MISSION STATEMENT
We the Catholic faithful of the Diocese of Scranton,
in union with our Holy Father, the Pope, are called
through baptism to share in the mission which Jesus
Christ has entrusted to the One, Holy, Catholic and
Apostolic Church. Priests, deacons, religious and laity,
under the leadership of our Bishop, cooperate to
proclaim the Gospel in accordance with the teaching of
the Church, to celebrate the sacraments, especially the
Eucharist, for the salvation of all, and to witness by
grace to the Kingdom of God so as to promote a culture
of life, justice and peace.
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This Issue:
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Efforts Needed To Counteract Secularization |
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Diocese Remains Vigilant on Sexual Abuse
Prevention |
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Great Adventure Bible Timeline Seminar |
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Mark Your Calendar |
Efforts Needed To Counteract Secularization |
Pope Benedict XVI recently received
participants in the plenary session of the
Pontifical Council for Culture who have been
meeting to study the question of “the Church and
the challenge of secularization.”
“Today more than ever,” the Holy Father
told them, “reciprocal openness between cultures
is an important field for dialogue between men
and women committed to seeking authentic
humanism, over and above the differences that
separate them.”
Secularization, he said, “invades all
aspects of daily life and causes the development
of a mentality in which God is effectively
absent, entirely or in part, from human life and
conscience.” This “is not just an external
threat to believers, but has for some time been
evident in the bosom of the Church herself.”
The Holy Father warned of "the risk of
falling into spiritual atrophy and emptiness of
heart,” and highlighted the need to react to
such a situation by re-appropriating “the
exalted values of existence which give meaning
to life and can satisfy the disquiet of the
human heart in its search for happiness.” These
include “the dignity and freedom of the person,
the equality of all mankind, and the sense of
life and death and of what awaits us at the end
of earthly existence.”
“Above all,” the pope said, “I exhort
pastors of the flock of God to a tireless and
generous mission to counteract – in the field of
dialogue and meeting between cultures, of
announcement and testimony of the Gospel – the
worrying phenomenon of secularization which
weakens man and hinders his innate longing for
the entire Truth.” |
Diocese Remains Vigilant on Sexual Abuse
Prevention |
The Diocese of Scranton continues to
refine its programs to address the issue of
sexual abuse of minors by clergy.
The most recent example is a change in the
method the Diocese will use to obtain background
checks for all clergy, employees and volunteers.
Background checks are required by the Charter
for the Protection of Children and Young People,
enacted in 2002 by the United States bishops.
The Diocese has contracted with a firm
called ChoicePoint to provide this critical
service. The name of the program offered by
ChoicePoint is VolunteerSelect.
“This program will significantly improve
the way in which we do background checks,” said
Gail Fromm, the Diocesan compliance officer who
was hired in 2006 to assist pastors and school
administrators to comply with this requirement.
In the past, she explained, the Diocese
used the Pennsylvania State Police background
check program, which was able to focus only on
databases in the Commonwealth. VolunteerSelect
provides a national criminal search, social
security verification and a sex offender
registry search.
The Pennsylvania background check program
costs $20 per search for the State Police and
Child Abuse checks; VolunteerSelect, which
provides substantially more information, costs
$8 per person.
In addition, the VolunteerSelect clearances
can be obtained online, which will streamline
and simplify the background check process.
Mrs. Fromm, who is visiting parishes and
schools to introduce the new system, said the
change to the VolunteerSelect program will be
gradual and will take place as existing
clearances expire. The clearances already
completed by schools and parishes are still
valid for three years from the date printed on
the clearance.
Background checks and clearances have been
completed for 7,386 individuals.
Mrs. Fromm is also reminding everyone about
the provisions of the Code of Pastoral Conduct,
established by the Diocese in 2003 to ensure
that proper behavior is followed whenever there
is interaction with children in the workplace or
any setting where people are gathered for
spiritual, educational or social activities
conducted under the auspices of the Church.
