Month: March 2025

DUNMORE – Two Catholic schools in Lackawanna County are piloting a new program to empower parents to delay giving their children a smartphone until at least the end of eighth grade.

The “Wait Until 8th” program officially kicked off at Saint Mary of Mount Carmel School in Dunmore on March 6 and Our Lady of Peace School in Clarks Green on March 12.

As a part of each school’s kick-off, parents of students in pre-K through third grade were invited to attend a community panel discussion on the possible harm that smartphones can pose to young children.

Melissa Gregory, a parent and licensed professional counselor, said smartphone use amongst children can increase the risk for anxiety, depression, eating disorders, body image issues and addictions.

“The human brain isn’t fully developed until after 25, so the pre-frontal cortex isn’t yet developed. That is your decision-making skills,” Gregory said. “Your executive functioning comes from that. That is why it is so important to delay kids’ exposure to certain things, before they’re able to emotionally handle that information.”

Ten years old is now the average-age children get their first smartphone.

“Let your children be children. Let them go outside and play with each other. Let them go ride a bike,” Kristen Donohue, Diocesan Secretary for Catholic Education/Superintendent of Schools, said.

As a mother of three children, Donohue knows first-hand the struggles parents face when their kids ask for a smartphone because many of their friends have one.

In unveiling the “Wait Until 8th” pledge, Donohue said parents – especially parents of young children – can rally together to delay giving children a smartphone until at least the end of eighth grade. She said banding together will help decrease the “pressure” to have a phone at an early age.

“If you band together and say, ‘we’re doing this together,’ that decision does get easier,” Donohue noted. “If we can make that shift, we will do a tremendous amount of good for generations to come.”

Panelists at each kick-off meeting included members of the Lackawanna County District Attorney’s Office, Pennsylvania State Police, a pediatrician, psychologist, and pastor.

At the kickoff meeting at Saint Mary’s, Father David Cappelloni, pastor, Saints Anthony and Rocco Parish and Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish, discussed the moral implications of smartphone usage.

“Our primary relationship should be with God,” Father Cappelloni noted. However, as he held up a smartphone, he said that many young people believe, “this is God.”

Trooper Robert Urban, Public Information Officer for Pennsylvania State Police Troop R, played several videos for parents – including one that highlighted the dangers of location tracking – of which many people are unaware.

“Every single app that you use, whether it’s on your electronic device, tablet, or cell phone, has location services in them. You need to know, as a parent, to turn these off,” Trooper Urban explained.

Trooper Urban also touched on several other topics – including smartphones putting children at risk for cyber bullying and exposing them to sexual content.

After the initial kick-off meetings earlier this month, parents are being invited back for a second session in which they will be able to sign the “Wait Until 8th” pledge.

The second session at Our Lady of Peace School will be held April 9, and April 10 at Saint Mary of Mount Carmel School.

“Take this information and please share it,” Saint Mary of Mount Carmel principal Maryelizabeth Shattin said. “There was a lot of eye-opening information.”

Nationwide, nearly 100,000 parents have already taken the “Wait Until 8th” pledge, saying they recognize the distractions and dangers of smartphone usage for their children.

For more information on the pledge, visit waituntil8th.org.

SCRANTON – Christopher DiMattio, chair of the Catholic Foundation for the Diocese of Scranton Board of Directors, recently announced that 100-percent of the Foundation’s 15-member lay and clergy board has made gift pledges to the Catholic Foundation totaling more than $2 million.

In addition, nearly $2 million in gifts and pledges have also been received from additional donors throughout the Diocese in the Foundation’s first year of operation.

“We are extremely grateful for the financial support, the expertise and the passion for the mission of the Catholic Foundation that our board brings to this worthwhile fundraising effort,” DiMattio said. “The board’s devoted commitment and the contributions of an initial group of donors has resulted in a successful first year that serves as the foundation of what will continue to be transformational for our Diocesan ministries now and well into the future.”

Gifts donated to the Catholic Foundation range from $500 to $1 million with several pledges of $25,000, $50,000 or $100,000.

Donors may make outright gifts or multi-year pledges over a time period best suited for each individual.

