April 29, 2019
His Excellency, Bishop Joseph C. Bambera, announces the following appointments, effective as indicated:
Administrator
Reverend Donald J. Williams to Administrator, Christ the King Parish, Archbald, effective April 26, 2019. Father Williams will continue to serve as Diocesan Director of Seminarians and Vocations.
Leave of Absence
Reverend Paul C. Fontanella, from Pastor, Christ the King Parish, Archbald, to Leave of Absence, for personal reasons, effective April 26, 2019.
2019 EASTER MESSAGE
Dear friends,
A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to represent the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops at the National Workshop for Christian Unity. For all of the many encouraging messages that were shared during the meeting, for me, its most memorable moments came during prayer times, which were led by members of the Taize community in France.
These words, written by Brother Roger of Taize, speak profoundly of the miracle of Easter that we celebrate during these sacred days. “Ever since he rose from the dead, Christ’s presence has been made tangible through a communion of love which is the Church. … Credibility can be reborn when that communion which is the Church becomes transparent by striving with its whole soul to love and to forgive, when, even with a minimum of resources, it becomes welcoming, close to human suffering. Never distant, never on the defensive, freed from all forms of severity, it can let the humble trusting of faith shine right into our human hearts.”
For many of us, this moment in the life of the Church has proven to be one of the most challenging in its history and has indeed tested its credibility in the eyes of many. Despite the powerful words of faith that we read in the scriptures and proclaim whenever we gather for the celebration of the Eucharist, at times our experience of the life of the Church can consume us with disappointments and grief, fear, pain and even anger. Indeed, sometimes we can become so overwhelmed by the brokenness of our world and even the members of our Church that we underestimate God’s power to transform our lives.
Yet in such moments, from the earliest days of the Christian community to the present, the sublime gift of God’s love, manifested in the suffering, death and resurrection of Jesus, turns the logic of our world upside down. And the Church, the body of believers in and through which the risen Christ is present in our world through the power of the resurrection, continues to be our greatest hope – not because of our righteousness but because of the richness of God’s mercy.
“Why do you seek the living one among the dead? He is not here, but he has been raised.” These words from Saint Luke’s gospel were proclaimed during this year’s great Vigil of Easter. They are the first words that invite the confused and grieving followers of Jesus to confront the reality of Jesus’ resurrection and the miracle of Easter. They are also words that have endured for two millennia and that have provided hope and consolation to all who have turned to the Church – the blessed People of God – to encounter God’s mercy and to find a way forward in the midst of a broken, suffering world.
One of the greatest signs of the Church’s credibility is the presence of those who have responded to the Lord’s call and opened their hearts to the life giving waters of Baptism and a renewed sense of determination to walk in the footsteps of Jesus. On Holy Saturday night, 178 catechumens and candidates from throughout the Diocese of Scranton were baptized into the life, death and resurrection of Jesus and presented themselves for full communion in the Catholic Church. These catechumens and candidates – our relatives, neighbors and friends – joined with tens of thousands of catechumens and candidates from around the world to publically profess their faith in Jesus Christ and to assume their place in his body, the Church. Their very presence in our midst affirms the reality of the living God continually working in and through his daughters and sons, who proclaim his word, experience his life in the sacraments and live his gospel in humble service.
Sisters and brothers, we are blessed beyond measure by the merciful presence of God that abounds in our world. Thank you for your dedicated service to the Gospel and for all that you do to build up the local Church of Scranton and to serve one another in the spirit of the Risen Christ. Your faithful and selfless ways, your prayers of support for the innocent who have suffered, and your service of one another are visible signs to our world that Christ’s presence has indeed been made tangible through the communion of love, which is our Church.
This is the day that the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad!
Faithfully yours in the Risen Christ,
Most Reverend Joseph C. Bambera, D.D., J.C.L.
Bishop of Scranton
Queridos amigos,
Hace unas semanas tuve la oportunidad de representar a la Conferencia de obispos católicos de Estados Unidos en el taller nacional de Unidad Cristiana. Para todos los muchos mensajes alentadores que se compartieron durante la reunión, para mí, los momentos más memorables vinieron durante tiempos del rezo, que fueron conducidas por miembros de la comunidad de Taizé en Francia.
