Category: Diocese of Scranton News

SCRANTON – On the first Sunday of Lent, the Cathedral of Saint Peter was nearly filled to capacity, as 215 catechumens and candidates gathered to celebrate the Rite of Election and the Call to Continuing Conversion.

This year’s event was especially significant, as it saw the largest group of individuals preparing to fully enter the Catholic Church locally in several years.

“Everything that I saw was gloriously beautiful,” Austin Chen from Saint Boniface Parish in Williamsport said. “The congregation of people standing together, the claps, the applause. That is why I’m so excited to be Catholic. It is something that is beautiful.”

The Rite of Election is a pivotal moment in the journey of those seeking full initiation into the Catholic faith. After months, and in some cases years, of preparation through prayer, study and reflection, the ceremony symbolizes their formal selection to become members of the church at the upcoming Easter Vigil.

“It warms your heart because there are so many people trying to do right and trying to believe in what is right and trying everyday to do something that is important,” Chen added.

The Most Rev. Joseph C. Bambera, Bishop of Scranton, presided over the Rite of Election and Call to Continuing Conversion.

“Your presence here today proclaims that you’ve heard God’s call and have chosen to respond,” Bishop Bambera said. “He’s saying that your life – with all its struggles and joys, with all its blessings and challenges – has a unique place and role to play within his plan.”

During the Rite of Election and Call to Continuing Conversion, catechumens – those who have never been baptized in the Christian faith – and candidates – baptized Christians who are seeking to enter full communion in the Catholic Church through the Eucharist and Confirmation – were presented by their sponsors to Bishop Bambera to affirm their desire to join the Church.

“I’m excited about it,” Mariah Cabrera of Saint John Parish in East Stroudsburg said.
Cabrera and a fellow parishioner, Gabriella Cecere, both participated in the Call to Continuing Conversion because they have both already been baptized.

“I was asked to be my niece’s godmother. At first, it was more of just a task for me to make my sacraments, but things lately have not been so great in my life, so doing these (OCIA) classes and coming to church, has actually made me feel like I’m on the right path and I’m here for more than just a task to be a godmother,” Cecere explained. “That is why I’m thrilled for the experience and to see what life is like as part of the parish.”

The catechumens were invited to the front of the Cathedral to sign their names in the Book of the Elect, and Bishop Bambera questioned them about their formation and desire to receive the sacraments.

Afterward, the candidates were invited to stand with their sponsors and Bishop Bambera asked the sponsors whether the candidates had received the proper religious instruction and desired to join in full communion with the Church.

Before taking part in the Rite of Election, individuals participated in the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA, formerly called RCIA) – which is a gradual process of conversion and initiation into the Catholic Christian community providing individuals the space to encounter God and respond to His invitation to a new way of life in the Catholic faith.

Ed Vanhaute has been a facilitator for the program at Saints Peter and Paul Parish in Towanda for several years.

“I think it is well thought out. I think it’s necessary to confirm and identify the Catholic concept of prayer and life in Christ,” he explained. It is gratifying to bring people along this journey, just as my parents brought me on this journey many years ago.”

As the catechumens and candidates move forward in their preparation for Easter, they are reminded that the journey of faith is a life-long commitment of always turning towards God and his love.

“It was such a consolation to my faith to see this Cathedral full of so many Catholics, the candidates, the catechumens, and their sponsors,” Father Mark DeCelles, Assistant Pastor of Saint Teresa of Calcutta Parish in South Scranton, said. “It is just beautiful to watch people grow in their relationship with the Lord and their relationship with one another.”

PITTSTON – In the midst of a busy and often chaotic world, a young couple from Luzerne County has discovered the profound peace that comes with spending quiet time in prayer before the Lord.

Only two months ago, Christian and Concetta Cooney stood before the altar at Saint John the Evangelist Church in Pittston to celebrate their wedding day.

The newlyweds found themselves back before the same altar on March 5, praying before our Eucharistic Lord, during the first of the Diocese of Scranton’s Lenten Holy Hours this year.

“I loved being here with my wife,” Christian Cooney said. “We’ve really blossomed as a couple in the last couple of months. Being able to stand side-by-side with her at this Holy Hour and holding her hand was priceless to me.”

Cooney’s wife has a deep love of Eucharistic Adoration, finding it to be a very personal way to have one-on-one time with Jesus.

“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 said.

For the third year in a row, the Most Rev. Joseph C. Bambera, Bishop of Scranton, is holding a series of Lenten Holy Hours across all 12 deaneries of the diocese, inviting the faithful to spend time in Eucharistic Adoration and prayer.

