race, people who challenge our way of thinking.”

Living “a truly Eucharistic life,” he emphasized, means that adoration “spills over in our daily life, a life of relating to others, our way of seeing others.”

He encouraged those gathered to use their time in adoration over the week of the Eucharistic Congress to ask the Lord to reveal the places where they are resistant to surrendering to his will.

“He is the only one who can lead us to new life,” he concluded, “by following him, we can become true apostles of his Kingdom.”

Sister Bethany Madonna, local superior of the new Phoenix mission of the Sisters of Life, talked about how Jesus, crucified and risen, “wants to reveal himself” and bring his grace because of his love for each person.

“God knows you. God loves you. And chooses you … He has entrusted you with a mission that he has entrusted to no one else,” she said.

She said that Jesus “knows that we are hungry for love, and he chooses to give himself to us as food and drink.”

“We have this unquenchable thirst to be loved that no one and nothing can ever satisfy” but God, she explained.

Sister Bethany Madonna reminded people that when fear or failure can prevent them from drawing close to God’s love, “Jesus redeems everything.”

She shared the testimony of a woman who was terrified to go to confession because of two abortions she had when she was younger. She lived in shame and silence for 29 years, and when she made the appointment for the sacrament of reconciliation and drove to see the priest, she heard a whisper saying, “You don’t have to do it,” and, “This is too difficult … turn back.”

Praying Hail Marys all the way, she got to confession in tears; and after listening to her, the priest made the motion of picking up a lamb and said, “All of heaven rejoices … welcome home.”

Sister Bethany Madonna said that when the woman received Communion the next day, she said that “my life would be a ‘yes’ to God.”

The opening revival night of the National Eucharistic Congress already had a profound effect on participants who spoke with OSV News.

Belen Munoz, 18, of Rosa Park, New Jersey, said it was “encouraging” to see so many Catholics gathered for the congress.

“Growing up in a secular community, it’s a totally different experience,” she said. “Getting just a taste of what we’re encountering here is amazing, and I can’t wait for the rest of the week.”

“Tonight just showed me that Jesus is just so alive in the Eucharist and that it’s just so obvious that he’s working through so many people,” said Molly Quinn, 18, from Naperville, Illinois. She added the experience “just made me realize that we’re not alone in this world and there are so many people who are searching for Christ like I am.”

“I’ve been having a rough patch in my life and so coming here to this and seeing how God can work through everyone is truly inspiring and powerful and makes me feel revived personally,” added 18-year-old Michelle Jurec, also from Naperville. “I can’t wait for the rest of the days.”

Lotty Cantrelle, 63, a nurse from Lockport, Louisiana, stood and sang to a praise and worship song near the end of the evening. She said her pastor “volun-told” her to come to the congress — but after experiencing the opening revival session, “I know that my priest knew I needed this,” she said.

“A person’s heart would have to be made of stone not to be changed by that,” she said, noting Sister Bethany Madonna’s words about trusting Jesus.

“That gave me a lot of comfort,” she said. “I think this is a journey to my healing and to becoming my former self, who used to be more joyful. So I am ready.”

VATICAN CITY (CNS) – Envy is poison, and when envy and individualism prevail over communion, life becomes difficult, Pope Francis said.

“When we are content with what is necessary, even with little, with God’s help we are able to go forward and get along, sharing what there is, everyone renouncing something and supporting each other,” he said before praying the Angelus in St. Peter’s Square July 14.

The pope reflected on the day’s Gospel reading from St. Mark (6:7-13) about the mission of the twelve disciples in which Jesus sent them out “two by two” and told them “to take nothing for the journey” but only what was necessary.

“We do not proclaim the Gospel alone,” the pope said. The Gospel “is proclaimed together, as a community, and to do this it is important to know how to preserve sobriety,” that is, moderation and temperance in all things.

“The superfluous enslaves you,” he said. In order to be free, it is enough to have “what we need to live in a dignified way and to contribute actively to the mission.”

