His Excellency, Bishop Joseph C. Bambera, announces the following appointments, effective as indicated:
Reverend Sixtus Appiah Kyeremeh, from Parochial Vicar, Saint Faustina Kowalska Parish, Nanticoke, and Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish, Lake Silkworth, effective November 15, 2022. Father Appiah Kyeremeh will return to ministry in the Diocese of Sunyani, Ghana.
Reverend Richard Gyansah-Tabiri, from the Diocese of Sunyani, to Parochial Vicar, Saint Faustina Kowalska Parish, Nanticoke, and Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish, Lake Silkworth, effective November 15, 2022.
Reverend Binesh Joseph Kanjirakattu, from Parochial Vicar, Saint Lawrence Parish, South Williamsport, and Saint Boniface Parish, Williamsport, to residence, Ascension Parish, Forest City, and Saint Katharine Drexel Parish, Pleasant Mount, effective August 16, 2022.
Deacons
Deacon Paul Brojack, from diaconal ministry, Our Lady of the Abingtons Parish, Dalton, and Saint Patrick Parish, Nicholson, to diaconal ministry, Saint Brigid Parish, Frie Most Holy Trinity Parish, Susquehanna,
effective November 15, 2022.
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Good morning. It is a pleasure for me to affirm the good work that you and so many others have done is support of human life.
Not long ago, as he has so often done, Pope Francis affirmed that every human person has a reason to hope, because every person “has a place in God’s heart from all eternity.” Focusing upon the weakest and most vulnerable – the sick, the elderly, the poor and especially the unborn – the Holy Father asserted that every person “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.”
Powerful words, aren’t they? Words that need to be seared into the hearts of every one of us – and many others as well.
Most of us appreciate the Holy Father’s words – because every one of us has been blessed with the faith and wisdom to see the value of God’s gift of life – to recognize that this gift, in whatever shape and form it takes – is not the result of an accident of creation but are the result of God creative and loving presence among us.
Sadly, however, it is quite apparent that this fundamental teaching of our faith hardly resonates with many of our brothers and sisters. As a Church, we are grateful for the Supreme Court’s decision earlier this year to overturn its 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that legalized abortion throughout our land. Yet, the division that has emerged in our country these past few months is a stark reminder of the fact that so many fail to appreciate the dignity and value of all human life, especially the life of the unborn.
In response to this division, it is incumbent upon us, as a people of faith, to not merely point fingers of derision at those who fail to embrace the teaching of the gospel regarding the value of human life. To the contrary, as disciples of Jesus, we are called to be light in the midst of darkness – a leaven to transform our misguided world. As such, it is our responsibility to witness to our beliefs by caring for life – not merely for life in the womb but for all of life and particularly for women and the children they have carried past the time of birth.
Simply put, brothers and sisters, if we desire to live our lives as God-fearing individuals with authenticity, we have no choice. We cannot merely speak of our respect for human life or self-righteously criticize those whose beliefs may be different from our own. We must enliven our words with action. We must both choose and serve life in whatever way we can.
The challenge to defend human life cannot be side stepped in an effort to create a false peace or sense of harmony. We must be fearless in our defense of the unborn – but also mothers in need, the elderly, the sick, the poor, the disabled, the immigrant and every life that is in jeopardy.
Nor must we ever shrink from confronting life issues in our prayer, in what and how we teach as a Church and in the pastoral care that we offer. But we must also never shrink from confronting life issues when we vote, in the initiatives and public policies that we are able to influence, in our volunteer efforts and in the daily activities and choices of our lives that can even unwittingly exploit the most defenseless among us.
So continue to embrace the noble cause of this blessed organization. Don’t let down those treasures of life that God has woven into our lives.
Defend life, even if – and particularly when the world proclaims a different message. ….
Our task is hardly simple and the road ahead, for all of the strides that have been made in recent years, continues to be challenging and filled with unexpected obstacles. May we persevere in prayer and through the support of one another.
