Category: Diocese of Scranton News

VATICAN CITY (CNS) – Three U.S. cardinals attending the synod on synodality met privately with Pope Francis to speak more in-depth about synodality and the process of discernment, said Cardinal Joseph W. Tobin of Newark, New Jersey.

“I had asked for the appointment simply because I think the church is always seeking ways to do better what we think we’re called to do,” the cardinal told reporters during a Vatican press briefing Oct. 11.

“I’ve personally found a lot of hope in this emphasis on a way of being church that’s described as synodality. And it’s something that Pope Francis has thought a lot about. It’s something that he’s practiced” as a Jesuit, the cardinal said.

Cardinals Tobin, Robert W. McElroy of San Diego and Blase J. Cupich of Chicago met with the pope early Oct. 10 in the library of the Apostolic Palace at the Vatican. That day, Cardinal Tobin said they met with the pope “to discuss challenges in the United States,” and did not specify further.

He did provide a few more details during a briefing with reporters Oct. 11 when asked what they talked about.

The pope belongs to the Jesuits, a religious order that “has a very strong tradition” in the “difficult” process of discernment, he said.

Discernment is “trying to look at what’s happening under the light of the word of God and listening to people and trying to discover what is God saying to the church and to the churches today. And so that’s what we wanted to talk about,” he said.

Out of the five cardinals and seven bishops attending the synod from the United States, Cardinal Tobin said he and Cardinals McElroy and Cupich met with the pope because the three of them usually talk about these topics.

“It was, as my experience has been with him, was very enriching,” he added.

When asked what he tries to tell his brother bishops who may be more hesitant or unsure about the synodal process, Cardinal Tobin said he sometimes holds up the example of the nationwide “encuentro” process.

The process began at the grassroots level in 1972, and its most recent version culminated in the V Encuentro — the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ multiyear discernment process of pastoral priorities for Latino Catholic leaders that included a national meeting in 2018 and led to a national pastoral plan approved by the U.S. bishops in 2023. The encuentro process has been a new way for bishops and laypeople to listen and work together, finding ways to be united in their common missionary mandate, participants have said. The bishops estimated more than 1 million Catholics had participated in parish, diocesan and regional encuentros in the two years prior to the national meeting in Grapevine, Texas, in 2018.

Cardinal Tobin told reporters Oct. 11, “The Encuentro was remarkably similar to what we’re trying to do on a global scale, that is listening and discerning and proposing.”

“We are blessed” that the United States already has had “a national synodal process that has a proven track record,” he said, which is why he refers to the Encuentro “sometimes to try and sell (synodality) to brother bishops.”

“I said it clearly shows us how the Spirit is speaking to the people of God and what the priorities are. And not only on a national level, but on a diocesan level,” he said. For example, in his archdiocese, the response to the V Encuentro was making it a priority to find “how can we make our communities more welcoming” and providing formation “to be able to be faithful to what we believe we are.”

He said he tells other bishops, “All we have to do is trust this listening that is very evident in the Scriptures and God will be able to do great things through it.”

The cardinal encouraged lay Catholics who “are really struggling with the same old, same old” to stay committed to the synodal process in their parish and diocese even if leadership doesn’t seem to be embracing it fully.

“Don’t go away. Stay there and ask the questions. And, please God, things will change,” he said.

WASHINGTON (OSV News) – The March for Life Education and Defense Fund Oct. 10 unveiled the theme for its upcoming event: “Every Life: Why We March.”

The 52nd annual March for Life is scheduled for Jan. 24, just days after the winner of the 2024 presidential election will be inaugurated, and it comes amid what the group’s president, Jeanne Mancini, described as a time of “confusion and erroneous messaging” about abortion.

The theme, Mancini told reporters at a media briefing, was selected because the group believes “we really deeply want to do everything possible to encourage that we’re on the right side of history, that we’re in this for the long game, and that we need to lean in.”

“Our theme is returning to the basics, she said, adding, “This year in particular, the topic of abortion has emerged as a major political conversation, both on the national stage and in households across America. So we want to go back to the very basics on showing why life is important. So we plan to return to some of the fetal development truth that we know, just facts, biological facts, that we know to show the beauty of the unborn child. We plan to draw people together in unity, and we plan to just encourage people, really, to know that they’re in this for the long game.”