It is important to know “how to be sober in the use of things, sharing resources, capacities and gifts, and doing without the superfluous,” he said.

It also means “to be sober in thoughts, to be sober in feelings, abandoning our preconceived ideas and abandoning the inflexibility that, like pointless baggage, weighs us down and hinders the journey, instead fostering discussion and listening and thus making witness more effective,” he said.

A family or a community living in moderation creates “an environment rich in love, in which it is easier to open oneself to faith and the newness of the Gospel, and from which one starts out better, one starts out more serene,” he said.

“Envy is something lethal, a poison,” he said. If only material things count, if one does not listen, if individualism and envy prevail, “the air becomes heavy, life becomes difficult, and encounters become an occasion of restlessness, sadness and discouragement, rather than an occasion of joy.”

Pope Francis said communion, harmony and sobriety are “indispensable values for a church to be missionary at all levels.”

EXTON, Pa. (OSV News) – “The Bible in 10 Minutes,” a new viral video offering by Father Mike Schmitz and Ascension, earned 358,000 views in just 24 hours, according to a July 10 news release from Exton-based Ascension, a multimedia Catholic network and a leader in Catholic faith formation and digital content.

The audience response makes this Father Schmitz’s most “viral video ever, more than doubling his previous one-day record of 160,000 views set with his 2022 review of ‘The Sound of Freedom,'” the release said.

Father Schmitz, a priest of the Diocese of Duluth, Minnesota, has gained a national following for, among other things, his popular “The Bible in a Year” and “The Catechism in a Year” podcasts from Ascension.

He will be a featured keynote speaker during the National Eucharistic Congress July 17-21 in Indianapolis. Father Schmitz and Mother Olga of the Sacred Heart, founder and servant mother of the Daughters of Mary of Nazareth in the Archdiocese of Boston, are scheduled to address the congress’s July 18 evening revival session 7-9:30 p.m. at Lucas Oil Stadium.

Father Schmitz begins his new video, seated on screen. “The Bible is amazing,” he says, “but sometimes confusing and hard to read. … We’d like to read it, but without a map, it’s easy to get lost. There is a narrative throughout the Bible that tells a single story. The story of God’s plan for our salvation. Once we understand that story, we can understand the context of every book of the Bible. So, here’s the story in less than 10 minutes.”

In addition to Father Schmitz, a team of Ascension employees spent months on the production of “The Bible in 10 Minutes,” according to the release. The video’s animation was developed in collaboration with Coronation Media.

“We would love to make more videos like this that impart the truths of the faith in such a beauty-forward manner,” senior video producer Sean Boyd remarked. “It’s up to our audience to help us fund more videos and make it possible!”

“The Bible in 10 Minutes” can be found on the “Ascension Presents” YouTube channel.

(OSV News) – Catholic leaders called for peace and unity in the hours after former President Donald Trump was grazed by a bullet and a spectator was killed July 13 in an assassination attempt during the Republican presidential nominee’s campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.

The Holy See expressed “concern about last night’s episode of violence, which wounds people and democracy, causing suffering and death” in a July 14 statement in Italian. The Holy See is “united in the prayer of the U.S. bishops for America, for the victims, and for peace in the country, so that the motives of the violent may never prevail,” according to Catholic News Service.

The Most Rev. Joseph C. Bambera, Bishop of Scranton, posted a statement on social media saying, “The attempt on the life of former President Trump, the tragic loss of life of an innocent bystander and the wounding of others gives us all reason to pause and reflect upon the divisions in our land. Pray for the victims of this tragedy, an end to violence and for God’s peace.”

During his homily for the 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time on Sunday, July 14, Bishop Bambera expanded on his thoughts.

“I would be remiss if I failed to speak with you of this moment in our history as a nation and a people,” he told parishioners at the Cathedral of Saint Peter.

