Author: Eric Deabill

WILKES-BARRE – All families are invited to join Catholic School Services and its Parents as Teachers program for an afternoon of indoor fun and education on Aug. 2, 2025.

The free event, with a back to school focus, will be held from noon to 4:00 p.m. at the King’s College Scandlon Gymnasium, 150 N. Main Street, Wilkes-Barre, 18711. (Free parking available at 133 S. Franklin Street, Wilkes-Barre, 18711)

There will be face painting, free haircuts and eye exams, along with performances and demonstrations by community groups. Several dozen local organizations have committed to participating in the event.

The first 100 children will get free water bottles and dental hygiene kits. There will also be an interactive scavenger hunt to be turned in for prizes, and interactive demonstrations.

The Parents as Teachers program of Catholic Social Services will also be highlighting its program. The program is open for participation from conception until a child reaches kindergarten. A child must be enrolled at least one year prior to kindergarten. There are no income qualifications to participate but families must live within Luzerne County to participate in the Catholic Social Services program.

For more information on the event, or to register your community group to participate, please contact Montie Ford at MFord@cssdioceseofscranton.org.

SCRANTON – Just before He ascends to heaven, Jesus leaves His disciples with final directions: “Go and make disciples” (Matthew 28:19).

The Diocesan Office for Parish Life invites you to two different events next month focused on discipleship.

A registration link for both events is available on the Diocese of Scranton website (dioceseofscranton.org) or you can call the Diocesan Office for Parish Life at (570) 207-2213.

The first workshop on Wednesday, Aug. 6, is “The Characteristics of a Disciple.”

What does it mean to be a disciple? What does a disciple look like, think like, act like? How can we know if we are making disciples?

This evening workshop with Fr. Jon Bielawski and Michele Thompson, Genesis Mission founders, will answer these questions and more.

Join us for an evening of inspiration whether you are a new disciple, a disciple-in-progress, or someone who wants to be a disciple maker.

Time: 6:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Location: Diocesan Pastoral Center, 330 Wyoming Avenue, Scranton
Cost: $10, payable at door.

The second workshop on Thursday, Aug. 7, is “How to Evangelize.”

We know we are supposed to share our faith, but how comfortable do we feel? What if we don’t use the right words, or say the right thing? Even the word “evangelization” makes most of us cringe!

This workshop with Fr. Jon Bielawski and Michele Thompson, Genesis Mission founders, will show you how to build a culture of encounter. Throughout the day, they will illustrate methods to introduce our faith into everyday conversations.

This workshop is perfect for parish staff, catechetical leaders, catechists, youth ministers, adult formation leaders, and disciples of all ages and stages!

Time: 9:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Location: Diocesan Pastoral Center, 330 Wyoming Avenue, Scranton
Cost: $30, payable at the door. Includes lunch and materials.

SCRANTON – The Diocesan Pastoral Center was alive with music and heartfelt praise as several hundred people gathered for the Second Diocesan Hispanic Charismatic Congress on Saturday, July 12, 2025.

The event brought together Spanish-speaking Charismatic prayer groups from different parishes around the Diocese of Scranton for a powerful day of worship, learning, and renewal.

Attendees came from many corners of the diocese– Stroudsburg, Hazleton and beyond – united with the purpose of experiencing the presence of the Holy Spirit. The day was marked by vibrant music, animated preaching, and spontaneous expressions of faith, a hallmark of the Charismatic Renewal.

“This one is magnificent,” Consuelo Corrales, a parishioner of Saint Luke Parish in Stroudsburg, said. “It is life changing. People are being touched by the Holy Spirit very deep in their hearts.”

For Corrales, the day was more than just a gathering, it was a spiritual encounter.

“This joy, I cannot withstand in my heart. It is so amazing. I would love for everyone to feel and recognize that the Holy Spirit is within us. It just needs to be awakened.”

The conference built on the success of last year’s inaugural event and reflects a growing movement within Hispanic communities in the Diocese.

“We’re trying to bring all the people from within our communities here to enjoy and grow in faith,” Brenda Bonilla, who coordinates the Charismatic prayer group at Saint Teresa of Calcutta Parish in Scranton, said. “We just share our faith; we live our faith and enjoy our faith together.”

