March 4, 2019

Diocese Enters Season of Lent on Ash Wednesday

 

SCRANTON — Ash Wednesday, March 6, will mark the start of the solemn 40-day season of Lent. Parishes throughout the 11-county Diocese of Scranton will distribute ashes to remind individuals of their mortality.

At St. Peter’s Cathedral in Scranton, the Mother Church of the Diocese, ashes will be distributed during the 6:30 a.m., 8:00 a.m., 12:10 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. Masses. Bishop Joseph C. Bambera will be the principal celebrant of the 12:10 p.m. Pontifical Mass.

“Ash Wednesday and Lent, by their very nature, carry with them opportunities like no other time within the Church year. With a focus upon conversion, forgiveness and the new life that we are given through the suffering, death and resurrection of Jesus, our participation in the journey of Lent – from Ash Wednesday to Easter – has the power to renew our spirits and strengthen our hope,” Bishop Bambera said. “This unique journey provides us with a framework within which all of us can affirm that that while heartbroken because of the reality of sin within our midst and in our lives, this is still our Church. And this Church – this community of saints and sinners – is still the visible body in and through which Christ is present and at work among us.”

During Lent, the Cathedral of Saint Peter will offer several ways in which the faithful can deepen their relationship with Jesus and come to know him in a more intimate way.

On Fridays, the Stations of the Cross will be prayed following the 12:10 p.m. Mass and Novena to Saint John Neumann. The Stations will air on CTV: Catholic Television live on March 8 after the 12:10 p.m. Mass on that day and then on succeeding Fridays at 11:30 a.m., 2:00 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.

Ash Wednesday Retreat 

The Office for Parish Life will offer a retreat on Ash Wednesday at the Diocesan Pastoral Center, 330 Wyoming Avenue, Scranton. The day will begin at 9:30 a.m. and end at 2:30 p.m. All faithful of the Diocese are welcome.

Father Joseph F. Sica, a priest of the Diocese of Scranton for more than 36 years who currently serves as senior priest at Immaculate Conception Parish in Scranton, will lead the retreat with the theme “Unhappy with Life? Change It!” He will offer the retreat in three parts with time for reflection and personal prayer.

The fee for the day is $30, which includes lunch. To register, call Mary Anne Malone at the Office for Parish Life, 570-207-2213 or e-mail Mary-Anne-Malone@dioceseofscranton.org.

Parishes Extend Opportunities for Sacrament of Reconciliation 

The Church encourages us to make confession a regular part of our spiritual life, especially during the holy season of Lent, as we reflect on our baptism and repentance. Again this year, parishes are participating in a Lenten initiative called The Light is ON for You. Every Monday evening during the Lenten season, beginning on the first Monday of Lent, March 11, and continuing through Monday of the last full week of Lent, April 8, confessions will be heard in every parish from 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. so that Catholics can come to or return to this incredible source of God’s grace, mercy and healing.

Lenten Resources for Ongoing Atonement and Healing in the Church 

Each parish in the Diocese of Scranton has been encouraged to pray continuously for atonement and healing for victims of sexual abuse, especially during the Lenten season and during the month of April which is “National Child Abuse Prevention Month.” The diocesan website has several resources for both parishioners and parishes to offer prayers for victims of sexual abuse that include:

  • Stations of the Cross Booklet for Atonement and Healing
  • Pieta Prayer Card (in English and Spanish)
  • A Rosary for Atonement and Healing using the Sorrowful Mysteries
  • Prayer Booklet for Atonement and Healing – for individuals or small groups

Lent is a time of prayer, penance and sacrifice leading to the most sacred time of the Church year, Holy Week, when the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ are commemorated. The solemn observance culminates in the greatest celebration of the Church, Easter Sunday, which will be observed on April 21.

Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are days of universal fast and abstinence in the Church. Catholics between 18 years old and the beginning of their 60th year must fast by consuming only one full meal and two partial meals on those sacred days. Catholics who have completed their 14th year must also abstain from eating any meat or meat products on Ash Wednesday and all Fridays during Lent.

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For more information on programs or services, contact:

Eric Deabill
Secretary for Communications
Diocese of Scranton
(570) 207-2229
Cell: (570) 237-6508
EDeabill@dioceseofscranton.org

 

His Excellency, Bishop Joseph C. Bambera, announces the following appointments, effective as indicated:

Administrator

Reverend James T. Tracy, from Assistant Pastor, St. Boniface, Williamsport, and St. Lawrence, South Williamsport, and Sacramental support at St. Thomas Parish, Elkland, and St. Peter Parish, Wellsboro, to Administrator, Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary Parish, Jermyn, effective March 1, 2019.

