Archbishop Gustavo García-Siller of San Antonio comforts people in Uvalde, Texas, outside the SSGT Willie de Leon Civic Center, where students had been transported from Robb Elementary School after a shooting May 24, 2022. (CNS photo/Marco Bello, Reuters)

WASHINGTON (CNS) – When news broke of the May 24 school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, San Antonio Archbishop Gustavo García-Siller was in a meeting with about 150 archdiocesan priests.

The meeting was rescheduled and several priests left right away to be with people in the Texas town about 100 miles west of San Antonio and close to Mexico’s border.

The archbishop also went directly to Uvalde where a teenager had killed 19 students and two elementary school teachers at Robb Elementary School before he was shot and killed by police.

Archbishop García-Siller’s first stop was the hospital to meet with families of those wounded in the shooting, followed by a visit to the town’s civic center where families awaited news of their loved ones. He then celebrated Mass at Sacred Heart Church in Uvalde and spoke with family members and then reporters after Mass before heading home around midnight.

The following day, he spoke to Catholic News Service while in a car riding back to Uvalde to be at Robb Elementary School with other civic and faith leaders before going back to the civic center.

He said it was important to be with the people suffering from this tragedy to remind them they are not alone, give them the support they need and most of all just show them “love, love, love.”

He said those in the congregation during the May 24 evening Mass at Sacred Heart included some who had been directly impacted by the school shooting, including the person who called 911 about the shooter and someone who had brought wounded schoolchildren to the hospital.

The altar server was a 10-year-old girl, around the age of many of the students shot that day.

The archbishop, filling in for the pastor who was out of town, said the congregation was numb. They just couldn’t talk, he said, because they were so shocked by what had happened or still unsure of what this meant for their own families and the community at large.

He urged them to greet one another at the start of Mass as a sign of their shared humanity and to express “what is hard to articulate.”

He hoped the readings, music and Communion would provide a balm for the families there but also help them to “build strength” for what is ahead.

Two priests spoke during the Mass about their visits to the hospital that day with shooting victims and family members. One said he visited a girl whose face was still bleeding and when he asked her what was on her heart she simply said: “My friends, nothing but my friends.”

Archbishop García-Siller said he mentioned in his homily and has been telling reporters about the different levels of focus right now in the wake of the school shooting.

The first priority is those who were affected. He said they need all possible help on both a practical level and also spiritually in the prayers they have asked for. He also said the local community needs to be strong, “for the journey will be a long road ahead.”

The other key focus right now, he said, is to challenge local, state and federal leadership about gun control, noting that this shooting is “another example that we have failed. We have failed because we don’t have people as the center.” He also stressed that more people need to take responsibility for what happened, emphasizing that it was “not an isolated event.”

Catholic Charities of San Antonio began providing crisis relief at Robb Elementary School May 25 with grief counselors and legal services available as well as emergency financial assistance for family members who need to travel to Uvalde.

In the days ahead, the doors to Sacred Heart Church will be open and its Catholic school also will have counselors on hand.

The archbishop wrote to Pope Francis May 24 about the school shooting, which took place just days before the school’s summer recess, asking for his prayers. The next day he received a telegram from Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican’s secretary of state, expressing the pope’s condolences.

The message said the pope was “deeply saddened to learn of the tragic shooting that took place” and assured those “affected by this attack of his spiritual closeness.” He also commended the souls of those who died to God’s mercy and “implored the divine gifts of healing and consolation upon the injured and bereaved.”

The pope prayed that those “tempted to violence will choose instead the path of fraternal solidarity and love.”

Archbishop García-Siller said he had seen many moments of grace in the 24 hours since the attack and noted that many people were trying to do something good in response to the crisis. This outreach, he said, will not be difficult in the current moment.

The challenge, he said, will be how to overcome current divisions. “This will take a long, long time.”

But he added to that a last word of hope that he also has been sharing in Uvalde, emphasizing: “We know in whom we have placed our trust.”

Law enforcement officers guard the scene of a shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, May 24, 2022. (CNS photo/Marco Bello, Reuters)

WASHINGTON (CNS) – Several U.S. bishops spoke out against the easy accessibility to guns in the country following a May 24 rampage that left at least 19 children and two of their elementary school teachers dead in Uvalde, Texas.