Some donors are also including the Catholic Foundation in their estate plans as well as establishing named endowment funds in memory or in honor of a loved one.

Dr. Bryan Frantz, DMD MS, a board member of the Catholic Foundation, spoke recently about the pledge that he and his wife, Dr. Linda Frantz, MD, made to the Foundation this past year,

“Linda and I have always supported philanthropic initiatives related to teaching, education, and research within medicine and dentistry,” he said. “Recently we had been discussing doing something impactful both from a community perspective as well as faith-based. The broad range and flexibility of giving options within the Catholic Foundation of the Diocese of Scranton made it easy to fulfill our philanthropic goals.”

Gifts and pledges to the Catholic Foundation endowment funds provide long term financial support for a variety of Diocesan ministries to include care of retired priests, seminarian formation, Catholic schools, Catholic Social Services, parish faith formation programs and historical preservation of the Cathedral of Saint Peter.

Donors may also support the Founders Fund which is a non-endowed fund that helps cover operating expenses.

“The Catholic Foundation staff and board work with donors to design a gift that suits the individual’s personal interests and charitable goals,” James Bebla, executive director of the Catholic Foundation, said. “Donors can have a lasting impact on Diocesan ministries that are most meaningful to them and their families.”

The mission of the Catholic Foundation for the Diocese of Scranton is to sustain and nurture the pastoral, educational and services ministries of our Diocese, our parishes, our schools and organizations through endowments, planned gifts and other financial contributions. The long-term viability of these ministries is a sacred calling for Catholics to build up the Kingdom of God in the Diocese of Scranton.

Donors interested in making a gift to the Catholic Foundation for the Diocese of Scranton or who wish to learn more about giving opportunities and the work of the foundation may call 570-207-2212 or e-mail info@catholicfoundationscranton.org

SWOYERSVILLE – Hundreds of faithful visited Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish on the weekend of March 15-16, as the Luzerne County church hosted seven relics of Saint Padre Pio, one of the most beloved saints in modern Catholic history.

Among the relics displayed was Padre Pio’s glove, a cherished item that helped connect the faithful to his life of extraordinary holiness.

“It’s a good opportunity to introduce Padre Pio to our parishioners and the public who might not know who he is,” Mark Perugino, Grand Knight, Knights of Columbus Council 12976, said.

The parish Knights worked with the National Centre for Padre Pio to bring the relics to the Swoyersville parish.

“It’s an honor for our parish to have these relics,” parishioner Stephen Englot said. “It was peaceful and uplifting being here today.”

Englot and his wife, Maria, have always felt a close connection to Padre Pio.

When their second daughter was suffering from a high fever at the age of four, Maria prayed to Padre Pio and asked for his intercession.

“I asked Padre Pio to please heal her before the day comes. The third time I checked on her, the fever was gone,” Maria recalled.

Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish offered veneration viewing of the relics between 1-7 p.m. on March 15 and 8 a.m.-7 p.m. on March 16 with regular Masses held several times in between.

Like many others, Father John Chmil, pastor, has felt a closeness to Padre Pio for many years. When his mother had a stroke and was unable to walk or talk, he prayed to the beloved saint.

“She couldn’t walk or talk and now she’s 95-percent back with us. I give credit to Padre Pio,” Father Chmil said.

The long-time pastor said one of the highlights of the weekend for him was bringing his mother into the church and blessing her with one of the relics.

“I was overwhelmed with peace, and I began to cry, and I noticed my mother did too,” he added.

A native of an Italian farming village, Saint Padre Pio, born Francesco Forgione, became a Capuchin friar at the age of fifteen, dedicating his life to prayer, penance, and service to others.

Padre Pio bore the stigmata, or wounds of Christ, invisibly from the time of his ordination in 1910 and visibly from 1918. As his reputation as a confessor grew, the Vatican investigated the genuineness of his stigmata and ministry of prayer and healing.

Padre Pio built a hospital to treat patients using prayer and science, as well as a pilgrimage and study complex. Shortly before his death, the stigmata disappeared.

