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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Promoting Full Employment and Decent Work for
All |
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Collection Will Benefit Catholic Social Services |
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Bishops To Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day Masses |
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Requests for Dispensation from the Friday
Regulations of Fast and Abstinence |
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Mass and Dinner for Feast of St. Joseph |
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March Edition of “Our Faith, Our Diocese” |
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Evening of Reflection for Religious Sisters
March 20 |
Promoting Full Employment and Decent Work for
All |
Archbishop Celestino Migliore, Holy See
permanent observer to the United Nations in New
York, recently delivered a talk before the 45th
session of the Commission for Social Development
of the U.N. Economic and Social Council, on
“Item 3 (a): Priority Theme: promoting full
employment and decent work for all.”
In his address, Archbishop Migliore
expressed the view that “it falls to the
international community and governments to
ensure both an enabling economic environment and
the availability of work which is decent and
properly remunerated. The equality of women and
men should be evident also in their treatment in
the workplace, in salaries and in the
acquisition of pensions. ... It is also
important that men and women with families
receive adequate and fair wages that are
sufficient to meet ordinary family needs,
especially in view of their responsibilities
towards their children.”
The permanent observer stressed that “the
extreme poor should ... be the particular
concern of every government and every civilized
society.”
Concluding his address by considering the
question of migrants, the archbishop pointed out
how “they are often motivated by the simple wish
to work in order to support their families. They
too deserve equal pay and equal protection under
the law, not least because the jobs they do are
often the ones that no one else wants. ... Too
often a lack of normal family life leads to
evils such as human trafficking and prostitution
on the margins of migrant communities.” |
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 17-18. In addition, letters and
pledge cards have been mailed to those who
contributed to last year’s campaign.
Catholic Social Services, through 10
offices in the Diocese and various outreach
programs, provides adoption and post-adoptive
services, foster care coordination, affordable
safe housing for the elderly, immigration
services, 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, meals for
400 men, women and children 365 days a year, and
clothing, food and shelter in emergencies.
Last year, CSS served more than 200,000
men, women, children and families, including
some of the most needy and vulnerable in the 11
counties of Northeastern Pennsylvania.
“What a blessing it is for us to have
dedicated and professional individuals
ministering to those in need,” said Bishop
Joseph F. Martino. “Let us pray that the
diocesan collection will meet projected needs
this year and into the future.
“Blessed Mother Teresa always insisted she
saw the face of Jesus in everyone she cared for.
Know that He is present among those served by
CSS as well. As we reflect on the
responsibilities of our relationship with God
and His people, let us also reflect on how we
react to those who ask, seek, and knock upon our
doors. May we reach out to those feeling
helpless and alone – and respond as the family
of the Catholic Church, giving the hope and help
that we would want to receive.” |
Bishops To Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day Masses |
Scranton’s Bishops will be the
principal celebrants at several Masses for the
Feast of St. Patrick.
Auxiliary Bishop John M. Dougherty will
celebrate the 46th Annual St. Patrick’s Parade
Day Mass this Saturday, March 10, at St. Peter’s
Cathedral. Participants will include
representatives from various Irish organizations
throughout the area. This Mass precedes the
start of the annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade in
downtown Scranton.
Bishop Dougherty will celebrate the 12:10
p.m. Mass at the Cathedral on St. Patrick’s Day,
March 17. That evening, Bishop Joseph F. Martino
will celebrate a Mass at St. Patrick Church in
West Scranton at 4 p.m. Following the liturgy,
the bishops will attend a dinner at St. Patrick,
the proceeds of which will support the parish
food pantry for area needy. |
Requests for Dispensation from the Friday
Regulations of Fast and Abstinence |
Those who ask to eat meat on the Friday
of Lent which precedes St. Patrick’s Day are
asked to perform the following work of prayer in
place of abstinence from meat:
The offering of one decade of the Rosary
for the intentions of Bishop Martino regarding
the successful reorganization of Catholic
Schools in the Diocese of Scranton.