This year, Bishop Bambera is focusing on the theme of “hope” as part of the 2025 Jubilee Year and the third year of the National Eucharistic Revival coincide.

“He really brought a message that we needed to hear, hope for the future,” Sheryl Charbonneau, a parishioner of Saint John the Evangelist Parish, said. “Jesus is our hope. That is who we need to focus on.”

The first two Holy Hours were held at Saint John the Evangelist Parish in Pittston and Annunciation Parish in Hazleton, with ten more planned in the coming weeks leading up to Holy Week.

The Holy Hours are designed to help individuals and families deepen their spiritual lives during the penitential season of Lent.

Saint John the Evangelist Parish in Pittston currently holds a monthly Holy Hour which has been attracting a growing number of parishioners over the last couple of years.

Father Joseph Elston, pastor, believes the three-year National Eucharist Revival has helped people have a deeper understanding that the Eucharist is central to our faith.

“We’re a Eucharistic people, so our relationship with the Eucharist is so important. The way we grow that relationship is by spending time, just like you’d grow any other relationship, with time, care, love, and communication,” Father Elston said.

Each Holy Hour with Bishop Bambera begins at 7 p.m. at the designated location in each deanery. All are welcome to come and experience this moment of grace and community with fellow parishioners.

During Lent, participating in a Holy Hour offers a peaceful opportunity for people to deepen their faith and draw closer to God.

For the dates of the upcoming Holy Hours, please consult the graphic below.

DUNMORE – Two Catholic schools in Lackawanna County are piloting a new program to empower parents to delay giving their children a smartphone until at least the end of eighth grade.

The “Wait Until 8th” program officially kicked off at Saint Mary of Mount Carmel School in Dunmore on March 6 and Our Lady of Peace School in Clarks Green on March 12.

As a part of each school’s kick-off, parents of students in pre-K through third grade were invited to attend a community panel discussion on the possible harm that smartphones can pose to young children.

Melissa Gregory, a parent and licensed professional counselor, said smartphone use amongst children can increase the risk for anxiety, depression, eating disorders, body image issues and addictions.

“The human brain isn’t fully developed until after 25, so the pre-frontal cortex isn’t yet developed. That is your decision-making skills,” Gregory said. “Your executive functioning comes from that. That is why it is so important to delay kids’ exposure to certain things, before they’re able to emotionally handle that information.”

Ten years old is now the average-age children get their first smartphone.

“Let your children be children. Let them go outside and play with each other. Let them go ride a bike,” Kristen Donohue, Diocesan Secretary for Catholic Education/Superintendent of Schools, said.

As a mother of three children, Donohue knows first-hand the struggles parents face when their kids ask for a smartphone because many of their friends have one.

In unveiling the “Wait Until 8th” pledge, Donohue said parents – especially parents of young children – can rally together to delay giving children a smartphone until at least the end of eighth grade. She said banding together will help decrease the “pressure” to have a phone at an early age.

“If you band together and say, ‘we’re doing this together,’ that decision does get easier,” Donohue noted. “If we can make that shift, we will do a tremendous amount of good for generations to come.”

Panelists at each kick-off meeting included members of the Lackawanna County District Attorney’s Office, Pennsylvania State Police, a pediatrician, psychologist, and pastor.

At the kickoff meeting at Saint Mary’s, Father David Cappelloni, pastor, Saints Anthony and Rocco Parish and Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish, discussed the moral implications of smartphone usage.

“Our primary relationship should be with God,” Father Cappelloni noted. However, as he held up a smartphone, he said that many young people believe, “this is God.”

Trooper Robert Urban, Public Information Officer for Pennsylvania State Police Troop R, played several videos for parents – including one that highlighted the dangers of location tracking – of which many people are unaware.

“Every single app that you use, whether it’s on your electronic device, tablet, or cell phone, has location services in them. You need to know, as a parent, to turn these off,” Trooper Urban explained.

Trooper Urban also touched on several other topics – including smartphones putting children at risk for cyber bullying and exposing them to sexual content.

After the initial kick-off meetings earlier this month, parents are being invited back for a second session in which they will be able to sign the “Wait Until 8th” pledge.

The second session at Our Lady of Peace School will be held April 9, and April 10 at Saint Mary of Mount Carmel School.

“Take this information and please share it,” Saint Mary of Mount Carmel principal Maryelizabeth Shattin said. “There was a lot of eye-opening information.”