He was canonized as a saint by Pope John Paul II in 2002. Since then, he has inspired millions of Catholics worldwide with his unwavering faith and devotion.

Joseph Santoro, External Program Coordinator at the National Center for Padre Pio, who offered to bring the relics to Swoyersville, is not surprised at why the modern-day saint fascinates people.

“His life was full of holiness, sacrifice, and suffering, and people are drawn to that, especially during Lent,” Santoro said.

Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish is the third local community to host the relics in recent weeks. On Feb. 23, Annunciation Parish in Hazleton hosted the relics, and on March 8, they were also venerated at Most Holy Trinity Parish in Cresco.

ASHLEY – The highly-anticipated Lenten food sale at Saint Leo Parish is back, marking a 35-year tradition of offering delicious meatless meals every Friday through April 11.

Sponsored by the Holy Name Society, the food sale provides a perfect opportunity for the community to come together while enjoying a variety of flavorful dishes.

“We love to come in here and support them every year,” Theresa Shypulefski of Warrior Run said. “It is good stuff. The guys are great. Everybody is friendly here and we like coming and giving ourselves an easy lunch. The Manhattan clam chowder is awesome.”

In addition to Manhattan clam chowder, the parish also offers haluski, pierogi, mushroom soup, tuna hoagies and potato pancakes.

“All the food is homemade. That is what makes it popular,” volunteer Frank Aukstakalnis said. “The potato pancakes are a big draw. The size of our pancakes are bigger and they have more flavor.”

Each Friday, the Lenten food sale takes place between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.

Volunteer Kevin Hooper said some of the items sell out quickly.

“We go through about 1500 potato pancakes each week and 15 gallons of soup and probably another 15 gallons of halushki, maybe more,” Hooper explained.

While serving as an important fundraiser for the parish, the Lenten food sale also brings parishioners closer together and creates community spirit.

“Everybody looks forward to it,” volunteer John Boyle explained. “We have a good time doing it. It’s not like work; it is more like fun.”

“A good friend of mine asked if I could help out about 18 years ago and I’ve been helping out ever since,” Bob Hess added.

Whether picking up a meal for themselves, family or a group, many customers return weekly to enjoy this flavorful and meaningful tradition.

“I’ve been coming here for many years. The food is absolutely terrific, better than I could make,” Lisa Brand of Forty Fort said.

“They have a simple menu. They have the same menu each year but what they make is very good,” Mary Anne Malone added. “It is like a well-oiled machine.”

For those wishing to avoid the line, advance orders are highly encouraged. Orders can be placed by calling (570) 266-8835 or by emailing Lenten.food.sales@gmail.com.

PITTSTON – While many Lenten food sales have been ongoing for decades, Saint John the Evangelist Parish just recently decided to get in the game.

“We started just within the last couple of years, but it has been growing and growing each year,” Father Joseph Elston, pastor, said.

Every Friday during Lent, in addition to Good Friday, the parish is selling potato pancakes and take-and-heat pizza to the community.

“The food is really, very tasty and it is fresh. They can come here, and it is ready to go,” employee Cathy Rusnok stated.

About a dozen volunteers come together each week to make the Lenten food sale a reality.

Jackie Rinish helps to prepare all the ingredients and mix up the potato pancake batter. She said the idea for the Lenten food sale started off as a team building project for parish staff and quickly grew into an important way for people to support the parish.

“It is fun for us to be together, to cook together, and serve the community,” Rinish explained. “We welcome everyone.”

The potato pancakes are sold for three for $5, while orders of red pizza or white pizza with broccoli are $15/tray.

“The food is really great,” parishioner Margie Vetack said.

After trying the potato pancakes on the first Friday in Lent and the broccoli pizza on March 14, Vetack already knows what she is getting next.

“I already have my order in for next week to try the red pizza. Everything is very good,” she added.

Father Elston said he wasn’t surprised by the sales’ success as anticipation builds for the parish’s much-anticipated summer festival.

“People love them (potato pancakes) during the picnic in the summer. Now they can get a late winter or early spring taste,” he joked.