“This is not a political statement in support of the Republican candidate for president. It is not a moment to point fingers. It is not a time to engage in the dreadful social media posts that have emerged in the hours since this tragic event. No – this is a moment that demands that all of us reflect upon who and what we have become in the polarized, divided and angry world in which we find ourselves as a people.”

Pointing to Amos in the first reading of the day and the disciples in the Gospel passage – Bishop Bambera said we must all pray for the grace to embrace the mission of Jesus even if we feel ill equipped to do so.

“We are not responsible for pulling a trigger and taking lives. But we are responsible to set aside hatred, to embrace discourse with respect and to work to build a world of justice, mercy, forgiveness and peace. Nor can we side step our responsibility as Christians. As followers of Jesus, we have all been called to build God’s kingdom, to work for peace, to respect human life in all shapes and forms, regardless of what we believe, how we live, where we come from and what we don’t have,” Bishop Bambera continued.

On July 14, Trump thanked “everyone for your thoughts and prayers, as it was God alone who prevented the unthinkable from happening,” on his social media platform Truth Social.

“We will FEAR NOT, but instead remain resilient in our Faith and Defiant in the face of Wickedness. Our love goes out to the other victims and their families. We pray for the recovery of those who were wounded, and hold in our hearts the memory of the citizen who was so horribly killed,” he continued. “In this moment, it is more important than ever that we stand United, and show our True Character as Americans, remaining Strong and Determined, and not allowing Evil to Win. I truly love our County, and love you all, and look forward to speaking to our Great Nation this week from Wisconsin.”

Just 48 hours after the attempted assassination, Trump appeared at the first night of the Republican National Convention July 15 in Milwaukee.

That spectator killed has been identified as Corey Comperatore, a firefighter from western Pennsylvania who was among the thousands attending Saturday’s rally.

On Facebook July 13, Father Kevin Fazio, pastor All Saints Parish in Butler – a Catholic parish with five churches, one of which is located across from where the rally took place – wrote to parishioners that “We are shocked and saddened by the tragic shooting and act of violence that occurred at the Farm Show grounds on Saturday, July 13.”

“There are feelings of fear, hurt, anger, and sorrow in our community right now,” he wrote. “As Christians, we need to remember that during times of darkness, we are called to reflect the light of Christ. May we continue to pray for peace in our world, in our country, and right here at home. Our prayers to God today for everyone involved in, and all of the victims of this violent act, their families, and friends. God our Father, watch over us. Jesus our Savior, heal us. Holy Spirit, guide us.”

Bishops, including Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio, archbishop of the U.S. Archdiocese for the Military Services and president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops; and Bishop David A. Zubik of Pittsburgh, which includes Butler, issued statements July 13 calling for prayers and peace.

“We are grateful for the swift actions of the Secret Service and our local first responders,” Bishop Zubik said. “Let us join together in prayer for the health and safety of all, for healing and peace, and for an end to this climate of violence in our world. May God guide and protect us all.”

On X, formerly known as Twitter, Bishop Robert E. Barron of Winona-Rochester, Minnesota, posted July 13, “I would like to offer prayers for President Trump and all those who were injured at the rally in Pennsylvania. We must turn from the path of violence. May the Lord bless our troubled nation.”

The same day, Cardinal Seán P. O’Malley of Boston lamented that “our nation has once again witnessed another deadly and tragic shooting today” and joined in prayer for the families of those killed and the recovery of Trump and the injure
“As a nation, we must come to grips with the incessant violence that has too often become the norm. It must stop,” he continued in his social media post. “We must find peaceful ways to resolve our differences & avoid all political violence.”

Archbishop Nelson J. Pérez of Philadelphia also prayed for consolation for “those mourning the loss of a loved one” and for a swift recovery for Trump and those injured.

“Americans must join in solidarity to condemn today’s act of political violence and violence in all forms,” he said in a multipart message on X. “Working together, we can resolve our differences through peaceful dialogue and conquer the sin of hatred.”