“Don’t tell me that guns aren’t the problem, people are. I’m sick of hearing it,” Bishop Daniel E. Flores of Brownsville, Texas, tweeted May 25. “The darkness first takes our children who then kill our children, using the guns that are easier to obtain than aspirin. We sacralize death’s instruments and then are surprised that death uses them.”

The comments came hours after Texas authorities said an 18-year-old with two assault weapons evaded police after crashing his truck near an elementary school close to the U.S-Mexico border and entered the school building at around noon armed with what seemed to be a rifle.

“There was several law enforcement that engaged the suspect but he was able to make entry into the school where he did go into several classrooms and, unfortunately, he did fire his firearm,” Sgt. Erick Estrada, of the Texas Department of Public Safety, told CNN late May 24.

A Border Patrol unit subsequently arrived and one of its officers shot and killed the shooter in the classroom full of fourth graders.

In addition to the dead, reports say 15 children were injured as well as the two law enforcement officers who initially attempted to stop him. Authorities named Salvador Ramos as the shooter and said that prior to arriving at the school, he shot his grandmother, who remains in the hospital.

San Antonio Archbishop Gustavo García-Siller comforted families outside a local civic center in Uvalde as they waited for news. Along with priests from the Archdiocese of San Antonio, he spent much of the day tending to parishioners and others who needed comfort after the horrific day.

“When will these insane acts of violence end?” the archbishop later said in a statement. “It is too great a burden to bear. The word tragedy doesn’t begin to describe what occurred. These massacres cannot be considered ‘the new normal.'”

“The Catholic Church consistently calls for the protection of all life; and these mass shootings are a most pressing life issue on which all in society must act – elected leaders and citizens alike,” he said. “We pray that God comfort and offer compassion to the families of these little ones whose pain is unbearable.”

He confirmed to a CNN reporter that there’s an effort to connect with Ramos’ family and said he would show them gestures of “tenderness, compassion because they are suffering, too.” He said Ramos’ actions were evil but said he didn’t agree when he heard someone say “that man is evil.”

“No, they were evil actions. Everyone has dignity and the family is suffering, too,” he said. “It’s easy to make remarks that destroy people’s lives … there’s already enough destruction.”

Chieko Noguchi, director of public affairs for the U.S. Conference of Catholic bishops, said the organization joined Archbishop García-Siller in prayers for the community.

“There have been too many school shootings, too much killing of the innocent. Our Catholic faith calls us to pray for those who have died and to bind the wounds of others,” she said in a statement. “As we do so, each of us also needs to search our souls for ways that we can do more to understand this epidemic of evil and violence and implore our elected officials to help us take action.”

In a statement, the Diocese of El Paso, Texas, suggested that a course of action from the Catholic Church could come “in findings ways to more effectively identify people at risk of such behavior and to push for reasonable limits to the proliferation of firearms.”

From Rome, Pope Francis also weighed in, saying: “It’s time to say ‘Enough’ to the indiscriminate trade of weapons!” and encouraged all to be committed in the effort “so that tragedies like this cannot occur again.”

Chicago Cardinal Blase J. Cupich in a May 24 tweet said the right to life trumps the right to have weapons and that “the Second Amendment did not come down from Sinai.”

“The right to bear arms will never be more important than human life,” he said. “Our children have rights too. And our elected officials have a moral duty to protect them.”

In an address to the nation, President Joe Biden recalled his time as vice president when he could not get enough members of Congress to agree on gun control legislation in 2013, a year after 26 people, including 20 elementary school children, were fatally shot by a gunman at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut.

“As a nation, we have to ask: When in God’s name are we going to stand up to the gun lobby? When in God’s name will we do what we all know in our gut needs to be done?” the president said.

Cardinal Cupich, in his tweets, implored people, not just to lament, but to act.

“We must weep and soak in the grief that comes with the knowledge that these children of God were cut down by a man who was just a few years their senior. But then we must steel ourselves to act in the face of what seems like insurmountable despair,” he tweeted. “As I reflect on this latest American massacre, I keep returning to the questions: Who are we as a nation if we do not act to protect our children? What do we love more: our instruments of death or our future?”

The USCCB has consistently called for gun control.