Pre-orders are appreciated by calling the parish office at (570) 654-0053, but organizers say walk-ins are also welcome. Food pick-up takes place from 3:30 to 6:00 p.m. in the Monsignor Bendik Pastoral Center.

EXETER – After years of serving and enriching the local community, the Cosmopolitan Seniors Group has officially made the decision to disband. In a final act of generosity and commitment to helping others, the group has decided to donate its remaining funds to Catholic Social Services.

On Feb. 20, 2025, group members gathered to present Catholic Social Services with a check for $1,249.87, which will be used to support Mother Teresa’s Haven, an emergency shelter in Wilkes-Barre that assists men experiencing homelessness.

“Nobody could need it more than the homeless,” Veronica Spliethoff, Cosmopolitan Seniors Group treasurer, said.

For many years, Cosmopolitan Seniors Group was a community organization dedicated to providing seniors with opportunities to connect, socialize, and contribute to the local community. Through regular bingo games and community bus trips, the group fostered a sense of camaraderie among its members and the wider community.

“We used to have 140 people at a meeting. That is how big it was. You needed to be on a list in order to get in,” Marie Cheskiewicz, Cosmopolitan Seniors Group Care and Concerns Committee member, explained. “We were down to only 29 people when COVID came and several more members passed away.”

The donation to Catholic Social Services will be specifically earmarked to help Mother Teresa’s Haven with its ongoing mission to help those most in need.

In January, the emergency shelter formally dedicated its new permanent location on East Jackson Street in Wilkes-Barre, directly above Saint Vincent de Paul Kitchen.

Mother Teresa’s Haven is open every night of the year (including weekends and holidays) and can accommodate up to 20 men each evening.

“Our volunteers and people who donate to our mission are the backbone of our shelters,” Amanda Deisroth, Mother Teresa’s Haven manager, stated. “The things that we take for granted – like toothpaste, soap, towels, and washcloths – are things that are always needed at the shelter. Donations like this will go to our clients to help them with daily needs.”

To support Catholic Social Services, call (570) 207-3808 or visit dioceseofscranton.org.

VATICAN CITY (CNS) – Pope Francis no longer needs the “noninvasive mechanical ventilation” he has used most nights since experiencing a breathing “crisis” Feb. 28, his doctors reported in a bulletin released by the Vatican press office March 19.

“The Holy Father’s clinical condition is confirmed to be improving,” the bulletin said.

In addition to discontinuing the nightly use of the ventilation, the doctors said the 88-year-old pope also has a reduced need for the “high-flow oxygen therapy” through a nasal tube that he had been using during the day.

The Vatican press office had said Pope Francis had spent the night of March 17-18 without needing the ventilation through a mask. Instead, it had said, the pope received high-flow oxygen through a nasal tube overnight.

The pope, who has been hospitalized since Feb. 14, also continues to make progress in his physical therapy and his respiratory therapy, the bulletin said.

Pope Francis was able to concelebrate Mass in the chapel of his suite at Rome’s Gemelli hospital for the March 19 feast of St. Joseph, one of his favorite saints and the 12th anniversary of the solemn inauguration of his pontificate, the bulletin said.

The Vatican press office said the pope’s double pneumonia and infections were “under control,” with his blood counts within the normal range and no episodes of fever.

No estimate has been made for how long the pope will remain in the hospital, and the Vatican press office said no decisions have been made regarding the Vatican celebrations of Palm Sunday April 13 nor of Holy Week and Easter.

The pope’s doctors, citing his “gradual” improvement, stopped providing daily medical bulletins March 6, the same evening the Vatican released a very brief audio message from Pope Francis thanking people for their prayers.

Before the bulletin March 19, the last news from the doctors was published March 15, although the Vatican press office continued to provide news each day about the pope’s progress and activities in the hospital.

Apparently satisfied that his condition was consistently improving, even the press office did not plan to issue a statement March 20 and said a medical bulletin was not expected before March 24.

Earlier March 19, the Vatican released the catechesis prepared for Pope Francis’ weekly general audience as well as his message for the World Day of Prayer for Vocations. The text of the message was dated that day at Rome’s Gemelli hospital. But neither text mentioned his illness.