Mancini said in her travels to state marches, she has encountered discouragement among the group’s supporters about the political landscape just two and a half years after the Supreme Court reversed the Roe. v. Wade decision that prompted the original 1974 March for Life, especially when it comes to ballot measures, which have so far eluded pro-life activists. Voters in Ohio, California, Kentucky, Michigan, Montana, Vermont and Kansas either rejected new limitations on abortion or expanded legal protections for it as the result of ballot measures since Roe was overturned, and about 10 more will be on the ballot Nov. 5.

As a result, the group wanted to “just to return to the basics, pro-life 101, and especially within that some fetal development, but the fact that every life is inherent human dignity from the moment of conception. Because look at it, it seems like our culture is for our culture is forgotten right now, and that is so important.”

Jennie Bradley Lichter, who was named in September as the group’s president-elect and who will take the reins of the organization after the Jan. 24 event, told reporters she was drawn to the role because “I’ve always loved the March for Life. I love its positive spirit. I love its joyfulness and its youthfulness and the esprit de corps (the common spirit), and I love the doggedness of people who come year after year after year, even when it’s snowing.”

Mancini added the upcoming event will feature Bethany Hamilton, a professional surfer, author and motivational speaker, as the keynote speaker at the event, and its first female athlete to participate in that capacity.

Dear Friends,

“I came so that they might have life, (Jn 10:10).”

Since 1972, the year before abortion was legalized in the United States, the Catholic Church has dedicated the month of October as a special season to promote a culture of life throughout our land. This year’s theme is taken from Saint John’s gospel discourse on the Good Shepherd. 

This venerable image of the People of God as God’s flock and Jesus as our Shepherd is significant for several reasons. First, the image of Jesus as our Shepherd is both consoling and hopeful as we reflect upon the selfless care and guidance of God who walks with us in this journey of life. Second, it’s context in John’s gospel reminds us of the challenges that we confront as followers of Christ. 

In this portion of the gospel, Jesus more precisely refers to himself as the gate for the sheep, the one who gives access to God, the source of all life. Today in our world, however, many sadly seek to redirect the values we hold as Christians. Quite intentionally, they attempt to convince us of the significance of determining our own way while simultaneously setting aside the recognition of the unique and treasured status of all forms of human life. Espousing a flawed notion of freedom, their goal is to diminish appreciation for the ultimate values of the gospel, thereby undermining our conviction as Christians that Jesus alone guides God’s flock to life and salvation. 

Despite the overturning of Roe v. Wade in 2022, the challenge to protect human life has not diminished at all. It’s merely shifted from being a national issue to a state issue. Threats to human life are increasingly evident in our world today; threats that we often fail – or refuse – to recognize. And make no mistake about it, with the efforts of so many influential groups and organizations in our land that seek to undermine the value of human life while masquerading as supporters of freedom and champions of justice, we are on the precipice of a slippery slope that will eventually lead to even more heinous actions that disregard the sanctity of life. It should come as no surprise that in addition to the tragic and continued widespread scourge of abortion, we’re also confronted with proposals and policies that favor assisted suicide, euthanasia, infanticide and human cloning. These too are dire threats to our belief in the dignity and value of the human person – as are the death penalty, human trafficking, and unjust immigration laws. 

The good news, however, is that the voices of faithful, selfless disciples of Jesus and countless others from different faith traditions continue to be heard in our world, proclaiming the value of human life as the treasured gift of God that it is.  

Pope Francis has often reminded us that “every person – from the most vulnerable unborn child to the sick, the elderly and the poor – has an inviolable right to life” and “is a masterpiece of God’s creation, made in his own image, destined to live forever, and deserving of the utmost reverence and respect.” 

Though well beyond our ability to determine or control, life – from the moment of conception to natural end – is a gift to treasure and respect. We do so, however, not through our self-righteous criticisms of those whose beliefs may appear to be different than our own.  …  We treasure and respect life when we are courageous enough to assert our commitment to such values, despite how some may regard us in the process.  …  We treasure and respect life when we vote carefully and thoughtfully according to the beliefs that we treasure within our hearts.  …  And we most effectively witness to life when we are humble enough to embrace the gospel message of Jesus and to treat the lives that come into our own with reverence and dignity as children of one and the same God. 

