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:
|
| Bishop
Martino To Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day Masses |
| Collection
Will Benefit Catholic Social Services |
| Pilgrimage
to National Shrine; Reservations Due March 24 |
| Palm
Sunday Mass And Youth Awards |
| Good
Friday Collection Supports Holy Land |
| Notice
About Vestment Salesman |
| General
Intercessions |
Bishop Martino To Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day
Masses |
Bishop Joseph F.
Martino will be the principal celebrant at two
Masses for the Feast of St. Patrick.
He will celebrate
the 12:10 p.m. Mass at St. Peter’s Cathedral
on St. Patrick’s Day, March 17. That evening,
he will celebrate a Mass at St. Patrick Church
in West Scranton at 5:30 p.m. He will also
attend the parish dinner following the Mass, the
proceeds of which will support the parish food
pantry for area needy.
All are invited to
participate in these Masses in honor of this
great missionary Saint.
Last Saturday,
March 11, Bishop Martino celebrated the 45th
Annual Scranton St. Patrick’s Parade Day Mass
at the Cathedral. CTV: Catholic Television will
air rebroadcasts of this liturgy on March 17 at
9 a.m., 12:10 p.m. and 7 p.m.
A tape of the
March 17 Mass at St. Patrick Church will be
shown on CTV on March 21 at 7:30 p.m., March 22
at 1 p.m., and March 24 at 9 a.m. |
Collection Will Benefit Catholic Social Services |
Faithful in the
Diocese of Scranton will have the opportunity to
help their less fortunate brothers and sisters
through a second collection for Catholic Social
Services to be taken at weekend Masses on the
fourth Sunday of Lent (March 25-26).
This is the first
time in many years that a special collection is
being taken for Catholic Social Services, and
its timing is also significant, according to
Msgr. Joseph P. Kelly, Diocesan Secretary for
Catholic Human Services and executive director
of Catholic Social Services.
“Traditionally,
the season of Lent is a time for prayer, fasting
and alms giving to the poor,” he explained.
“While we should always be conscious of our
brothers and sisters in need, this is an
especially appropriate time to put our faith
into action.”
Catholic Social
Services serves over 34,000 men, women, children
and families, including some of the most needy
and vulnerable in the 11 counties of
Northeastern Pennsylvania. Those services
include adoption and post-adoptive services;
foster care; affordable, safe housing for the
elderly; immigration services to our newest
arrivals to Northeastern Pennsylvania; housing
for homeless women and children; refugee and
resettlement services; drug and alcohol
treatment; marriage and family counseling; a
shelter for teenage boys and girls; counseling
for families and adolescents; shelter for
homeless men and women; feeding 400 men, women
and children 365 days a year; and supplying
clothing, food and shelter in emergencies. |
Pilgrimage to National Shrine; Reservations Due
March 24 |
Bishop Joseph F.
Martino invites the faithful to join him as he
leads the 16th Diocesan Pilgrimage to the
National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in
Washington, D.C., on Saturday, April 29. Buses
departing from various sites throughout the
Diocese will arrive at the Shrine by
approximately 11 a.m.
The schedule for
the day includes a brief presentation about the
Shrine, recitation of the Rosary, confessions
and Mass. The buses will leave Washington
immediately following Mass, at about 5:15 p.m.
Cost is $39 per person.
Reservations must
be made no later than Friday, March 24. For more
information and to register, please call the
Office for Parish Life at 570-207-2213, ext.
1130. |
Palm Sunday Mass And Youth Awards |
Bishop Joseph F.
Martino invites the young people of the Diocese
to join him for a special Palm Sunday Mass and
Eucharistic Adoration on April 9 at 3 p.m. in
the gymnasium at King’s College, Wilkes-Barre.
Students should
arrive at least 15 minutes prior to the start of
Mass. Buses are welcome. Invitations will be
sent to youth groups and Catholic schools. For
information about seating and buses, please
contact Sarah Mountain, Diocesan director for
youth and young adults, at 570-207-2213, ext.
1013.
At 12:30 p.m. that
day, the Bishop’s Youth Awards will be
distributed at two sites, the Wyoming Valley
Catholic Youth Center, 36 South Washington
Street, and the gymnasium at King’s College.
Following the awards ceremonies, a light
reception will be available for award recipients
and their families. Bishop’s Youth Award
recipients are also invited to attend the
liturgy at 3 p.m. |
Good Friday Collection Supports Holy Land |
Christians in
the Holy Land are sustained by the assistance
received by Christians throughout the world,
especially in the United States. One vital
source of this support is the Holy Land
Collection taken at services on Good Friday.
The Pontifical
Collection assists the ministry of the
Franciscans, who have been entrusted by the Holy
See as custodians of the Holy Shrines in the
cradle of Christianity since 1342. In addition
to the protection and physical and pastoral care
of these sacred places, the Franciscans’
mission also involves helping the Christians in
the Middle East to deal with the many challenges
of daily living in that region of the world.
Parishes in the
Diocese of Scranton will once again participate
in the Good Friday Collection for the Holy Land. |
Notice About Vestment Salesman |
| The Diocese of
Scranton received an advisory from the
Federation of Diocesan Liturgical Commissions
about a person who is claiming to represent
Maison Bouvrier, a vestment house from Canada.
An individual named Howard Van der Heym asserts
that he is an authorized salesman for the firm,
but he is not. In our Diocese, it has been
reported that one pastor has had a major
difficulty working with this gentleman. All
pastors are asked to contact Kevin Bayne of
Maison Bouvrier if you are contacted by Mr. Van
der Heym. |
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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