Author: Eric Deabill

HAZLETON – As the new school begins, there are many new faces filling the halls of Catholic schools across the Diocese of Scranton.

Overall, enrollment in Diocesan schools is currently up nearly nine percent over last year. Approximately 4,400 students have enrolled in the diocese’s 19 schools to date.

“We have once again prepared diligently this summer to open our schools in the safest way for the new year,” Kristen Donohue, Superintendent of Catholic Schools said. “We are excited to open our doors as we did last year to provide an excellent Catholic education in-person, while continuing to share good health. It is humbling to know the result of the efforts of everyone involved in our school communities is that more students will come to experience the transformative nature of a Catholic school.”

At Holy Family Academy in Hazleton, enrollment is up 17-percent this year.

Principal Jason Tribbet believes that is because many people in the community have seen how the Diocese of Scranton Catholic Schools safely managed in-person learning during the COVID-19 pandemic last year. He also credits school families for sharing the benefits of Catholic education.

“Word of mouth is huge. Our existing families are so supportive of our school and getting the word out to members of their church community, their little league teams and different things that take place in the area and spreading the word about Holy Family in a positive way,” he said.

At Notre Dame Elementary School in East Stroudsburg, enrollment is up 18-percent this year.

Interim principal Sister Dorothy Kibler, I.H.M. says several grades have waiting lists.

“We are getting students who are not of our Catholic faith and we always welcome them,” she said. “We have gotten some new students from as far away as Blakeslee.”

This year, Notre Dame is also pleased to welcome two international students from China. The family recently relocated to the United States because of employment.

“They have blended in very well. We have been so happy to welcome them,” Sister Dorothy added.

This is now the third year that schools have had to face challenges because of the pandemic in some form. Both principals say as the new school year begins, they will not become complacent about health and safety initiatives.

“I sent out a reminder to our staff this week to continue to follow our safety protocols,” Tribbet said. “The COVID numbers continue to keep increasing in our communities so we have to do our part.”

“Our faculty has been very vigilant about the protocols and making sure that the students are socially distant and wearing their masks. We reinforce the fact that it is to keep ourselves healthy and to keep our friends healthy,” Sister Dorothy added.

While very conscious of the virus, the new school year continues to allow for greater flexibility as some things begin to return to normal.

All students of Notre Dame Elementary gathered last week to celebrate Mass together in-person in the high school theater. Last year, because of COVID protocols, only a few grades came together at a time and everyone else watched via livestream.

“That was very positive,” Sister Dorothy said. “Everyone participated and you could hear it in them!”

SCRANTON – Members of the Knights of Columbus recently presented the Most Rev. Joseph C. Bambera, Bishop of Scranton, with two charitable donations.

A check for $1,409.35 came from the Knights of Columbus Christopher Fund for the Bishop’s charitable donations.

A separate $5,288 check from the Knights of Columbus, which is to be used for promoting vocations in the diocese, was also presented to Bishop Bambera.

Bishop Bambera was very grateful for both of the presentations from the Knights of Columbus – and expressed sincere thanks for all of the work that the Knights have been doing in our parish communities.

“So often during the course of the past year and a half as we have confronted the consequences of the coronavirus in our lives, the Knights of Columbus were hard at work – helping to feed the hungry, to serve those struggling to make ends meet and to assist many people in providing safe environments for the celebration of Mass,” Bishop Bambera said. “In the midst of all of these exceptional efforts, the Knights of Columbus have continued to promote efforts that deepen our respect for human life. The Knights have also continued to work tirelessly to support our diocesan vocation efforts by adopting seminarians.”

This past year, the Catholic Church had the honor of celebrating the beatification of Blessed Father Michael J. McGivney, who founded the Knights of Columbus to bring fraternal support, assistance and financial aid to those in need.

To learn more about the Pennsylvania Knights of Columbus State Council, visit their website at pakofc.us.

SCRANTON – Most Reverend Joseph C. Bambera, Bishop of Scranton, has announced the appointment of Ms. Erin McGrady as Safe Environment Coordinator for the Diocese of Scranton.

Ms. McGrady’s responsibilities will include making sure all diocesan employees in parishes and schools, including coaches and volunteers who have direct contact and routine interaction with children, have up-to-date criminal background and child abuse clearances. The position of Safe Environment Coordinator is also responsible for implementing educational and training programs that help people recognize and effectively respond to the problem of child sexual abuse.

“After being in the direct care field for many years, I wanted to take more of a preventative approach to child abuse and protecting our youth,” McGrady said regarding her new position.