Nationwide, nearly 100,000 parents have already taken the “Wait Until 8th” pledge, saying they recognize the distractions and dangers of smartphone usage for their children.

For more information on the pledge, visit waituntil8th.org.

SCRANTON – Christopher DiMattio, chair of the Catholic Foundation for the Diocese of Scranton Board of Directors, recently announced that 100-percent of the Foundation’s 15-member lay and clergy board has made gift pledges to the Catholic Foundation totaling more than $2 million.

In addition, nearly $2 million in gifts and pledges have also been received from additional donors throughout the Diocese in the Foundation’s first year of operation.

“We are extremely grateful for the financial support, the expertise and the passion for the mission of the Catholic Foundation that our board brings to this worthwhile fundraising effort,” DiMattio said. “The board’s devoted commitment and the contributions of an initial group of donors has resulted in a successful first year that serves as the foundation of what will continue to be transformational for our Diocesan ministries now and well into the future.”

Gifts donated to the Catholic Foundation range from $500 to $1 million with several pledges of $25,000, $50,000 or $100,000.

Donors may make outright gifts or multi-year pledges over a time period best suited for each individual.

Some donors are also including the Catholic Foundation in their estate plans as well as establishing named endowment funds in memory or in honor of a loved one.

Dr. Bryan Frantz, DMD MS, a board member of the Catholic Foundation, spoke recently about the pledge that he and his wife, Dr. Linda Frantz, MD, made to the Foundation this past year,

“Linda and I have always supported philanthropic initiatives related to teaching, education, and research within medicine and dentistry,” he said. “Recently we had been discussing doing something impactful both from a community perspective as well as faith-based. The broad range and flexibility of giving options within the Catholic Foundation of the Diocese of Scranton made it easy to fulfill our philanthropic goals.”

Gifts and pledges to the Catholic Foundation endowment funds provide long term financial support for a variety of Diocesan ministries to include care of retired priests, seminarian formation, Catholic schools, Catholic Social Services, parish faith formation programs and historical preservation of the Cathedral of Saint Peter.

Donors may also support the Founders Fund which is a non-endowed fund that helps cover operating expenses.

“The Catholic Foundation staff and board work with donors to design a gift that suits the individual’s personal interests and charitable goals,” James Bebla, executive director of the Catholic Foundation, said. “Donors can have a lasting impact on Diocesan ministries that are most meaningful to them and their families.”

The mission of the Catholic Foundation for the Diocese of Scranton is to sustain and nurture the pastoral, educational and services ministries of our Diocese, our parishes, our schools and organizations through endowments, planned gifts and other financial contributions. The long-term viability of these ministries is a sacred calling for Catholics to build up the Kingdom of God in the Diocese of Scranton.

Donors interested in making a gift to the Catholic Foundation for the Diocese of Scranton or who wish to learn more about giving opportunities and the work of the foundation may call 570-207-2212 or e-mail info@catholicfoundationscranton.org

SWOYERSVILLE – Hundreds of faithful visited Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish on the weekend of March 15-16, as the Luzerne County church hosted seven relics of Saint Padre Pio, one of the most beloved saints in modern Catholic history.

Among the relics displayed was Padre Pio’s glove, a cherished item that helped connect the faithful to his life of extraordinary holiness.

“It’s a good opportunity to introduce Padre Pio to our parishioners and the public who might not know who he is,” Mark Perugino, Grand Knight, Knights of Columbus Council 12976, said.

The parish Knights worked with the National Centre for Padre Pio to bring the relics to the Swoyersville parish.

“It’s an honor for our parish to have these relics,” parishioner Stephen Englot said. “It was peaceful and uplifting being here today.”

Englot and his wife, Maria, have always felt a close connection to Padre Pio.

When their second daughter was suffering from a high fever at the age of four, Maria prayed to Padre Pio and asked for his intercession.

“I asked Padre Pio to please heal her before the day comes. The third time I checked on her, the fever was gone,” Maria recalled.

Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish offered veneration viewing of the relics between 1-7 p.m. on March 15 and 8 a.m.-7 p.m. on March 16 with regular Masses held several times in between.

Like many others, Father John Chmil, pastor, has felt a closeness to Padre Pio for many years. When his mother had a stroke and was unable to walk or talk, he prayed to the beloved saint.

“She couldn’t walk or talk and now she’s 95-percent back with us. I give credit to Padre Pio,” Father Chmil said.

The long-time pastor said one of the highlights of the weekend for him was bringing his mother into the church and blessing her with one of the relics.