All clergy, employees and volunteers have
received a summary of the code for their review
and signature. |
Great Adventure Bible Timeline Seminar |
Have you ever tried to read the Bible
daily, only to become frustrated and give up
after a short period of time? Do you have a
desire to make the Bible a part of your daily
life, but finding it intimidating? Do you
currently read the Bible, but sometimes feel
like you’ve “lost the plot?”
If so, then consider attending the Great
Adventure Bible Timeline Seminar led by Catholic
biblical scholar and media personality Jeff
Cavins. The event, sponsored by the Office for
Parish Life, will be held on Saturday, May 10,
from 8:30-4:00 p.m. at Sacred Heart of Jesus
Church in Peckville.
The cost for early registration (by April
28) is $25. Standard registration thereafter is
$35. Registration fee includes lunch and seminar
materials.
To register, contact Brendan Murphy at
570-207-2213, ext. 1133 or
Brendan-Murphy@dioceseofscranton.org. |
Mark Your Calendar |
Support Group for Separated, Divorced &
Widowed Persons, April 18 –– 7 to 9 p.m. at
St. Ann Basilica Parish Center, 1200 St. Ann
St., Scranton. Sponsored by the diocesan Office
for Parish Life, this “Beginning Experience”
monthly session offers support to cope with
sorrow, doubt, anxiety and loneliness after
losing a spouse. For more
information/registration, call 489-7769.
Parish Social Ministry Regional Workshops,
April 19 –– 9 a.m. to 12 noon at Holy
Trinity Church, Nanticoke. Topics include
leadership skills, legislative advocacy, and
building parish social ministry. For more
information/registration, contact David Clarke,
Office for Parish Life and Evangelization, at
207-2213, ext. 1130.
Married/Engaged Couples Workshop: ‘‘Forever
Yes: Communicating for Lifelong Marriage,’’
April 19 –– 9 a.m. to 12 noon at St.
Nicholas Parish Center, Wilkes-Barre.
Communication skills workshop for all married
and engaged couples, sponsored by the Diocesan
Office for Parish Life, to help build marital
commitment. Registration fee: $35 per couple.
For more information & registration, call Parish
Life Office 207-2213 or visit the Diocesan Web
site: www.dioceseofscranton.org/family.
Engaged Encounter Weekend, April 25-27 ––
at Fatima Renewal Center, Dalton. Marriage
preparation weekend program sponsored by the
Diocesan Office for Parish Life/Family Life.
Begins Friday evening and concludes Sunday
afternoon. For more information, call Nancy &
Jim Wilson 344-8028 or Kelly & John Stagen
775-2802. To register, visit Diocesan Web site:
www.dioceseofscranton.org/Marriage Preparation.
Pre-registration required.
Day of Reflection: “The Words of the Risen
Christ,” May 3 –– 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at
Fatima Renewal Center, Dalton. Guest presenter:
Holy Cross Father Thomas Bertoni. Day’s program
will focus on Jesus’ Words after his
Resurrection, as preparation to understand more
fully our role in community and the need for
reconciliation. Fee: $25, includes lunch. To
register, call 563-8500 or e-mail: Fatima@dioceseofscranton.org.
Natural Family Planning Course –– series of
classes begins on May 14 at 7 p.m. in
Scranton. Course instruction in the sympto-thermal
method by an NFP instructor approved by the
Diocese of Scranton. For more
information/registration, call 282-5813.
Registration deadline: May 7.
Northeastern Pennsylvania Catholic Deaf
Association Interpreted Mass, May 18 –– at
St. Joseph’s Oblate Seminary, 1880 Highway 315,
Laflin. Religious information and Sacrament of
Reconciliation begin at 2 p.m., followed by Mass
signed and interpreted, celebrated at 3 p.m.
Refreshments follow. For more information,
contact Sister Mary Beth Makuch, SSCM, at
207-2213 ext. 1013 –– voice/tdd.
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