The lively atmosphere included music provided by members of Our Lady of Peace Parish in Hazleton, and featured guest speakers, including one from Albany, N.Y.
But the focus remained firmly on spiritual renewal and community.

“We praise the Lord a lot,” Angeles Youells, coordinator for the Hispanic Charismatic groups, explained. “We ask for the Holy Spirit to come and heal any bad feelings in the hearts of people.”

For Youells, who has been in the movement for 18 years, the Charismatic Renewal has brought her deeper into her faith.

“I’ve been Catholic my whole life, but I never knew the love of God until I found this group.”

Whether you speak English or Spanish, all are welcome to experience the power of the Holy Spirit at the 43rd annual Catholic Charismatic Conference, taking place Aug. 1-3 at The University of Scranton. For more information, visit CCRScranton.org.

SCRANTON – The Most Rev. Joseph C. Bambera, Bishop of Scranton, has appointed Adeline (Addie) Rocco as the new Safe Environment Coordinator for the Diocese of Scranton.

She began serving in this new role on July 7, 2025.

As Safe Environment Coordinator, Rocco will assist the Diocese of Scranton in maintaining safe environments for the faithful of the Diocese of Scranton – especially our children and the most vulnerable among us.

Rocco will oversee child protection training programs, background checks, and compliance efforts across all parishes, schools, and diocesan institutions.

Bishop Bambera said Rocco brings a depth of experience to this important role. Her career spans law enforcement, education, healthcare, pastoral care, and public service.

Rocco has previously served as a police officer in Roaring Brook Township and Scranton. While working in the Scranton Police Department, she held the position of patrol corporal and was also a crisis negotiator. She has also served as the Director of Public Safety and was an adjunct professor at Keystone College.

The Bishop noted Addie also brings a strong pastoral dimension to her work, having most recently served as Director of Mission Integration and Spiritual Care at St. Mary’s Villa in Elmhurst.

“I am so excited and honored to be able to serve in the Diocese of Scranton in this capacity,” Rocco stated. “This role encompasses both my service and dedication to ensure the safety of others in my church community and my pastoral experience of walking with others through the safe environment process.”

Rocco has served as a certified VIRTUS facilitator for 13 years, further demonstrating her deep commitment to child protection and safe environment education.

“The Lord has always asked me to be part of the solution to challenges and to get involved. Over the past 13 years, providing VIRTUS education has allowed me to help others be more aware of their surroundings and be a better reporter. Continuing education in VIRTUS allows us all not to be complacent. When we become unaware, we allow things to happen under our watch,” she explained.

Rocco is no stranger to the Diocese of Scranton. Her husband, Nick, is currently a Permanent Deacon at Saint Eulalia Parish in Roaring Brook Township. Addie also currently serves as Coordinator for Deacon Wives and Families, accompanying women whose husbands are discerning and preparing for the diaconate.

In announcing her role as the new Safe Environment Coordinator for the Diocese of Scranton, Bishop Bambera noted that Rocco’s broad experience, coupled with her civil service and Catholic ministry experience, make her “uniquely qualified” to lead and support our safe environment efforts with professionalism and compassion.

“She is eager to work collaboratively with pastors, principals, parish staff members and our Diocesan offices to ensure we uphold our responsibility to protect all God’s children,” Bishop Bambera stated.

“I cannot wait to work with, and for all, the members of the Diocesan family. This is a ministry to me, and I look forward to working alongside every member to ensure the safety of all. With four teenage daughters and my experience as a Chaplain, I hope to bring an element of compassionate awareness to ensure the protection of all in our Diocese and community. This opportunity is such a blessing,” Rocco added.

SCRANTON – Three seminarians for the Diocese of Scranton took another significant step on their path to the priesthood during a special Mass with the Rite of Candidacy at Marywood University on June 25, 2025.

Taking place on the final day of this year’s Quo Vadis and Fiat Days, each man pledged his intention to continue formation for the priesthood.

During the Mass, Esteban Marengo from Saint Teresa of Calcutta Parish in Scranton, along with Daniel O’Brien from Saint John the Evangelist Parish in Pittston, and Nicholas Wasko from Saint Ann Basilica Parish, were formally accepted as candidates for Holy Orders through the Rite of Candidacy.

