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:
|
| Pope
Reminds Us: ‘God Is Coming’ |
| Bishop
Discusses Catholic Schools on CTV |
| Make
Plans Now To Attend March for Life |
| Register
for Wedding Anniversary Celebration |
| General
Intercessions |
Pope Reminds Us: ‘God Is Coming’ |
“At the
beginning of a new annual cycle, the liturgy
invites the Church to renew her announcement to
all people, encapsulating it in these words,
‘God is coming’,” said Pope Benedict XVI
in reference to the season of Advent.
“The one true
God, ‘the God of Abraham, of Isaac and of
Jacob,’ is not a God Who remains in heaven,
disinterested in our history," said the
pope. “He is the God-Who-comes. He is a Father
Who never ceases to think of us and, in absolute
respect for our freedom, wishes to meet us and
visit us; He wants to come, to dwell among us,
to stay with us. His ‘coming’ arises from
His will to free us from evil and from death,
from everything that prevents our true freedom.
God comes to save us.”
Benedict XVI then
pointed out that “the liturgy of Advent
highlights how the Church gives voice to the
yearning for God so profoundly inscribed in the
history of humanity; a yearning that is,
unfortunately, often stifled or diverted along
false paths.”
With “prayer and
good works,” said the Holy Father, the
Christian community “can hasten the last
coming, helping humanity to go out towards the
Lord Who comes.” In this context, Advent must
be lived “in communion with all those people
– and thanks be to God, they are many – who
hope for a more just and fraternal world.” |
Bishop Discusses Catholic Schools on CTV |
| The December
edition of “Our Faith, Our Diocese,” the new
program produced by CTV: Catholic Television,
features Bishop Joseph F. Martino discussing the
Strategic Planning Process for Catholic schools.
The program will air on the following dates and
times: Friday, Dec. 15, 2:00 p.m.; Monday, Dec.
18, 11:00 a.m.; Tuesday, Dec. 19, 4:00 p.m.;
Wednesday, Dec. 27, 9:00 p.m. |
Make Plans Now To Attend March for Life |
The annual March
for Life in Washington, D.C. will be held on
Monday, Jan. 22. In conjunction with the march,
a special rally will be held at 8:45 a.m. at the
Verizon Center, 601 F. Street, NW. The rally
will be followed by a Youth Mass at 10 a.m. with
Archbishop Donald Wuerl as main celebrant.
Since most buses
coordinated through local pro-life groups will
not depart until 6 a.m., those planning to
attend the rally and Youth Mass must coordinate
their own transportation. Those planning to
attend the March for Life only may reserve seats
on the buses coordinated through the local
pro-life groups.
For more
information, contact David Clarke, director of
social concerns/pro-life at (570) 207-2213, ext.
1130.
In addition to
attending these events on Jan. 22, parishes and
schools are encouraged to plan a respect life
Mass, holy hour, prayer service and rosary to
support the cause. Pro-life instruction can be
included in science, social studies, art,
language and other appropriate disciplines. To
arrange for a pro-life speaker to come into your
parish or school, please call Mr. Clarke.
Pro-life materials
are available from the Office for Parish Life at
no cost. They include: Chastity: A Pastoral
Letter, by Bishop Joseph F. Martino; Abortion,
Our Sunday Visitor; A Catholic Guide to War
and Peace, Diocese of Scranton; Human
Stem-Cell Research and Cloning, Our Sunday
Visitor; Roe v. Wade: Questions &
Answers, USCCB; Roe Reality Check,
USCCB; and Toward A Culture of Life: A Guide
to Life Issues, Diocese of Scranton. |
Register for Wedding Anniversary Celebration |
| Couples
celebrating their 25th or 50th wedding
anniversary in 2007 are invited to a Wedding
Anniversary Celebration on Sunday, April 15,
2007. The event includes a 2:30 p.m. Mass at St.
Peter Cathedral followed by a reception. To
receive an invitation, eligible couples should
give their names and a February mailing address
to their pastor by Jan. 10. |
General Intercessions |
| Men and women
from every parish in the Diocese of Scranton are
serving in the U.S. Armed Forces, many in
dangerous parts of the world such as Iraq.
Pastors are therefore urged to seek God’s
protection for them through praying for them
during the general intercessions offered at
every Mass of obligation.
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