Estas palabras, escritas por el hermano Roger de Taizé, hablan profundamente del milagro de la Pascua que celebramos en estos días sagrados. “Desde que se levantó de entre los muertos, la presencia de Cristo se ha hecho tangible a través de una comunión de amor que es la iglesia. … Credibilidad puede renacer cuando esa comunión que es la iglesia se convierte en transparente esforzándose con toda su alma para amar y para perdonar, cuando, incluso con un mínimo de recursos, llega a ser acogedor, cercano al sufrimiento humano. Nunca lejano, nunca a la defensiva, liberado de todas las formas de gravedad, puede dejar la humilde confianza de fe brille en nuestros corazones humanos. ”
Para muchos de nosotros, este momento en la vida de la iglesia ha demostrado para ser uno de los más difíciles de su historia y de hecho ha probado su credibilidad ante los ojos de muchos. A pesar de las poderosas palabras de fe que leemos en las escrituras y anunciar cada vez que nos reunimos para la celebración de la Eucaristía, a veces nuestra experiencia de la vida de la iglesia puede consumirnos con decepciones y dolor, miedo, dolor e incluso ira. De hecho, a veces nos podemos ser tan abrumados por el quebrantamiento de nuestro mundo e incluso los miembros de nuestra iglesia que subestimamos el poder de Dios para transformar nuestras vidas.
Sin embargo en esos momentos, desde los primeros tiempos de la comunidad cristiana hasta el presente, el don sublime del amor de Dios, que se manifiesta en el sufrimiento, muerte y resurrección de Jesús, vira la lógica de nuestro mundo al revés. Y la Iglesia, el cuerpo de creyentes en y a través de que Cristo resucitado está presente en nuestro mundo a través del poder de la resurrección, sigue siendo nuestra mayor esperanza, no por nuestra virtud de justicia, sino por la riqueza de la misericordia de Dios.
“¿Por qué buscáis al que vive entre los muertos? Él no está aquí, ha sido levantado”. Estas palabras del Evangelio de San Lucas se han proclamado durante la gran vigilia de la Pascua de este año. Son las primeras palabras que invitan a los seguidores confusos y doliente de Jesús para hacer frente a la realidad de la resurrección de Jesús y el milagro de la Pascua. También son palabras que han perdurado durante dos milenios y que han aportado esperanza y consuelo a todos los que han mirado a la Iglesia el pueblo bendito de Dios para encontrar la misericordia de Dios y encontrar una manera de avanzar en medio de una, mundo de sufrimiento.
Uno de los mayores signos de credibilidad de la iglesia es la presencia de aquellos que han respondido a la llamada del Señor y abrieron sus corazones a la vida las aguas del bautismo y un renovado sentido de determinación de caminar tras las huellas de Jesús. El sábado Santo por la noche, 178 catecúmenos y los candidatos a lo largo de la diócesis de Scranton fueron bautizados en la vida, muerte y resurrección de Jesús y se presentaron para la plena comunión en la Católica Iglesia. Estos catecúmenos y candidatos nuestros familiares, vecinos y amigos se unieron a decenas de miles de los catecúmenos y candidatos de todo el mundo a profesar públicamente su fe en Cristo Jesús y asumir su lugar en su cuerpo, la iglesia. Su presencia entre nosotros afirma la realidad de la vida continuamente trabajando en y a través de sus hijas e hijos, que proclaman la palabra de Dios, experimentar su vida en los sacramentos y vivir su evangelio en el servicio humilde.
Hermanos y hermanas, somos bendecidos sin medida por la presencia misericordiosa de Dios que abunda en nuestro mundo. Gracias por sus servicio al Evangelio y por todo lo que hacen para edificar la Iglesia local de Scranton y servir unos a otros en el espíritu de Cristo resucitado. Sus maneras fieles y desinteresados, sus oraciones de apoyo a los inocentes que han sufrido y su servicio de uno a otro son visibles a nuestro mundo que la presencia de Cristo ha sido hecha tangible a través de la comunión de amor, que es nuestra iglesia.
Este es el día que el Señor ha hecho, sea nuestra alegría y nuestro gozo!
Fielmente suyo en Cristo resucitado,
S.E.R. Joseph C. Bambera, D.D., J.C.L.
Obispo de Scranton
Bishop Joseph C. Bambera of the Diocese of Scranton is welcoming Churches around the 11-county Diocese to ring their bells today to show solidarity with the people of France.
People across the country watched the fire at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris on Monday with shock and sadness and Bishop Bambera believes the ringing of the bells will be a tribute of faith and a sign of hope.