SCRANTON – Like many other devotees, Leo Maxfield started attending the Solemn Novena to Saint Ann with his family as a young boy.

“My grandmother brought me up everyday at 5:30 p.m.,” Maxfield said. “We always had to sit in the very back of the tent and as a little kid I couldn’t see anything.”

As a teenager, Maxfield began volunteering in the monastery kitchen during the Novena and since 2011 has been coordinating ushers for the annual 10-days of prayer and devotion.

This year, as devotees mark the remarkable centennial anniversary of the Solemn Novena to Saint Ann, Maxfield helped to organize a “100th Anniversary Archives and Photo Display Gallery” that is open to the public and located in Saint Gabriel’s Room off the lower church.

With the Solemn Novena now underway, the gallery is open every day from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

“The Passionists had an archive closet/area in the monastery where they’ve kept photos, newspaper articles and booklets from the last 100 years. We took all that stuff, we sorted through it, and put together a wonderful display that starts with the Passionists coming to Scranton and the founder of the Novena, Father John Joseph Endler, in 1924, and it goes all the way through the decades to the modern day,” Maxfield said.

With more than 300 photos, 200 newspaper articles and numerous videos featured, many of the first people who have toured the display have been reminded of the impact the Novena has had on northeastern Pennsylvania.

“It really is a beautiful display and a beautiful reminder of just how far we’ve come,” Maxfield stated. “Anybody that sees it will really fall in love with the Novena all over again.”

This year’s Novena began on July 17 and will run through July 26, the Feast Day of Saint Ann and Saint Joachim. The sacred tradition has been a beacon of faith and hope for countless believers over the last 100 years, offering solace and spiritual guidance through prayer and reflection.

“You walk around and see these people and they’re so deep in prayer. You can tell some of them are hurting and waiting for answers. It is such a faith-filled time,” Sue Yanchik, a parishioner of Saint Ann Basilica Parish, said.

Yanchik has been attending the Novena since moving to Scranton in 1985. She is touched by how many people attend the 4:30 a.m. Mass on the Feast Day of Saint Ann each year.

“People are just walking around the grounds in the dark with just candlelight and the streetlights. It’s just beautiful,” she added.

This year’s milestone anniversary not only honors the enduring legacy of Saint Ann but continues to be a testament to the power of prayer and communal devotion.

For a century, the Novena has provided spiritual strength and healing to those in need, fostering a sense of unity and faith among believers of all backgrounds.

“Everyone comes to the Novena with intentions, with needs, with concerns about health, about family, about friends, about our town, and they are looking for Saint Ann’s guidance and support,” Very Reverend Richard W. Burke, C.P., Rector, Saint Ann’s Monastery, said.

The Solemn Novena to Saint Ann began somewhat organically in 1924, shortly after the Passionists arrived in West Scranton in the early 1900s at the invitation of Bishop Michael J. Hoban.

As part of their tradition, the Passionists prayed weekly to Saint Ann, whom their monastery was named, because they chose the property on the Feast of Mary’s birthday.

As the laity found out about the weekly prayers – they asked to participate.
“Father John Joseph (Endler) began meeting with them in a very small parlor room in the monastery and within a few months there were too many people. They wouldn’t fit anymore. The rest of the monastery was cloistered at the time, so we pitched a tent out in the yard and we had prayers in the tent for the people when they came every week,” Father Richard explained.

It was Father John Joseph Endler who suggested doing the first Novena to Saint Ann in preparation for her Feast Day in 1924.

“He planned it and put it into practice and in 1924 we had our first Solemn Novena to Saint Ann that culminated in the celebration of her Feast Day and for the next 100 years we’ve been doing it,” Father Richard added.

