SCRANTON – All parishes in the Diocese of Scranton have been asked to take up a special collection for humanitarian aid to Gaza in the coming weeks.
On Monday, Aug. 18, 2025, the Most Rev. Joseph C. Bambera, Bishop of Scranton, sent a message to all pastors asking for them to hold the collection in their parish on a weekend of their choosing before Sept. 14, 2025.
“I write to you today with deep pastoral concern for the growing humanitarian crisis in Gaza – a tragedy that continues to unfold with heartbreaking suffering for countless innocent families and individuals,” the Bishop wrote.
“Pope Leo XIV, like Pope Francis before him, has expressed great concern for the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza, where the civilian population is suffering from severe hunger and remains exposed to violence and death,” he continued.
In communion with the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) and other dioceses around the country, the Bishop said funds raised will be directed to two trusted Catholic organizations already on the ground: Catholic Relief Services (CRS) and Catholic Near East Welfare Association (CNEWA).
“Both organizations are already actively providing emergency food, medical and psychological care, hygiene supplies, and shelter to those most in need – including children, the elderly, and the wounded. These agencies have longstanding partnerships with the local Church in the region, enabling them to respond quickly and compassionately,” Bishop Bambera stated in his message.
As of late July, Catholic Relief Services and its partners have already reached 1.7 million people in Gaza under near-impossible circumstances.
Since 2023, among the aid CRS has provided:
• Clean water, latrines, and hygiene support to 500,268 people
• Shelter assistance to 341,790 people
• Psychosocial support to 10,399 children and teens, and to 1,333 caregivers