McGrady has a Master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Long Island University and is licensed as a Professional Counselor in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

Prior to accepting her new position in the Diocese of Scranton, she worked as a Mental Health Professional at the Friendship House in Forest City and an Outpatient Psychotherapist at Northeast Counseling Services in Hazleton. McGrady believes her background and experience working directly in schools will be an asset to her new position.

“Being in the school districts was a big help, working with children every day,” she explained.

McGrady succeeds Kathy Bolinski, who recently retired, in holding the position as Safe Environment Coordinator. She was able to shadow Ms. Bolinski to learn the roles and responsibilities of her new position.

McGrady is looking forward to working with all parishes and schools in the Diocese.

“Having safe environment managers at each parish and school is a big help. I’m looking forward to getting out and meeting everyone and seeing all the parishes because the diocese covers a large area.”

McGrady also wants parents and members of the public to know she is a resource available to them.

“My door is always open. Please call or email if you need assistance. I have spoken to a number of different parishes already. The welcome has been wonderful,” she added.

McGrady is a parishioner of Saint Rose of Lima Parish in Carbondale, where she serves as a catechist, Eucharistic Minister and Pastoral Council member.

CARBONDALE – With champagne in hand, parishioners gathered outside Saint Rose of Lima Church on Aug. 23, 2021, to celebrate the relighting of its steeple after the completion of a major renovation project.

The outdoor event followed a 7:30 p.m. Mass for the Solemnity of Saint Rose, in which the Most Rev. Joseph C. Bambera, Bishop of Scranton, served as principal celebrant.

“It is a real pleasure for me to join with this parish community,” the bishop said in welcoming the large crowd that gathered. “We give thanks for the incredible work that has been done to restore this beautiful church and particularly its tower, which really shines as a beacon of faith and hope to this entire community.”

After several years of planning and fundraising, Saint Rose of Lima Parish recently completed a large-scale church renovation project in which its granite steps, steeple and façade were all restored. Knowing the church’s importance, both parishioners and the Carbondale business community embraced the renovation work, raising more than $850,000 for the project.

Reverend Jeffrey J. Walsh, pastor, delivered the homily during the Mass.

“We’re so happy with the conclusion of this project. It was long overdue,” Father Walsh said. “Everyone who made a contribution to this project did what our ancestors did… They knew that faith needed to be a priority for them and their families and so they invested in a beautiful house of worship that just continued to grow and grow.”

Father Walsh spent much of his homily focusing on “little details.”

Quoting Pope Francis, the Carbondale pastor emphasized that “little details” are important saying, “Jesus asked his disciples to pay attention to details, the little detail that wine was running out at a party, the little details that one sheep was missing.”

Father Walsh then explained all the “little details” that went into making the restoration project at Saint Rose of Lima Church a success. The details ranged from the hard work it took to replace the steps outside the church, to the meticulous effort to make sure the scaffolding outside the church was put up properly so that workers could reach the steeple, to the masonry work involved with the bluestone over the church’s archways.

“It was an awful lot of work,” Father Walsh said.

Even as the steeple was re-lit to great joy in the community, Father Walsh ended his homily by emphasizing that while a church building is a great treasure, it is the faith of each person that needs to shine the brightest.

“What God manifests in the external, he also wants to manifest in the internal,” Father Walsh said. “All of the detail work that goes into restoring the outside of this church applies equally to the detail that each one of us is responsible for in maintaining our spiritual lives.”

RILEYVILLE – With a banner hanging outside Saint Joseph Church announcing its 150th anniversary, parishioners in northern Wayne County gathered on Aug. 22 to celebrate the special milestone of their house of worship.

The Most Rev. Joseph C. Bambera, Bishop of Scranton, served as principal celebrant for a Pontifical Concelebrated Mass of Thanksgiving marking the sesquicentennial anniversary of the church.

“For all of the memories that are likely flooding the minds and hearts of all of us who gather this morning, I suspect that when we recall events that have taken place in our lives in relationship to Saint Joseph Church, we are more likely to recall certain people than merely a place,” Bishop Bambera said during his homily.

The bishop explained a personal connection to Saint Joseph Church. When he was a young, he would often attend Mass at the church while staying with his father at a nearby hunting lodge on weekends. Even as a young boy, the bishop noted the welcoming atmosphere the parish offered.

In encouraging people to reflect on the fact that a parish is much more than just a building, Bishop Bambera used the words of Saint John Paul II. As the late Holy Father indicated, a parish is “the family of God, a fellowship afire with a unifying spirit.”

On the milestone anniversary for Saint Joseph Church, the bishop said the celebration should remind parishioners of who they are as Catholic Christians, remind them of the need to engage a power in life bigger than themselves and reinforce that we receive the Holy Eucharist for mission.