May we be encouraged by the words of the great Saint John Paul II:
Love and honor the life of every man and woman. Work with perseverance and courage, so that our time, marked by too many signs of death, may at last witness the establishment of a culture of life, the fruit of the culture of truth and love.
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The National Religious Retirement Office (NRRO) announces that on Dec. 10-11, the Diocese of Scranton will hold the annual Retirement Fund for Religious collection in parishes throughout the diocese.
Last year, the parishioners in the diocese donated $68,433.29 to the collection. About the upcoming collection, NRRO Executive Director Sister Stephanie Still, a member of the Sisters of the Presentation of San Francisco, said, “The care of our aging religious presents an enormous financial responsibility. It is our privilege to care for those who gave a lifetime of tireless service, and I feel we are deeply blessed by all the U.S. Catholic donors who have steadfastly contributed to this fund.”
Historically, Catholic sisters, brothers, and religious order priests—known collectively as women and men religious—served for little to no pay. With rising health-care expenses, hundreds of U.S. religious communities face a large gap between the needs of their older members and the funds available to support their care. As a result, many now lack adequate retirement savings.
The 2021 appeal raised nearly $28.5 million, and the NRRO distributed funding to 271 U.S. religious communities. Donations also underwrite resources that help religious communities improve elder care and plan for long-term retirement needs.
About the National Religious Retirement Office:
The National Religious Retirement Office coordinates the annual national appeal for the Retirement Fund for Religious and distributes financial assistance for retirement needs to eligible religious institutes. To help address the deficit in retirement funding among U.S. religious orders, Catholic bishops of the United States initiated the Retirement Fund for Religious Collection in 1988.
The final FREE Community Dinner of 2022 at St. Maximilian Kolbe Parish, Pocono Pines, was a huge success! The parish hall was warm and inviting – decorated in the colors of autumn – and friendly conversation filled the room. More than 86 guests enjoyed a delicious served meal of roast pork, mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans, a garden salad, dinner roll, and their choice of homemade dessert – pumpkin pie or apple cake. The dinner also provided hot and cold beverages including apple cider, a definite taste of the season!
Each year, the Social Concerns Committee of St. Max hosts three Free Community dinners. The dinners are gifts to the parish and community. Funding for the meals, and all their charitable works, comes from the proceeds of the committee’s three annual Lenten Buffets.
Committee members are supported in their efforts by their fellow parishioners including Confirmation students.
Father Paschal Mbagwu is Parish Administrator.
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As Catholics in a post-Roe world, we continue to respond to our call to build a culture of life that supports the dignity of every person at every stage. We call on our lawmakers to do the same. Encourage your members of Congress to pass legislation that advances the health, safety, and flourishing of women, children, and families. Passage of bills such as the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act and the PUMP for Nursing Mothers Act and support for the Child Tax Credit, paid family leave, pregnancy resource centers, child care and pre-kindergarten programs, housing, nutrition, maternal and child health, adoption, healthy relationships, environmental protections, inclusion of immigrant families in social programs, and the end of marriage penalties will help build an authentically life-affirming society.
We encourage you to add your own personal story about why more policies that support women, children, and families are needed.
You can read a recent USCCB letter calling for the passage of life-affirming policies that prioritize families here.
The Scranton Catholic Charismatic Renewal (CCR) will be hosting Formation Day on November 12, 2022 at the Holy Family Spiritual Renewal Center, 151 Old Newport St., Nanticoke, PA.
What is a Formation Day? It’s a peaceful day of learning and growing in faith. Faith formation responds to the desire to know about Christ, His life and the content of His message by the action of the Holy Spirit…just as Jesus formed His disciples by making Himself known to them.
The day will be led by Deacon Darrell Wentworth, an ordained permanent deacon for the Diocese of Richmond. Deacon Darrell was ordained as a specialty deacon in 2003 and has served as his bishop’s liaison for Charismatic Renewal and as the bishop’s liaison to Charismatic and Pentecostal traditions. He has also served as moderator, vice president, liaison, and consultant for many other Catholic and Catholic charismatic groups. He is currently assigned to St. Gregory the Great Parish in Virginia Beach and also serves the National and International Charismatic Renewal as vice
Chairman of the Association of Diocesan Liaisons, North America.
