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The Catholic Light
DIOCESE OF SCRANTON
WWW.DIOCESEOFSCRANTON.ORG
VOLUME 114 NUMBER 17 ISSN-0164-9418
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 25, 2014
2014 CHRISTMAS MESSAGE
Bishop Bambera
Dear Friends in Christ,
As we celebrate this blessed season of Christmas, we are invited to reflect, once again,
on that singular moment in history when God took on human shape and form and was born
into the family of Mary and Joseph in order to save us, the people he has created and loved.
This year’s celebration of the birth of Jesus takes place during a unique moment in the
life of our Church. Pope Francis, beginning with his apostolic exhortation Evangelii Gaudium,
and supported by the worldwide 2014-2015 Synods of Bishops on the Family as well as his
intention to journey to the United States for the World Meeting of Families that will take
place this coming year, has focused our attention on the unique and treasured gift entrusted
by God to all of humankind – the family. “The family,” Pope Francis has stated, “is the fundamental cell of society, where we learn to live with others despite our differences and to
belong to one another; it is also the place where parents pass on the faith to their children.”
The beautiful liturgical seasons of Advent and Christmas lend themselves to a reflection on
the gift of family life. Regardless of the size, status, character or make up of our particular families,
every one of us seeks to be a part of some family and to belong to another. It is of our very nature
to want to matter to others outside of ourselves and to make a difference for good in their lives.
Yet, the reality of our lives is such that many of us find it difficult to believe that such
lofty desires can ever be achieved. The times in which we live find us as Christians faced
with countless numbers of challenges to our values, to the promise of peace, both globally
and within our hearts, and to the hopes and dreams that we have for our families. Our world
is still fraught with war, terrorism and all types of oppression. People disappoint us and
even the Church, through its human frailty, has let us down. Freedom is challenged in lands
thousands of miles away and also in this great land of ours. And life is still treated far too
precariously, especially in the unborn child, the poor, the immigrant, the disabled, the elderly,
and in those who are forced to the margins of society by discrimination, bigotry and hatred.
Despite the brokenness of our world, however, Pope Frances reminds us that we are never
beyond the reach of God’s merciful love. Reflecting upon a passage from Saint Luke’s gospel
that is recounted each year during this holy season, the Holy Father offers us insight into how
our hopes and dreams as a family of faith are
Thank you . . . for your best achieved. “The evangelist Luke tells us
the Blessed Mother and Saint Joseph, in
efforts to respect, treasure that
keeping with the Law of Moses, took the Baby
and serve Jesus’ presence as Jesus to the temple to offer him to the Lord, and
that an elderly man and woman, Simeon and
he comes to us each day in Anna, moved by the Holy Spirit, went to meet
them and acknowledged Jesus as the Messiah
word, in sacrament, and in (cf. Lk 2:22-38). … It is a beautiful image: two
parents and two elderly people, brought
his people: those created in young
together by Jesus. He is the one who brings
his image and likeness who together and unites generations! He is the inexhaustible font of that love which overcomes
are a part of our families, our every occasion of self-absorption, solitude,
and sadness. In your journey as a family, you
parishes and the communities share so many beautiful moments: meals,
housework, leisure, prayer, trips and
in which we live. In so doing, rest,
pilgrimages, and times of mutual support…
Nevertheless, if there is no love then there is
you keep alive the true
no joy, and authentic love comes to us from
Jesus. He offers us his word, which illuminates
meaning and the
our path; he gives us the Bread of life which
real work of Christmas. sustains us on our journey.”
Image taken from a stained glass window – Marian Chapel,
Swartz Center for Spiritual Life, Marywood University
Thank you for your willingness to recognize and embrace the authentic love of Jesus. It
alone has the power to renew our lives and our world. May it also bring you lasting hope and joy!
Thank you, as well, for your efforts to respect, treasure and serve Jesus’ presence as he
comes to us each day in word, in sacrament, and in his people: those created in his image
and likeness who are a part of our families, our parishes and the communities in which we
live. In so doing, you keep alive the true meaning and the real work of Christmas.
With gratitude for the privilege of serving as your Bishop and with prayers for a holy and
blessed Christmas for you, your family and all you hold dear, I am
Faithfully yours in Christ,
Most Reverend Joseph C. Bambera, D.D., J.C.L.
Bishop of Scranton
DECEMBER 25, 2014 • THE CATHOLIC LIGHT
2
Diocesan Pastoral Center Dedicated
Repurposed facility affirms commitment to ‘build up People of God’
“This wonderful space that we dedicate today reminds us that our purpose
– our mission – is about building, but
not so much building with bricks and
mortar; rather, building with flesh and
blood and spirit. Our mission is building
up the People of God – the Body of Christ
– building with and through the grace of
God’s Spirit in our lives.
“And that, my friends, is what we
acknowledge today – our commitment as a
local Church to yet again dedicate ourselves
to living our mission as the People of God.”
With those words, Bishop
Joseph C. Bambera prefaced his
dedication and blessing of the
new Diocese of Scranton Pastoral
Center on December 2, 2014.
The facility at 330 Wyoming
Avenue is an important building
in the rich history of Diocesan
Catholic education and in the development of downtown Scranton,
having previously been the site
of Cathedral High School, then
Bishop Hannan High School and
finally the Holy Cross High School
Scranton Campus.
The Diocese has repurposed
the building as a Pastoral Center
that now provides a centralized
work and gathering space for
educational purposes and Diocesan-related functions. As part of
the Wyoming Avenue footprint
that includes the Cathedral of Saint
Peter and the Chancery administrative offices building, the Pastoral Center will gather the faithful
for many purposes – ministry
training, spiritual formation, educational programs and planning
meetings – as well as celebrations
coinciding with the many Pontifical Mass occasions observed at
the Cathedral.
For almost 150 years, Bishop
Bambera noted, “the Church of
Scranton has responded to the
needs of her people to equip them
to continue to proclaim the Good
News of Jesus, and the life and
hope that He brings to all. This
Pastoral Center is a powerful reminder of that commitment to the
mission of the Church.”
The Bishop said this moment
calls us to reflect upon the gift
of change that we have all been
Bishop Bambera blesses the Diocesan Pastoral
Center with water drawn from the baptismal
fonts of each parish in the Diocese.
called to embrace – not a change
that yields to fear or despair – but
a change that reminds us of the
life-giving ways in which God
continues to work in our world,
calling us to adapt and to respond
to the signs of the times in order
to best maintain our mission as the
People of God.
“That hope is so very evident today as we gather together
to dedicate this Pastoral Center.
This space has and only will make
sense when it is filled with the
very People of God it is called to
serve,” he said.
The dedication program
opened with a welcome by Father Thomas M. Muldowney,
Vicar General of the Diocese,
who acknowledged the diligent
efforts of so many to bring this
significant project to fruition. He
then asked Monsignor David L.
Tressler, Diocesan Secretary for
Catholic Schools/Superintendent
of Schools, to offer an overview
of the building’s history (see accompanying article).
After providing those facts,
Monsignor Tressler focused on
his personal experiences of “the
true welcoming spirit within these
walls.”
When his family moved to
Scranton in March 1975, he was a
high school student “who entered
this building not knowing anyone
or anything about Scranton. You
can imagine my fear and apprehension, but I was welcomed here with
open arms and hearts. Everyone
Above and right: two views
of the majestic atrium.
The building, adjacent to
the Chancery on Wyoming
Avenue, formerly housed
Cathedral-Bishop HannanHoly Cross Scranton Campus
high schools.
went out of their way to make sure
that my high school experience
was truly memorable.”
In 1985 he was ordained
and received his first assignment
as assistant pastor of St. Patrick
Parish along with being assigned
as a catechist at Bishop Hannan
High School. “At that point I was
overwhelmed and had never even
thought about being a teacher.
Once again . . . I was welcomed
with open arms and everyone supported my efforts. I even ended up
as moderator of the Student Council. Thus, it is here that my love of
Catholic education was nurtured.”
Then during the 2004-05
school year, the Board of Pastors
asked him to assume the position
of administrator of Bishop Hannan
while Principal Jim Marcks was
serving as the Interim Superintendent of Schools.
“So today, as we look forward to its future as the Diocesan
Pastoral Center, I know it will be
ever welcoming to all who enter
the doors. We pray for the success
of the departments housed in the
building and that the programs,
events, and activities will be visible signs of our call to servant
leadership,” Monsignor Tressler
said. “As we enter a new era of
learning and formation within
these walls, the legacy (of all those
who have gone before us) lives on
and we continue to carry forth the
ministry of Catholic education in
the Diocese of Scranton.”
The repurposing of the building was initiated in order to house
offices previously located in the
Guild building, located at 400 Wyoming Avenue, which has recently
been sold, and to support the ongoing educational, ministries and
formation programs previously
held at the Fatima Renewal Center
and former St. Pius X Seminary
property in Dalton, which closed
in August.
On October 3, the Diocesan
Office for Parish Life relocated
from the Guild building into the
Diocesan Pastoral Center. Eventually the Diocesan Office for
Communications, including CTV:
Catholic Television, will also
relocate from the Guild building
into the Diocesan Pastoral Center.
Serving as a base for the many
Diocesan services related to Parish Life and Communications,
it will offer information, tools
and resources to match the needs
of the 120 parishes and various
Catholic agencies throughout
the 11 counties of the Diocese,
“enabling them to stay connected
and helping them to advance the
mission of evangelization and
service of the gospel,” according
to Catherine Butel, Diocesan
Secretary for Parish Life.
The Diocesan Pastoral Center,
she said, will pulse with daily activities, “drawing in the hopes and
goals of each faith community and
circulating back out to match the
needs and to help this local church
stay connected and to grow ever
more vibrant.”
Continued on next page
Continued from page 2
“This Center, then, represents the fundamental
Christian call to be both
gathered and sent – it serves
the Church of Scranton as a
warm and sacred place to
gather as the People of God,
and also still as a school – a
school of discipleship, a
school for servant leadership, a school for constant
missionary outreach. We
commit ourselves to being
neither at the expense of the
other – to being always both
gathered and sent.”
This project is among
the results of an in-depth
review of Diocesan structures, including buildings,
offices and programs, initiated several years ago by
Bishop Bambera. It follows
his vision, expressed in his
Our Lady of
Fatima Chapel
Pastoral Letter issued on
Pentecost 2011, “that if we
are going to gain profound
spiritual renewal, we must be
committed to change some
priorities, reallocate resources and reorganize and retool
diocesan services.”
The Bishop reaffirmed
that commitment at the dedication ceremony and asked
all of us to embrace renewal.
“My greatest hope –
and I know it is yours as well
– is that by bringing together
strong parish structures and
well-formed parishioners,
the result will be more grow-
The Bishop said this moment calls us to reflect
upon the gift of change that we have all been called
to embrace – not a change that yields to fear or
despair – but a change that reminds us of the lifegiving ways in which God continues to work in our
world, calling us to adapt and to respond to the signs
of the times in order to best maintain our mission as
the People of God.
ing, life-giving and vibrant
parishes that will carry us
into the future and will help
us fulfill the mission entrusted to us by Jesus,” he said.
Bishop Bambera blessed the Diocesan Pastoral
Center with water drawn
from the baptismal fonts
of each parish in the Diocese. That water had been
offered and commingled by
parish representatives at the
Diocesan Congress held in
the fall of 2013 during the
Diocesan observance of the
Year of Faith.
Bishop Bambera concluded, “May we now open
the doors of this Pastoral
Center and yet again assume our role in providing
hope for all who seek to
enter into the life of God.
God bless you for your
willingness to continue to
walk with me along this
wonderful journey.”
On Monday, December 8, 2014, the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, Bishop
Bambera rededicated the chapel in the newly
refurbished Diocesan Pastoral Center, giving
it the name of Our Lady of Fatima Chapel.
The chapel was originally dedicated
in 1958 when the building opened as Cathedral High School. It was a gift from Mr.
and Mrs. Thomas F.J. Friday in memory of
Mr. and Mrs. M.E. Comerford.
The refurbished chapel, located on
the first floor of the facility, features a new
altar, ambo and tabernacle stand, along with
a refinished crucifix, candle holders and
sanctuary lamp. The new furnishings were
provided through a generous donation from
Carol Paswinski, offered in memory of her
parents, Joseph and Sophie Paswinski.
A statue of Our Lady of Fatima has
been placed at the entrance of the chapel to
acknowledge both the patroness of the refurbished chapel as well as its relationship
to the Fatima Center, which was located in
the former Saint Pius X Seminary complex
in Dalton. The work and ministry of Fatima
Center, which provided ministry formation
and retreat opportunities for countless
numbers of people will be carried on in the
new Diocesan Pastoral Center, creating a
fitting link to the treasured site in Dalton
that was such a vital part of the past and
recent history of the Diocese of Scranton.
Bishop Bambera with Carol Paswinski, whose generous donation
provided the new furnishings for the chapel.
Building Has Proud Legacy
The building housing the Diocesan Pastoral Center came
into being as Cathedral High School, which was dedicated on
August 31, 1958. Bishop Jerome D. Hannan, the fifth Bishop of Scranton, officiated at the ceremony inaugurating the
newest addition to the educational facilities in the Diocese.
According to an article in The Catholic Light, “The finished
product in its architectural simplicity stands as a monument
to the new forward look in educational buildings.”