In a presentation titled “Responses to the Plague of Gun Violence” he delivered Nov. 11, 2019, during the U.S. bishops’ fall general assembly, Bishop Frank J. Dewane of Venice, Florida, then chairman of the Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development, spelled out the bishops’ support for a ban on assault weapons, universal background checks, a federal gun trafficking bill, regulations on sales of handguns, improved mental health interventions, safety measures and “an honest assessment of violent images and experiences in our society.”

Like much of the American public voicing frustrations after the mass shooting in Texas, Bishop Mark E. Brennan of Wheeling-Charleston, West Virginia, said the country “must now do more than offer prayers and support.”

He called on all, but particularly on lawmakers and gun owners “to work together and take action to ensure the safety of our children, our schools, our churches and our communities.”

The statue of Our Lady Queen of Peace is seen at the Basilica of St. Mary Major in Rome in this Dec. 10, 2019, file photo. Pope Francis will close the Marian month of May by reciting the rosary for peace May 31 in front of the statue. (CNS photo/Cindy Wooden)

VATICAN CITY (CNS) – Pope Francis and Ukrainian families in Rome will gather May 31 before a statue of Mary, Queen of Peace, to recite the rosary for peace in Ukraine and in other places at war.

Pope Benedict XV had the statue placed in Rome’s Basilica of St. Mary Major in 1918 as a sign and pledge of people’s prayers for an end to World War I.

“At the end of the Marian month, Pope Francis wants to offer a sign of hope to the world, which is suffering from the conflict in Ukraine and deeply wounded by the violence in the many theaters of active war” around the world, said an announcement from the Pontifical Council for Promoting New Evangelization.

For the evening recitation of the rosary, the council said, Pope Francis will be joined not only by Ukrainian families, but also by members of the Scouts, young people who have recently received their first Communion or confirmation, Italian young adults belonging to a Marian prayer group, military chaplains and representatives of the three Queen of Peace parishes in Rome.

The rosary will be livestreamed from Rome and shown in: the Cathedral of the Mother of God in Zarvanytsia, Ukraine; the Syriac Catholic Cathedral of Our Lady of Deliverance in Baghdad; the Melkite Cathedral of Our Lady, Queen of Peace, in Homs, Syria; and the Cathedral of Our Lady of Arabia in Awali, Bahrain.

The world’s most famous Marian shrines, including Our Lady of Czestochowa in Poland, Our Lady Lourdes in France, Our Lady of Knock in Ireland and Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico, also are expected to join in, the council said.

A power-generating windmill turbine and the church of the village are pictured during sunset at a wind park in Ecoust-Saint-Mein, France, in this Sept. 6, 2020, file photo. Pope Francis has invited everyone to take part in Laudato Si’ Week May 22-29. “Laudato Si’, on Care for Our Common Home,” was the title of the pope’s 2015 encyclical on the environment. (CNS photo/Pascal Rossignol, Reuters)

VATICAN CITY (CNS) – Pope Francis encouraged Catholics to work together in taking care of creation.

After he led the recitation of the “Regina Coeli” prayer with visitors in St. Peter’s Square May 22, the pope invited everyone to take part in “Laudato Si’ Week,” which runs May 22-29.

The special week is an opportunity “to listen ever more attentively to the cry of the earth, which urges us to act together in taking care of our common home,” he said. He thanked the Vatican office promoting the initiative, the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, and other organizations taking part.

Laudato Si’ Week is a yearly event marking the anniversary of Pope Francis’ encyclical, “Laudato Si’: on Care for Our Common Home.”

Global, regional and local events include celebrating the progress made in bringing Laudato Si’ to life and promoting increased efforts through the Laudato Si’ Action Platform, promoted by the dicastery at laudatosiactionplatform.org. The platform is meant to inspire, coordinate and guide Catholic institutions, communities and families to fully implement Laudato Si’.

Events can be found on LaudatoSiWeek.org. Topics to be explored include: how Catholics can fight biodiversity collapse; the role of fossil fuels in conflicts and the climate crisis; and how people can embrace the poor in daily life.

On Tuesday evening, May 24, 2022, the Most Reverend Joseph C. Bambera, Bishop of Scranton, released the following statement on the School Shooting in Uvalde, Texas:

“My heart aches for all of those impacted by today’s senseless school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, especially the young, innocent victims, as well as their parents, families and the entire community. The only way to describe what manifested itself today at Robb Elementary School is unspeakable evil.

“There are far too many families in our nation who have sent their children off to school in the morning yet they never return home in the afternoon.