The Bishop is encouraging Churches to ring their bells at 12:50 p.m. this afternoon, the same (local) time as the fire started on Monday evening.
The Cathedral of Saint Peter in downtown Scranton, the Mother Church of the Diocese of Scranton, will be just one of the places participating by ringing its bells for a period of five minutes.
“The tragic fire at Notre Dame Cathedral strikes the hearts of not only the worldwide Catholic community, but of all people of faith and good will, as this treasured house of worship that has seemed so timeless in its enduring presence is changed forever.
I was privileged to visit Notre Dame Cathedral with my mother and father in 1993 and again with several priests of the Diocese of Scranton in 1997. The loss of this grand and noble sacred place in so many respects is a reminder of just how important our own parish churches are to us as we journey through life.
For as devastating as this loss may appear to be, as Christians we profess that there is always hope through our faith in Jesus’ life, death and resurrection – the same faith that gave the great Notre Dame Cathedral its soul and life!
Please join me in praying for the protection of the firefighters and first responders in Paris who are working to battle the fire. Our prayers also go out to the Church and our brothers and sisters in the Archdiocese of Paris.”
Most Rev. Joseph C. Bambera, D.D., J.C.L.
April 15, 2019
WASHINGTON—Amidst the devastating fire taking place at the Cathedral of Notre Dame in Pairs, Daniel Cardinal DiNardo, Archbishop of Galveston-Houston and President of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops issued a statement to the people of Paris.
The full statement follows:
“The horrific fire that is engulfing the Cathedral of Notre-Dame de Paris is shocking and saddens us all, for this particular cathedral is not only a majestic Church, it is also a world treasure. Noble in architecture and art, it has long been a symbol of the transcendent human spirit as well as our longing for God. Our hearts go out to the Archbishop and the people of Paris, and we pray for all the people of France, entrusting all to the prayers and intercession of the Mother of God, especially the firefighters battling the fire. We are a people of hope and of the resurrection, and as devastating as this fire is, I know that the faith and love embodied by this magnificent Cathedral will grow stronger in the hearts of all Christians.”
PALM SUNDAY: SUNDAY, APRIL 14
The solemn observances of Holy Week, which recall the passion and death of Jesus Christ, begin on Palm Sunday, April 14. The Masses on Palm Sunday will include the blessing and distribution of palm branches, which play a symbolic role on this day since they were first used to commemorate the triumphant entry of Jesus Christ into the city of Jerusalem. The Most Reverend Joseph C. Bambera, D.D., J.C.L., Bishop of Scranton, will celebrate a Pontifical Liturgy at 12:15 p.m. at the Cathedral of Saint Peter, Scranton. Weather permitting, this Mass will begin in the Cathedral Prayer Garden with a blessing of palms and a Gospel reading, followed by a procession into the Cathedral.
Palm Sunday Masses at the Cathedral will also be celebrated at 4 p.m. on Saturday and 6:30 a.m., 10 a.m., and 5 p.m. on Sunday. Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament begins at 6 p.m., followed by Evening Prayer and Benediction at 6:30 p.m.
CHRISM MASS: TUESDAY, APRIL 16
Priests serving throughout the Diocese will gather at the Cathedral on Tuesday, April 16, at 4 p.m. for the Solemn Pontifical Chrism Mass, at which the Holy Oils used during the conferral of sacraments throughout the Church year will be blessed. Bishop Bambera will be the principal celebrant and homilist. Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus John M. Dougherty will concelebrate the Mass along with all priests from the Diocese.
During this Mass, priests and deacons, along with lay representatives from Diocesan parishes, acknowledge the Bishop’s role as the unifying symbol for Church governance and pastoral guidance. Priests will renew their ordination promises. After Mass, they will receive the Sacred Chrism, Oil of the Sick, and the Oil of Catechumens, which are used in the celebration of Baptism, Confirmation, Holy Orders, the Anointing of the Sick, and the Rites of the Catechumenate. The deacons of the Diocese will assist in the blessing of the holy oils.
HOLY THURSDAY: THURSDAY, APRIL 18
The three most sacred days of the Church’s liturgical year, known as the Sacred Paschal Triduum, begin on Holy Thursday, April 18, with the evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper. During the Triduum (Latin for “three days”), the Church solemnly celebrates the greatest mysteries of our redemption, keeping by means of special celebrations the memorial of the Lord, crucified, buried and risen.