Throughout its history, the Novena has witnessed many testimonials of healings, answered prayers and renewed faith. While many Scranton natives attend the Novena annually, it also draws people from across the entire region who are drawn by the belief that Saint Ann, known as the patroness of mothers, grandmothers and homemakers, intercedes to her grandson, Jesus Christ, on their behalf.

This year, the theme for the 100th anniversary of the Novena centers around “Gratefulness to God for 100 Years of Blessings.”

“Our Novena preachers are going to reflect on how gratitude calls us to a deeper faith, how gratitude invites us to live in hope, how gratitude helps us to adopt the heart and mind of Christ a little bit more in our lives,” Father Richard explained.
With the centennial Novena celebration underway, many say its longevity is a testament to the enduring power of faith and the comfort found in communal prayer.

“The people are so faithful and especially generation after generation after generation they come back,” Anthony Cicco of Saint Ann Basilica Parish, said. “For me, it is the atmosphere. It was sitting out there with my family, my mom, grandmother, and my sister especially, and coming up day after day and seeing how everyone just enjoyed being here so much.”

FAIRMOUNT SPRINGS– The faithful of Saint Martha’s Church will gather on Sunday, July 28, 2024, to celebrate a momentous day in the history of their faith community – a century of faith and service.

The Most Rev. Joseph C. Bambera, Bishop of Scranton, will celebrate a Solemn Pontifical Mass of Thanksgiving at 11:00 a.m. and a dinner will follow in the church hall.

“A lot of thought has gone into planning this Mass. We are pleased that Bishop Bambera is coming. Concelebrating with him will be our new administrator, two former pastors, and the first priest ordained from our church,” parishioner Raphael Micca said. “Our 20-voice choir has been working hard on music for the Mass, which will include hymns in English, Latin and Polish.”

Volunteers who are helping to organize the centennial activities say many former parishioners who moved out of the area are planning to return for the celebration. They feel it will be like a big family reunion.

“We have sold 161 tickets for the dinner. There are people coming from New York and outside the area because they used to go to this church, and they remember it and how it was built. Some people are in their 90s that are coming. It is truly amazing,” parishioner Bonnie Zultevicz explained.

Towards the end of 1922, a small number of Catholic families of Polish descent settled in the Fairmount Springs area and asked Bishop Michael Hoban for permission to build a church. Approval was given in 1923, but the cost was not to exceed $3,500, and the church was to be a mission of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church in Lake Silkworth.

Land was donated for the new church and three families mortgaged their farms to finance its construction. A simple structure was built by the summer of 1924 and the church was completed the following year. Prior to the church being built, the faithful gathered for Mass in private homes.

By the 1950s, the community had outgrown its original space. A new Saint Martha’s Church was constructed about a mile away on land belonging to two parishioners who sold the parcel to the church for $500. The cornerstone was laid in 1959 and the new church was dedicated on Aug. 14, 1960. In 1966, Saint Martha’s welcomed its first resident pastor, and a rectory was built.

“My grandparents were one of the founding families of this church. Saint Martha’s Church, to me, stands out as a beacon shining God’s light in this community,” parishioner Mike Mecca explained. “Saint Martha’s Church is not just a building. It is the central location where I, with the community members, gather to worship God.”

As a part of Saint Martha’s 100th anniversary, parishioners are creating a Centennial Book that will include more of the church’s history through photographs, interviews, and newspaper articles.

“Many of the people within these walls have been a consistent presence, offering unwavering support through life’s highs and lows, serving as a reminder of God’s love and peace,” parishioner Amanda Matysik added. “Such tight-knit communities are irreplacable, and the significance of Saint Martha’s in my life, and that of my family, cannot be overstated.”

Besides the centennial Mass and dinner, other events to mark the church’s 100th anniversary have also been taking place. A ‘Family Day Picnic’ was held in June and two parishioners recently refurbished the cross and sign at the old cemetery – the site of the original Sant Martha’s Church – and the final resting place of many church founders.

One of the things that many parishioners appreciate is that activities are intergenerational.