“I ask all people in the Diocese of Scranton to join me in prayer as we mourn the victims of this terrible tragedy. I ask that we pray also for the wisdom and courage to discover ways to end such senseless violence that has enveloped our land. May the love of Jesus comfort all those who are suffering and in pain.”

 

Bishop Michael W. Fisher of Buffalo, N.Y., places flowers at a memorial May 17, 2022, in the wake of a weekend mass shooting at a Tops supermarket. (CNS photo/Brendan McDermid, Reuters)

BUFFALO, N.Y. (CNS) – Bishop Michael W. Fisher of Buffalo joined mourners outside a Tops grocery store where 10 people were killed and three others were injured in what law enforcement authorities said was a racially motivated crime.

Placing flowers and a handwritten note remembering “the souls of our brothers and sisters lost to the acts of violence and racism” at a growing memorial outside the store, Bishop Fisher paid his respects to the victims May 17, the Western New York Catholic reported.

Cheryl Calire, director of pastoral ministries for the Buffalo Diocese, told the Buffalo diocesan news outlet that the bishop’s visit was a way to offer a “prayerful, peaceful way of being present” with others who had gathered at the site.

Bishop Fisher talked with police and fire department officials who were coordinating the investigation at the crime scene as investigators combed the store and surrounding area for evidence that could be linked to the suspect in the mass killing, 18-year-old Payton S. Gendron of Conklin, New York.

All of those who died were Black as was one of the three who were injured.

Police said Gendron, who is white, allegedly was wearing tactical gear and armed with an assault weapon when he entered the supermarket around 2:30 p.m. May 14 and began shooting people he encountered. He has been charged with first-degree murder and remained in custody without bail.

Gendron has entered a plea of “not guilty.” He is scheduled for another court appearance May 19.

Authorities said they discovered a chilling 180-page manifesto that was posted online in which Gendron allegedly stated he wanted to “kill as many Blacks as possible” and claimed some groups are trying to replace white people in the U.S. with people of color.

Accompanied by Calire, Bishop Fisher visited the scene after President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden left the area. The Bidens also laid a bouquet of flowers at the makeshift memorial and grieved with family members of the victims.

In a speech during his visit, the president vowed that “white supremacy will not have the last word.”

Also at the memorial site were Father Paul Seil, pastor of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish in Buffalo and a chaplain for the Buffalo Fire Department, and Felician Sister M. Johnice Rzadkiewicz, executive director of the Response to Love Center on the city’s east side.

Father Seil met with two deputy fire commissioners, the Western New York Catholic reported. Police officers led Bishop Fisher and Father Seil through part of the crime scene as well.

Bishop Fisher also briefly met with other religious leaders who were at the scene.

“It was a good pastoral visit,” Calire said. “People were coming up to him and asking him to pray for them. It was so nice to see a shepherd in his element. That’s what he has been called to do. And he was on the street with the people bringing comfort just by his presence.”

Shortly after the shooting, Bishop Fisher condemned on Twitter “the scourge of senseless gun violence that has taken the lives of so many across our nation and changed the lives of countless innocent men, women and children must come to an end.”

On May 17, he later updated his remarks saying that innocent people were victimized in the killing spree. “No love was shown in this rampage, only the deepest of hate,” he said.

“This country has struggled for years with the practice of racism and white supremacy that has victimized communities of color and has weakened us all. My hear is so heavy, and I pray for the victims, their families, friends and this community traumatized by this tragedy,” he said in a statement.

“Faith,” he continued, “compels us to reject the abject evil of racism and white supremacy, and to say ‘no’ to terror, and ‘no’ to the intent to silence Black and Brown voices.”

The bishop will host an interfaith prayer service May 23 at St. Martin de Porres Church, located near the grocery store.

Religious communities and individuals participated in an online prayer service May 17 organized by #Onebody, a diverse ministry that addresses racial and social justice.

SCRANTON – Michael Boris, a native of Dallas, will be ordained a deacon for the Diocese of Scranton by the Most Reverend Joseph C. Bambera, Bishop of Scranton, on Saturday, May 28, 2022, at the Cathedral of Saint Peter. The ordination Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m.

The public is invited to attend the Ordination Mass, which is a very important event in the life of the Diocese. The Mass will be broadcast live on CTV: Catholic Television of the Diocese of Scranton and livestream on the Diocese of Scranton website and across all social media platforms.