Holy Thursday marks the day on which Christ instituted the Holy Eucharist and the priestly Order and gave us the commandment concerning fraternal charity. At the Cathedral, Morning Prayer will be at 8 a.m. The Pontifical Evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper will begin at 5:30 p.m., with Bishop Bambera serving as the principal celebrant. During the Mass, there will be the rite of the Washing of Feet, which re-enacts Christ’s washing of the feet of his apostles at the Last Supper. Following this Mass there will be the transfer of the Most Blessed Sacrament to the place of repose. Adoration will continue until 10 p.m., when Night Prayer will be celebrated.
GOOD FRIDAY: FRIDAY, APRIL 19
On Good Friday, April 19, and the following day (up to the Easter Vigil Mass), by a most ancient tradition, the Church does not celebrate the sacraments at all, except for Penance and Anointing of the Sick. At the Cathedral, Morning Prayer for Good Friday will be at 8 a.m. The Commemoration of the Passion and Death of the Lord celebrated by Bishop Bambera will begin at 12:10 p.m. This solemn liturgy consists of three parts: the Liturgy of the Word, the Adoration of the Cross, and Holy Communion. In addition, the Stations of the Cross will be prayed at 5 p.m. Good Friday is a day of fast and abstinence.
HOLY SATURDAY: SATURDAY, APRIL 20
Holy Saturday, April 20, is the day that the Church waits at the Lord’s tomb in prayer, meditating on his passion and death and on his descent into hell, and awaiting his resurrection. Morning Prayer will be at 8 a.m. at the Cathedral, followed by a retreat for those preparing to be baptized and received into full communion with the Catholic Church. The blessing of Easter Baskets will take place at 1 p.m. in the Cathedral.
The Vigil in the Holy Night of Easter is the night of keeping vigil for the Lord (Exodus 12:42), in which following the Gospel admonition (Luke 12:35-37), the faithful, carrying lighted candles in their hands, should be like those looking for the Lord when he returns, so that at his coming he may find them awake and have them at his table. This night’s vigil is the greatest and most noble of all solemnities in the Church. Although celebrated entirely at night, this Mass of the Vigil is the first Mass of the Sunday of the Resurrection, and it is the center of the Sacred Paschal Triduum.
Bishop Bambera will be the principal celebrant and homilist of the Easter Vigil Mass at the Cathedral, beginning at 8 p.m. on Saturday, April 20. This liturgy is arranged in four parts: 1) the Lucernarium (a service of light) and Easter Proclamation; 2) the Liturgy of the Word, in which the Church meditates on the wonders God has done for his people from the beginning, trusting in his word and promise; 3) the Liturgy of Baptism and Confirmation in which new members of the Church are reborn; and 4) the Liturgy of the Eucharist, in which the Church is called to the table the Lord has prepared for his people, the memorial of his death and resurrection until he comes again.
On the Holy Night of Easter, 174 people who have participated in the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) will become fully initiated Catholics by the celebration of their Baptism, Confirmation, and reception of the Eucharist for the first time. This will take place during Easter Vigil Masses celebrated in parishes throughout the Diocese. They join tens of thousands of other individuals throughout the world who will become members of the Church that night.
EASTER SUNDAY: SUNDAY, APRIL 21
Easter Sunday of the Resurrection of the Lord is the most joyous day in the Church year. This joy overflows into the 50 days of the Easter season, which concludes on Pentecost Sunday. On Easter Day, April 21, Bishop Bambera will celebrate a Pontifical Mass at 10 a.m. at the Cathedral. Additional Masses during the day will be at 6:30 a.m. and 12:15 p.m.
Since Christ accomplished his work of human redemption and of the perfect glorification of God through his Paschal Mystery, in which by dying he has destroyed our death, and by rising restored our life, the Sacred Paschal Triduum shines forth as the high point of the entire liturgical year. Therefore the preeminence that Sunday has in the week, the Solemnity of Easter has in the entire year.
SCRANTON, PA (APRIL 11, 2019) – The Diocese of Scranton is warning its parishioners to be on alert, and not fall victim, to a new scam that has popped up.
On Wednesday, April 10, 2019, two employees from the Diocese of Scranton received text messages on their cell phones from someone claiming to be one of our priests and asking that the recipients buy gift cards for him.
While neither employee fell victim to the scam, a similar situation was also reported recently in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia and some Diocesan parishioners reported getting text messages as well.