Registration and continental breakfast begin at 8 AM with the program starting at 9 AM. Cost is $30 per person (breakfast and lunch included).
The Pennsylvania Catholic Conference is the public affairs arm of the Catholic Bishops across the Commonwealth. The Conference neither supports nor opposes any candidate or political party. The Pennsylvania Catholic Conference aims to educate and inform Catholics about issues that are addressed in Catholic social teaching and about issues that impact the Church and our practice of the faith.
As Catholics, we are called upon to form our consciences for faithful citizenship for the good of all. More information on conscience formation is on website of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops.
This voter guide was developed in order to help voters start to discern how to respond to elections this November. Our bishops teach us to “hear, receive, and act upon the Church’s teaching in the lifelong task of forming his or her own conscience.” Foremost amongst those teachings are the four basic principles of Catholic social doctrine: the dignity of the human person, the common good, subsidiarity, and solidarity (Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church, no. 160). With this foundation, Catholics are better able to evaluate policy positions, party platforms, and candidates’ promises and actions in light of the Gospel and the moral and social teaching of the Church in order to help build a better world.
This voter guide is a platform from which we can learn about the major party candidates for our statewide races for Pennsylvania governor and U.S. senator. Voters should reflect and pray over their choices, considering all issues that affect human life and human dignity. Candidates and topics are listed in alphabetical order.
The topic areas listed are a sampling for those on which candidates have taken a written position. Those positions are taken verbatim from their official campaign websites. What is shown is the entirety of the candidate’s explanation of each topic. We neither trimmed down any of the entries nor did we make any corrections to grammar, spelling or punctuation. We encourage everyone to visit those sites for more information and to discern other areas that candidates have or have not addressed in their official platforms. Likewise, we encourage Catholics to seek additional voter resources that are authorized by their own bishops.
Finally, we must remember that, despite the differing political beliefs that Catholics may hold, we are first and foremost followers of Christ, committed to offering everyone the love, mercy and compassion of Jesus.
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Pope Francis listens as Cardinal Marcello Semeraro, prefect of the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints, speaks during an audience with the participants of a symposium on “Holiness Today,” sponsored by the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints, at the Vatican Oct. 6, 2022. (CNS photo/Vatican Media)
VATICAN CITY (CNS) – The holiness of saints is reflected not only in how they overcame struggles but by their ability to transmit the joy that comes from being loved by God, Pope Francis said.
The gift of sharing the love and mercy Christians receive from God “enables us to experience an immense joy that is not a fleeting emotion or mere human optimism, but the certainty that we can face every challenge with the grace and the assurance that come from God,” the pope told participants at a Vatican conference on holiness.
“Without this joy, faith shrinks into an oppressive and dreary thing; the saints are not ‘sourpusses,’ but men and women with joyful hearts, open to hope,” he said, meeting conference participants Oct. 6.
The conference, “Holiness Today,” was sponsored by the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints and held Oct. 3-6.
During the conference, Cardinal Marcello Semeraro, prefect of the dicastery, announced the creation of a commission that will recognize Christians who, although not canonized and perhaps not Catholic, were exemplary and even heroic witnesses to the Christian faith.
In an interview with Vatican News Oct. 5, Cardinal Semeraro explained that a “Commission for the Witnesses of the Faith” was set up on a temporary basis by St. John Paul II for the Jubilee Year 2000 and recognized Christians martyred for the faith in the 20th century, mainly under the Nazi or communist regimes.
Now, the cardinal said, Pope Francis has asked the dicastery to reestablish the commission not just for the upcoming Holy Year 2025, but on a permanent basis.
“St. John Paul II wanted to highlight these examples of men and women who, although not canonized, strongly manifested their faith,” the cardinal explained, adding that the list of holy men and women was not limited to Catholics, but to all Christians.
An example of a Christian witness of faith, he said, is Dietrich Bonhoeffer, the German Lutheran theologian who was killed in 1945 for his opposition to Nazism.