Boris will be ordained for service as a transitional deacon, the ordination serving as the last major step before ordination to the priesthood, which typically occurs a year later after additional pastoral, liturgical and educational preparation.

Once ordained as a deacon, Boris will assist the bishop and his priests in ministries of the Word, Liturgy and Charity. This includes proclaiming the Gospel, leading intercessions, preaching, preparing the altar, celebrating baptisms, leading the faithful in prayer, distributing holy communion, witnessing marriages and conducting wake and funeral services. Deacons also identify the needs of poor and underserved, and shepherd the Church’s resources to meet those needs.

Boris, 26, is the son of Joseph and Susan Boris. He is a graduate of Holy Redeemer High School and King’s College where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in Theology and Philosophy. Boris entered Saint Mary’s Seminary and University in the fall of 2018. In 2019, he served a summer assignment in the parish communities of Holy Cross Parish, Olyphant, and Blessed Sacrament Parish, Throop. Boris also served a pastoral year (2020-2021) in the parish communities of Saint Rose of Lima Parish and Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish, both in Carbondale.

“It is hard to believe that it is time to make the official and full commitment but I have experienced such grace in prayer over the past few months and a lot of peace, a sense that God has been journeying with me the whole time,” Boris said when discussing his upcoming ordination with The Catholic Light.

While admitting a little nervousness and anxiousness, Boris feels spiritually ready for this next step.

“I think God made me ready over the past year,” he said.

Boris said he never had any serious consideration about the priesthood until he was a senior in high school and Father Don Williams, Vocations Director for the Diocese of Scranton, met with potential candidates recommended by teachers.

Following that conversation, Boris began attending more discernment events, followed by a retreat and ultimately made the decision to enter seminary.

“Midway through high school, I was convinced I was going to work with cars in some way, either a mechanical engineer or race car driver,” Boris explained. “But it felt like I was forcing that interest. I wasn’t asking God what he wanted me to do. I really didn’t know what I wanted to do and that is when Father Don showed up at the school. It was good timing on God’s part!”

Boris said his experience in seminary has been very formational and helped him to “listen to God.”

“The seminary provides a really good environment for praying and discerning because you’re with a bunch of brothers who are all discerning the same questions,” he said.

During his time in seminary, Boris also developed a love of playing the drums. He discovered his new passion almost accidentally when he heard someone talking about a music room on campus.

“One day, I decided to watch a YouTube video about how to play your first drum beat and it was kind of contagious once you get the hang of it,” he said. “Then you want to try something new and the next thing you know you’re playing a lot.”

 

 

 

More than 500 people filled the new Most Holy Trinity Church in Cresco for a Dedication Mass on Sunday, May 15, 2022. The Most Reverend Joseph C. Bambera, Bishop of Scranton, served as principal celebrant and homilist. (Photo/Eric Deabill)

CRESCO – As parishioner Cheryl Lynott handed over the keys of the new Most Holy Trinity Church to the Most Reverend Joseph C. Bambera, Bishop of Scranton, she acknowledged the significance of the moment.

“Although our road has been long and our journey rout with obstacles, we come today realizing our dream. We began as several mission churches and three distinct parishes, ultimately merging to become known as Most Holy Trinity Parish,” Lynott said. “Our congregation’s resiliency was demonstrated time and time again when we moved from one temporary worship space to another but our faith remained steadfast.”

Immediately following the presentation of the keys to the bishop, that faith was on display as at least 500 people raised their voices, singing “Let the King of Glory come.” That song began the Dedication Mass on Sunday, May 15, 2022.

“What a glorious day that we are privileged to experience in praise of God and with gratitude for all that God has done in our lives and in this wonderful parish community of Most Holy Trinity,” Bishop Bambera said. “This magnificent dwelling place for God is a tribute to all of you who, in so many and different ways, have served to build not merely this worship site – but the Church – the People of God.”

The new church for Most Holy Trinity Parish is located in the former gymnasium/auditorium of the now-closed Monsignor McHugh School located on Route 390 in Paradise Township.

During his homily, Bishop Bambera noted that a Mass of Dedication for a new church does not take place often. In fact, the bishop noted it is only the second he has celebrated since becoming shepherd of the Diocese of Scranton.