“These past 100 years have brought countless souls to greater love and union with Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, most especially by means of the Sacraments and Prayer/Worship,” parishioner Rebecca A. Micca stated. “In these days of dwindling faith and de-moralization of societies, we need God’s presence among us, not just within us living lives of grace, but in our churches, which are symbols of the ‘heavenly Jerusalem’ and places of communal worship.”

SCRANTON – Many families in the Diocese of Scranton continue to suffer the loss of loved ones who have died as a result of violent or tragic death.

In response, the Diocese of Scranton is offering the annual Mass in remembrance of victims of violent or tragic death; particularly for persons who have died through murder, suicide, or accidental death.

The Mass will be a way for family and friends to remember and celebrate the lives of these victims and to stand together surrounded in God’s love.

The Mass of Remembrance will be taking place this year on Thursday, July 25, at 7:00 p.m. at the Cathedral of Saint Peter, 315 Wyoming Avenue, Scranton.

The Books of Remembrance will not be available to search for a name, but instead will be placed near the altar.

CTV: Catholic Television will broadcast the Mass live for those unable to attend in person.

Parishioners are encouraged to register the name of their loved one for entry into the Book of Remembrance. An online registration form is available on dioceseofscranton.org. Registration is also available by calling the Diocesan Office for Parish Life at (570) 207-2213.

MUNCY – Gregory Fleck is proof that everyone can make a difference in their community.

For the better part of a decade, Fleck has been raising money for Saint Joseph’s Center, which cares for children and adults with special needs.

“Saint Joseph’s (Center) really helps kids and adults who are intellectually and physically disabled,” Greg said. “I feel grateful to raise money for them. I just want to help and give back to the community.”

Fleck, who has cerebral palsy, once again enlisted the support of parishioners at his parish, Church of the Resurrection in Muncy, on Sunday, July 14, 2024. As Gregory rode his tricycle around the church parking lot, many others walked alongside him, all to support Newswatch 16’s ‘Go Joe 27’ event and Saint Joseph’s Center.

“Greg is so dedicated to this cause because he understands what it is like to live a life with a disability. He understands all the roadblocks, all the hardships, all the let downs. He is able to do something about it through all of his connections and all of his volunteering. He is able to reach out and talk for all those who are unable to do that,” Kristin Fleck, Greg’s mother, explained.

Officials at Saint Joseph’s Center are always inspired by Greg’s enthusiasm.

“He just reaches so many people to share the mission of Saint Joe’s and it is incredible to see all the smiling faces here today,” Jo Ann Verduce, Director of Development at Saint Joseph’s Center, said.

This Sunday, July 21, Bishop Bambera will welcome Gregory Fleck and his family to the Cathedral of Saint Peter in Scranton for the celebration of the 10:00 a.m. Mass. Fleck is expected to help serve the Mass and will speak on the importance of Saint Joseph’s Center in the community.

Catholic Television of the Diocese of Scranton will broadcast the Mass live.

 

LISBON, Portgual – The Most Rev. Joseph C. Bambera, Bishop of Scranton, once again co-chaired the Catholic-Pentecostal International Dialogue, which met at the Center of Spirituality, Alfragide, from July 6-12, 2024.

This dialogue began in 1972 and is co-sponsored by the Catholic Church’s Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity (DPCU) and the Pentecostal World Fellowship’s Christian Unity Commission.

The primary goal of this dialogue is to promote mutual respect and understanding between the Catholic Church and Classical Pentecostal leaders and churches.
All participants are convinced that Christian unity is the will of Christ. In the context of the general theme, Lex orandi, lex credendi, the fourth annual session discussed “Sacramentality and Christian Living.”

Dr. Jean-Daniel Plüss presented the Pentecostal paper, “Conformed to the Image of Christ: Pentecostal Spirituality, Sacramental Practices and Daily Living.”