Ground for the building was broken on November 11,
1956. At that time a “loyalty fund drive” was launched to
cover the cost of construction, which ultimately required
more than $1 million. The campaign was to involve an
“intensive house-to-house, face-to-face canvass for sacrificial pledges among the parishioners of the Cathedral and
Immaculate Conception Chapel.” Funds were also raised
throughout the Diocese under the direction of Judge T. Linus
Hoban, the campaign chairman.
Cathedral High School was organized and staffed by
the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary,
with Sister M. St. Helen as the first principal, and an initial
Memorabilia from the building’s high school years and
artifacts from Saint Pius X Seminary/Fatima Center are
displayed in the Pastoral Center.
enrollment of 200 students. After nine years serving as
a parish school for Saint Peter’s Cathedral, in 1967 the
school became an interparochial institution that over the
subsequent years extended admission to other parishes in
the city. In 1970 its name was changed to Bishop Hannan
High School in memory of its founding prelate.
In 1974 West Scranton Central Catholic High School
became part of the Bishop Hannan community, and in
1982 students from Bishop Klonowski High School in
South Scranton entered Bishop Hannan. In 2007 Bishop
Hannan was consolidated with Bishop O’Hara High
School in Dunmore to form Holy Cross High School,
with campuses in each location. The following year the
school was consolidated into one campus in Dunmore.
Since that time the building has been used occasionally as a staging area for Pontifical Masses at the Cathedral
and related functions.
Over the course of its 50-year history, Cathedral- Bishop
Hannan-Holy Cross High School was characterized by academic and athletic achievement, participation in extra-curricular programs, and most importantly the formation of
thousands of young men and women in the Catholic faith.
This is a tribute to the many dedicated clergy, religious, lay
faculty, parents, alumni and many others in the community
who built and supported the proud tradition of the school.
3
THE CATHOLIC LIGHT • DECEMBER 25, 2014
Pastoral
Center
Dedicated
DECEMBER 25, 2014 • THE CATHOLIC LIGHT
4
Parishes Rejuvenated, Parishioners’ Lives
Transformed Through Parish Life Team
Editor’s note: This is the
fourth in a series on ministries and
programs funded by the Diocesan
Annual Appeal.
Pope Francis reminds the universal Church of the importance
of parish life in his first Apostolic
Exhortation, The Joy of the Gospel: “The parish is the presence
of the Church in a given territory,
an environment for hearing God’s
word, for growth in the Christian
life, for dialogue, proclamation,
charitable outreach, worship and
celebration. In all its activities
the parish encourages and trains
its members to be evangelizers. It
is a community of communities,
a sanctuary where the thirsty
come to drink in the midst of their
journey, and a center of constant
missionary outreach (#28).”
new by discovering together how
to proclaim the Gospel and live
Eucharistic communion in a way
that our brothers and sisters in the
regions of our diocese can comprehend and be inspired.”
Both the Pope’s and Bishop
Bambera’s vision of parish life
affirms the efforts underway in
the Diocese of Scranton effecting
profound parish renewal. It also
describes the mission of the Diocesan Office for Parish Life under the
direction of Catherine Butel, Diocesan Secretary for Parish Life.
Parish Life is among the programs
and services funded by gifts to the
2014 Diocesan Annual Appeal:
“Transforming Lives Together.”
Over the past few years,
parish communities have been
working diligently to embrace the
transitions directed by the Bish-
Ministries of Community was the final session of the 2014
Fall Convocation series offered by the Office for Parish
Life. Held November 22 at Our Lady of the Snows Parish,
Clarks Summit, it featured family life and marriage facilitators Peg Hensler and Marie Ryan leading a discussion on
“How to Become a Marriage-Building Parish.” Pictured is
Peg Hensler working with, seated from left: Marilee Beyer
from St. Brigid, Friendsville; Vicki Mulligan from St. JohnSt. Lawrence-St. Martin, Susquehanna County; and Deacon
Joe and Patricia LaCorte from St. Vincent in Milford.
Bishop Joseph C. Bambera
shared his vision for the Diocese
in his pastoral letter, Wounded and
Loved, Regathering the Scattered:
“The mystery of parish life lies in
generous self-giving, or servant
leadership, in the way of Jesus. In
view of this mission of oneness,
we must constantly work together
toward greater unity amidst our
rich diversity of perspectives,
traditions, and generations…Our
task is to make our parish life
op’s vision and re-establish their
focus on the pastoral and spiritual
care of the People of God. “It is
surely within lively parishes, and
flowing outward from them, that
Catholic Christians have the most
fruitful opportunities to touch and
transform lives,” said Mrs. Butel.
“The measure of a vibrant
parish, and therefore the priority
goal for the Office for Parish
Life, is to provide environments
where individuals can encounter
the person of Jesus Christ in real
ways which change their lives
for the better, and then to provide
avenues for these transformed
disciples to bring the power of
that loving encounter to bear on
a hungering world,” she explains.
“Their efforts have had an impact.”
The Office for Parish Life was
restructured in recent years to more
comprehensively support parishes
in all aspects of ministry. In ways
unique to each parish, the ministries
of Word, Worship, Service and
Community are being strengthened
and parishioners are being invited
into full participation.
With the assistance of a Pastoral Planning Toolkit developed
during a pilot process with nine
parishes, and a pool of trained
facilitators, more than 40 Parish
Pastoral Councils throughout
the Diocese are now actively
engaged in some phase of articulating a three- to five-year plan
to guide their parish in achieving
its mission. Through this process,
as well as other means adopted
by their pastor and Council, 25
parishes have published such a
plan, with Mission, Vision, Core
Values, Goals and Objectives.
Work is actively underway with
these parishes to support them in
“putting the plan into action” by
creating coordinating teams and
annual action plans.
“We were actually one of the
pilot parishes in the pastoral planning process,” said Marie Caffrey,
an active member of St. Vincent
de Paul Parish, Milford. “We
worked through this process with
a consultant from the Office for
Parish Life for a whole year and it
was really ideal. Anytime we had
questions we could look to them
for guidance. We couldn’t have
done it without them… It’s like a
ripple on a pond. I am one of the
facilitators for St. Joseph’s Parish,
Matamoras and St. John Neumann
Parish, Scranton.”
Said Mrs. Caffrey, “We do an
awful lot to help make the parish a
vital part of people’s lives, a place
people can turn to in times of need.
We offer Bible study, book study,
bereavement support. Generally
speaking, the Office for Parish
Life has given us lots of tools we
can use.”
Continued on next page
Editor’s Note: In launching the 2014 Diocesan Annual Appeal,
Bishop Joseph C. Bambera named six pastors and six couples
from throughout the Diocese to serve as Regional Clergy Chairs
and Lay Chairs, respectively. This is the next in a series featuring
these individuals and their commitment to support the campaign.
Father Greg Kelly; Connie & Jim Conrad
Clergy & Regional Lay Co-Chairs
for Wayne-Pike Region
Connie and Jim Conrad of Lakeville have been named lay
chairs for the 2014 Diocesan Annual Appeal representing the
Wayne-Pike Region. Father Gregory Kelly, pastor at St. Patrick’s
Church, Milford, has been named Wayne-Pike clergy chair.
As Mr. Conrad explains it, “Connie and I and our two miniature schnauzers moved from the Baltimore-Washington area to
Northeastern Pennsylvania in 2003. We both retired from the federal
government and decided to leave the hustle and bustle and relocate
to a place with lakes and mountains, a place with less humidity, and
cooler temperatures. We found everything we were looking for and
also found our new parish church, Blessed Virgin Mary Queen of
Peace, in Hawley….Above the Baptismal Font was a statue of the
Holy Family, the same one I had sat under in my last parish church
for so many years. I knew I was home.”
Mr. Conrad holds a degree in psychology from the University
of Maryland and a master’s in public administration from the University of Baltimore as well as several certifications. Most recently
he was employed as senior health care fraud analyst with the Federal
Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Mrs. Conrad, a registered nurse, was
graduated from Lutheran Hospital School of Nursing, Baltimore,
and St. Joseph’s College, North Windham, ME. Also a recognized
authority on Medicare coverage issues, she most recently served
as director of the Division of Operations and Committee Management, Office of Clinical Standards and Quality for the Centers for
Medicaid and Medicare Services.
The Conrads both volunteer as members of the federal Tax
Counseling for the Elderly Program in Scranton, sponsored by
the Internal Revenue Service, and administered by the Voluntary
Action Center. Mrs. Conrad is a former Red Cross Blood Drive
nurse. As Mrs. Conrad explains, “our volunteer activities seem to
be our hobbies.”
Continued on page 13
5
THE CATHOLIC LIGHT • DECEMBER 25, 2014
“From all the opportunities they have presented, the convocations,
they have been very valuable experiences for all of us. By taking advantage of these resources, our parish has been able to make an impact
on the community – beyond just those we find in the pews on Sunday.”
“We’re trying to stress that clergy and congregation are partners,”
said Father Paul Mullen, pastor of St. Vincent de Paul. “And we’re asking
our parishioners what they feel our strengths are and how they see us
best moving forward. The Diocese is a great partner. We’re not doing
this alone. Bishop Bambera and the Office for Parish Life have helped
us devise and implement a renewal plan to take God’s Word beyond our
parish…and to spread new life out into our community.”
“Funding is critical for the Office for Parish Life at this time
for many wonderful reasons,” said Father John Lapera, pastor of St.
Gregory’s Church, Clarks Green. “The Office for Parish Life staff has
worked with me and our newly formed Pastoral Council in developing
a strategic plan for our parish which assisted in developing a pastoral
plan expressing our purpose, goals and priorities that we are now just
beginning to implement with four new Coordinating Teams. The Office
for Parish Life has also been working with us and our partner parish,
Our Lady of the Snows, in developing new collaborative efforts. All of
these efforts lead to more vitality in our parishes.”
“A member of the Office for Parish Life team has come to several
meetings giving us guidance as to how to proceed with our Pastoral Councils,” said Father Michael Kloton, administrator of Our Lady of Immaculate Conception Parish, Freeland, and St. Patrick Parish, White Haven.
“Having a Liturgy Committee is also very important to me,” he added.
“In each church we opened membership to all who were interested. The
Office for Parish Life has been helpful in answering questions and providing
resources. We now have a vibrant Liturgy Committee that knows the difference between ‘decorating a hall’ and ‘preparing the environment’ for the
celebrating of the Eucharist. They know everything has a specific meaning.”
A new Diocesan Ministry Formation initiative called Formation
for Servant Leadership: Growing in Faith Together was announced by
Bishop Bambera last May. The Office for Parish Life Team is working
with partners in the four Catholic universities and colleges located in the
Diocese, along with formation institutes in other parts of the country, to
launch this multi-level ministry formation. Certain aspects, such as Echoes
of Faith, Renew, and JustFaith are designed for parish-based adult faith
formation. At the center of the initiative is the Diocesan Certificate in Lay
Ministry, for which there are currently 22 participants. These individuals
are engaged in theological study and reflection, skill-building and spiritual
formation designed to equip them for ever more effective lay ministry
within the parish and in the marketplace of their work and family life.
For adult parishioners, Holy Name of Jesus Church, West Hazleton,
began offering Come to the Table this September. “We offer the program
on Sunday evenings and begin with a sharing of the day’s Gospel,” explains Pete Lamont, who is also coordinator of the parish RCIA program
and has attended Office for Parish Life workshops. “We have a complete
open conversation about understanding the Gospel and sharing ideas
about how to apply the message to our daily lives. Topics are published
in the bulletin and anyone from the community is welcome to attend.”
Holy Name also has a Hispanic committee offering RCIA classes.
Marie Seibert and Kathy Joyce, co-directors of religious education
for SS. Peter and Paul Parish, Towanda, are planning to begin a new faith
formation class this spring after learning about it through the Office for
Parish Life. “The programs the Office for Parish Life has had for catechists
are all marvelous,” said Mrs. Seibert. “We come home with a lot of ideas to
implement. Now we’re really charged up about Echoes of Faith for adults.”
Beyond this effort, the Formation for Servant Leadership: Growing
in Faith Together also has a track of preparation for those persons whose
theological formation and ministry experience suits them to serve as
Pastoral Associates or, potentially, as Parish Life Coordinators, exercising a more complete role in collaborating with priests to provide the
pastoral care needed to sustain vibrant parishes.
This fall the Office for Parish Life created a series of Fall Convocations focusing on each of the pillars of parish life. The Convocation
for Ministries of Service invited participants in social justice and social
concern ministries. The catechists’ Convocation for Ministries of Word
brought together adult leaders of many aspects of parish sacramental
The Family Choir of St. John the Evangelist Church, Pittston, under the direction of Sister Kieran
Williams, IHM, Director of Religious Formation, Youth and Family Ministry, assists at the Family
Mass each Sunday at 10 a.m. Standing center, rear, is pastor Monsignor John Bendik, also a choir
member. “It’s definitely a joy to see all that the Diocesan team is offering for us at the parish level,
and making that a priority. We’ve taken our youth to ‘Up and Over,’ ISLI (International Student
Leadership Institute), and everything the Diocese offers,” Sister Kieran notes.
initiation ministries, catechetical ministries and evangelization ministries. Participants in the Convocation
for Ministries of Worship participated in specialized
workshops for Lectors, Extraordinary Ministers of
Communion, Musicians and Cantors, Parish Liturgy
Committees, as well as Hospitality and Welcome
Teams. The series concluded with the Convocation
for Ministries of Community, which emphasized
parish-based marriage support ministries.