“Right here in Rileyville, look at the mission that you’ve embraced for the past 150 years. You have celebrated life and called one another to a profound respect for that sublime gift. You have taught people about our faith. You have fed families and clothed the poor. You have healed bodies and spirits, consoled, buried and converted hearts to the Lord. You have done Christ’s work!” the bishop noted.

The anniversary Mass took place on the 21st Week in Ordinary Time, when the Gospel message indicated that many of Jesus’ followers were having a difficult time understanding his teaching about the Eucharist and many walked away.

The bishop noted that parishioners at Saint Joseph Church have stayed through the power of God at work in their lives.

“It is pretty obvious that you stay a part of this church because of your faith – a faith that enables you to see and experience signs of hope and signs of God’s life, his mercy and his love!” the bishop noted.

Saint Joseph Church was established in 1871 as a mission worship site of Saint Juliana Parish at Rock Lake. In 1944, the care of Saint Joseph’s was assumed by Saint Mary Magdalen Parish, Honesdale, with Saint John the Evangelist taking over the guardianship of the small mission church three years later.

SCRANTON – Seminarian Michael J. Boris stood before the Most Rev. Joseph C. Bambera, Bishop of Scranton, on Aug. 19 and affirmed his desire to advance along the path toward the priesthood.

Bishop Bambera served as presider, principal celebrant and homilist for Solemn Vespers with the Rite of Admission to Candidacy for Holy Orders as well as the Celebration of the Eucharist with the Institution of Acolyte for Michael J. Boris at the Cathedral of Saint Peter.

In the Rite of Admission to Candidacy for Holy Orders, a man who aspires to ordination publicly declares his will to offer himself to God and to the Church for sacred ministry. During the rite, the bishop asks the candidate two questions about his resolve to complete preparations for the priesthood. If the candidate answers these questions affirmatively, he is accepted as a candidate for holy orders.

Acolyte is the last step before ordination. Acolytes serve at the altar, assisting priests and deacons during liturgical celebrations. They may also purify the sacred vessels after Holy Communion.

In his homily, Bishop Bambera reflected on a Gospel passage of Saint Luke (Luke 5:1-11) which finds Jesus beginning his ministry by calling a simple fisherman, Simon Peter, to be one of his most trusted friends.

“Today, he calls you to walk with him in a very special way,” Bishop Bambera said to Michael J. Boris.

The bishop said that Jesus accepted Simon Peter as he was, taking him as he found him with a heart that was open.

“Michael, remember that Jesus accepts and calls us as we all are also,” the bishop noted.

Bishop Bambera emphasized that Jesus is able to see beyond the brokenness of our lives and invites all of us to trust at a deeper level.

“Jesus responds to you Michael, in the very same way that he responded to his first followers. He calls you to cast the net of God’s love and mercy upon the waters of this time and place. He calls you to extend your hands and grasp the lives of those who struggle to find a way forward. He calls you to embrace them with compassion, mercy and forgiveness.”

SCRANTON – Hundreds of people gathered to celebrate their faith – and their Italian heritage – at the Cathedral of Saint Peter on Sept. 5 at the 45th annual La Festa Italiana Mass.

The Mass, which was celebrated in Italian, was held in conjunction with La Festa Italiana. The annual four-day food festival takes place on Courthouse Square over the long Labor Day weekend.

The Most Rev. Joseph C. Bambera, Bishop of Scranton, attended the Mass. Reverend Paul A. McDonnell, OSJ, served as principal celebrant and homilist. McDonnell is the current rector of the Oblates of Saint Joseph in Laflin.

“Today we celebrate the Italian heritage, this wonderful gift given first of all to our country that came from Italy,” Father McDonnell said.

Reflecting on the hallmarks of the Italian culture, which he defined as “faith, family, friends and hospitality,” McDonnell said gratefully each has made its way into the Diocese of Scranton.

During his homily, Father McDonnell joked that his last name is Irish – but he is half-Italian because of his mother. He emphasized that Italians love being in the company of others.

“Being able to share our lives, share our joys, our blessings and our accomplishments and to share also our sorrows, crosses and burdens. We do it together,” he explained.

Connecting that to the Church, the “family of God,” Father McDonnell reminded the crowd that we are also supposed to “walk” with our brothers and sisters in faith.

“We don’t worship in isolation. We don’t serve in isolation. Jesus reminds us over and over again, if you want to love me, then love each other,” he said.

While the La Festa Italiana Mass emphasizes the Italian culture, Father McDonnell reminded those in attendance that many cultures have influenced the Diocese of Scranton.