Senior Priest

Reverend Christopher S. Sahd, from Leave of Absence, to Senior Priest, St. John the Evangelist Parish, Honesdale, effective February 25, 2019.

Assistant Pastor

Reverend Wilfredo Milan Mamani Cusicanqui, from Diocese of Corocora, Bolivia, to Assistant Pastor, Holy Name of Jesus Parish, West Hazleton, effective February 15, 2019.

The Diocese of Scranton will celebrate Developmental & Intellectual Disabilities Awareness with a Mass at the Cathedral of Saint Peter in Scranton on Sunday, February 24, 2019 at 10:00 a.m.

Bishop Joseph C. Bambera will be the principal celebrant and homilist. The mass will be sign-language interpreted for the hearing impaired.

This liturgy prayerfully celebrates the many gifts those with developmental or intellectual disabilities bring to the Church and the community.

Partners in this celebration include Saint Joseph’s Center in Scranton, the Diocesan SPRED community (Special Religious Education), the ARC of NEPA, the Catholic Deaf Community and the Order of the Alhambra.

All are welcome.

CTV: Catholic Television will also broadcast the Mass.

 

The Catholic Women’s Conference is an annual gathering of Christian women in the Diocese of Scranton, Pennsylvania. This year the theme is Come to Well and will feature Catholic speakers Theresa Tomeo, Jill Metz, Sr. Mercy Marie; music group His Own; and host Meghan Murphy. Mass will be celebrated by the Bishop Joseph Bambera, DD, JCL.

Marketplace vendors will also be available throughout the day.

Light breakfast and lunch are included in ticket price. Early bird ticket price is $40 until 6/9/19, when the price increases to $50. Student tickets are $20 and religious are welcome at no charge.

Click here for more information or to register.

 

February 13, 2019

The Diocese of Scranton launched a completely redesigned website on Wednesday, February 13th in an effort to streamline existing information and better promote its mission.

The new website, located at www.dioceseofscranton.org, is mobile-friendly and allows visitors to learn more about the 118 parishes, 20 schools and other services offered throughout the 11-county Diocese.

The new website represents all facets of the Diocese and provides easy navigation and search capabilities. The previous website for the Diocese had not been re-designed in approximately ten years.

“Our website is an important tool for not only representing the Diocese and its mission but more importantly it helps people live our faith fully and share it freely with others,” Bishop Joseph C. Bambera said. “The new site provides dynamic, specialized and relevant information to visitors.”

Besides captivating images of the Diocese and its faithful on the homepage, the new website easily allows visitors to find a parish, mass, school or clergy member in their community.

One of the top reasons people visit the Diocesan website is to find a mass or a parish. The parish search option allows Catholics to find a Mass based on zip code up to a 50-mile radius.

“Certainly our goal is to facilitate the most effective and timely communication with the members and leaders of each of our parishes,” Catherine Butel, Diocesan Secretary for Parish Life said. “This dynamic new website will be such a valuable tool in making these connections.”

The new website will also replace the former Catholic Social Services site (www.cssdioceseofscranton.org) providing people an easy and convenient way to access any of the 110 programs offered throughout the Diocese of Scranton.

“The mission of Catholic Social Services of the Diocese of Scranton is to serve individuals and families in poverty and hardship and respond compassionately to their needs. As a Catholic agency, we advocate for individual dignity and self-sufficiency and actively give of ourselves to replace despair with hope.  The

new website allows us to share information regarding the work that we do, with the hope that we continue to have the privilege to serve those in need,” Mary Theresa Malandro, Diocesan Secretary for Catholic Human Services and Chief Executive Officer of Catholic Social Services said.

By launching its new website, the Diocese of Scranton is also looking to engage visitors, whether through email, phone calls or participation in events. The goal is to encourage interaction among the people and parishes throughout the Diocese.

A unique feature of the new website also allows visitors to change the language and interact with the entire site in Spanish.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Eric M. Deabill
Secretary for Communications
Diocese of Scranton
Cell: (570) 237-6508
Office: (570) 207-2229
Email: EDeabill@dioceseofscranton.org

 

STATEMENT OF BISHOP JOSEPH C BAMBERA ON ABORTION EXPANSION

“The legislation that was signed into law in New York State is abhorrent. Similar legislation that was proposed in Virginia comes frighteningly close to infanticide.