One important way that the Office for Parish Life
is able to assist parishes in their efforts to transform
lives is by bringing together those persons who serve
in a specific capacity – so the growing network for
groups such as Youth Ministry Leaders, Directors of
Religious Education, Music and Liturgical Ministry
Leaders, Bereavement Support Teams and Service/
Social Concerns Committees allows those actively
leading the life of a given parish to interact with others
in similar roles both for the sake of mutual support and
for the sharing of best practices. It is in this context,
also, that parishes begin to form partnerships for the
most effective outreach and stewardship.
At St. Matthew’s Parish, East Stroudsburg, Kevin
Scheirer formed a Parish Social Concerns committee
at the request of his pastor, Monsignor John Bergamo.
“Staff from the Office for Parish Life has been meeting with us every other month, giving us material,
observing and facilitating,” said Mr. Scheirer, a deacon candidate who also coordinates Youth Group and
teaches 7th and 8th grade Confirmation Classes. “We
would be lost without the Diocesan personnel being
involved with this effort.”
Said wife, Rita, also a committee member,“It
seems overwhelming at first since there are so many
issues that could be addressed under social concerns.
After talking with a team member from the Office for
Parish Life we realize that every church and every
community has different needs, and it’s important that
each parish take the time to carefully assess how they
can best serve their community.”
“The first thing is to recognize the duty of the
Church to society as a whole,” said Mr. Scheirer. “Jesus told us to love our neighbor and this is where the
formation begins. How do we love our neighbor? We
can’t help one brother and shun the next. Charity is a
community act through our Social Concerns effort.
We’re so energized about this.”
Said Mrs. Butel, looking into the coming year,
one major area of emphasis for transformative growth
will be the Family and Marriage Support opportunities leading up to the September 2015 World Meeting
of Families to be held in Philadelphia. “This is a ‘once
in a lifetime’ invitation for members of the Diocese
of Scranton to participate in a worldwide Congress
dedicated both to learning about and celebrating the
blessings of family life.”
The 2015 Calendar published by the Office for
Parish Life provides a rich array of tools and resources
to enable parishes to retain this focus and to deepen
its service to all kinds of families. Highlighting the
World Meeting will be the visit of Pope Francis,
for which the Office for Parish Life is developing a
Diocesan Pilgrimage.
At St. John the Evangelist Church, Pittston, “Everything we do is about the family,” said Sister Kieran
Williams, IHM, director of Religious Formation,
Youth and Family Ministry. It all starts with a Family
Mass every Sunday at 10 a.m., “since the Eucharist is
the center of everything and from that flows our mission and our ministry,” said Sister. The Mass features
an inter-generational Family Choir which “enhances
the beautiful liturgy we have in place with our great
priests, pastoral team and deacons. The parish also
offers a Friday family fun night from January through
May with over 120 families participating.”
Continued on page 13
DECEMBER 25, 2014 • THE CATHOLIC LIGHT
6
Celebrating the Feast of
Our Lady of Guadalupe
The Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe was recently celebrated, particularly in the areas of the Diocese with large Latino populations. This annual observance commemorates the appearance of the Virgin Mary to a Mexican Indian, Juan Diego, in December
of 1531. The Blessed Mother’s message of hope continues to inspire people of Hispanic
descent, especially those from Mexico. Our Lady of Guadalupe is venerated as patroness of the Americas.
Annunciation Parish, St. Gabriel Church, Hazleton
St. John Neumann Parish,
Nativity of Our Church, Scranton
7
St. Matthew Parish,
East Stroudsburg
Most Holy Trinity
Parish, St. Ann
Church, Tobyhanna
THE CATHOLIC LIGHT • DECEMBER 25, 2014
St. Nicholas Parish, Wilkes-Barre
DECEMBER 25, 2014 • THE CATHOLIC LIGHT
8
Feast of the Epiphany
of the Lord –– January 6
Making Sense Out of Bioethics
Are
Womb Transplants
Immoral?
By Father Tad Pacholczyk, Ph.D.
Pope Francis kisses a figurine of the baby Jesus
as he leaves after celebrating Mass on the solemnity
of the Epiphany of the Lord in St. Peter’s Basilica
last January. The feast of the Epiphany, which marks
the manifestation of Jesus as savior of the world,
is commemorated 12 days after Christmas on Jan. 6.
PCC Perspective
A recent news report described the unusual story of a baby’s birth from his grandmother’s womb. A 29-year old woman from
Sweden, born without a uterus, received a
transplanted womb from her mother, the
same womb that had brought her into the
world a generation earlier. The woman then
became pregnant through in vitro fertilization (IVF) and delivered a healthy baby boy.
The research had been dogged by controversy and questions: Could a transplanted
womb from a post-menopausal woman be
“triggered” back into action once it had
been introduced into the body of a younger
woman? Could a transplanted uterus effectively provide nourishment to a growing
baby during all the gestational stages of a
pregnancy? Would such a costly and risky
surgery involving two people, mother and
daughter, donor and recipient, be justifiable?
Are such transplants ultimately ethical?
The specific circumstances involved are
critical to determining whether this novel
type of transplant is ethical.
Various medical anomalies can cause a
woman to be missing a uterus. A congenital
disease called Rokitansky syndrome can
cause the uterus to develop anomalously,
or not form at all. Uterine cancer or other
serious gynecological issues may necessitate that a woman undergo a hysterectomy,
resulting in permanent infertility.
The womb is a unique organ with a
highly specific function, and the transplantation of a healthy womb into a woman who
lacks one due to a birth defect or disease
is loosely parallel, some would say, to a
situation where a patient’s kidney fails, and
another person donates a healthy replacement organ.
Yet others would say that the womb is
not a vital organ like a kidney, and while
Continued on Page 9
Run Forth
to Meet Christ
By A.B. Hill
Communications Director,
Pennsylvania Catholic Conference
Grant your faithful, we pray,
almighty God, the resolve to run forth
to meet your Christ.
Most of us run around a lot this time
of year; but toward whom are we running
–– the Christ child or the cashier in the
checkout line?
We meet Christ in our liturgy –– his
Real Presence is always there at Mass, but
when we are not too distracted by our own
worries we can also see Him in the least of
our brothers and sisters.
Jesus tells us where to find him in
Matthew 25: “For I was hungry and you
gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave
me drink, a stranger and you welcomed
The Catholic Light
me, naked and you clothed me, ill and you
cared for me, in prison and you visited me
… Amen, I say to you, whatever you did
for one of these least brothers of mine,
you did for me.”
The Church teaches us to recognize and
fulfill the obligations of justice and charity
in society. We have a responsibility toward
building, organizing and creating a functioning society through political, economic
and administrative obligations. The Church
(meaning all of us) has a secular mission to
work toward the common good. Lay people
are called to help build the kingdom of God
in the world around us.
Official newspaper of the Diocese of Scranton. Published every third
Thursday by the Catholic Light Publishing Co., 300 Wyoming Ave., Scranton,
PA 18503-1287. Offices: 300 Wyoming Ave., Scranton, PA 18503. Phone:
(570) 207-2229. Periodicals postage paid at Scranton, Pa., and additional
mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Catholic Light,
300 Wyoming Ave., Scranton, PA 18503-1287. Subscription rates: $10.00 per
year; $12.00 foreign. Member of the Catholic Press Association, Subscriber
to the Catholic News Service. William R. Genello, Editor-in-Chief. The
Catholic Light is our official diocesan journal. The publication of notices,
regulations and extra-synodical decrees in said paper constitute legal promulgation for all the faithful of the Diocese of Scranton, Clergy and Laity.
Continued on Page 9
Volume 114 Number 17 — Thursday, December 25, 2014
(ISSN 0164-9418)
January 22
9
Continued from Page 8
Common good is defined as
the social conditions that allow
for the authentic development of
the whole person. It is a human
right that grows out of the dignity
that God assigns to every person.
When we slow down long
enough to look for Jesus in the
least of our brothers and sisters, we
see how societal conditions may
be contributing to poverty, illness,
oppression, or ignorance.
Members of society contribute
to the common good through their
generous use of the spiritual, social,
or material means they possess for
the good of others and to create
conditions that allow people to more
easily live a humane existence.
Catholic charities agencies
meet urgent temporal needs of
many people. Charitable giving
is necessary and important; but
often the relief is only temporary
and does not address the underlying conditions that caused the
problem.
The Pennsylvania Catholic
Conference advocates for public
policies that improve the conditions for people to thrive. Its
mission is to formulate positions
on issues, officially represent the
Church before state government,
and to foster a public understanding of the Church’s teaching and
concern about morality, health,
welfare, human rights, education,
and yes, the common good.
The PCC is an authoritative
resource for Catholics and a vehicle for change. Our website,
www.pacatholic.org, is a place
for citizens to seek the truth about
perplexing societal questions and
find links to the Catholic Advocacy Network’s tools for urging our
elected officials to vote in support
of the common good.
The political challenges that
face our nation, our state, and our
cities and towns demand urgent
moral choices on behalf of all
citizens. Pray, inform your conscience, speak up for the common
good, and be generous with your
spiritual, social, or material means.
As we run forth to meet our Christ,
let’s look for Jesus around us
and work toward improving our
society for all of God’s children
to achieve the happy and healthy
existence they deserve.
How to Get to the March for Life
Buses Scheduled for 42nd Anniversary Event in Washington
SCRANTON –– Pro-life advocates throughout Northeastern
Pennsylvania will join tens of thousands of their counterparts from
across the nation for the 42nd annual March for Life on Thursday,
Jan. 22, in Washington, D.C.
Regional chapters of the Pennsylvanians for Human Life (PHL)
will offer round-trip bus transportation. Bus reservations are requested as soon as possible.
In Washington, participants will join together with other activists in a peaceful march to protest the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision
by the U.S. Supreme Court, which legalized abortion-on-demand
in America and has caused the deaths of more than 55 million
unborn children.
Prior to the march, there will be a peaceful rally, beginning at
noon, on the National Mall –– just west of the U.S. Capitol. Following the rally, the annual March for Life will proceed up Constitution
Ave. toward the Capitol and conclude at the Supreme Court building.
Afterward, marchers may visit their local congressional delegations and demonstrate their concern on behalf of legislative action
for pro-life issues, including the continuing effort to overturn Roe
v. Wade.
The PHL will sponsor buses leaving from communities throughout the Scranton Diocese. Departure times and costs vary. Details
on bus schedules and costs throughout the region can be obtained
from the following contacts:
CARBONDALE
Call Dorothy Tedesco, (570) 679-2316.
MONROE COUNTY (POCONOS)
The Pocono PHL Chapter bus will depart at 6 a.m. from the Bon
Ton store in the Stroud Mall and is scheduled to return around 10
p.m. Call Patricia Murray, (570) 420-8083, or Joan Berdela (570)
421-8636.
SCRANTON
The Scranton PHL Chapter buses will leave at 6:30 a.m. from
Marywood University (main parking lot) and at 6:45 a.m. from
Scranton’s Keyser Oak Shopping Center. Cost is $40 for adults,
$20 for students. For reservations or to sponsor a student for the
trip, forward a check payable to Pennsylvanians for Human Life
to: Anthony DePaola, 1310 Woodlawn St., Scranton, PA 18509.
Phone: (570) 906-1107 or (570) 347-6324.
WILLIAMSPORT
Gathering for bus transportation at 5:30 a.m. at Beiter’s. For
more information and reservations, call Evelyn Rall, (570) 398-0722.
Making Sense of Bioethics: Are Womb Transplants Immoral?
Continued from Page 8
the transplantation of a womb
is directed towards improving a
patient’s quality of life, it clearly
does not constitute life-saving
surgery like a kidney transplant.
Therefore, womb transplants require strong ethical
justifications.
As we reflect on the ethics
surrounding new medical treatments and technologies, it can help
us to recall the general principle,
enshrined in the Catechism of the
Catholic Church, that the morality
of a human act depends on three
factors: the object, the end, and
the circumstances involved. An
act is morally good only if all
three of these factors are morally
good. If any one of them is bad, we
recognize that the overall act itself
becomes morally bad.
For example, a diva using
her voice to sing a passage from a
famous opera has the morally good
object of performing a beautiful
and artistic musical composition.
The end for which a diva might
sing would be to perfect her singing skills — also morally good.
But if she decides to do it at 3 a.m.
in a dormitory, so that it disturbs
the sleep of her neighbors, then the
circumstances would not be good,
and we would conclude that the
action of singing in that way by
the diva is, in fact, morally bad.
In the case of carrying out a
womb transplant, the object of the
act would be good, namely, to restore a woman’s bodily wholeness
by transplanting a healthy womb
in situations where she lacks one.
The end for which the womb transplant would be carried out would
also be good, namely, to achieve
a pregnancy.
But particular circumstances
can easily render the womb transplant immoral. If the transplant
were done for the purposes of
pursuing a pregnancy through IVF,
this circumstance would render the
entire act of the womb transplant
morally bad and disordered, given
that IVF is invariably immoral as
a means to engender new human
life. All reported instances thus far
of womb transplants followed by
successful pregnancies have arisen
because of the use of IVF.
A similar problem with the
circumstances of the transplant
could arise if the womb that was
used for transplant had been donated by a healthy woman still
in her reproductive years who
harbored a contraceptive intention and no longer desired to have
more children of her own with
her husband. In such a situation,
her uterine donation would cause
her to become sterile, and would
represent a seriously flawed moral
circumstance that would likewise
render the action of receiving the
transplanted womb unethical on
the part of the other woman.