The evening recitation of the rosary for the pope’s health, a recitation that began Feb. 24, continued March 19, when it was led by Archbishop Alejandro Arellano Cedillo, dean of the Roman Rota.

(OSV News) – Celebrating yet another high school victory in the fall of 2017, Jeremiah Trotter Jr. described how he and his football teammates had dismantled their latest opponent.

Unprompted, Trotter eschewed gridiron chatter and delved into what made his scholastic experience at perennial Pennsylvania state champion St. Joseph’s Preparatory School in Philadelphia an “outline for living out important values” in both the present and future.

“The Prep does a lot of good things for students,” said Trotter, speaking to Philadelphiasportsdigest.com. “It’s hard to describe. They definitely try to live out faith values rather than just talking about them.”

At that point, Trotter had not yet completed his sophomore year at the Jesuit high school. Fast-forward seven years. After an All-American career as a linebacker at Clemson University, Trotter is now a Super Bowl champion following his hometown Philadelphia Eagles’ decisive 40-22 romp over the Kansas City Chiefs Feb. 9 at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans.

Reminded of his uncommon spiritual maturity at such an early age, Trotter explained his mindset back then and how it did indeed provide a blueprint for what has occurred since.

“The Prep didn’t just talk about faith values,” Trotter told OSV News. “We would have Mass, pray as a team before games, things along those lines. Not many schools have their students taught or do actions such as this.

“It didn’t matter who it was. Students, teachers, coaches, janitors … everyone treated one another kindly and with respect,” he said.

Trotter, whose father, Jeremiah Trotter Sr., was inducted into the Eagles Hall of Fame in 2016 after donning Eagles green for eight of his 11 seasons, cited his four years at the Jesuit institution as integral for helping him mature at a rapid pace.

“At that young age, Prep gave me a lot on my plate as both a student and an athlete,” he said. “I was thrown right into the fire and had to learn how to manage my time efficiently to be a successful student-athlete.

“By the time I graduated and went to college, everything that was required of me I already went through and knew how to go about it,” he said. “I thought the culture helped me by teaching me how to compete.”

Trotter is one of 12 St. Joseph’s Prep graduates to reach the NFL, five of them currently playing. Along with Trotter, 2021 graduate Marvin Harrison Jr., starts at wide receiver for the Arizona Cardinals; 2017 alum D’Andre Swift just finished an excellent season at running back for the Chicago Bears; 2015 guard Jon Runyan Jr. just completed his first season as a New York Giant after four seasons as a Green Bay Packer; and 2015 grad Olamide Zaccheaus just helped the Washington Commanders reach the NFC championship.

Off the playing field, 2000 graduate Kevin Stefanski is head coach — and two-time NFL Coach of the Year — of the Cleveland Browns, and 2009 alum Sam DeLuca was recently promoted as the director of pro personnel for the Minnesota Vikings.

“Prep has always had a lot of really good athletes on the football team, which meant a lot more depth at each position,” Trotter said. “This is exactly how it is in college. So being in high school and learning how you have to work hard to make yourself better and earn playing time only prepared me more for college.”

Although there were “a lot of teachers” who influenced him at the Prep, Trotter singled out his high school coach, Tim Roken.

“He was one of the ones that was a definition of a leader,” Trotter said. “The way he would use his words and actions taught others how to lead.”

Contacted by OSV News, Roken vividly recalled Trotter as a young man of uncommon all-around growth.

“Jeremiah is a true man for others,” Roken said. “He has always demonstrated a strong sense of compassion and service to others. His faith has opened doors for him to make a positive impact on the lives of those around him, and it has given him the strength to get through the most difficult of times.”

Not understating the difficulties of football-related injuries — such as a broken arm in high school and hamstring issues at Clemson — Trotter’s most difficult personal challenge was losing his mother, Tammi Trotter, to breast cancer on Feb. 28, 2023.

His mother – admired for her faith, compassion, philanthropic support, constant enthusiasm, parental support and electric personality – not being able to watch her son suit up as a rookie this past year devastated Trotter.