“We are reminded of all the cultures that have influenced this diocese and have a very important role to play. It reminds us of our rich and diverse history as we acknowledge all ethnic groups that immigrated here: Slovaks, Polish, Lithuanians, Irish, German and today our most recent immigrants from Mexico, the Dominican Republic, Brazil, Cape Verde, Vietnam, India, the Philippines and the continent of Africa,” he said.

Just as the day’s Gospel message stressed – the homilist added we must all be more accepting and loving of others.

“If we are truly rooted in Christ, then we don’t see our brothers and sisters from other races, creeds or colors as a burden, but as an asset to enrich our society and personal lives,” he explained.

This year’s Italian Mass was offered in memory of all those members and friends of La Festa Italiana who passed away since the last Mass was celebrated, including Ray Alberigi, John “Jack” Brunetti, Christina Caprio, Father Andrew Gallia, Patrick A. Luongo, Joseph “Chef” Schiavone, Kevin Shaughnessy and Father Joseph Sica.

Before the concluding prayer, Bishop Bambera thanked the La Festa Committee for helping to organize and participate in the Mass – as well as for their hard work to put on one of the community’s most popular events.

Seizing on the homily message that Father McDonnell shared, the bishop drew connections to the pandemic that we continue to battle.

“We are in this together,” the bishop said. “We are all connected through faith, through life and the fact that we are all a part of this family that God has given to each one of us!”

The Most Rev. Joseph C. Bambera, Bishop of Scranton, released the following greeting on Sept. 15, 2021, to those observing Yom Kippur:

“On behalf of all the clergy, religious and faithful of the Diocese of Scranton, I offer my heartfelt best wishes to our Jewish brothers and sisters who will celebrate Yom Kippur beginning this evening at sunset.

“As Christians, we must always continue to deepen the bonds of friendship between our two faith traditions and break down any walls that may separate us.

“On this Day of Atonement, may we all ask God for forgiveness from our sins and join together in praying for peace and stability in our world.

“To all our Jewish neighbors, I wish all an easy and meaningful fast this Yom Kippur.”

 

BOSTON (CNS) – The Boston Globe reported July 29 that police in the Boston suburb of Wellesley have charged former Cardinal Theodore McCarrick with three counts of indecent assault and battery on a person over 14 in a criminal complaint filed by Wellesley Police in a district court in nearby Dedham, Massachusetts.

A summons has been issued ordering McCarrick, now 91, to appear at the court for arraignment Aug. 26.

The Globe reported that McCarrick is now living in Missouri. The address listed for McCarrick in the court filings is the Vianney Renewal Center in Dittmer, Missouri, located in Jefferson County, a suburban county of St. Louis on the eastern side of the state.

The Vianney Renewal Center is a treatment center for Catholic clergy with sexual or other disorders.

According to its website, it’s a ministry coordinated by the Servants of the Paraclete, which collaborates with sponsoring diocesan and religious communities “to provide a safe and supportive environment for the rehabilitation and reconciliation of priests and religious brothers.”

Last year, the Jefferson County Leader, a weekly newspaper, reported the Dallas police arrested an ex-priest at the center on charges of aggravated sexual assault of a child in North Texas that took place in 1989. The ex-priest had been laicized in 2002.

The crimes for which McCarrick is charged allegedly took place in 1974, when he was a New York archdiocesan priest and secretary to Cardinal Terence Cooke of New York.

According to the Globe, the man told investigators that McCarrick was a family friend who began molesting him when he was a boy.

According to a report by Wellesley Police Detective Christopher Connelly that was filed in court with the complaint, he said McCarrick often went on trips with the then-teenager’s family and had sexually abused him in New Jersey, New York, California and Massachusetts.

On June 8, 1974, the alleged victim, then 16, said he was at his brother’s wedding reception at Wellesley College when McCarrick told him his father wanted the two of them to “have a talk” because the teenager was being mischievous at home and not attending church, according to the report. He said McCarrick groped his genitals when they were walking around the campus, and continued his assault after the walk was over.

The Globe said that during interviews with police, the man recounted later incidents where McCarrick sexually abused him in the Boston suburbs of Arlington and Newton. He also provided four photographs of postcards he had received from McCarrick when he was younger, and a photograph of McCarrick that predated the wedding reception in Wellesley.

The man, whose name was not released, is represented by Mitchell Garabedian, long known as an attorney for those who have made abuse accusations against Catholic clergy. Garabedian was portrayed by Stanley Tucci in the Academy Award-winning film “Spotlight,” which chronicled the Globe’s investigation into clergy sexual abuse in the Archdiocese of Boston 20 and more years ago.