When might a womb trans-
plant be morally acceptable? If
a uterus were transplanted from
either a deceased or a freely-consenting, post-menopausal woman
to another woman whose ovaries,
fallopian tubes and other reproductive tissues were then able to
function so she could conceive a
child within the marital embrace,
rather than through IVF (and
assuming minimal medical risks
to both donor and recipient), the
womb transplant could represent
an ethical means of resolving her
uterine-factor infertility. In conclusion, the specific circumstances
of both the donor and recipient are
crucial in discerning the ethical
appropriateness of this unusual
procedure.
Father Tadeusz Pacholczyk,
Ph.D., serves as the Director
of Education at The National
Catholic Bioethics Center in
Philadelphia.
THE CATHOLIC LIGHT • DECEMBER 25, 2014
Run Forth
to Meet Christ
DECEMBER 25, 2014 • THE CATHOLIC LIGHT
10
The Marian Movement of New
York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania
gathered in St. Ann’s Basilica in
Scranton on December 6 for a Marian Pilgrimage celebrating the 160th
Anniversary of the Declaration of the
Dogma of the Immaculate Conception.
The Marian Movement, comprised of many from the Filipino
community, observes this very special
event every 10 years. In addition to
Mass, the pilgrimage to St. Ann’s
included talks by guest speakers.
Bishop Bambera was principal
celebrant of the liturgy and noted, “In
so many ways your pilgrimage brings
together cherished traditions honoring the role which Mary, the Mother
of God, serves within the mystery of
the Church.”
The Bishop cited the Apostolic
Exhortation, The Joy of the Gospel, in
which Pope Francis chose to conclude
his message with this pointed affirmation of Mary’s own discipleship, and
thus her ability to guide all of us in our
efforts to grow in faith together and to
be servant leaders in today’s world:
“There is a Marian ‘style’ to the
Church’s work of evangelization.
Mary is able to recognize the traces
of God’s Spirit in events great and
small. She constantly contemplates
the mystery of God in our world, in
human history and in our daily lives.
Marian Pilgrimage at St. Ann’s Basilica
She is the woman of prayer and work
in Nazareth, and she is also Our Lady
of Help, who sets out from her town
‘with haste’ (Lk 1:39) to be of service to
others. This is what makes the ecclesial
community look to Mary as a model of
evangelization. We implore her maternal intercession that the Church may
The Catholic Light Photos/Terry Connors
become a home for many peoples, a
mother for all peoples, and that the
way may be opened to the birth of a
new world.”
The Diocese of Scranton
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Wells Fargo presents a $10,000 donation to St. Francis of Assisi Kitchen. A program
of Catholic Social Services of the Diocese of Scranton, the Kitchen provides a free
daily meal to needy men, women and children. From left are Wells Fargo District
Manager Kevin Engelman; Monsignor Joseph P. Kelly, Catholic Social Services
executive director; and Wells Fargo Area President Greg Collins.
The Diocese of Scranton Scholarship
Foundation was once again able to offer
Catholic school students and their families
an increase in tuition assistance for the
2014-2015 school year. This is the fifth consecutive year that the Diocese has been able
to increase the award amounts that families
receive in an effort to help offset tuition
increases, offering families an additional
$475 per award over the five years.
“The Diocese remains committed to
supporting our Catholic school students
and families and I am so very grateful to
our business community for their commitment to our tuition assistance program.
Through their generosity, many more
families are able to afford a Catholic education, which is a vital part of the mission
of our local Church,” said Most Reverend
Joseph C. Bambera, D.D., J.C.L., Bishop
of Scranton.
The total tuition assistance awarded
also increased this year. The main sources
of funding for the Scholarship Foundation
include the Educational Improvement Tax
Credit (EITC) Program, the Opportunity
Scholarship Tax Credit (OSTC) program,
the Academic Angel program, which allows
individuals to donate directly to our students
and families, and the Bishop McCormick
Fund, a diocesan fund used for Catholic
Education tuition assistance.
“We are truly grateful for the support
of all our donors: our local business leaders
and owners who participate in the EITC and
OSTC programs, as well as the individuals
who choose to support our families through
the Academic Angel program. The kindness
of our donors enables our families to continue to choose a Catholic Education for
their children,” said Jim Bebla, Diocesan
Secretary for Development.
Most notably, as the Diocese of
Scranton completed its third full year of
offering OSTC awards to our students, donations increased by close to $100,000 this
past year. More than 1,000 students received
a financial assistance award.
In April, the Diocese of Scranton held
its annual Scholarship Foundation Appreciation Luncheon for donors at Bishop
Bambera’s residence. The student speaker
for the program, Megan Carey, a graduating
senior at Holy Cross High School, beautifully encapsulated the importance of the tuition
assistance her family was awarded throughout her elementary and high school years.
Ms. Carey spoke about her parents’
commitment to make the necessary sacrifices that would enable them to choose
an environment that not only “encouraged
me to grow as a student, but as a person as
well,” she said. Her parents chose to send
her to Catholic school as she entered the
6th grade, and her sister was enrolled the
following year.
“The impact that this decision has had
on my life over the last seven years has been
extraordinary, and this decision certainly
would not have been possible without the
security and assistance of financial aid,” Ms.
Carey noted.
For more information about how to
support tuition assistance for our Diocesan
Catholic school students through the EITC/
OSTC programs or the Academic Angel
program, or to discuss other opportunities,
please contact Jim Bebla, Diocesan Secretary for Development at 570-207-2250.
Interested businesses are encouraged to
apply online at: www.newpa.org/eitc or
www.newpa.org/ostc. Applications for the
EITC and OSTC programs will be accepted
beginning May 15, 2015 for businesses
currently in a two-year commitment or who
are renewing a two- year commitment; and
July 1, 2015 for companies participating
for the first time.
Diocese of Scranton Scholarship Foundation
Tuition Assistance Awards for 2014-2015
EITC, Bishop McCormick and Academic Angel Awards:
School System
Awards
Holy Cross
Holy Redeemer
Notre Dame
St. John Neumann
Totals:
348
435
132
107
1,022
Amount
$415,822
$477,409
$145,075
$198,650
$1,236,956
OSTC Program (as of publication):
Totals:
126
$168,400
THE CATHOLIC LIGHT • DECEMBER 25, 2014
Scholarship Foundation increases tuition assistance awarded for the 2014-2015 school year 11
First National Community Bank (FNCB) presents an $85,400 Educational
Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) donation to the Diocese of Scranton Scholarship
Foundation. From left: Joseph Earyes, First Senior Vice President, Chief Retail
Banking & Operations Officer; Steven Tokach, FNCB President and Chief Executive
Officer; Lindsay Doherty, Diocesan EITC/OSTC Coordinator; and Jerry Champi,
FNCB Chief Operating Officer.
Deacon Peter J. Hoegen Laid to Rest
Deacon Peter J. Hoegen,
77, of Kingston Township
died December 3, 2014, at
the home of his daughter, Katie Arensmeyer, in Kingston.
Born Oct. 8, 1937, in
St. Louis, Mo., he was a
son of the late Judge Peter
J. Hoegen and Rosemary
Edam Hoegen.
He was a 1955 graduate
of Archbishop John Carroll
High School in Washington,
D.C. He attended Georgetown University, where he
met his wife in 1958. He
and the former Maureen
McGovern of Jermyn were
married on June 17, 1961,
and they celebrated their
50th anniversary prior to
her death on Sept. 26, 2011.
He served in the U.S.
Army from 1960 to 1965,
first as a chief warrant officer in Washington, D.C.,
and was stationed in Munich, Germany, from 1961
to 1965. After his military
discharge, he was a special
agent with the FBI from
1965 to 1968, when he enrolled at the Law School
of the University of Notre
Dame, from which he graduated in 1971.
He practiced law in the
Wilkes-Barre area beginning in May 1971 and later
formed a partnership with
Deacon Peter J. Hoegen
his eldest son, Frank. He
remained counsel to the firm
until his illness last year.
He was ordained
a deacon in the Diocese
of Scranton in November
1993. In September 2013, a
celebration was held to commemorate his 20th diaconate
anniversary at Immaculate Conception Church of
Corpus Christi Parish in
West Pittston, where he had
served as a deacon for the
past four years.
Deacon Hoegen is survived by his children, Frank
and his wife, Molly Hoegen,
Kingston; Rose and her
husband, Joe Curtin, Richmond, Va.; Katie and her
husband, Bob Arensmeyer, Kingston; Joe Hoegen,
Mechanicsburg; and Dan
and his wife, Amy Hoegen, Kingston Township;
grandchildren, Kristin Curtin Sherrow, Portsmouth,
Va.; Joseph, Margaret, John
Paul, Mary Clare and Peter
Curtin, Richmond, Va.; Sara
Hoegen, Houston, Texas;
Lael Hoegen, Philadelphia;
Robert and Beth Arensmeyer, Kingston; Morgan
Hoegen, Mechanicsburg;
and Jacob and Stephen
Hoegen, Kingston Township; great-grandchildren,
Michael, Caleb, Teagan
and Tessa Sherrow; sisters,
Kathy Dooley, Escondido,
Calif.; and Margaret Mudd,
Pacific Grove, Calif.; nieces,
nephews, other family and
friends, including his best
friend of 25 years, whom
Deacon Hoegen referred to
as “the best friend anyone
could ever have,” Monsignor John J. Sempa.
A Funeral Mass was
celebrated on December 6
in the Church of Immaculate
Conception, West Pittston.
Memorial contributions may be made to the
Medical Oncology Associates Prescription Assistance Fund, 382 Pierce St.,
Kingston, PA 18704; St.
Vincent de Paul Kitchen,
Catholic Social Services,
33 E. Northampton St.,
Wilkes-Barre, PA 18701; or
Corpus Christi Parish Social
Concerns Ministry, 605 Luzerne Ave., West Pittston,
PA 18643.
DECEMBER 25, 2014 • THE CATHOLIC LIGHT
12
BISHOP BAMBERA’S SCHEDULE
December 24 – Christmas Eve Vigil Mass, St. Peter’s
Cathedral, Scranton, 4:00 p.m.
Christmas Mass at Midnight, St. Peter’s Cathedral, Scranton
December 25 – Mass, Gino Merli Veterans Center, Scranton,
9:30 a.m.
Bishop Bambera celebrated Mass at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church in
Carbondale on the Feast of Christ the King.
December 27 – Christmas Concert, St. Peter’s Cathedral,
Scranton, 7:00 p.m.
January 3 – Mass, Filipino Community, St. Peter’s Cathedral,
Scranton, 6:00 p.m.
January 5 – Mass, Capuchin Sisters, Tunkhannock, 4:30 p.m.
Follow Bishop Bambera on Twitter
The Catholic Light Photos/Terry Connors
Like many of his fellow Bishops and our Holy Father,
Pope Francis, Bishop Bambera will now be sharing his
thoughts and experiences as our shepherd via Twitter, the
worldwide online social media network.
Twitter allows users to broadcast short posts
called tweets. Twitter members can follow other users’ tweets
by using multiple platforms and devices, such as computers and
smartphones. According to Twitter, there are 232 million active monthly
users of the service.
“The Church clearly recognizes that we must use a variety of means
to evangelize and stay connected with each other,” Bishop Bambera said.
“I hope that through Twitter I can offer some insights and encouragement
to you, and share some news of my ministry here in the Diocese of
Scranton. I invite you to join me on our journey of faith!”
You can follow Bishop Bambera on Twitter by going to: www.
twitter.com/BishopBambera
Twitter is the latest addition to our communication outlets – which
include The Catholic Light, CTV: Catholic Television, the Diocesan
website and the Diocesan Facebook page.
Many people are already following us on Facebook. You
can join them:
• Go to: www.facebook.com/DioceseOfScranton
• Click on the “Like” button
• Go to the adjacent Message bar and from the drop down
menu, choose “Add to interest list.” You will automatically get Facebook
updates from the Diocese through your News Feed.
You are also encouraged to visit the Facebook pages of other
The Cathedral of Saint Peter Parish Choir and Instrumentalists,
Diocesan departments. They are listed on our website at: http://www.
directed by Danny Marx, offered the annual Gaudete: Lessons &
dioceseofscranton.org/media/social-media/
Carols concert on December 14. This prayer service incorporated
musical styles ranging from contemplative to triumphant, as well as
Thank you for connecting with us!
many traditional and contemporary Advent carols.
Continued from page 5
“It’s definitely a joy to see all that the Diocesan team is
offering for us at the parish level, and making that a priority,”
Sister Kieran noted. “We make every effort to be at every
meeting offered by the Office for Parish Life. Having the
annual Parish Life calendar with offerings throughout the
year makes it practical for planning so we’re sure not to miss
any events or schedule a conflict. We invite key people from
the parish, so they can also benefit. We’ve taken our youth
to ‘Up and Over,’ ISLI (International Student Leadership
Institute), and everything the Diocese offers.”
Along with these large-scale efforts, many of the most
impactful interactions between parish leaders and members
of the Office for Parish Life Team are those which happen
in individual conversations, brainstorming sessions, trouble-shooting efforts or prayerful dialogue. To provide what
each parish needs to build on its current strengths, and to
successfully transform the lives of its own parishioners
and of the people it serves in the particular community,
the Office for Parish Life Team members are “in the field.”
They are ready and willing to meet directly in each parish,
to participate in the activities which matter most to each
parish, and to locate or create tools and resources which
are best suited to each parish.