Therein lies the essence of Jesus’ words, “I came so that they might have life, (Jn 10:10).” 

Faithfully yours in Christ,    

Most Rev. Joseph C. Bambera, D.D., J.C.L.

Bishop of Scranton

(OSV News) – As Hurricane Milton moves away from Florida just days after Hurricane Helene, Catholic Charities USA has launched a dedicated disaster relief donation campaign.

CCUSA – the official domestic relief agency of the Catholic Church in the U.S. and a member of Caritas Internationalis, the church’s global network of humanitarian outreaches – announced the fund Oct. 9, as the Category 4 Milton churned across the Gulf of Mexico toward Florida with maximum sustained winds of 130 miles per hour. Milton has fluctuated in intensity and was rated a Category 5 twice, but it dipped to Category 4 midday Oct. 9.

Donations to the CCUSA relief fund can be made on the agency’s website at ccusa.online/milton; by texting MILTON to 20406; or by mailing checks to CCUSA at 2050 Ballenger Ave, Suite 400, Alexandria, Virginia, 22314. Information about additional ways to give can be obtained by contacting CCUSA at (800) 919-9338 or donations@catholiccharitiesusa.org.

Milton made landfall on Florida’s Gulf Coast sometime during the evening of Oct. 9, according to the National Hurricane Center. With anticipated storm surges of 15 feet, the storm was expected to inflict record-breaking levels of destruction, especially as the region struggles to recover from Hurricane Helene, which killed at least 227 across six states in September.

President Joe Biden – who approved requests for federal emergency declarations from Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Marcellus W. Osceola Jr., chair of the Seminole Tribe of Florida – canceled his upcoming trips to Germany and Angola due to the expected impact of the hurricane. Following a briefing, Biden said Milton “is looking like the storm of the century,” urging residents to evacuate as “literally a matter of life and death.”

In its Oct. 9 announcement, CCUSA said that “one hundred percent of all funds raised will be allocated to local Catholic Charities agencies, which will provide critical relief — including shelter, food and other humanitarian aid – to displaced and suffering members of their communities.”

“Our brothers and sisters urgently need our prayers and our support as Hurricane Milton brings life-threatening conditions to Florida communities, some of which are still reeling from Hurricane Helene,” CCUSA president and CEO Kerry Alys Robinson said.

So far, CCUSA has distributed more than $1.9 million to Catholic Charities agencies in states affected by Hurricane Helene, and the agency said it “will stand by these communities through the long-term recovery.

The agency said it responds to more than 60 disasters every year, ranging from hurricanes and tornadoes to fires and floods.

VATICAN CITY (CNS) – The Vatican group studying the question of women’s ministry, including the ordination of women to the diaconate, will expand its consultative phase to include women who do not serve as consultors to the dicastery in charge of the study group, synod officials announced.

Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández, prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith which is in charge of the study group, announced in a message to synod members Oct. 9 that in addition to receiving input from the dicastery’s appointed consultors, the dicastery will consult other women as well as receive input from participants in the Synod of Bishops. It was not specified who the outside women consultors are.

Among the 27 consultors to the dicastery listed in the Vatican yearbook, four are women, and among the 28 new consultors appointed by Pope Francis Sept. 23, six are women.

In his message to synod members, read to journalists at a news conference Oct. 9, Cardinal Fernández said the dicastery would also receive input from all members and theologians of the Synod of Bishops in the coming months. Among synod participants, 82 non-member experts are participating in the synod as theologians, facilitators and communicators.

Additionally, synod members voted to have a dialogue with leaders of the 10 study groups assigned to study complicated topics Oct. 18, and Cardinal Fernández said two people from his dicastery will receive written and oral input from synod members on the topic of women’s ministry in the church.

In a written report delivered to synod members Oct. 2, Cardinal Fernández had said that at this point, his dicastery “judges that there is still no room for a positive decision by the magisterium regarding the access of women to the diaconate, understood as a degree of the sacrament of holy orders.”