“All that was going through my mind was thank you Lord for putting me here,” O’Brien said. “Thank you for surrounding me with these wonderful young men who are on the same track as me.”

The Rite of Candidacy is an important milestone in seminary formation. It marks the Church’s formal recognition that a seminarian is progressing in his discernment and is considered suitable to be admitted to the next stages of preparation for the priesthood.

During the Rite, the candidates were questioned publicly by the Most Rev. Joseph C. Bambera, Bishop of Scranton. They were asked whether they are prepared to “form your mind and heart in such a way that you will be able to faithfully serve Christ the Lord and his Body, the Church.”

Each man then responded with “I do.”

“Leading up to Candidacy, the main focus has been growing in my relationship with Christ, just growing as a Christian man, growing in virtue, growing in faith – but there comes a point where you have to start becoming more intentional in your preparations,” Marengo said. “It is a public sign that I really am trying my best to discern properly, to discern seriously.”

Marengo said he was inspired to consider the priesthood after seeing his previous pastor, Father Scott Sterowski, always filled with joy when he was amongst the faithful. That helped him recognize the priesthood is about service.

“There is just something about giving the full gift of yourself, almost pouring yourself out for others,” he explained. “I would say that is what is most appealing to me. It would be an absolute honor to one day be able to give the gift of myself to these wonderful, faithful people.”

The Rite of Candidacy taking place during Quo Vadis and Fiat Days, the Diocese’s annual vocations camps for high school students, was no coincidence. It allowed young people discerning their own paths in life to witness the beauty of vocational commitment.

“I’m a later vocation. There is no real set timeline for God’s call,” Wasko said. “Some people pursue it right out of high school when they’re young. Others wait a few years and say, ‘maybe I should be going down this path.’”

As the three men continue their formation, they expressed gratitude to everyone who has supported them with their prayers and encouragement.

“I am here because God has a plan for me,” O’Brien said. “I am so excited to be able to call Scranton home and serve the people of God.”

 

SCRANTON – In a world that often demands quick answers, dozens of high school students from across the Diocese of Scranton took a bold step in the opposite direction this June.

They paused. They prayed. And they listened.

For many of the 66 young men and women who attended the Diocese’s annual Quo Vadis and Fiat Days camps, one message rose to the top of their experience: Trust in God.

Whether it came during quiet moments of Eucharistic Adoration, small group conversations or simply time with their peers, the call to trust – deeply and freely – left a lasting impression.

“No matter how hard the storm is, no matter how hard life will get, just trust in Him and everything will go well,” Emily Lopez, a young adult from Saint Teresa of Calcutta Parish in Scranton, said.

“Be humble and don’t say, ‘this is what I want,’ just listen to him and ask God ‘what do you want for me,’” Jacob Bryk, a young adult from Saint Therese Parish in Shavertown, added.

Held June 23-25, 2025, at Marywood University, Quo Vadis Days (for high school boys) and Fiat Days (for high school girls) provided a space for teens to reflect on how God is calling them – not just in the future – but right now in their daily lives.

Through various activities, which included prayer, talks, Mass, and interactive games, the camps offered participants the opportunity to step away from the ‘noise’ of everyday life and be reminded of who they are as children of God.

“I really enjoyed it. I met a lot of new people, and everyone was just so nice,” Jade Quijandria, a young adult from Saint Pius of Pietrelcina Parish in Hazleton, said.

“Being together here as one unit, helping each other find faith, find that full trust in the Lord and trying to find what He’s calling them for was important.”

“You get to spend time with other guys your age who are in the same position,” Daniel Bordas, a young adult from Saint Matthew Parish in East Stroudsburg, added. “None of us really know what we’re going to do (with our lives yet).”

The camps invited students to learn more about the many vocations available to them, including marriage, priesthood, and religious life.

Angelo Ramos, a young adult from Saint Catherine of Siena Parish in Moscow, is considering a call to the Diocesan priesthood or religious life. He was thankful for the many opportunities he had to interact with seminarians and priests throughout the three-day experience.

“You can ask questions and get good answers that you don’t just type on Google,” Ramos explained.

Throughout the three-day camp, 38 young men took part in Quo Vadis Days, which translates from Latin to “Where are you going?” The name comes from the famous encounter between Saint Peter and Christ and invites campers to reflect on that same question in their own lives.