Because McCarrick was not a Massachusetts resident and “the statute of limitations stopped running when he left the state,” the Globe said, “he can be charged with alleged assault dating to the 1970s.”

McCarrick’s attorney, Barry Coburn of Washington, told the Globe: “We will look forward to addressing this issue in the courtroom.”

In 2018, the prelate resigned from the College of Cardinals after The New York Times published a series of stories detailing abuse episodes by the then-priest and bishop during assignments in New York and New Jersey, principally in the 1970s and ’80s.

A year later, Pope Francis laicized him after a canonical process found him guilty.

Last year, the Vatican released its own report detailing the McCarrick case. It said the now-disgraced former prelate was able to rise up the Catholic hierarchical structure based on personal contacts, protestations of his innocence and a lack of church officials reporting and investigating accusations made against him, according to the Vatican report on the matter.

The report said St. John Paul II “personally made the decision” to name McCarrick archbishop of Washington in 2000 and make him a cardinal.

Many commentators dispute critics that say the pope and his associates knew about McCarrick’s misdeeds and proceeded with his promotion anyway, because McCarrick was a “master at gaining the trust of others, including Pope John Paul II, and then betraying that trust.”

Prior to the Dittmer facility, McCarrick had lived at Kansas friary at the Washington Archdiocese’s request. He left there of his own accord after he was laicized.

CARBONDALE – After walking up 15 flights of scaffolding steps, the Most Reverend Joseph C. Bambera, Bishop of Scranton, reached the steeple atop of Saint Rose of Lima Church and took in the view.

“I’m actually really proud to be on top here,” Bishop Bambera said – standing 93 feet over the city sidewalk.

On Thursday, July 29, 2021, Bishop Bambera joined St. Rose’s pastor, Father Jeff Walsh, to offer a blessing on the church’s renovation project that nears completion. Several other parishioners who were instrumental in getting the work – literally – off the ground joined the bishop.

After raising $850,000 over the last year and a half, the church’s granite steps, steeple and façade have all been restored.

“It’s the oldest church in Lackawanna County and one of the earliest churches in the Diocese of Scranton,” Father Walsh said. “We know it was built on the backs of the coal miners and the immigrants who came to this area who took their faith seriously and it’s good to know that new generations are still doing that.”

The parish itself was founded in 1832 and the current church building dates back to 1873.

“This is probably the tallest building in Carbondale. The tower itself was put on in 1899 so it has been on over 100 years before now and it had some needed repair both inside and outside, spalling along the bluestone in the front, and all around the tower itself, so it was ready, it’s been in the works for two years,” project manager John Devine explained. “It was very urgent because some of it was peeling off the front of the building and we even had one of the pieces of metal up there flapping in the wind. Had it fallen, it was really a safety issue.”

The Saint Rose of Lima steeple is a focal point in the Pioneer City. Knowing its importance, both parishioners and the Carbondale business community embraced the renovation work.

“A lot of the people who are natives of Carbondale said this has always been a community that has stepped up when they needed to do what they were called to do. That has proven to be a true statement. We reached the $850,000 goal. We got the work on the steps done and the façade is going to be completed and the steeple is going to be restored to its original glory,” Father Walsh said.

While the project has taken a little longer than expected, the scaffolding around the church is expected to come down around Aug. 9. The total price tag of the restoration project has been a little more than expected as well – estimated to be $975,000 now – so anyone in the community is still encouraged to help.

Father Walsh also gave credit to the work of his predecessors, Father James Price and Father Seth Wasnock, who began the renovation project.

“It’s certainly a sign to the community that we’re here to stay and we’re going to be around another 100 years at least and it’s a sense of stability and pride that we do take in this building,” Father Walsh said. “But it’s always more than the building. The outside is meant to represent what’s on the inside.”

“It’s going to be stunning. People are going to look up and say ‘wow.’ You’re not even going to remember what it looked like before because it’s going to be new and clean and hopefully serve the community for another 100 years,” Devine added.

As he offered his blessing, Bishop Bambera marveled at the change that has taken place. His blessing was as follows:

“Lord, We thank you for the work that is being done on this incredible tower, this beacon of hope and promise and love and God’s mercy to this entire community. We pray that through the work that is done here, faith that has been given to so many people may grow and flourish. We thank you for the workers who have put this beautiful tower back in place and have restored it to its original beauty. We thank you for the good people – the parishioners and the friends of this parish – who have worked so hard to make this a reality, who have given of their time and their treasure to bring this church back to its beautiful state. Finally Lord, we just ask your blessing upon this community and this congregation – that it will always be a community filled with love, hope, working towards peace. In the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.”