In addition, Bishop Martino has requested
that next year all St. Patrick’s Day dinners
that will involve meat be scheduled on a day
other than a Friday in Lent, in order to respect
the obligation of every Catholic 14 years of age
and older to abstain from meat on the Fridays of
Lent. |
Mass and Dinner for Feast of St. Joseph |
The men of the Diocese are invited to
join the Diocesan Council of Catholic Men on
Monday, March 19, for a Pontifical Mass in honor
of the Feast of St. Joseph. Bishop Joseph F.
Martino will celebrate the liturgy at 6 p.m. at
St. Peter’s Cathedral.
A dinner will follow at St. Mary’s Center,
Scranton. At the dinner, Bishop Martino will
address the men of the Diocese on their
opportunities to be like St. Joseph – teachers
in the service of Christ’s saving mission in the
world.
Tickets for the dinner are $15 per person.
The Diocesan Council of Catholic Men will
sponsor two individuals from each parish, high
school or college age, to attend at no cost.
Table reservations are available for seating of
10 or more.
Reservations can be made by calling the
Diocese at 570-207-2213, Ext. 1130, no later
than Thursday, March 15. |
March Edition of “Our Faith, Our Diocese” |
The March edition of “Our Faith, Our
Diocese” premieres this Sunday, March 11, at 8
p.m. on CTV: Catholic Television.
In this month’s edition, Bishop Joseph F.
Martino discusses the establishment of a
Pastoral Council and the development of a
mission statement for each parish in the
Diocese. He reminds faithful that all of our
efforts in parish renewal should be guided by a
spirituality of communion.
The program will also include segments on
the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults and
Children, the Diocesan Family Life Office’s
expanded pre cana format to help prepare couples
for marriage, an update on the reorganization of
Catholic schools and the opportunities that the
newly restructured high schools will be offering
in academics and athletics, and the story of a
7th-grade student who is using music to inspire
other young Christians.
Father Charles Connor takes a break from
his ongoing series on the history of the Diocese
to discuss his new book, entitled The Saint
for the Third Millenium: St. Therese of Lisieux.
“Our Faith, Our Diocese” March Air Dates
Sunday, March 11, 8:00 p.m.
Tuesday, March 13, 9:00 a.m.
Friday, March 16, 2:00 p.m.
Wednesday, March 21, 4:00 p.m.
Monday, March 26, 9:00 p.m.
Thursday, March 29, 11:00 a.m. |
Evening of Reflection for Religious Sisters
March 20 |
An Evening of Reflection for all women
Religious serving in the Diocese of Scranton
will be held on Tuesday, March 20, at St. Maria
Goretti Church in Laflin.
The program opens with registration at 3:30
p.m., followed by a conference with the theme,
“The Word of God: Compass for Conversion,” to be
presented by Sister Mary Richard Morris, of the
Little Sisters of the Poor.
Sister Mary Richard serves as mistress of
novices at St. Ann’s Novitiate, Queens Village,
N.Y., and vocation director for the Northeast
Province of the Little Sisters of the Poor. A
native of New Jersey, she entered the sisters’
congregation in 1974.
Following her first profession of vows, she
served at several of the homes for the elderly
operated by the Little Sisters in the eastern
United States, including Holy Family Residence
in Scranton.
Sister professed her final vows in 1981 at
the congregation’s motherhouse in St. Pern,
France, and returned to minister at Holy Family
Residence from 1982-86. Prior to her current
assignment, she was editor of the Little
Sisters’ quarterly magazine, Serenity.
A Reconciliation Service and reflection
will follow Sister Mary Richard’s presentation,
and several priests of the Diocese will be
available to hear confessions.
Bishop Joseph F. Martino will serve as
principal celebrant and homilist for the day’s
Eucharistic liturgy at 5:30 p.m. A dinner in the
church hall will follow to close the program.
Invited guests are asked to respond by
contacting the Office for Consecrated Life at
207-2243 or by fax 207-2279.
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