Courtney Murphy Hull, the Catholic campus minister at Mansfield University and a member of Holy Child
Parish Council, Mansfield, has attended several Office for
Parish Life workshops. “We’re taking a new approach in
response to the spirit of the Bishop’s Pastoral Letter, with
the assistance of the Office for Parish Life Team,” explains
Ms. Hull. The council has conducted a parish faith survey
for parishioners beginning with high school freshman and
up. “We’ve asked everyone to rate the parish on aspects
close to their heart, what they would like to see improved
or changed. We are now compiling the results and plan
to offer open forums, focus and discussion groups,” she
added. Through the campus ministry program, college
students at Mansfield also become involved in the parish
life and in various ministries as the parish is three blocks
from the university campus.
Bishop Bambera challenged the People of God of the
Church of Scranton in his pastoral letter, Wounded and
Loved, Regathering the Scattered. The Office for Parish
Life continues to be inspired by his words: “In and through
Christ, it is possible to create lively parish communities in
which all are welcome and find meaning, purpose and peace
in their lives. In and through Christ, those who have walked
away, for whatever reason, can find welcome and honest
care and concern. In and through Christ, new immigrant
communities can be made to feel at home. In and through
Christ, each of us can walk hand in hand to the Eucharistic
table as brothers and sisters despite the economic, racial,
and cultural barriers that the world can often set between us.
Indeed, all things are possible when we make the pattern of
Jesus’ life our own, when we begin to love and serve with
the same selfless spirit that led Jesus to the cross.”
Continued from page 4
Mr. Conrad serves on the pastoral and finance councils
at BVM. A certified master catechist, he teaches a 7th grade
religious education class and hosts Catholic Jeopardy for all
the grades at least once a year. “The youngsters really look
forward to ‘Alex’ visiting their classes,” he said. Mr. Conrad
also founded and coordinates the parish’s Bag a Month (BAM)
Food Program which donates bags of food and a significant
amount of cash to three local food pantries on a rotating basis.
“Like most people, each year Connie and I have to decide
how much we can afford to give and to whom, and there
are certainly many causes worthy of our support,” said Mr.
Conrad. “At the top of our list is our parish church. Despite
what some may seem to believe, our parish does not enjoy a
surplus. Our 100-year-old buildings are not self-maintaining,
and parish expenses never seem to spiral downward.
“After our parish, the Diocesan Annual Appeal represents our next largest donation for the year and we are
asking others to prayerfully consider doing the same. We
believe we are obliged, to the extent we can, to support our
Bishop and our Diocese as it seeks to carry out its mission.
“As regional chairs for the Appeal, we ask people to
view the Diocese not as some distant entity to which we send
money and from which our community derives no benefit.
We ask people to appreciate that every parish benefits from
the programs supported by the Annual Appeal: our faith
formation programs, the education of seminarians, taking
care of our retired priests, Catholic Social Services, just to
name a few,” he added.
“Whatever success I have achieved in my life I attribute
to my Catholic education, in particular, my five years in St.
Charles College, a minor seminary. During those years I
learned that although I did not have a vocation to the priesthood, I was called to a life of public service. St. Charles
prepared me for public service by instilling in me a sense of
personal discipline and integrity and a love for God’s children.
Without the financial support of my parish and the Archdiocese of Baltimore, that would not have been possible,” he
added. “Those years in the seminary also instilled in me a
love for the priesthood and an appreciation for the men called
to serve so unselfishly the faithful. We need to educate and
provide care for our retired priests.…Where God has been
so generous to us, how can we not share with others?”
“The Annual Appeal gives us the opportunity to
support so many of the initiatives that we as Christians
support,” Mrs. Conrad said. “We know that when we give
to the Annual Appeal our donation is used prudently and
efficiently. People are being fed and housed, the young
are being protected and educated, our sick and elderly are
being cared for. Visit some of the institutions supported by
the Appeal. The love you will see and feel is palpable. How
much of these good deeds can be done depends on us and
our willingness to share what God has given us; to invest
in others. As individuals we cannot do it all, but as a group,
through the Annual Appeal, we can do much. Every donation, regardless of its amount, counts and, when combined,
is a force for good and change.”
“Jim and I have felt so much joy and gratification for
our efforts on behalf of the Annual Appeal,” Mrs. Conrad
concluded. “We would like to encourage those who have
not yet contributed, to consider all the good being done…
You make a difference when you contribute, and, you make
a difference if you don’t. It’s never too late.”
Father Kelly was raised in Honesdale as a member of
St. John the Evangelist Church where Monsignor William
Feldcamp, then Father Feldcamp, was his pastor. Father Kelly
graduated from St. Vincent de Paul Parish School, Honesdale,
“As regional chairs for the Appeal, we ask people to
view the Diocese not as some distant entity to which we
send money and from which our community derives no
benefit. We ask people to appreciate that every parish
benefits from the programs supported by the Annual
Appeal: our faith formation programs, the education of
seminarians, taking care of our retired priests, Catholic
Social Services, just to name a few.”
and Franciscan University, Steubenville, Ohio. A year later, he
joined the Diocese as a seminarian, studying first at Mount St.
Mary’s Seminary, Emmitsburg, Md., and finishing his studies
at St. Charles Boromeo, Philadelphia. After ordination in 2007,
Father Kelly served as assistant pastor to Monsignor Feldcamp
at St. Paul’s and St. Clare’s Parish, Scranton.
He has served the Diocese as administrator at SS. Peter
and Paul Parish, Towanda, and St. Michael’s, Canton, and
was assistant pastor at St. Ignatius of Loyola, Kingston.
Father Kelly has been pastor at St. Patrick’s, Milford, for
the past three years. He also serves as Diocesan regional
assistant vocation director for Wayne and Pike counties.
Father Kelly explained that it was donations to the
Annual Appeal that helped to form him as a priest and enable other young men to be trained as future priests for our
Diocese. “On the opening weekend of the Appeal I reminded
my parishioners that their generosity in past years helped
to train me. I was able to enter the seminary and become
a priest because of the generosity of the parishioners that
I now serve. I think this is one of the most beautiful ways
we see the results of the Appeal at work,” said Father Kelly.
“The fruits of the Appeal may seem abstract, yet they
can be seen every weekend at Mass in the lives of the men
who devote themselves to serving our Church. The way
most parishioners really experience the Church, in its most
concrete form, is at the parish level in the relationship between their fellow parishioners and their pastors,” he added.
“The education of priests is just one aspect of Appeal
benefits,” said Father Kelly. “Our parish works hand-in-hand
with Catholic Social Services in Pike County, helping to meet
the needs of those who come through our parish doors asking
for assistance with all sorts of things in life. Helping those in
need in our midst is answering the call of the Gospel.”
“The Diocesan Office for Parish Life (OPL) has been
leading us in a two-and-a-half year program for Pastoral
Planning by helping us to discern the movement of the
spirit in our community and to see where God is directing
our parish. Working with our Parish Council, OPL has
helped us develop the skills we needed to reach out to our
parishioners and develop a three-year plan for the future so
we can continue to see the growth in our parish and in our
spiritual lives. We have revised our mission statements and
developed core values as building blocks and guide posts
which we apply to everything we do as a parish,” he added.
Mr. Conrad concluded, “I cannot state the reasons for
giving to the Annual Appeal better than already stated on
the Diocesan website, ‘Without generous support for their
parish and the Diocesan Annual Appeal, the Church could not
accomplish the mission entrusted to it by Our Lord. Each of
us has a solemn duty to be grateful stewards of God’s many
gifts, and to help carry out His work for the salvation of all.’”
Appeal gifts and pledges are welcome through the end of
the fiscal year on June 30, 2015. Additional information may be
obtained by calling the Appeal Office at 570-207-2250 or visiting www.annualappeal.org. Donations may also be sent directly
to: Diocesan Annual Appeal, 300 Wyoming Ave., Scranton, PA,
18503-1279. To discuss gifts of securities or planned giving,
please call the Development Office at 570-207-2250.
13
THE CATHOLIC LIGHT • DECEMBER 25, 2014
PARISH
LIFE
TEAM
Regional chairs cite numerous benefits of Annual Appeal
DECEMBER 25, 2014 • THE CATHOLIC LIGHT
14
The Diocese of Scranton is committed to educating our students
in an environment that is academically excellent and facilitates the
development of moral judgment and Christian decision-making. We
are proud to share the following successes of our students in the
classroom and in their service to others. Each day, our schools are
fulfilling their mission of preparing today’s youth and young adults
to become tomorrow’s faith-filled leaders.
Bishop Bambera Celebrates School Masses
Bishop Bambera celebrated a Mass with the students and faculty of Our Lady of Peace School at the Church of St. Gregory in Clarks Green. Students participated in all aspects
of this special Mass, acting as the choir, readers, altar servers, and gift bearers. Following the liturgy he celebrated at St. Jude School in Mountaintop, the Bishop toured the
recently awarded “Blue Ribbon” school and was greeted by the Prekindergarten students, who wore unique “Welcome Bishop” miters they created to commemorate his visit.
Bishop Bambera poses with the students of Marian Catholic High School in Tamaqua, after celebrating Mass at their school. Due to its proximity, many students from
Hazleton’s Holy Family Academy select Marian as their high school of choice after their 8th grade graduation.
The girls Junior Varsity Basketball Team from Wyoming Area Catholic School in Exeter
proudly display their Championship trophy after winning a pre-season tournament played at Our
Lady of Peace School in Clarks Green. The tournament was held during the month of October
to help support Breast Cancer Awareness and the girls purchased shirts to support the cause.
Pictured from left: Cameron Cassetori, Samantha Yencha, Liv Moore, Annie Bagnall, Cameron
Marcinkowski, Cassandra Benderavich, Gabrielle Morgan.
Students from Holy Cross High School in Dunmore raised $1,000 for United
Neighborhood Centers of Northeastern Pennsylvania’s annual Thanksgiving Feed-aFriend Food Basket Program that helped feed families in need. The Student Council
officers presented the check to UNC. Shown from left are Advisor Lori Pawluck;
Harrison Rapp; Principal Ben Tolerico; Maria Batyko; Lisa Durkin, UNC chief
operating officer; Isabella Fanucci, and Jill Moyle, UNC community services director.
15
With the holiday season quickly approaching, students from Holy Family Academy in
Hazelton recognized they could help make others’ Christmas special by donating to Catholic
Social Services. Here the students pose with some of the food they collected.
Arielle Djokoto and Briana Scorey, two students from Holy Redeemer
High School in Wilkes-Barre, have been recognized by the National Merit/
Achievement Scholarship Program. Briana was named a Commended
Student in the 2015 National Merit Scholarship Program after she placed
among the top five percent of more than 1.5 million students who took the
2013 qualifying test (PSAT/NMSQT). Arielle was named an Outstanding
Participant in the National Achievement Scholarship Program after
scoring in the top three percent of Black Americans who took the PSAT/
NMSQT. Pictured, from left: Robert Musso, director of guidance; Arielle
Djokoto, Wilkes-Barre; Briana Scorey, Wilkes-Barre.
The students, faculty and staff of Good Shepherd Academy in Kingston
recently held a Thanksgiving food drive to benefit the St. Vincent de Paul Food
Pantry in Wilkes-Barre. Pictured from left, kneeling: Vincent Maria and Noah
Mangan. Standing: Alyssa Gushka, Colin Cook, Aidan Bilski, Jenna Biago,
Monsignor Joseph Kelly, Kyndall Byers, Alexandra McHale, Kyra Krzywicki.
Members of the Forensics Team from La Salle Academy in Jessup pose for a group picture.
Eligible students are encouraged to join Forensics to help them enhance their public speaking
skills and develop confidence in their ability to communicate ideas and points of view.
THE CATHOLIC LIGHT • DECEMBER 25, 2014
As a culmination of their study of ancient Egypt, Mrs. Wicki’s sixth grade class from Notre Dame Elementary School in East Stroudsburg proudly presents the pyramids they built.
DECEMBER 25, 2014 • THE CATHOLIC LIGHT
16
On the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, students from St. Clare/St. Paul School in Scranton
watched in fascination as six sisters from St. Clare Convent renewed their vows. The Immaculate
Heart of Mary sisters are: Sister Maureen Willis, Sister Mary William Philbin, Sister Angela
Miller, Sister Theresa Tetz, Sister Karen Steinberg, and Sister Rosella Salvato.
The 4th grade students from Our Lady of Peace School in Clarks Green
proudly show the shoe boxes they filled with Christmas gifts to be given to
less fortunate children.
The 4th grade students from St. Nicholas-St Mary School in Wilkes-Barre celebrated All Saints’ Day at the
school Mass held in St. Nicholas Church. After researching the life of their chosen saint, some of the students
dressed as that Saint and shared their research with their class.
The first grade class of Epiphany School in Sayre celebrated
the Feast of St. Nicholas by creating puppets and decorating
hats similar to what was worn by St. Nick when he was the
Bishop of Myra.
Bottom row: Ariana Morgan, St. Lucy; Kira Tran, St. Veronica; Eli Ropietski, St. Joseph; Charles Revitt,
St. Charles Borromeo; Sorrenta Rley, St. Ann; Allison Mago, St. Cecilia; Luke Litchkofski, St. Luke; Melanie Brito, St.
Joan of Arc; Sarah Kebles, St. Sarah.