“I would definitely say my faith was a big part of how I got through it,” Trotter said. “Being able to pray and trust in God helped me understand that everything he allows is for a reason. Losing her on earth hurts me, but knowing she is in heaven is comforting.”

Among those who leaned on Trotter for guidance and strength was his brother, Josiah Trotter. Like Jeremiah, Josiah Trotter flourished at St. Joseph’s Prep and now plays linebacker at the University of Missouri.

“He is a great man and respectful, and his faith is a big piece of that,” Josiah Trotter said. “That’s what my parents have implemented in him — how to carry yourself and treat others. He is a great role model and leader. He doesn’t talk much and is pretty introverted, but his work and play always set the standard and what it meant to be a pro.”

Since the Eagles’ Super Bowl triumph, Jeremiah Trotter now understands firsthand what it feels like to slowly travel three miles in a caravan and overlook more than 1 million parade-celebrating zealots waving flags and shouting compliments all while ignoring freezing temperatures.

“Since I was younger, playing and winning a Super Bowl has always been a dream,” Trotter said. “Actually being able to do it is still very surreal. I think doing it and seeing what it takes changed me in that way.

“I am very grateful for everything,” he said. “There have been ups and downs, but overall, God has blessed me so much. Even when I had bad times God was with me, and I can’t complain.”

ROME (CNS) – For the first time since Pope Francis was hospitalized in mid-February, the Vatican press office released a photograph of him March 16; the image shows him concelebrating Mass that morning in the chapel of his suite of rooms at Rome’s Gemelli hospital.

The Mass also was the first the Vatican described as concelebrated by the 88-year-old Pope Francis in the hospital. He has been receiving the Eucharist daily and on the previous Sundays was described as having “participated” in the liturgy.

The Vatican press office did release a 27-second audio message from Pope Francis March 6 thanking people for their prayers. The pope had obvious difficulty breathing and speaking.

But for the fifth Sunday in a row, Pope Francis did not come to his window for the recitation of the Angelus prayer, but he may have seen some yellow or white balloons fly past his hospital room.

More than a hundred children gathered March 16 in the square in front of Rome’s Gemelli hospital to pray the Angelus; many were hoping the pope would come to his window to wave while a few of the little ones were more concerned about keeping ahold of their balloons.

Although the pope did not come to the window, he thanked the children in the message the Vatican press office published at noon.

“I know that many children are praying for me; some of them came here today to Gemelli as a sign of closeness,” he wrote. “Thank you, dearest children! The pope loves you and is always waiting to meet you.”

Pope Francis has been hospitalized since Feb. 14 and continues to be treated for double pneumonia and multiple infections. His doctors have said his condition continues to improve gradually, so they do not expect to publish another medical bulletin until March 18 or 19.

In the square under the pope’s window, Elena, 8, came with a group from Sacred Heart School in Rome’s Monte Mario neighborhood “because the pope is in the hospital. We wanted to show our affection to make him feel better.”

Giulio, 10, knows Pope Francis personally. “I met him when I was little and again when he baptized my little sister” three years ago. Giulio’s dad works at the Vatican, and was one of the employees whose newborns were baptized by the pope in the Sistine Chapel in 2022.

Leonardo was part of a group of 22 Beaver Scouts, ages 5-7, who “came to see the pope” from Jesus the Divine Teacher Parish not far from the hospital. He wanted people to know, though, that he is 7 and a half.

The children’s trek was coordinated by the Pontifical Committee for the World Day of Children and the Sant’Egidio Community’s School of Peace program.

Marco Impagliazzo, president of Sant’Egidio, told reporters the children wanted to wish the pope a speedy recovery and “thank him for his words of peace, which he gives every day.”

In fact, the pope’s Angelus message included a request that people “continue to pray for peace, especially in the countries wounded by war: tormented Ukraine, Palestine, Israel, Lebanon, Myanmar, Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.”

Pope Francis also used the message to affirm his decision, announced the previous day, to launch a three-year program to ensure implementation of the recommendations of the Synod of Bishops on synodality to promote a culture of listening to one another, valuing the gifts of each member of the church and encouraging all Catholics to take responsibility for the church’s mission.