Fiat Days, which welcomed 28 young women in only its second year, draws its name from Mary’s “yes” to God – and encourages participants to open their hearts to how God may be calling them to serve and love others.

While both camps provided ample time for spiritual growth, the students also had plenty of time for sports, music, and icebreakers to help them build long term friendships.

“I really enjoyed it,” first time participant Johanna Davison of Scranton said. “Coming here has helped me learn to listen and just be willing and open to whatever God wants me to do.”

 

WEST WYOMING – On Sunday, June 22, 2025, Rev. Douglas Jones, S.J., celebrated a Mass of Thanksgiving at 11 a.m. at Saint Monica Parish. A reception was held for the lifelong member of the parish following Mass.

On June 14, 2025, Father Jones was one of five Jesuits ordained to the priesthood for the USA East Province at Saint Ignatius Church in Manhattan. New York Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan was the principal celebrant of the Ordination Mass.

Father Jones attended college at The University of Scranton, where he studied political science and international studies. It was during his college years that he got to know the Jesuits, especially through the Special Jesuit Liberal Arts Program.

Following his ordination, he will now spend a year doing research and pastoral work in Lebanon, with Saint Joseph University of Beirut and the Jesuit Refugee Service.

DORRANCE TWP. – Under a bright summer sky, more than 120 golfers teed off at the Blue Ridge Trail Golf Club on June 30, 2025, for the annual Vocations Golf Classic.

For more than a decade, the tournament has served a vital purpose: raising money to support the education, formation, and daily living expenses of Diocese of Scranton seminarians – young men discerning the call to the priesthood.

Held in honor of the late John Yourishen, a devoted supporter of vocations and a faithful friend of the tournament, this year’s event continued to celebrate his memory with generosity and a shared commitment to the future of the Church.

Despite temperatures in the 80s, golfers enjoyed a full day on the course, grateful that rain showers stayed away, allowing everyone to complete their rounds.

Father Alex Roche, Diocesan Secretary for Clergy Formation, who also served as tournament chairperson, said the mission behind the tournament is always front and center.

“Our number of seminarians is increasing and with more seminarians means more responsibilities, more schools, more needs, so it’s absolutely necessary that as we grow as a church, we continue to support these young men who feel called to be priests,” Father Alex said.

Throughout the day, seminarians had the opportunity to engage with attendees, whether by playing alongside them, assisting at various holes, or simply offering their heartfelt thanks.

“It’s absolutely incredible to be able to meet people from all over the diocese, you really don’t get that experience a lot,” seminarian Antonio Ingargiola said.

“I’m happy to see so many people coming out and supporting us, being able to talk and share conversations with us,” seminarian Peter Stec added.

Participants were also eager to reflect on why they return year after year.

“I play in this every year with a bunch of my friends,” Ned George, a parishioner at Queen of the Apostles Parish in Avoca, stated. “It’s the fellowship. It’s a great day for everyone. It helps the Vocations Office with education and it’s good for all members of different parishes to come together.”

“It’s a good day to be out together,” Tom Jones, a parishioner of Saint John Bosco Parish in Conyngham, added. “We need to get good individuals who want to serve the Lord.”

As the day wrapped up with dinner, a short program and awards, the tournament once again proved that the church’s mission is not only built in chapels and classrooms but also on fairways and through friendships.

“The greatness of this day is contagious. Everybody seems to be in a good mood. It’s for a great cause and we fully support it,” Jim Glenn, a parishioner of Saint Jude Parish in Mountain Top, explained.

A list of sponsors and supporters are contained in the July 17, 2025, edition of The Catholic Light.

SCRANTON – Not even stormy skies could keep the joy and energy from the 2025 World Refugee Day celebration from shining through at Nay Aug Park on Sunday, June 22, 2025.

Just hours before the scheduled 2 p.m. start, heavy rain pushed through Scranton, but as if on cue, it stopped just in time for the ninth annual celebration to begin – ushering in a hot, humid afternoon filled with music, dancing, food, and an unmistakable sense of community.

Several hundred people turned out for the event, which brought together families, neighbors, and refugees from across northeastern Pennsylvania to celebrate resilience, culture, and the beauty of diversity under the theme: “A World Where Refugees Are Always Welcomed.”