Using the Scriptures, including the First Reading from the Book of Nehemiah, which is required for a church dedication Mass, Bishop Bambera spoke to the reality of the moment.

Rev. Brian J.W. Clarke, pastor, Most Holy Trinity Parish, opens the door of the new church before the processional hymn.

“Look at the journey that brought you from three distinct communities – Saint Mary of the Mount, Saint Ann and Saint Bernadette – and countless other parishes to this great day and this sacred space,” Bishop Bambera noted. “Many of you have said to me today and in recent months, ‘Finally, our dream of a church is realized.’ It has been realized and it is beautiful to behold, isn’t it? But, my brothers and sisters, this dream has become a reality only because from your earliest days as Most Holy Trinity Parish, you have first been committed to building CHURCH – not a building – but the people that God has called you to be!”

To further illustrate his point, the bishop quoted Saint John Paul II, who said, a parish is not just a structure but rather “the family of God, a fellowship afire with a unifying spirit, a familial and welcoming home, the community of the faithful and the place where the mystery of the Church is present and at work.”

As he ended his homily, the bishop reminded all those present that their journey of faith is not over with the dedication of their new building.
“While we have much for which to be grateful this day, this church building will only shine forth as a vibrant sign of love and hope to all if you, who have given it life, continue to live your faith in service of the Gospel of Jesus,” the bishop challenged them.

Following his homily, the bishop prayed the ‘Prayer of Dedication.’ He also anointed and incensed the altar and walls of the church, preparing the building for the Liturgy of the Eucharist.

For many parishioners, the Dedication Mass was the first time they have seen the new worship space.

“It’s beautiful. It’s stunning. It’s amazing to see how far it has come and how much work has been done. It’s really breathe-taking. It’s beautiful,” parishioner Kelly Ann Devita of Tobyhanna Township said. “This is something that we can all be proud of. So many people had a piece in bringing this all together and we are all proud to be here and be a part of it.”

“This is the day the Lord has made and we are rejoicing and we are truly glad,” parishioner Jeannine Lotito of Tobyhanna added, quoting scripture. “Everybody gave their best, whatever their talent was, and I’m just excited that everybody did what they could.”

Michael Trombetta of Easton grew up across the street from the Most Holy Trinity school complex and graduated from what was then Pocono Central Catholic High School in 1979. As he reminisced about all of the events that had taken place in the same gym decades ago, he was amazed at the transformation.

“This was our second home. We did everything in here. We graduated from this space and now look at it, it’s our new church and it’s unbelievable and I can’t thank everybody enough, from the bishop and everybody in the diocese who worked hard to put it together to all the local people,” Trombetta said. “It is glorious!”

Many of the items in the new church – including the pews, stained glass windows, presider’s chair, marble Stations of the Cross and more – were all taken from the old church buildings that closed.

At the conclusion of Mass, Father Brian J.W. Clarke, pastor, Most Holy Trinity Parish acknowledged all of the people who made the renovation project and liturgy possible. He echoed the words of the bishop, saying the “real story” here isn’t the building but the people of the parish. He especially highlighted the work of the Most Holy Trinity Parish Building and Grounds Committee.

“So many of you volunteering countless hours, day in and day out, it’s rare to see that kind of dedication,” Father Clarke said.

As the Mass ended – the most poignant words came from Bishop Bambera – who continued to be visibly struck by the nature of the crowd and their faith-filled witness.

“For all the naysayers in our world, who say that faith doesn’t matter anymore, for all those who say Catholics or Christians are just grasping at straws, let them come to Cresco and let them look at this community of faith. What a blessing!” the bishop boasted.

Following the Dedication Mass, parishioners lingered throughout the new church taking photographs. They also enjoyed food and fellowship in the Narthex and hallways of the building.

Most Holy Trinity has daily Mass each weekday at 8 a.m. It also has a Spanish Mass on Wednesday evening at 7 p.m. The parish’s weekend Mass schedule includes a 4 p.m. Vigil Mass on Saturday and Masses at 8 a.m., 10:30 a.m. and Noon on Sunday. The Noon Mass is celebrated in Spanish.

WILKES-BARRE – June 4 is going to be a big day of celebration for Saint Andrew Parish, as its primary worship site, Saint Patrick Church on Parrish Street, will mark a century of service to the community.