Rev. Fr. Marcial Maçaneiro, S.C.J., presented the Catholic paper, “The Sacraments and Sacramental Life: A Catholic Perspective.”

Morning and evening prayers, led alternately by the participants, were also essential for the work together.

A visit to “Our Lady of Fatima Shrine,” where the participants attended Sunday Eucharist at the main square, was an occasion for exchange, dialogue, clarification, and reflection. It significantly marked this session in light of the topic discussed: the devoted expressions of many pilgrims impacted the participants, who saw in them a hunger for God and a confidence in God’s action.

At the end of the meeting, Bishop Joseph Bambera, Catholic Co-Chair, described the session as follows: “This year’s dialogue has once again affirmed what Pope Francis noted in reflecting upon the upcoming 1700th anniversary of the First Council of Nicaea, ‘Jesus Christ is the heart of ecumenism … and our mission is to bear witness to him.’ Our discussions, while candid and probing, reflect a depth of mutual respect, understanding and fellowship that emerges from shared faith in Jesus. These days continue to be a blessing to us all as we journey together as brothers and sisters in the Lord.”

Rev. Dr. Cecil M. Robeck, Jr., Pentecostal Co-Chair, affirmed: “After 52 years of dialogue together, we continue to be encouraged as we gain new insight and knowledge of one another. Our visit to Fatima highlighted our discussion on the sacramental life of the Church. We are still discovering how much we hold in common, which leads us to greater love and appreciation for the unique gifts that we bring on the same issues. It has been a rich time of giving and receiving these gifts.”

All participants benefitted greatly from the shared meals, conversations, and fellowship together.

The members from the Classical Pentecostal churches are: Rev. Cecil M. Robeck Jr., Fuller Theological Seminary, Pasadena, CA, USA (Assemblies of God), Co-Chair; Rev. David Cole, Liaison to the Greater Christian Community for the Pentecostal/Charismatic Churches of North America, Professor of Historical Theology, The King’s University, Southlake, TX, USA (Open Bible Churches), Co-Secretary; Rev. Marcia Clarke, Pastor, Vanguard University, London School of Theology, Los Angeles, USA/UK (Church of God,  Cleveland, TN); Rev. Dale M. Coulter, Professor of Historical Theology, Pentecostal Theological Seminary (Church of God, Cleveland, TN); Rev. Jacqueline Grey, Professor of Biblical Studies, Alphacrucis University College, Australia (Australian Christian Churches); Rev. Opoku Onyinah, Former Chairman of the Church of Pentecost, Ghana; Rev. David Wells, Vice-Chair of the Pentecostal World Fellowship, (General Superintendent of the Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada); Rev. Pedro Manuel López Castillo, Co-Coordinator, Pentecostal Fraternity (Assemblies of God of Peru), (unable to attend); and Rev. S. David Moore, Professor of Pneumatology, The King’s University, South Lake, TX, USA (International Church of the Foursquare Gospel), (unable to attend). Dr. Jean-Daniel Plüss (Pentecostal Assemblies of Switzerland) was the author of the Pentecostal paper.

The members of the Catholic team are: Most Reverend Joseph Bambera, Bishop of Scranton, PA, USA, Co-Chair; Rev. Msgr. Juan Usma Gómez, Bureau Chief of Western Section, Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity, Vatican City/Colombia, Co-Secretary; Rev. Lawrence Iwuamadi, Catholic Professor, Ecumenical Institute at Bossey, Switzerland/Nigeria; Sr. Maria Ha Fong Ko, F.M.A., Professor, Holy Spirit Seminary, Hong Kong, China; Rev. Marcial Maçaneiro, S.C.J., Professor, Pontifical Catholic University of Paraná, Brazil; and Dr. Teresa Francesca Rossi, Co-Director, Centro Pro Unione and Professor, Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas, Rome, Italy; Dr. Mary Healy, Professor, Sacred Heart Major Seminary, Detroit, MI, USA, (unable to attend).