Commenting on the day’s Gospel reading, which recounted the Transfiguration, Pope Francis said that when Jesus took his disciples up the mountain and was transfigured, he showed them “what is hidden behind the gestures he performs in their midst: the light of his infinite love.”

Saying that he was writing while “facing a period of trial,” the pope said that he joins “with so many brothers and sisters who are sick: fragile, at this time, like me.”

“Our bodies are weak,” he wrote, “but even like this, nothing can prevent us from loving, praying, giving ourselves, being for each other, in faith, shining signs of hope.”

And, the pope said, the light of God’s love shines in the hospital through the care of doctors, nurses, orderlies and the entire staff. “That is why I would like to invite you, today, to join me in praising the Lord, who never abandons us and who, in times of sorrow, places people beside us who reflect a ray of his love.”

In the afternoon, Argentine dancer Daiana Guspero brought a dozen couples to square under the pope’s window to dance the tango, his favorite dance, as a form of prayer for him.

VATICAN CITY (CNS) – Pope Francis has approved the next phase of the Synod of Bishops on synodality, launching a three-year implementation process that will culminate in an ecclesial assembly at the Vatican in October 2028.

In a letter published March 15, Cardinal Mario Grech, secretary-general of the synod, announced that the synod’s new phase will focus on applying its conclusions at all levels of the church, with dioceses, bishops’ conferences and religious communities working to integrate synodality into daily church life before the meeting at the Vatican in 2028.

“For now, therefore, a new synod will not be convened; instead, the focus will be on consolidating the path taken so far,” he wrote in the letter addressed to all bishops, eparchs and the presidents of national and regional bishops’ conferences.

Cardinal Grech told bishops that Pope Francis approved the three-year plan March 11 at Rome’s Gemelli hospital where he has been being treated since Feb. 14.

The final document of the synod on synodality, approved by Pope Francis in October 2024, emphasized synodality as essential to the church’s mission and called for greater lay participation, mandatory pastoral councils and continued study on women in ministry and seminary formation.

Over the next three years, dioceses, bishops’ conferences and religious communities will work to integrate synodal principles into church life with the guidance of a Vatican-issued document scheduled to be published in May.

Evaluation assemblies at diocesan, national and continental levels from 2027 to early 2028 will assess progress before a final ecclesial assembly at the Vatican in October 2028, where church leaders will reflect on the synodal journey and discern future steps, the cardinal said.

According to the apostolic constitution “Universi Dominici Gregis,” which governs procedures when the papacy is vacant, a council or Synod of Bishops is immediately suspended when a pope dies or resigns. All meetings, decisions and promulgations must cease until a new pope explicitly orders their continuation, or they are considered null.

In the letter, Cardinal Grech noted that implementation phase of the synod “provides the framework” for implementing the results of the 10 Vatican-appointed study groups which, since March 2024, have been examining key issues raised during the first session of the synodal assembly in 2023, such as the role of women in the church, seminary formation and church governance.

The study groups were scheduled to present their findings to the pope before June 2025; however, they can also offer an “interim report” then as they continue their work, Cardinal Grech said.

The cardinal added that a key component of the implementation process will be the strengthening of synodal teams, composed of clergy, religious and laypeople, who will work alongside bishops to accompany “the ordinary synodal life of local churches.”

In an interview with Vatican News accompanying the letter’s publication March 15, Cardinal Grech said that this phase of the synodal process is not about adding bureaucratic tasks but about “helping the churches to walk in a synodal style.” He explained that the church must continue “a path of accompaniment and evaluation” rather than treating the synod as a one-time event.

The cardinal encouraged local churches to engage in ongoing reflection on the insights of the synod rather than simply replicating past listening sessions, warning that the synod’s implementation “must not take place in isolation.”

The 2028 ecclesial assembly, Cardinal Grech said, will be an opportunity to “gather the fruits of the journey” and offer the pope “a real ecclesial experience to inform his discernment as the successor of Peter, with perspectives to propose to the entire church.”