The annual Mass in Italian will be celebrated at 10 a.m. on Sunday, September 1, at Saint Peter’s Cathedral, in Scranton. All are welcome to attend.
The liturgy is celebrated in conjunction with La Festa Italiana, which occurs over the Labor Day weekend, Friday through Monday, August 30 through September 2, on Courthouse Square, one block away.
This year’s principal celebrant is Father David Cappelloni, La Festa chaplain. Bishop Joseph C. Bambera will preside and give the homily.
Concelebrants will be priests from the Diocese of Scranton. Deacons from the Diocese will also participate.
The Mass will be broadcast live by CTV: Catholic Television and will be rebroadcast on Tuesday, September 3, at 8 p.m., and Wednesday, September 4, at 10 a.m. It will be available for viewing later in the week on the Diocesan website at www.dioceseofscranton.org.
This year’s Mass is dedicated to the late Bishop Robert C. Morlino, a Dunmore native who was raised in SS. Anthony and Rocco Parish there. A graduate of Scranton Preparatory School, he was ordained for the Society of Jesus.
Subsequently he became a priest of the Diocese of Kalamazoo, Michigan. On July 6, 1999, St. Pope John Paul II appointed him the Ninth Bishop of Helena, Montana. He was then appointed the Fourth Bishop of Madison, Wisconsin, on May 23, 2003 and installed on August 1, 2003.
Bishop Morlino served as chairman of two committees of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) and chaired the Board of Directors of The National Catholic Bioethics Center (NCBC) which conducts research, consultation, publishing and education to promote human dignity in health care and the life sciences.
Bishop Morlino served as principal celebrant and homilist for the Italian Mass in Scranton in 2017. He died in Madison on November 24, 2018.
This year’s Italian Mass is also being offered in memory of Pat Aita, Dora Amendola, Frank J. Blasi, Rev. Joseph Cipriano, John “Jack” Costanzi, Dr. Peter Cupple, Rep. Sid Kavulich, Marie Lalli, Sylvio Mele, Ed Pisano and John Valvano.
Music ministry for the Italian Mass will be provided by the choirs of SS. Anthony and Rocco Parish, Dunmore; Holy Family Parish, Luzerne; and UNICO Scranton Chapter, accompanied by a brass quartet, all directed by Joseph Moffitt. Dominick DeNaples, mandolin; Patrick Loungo, Nicholas Luongo, Lou Cossa, guitar, and Monica Spishock, timpani, will also accompany.
Ashley Yando-DeFlice is the cantor. The guest vocalist is Olivia DiMattio
Dr. Ann Cerminaro-Costanzi is the leader of prayer. The lectors are Kevin Phelan, retired Chancellor of the Diocese of Madison, and Sister Catherine Iacouzze, MPF. The Prayer of the Faithful will be led by Karen A. Clifford, Frank Castellano and William R. Genello.
Offertory gifts will be presented by Scranton Controller Roseann Novembrino, Scranton Police Chief Carl Graziano, UNICO National President Frank and Linda DeFrank, Atty. Guy Valvano, Robert W. Pettinato, Robert DiMattio, Mrs. Rose Blasi and son Frank T. Blasi and Jennie Wentline.
James Baress, Patrick Caramanno, Joshua Cillo, Stephen Eboli, Jonathan Eboli, Anthony Santoli and Guy M. Valvano are the ushers.