The Diocese of Scranton reminds everyone if you are ever concerned about a message that you receive, whether by text message or email, verify it before you take any action. In the instances reported this week, the person impersonating a priest asked each recipient to purchase $500 in gift cards for his niece as a birthday present because he was checking on a friend in the hospital.
Additional reminders for the public to not fall victims to a scam include:
For more information, contact:
Eric Deabill
Secretary for Communications
Diocese of Scranton
Office: (570) 591-5001
Cell: (570) 237-6508
EDeabill@dioceseofscranton.org
April 5, 2019
Bishop Joseph C. Bambera of the Diocese of Scranton has joined more than 140 religious individuals calling on U.S. leaders to uphold the principles of religious freedom.
The group of varying backgrounds has sent a letter to President Donald Trump, Vice President Pence, and congressional leadership from both political parties, outlining eight principles.
In the coming days, the letter asks the recipients to recognize that “individuals of all faiths and none have equal dignity, worth and rights to religious freedom.”
Following the March 15 attack on two mosques in New Zealand that killed fifty Muslims, another principle outlined in the letter emphasizes that “an attack on one religion should be treated as an attack on every faith.”
Bishop Bambera is currently the chairman of the Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs committee of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. Two other committee chairmen, Archbishop Joseph E. Kurtz of Louisville, Kentucky, and Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio of the U.S. Archdiocese for the Military Services, also signed the letter. They respectively chair the committees for Religious Liberty and International Justice and Peace.
The letter ends by asking recipients to devote specific remarks to the principles of religious liberty in the days ahead, saying “we vow to work with you to ensure that individuals and communities are able to practice their faith without fear.”
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Note: The full letter with all of signatories can be found at: https://www.dioceseofscranton.org/news/religious-liberty-letter-april-4-2019/
March 25, 2019
SCRANTON, PA – As parishioners spend time in prayer for the season of Lent, the Diocese of Scranton announces today that it will host the incorrupt heart of Saint Jean Vianney at the Cathedral of Saint Peter in Scranton in April.
The major relic of Saint Jean Vianney’s incorrupt heart is currently in the midst of a nationwide tour, visiting cathedrals, churches and chapels throughout the United States through June 2019.
The Diocese of Scranton will host the relic on Saturday, April 13, 2019. The Shrine of Ars, France, made the relic available for its national tour.
The relic will be welcomed to the Cathedral of Saint Peter with the celebration of Morning Prayer at 8:30 a.m. It will remain on display for private prayer and veneration through 3:00 p.m. The Daily Mass will be celebrated at 12:10 p.m. and the Sacrament of Reconciliation will also be offered from 10:30 a.m. until 11:30 a.m. Bishop Joseph C. Bambera will be the principal celebrant of the 12:10 p.m. Mass and Msgr. David Bohr will deliver the homily.
The Knights of Columbus is hosting the nationwide tour. Before stopping in Scranton, the relic will have already visited Washington, D.C. and Los Angeles.
Born in France in 1786, Jean Vianney suffered through the dark years of the French Revolution. He undertook a life of penance and prayer to draw people away from sin and closer to God. Known for his wise spiritual counsels, Father Vianney would hear confessions for up to eighteen hours a day. Jean Vianney died on August 4, 1859. Saint Jean Vianney was canonized by Pope Pius XI on May 31, 1925.
As the patron of parish priests, the faithful are asked to pray for their most heartfelt needs and intentions, as well as for healing within the heart of the Church.
For more information about St. Jean Vianney and the relic tour, visit www.dioceseofscranton.org.
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Eric Deabill
Secretary for Communications
Diocese of Scranton
(570) 591-5001
Cell: (570) 237-6508
EDeabill@dioceseofscranton.org
March 15, 2019
The horrific and senseless acts of violence in yet more places of worship, this time two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, remind us all of the need for prayer, acts of solidarity as members of one human family and education to overcome fear, prejudice and ignorance.
All people are created in the image and likeness of God. The rich variety and diversity of people is a gift to humanity. We must strive to learn more about different cultures, languages and religions. We must become good neighbors and overcome the fear of those who are different from us.
Today, the 11 counties of northeastern and north-central Pennsylvania are being enriched with new neighbors of other faiths: Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, and others. People of good will need to learn from each other and become friends as well. There is never an excuse for ignorance, violence or hatred.
We extend our love and support to the Muslim community in New Zealand, and here at home, for the evil they have experienced. United in solidarity, we can and we must put aside any differences we have and stand together as one.