While some lawmakers dispute that fact, what abortion advocates have said in the past would be “safe, legal and rare” now comes close to allowing abortion up to the point of birth.

We can’t let this moment pass in silence.

These bills should be a wake-up call to the faithful and call to action.

Our very existence is in jeopardy when injustices like this are allowed.

In addition to our prayers, advocacy efforts and the ability that we are given to express our values through the right to vote, Catholic Social Services of the Diocese of Scranton pledges the resources of our charitable agencies to any woman experiencing an unplanned pregnancy, to support her in bearing her infant. There are life-affirming choices available.

All of life is precious and disrespect for any human life, especially the most vulnerable, is intolerable.”

Most Reverend Joseph C. Bambera, D.D.., J.C.L.
Bishop of Scranton

  • Originally posted on 8-18-2018

The Grand Jury today released findings following its investigation into child sexual abuse within the Catholic Church in Pennsylvania. As the community copes with the findings in this report, Bishop Bambera offers his deepest apologies to the victims who have suffered because of past actions and decisions made by trusted clergymen, to victims’ families, to the faithful of the Church, and to the community at large. No one deserves to be confronted with the behaviors described in the report. Although painful to acknowledge, it is necessary to address such abuse in order to foster a time when no child is abused and no abuser is protected.

The Diocese of Scranton cooperated fully with the Grand Jury because of its firm belief that child sexual abuse cannot be tolerated and must be eradicated from the Church. Now that the report has been made public, Bishop Bambera has released today the list of all of the accused clergy, staff and volunteers within the Diocese of Scranton. The Diocese shared the list of abusers with all 11 district attorneys within the Diocese in 2016 before it knew of the investigation, and then with the Grand Jury as part of the investigation. This is the complete list of names supplied to the Attorney General. It is posted on the Diocese of Scranton website: www.www.dioceseofscranton.org (Child Protection/Safe Environment Page).

For well over a decade, ongoing improvements have been made to the manner in which abuse allegations are addressed. The Diocese of Scranton adheres to a strict zero tolerance policy, immediately informing law enforcement and removing the accused from the community when allegations are brought forth. And while properly handling allegations is critical, the ultimate goal of such efforts is to stop abuse altogether. While the past cannot be changed, the Diocese of Scranton remains dedicated to keeping our children safe from abuse moving forward.

In response to the report, Bishop Bambera recorded a video message that has been provided to all parishes to be shown at all Masses in the Diocese this weekend. The video can also be viewed on the Diocesan website, and it has been posted to Bishop Bambera’s Twitter page and the Diocesan Facebook and Twitter pages.

Bishop Bambera’s Message

Bishop Bambera’s Message with Spanish subtitles

CLICK HERE TO VIEW MESSAGE FROM BISHOP BAMBERA

SCRANTON, PA (January 22, 2019) – The Diocese of Scranton today launched its Independent Survivors Compensation Program, an independent program designed to compensate survivors of childhood sexual abuse. Participation in the Program by survivors is entirely voluntary and the Program is run completely independent of the Diocese.

“Our first priorities are to provide support for survivors of child sexual abuse and to take every step necessary to eradicate abuse from the Church altogether,” said the Most Reverend Joseph C. Bambera, D.D., J.C.L., Bishop of Scranton. “This Program helps. While no financial compensation can change the past, it is my hope that this Program will help survivors in their healing and recovery process.”

The Diocese’s program includes all victims, whether the abuser was a priest from the Diocese of Scranton, from a religious order, or was a lay employee of the Diocese. The Diocese announced on November 8, 2018 that the Program would be administered by Kenneth Feinberg and Camille Biros, two leading experts in mediation and alternative dispute resolution who have overseen similar programs started by five Catholic Dioceses in New York. Mr. Feinberg and Ms. Biros will have absolute autonomy in determining compensation for survivors, and the Diocese of Scranton has agreed to abide by all of their decisions.

“Ken and I know how important it is to assist victims who have endured a personal tragedy,” said Biros. “We have worked with survivors of sexual abuse and other tragedies and we have developed a system that operates with one person in mind – the victim. Often, survivors are most concerned with having their abuse acknowledged by the Church so they can begin to heal, and this compensation program will help them do just that.”