Although the Catholic Church does not proclaim him a martyr because he was not Catholic, Bonhoeffer remains “an emerging figure as a Christian witness,” the cardinal said.
“Like Bonhoeffer, there are many others. Holiness is not always immediately evident in the eyes of the faithful. Our service is to highlight it,” Cardinal Semeraro said. “It is necessary to show that holiness is not far from us but is a call that concerns everyone. It is not necessary to be canonized, but we must respond to the call to holiness.”
In his speech to conference participants, Pope Francis reflected on the need to appreciate the everyday holiness of God’s people.
“The witness of a virtuous Christian life given daily by so many of the Lord’s disciples represents for all of us an encouragement to respond personally to our own call to be saints,” the pope said.
The lives of holy men and women who have been beatified or canonized are also a reminder that “it is possible, and indeed rewarding, to live the Gospel to the fullest.”
Saints, he said, “do not come from a ‘parallel universe,’ but are believers who belong to God’s faithful people and are firmly grounded in a daily existence made up of family ties, study and work, social, economic and political life.”
In the process of declaring saints, Pope Francis said it is important for the church “to take into due consideration people’s consensus” regarding the lives of exemplary Christians because the faithful “are endowed with a genuine spiritual sense that enables them to identify and recognize in the concrete lives of certain baptized persons a heroic exercise of Christian virtues.”
A person’s reputation of holiness, he added, “does not come primarily from the hierarchy but from the faithful themselves.”
While access to the media can bring greater awareness of the holy lives of candidates for beatification or canonization, the pope warned that in using digital media and social networks, “there can be a risk of exaggeration or misrepresentation dictated by less than noble interests.”
Nevertheless, Pope Francis said the lives of the saints and holy men and women are “precious pearls” that illustrate the message that God “loves everyone with immense love and infinite tenderness.”
“May their example enlighten the minds of the women and men of our time, reviving faith, enlivening hope and kindling charity, so that everyone may feel drawn to the beauty of the Gospel, and no one may wander amid the gloom of meaninglessness and despair,” the pope said.
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Arrangements are well underway for the 10th annual “Run Against Hunger,” which benefits the St. Francis of Assisi Kitchen. This will take place on November 12, 2022. The Scranton Running Company and AllOne Charities are hosting the weekend’s events.
Shown, from left: Atty. Thomas Cummings, SFK advisory board member and sponsorship chair; John Cosgrove, executive director, AllOne Charities; Mary Carroll Donahue, program officer, AllOne Charities; Rob Williams, executive director, St. Francis of Assisi Kitchen; Matthew Byrne, race director and co-founder, Scranton Running Company; .
What: 2 Mile Walk, 5K Run, 10K Run to benefit the St. Francis of Assisi Kitchen in downtown Scranton.
When: Saturday, November 12, 2022. All races start at 9 AM
Where: Lackawanna River Heritage Trail, Olive St. trailhead.
Day of Registration: 7:30 to 8:45 AM at the Scranton Half Marathon Pavilion
Packet Pickup: There will be a packet pickup for all pre-registered runners on Friday, November 11, 2022 from 12 to 7 PM at the Scranton Running Company, 3 West Olive St. Scranton, PA 18508.
Awards: Awards will be given to the top overall male and female for both the 5k and 10k run. The top overall walker will also receive an award. Awards will be given to the top two males and females in the below age groups for both the 5k and 10k runs.
As Catholics in a post-Roe world, we continue to respond to our call to build a culture of life that supports the dignity of every person at every stage. We call on our lawmakers to do the same. Encourage your members of Congress to pass legislation that advances the health, safety, and flourishing of women, children, and families. Passage of bills such as the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act and the PUMP for Nursing Mothers Act and support for the Child Tax Credit, paid family leave, pregnancy resource centers, child care and pre-kindergarten programs, housing, nutrition, maternal and child health, adoption, healthy relationships, environmental protections, inclusion of immigrant families in social programs, and the end of marriage penalties will help build an authentically life-affirming society.