2nd Row: Emily Kane, St. Emily de Vialar; Gianna Carone, St. Rose of Lima; Taylor Gibson, St. Rita; Maxx Kebles, St.
Maximillian Kolbe; Ariela Wyand, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton; Joseph Shane, Moses; Michael Malloy, St. Michael; Zayda
Gordon, St. Ann; Brynn Giordano, St. Lucy of Portugal; Antonio Gallo, St. Anthony of Padua; Thomas J Gerhart III
3rd Row: Mrs. Jennifer Jones, teacher; Madison Kennedy, Cody Nguyen, Kenny White, Nicholas Pawlowski, Noah
Fawbush, Tiffany Nguyen, Sunshine Wallace, Kathleen Cavanaugh, Jayla McCloe, Kristen Finnegan, Cody Rood,
Taden Degraffenreid, Sister Marion Tarone, IHM. Teacher.
First grade students in Mrs. Barbara Stopper’s class at St. John Neumann Regional
Academy in Williamsport honored veterans with pictures and biographies of men
and women who are serving or did serve in our Armed Forces. The students learned
about veterans, how they serve our country and how important they are in protecting
the freedoms we enjoy.
Students from St. Mary of Mt. Carmel School in Dunmore stand by their
Christmas tree showing the hats, mittens, and socks they collected for the Friends
of the Poor during this Advent Season.
DEC. 26 — Friday Morning
Eucharistic Adoration, hosted by
St. Monica Parish at Our Lady
of Sorrows Church, 363 W. 8th
St., West Wyoming; exposition &
adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
held every Friday following the
celebration of Mass at 7 a.m.;
adoration continues until 11 a.m.
All faithful are welcome to attend;
for more information, call the parish
office (570-693-1991).
DEC. 26 — Weekly Holy
Hour for Vocations, hosted by the
Little Sisters of the Poor at Holy
Family Residence, 2500 Adams
Ave., Scranton; held every Friday
at 4:30 p.m. in the residence chapel.
Holy Hour includes recitation of the
Rosary, evening prayer (vespers),
and benediction.
DEC. 26 — Friday Eucharistic
Adoration, hosted by Immaculate
Conception Church in the Hill
section of Scranton; exposition of
the Blessed Sacrament held every
Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:15 p.m.
in the church’s adoration chapel. All
are welcome throughout the day.
DEC. 26 — Weekly Divine
Mercy Novena, hosted at the
Basilica of the National Shrine
of St. Ann in west Scranton; held
every Friday at 6:30 p.m., prior
to the 7 p.m. Mass at St. Ann’s
Basilica, 1239 St. Ann St.
DEC. 27 — Cathedral of
Saint Peter Sacred Concert Series:
“Christmas at the Cathedral,”
presented at St. Peter’s Cathedral
in downtown Scranton; concert
begins at 7:30 p.m. Christmas
celebration in song, featuring the St.
Peter’s Cathedral Parish Choir and
Instrumentalists offering seasonal
selections spanning the centuries.
Open to the public free of charge;
freewill offering will be accepted.
DEC. 28 — Weekly Bible
Study Program: “The Great
Adventure — A Journey
Through the Bible,” hosted by
St. Monica Parish at Our Lady
of Sorrows Church, 363 West
8th St., West Wyoming; program
offered every Sunday at 9:45
a.m. in the parish’s lower chapel.
Presentations include the history
of Biblical stories as part of
God’s plan of salvation; God’s
six covenants with humanity; 12
major time periods of the Bible;
and a practical plan for reading
the 14 narrative books of the
Bible. All are welcome to attend.
DEC. 28 — Outdoor Rosary
Devotion, sponsored by the Lay
Servants of the Immaculate Heart
of Mary; held every Sunday
evening at 7 p.m. at the Fatima
Grotto, North Main St., WilkesBarre (across from the Holy Cross
Retirement Center). Devotion
includes recitation of 15 decades
of the Holy Rosary.
D E C . 3 0 — We e k l y
Eucharistic Adoration, hosted at
Gate of Heaven Parish, Dallas;
devotions held every Tuesday
in Gate of Heaven Church, 40
Machell Ave. Silent adoration
held from 5 to 6 p.m., followed by
music meditation from 6 to 7 p.m.
All faithful are welcome. Call the
parish office (570-675-2121) for
more information.
DEC. 30 — Holy Hour
Adoration, hosted at SS. Peter &
Paul Church, 1309 W. Locust St.,
west Scranton; weekly devotion
held every Tuesday from 7 to
8 p.m. Eucharistic adoration of
the Blessed Sacrament includes
prayers for priests and recitation
of the Rosary and Divine Mercy
Chaplet.
DIOCESAN DATEBOOK
Retrouvaille Weekend, Feb. 27-March 1 –– at
The Ramada Inn in Clarks Summit. Sponsored by the
Diocese of Scranton, Retrouvaille is a weekend program
for married couples who may be experiencing tension,
stress and loneliness in the marriage relationship. The
program helps couples –– even those separated and
divorced –– to communicate better and resolve conflicts in their relationships. Cost for the program is by
donation and registration is required. For more information or to register, call (1-800-470-2230) or visit: www.
helpourmarriage.org. All calls are confidential.
D E C . 3 0 — We e k l y
Eucharistic Adoration, hosted
by Q u e e n o f t h e A p o s t l e s
Parish, Avoca; adoration held
every Tuesday from 8 a.m. to
8 p.m. at St. Mary Church, 715
Hawthorne St., Avoca. All faithful
are welcome to spend time in
prayerful reflection/meditation
with the Blessed Sacrament. For
more information, call the parish
rectory (570-457-3412).
DEC. 30 — Devotions to the
Holy Face of Our Lord, hosted at
St. Elizabeth of Hungary Church,
Bear Creek; devotions held every
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THE CATHOLIC LIGHT • DECEMBER 25, 2014
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DECEMBER 25, 2014 • THE CATHOLIC LIGHT
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The Birth of Jesus
–– A Mission Story
The Society for the Propagation of the Faith
HolySociety
Childhood
The
forAssociation
the Propagation of the Faith
The Society of
St. Peter the
Apostle
Missionary
Childhood
Association
Missionary
Priests
and
Religious
The
SocietyUnion
of St.ofPeter
the
Apostle
The story of the Incarnation
and the Nativity is a mission story.
At the Annunciation, the angel
Gabriel comes to Mary and asks
her to become the mother of God.
Then, the angel says: “Do not be
afraid, Mary.” Mary, even though
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Pontifical Mission Societies
confused and scared, says yes and
then remains faithful to that yes
even in the most difficult of times.
Mary and Joseph are truly the heroes of the Christmas story. It must
have been very difficult for them
to pick up and go to Bethlehem.
They put aside their fears, not to
mention their plans, and allowed
themselves to be the instruments
of God’s greater plan. Because of
their radical trust in God’s plan,
the Blessed Mother, with the help
of Joseph, gave birth to our Savior
— the Christ Child.
It was a similar mission story
for the shepherds on that first
Christmas. The angel of the Lord
appeared to them and said: “Do
not be afraid; for behold, I proclaim to you Good News of great
joy that will be for all the people.
For today in the city of David a
savior has been born for you who
is Christ and Lord. And this will
be a sign for you: you will find
an infant wrapped in swaddling
clothes and lying in a manger.”
The shepherds trusted in the
angel’s words and went. The
moment of faith came after the
angel left and the shepherds had to
decide if they were going to act on
what they had seen and heard and
felt. If they had chosen to doubt, or
if they had convinced themselves
that it would be too much trouble
to find the child, or if they had
waited until the time seemed better
to them, or if they didn’t trust the
angel’s words, the gift of this child
who brings hope and light to our
world could have been lost.
As a missionary, I can appreciate the courage of the Holy
Family and the shepherds. I have
often been far away from home
and I know it is not so easy. The
Holy Family, the shepherds, and
my own experiences in mission
territory make me think of all
other people away from home
this Christmas season. I think of
refugees and the homeless on the
move; the migrants with work they
cannot afford to leave; immigrants
crossing borders in search of work
just to survive; missionaries living
in the Kibera and Mukuru slums
in Kenya; Father Tom Hagen and
Father Rick Frechette working in
the slums of Cite Soleil, Haiti; men
and women serving in war-torn
countries; the sick in hospitals
and the elderly in nursing homes.
These people are akin to the Holy
Family and the shepherds of that
first Christmas away from home
— on the move, giving birth to
Jesus in places far from friends
and family.
In retelling the Christmas
story, we remember there was
no room for Mary and Joseph in
the inn. But the innkeeper finally
made room for them in a simple
stable. As humble as that stable
was, it was a home. Whether we
are a missionary or a migrant
worker, farmer or teacher, rich or
poor, Asian, African, Hispanic,
or whatever our race might be,
it doesn’t matter. We all look for
a welcome and a home. And that
is one of the things Christmas is
about — home and family. It is a
time to gather with loved ones and
celebrate the joy of the Word made
Flesh — Emmanuel — which
means “God is with us,” no matter
where we are.
However, it is a rare Christmas Day that finds a missionary
celebrating the birth of Christ
surrounded by family and friends,
singing “Silent Night” in his or
Continued on Page 24
Continued from Page 17
Tuesday following the 8:30 a.m.
Mass at St. Elizabeth’s.
DEC. 31 — Weekly Divine
Mercy Devotion, hosted at St.
Lawrence Church, 380 Franklin
St., Great Bend; devotions held
every Wednesday at 3 p.m. Service
includes exposition of the Blessed
Sacrament; sung Divine Mercy
Chaplet and praises to the Divine
Mercy, Rosary recitation, silent
meditation, Divine Praises and
veneration of the relic of St.
Faustina.
D E C . 3 1 — We e k l y
Eucharistic Adoration, hosted
by Holy Family Parish, 828 Main
St., Sugar Notch; exposition of
the Blessed Sacrament is held
every Wednesday following the
celebration of the 7:30 a.m. Mass.
Exposition/adoration of the Holy
Eucharist continues throughout the
day until 7 p.m.
DEC. 31 — Weekly Bible
Study Program: “The Acts of the
Apostles,” hosted by St. Monica
Parish at Our Lady of Sorrows
Church, 363 West 8th St., West
Wyoming; program offered every
Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. and 7 p.m.
in the church hall. Presentations
include Scripture study exploring
the history of the early Church,
following the death and resurrection
of Jesus Christ. Those participating
are asked to bring their own Bible,
or one will be provided. All are
welcome to attend.
JAN. 2 — First Friday Rosary
& Healing Mass, hosted by St. Lucy
Church, 949 Scranton St., west
Scranton; begins with recitation of
the Rosary and devotional prayers at
6:30 p.m., followed by celebration
of Healing Mass at 7 p.m. Music
for the evening will be led by
Sacred Heart Singers Ernie Pappa
and Jennifer Michel. All faithful,
especially those seeking healing
through the Sacred Heart of Jesus
and the Immaculate Heart of Mary,
are welcome to attend.
JAN. 2 — First Friday Mass
& Devotions to the Sacred Heart,
hosted by Holy Name of Jesus Parish
in West Hazleton; held on the first
Friday of the month at the parish’s
Church of the Transfiguration, 213
W. Green St., West Hazleton. Holy
Hour and exposition of the Blessed
Sacrament held from 5 to 5:45 p.m.,
followed by celebration of Mass
at 6 p.m.
JAN. 2 — First Friday Mass
& Devotions, hosted at Sacred
Heart Church, 554 Main St.,
Weston; First Friday Mass with
Eucharistic procession celebrated at
6:30 p.m. (confessions heard prior).
Mass followed by Litany of the
Saints and exposition of the Blessed
Sacrament until 8 p.m. Adoration
Holy Hour includes recitation of the
Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary,
Novena to the Sacred Heart of
Jesus, and silent prayer with closing
benediction.
JAN. 2 — First Friday ProLife Rosary Vigil, held outside
the offices of Planned Parenthood,
63 N. Franklin St., Wilkes-Barre;
group gathers on the first Friday
of every month at 9 a.m. Rosary
prayers are offered to end abortion.
JAN. 2 — First Friday
Eucharistic Adoration, sponsored
by the Men of the Sacred Heart;
hosted each month by Queen of
Heaven Parish at Our Lady of
Grace Church, Hazleton. Begins
with Mass at 12:05 p.m. and
concludes at 4 p.m. with the
Rosary, Litany of the Sacred
Heart, Communion service
and benediction of the Blessed
Sacrament.
JAN. 2 — First Friday
Healing Mass, hosted by Queen
of the Apostles Parish, Avoca;
celebrated at 7 p.m. in St. Mary
Church, 715 Hawthorne St. All
faithful are welcome to participate.
For more information, call the
parish rectory (570-457-3412).
JAN. 2 — First Friday
Mass & Sacred Heart Devotions,
sponsored by the Men of the
Sacred Heart; held on the first
Friday of every month at St.
Stanislaus worship site, 666
N. Main St., Wilkes-Barre.
Confessions are heard beginning
at 6 p.m., followed by recitation
of the Rosary and Litany of the
Sacred Heart at 6:30 p.m. Mass in
honor of the Sacred Heart of Jesus
is celebrated at 7 p.m.
JAN. 2 — First Friday
Eucharistic Adoration, offered for
the special intention of vocations
to the priesthood; hosted by St.
Ann Basilica Parish, St. Ann’s
St., west Scranton. Adoration held
every First Friday of the month
at St. Ann’s, beginning with 8:30
a.m. Mass and concluding with
benediction at 4:45 p.m.