Program administrators will reach out directly to those who have previously reported a claim of abuse to the Diocese of Scranton. Survivors who have not yet reported past abuse are also eligible to participate and can request a claim form online after reporting the abuse in writing to the District Attorney’s Office. New claims must be registered with the Program by July 31, 2019, while existing claims can be submitted until September 30, 2019. Administrators will process claims in the order in which they are received, and payments will be made on a rolling basis as claims are processed.

An Independent Oversight Committee comprised of three individuals with relevant experience across healthcare, law enforcement and social work will supervise the Program. The Committee members are:

  • Robert Gillespie, Jr., the former District Attorney for Luzerne County
  • Ralph H. Meyer, President and Chief Executive Officer Emeritus with Guthrie Healthcare System, who has spent his entire career in healthcare administration
  • Robin Engels, MA, MSW, LCSW, a licensed clinical social worker who for years provided counseling and therapy for Veterans and their families including bereavement, sexual trauma, family concerns, educational issues, substance abuse and post-traumatic stress disorder

The Oversight Committee will oversee and periodically review the implementation and administration of the Program. The Committee will also report to the Diocese as to the implementation and administration of the Program.

Parish and school assets, as well as contributions and bequests from parishioners and donations to the Diocesan Annual Appeal will not be used to fund the program. Rather, the Program will be funded by existing Diocesan assets and available reserves. If necessary, the Diocese will sell assets and borrow money.

This Program is one of the many steps the Diocese has taken to assist survivors of abuse. Survivors can continue to receive assistance from the Diocese including counseling or spiritual direction and referrals to support groups. The Diocese strictly adheres to a zero tolerance policy and immediately notifies law enforcement, the District Attorney and child protective services when abuse is reported. When the allegation appears credible, the Diocese removes the priest from ministry pending an investigation. The Diocese fully cooperates with law enforcement for any necessary investigation.

For more information about the Diocese of Scranton’s Independent Survivors Compensation Program, please visit www.ScrantonDioceseISCP.com.

 

 

Official Notice
December 21, 2018

The faithful of the Diocese of Scranton are hereby advised that John Tokarick is not a Roman Catholic Priest and is not permitted to function as priest in the Roman Catholic Church.  Furthermore, the Catholic faithful should not receive the sacraments from Tokarick or attend his celebration of the sacraments, wherever they may be held.

Monsignor Thomas M. Muldowney
Vicar General
Diocese of Scranton

The Catholic Bishops of Pennsylvania issued the following statement today:

Since the release of the grand jury report on August 14, we the Catholic bishops of Pennsylvania have reflected deeply on the ugly record of clergy sexual abuse in our Commonwealth, and on times when Church leadership failed to protect our people over a period of decades.

We fully acknowledge that the Church sometimes failed the most vulnerable among us — children and young adults. We deeply regret the suffering of survivors and any decisions that failed to protect them.

As the Pennsylvania General Assembly returns for the fall legislative session, assuring the protection of children and help for survivors of sexual abuse should rightly be one of its top priorities. As various alternatives and programs are proposed, we will support all reasonable and constitutional efforts focused on helping survivors and their families on a path toward healing.

We recognize our responsibility to provide an opportunity for sexual abuse survivors whose cases are time-barred from pursuing civil claims to share their experiences, identify their abusers, and receive compensation to assist their healing and recovery.

To that end, we commit ourselves to creating or participating in an independent, voluntary program that will include a panel of qualified experts to review individual cases and determine financial assistance.  We understand that this compensation program will require substantial fiscal commitment and all dioceses will be seriously impacted. We stress that it is most important for all experts serving on this panel to be independent of the influence of the Church or of any institution in which children may have been abused.

We believe such a program will expedite the process for survivors to present their cases to experienced, compassionate experts who will determine an outcome for each case in a swift, efficient manner. In doing so, the panel will provide a resolution to survivors and allow them to avoid difficult and prolonged litigation. We believe an independent panel is the best option, considering a window or reviver of the statute of limitations will inevitably result in bankruptcy for dioceses. Bankruptcy would cripple the ability of a diocese to provide compensation and healing for survivors, while vastly reducing or eliminating social service programs that greatly benefit all Pennsylvanians by serving some of the most at-risk people in our communities.

We hope that as the program develops it will be open to any youth service organization, private or public, to opt into it to fulfill its obligations to survivors of abuse. We welcome legislative support for such a program.

We cannot undo the harm that childhood sexual abuse has caused, but in humility and repentance we hope the path forward offers a way toward healing for survivors and their families.