This year’s celebration was extended by an hour due to its growing popularity. It featured a variety of cultural dance performances, international food, children’s activities and more.

During the event, the Most Rev. Joseph C. Bambera, Bishop of Scranton, offered remarks that reminded everyone present that while the day is a celebration, it is also a moment of reflection.

“Let our prayer today be a simple prayer for peace. Let us pray, let us lift our voices and hearts in prayer for peace in the Middle East, in the Holy Land and in the areas that are facing the reality of war and conflict like never before,” Bishop Bambera said. “Let us also pray for peace at home, and I hope you call Scranton and northeastern Pennsylvania your home because you are most welcome here. May God give you the peace and grace to live in harmony with your families, to work freely for them and for their well-being, and to protect them so that you can work with us so that we can continue to build a community based on love, fraternity and gratitude to God for all that we have been given.”

The Bishop’s message resonated with many in the crowd, especially as refugee families continue to face growing challenges – from navigating immigration systems to accessing housing, employment, and healthcare.

As of the end of 2024, the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) reported that nearly 124 million people have been forced to flee their homes globally due to persecution, conflict, violence, human rights violations, or events seriously disturbing public order. Among them are nearly 43 million refugees.

“World Refugee Day is an opportunity to honor the strength and resilience to those who have been forcibly displaced,” Julie Schumacher Cohen, Assistant Vice President of Community Engagement and Government Affairs at The University of Scranton, said.

“The reason for this celebration is to let refugees know that we are here to support them and to let them know that they are appreciated and they are our neighbors, and they are welcome in Scranton,” Fikile Ryder, Director of Community for Catholic Social Services, added.

The World Refugee Day celebration brought together more than 25 community agencies that set up tables, offered interactive games and activities, or provided resources or information.

“The diversity is beautiful. From the food to our clothing, to everything you see around us,” Ushu Mukelo from the Congolese Community of Scranton, said. “There is no United States without immigration. There is no United States without refugee resettlement. We help make this country what it is. We work in factories, we pay taxes, we buy property.”

“We are proud to be here,” Chandra Sitaula with the Bhutanese Cultural Foundation of Scranton, added. “Bhutanese are peace lovers. That is why the U.S. Government accepted us as refugees.”

Two proclamations were also read during the event – one from the City of Scranton and another from the Pennsylvania Governor’s Office – both recognizing World Refugee Day and reaffirming a shared commitment to inclusion, dignity, and opportunity for all.

“Refugees and immigrants bring different opportunities and skills into the United States. Their culture, their food, their dancing, it makes the United States richer and more welcoming,” Ryder said.

WASHINGTON (OSV News) – During a contentious hearing, a top Republican on the House Committee on Homeland Security on July 16 appeared to walk back a previous statement that Catholic entities are among the nongovernmental organizations subject to a probe by the committee about their work with migrants.

At the hearing titled, “An Inside Job: How NGOs Facilitated the Biden Border Crisis,” witnesses and Republican lawmakers alleged more than 200 NGOs were “incentivizing and facilitating illegal entry” during former President Joe Biden’s administration.

A June 11 press release from the same committee said it “launched a probe” into NGOs it alleged were “involved in providing services or support to inadmissible aliens during the Biden-Harris administration’s historic border crisis.”

That release, which is still posted to the committee’s website, specifically names Catholic Charities USA (at the top of its list) and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (fourth on the list) among the NGOs the committee would probe about their work with the federal government or grants they received, among other information.

But at the hearing, Rep. Michael Guest, R-Miss., chairman of the Subcommittee on Border Security and Enforcement, argued, “We are not casting a broad net on every non-governmental organization, every nonprofit.”

“We are instead focusing this hearing on those who have profited off of the illegal immigration that we saw under the Biden-Harris administration,” said Guest, who chaired the hearing in the absence of the full committee’s retiring chairman, Rep. Mark Green, R-Tenn.

“I have mentioned nothing in my statement about nonprofits such as Red Cross, Catholic Charities, Samaritan’s Purse, Doctors Without Borders — nonprofits who actually take money and use it for the good, who are out there collecting money from their congregation, from members of the community who wish to give back,” he continued. “Instead, this hearing is focused on those handful of nonprofits who received their money almost exclusively from grants from the federal government, but yet still claim to be nonprofits.”

But Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., pointed to the June press release in his opening remarks, arguing, “Just read the Republicans’ press release about their vindictive investigation of American charities and this sham hearing.”

“Republicans falsely accused Catholic, Jewish, Lutheran, Methodist, evangelical, Muslim and secular charities that feed, clothe, and aid the needy of having ‘supercharged the business model of cartels,'” Thompson said. “That is a slanderous accusation and fringe conspiracy theories with no basis in reality.”

Thompson called the probe “an attack on diverse faith-based organizations over their religious practices” and “a threat to charities that do humanitarian work Republicans do not like.”

The press release was later entered into the hearing record.

A spokesperson for the committee did not immediately respond to OSV News’ request for comment seeking clarification about Guest’s remarks about Catholic Charities.

Kevin Brennan, vice president for media relations and executive communications for Catholic Charities USA, told OSV News, “We appreciate the bipartisan compliments directed during this hearing at the merciful work of Catholic Charities agencies.”

“Last year, the 168 independent Catholic Charities agencies across the United States served more than 16 million people in need: the elderly, expectant mothers, children in poverty, veterans, refugees, individuals suffering with mental health challenges and people facing almost any other imaginable category of suffering,” he said. “This work is a response to the Gospel mandate to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, care for the ill and welcome the stranger. For decades, federal, state and local governments have relied on Catholic Charities agencies to serve those most in need because of the exceptional, compassionate care Catholic Charities agencies provide.”

A spokesperson for the USCCB acknowledged receipt of the committee’s letter in June and told OSV News the conference has responded to the committee’s questions.

“For over 45 years, the USCCB has entered into agreements with the federal government to serve groups of people specifically authorized by the federal government to receive assistance,” said Chieko Noguchi, executive director of public affairs for the USCCB. “This included refugees, people granted asylum, unaccompanied children, victims of human trafficking, and Afghans who assisted the U.S. military abroad.”

In written testimony submitted to the committee, retired Bishop Nicholas A. DiMarzio of Brooklyn, New York, wrote, “The Catholic Church in this nation is one of the largest privately-operated social service networks in the nation.”

“For decades now, we have partnered with the federal, state, and local governments in filling gaps that the public sector alone cannot fill,” Bishop DiMarzio said. “We follow the nation’s laws but, as is our right, we work to change them if they violate human rights and dignity. Our mission, as directed by our Lord Jesus Christ, is to help the most vulnerable among us, precisely because they are part of humanity and are children of God. We will continue to pursue that mission, consistent with the laws of this great country, but also in service to God’s law.”

Elsewhere in the hearing, Rep. Tim Kennedy, D-N.Y., issued a staunch defense of Catholic Charities. He argued the committee’s efforts are “deeply offensive to Catholics across this nation, and it reeks of anti Catholicism, and it needs to stop.”

“We lose sight of the selfless humanitarian work that these local non-government organizations do when we rope them in with the partisan grievances that we’re hearing here today,” he said.

But others did argue that Catholic Charities should be subject to their probe, including Rep. Elijah Crane, R-Ariz.

“We’re talking about the NGOs that they used as middlemen to carry out their operations, like the Catholic Charities they use to facilitate, normalize and accelerate illegal immigration into this country,” Crane said.

Catholic social teaching on immigration seeks to balance three interrelated principles: the right of persons to migrate in order to sustain themselves and their families, the right of a country to regulate its borders and immigration, and a nation’s duty to conduct that regulation with justice and mercy.

Asked for his thoughts about the hearing, J. Kevin Appleby, senior fellow for policy at the New York-based Center for Migration Studies and the former director of migration policy for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, told OSV News, “The church has been a valuable partner with the Border Patrol over the years in helping to process and support asylum-seekers who legally enter the country.”

“Catholic agencies help fill service gaps that the government alone cannot fill, and they do it effectively and within the confines of the law,” he said. “The administration and Republicans generally should be thanking the church for her work, not persecuting her.”

Elsewhere in the hearing, Republicans and Democrats sparred over the committee’s rules, including those that govern whether the committee could pause its business to allow additional members to return to the room.