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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News Briefing |
This Issue:
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Holy Week Services at St. Peter’s Cathedral |
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Men Invited to Discernment Retreat |
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Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion
Training |
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Retreat for the Deaf |
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Mark Your Calendar |
Holy Week Services at St. Peter’s Cathedral |
Holy Week services throughout the
Diocese of Scranton, which recall the passion
and death of Jesus Christ, begin this Sunday,
Palm Sunday, March 28.
The liturgies on Palm Sunday will include
the blessing and distribution of Palm branches,
which play a symbolic role on this day since
they were first used to commemorate the
triumphant entry of Jesus Christ into the city
of Jerusalem. In addition to the Pontifical
Liturgy celebrated at 12:15 p.m. by Bishop
Emeritus James C. Timlin, Palm Sunday Masses at
St. Peter’s Cathedral will also be celebrated at
6:30 and 10 a.m., and 5 p.m.
On the Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of
Holy Week, Masses at the Cathedral will be
celebrated at 6:30 and 8 a.m., and 12:10 p.m. On
Monday and Wednesday, confessions will be heard
at 7:30 a.m. and 3 to 4 p.m., and at 7:30 a.m.
on Tuesday.
Priests serving throughout the Diocese will
gather at the Cathedral on Tuesday, March 30, at
4 p.m. for the Solemn Pontifical Mass of the
Chrism, at which the Holy Oils used during the
conferral of several sacraments throughout the
Church year will be blessed. Cardinal Justin
Rigali, Apostolic Administrator of the Scranton
Diocese, will be the principal celebrant and
homilist. All faithful are welcome to
participate in the Mass.
During this Mass, priests and deacons,
along with lay representatives from Diocesan
parishes, acknowledge the Bishop’s role as the
unifying symbol for Church governance and
pastoral guidance. Priests will renew their
ordination promises and receive the Holy Chrism,
the Oil of the Sick and the Oil of Catechumens
to be used in the conferral of the sacraments of
Baptism, Confirmation, Holy Orders and the
Anointing of the Sick.
The three most sacred days of the Church’s
liturgical year, known as the Sacred Triduum,
begin on Holy Thursday, April 1. Sung Morning
Prayer will be held at 8 a.m. at the Cathedral.
The Pontifical Concelebrated Evening Mass of the
Lord’s Supper will begin at 5:30 p.m.
Former Auxiliary Bishop John M. Dougherty
will be principal celebrant for this
commemoration of the Last Supper that Christ
shared with his 12 Apostles. Sung Night Prayer
will occur at 9 p.m.
The Sacred Triduum is a solemn time of
prayer, reflection and preparation for the
Church’s central feast of the Resurrection of
Christ from the dead, and serves as a reminder
to the faithful of Christ’s gifts to the
apostles on the night before He died: the
sacraments of Holy Eucharist, the gift of His
own body, blood, soul and divinity; and Holy
Orders, the ordained priesthood. It is also the
setting at which Bishop Dougherty, assisted by
deacons, will perform the solemn and ancient
re-enactment of Christ’s washing of the feet of
the apostles.
Good Friday, April 2, is the only day of
the Church’s liturgical year on which the Church
suspends the daily celebration of the Holy
Sacrifice of the Mass, as Catholics commemorate
the Lord’s Passion, crucifixion and death for
the redemption of humanity. It is a day of fast
and abstinence.
Good Friday services at the Cathedral will
begin at 8 a.m. with Sung Morning Prayer.
Following confessions from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m.,
the Pontifical Liturgy of Good Friday will begin
at 12:10 p.m. Bishop Timlin will lead the
service, which is comprised of a unique
three-part ceremony of Scripture reading of the
Passion of Christ, Veneration of the Cross and
distribution of the Holy Eucharist. Stations of
the Cross will be observed later that day at the
Cathedral at 5:15 p.m.
The observance of Holy Saturday, April 3,
will begin at 8 a.m. with Sung Morning Prayer.
Confessions will be heard from 10:30 a.m. to
noon, and 2 to 5 p.m. The Solemn Pontifical
Easter Vigil and Mass of the Resurrection will
begin at 8 p.m., with Bishop Timlin as the
principal celebrant.
The Easter Vigil ceremony begins in
darkness, with a sense of watchful anticipation
of the Resurrection of Christ. As this most
solemn celebration begins, the priest will bless
the New Fire and light the Paschal Candle either
outside or in the rear of the church. The focus
of the liturgy is on the new life of the Risen
Christ.
On Holy Saturday, the 153 people who have
participated in the Rite of Christian Initiation
of Adults and Children (RCIA) this year will be
officially welcomed at Easter Vigil services at
many parishes throughout the Diocese. They join
tens of thousands of other individuals
throughout the country who will become
fully-initiated Catholics at Easter this year.
Parishes will welcome these individuals into
full communion with the Church during the
observance of the Easter Vigil.
The most joyous day in the Church year is
Easter Sunday, April 4. Bishop Dougherty will be
principal celebrant and homilist at the 12:15
p.m. Pontifical Mass of the Resurrection at the
Cathedral. Additional Easter Sunday Masses at
the Cathedral will take place at 6:30 and 10
a.m., and at 5 p.m.
Belief in the central mystery of the Risen
Savior unites Christianity in His promise of
life after death that can be achieved despite
the suffering and despair of human life.
Christians celebrate the Risen Lord’s
sacrifice for the redemption of the sins of man
after recalling the events in His life which led
to His passion and death during Lent and Holy
Week. During the Easter season, they renew their
hope for eternal life after their own struggles,
sufferings and deaths, and look forward to new
lives of glory with the Lord.