JAN. 3 — First Saturday
Pro-Life Rosary Vigil, sponsored
by the Knights of Columbus; held
outside the offices of Planned
Parenthood, located at 316 Penn
Ave., Scranton. Rosary offered
to end abortion is recited on the
first Saturday of every month,
beginning at 10:30 a.m.
JAN. 3 — Filipino
Community Monthly Mass,
hosted at the Cathedral of St. Peter,
Continued on Page 23
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Audiology & Hearing Centers of NEPA Welcome
Dr. Cara Makuta, Au.D
to their practice
Dr. Makuta is seeing patients at all three locations.
Our Audiologists look forward to assisting you with
your hearing needs. Please call for an appointment today.
www.audiologyhearing.com
SCRANTON
(570) 343-7710
WILKES-BARRE
(570) 822-6122
PECKVILLE
(570) 383-0500
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Monthly Charismatic Mass in Avoca
SCRANTON –– Catholic
Charismatic prayer groups in the
Diocese of
Scranton invite all faithful to participate in a Charismatic Mass
and healing
service on
Sunday, Jan.
Fr. August
18, at St. Mary
Ricciardi
Church, 715
Hawthorne St., Avoca.
The Eucharistic liturgy will
be preceded by recitation of the
Rosary at 6:30 p.m.
Serving as celebrant for the 7
p.m. Mass will be Father August
Ricciardi, pastor of St. Lawrence
O’Toole Parish in Old Forge.
A healing service will follow
the Mass, with Father Ricciardi
and leaders from Charismatic
prayer groups ministering to
those who desire prayers for
healing.
Fellowship and light refreshments will conclude the gathering
of prayer and healing.
ROBERT RITTERBECK
Church Painting and Decorating
(570) 343-2899
Please visit our website at www.Ritterbeck.com
STATUES
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STENCILS
)
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)
MURAL RESTORATION
19
THE CATHOLIC LIGHT • DECEMBER 25, 2014
Mark Your Calendar –– Events Around the Diocese
DECEMBER 25, 2014 • THE CATHOLIC LIGHT
20
MAY THE LIGHT
OF HIS LOVE
WARM YOUR
HEARTS.
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166 Marian Avenue, Tamaqua, PA
(570) 668-2225
Development Office (570) 467-0641
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Nicholas J. Colarossi, CRC
www.njcinvestments.com • 570-586-5030
21
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452 Hazle Street
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Holy Infancy Gift Shop
324 East Fourth Street
Bethlehem, PA 18015
(610) 866-9360
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THE CATHOLIC LIGHT • DECEMBER 25, 2014
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25
DECEMBER 25, 2014 • THE CATHOLIC LIGHT
THE CATHOLIC LIGHT • DECEMBER 17, 2009
Christmas is
Christ bringing
LOVE to a
lonely world.
Christ bringing
HOPE to a
despairing world.
Christ bringing
FORGIVENESS
to a sinful world.
Christ bringing
NEW LIFE
to those who will
receive him.
May you know the power, wonder, strength, and joy of God’s Love first made visible in a tiny child cradled in His mother’s arms.
Topp Copy | Copyfax | Topp Telecom
Continued from Page 19
Scranton; Mass celebrated on the
first Saturday of each month for the
Filipino community and friends at
6 p.m. in the Cathedral church, 315
Wyoming Ave. Guest celebrant for
January Mass: Bishop Joseph C.
Bambera. Fellowship and social
time follow in the Bishops’ Hall,
lower level of the Cathedral rectory.
For more information, call Michael
Fajardo (570-876-4736).
JAN. 7 — Padre Pio Prayer
Ministry, hosted by St. Faustina
Parish in Nanticoke; begins with
celebration of Mass at 6 p.m. in
parish’s Holy Trinity Church, 520
South Hanover St., Nanticoke,
followed by exposition of the
Blessed Sacrament, intercessory
prayers to St. Padre Pio, recitation
of the Divine Mercy Chaplet, and
benediction.
JAN. 7 — Monthly Pro-Life
Rosary Gathering, led by Father
John McHale; held on the first
Wednesday of every month at 1
p.m. on the corner of Chestnut &
South Wyoming streets in Hazleton.
Public recitation of the Rosary is
offered for an end to abortion. For
more information, call Annette at
(570-636-1353).
JAN. 7 & 21 — Sacred
Hearts of Jesus & Mary Bingo,
sponsored by Sacred Hearts of
Jesus & Mary Parish, Jermyn;
games held on the first and third
Wednesdays of the month in the
parish center, 624 Madison Ave.,
Jermyn. Doors open at 5 p.m.;
early-bird games start 6 p.m.
Featuring cash prizes and jackpot;
all are welcome.
JAN. 8 — Soup, Bake & Book
Sale, sponsored by Exaltation of the
Holy Cross Church, Buttonwood
section, Hanover Township; held
from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. in the church
hall. Soup sale is take-out only;
cost: $8 per quart. Featured soup
of the month: vegetable beef.
Pre-orders requested; call Sylvia
(570-825-6370) or Barry (570831-5593).
JAN. 10 — Gathering of
“Helpers of God’s Precious
Infants,” pro-life Rosary
apostolate; meets from 9 to 10
a.m. to pray for an end to abortion
Continued on Page 25
23
$11281&(6&$7+2/,&72856)25
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Visit: Florence -Rome -Venice -Siena -Assisi -Pisa
& Milan (Stay in Tuscany)
From $3195.00
price per person/double occupancy
(570) 342-5790
• (570) 288-9311 TOLL FREE 1-800-828-6029
Rev. Joseph Sica
Immaculate Conception
Scranton
Tour Leader
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JUNE 25 THRU JULY 7, 2015
Visit: Rome -Cannes -Naples -Barcelona -Palma
De Mallorca • 7-Night Cruise + 4-Nights in Italy
Msgr. David Tressler
Superindendent of
Catholic Schools
Tour Leader
From $3595.00
Price per person/double occupancy
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JULY 12-20, 2015
Visit: Dublin -Galway -Killarney -Bunratty -Knock
Shrine -Dingle Peninsula -Cruise on River Corrib
Rev.Brian Clarke
St. Peter’s Cathedral
Scranton
Tour Leader
$2795.00
Price per person/double occupancy
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October 12-21, 2015
Visit: Rothenburg -Rhine Cruise -Wurzburg -Romantic
Road -Innsbruck -Salzburg & Munich
Rev. Thomas Muldowney
St. Peter’s Cathedral
Scranton
From $3195.00
Price per person/double occupancy
FOR RESERVATIONS & INFORMATION CALL:
ZZZDVNWUDYHOZRUOGFRP
ZZZDVNWUDYHOZRUOGFRP
Att: John Madden, C.T.C., 435 Green Ridge Street, Scranton PA 18508
(570) 342-5790 • (570) 288-9311 TOLL FREE 1-800-828-6029
THE CATHOLIC LIGHT • DECEMBER 25, 2014
Diocesan
Calendar
of Events
DECEMBER 25, 2014 • THE CATHOLIC LIGHT
24
Diocese of Scranton
Vice-Principal
The Catholic School System of the Diocese of Scranton
is seeking a Vice-Principal at Holy Redeemer High School
located in Wilkes-Barre. The Vice-Principal reports to the
Principal and is an integral part of the school’s instructional and
administrative leadership team with commitment towards the
effective operation of Holy Redeemer as a Catholic educational
institution. This position will assist in creating an environment
that fosters academic excellence, Catholic faith formation,
vitality and viability. The successful candidate will also work
with the Principal to create a welcoming atmosphere for all
members of the school community (students, families, faculty,
staff and donors) and a climate that encourages the engagement
of each student in the education process while fostering life-long
learning and developing faith-filled leaders committed to serving
the Church and society. Specifically, the Vice-Principal will be
directly responsible for developing a strong curriculum as well
as the administration of student discipline.
Qualified candidates will be a practicing Catholic, preferably
holding a Master's degree in Education or School Administration,
possessing appropriate state certifications or a commitment
to pursuing such, all required clearances, and administrative/
teaching experience in a Catholic school setting is preferred.
Candidates are encouraged to review a more comprehensive
job description which appears on the Diocesan website at: www.
dioceseofscranton.org. Interested applicants should submit a
cover letter, resume with salary requirement, and references by
January 9, 2015 to:
James Burke
Diocesan Secretary for Human Resources
300 Wyoming Avenue
Scranton, Pennsylvania 18503
or Jim-Burke@dioceseofscranton.org
Mission Message: The Birth of Jesus –– A Mission Story
Continued from Page 18
her native language, or eating
traditional food of the season. It is
much more common to find missionaries in poor countries singing
in a foreign language and eating
food of a different native culture.
They celebrate Christmas with
other families who welcome them
in — from Haiti to Ecuador, from
Kenya to Fiji, from the Philippines
to India. Like the innkeeper, these
people find and make room for the
missionaries — welcoming them,
giving them both a place at the
table in their home and a family
with which to celebrate the birth
of Jesus. Like the shepherds who
came to the manger in Bethlehem,
the missionaries bring very little
with them but give of themselves
and are grateful just to have been
welcomed.
When you think about it, all
of us are like those shepherds. We
need not worry about what we
bring on Christmas Day — just
ourselves and our willingness to
love is all that matters. We need to
remember that home is much more
than a street address — home is
who we truly are and who we are
called to be. A home that asks —
what really matters? A home that
tells us: “God so loved the world
that He gave His only Son, so that
everyone who believes in Him
might not perish but might have
eternal life.” Isn’t that the story
of Mary, Joseph, and the Christ
Child?
On behalf of the Pontifical
Mission Societies worldwide, we
sincerely thank the donors to the
Society for the Propagation of the
Faith, both living and deceased.
Just like the innkeeper who finally
made room for Mary and Joseph
to bring birth to the Christ Child
in a simple stable in Bethlehem,
you have given birth to Jesus by
making a wonderful difference
in the lives of people who live in
remote mission dioceses all over
the world — and you have helped
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DC CHERRY BLOSSOM FESTIVAL
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Continued from Page 23
on the second Saturday of every
month at the Allentown Women’s
Center, 31 South Commerce Way,
Bethlehem. Local transportation
provided; rides available at 7:30
a.m. from Arby’s restaurant,
Route 315, Pittston Township. All
faithful are welcome to participate.
For more information, contact
Passionist Father Ed Buchheit at
(570-347-5691).
JAN. 12 — Catholic
Charismatic Regional Prayer
Meeting, sponsored by local
Charismatic prayer groups; begins
at 7:30 p.m. in the auditorium of
the St. Mary’s School building in
Avoca. Gathering includes songs,
praise, spiritual gifts, personal
witness and a teaching; fellowship
with refreshments will conclude
the meeting.
JAN. 15 — Evening of Prayer
with the Sisters of IHM, sponsored
by the Congregation of the Sisters,
Servants of the Immaculate Heart
of Mary; prayer service held
each month at 7 p.m. in the IHM
Center Chapel, 2300 Adams Ave.,
Scranton (top of University Ave.,
beyond Marywood University). All
are welcome; for more information,
call (570-346-5404).
JAN. 17 — NEPA’s 11th
Annual Ukrainian New Year
Dinner Dance: “Malanka 2015,”
hosted by St. Vladimir Ukrainian
Greek Catholic Church, 428 North
Seventh Ave., Scranton; held in
the parish center, following the
celebration of Divine Liturgy at 4
p.m. in St. Vladimir Church. Music
ministry for the Divine Liturgy
provided by the choir of SS. Cyril
& Methodius Ukainian Greek
Catholic Church of Olyphant.
New Year’s gala includes both
Ukrainian and American foods
and cash bar; door prizes will be
awarded. Dance music provided
by the renowned Ukrainian
band Fata Morgana. Traditional
Ukrainian wardrobe and costumes
encouraged. Dinner Dance cost:
$40 per person. Reservations
required and may be made by
contacting Michael Trusz at (570489-1256).
JAN. 18 — Monthly
Meeting of the St. Joseph Secular
Franciscan Fraternity; hosted
at St. Joseph’s Oblate Seminary,
Route 315, Laflin. Liturgy of the
Hours recited at 1:30 p.m. in the
seminary chapel. Fraternity meets
regularly on the third Sunday
of every month; all professed
members of the Secular Franciscans
and interested men and women are
welcome. Anyone interested in
attending may contact Jim Gaffney
at (570-823-7660).
JAN. 18 — Monthly
Gathering of the Secular Discalced
Carmelites, a canonically
established group of the Diocese
of Scranton; group meets on the
third Sunday of every month at
Holy Annunciation Monastery in
Sugarloaf, Luzerne County. All are
welcome, especially those who feel
called to a deeper consecration in life
and wish to experience Carmelite
spirituality and community. Call
Carol Wojewodski (570-342-7448)
for more information.
JAN. 18 — Bereavement
Support Group Meeting, hosted at
Our Lady of the Snows Church, 301
S. State St., Clarks Summit; group
gathers on third Sunday of every
month at 2 p.m. in the parish center.
All are welcome; no registration
required. For more information, call
Nettie at (570-586-1741).
JAN. 22 — Annual March
for Life Pilgrimage to Washington,
D.C., sponsored by St. Joseph
Marello Parish in Pittston; roundtrip bus excursion to Washington
to participate in the march. Cost:
$35 per person. Early reservations
requested; for more information
& reservations, contact the parish
office at (570-654-6902).