At the Vatican news conference Oct. 9, Belgian Deacon Geert De Cubber, the only synod member who is a permanent deacon, said that incorporating more input from deacons would benefit the synod proceedings and members’ understanding of how the role of deacons can fit into service of the church.

Referencing a criticism of last year’s synod assembly that not enough attention was given to the reality of parish priests, and the Vatican’s response of inviting more than 200 parish priests to Rome to offer their input for the drafting of the working document for the synod assembly, Deacon De Cubber said, “It could be a good idea to bring together some deacons.”

“Inevitably, you have to consult deacons on the diaconate,” he said, but also, “you have to involve their wives, you have to involve their kids.”

Deacon De Cubber said the church needs to have a larger discussion about vocations in the church, one which includes analysis of the role of priests and bishops, since, for him, the diaconate is “not at all a preparation for becoming a priest.”

He added that the topic of women deacons did come up during synod discussions despite the topic being assigned to a study group.

Archbishop Luis Fernando Ramos Pérez of Puerto Montt, Chile, noted that there are more permanent deacons in his archdiocese than diocesan priests, and he said that deacons offer an “extraordinary service” to the church and should not be confused with “junior priests.”

PHILADELPHIA (OSV News) – A Philadelphia priest assaulted in his rectory said the attack marked a “turning point” that forced him “to reflect deeply on life, faith and the forces of evil” – as well as justice and mercy.

On Oct. 2, Father Andrawos El-Tabchi, a Maronite Catholic priest, was assaulted in his rectory, located across the street from St. Maron Maronite Catholic Church in Philadelphia.

Police reported that the suspect approached the priest’s home just before 9:30 a.m. and began kicking and banging on the door before gaining access. Inside the rectory, the man physically attacked Father El-Tabchi before fleeing.

Local media coverage noted that the priest is using a cane to aid him in walking after the incident.

The Philadelphia Police Department told OSV News that the suspect — described in the police report as a Middle Eastern male with gray hair and a stocky build — assaulted Father El-Tabchi “by punching and slapping him,” then running westbound after being pushed out of the rectory. The incident remains under investigation, and police told OSV News there has been no arrest as of Oct. 8.

Father El-Tabchi declined to speak by phone with OSV News, saying in an email that following the assault, he was “trying as much as possible to stay away from the phone.”

However, Father El-Tabchi shared with OSV News an Oct. 5 letter he wrote to parishioners after the attack, in which the priest drew on various Scripture passages to place the traumatic experience in the context of faith.

“The morning the rectory was attacked was a turning point for me, one that forced me to reflect deeply on life, faith and the forces of evil,” wrote Father El-Tabchi. “The experience reminded me how short life is and how evil can be lurking just around the corner, ready to strike at any time.”

Yet “the attack only strengthened my resolve to protect the parish and to stand up for the safety of each and every one of my parishioners,” he said. “This is my duty, and I will not waver in defending the sacred space that we all cherish.”

Father El-Tabchi pointed to Christ’s parable of the faithful servant (Mt 24:45-51), noting that “as priests, we are called to be that faithful and wise servant, always vigilant, ready to protect and serve the people of God.

“The attack on the rectory brought this to life for me, as I felt the weight of my responsibility to care for this parish family,” he said. “Just as the servant must remain watchful and diligent, we too must remain steadfast in our duty, guarding the faith and the souls entrusted to us.”

He also cited St. Paul’s First Letter to the Thessalonians, in which the apostle warned that “the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.”

“We do not know when challenges will arise, but as children of the light, we must always be prepared,” said Father El-Tabchi, noting St. Paul’s call for faithful to “put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation” (1 Thess 5:8).

“This is the armor we must wear as we face evil and hardship,” said Father El-Tabchi. “With faith and love as our protection and hope as our guide, we are strengthened to carry out our mission as faithful servants.”

At the same time, said the priest, “this doesn’t mean only standing firm in the face of evil but also showing mercy and compassion in response to wrongdoing.”

“Many have asked me: ‘You are a priest, how can you press charges on the man who broke into the house and assaulted you?'” said Father El-Tabchi. “My response is grounded in the truth that God is both merciful and just. His mercy extends to all, offering forgiveness and compassion to those who seek it, while His justice ensures that truth and righteousness prevail. These two qualities work in harmony, reminding us that through His love, we are called to repentance, reconciliation and trust in His perfect judgment.”