CTV Covering Holy Week Services
Catholic Television of the Diocese of
Scranton (CTV) will provide live coverage of the
following Holy Week celebrations at St. Peter’s
Cathedral: the Palm Sunday Mass at 12:15 p.m.,
the Chrism Mass on Tuesday at 4 p.m., the Mass
of the Lord’s Supper on Holy Thursday at 5:30
p.m., the Good Friday services commemorating the
Lord’s Passion at 12:10 p.m., and the Easter
Vigil liturgy on Holy Saturday at 8 p.m.
CTV will also carry EWTN’s coverage of the
following Holy Week services from Rome:
• Palm Sunday Mass in St. Peter’s Square with
Pope Benedict XVI, live at 3:30 a.m., with an
encore at 8 p.m.
• Chrism Mass with Pope Benedict on Thursday,
April 1, live at 3:30 a.m.
• Mass of the Lord’s Supper with Pope Benedict
on Holy Thursday, live at 11:30 a.m., with an
encore at midnight.
• Celebration of the Lord’s Passion with Pope
Benedict on Good Friday at 11 a.m., with an
encore at midnight.
• Way of the Cross with Pope Benedict on Good
Friday at 8 p.m.
• Easter Vigil Mass with Pope Benedict on Holy
Saturday, live at 3 p.m., with an encore at
midnight.
• Easter Sunday Mass with Pope Benedict, live at
4:15 a.m., with an encore at 8 p.m.
• Pope Benedict’s Easter Message and Blessing,
live at 6 a.m., with encores at 4 p.m. and
Monday at 10 a.m. and 11 p.m. |
Men Invited to Discernment Retreat |
Men who are considering the priesthood
will have an opportunity to focus on that
possibility when the Diocese hosts a Discernment
Retreat April 30 – May 2 at Fatima Renewal
Center in Dalton.
The retreat will be a weekend of prayer,
reflection and conversation to help the
participants discern whether God is calling them
to His priesthood.
Led by Father Paul Fontanella, pastor of
St. Ann Church in Williamsport, the program will
follow the remarkable parallels between St.
Peter’s spiritual journey and all priests.
The retreat will consist of Mass, Liturgy
of the Hours, group discussions, time for quiet
reflection and recreation.
The weekend will conclude on Sunday, May 2
with a Pontifical Mass at St. Peter’s Cathedral
for the World Day of Prayer for Vocations.
Then-newly installed Bishop Joseph C. Bambera
will be the principal celebrant, and he will
host a luncheon for the participants after the
Mass.
For information and to register for the
retreat, contact Father Christopher Washington
at the Vocations Office, 570-207-2213, ext.1013.
Participants can also register by visiting the
“Coming Events” section of the new vocations
website at www.scrantonvocations.com. |
Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion
Training |
The Pastoral Formation Institute will
conduct an Extraordinary Minister of Holy
Communion Training on April 12, 19 and 26 at
Holy Redeemer High School, Wilkes-Barre. The
sessions will run from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Deacon
Thomas Cesarini is presenting the program.
Fee: $30 per person, materials included. To
register, call 207-2213, Ext. 1107. |
Retreat for the Deaf |
The Office for Parish Life and
Evangelization – Ministry with the Deaf and the
Northeastern Pennsylvania Catholic Deaf
Association will sponsor a Retreat for the Deaf
on April 23-24 at St. Joseph’s Oblate Seminary,
Pittston.
Father Joseph Mulcrone, director of
Ministry with the Deaf in the Archdiocese of
Chicago, will lead the retreat: “The
Resurrection Stories of Jesus and Our New Life
in Christ.”
The program will include talks, prayer,
confession and Sunday Vigil Mass. Meals will be
provided throughout the day.
For more information please call: Sister
Mary Beth Makuch, SS.C.M. at 570-207-2213, ext.
1101. |
Mark Your Calendar |
Northeastern Pennsylvania Catholic Deaf
Association Interpreted Mass –– Palm Sunday
Liturgy & Dinner, March 28 –– at Our Lady of
Mount Carmel Church, William St., Pittston.
Begins with Confessions at 2 p.m., followed by
Solemn Liturgy of Palm Sunday, with blessing of
palms, procession and signing of the Lord’s
Passion, celebrated at 3 p.m. Annual Palm Sunday
Dinner follows in the adjacent Mount Carmel
Parish Center. Reservations required; for more
information, contact Sister Mary Beth Makuch,
SSCM, at 207-2213 ext. 1101 or Leo C. Henry at
829-6410/tdd.
Day of Reflection: “Transformed by the Cross
–– Challenged by New Life,” April 10 –– 9:30
a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at Fatima Renewal Center,
Dalton. Guest presenter: Monsignor John Esseff.
This special Easter season Day of Reflection
will lead participants in prayer and study in
recognizing the connection between the Cross and
the glory of the Resurrection, and how through
the Cross of Jesus were are challenged to
embrace a deeper calling to the Christian life.
Day includes celebration of Mass and the
Sacrament of Reconciliation. Fee: $30 per
person, includes lunch. To register, call Fatima
Renewal Center 563-8500.
Support Group for Separated, Divorced &
Widowed Persons, April 16 –– 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.
Day of Reflection: “The Return of the
Prodigal Son –– A Parable of Homecoming,” May 15
–– 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at Fatima Renewal
Center, Dalton. Guest presenter: Father Phillip
Altavilla, V.E., who, through the Gospel story
of the Prodigal Son, will address the themes of
homecoming, affirmation and reconciliation that
are found within the segments of this parable.
Day’s program is designed to lead those who have
experienced anger, jealousy, loneliness and
dejection into the love and compassion of God
the Father; includes celebration of Mass and the
Sacrament of Reconciliation. Fee: $30 per
person, includes lunch. To register, call Fatima
Renewal Center 563-8500.
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