FEB. 7 — 16th Annual
Northeast PA “Brain Bee”
Academic Competition, for area
high-school students, sponsored
by the Scranton Neuroscience
Society and the University of
Scranton’s Neuroscience Program;
competition begins at 1:30 p.m.
in the Loyola Science Center at
the University of Scranton. Open
free of charge to all students
in grades 9-12; features live,
question-answer competition.
Overall winner qualifies for the
National Brain Bee in Baltimore,
Maryland. To register, contact
Robert Waldeck, Ph.D., program
director, at the University of
Scranton: robert.waldeck@
scranton.edu or (570-941-4324).
Registration deadline: Jan. 31.
FEB. 15 — Cathedral of
Saint Peter Sacred Concert
Series: “Casavant Organ
Concert,” presented at St.
Peter’s Cathedral in downtown
Scranton; begins at 2 p.m.
Concert program: “From Leipzig
t o L u b e c k : Wo r k s o f B a c h
and Buxtehude,” featuring
the sounds of the Cathedral’s
Casavant organ as performed
by Sarah Davies, organist and
musicologist, and accompanied
by Elise Quagliata, nationally
renowned mezzo soprano. Cost:
$10 per person (children age
12 & under admitted free of
charge). Tickets at the door.
25
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THE CATHOLIC LIGHT • DECEMBER 25, 2014
Mark Your Calendar –– Around the Diocese
DECEMBER 25, 2014 • THE CATHOLIC LIGHT
26
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ph (570) 344-6820 • Free Estimates • (570) 344-7165 fax
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Notice Regarding Reporting Sexual Abuse of a Minor
It is the policy of the Diocese of Scranton to report any allegation of sexual abuse of a minor
to law enforcement. If you are a victim of sexual abuse committed by a priest, deacon, religious or
lay employee or volunteer of the Diocese of Scranton, you are encouraged to immediately report
the matter to law enforcement. If any priest, deacon, religious, lay employee or volunteer of the
Diocese of Scranton has cause or reason to suspect that a minor has been subjected to any form of
abuse, including child sexual abuse, the matter will be reported to law enforcement.
It is also the policy of the Diocese to adhere to all civil and state regulations. To this end, the
Diocese is equally committed to adhering to the norms of the Code of Canon Law and to upholding
the tenets of the USCCB Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People, which includes
supporting victims of sexual abuse in their pursuit of emotional and spiritual well-being. As such,
information regarding an allegation of sexual abuse of a minor should also be reported to the Victim
Assistance Coordinator, Joseph DeVizia at (570-862-7551) or to Diocesan officials, including the
Vicar General, Reverend Thomas M. Muldowney, V.G., at (570-207-2269).
Aviso al Respecto de Reportar el Abuso Sexual de Un Menor de Edad
Es la norma de la Diócesis de Scranton reportar cualquier alegación de abuso sexual de
un menor de edad a las autoridades. Si usted es una víctima de abuso sexual cometido por un
sacerdote, diácono, religioso o empleado laico, o voluntario de la Diócesis de Scranton, usted
está obligado a reportar el asunto inmediatamente a las autoridades de la ley.
Si algún sacerdote, diácono, religioso, empleado laico o voluntario de la Diócesis de
Scranton tiene sospecha de que un menor de edad ha sido sujeto a cualquier forma de abuso,
incluyendo abuso sexual de menor de edad, el asunto será reportado a las autoridades de la ley.
Es la norma de la Diócesis defender todas las regulaciones civiles y del estado. Al fin de que la
Diócesis esté comprometida igualmente a defender las normas del Código de Derecho Canónico y
defender los principios de la Carta Para la Protección de Niños y Jóvenes (Conferencia de los Obispos
Católicos de los Estados Unidos), lo cual incluye apoyar a las víctimas de abuso sexual en pos del
bienestar emocional y espiritual.
Por eso, información respecto a una alegación del asunto sexual de un menor de edad, debe ser
reportada a la Coordinadora Diocesana de Asistencia para Las Víctimas, Joseph DeVizia, a (570-8627551) o a los oficiales diocesanos incluyendo El Vicario General de la Diócesis y Director de Los
Clérigos, El Reverendo Thomas M. Muldowney, a (570-207-2269).
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Reach out to our
faithful readers!
Advertise in
The Catholic Light
570-207-2229
Eileen-Manley@DioceseofScranton.org
DALLAS — Mercy Sister
Cecilia Meighan was buried
following a Mass of Christian
Burial on Sept. 17 in the chapel
of Mercy Center in Dallas. A
member of the Mid-Atlantic
Community of the Religious
Sisters of Mercy, Sister Cecilia
died at Mercy Center on Sept. 12
following a brief illness.
Born Marie Anne Meighan
on Oct. 29, 1933, in Wilkes-Barre,
daughter of the late James and
Rose Timony Meighan, Sister
Cecilia graduated from St. Mary’s
High School in Wilkes-Barre and
entered the Sisters of Mercy in
Dallas on Sept. 9, 1951. She made
her profession of vows on March
12, 1954.
Sister Cecilia earned her
bachelor’s degree in English
from Misericordia University,
and a master’s degree in English
from the University of Scranton.
She eventually obtained a doctoral degree in administration of
higher education from Columbia
University, New York City, and a
juris doctorate from Georgetown
University, Washington, D.C.
During her religious and professional life, Sister Cecilia ministered in education as a Catholic
school teacher in the dioceses of
Scranton and Brooklyn, N.Y., and
as a faculty member and president
of Mount Aloysius College in
Cresson. She also served her religious congregation as a provincial
councilor and director of planned
giving at Misericordia University,
and was an associate attorney with
the law firm of Gallagher, Brennan
and Gill. Sister was admitted to the
bar of the Supreme Court of the
United States in 2005.
For the past 20 years, Sister
Cecilia served as the director of the
Institute of Law and Religious Life
at Misericordia, which continues
to educate religious leaders both
nationally and internationally and
is now named in her honor.
Misericordia also recently
honored Sister Cecilia upon her
retirement after nearly 60 years of
dedicated service to the university
by bestowing on her the Catherine
McAuley Medal — the universi-
IHM Sister Elizabeth Grace, Pittston Native, Buried
SCRANTON — Immaculate
Heart of Mary Sister Elizabeth
Grace, formerly Sister M. Isidore,
was buried following a Mass of
Christian Burial on Dec. 2 at Our
Lady of Peace Residence. She died
Nov. 25 at Our Lady of Peace,
where she had been residing and
serving in the prayer ministry.
Born July 15, 1917, in
Pittston, daughter of the late John
and Margaret Reddington Grace,
Sister Elizabeth entered the Congregation of Sisters, Servants of
the Immaculate Heart of Mary
on Sept. 8, 1936, and made her
final profession of vows on Aug.
2, 1942. She received her bachelor’s degree in education from
Marywood College, Scranton.
During her religious life, Sister Elizabeth had a lengthy career
in Catholic education, serving as
an elementary school teacher at
numerous diocesan schools staffed
by the IHM Sisters.
In the Diocese of Scranton,
she served on the faculties at the
following Catholic elementary
schools: St. Joseph, Williamsport;
St. Rose, Carbondale; St. Leo,
Ashley; Holy Rosary, Scranton; St.
Cecilia, Exeter; St. Matthew, East
Stroudsburg; St. Thomas Aquinas,
Archbald; and St. Mary of Mount
Carmel, Dunmore.
She also taught elementary school grades at Catholic
s c h o o l s i n S y r a c u s e , N . Y. ;
Mount Holly and Asbury Park,
N.J.; and Bethesda, Md.
From 1998 to 2005, Sister
Elizabeth served as an instructor
at the IHM Educational Enrichment Institute at the IHM Center
in Scranton, after which she
retired from active ministry and
resided at the Marian Convent
and Our Lady of Peace Residence, Scranton.
Surviving are several nieces
and nephews. She was also preceded in death by four brothers,
Thomas, Paul, Robert and John;
and two sisters, Miriam Callahan
and Ruth.
Interment was held at St.
Catherine’s Cemetery in Moscow.
SALES - SERVICE - PARTS
ty’s highest honor — at its 83rd
annual commencement. She was
also conferred the award by Mount
Aloysius College.
Surviving is a sister, Rosellen
Meighan Garrett.
Interment was held at Mount
Olivet Cemetery in Carverton.
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Filippini Sisters Offering
Discernment Retreat in NJ
The Religious Teachers Filippini congregation of
women religious announces the Sisters will host a Vocation Discernment Retreat in 2015 at a seaside retreat
in New Jersey.
The weekend retreat is being offered to single women, age 17 to 33, from Friday, Jan. 16, at 7 p.m. through
Sunday, Jan. 18, at 11 a.m. at the St. Joseph by the Sea
Retreat House in South Mantoloking, N.J.
The Discernment Retreat with the Filippini Sisters for
those considering a vocation in the religious life will offer
a peaceful, reflective atmosphere during the weekend,
which will include Eucharistic Adoration, celebration of
Mass, and communal prayer experiences.
For more information, contact Sister Shirlee at (917349-7935) or email: stbernadetteconvent@gmail.com.
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27
THE CATHOLIC LIGHT • DECEMBER 25, 2014
Death Claims Prominent Sister of Mercy Cecilia Meighan
DECEMBER 25, 2014 • THE CATHOLIC LIGHT
28
MAILING LABEL - Please be sure to enclose this label with any address changes
and mail to The Catholic Light, 300 Wyoming Avenue, Scranton, PA 18503
Prayer Requests for Priests Serving in the Diocese
Invest in a child’s future...
Become an Academic Angel !
Catholic schools in the
Diocese of Scranton
offer our youth and young
adults an instructional
environment that
challenges the mind,
while inspiring and
strengthening the spirit.
Why Support
Catholic Education?
Maternity Home
Valentine Gala Set
• 98.5% of graduates
pursue post-secondary
education programs.
• Combined SAT and
standardized test scores
over the national average.
• Students learn in an environment focused
on nurturing individual talents.
• Faith is incorporated into our curriculum.
• Students provide thousands of hours of service in their
communities.
Contributions to the Scholarship Foundation are an
investment in a child’s future…the outcomes speak for
themselves. Please consider supporting our efforts.
All gifts are tax deductible.
DIOCESE OF SCRANTON SCHOLARSHIP FOUNDATION
300 Wyoming Avenue
Scranton, PA 18503
570-207-2250
www.dioceseofscranton.org
Please return
form with your
check payable to:
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The Daily Prayer Request for
Priests schedule for the next two
weeks is as follows:
Dec. 25, Father Casimir
Stanis; Dec. 26, Father Stephen
Stavoy; Dec. 27, Father Scott
Sterowski; Dec. 28, St. Peter
Priestly Fraternity Father Michael
Stinson; Dec. 29, Jesuit Father
Daniel Sweeney; Dec. 30, St.
Joseph Oblate Father Raymond
Tabon; Dec. 31, Father John Terry;
Jan. 1, Pope Francis; Jan. 2, Pope
Indicate School or County
Amount Enclosed $_____
“Thank You” on behalf of our children!
STROUDSBURG —
Catholic Social Services of Monroe County will host its 13th
Annual Valentine Celebration for
Shepherd’s Maternity Home on
Sunday, Feb. 8, at Stroudsmoor
Country Inn in Stroudsburg.
The event, themed “A Celebration of Life,” raises community
awareness each year of Catholic
Social Services’ dedication and
commitment to the respect for all
human life.
The Valentine celebration
will begin at 2 p.m. with a social
hour, including refreshments and
a cash bar. Dinner, silent auction,
and dancing with music by DJ Joe
Franzo will follow from 3 to 6 p.m.
Shepherd’s Maternity Home
is a non-denominational facility
that provides shelter and caring
for homeless pregnant women
and their babies. Honorees for this
year’s celebration will be State
Senator and Mrs. Mario Scavello.
For more information or
reservations for the event, call
(570-822-7118 ext. 305). More
information concerning Shepherd’s Maternity Home and other
programs of Catholic Social Services can be obtained by calling
(570-476-6460).
Emeritus Benedict XVI; Jan. 3,
Bishop Joseph C. Bambera; Jan. 4,
Father Fidel Ticona; Jan. 5, Bishop
Emeritus James C. Timlin; Jan.
6, Father Peter Tomczak; Jan. 7,
Father Daniel Toomey.
Apostleship of Prayer
Papal Intentions for January 2015
UNIVERSAL INTENTION
Peace ––
That those from diverse religious traditions and all people
of good will may work together for peace.
EVANGELIZATION INTENTION
Consecrated Life ––
That in this year dedicated to consecrated life,
religious men and women may rediscover the joy
of following Christ and strive to serve the poor with zeal.
Blue Army Reparation Vigil
The next monthly First Friday Reparation Vigil dedicated to
the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Immaculate Heart of Mary, sponsored
by the Blue Army, will be held January 2 at St. Joseph’s Oblates
Seminary, 1880 Highway 315, Laflin (Pittston).
Devotions begin Friday evening at 8 p.m. with recitation of
the Luminous Mysteries of the Rosary, during which time confessions are heard. Mass of the Sacred Heart of Jesus is celebrated
at 8:55 p.m., followed by benediction, litany and consecration to
the Sacred Heart.
The vigil continues with the crowning of the Blue Army
Pilgrim Virgin Statue, the Blue Army Pledge, Fatima prayers and
Marian hymns, followed by litany and consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. The vigil concludes with scapular enrollment
at 10:15 p.m.