“I was overwhelmed with peace, and I began to cry, and I noticed my mother did too,” he added.

A native of an Italian farming village, Saint Padre Pio, born Francesco Forgione, became a Capuchin friar at the age of fifteen, dedicating his life to prayer, penance, and service to others.

Padre Pio bore the stigmata, or wounds of Christ, invisibly from the time of his ordination in 1910 and visibly from 1918. As his reputation as a confessor grew, the Vatican investigated the genuineness of his stigmata and ministry of prayer and healing.

Padre Pio built a hospital to treat patients using prayer and science, as well as a pilgrimage and study complex. Shortly before his death, the stigmata disappeared.

He was canonized as a saint by Pope John Paul II in 2002. Since then, he has inspired millions of Catholics worldwide with his unwavering faith and devotion.

Joseph Santoro, External Program Coordinator at the National Center for Padre Pio, who offered to bring the relics to Swoyersville, is not surprised at why the modern-day saint fascinates people.

“His life was full of holiness, sacrifice, and suffering, and people are drawn to that, especially during Lent,” Santoro said.

Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish is the third local community to host the relics in recent weeks. On Feb. 23, Annunciation Parish in Hazleton hosted the relics, and on March 8, they were also venerated at Most Holy Trinity Parish in Cresco.

ASHLEY – The highly-anticipated Lenten food sale at Saint Leo Parish is back, marking a 35-year tradition of offering delicious meatless meals every Friday through April 11.

Sponsored by the Holy Name Society, the food sale provides a perfect opportunity for the community to come together while enjoying a variety of flavorful dishes.

“We love to come in here and support them every year,” Theresa Shypulefski of Warrior Run said. “It is good stuff. The guys are great. Everybody is friendly here and we like coming and giving ourselves an easy lunch. The Manhattan clam chowder is awesome.”

In addition to Manhattan clam chowder, the parish also offers haluski, pierogi, mushroom soup, tuna hoagies and potato pancakes.

“All the food is homemade. That is what makes it popular,” volunteer Frank Aukstakalnis said. “The potato pancakes are a big draw. The size of our pancakes are bigger and they have more flavor.”

Each Friday, the Lenten food sale takes place between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.

Volunteer Kevin Hooper said some of the items sell out quickly.

“We go through about 1500 potato pancakes each week and 15 gallons of soup and probably another 15 gallons of halushki, maybe more,” Hooper explained.

While serving as an important fundraiser for the parish, the Lenten food sale also brings parishioners closer together and creates community spirit.

“Everybody looks forward to it,” volunteer John Boyle explained. “We have a good time doing it. It’s not like work; it is more like fun.”

“A good friend of mine asked if I could help out about 18 years ago and I’ve been helping out ever since,” Bob Hess added.

Whether picking up a meal for themselves, family or a group, many customers return weekly to enjoy this flavorful and meaningful tradition.

“I’ve been coming here for many years. The food is absolutely terrific, better than I could make,” Lisa Brand of Forty Fort said.

“They have a simple menu. They have the same menu each year but what they make is very good,” Mary Anne Malone added. “It is like a well-oiled machine.”

For those wishing to avoid the line, advance orders are highly encouraged. Orders can be placed by calling (570) 266-8835 or by emailing Lenten.food.sales@gmail.com.

PITTSTON – While many Lenten food sales have been ongoing for decades, Saint John the Evangelist Parish just recently decided to get in the game.

“We started just within the last couple of years, but it has been growing and growing each year,” Father Joseph Elston, pastor, said.

Every Friday during Lent, in addition to Good Friday, the parish is selling potato pancakes and take-and-heat pizza to the community.

“The food is really, very tasty and it is fresh. They can come here, and it is ready to go,” employee Cathy Rusnok stated.

About a dozen volunteers come together each week to make the Lenten food sale a reality.

Jackie Rinish helps to prepare all the ingredients and mix up the potato pancake batter. She said the idea for the Lenten food sale started off as a team building project for parish staff and quickly grew into an important way for people to support the parish.

“It is fun for us to be together, to cook together, and serve the community,” Rinish explained. “We welcome everyone.”

The potato pancakes are sold for three for $5, while orders of red pizza or white pizza with broccoli are $15/tray.

“The food is really great,” parishioner Margie Vetack said.

After trying the potato pancakes on the first Friday in Lent and the broccoli pizza on March 14, Vetack already knows what she is getting next.

“I already have my order in for next week to try the red pizza. Everything is very good,” she added.

Father Elston said he wasn’t surprised by the sales’ success as anticipation builds for the parish’s much-anticipated summer festival.