The public is invited to the church’s 4 p.m. Mass and to enjoy a coffee-and-dessert reception following the liturgy. The principal celebrant for the special liturgy will be Rev. Gerald W. Shantillo, V.G., S.T.L., Vicar General of the Diocese of Scranton and Moderator of the Curia.

“We have invited all of the surviving former pastors to be here with us. Most have said yes,” Deacon Bill Behm, Parish Life Coordinator of Saint Andrew Parish, said.

Church officials only recently realized the century mark was approaching for Saint Patrick Church, thanks to the Times Leader newspaper, and columnist Tom Mooney, who discovered the first Mass actually took place in the basement area of the church, even though construction was not complete on the building itself.

“Our cornerstone was laid in 1929 and the church was dedicated in 1930 so I figured we had years before we had to worry about a major anniversary,” Behm said. “They dug the basement here before the church and put a roof over the basement. That is where they had Mass from 1922 on and they built the church around that structure.”

Since learning of the anniversary, parish staff have been digging through archives.

“We have been through the attic of the rectory, the third floor, we have a lot of pictures. We have pictures of them constructing the main church, what we now call the Upper Church, but we had no idea when they were building the Upper Church, there was already a functioning Lower Church,” Behm said.

Behm, whose grandparents and parents both attended the church, believes the Anniversary Mass will be a nice opportunity for people to realize the history of their building.

“It is a way of touching the history so you realize that it is a neighborhood church, but the neighborhood has expanded over the years,” he said. “It was given to us from those who came before us and it is our gift to those coming after us.”

SCRANTON – What do frozen hot chocolate, drones and kindergarten art have in common?

All three – and much more – will be featured at our first-ever First Friday fun rally and cause fair at the Diocesan Pastoral Center from 5 until 8 p.m. on Friday June 3.

Picture a telethon-turned-webathon with lots of in-person engagement. The event will include musical performances, comedy, games and a host of demonstrations, displays, exhibits, prizes and giveaways.

The fun is all part of NEPA Gives, the one-day online giving extravaganza and challenge spearheaded by five of the region’s charitable foundations
The Diocese is participating for the third year in a row and hoping once again to top the leaderboards and secure some of the thousands of dollars in bonus prizes.

For 24 hours – from 12:00 a.m. to 11:59:59 p.m. – on June 3, donors may make secure donations to the Diocese through the nepagives.org website, which features about 200 other nonprofit organizations.

The cause fair will highlight Catholic schools, Diocesan youth ministry, Saint Francis Kitchen and Saint Francis Commons.

Father Jim Paisley, winner of the Diocese’s first-ever Rectory, Set, Cook! Lenten online cookoff fundraiser, will serve as master of ceremonies, reprising musical favorites from the beloved Cathedral Capers shows of yore.

He’ll be joined by his friend and fellow Rectory, Set, Cook! contestant Father Joseph Elston for a duet of “Anything You Can Do I Can Do Better,” and he’ll perform his original composition “The Bishop and I” (with Bishop Joseph Bambera in attendance to thank donors) at 5:30 p.m.

The cause fair also will include wine and frozen hot chocolate tastings, live painting on site, a pet presentation highlighting the dogs of Saint Francis Commons and presentations by at least four schools:

• All Saints Academy in Scranton will offer artwork to donors and host a K’Nex exhibit.
• Our Lady of Peace School in Clarks Green will offer tile artwork to donors.
• Saint Clare/Saint Paul School in Scranton will host a creative kindergarten art show and butterfly art show.
• La Salle Academy in Jessup will offer science and STREAM displays plus a live drone demonstration.

Father Paisley’s and Father Elston’s performances will be livestream on the Diocese of Scranton Facebook page, as will live Leaderboard updates throughout the evening.

Sandra Snyder, Diocesan director of foundation relations and special events and organizer of the Diocese’s NEPA Gives efforts, said the rally/cause fair was planned to both raise money and thank donors.

“Our donors have always shown up in force virtually for this fun day,” Snyder said. “We’re thrilled we can offer a safe and socially distanced mini-event to allow them this year to actually ‘come and see’ where their dollars go.”

Donations of checks or cash received by June 3 also will count toward the Diocese’s tally. They can be mailed to:

Diocese of Scranton
Attn: Sandra Snyder/NEPA Gives
300 Wyoming Ave.
Scranton, PA 18503