He noted that “mercy without justice is dead, and justice without mercy is ruthless.”

“In God, we see the perfect balance of both, teaching us to live with compassion while upholding what is right and just,” said Father El-Tabchi. “We are invited, as Jesus teaches us, to be like our Heavenly Father — merciful and just — reflecting His love in both our actions and decisions. Seeking justice doesn’t negate mercy; it allows us to act with integrity while trusting in God’s Divine Plan for both healing and accountability.”

Christians “are called to embody Christ’s love in the face of evil and adversity,” said Father El-Tabchi. “Although justice should be served, we are invited to show mercy and love.”

By remembering that “every person is created in the image and likeness of God and is worthy to be treated as such,” the faithful can acknowledge each individual’s “ability or inner conscience to make decisions — whether good or bad,” he said. “As children of God, we should strive to be tolerant of those individuals who make inappropriate choices that affect others negatively. They need God’s help. They need our help. Therefore, we are invited to pray for the one who committed this act and to reflect Christ’s love, even when faced with darkness.”

Father El-Tabchi also stressed St. Paul’s call to “bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ” (Gal 6:2).

“Jesus calls us to be agents of love, mercy, compassion and forgiveness,” said Father El-Tabchi. “We cannot say one thing in church and live the opposite outside its walls. Our faith must be genuine, consistent and transformative in every aspect of our lives.”

He concluded his letter by asking his parishioners to “pray for the lost soul who committed this act and to forgive him.

“This is the heart of the Gospel message — to love and forgive, even in the face of injustice or harm,” said Father El-Tabchi. “Just as Christ forgives us, we must extend that same mercy to others. Through prayer and forgiveness, we show the true strength of our faith.”

ROME (CNS) – As fighting in the Middle East intensified and spread, Pope Francis turned to Mary, begging her to “intercede for our world in danger.”

With members of the Synod of Bishops, pilgrims, ambassadors accredited to the Vatican and Catholics from the Diocese of Rome, the pope led the recitation of the rosary for peace Oct. 6 at Rome’s Basilica of St. Mary Major.

The prayer service took place on the eve of the one-year anniversary of the deadly Hamas attack on Israel and Israel’s massive retaliation in Gaza.

Hezbollah militants in southern Lebanon have joined the fighting, firing rockets and artillery shells at northern Israel. Israel ramped up its response in late September, sending troops across the border and intensifying its targeting of what it said were Hezbollah hideouts. In April and again Oct. 1, Iran fired missiles on Israel in support of its Hezbollah allies. Many feared Israel would strike Iran.

Turning to Mary, Pope Francis prayed that she would intercede with God so that the world would “protect life and reject war, care for the suffering, the poor, the defenseless, the sick and the afflicted, and guard our common home.”

“We beg you to intercede for God’s mercy, O Queen of Peace,” the pope prayed. “Convert the souls of those who fuel hatred, silence the noise of weapons that give rise to death, extinguish the violence that broods in the heart of human beings and inspire projects of peace in the deeds of those who govern nations.”

Pope Francis read his prayer to Mary during the service, but did not give a homily.

The pope led a similar service in May 2022, asking Mary to intercede to end Russia’s war on Ukraine and to bring peace to the world.

As the Middle East conflict escalated, he began his prayer by saying, “O Mary, our mother, once again we stand before you. You know the sorrows and difficulties that burden our hearts in this hour. We lift our gaze to you, we focus on your eyes and entrust ourselves to your heart.”

“Hear our cry,” the pope prayed. “We need your loving gaze which invites us to trust in your son Jesus.”

Knowing that Mary is “ready to embrace our sorrows,” he prayed that she would “come to our aid in these times oppressed by injustice and devastated by wars (and) wipe away the tears from the suffering faces of those who mourn the death of their loved ones.”

But Pope Francis also prayed that Mary would rouse all people of goodwill “from indifference which has darkened our way and disarm our hearts from weapons of violence, so that the prophecy of Isaiah may be fulfilled immediately: ‘They shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.'”