“People love them (potato pancakes) during the picnic in the summer. Now they can get a late winter or early spring taste,” he joked.

Pre-orders are appreciated by calling the parish office at (570) 654-0053, but organizers say walk-ins are also welcome. Food pick-up takes place from 3:30 to 6:00 p.m. in the Monsignor Bendik Pastoral Center.

EXETER – After years of serving and enriching the local community, the Cosmopolitan Seniors Group has officially made the decision to disband. In a final act of generosity and commitment to helping others, the group has decided to donate its remaining funds to Catholic Social Services.

On Feb. 20, 2025, group members gathered to present Catholic Social Services with a check for $1,249.87, which will be used to support Mother Teresa’s Haven, an emergency shelter in Wilkes-Barre that assists men experiencing homelessness.

“Nobody could need it more than the homeless,” Veronica Spliethoff, Cosmopolitan Seniors Group treasurer, said.

For many years, Cosmopolitan Seniors Group was a community organization dedicated to providing seniors with opportunities to connect, socialize, and contribute to the local community. Through regular bingo games and community bus trips, the group fostered a sense of camaraderie among its members and the wider community.

“We used to have 140 people at a meeting. That is how big it was. You needed to be on a list in order to get in,” Marie Cheskiewicz, Cosmopolitan Seniors Group Care and Concerns Committee member, explained. “We were down to only 29 people when COVID came and several more members passed away.”

The donation to Catholic Social Services will be specifically earmarked to help Mother Teresa’s Haven with its ongoing mission to help those most in need.

In January, the emergency shelter formally dedicated its new permanent location on East Jackson Street in Wilkes-Barre, directly above Saint Vincent de Paul Kitchen.

Mother Teresa’s Haven is open every night of the year (including weekends and holidays) and can accommodate up to 20 men each evening.

“Our volunteers and people who donate to our mission are the backbone of our shelters,” Amanda Deisroth, Mother Teresa’s Haven manager, stated. “The things that we take for granted – like toothpaste, soap, towels, and washcloths – are things that are always needed at the shelter. Donations like this will go to our clients to help them with daily needs.”

To support Catholic Social Services, call (570) 207-3808 or visit dioceseofscranton.org.

VATICAN CITY (CNS) – Pope Francis no longer needs the “noninvasive mechanical ventilation” he has used most nights since experiencing a breathing “crisis” Feb. 28, his doctors reported in a bulletin released by the Vatican press office March 19.

“The Holy Father’s clinical condition is confirmed to be improving,” the bulletin said.

In addition to discontinuing the nightly use of the ventilation, the doctors said the 88-year-old pope also has a reduced need for the “high-flow oxygen therapy” through a nasal tube that he had been using during the day.

The Vatican press office had said Pope Francis had spent the night of March 17-18 without needing the ventilation through a mask. Instead, it had said, the pope received high-flow oxygen through a nasal tube overnight.

The pope, who has been hospitalized since Feb. 14, also continues to make progress in his physical therapy and his respiratory therapy, the bulletin said.

Pope Francis was able to concelebrate Mass in the chapel of his suite at Rome’s Gemelli hospital for the March 19 feast of St. Joseph, one of his favorite saints and the 12th anniversary of the solemn inauguration of his pontificate, the bulletin said.

The Vatican press office said the pope’s double pneumonia and infections were “under control,” with his blood counts within the normal range and no episodes of fever.

No estimate has been made for how long the pope will remain in the hospital, and the Vatican press office said no decisions have been made regarding the Vatican celebrations of Palm Sunday April 13 nor of Holy Week and Easter.

The pope’s doctors, citing his “gradual” improvement, stopped providing daily medical bulletins March 6, the same evening the Vatican released a very brief audio message from Pope Francis thanking people for their prayers.

Before the bulletin March 19, the last news from the doctors was published March 15, although the Vatican press office continued to provide news each day about the pope’s progress and activities in the hospital.

Apparently satisfied that his condition was consistently improving, even the press office did not plan to issue a statement March 20 and said a medical bulletin was not expected before March 24.

Earlier March 19, the Vatican released the catechesis prepared for Pope Francis’ weekly general audience as well as his message for the World Day of Prayer for Vocations. The text of the message was dated that day at Rome’s Gemelli hospital. But neither text mentioned his illness.

The evening recitation of the rosary for the pope’s health, a recitation that began Feb. 24, continued March 19, when it was led by Archbishop Alejandro Arellano Cedillo, dean of the Roman Rota.