Author: Eric Deabill

SCRANTON – Young adults are invited to join the Most Rev. Joseph C. Bambera, Bishop of Scranton, and the Diocesan Vocations Office for the eleventh annual Leave a Mark Mass on Nov. 1, 2026, to kick off National Vocation Awareness Week!

Mass will take place at 5:00 p.m. at the Cathedral of Saint Peter in Scranton.

Leave a Mark is the Diocese of Scranton’s response to what Pope Francis said at World Youth Day in 2016: “Dear young people, we didn’t come into this world to ‘vegetate,’ to take it easy, to make our lives a comfortable sofa to fall asleep on. No, we came for another reason: to leave a mark. It is very sad to pass through life without leaving a mark.”

Now, every year on the Sunday before National Vocation Awareness Week, young adults from around our diocese come together to worship the Lord, meet one another, and discern how God is calling us to leave a mark in this world through our vocation.

There will be a reception following the Mass at the Diocesan Pastoral Center across the street from the Cathedral of Saint Peter featuring food trucks and interactive activities.

SCRANTON – Just one month after launching in parishes throughout the Diocese of Scranton, the 2026-2027 Catholic Ministries Appeal is already approaching the halfway mark toward its $4.5 million goal, reflecting the generosity and commitment of parishioners supporting the vital Catholic ministries of our local Church.

The Diocese of Scranton extends its gratitude to the thousands of donors who have already made a gift or pledge. Every contribution helps sustain ministries that serve individuals and families, strengthen parishes, educate young people and spread the Good News of the Gospel.

The Catholic Ministries Appeal supports Vocations, Seminarians and Retired Clergy; Catholic media and communications; Parish Life initiatives; Catholic Social Services; Catholic education; as well as Parish Faith Formation and Social Justice Grants.

As the Appeal continues, previous donors may have recently received a second letter inviting them to renew their support. This year, that letter comes from the four seminarians currently living at the newly reopened Saint Pius Seminary in Scranton.

The seminarians express gratitude for the generosity that helped make the seminary’s reopening possible and invite donors to continue investing in priestly formation and the many other ministries supported by the Appeal.

“Your past support of the Catholic Ministries Appeal, through your prayers and your financial gifts, helped make the reopening of Saint Pius X Seminary a reality,” the seminarians wrote.

Those who have not yet participated in this year’s Appeal are invited to make a gift or pledge. To learn more about the ministries supported by the Appeal or to contribute, visit AnnualAppeal.org or call the Diocesan Development Office at (570) 207-2250.

WILKES-BARRE – More than 300 men gathered at Holy Redeemer High School on Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026, for the 11th annual ‘Be A Catholic Man’ Conference, a day of prayer and fellowship which was centered on this year’s theme, “Just Be Catholic.”

The day began with an outdoor Rosary before a morning session featuring speakers Rob Marco and the Most Rev. Joseph Coffey, Auxiliary Bishop for the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA. Following lunch, John Martignoni spoke and the conference concluded with Mass celebrated by the Most Rev. Joseph C. Bambera, Bishop of Scranton.

In his homily, Bishop Bambera challenged the men to recognize the dignity of every human person and to demonstrate their faith through their daily actions.

Reflecting on the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, the Bishop shared the story of a construction worker who volunteered at Ground Zero. Amid the devastation, young Salvation Army volunteers brought water and towels to recovery workers and even removed the construction worker’s boots to give him dry socks.

The worker later recalled being moved to tears by the kindness of people he might previously have overlooked or misunderstood.

For Bishop Bambera, the experience illustrated the Gospel’s call to look beyond stereotypes and recognize every person as a child of God.

“If we are truly faithful to God’s plan and to the teaching of our Church, when we must embrace a faith-centered vision that sees beyond skin color, physical abilities, ethnic stereotypes, lifestyle and economic status,” the Bishop said.

Connecting the story to the Gospel’s parable of the wedding feast on the Twenty-eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Bishop Bambera reminded the men that God’s invitation extends to everyone, but accepting that invitation requires a conversion of heart and a commitment to living the faith authentically.

“It’s not enough for us to say we’re Christians,” he said. “We need to give our faith a life and profess what we believe through the words we speak, the pattern of our lives and the depth of our love and forgiveness.”

The Bishop urged the men to become instruments of peace and healing in a world marked by division, beginning with their own hearts and relationships.

“Be strong in your faith and humble enough to know that we are all desperately in need of God’s mercy,” he added.

Joe Adcroft has attended the ‘Be A Catholic Man’ Conference for many years and said the event offers an opportunity to renew his spiritual commitment through prayer, the sacraments and the encouragement of fellow Catholic men.

“You go away and you’ve got this wind behind you, pushing you, like the Holy Spirit,” he said. “It just reinvigorates you.”

Adcroft also emphasized the responsibility men have to share the faith with younger generations, including their children, grandchildren and nephews.

“They’re looking for that connection to God, that love of Christ, and if we don’t take the first steps, then they’re not going to do it,” he added.

Greg Solfanelli, another longtime conference participant, described the fellowship as one of the conference’s greatest strengths.

“Iron sharpens iron,” he said. “We are here for each other and lift each other up and encourage one another. I find that here and I look forward to it year in and year out at the conference.”

This year’s speakers impressed Matt Schofield, a parishioner of Saint Patrick Parish in Nicholson.

“I enjoyed the speakers because they have viewpoints I don’t hear other than on a little screen on my phone. It’s nice to see these guys in person,” Schofield said.

Toward the end of the conference, organizers also recognized three longtime members of its organizing team – Jack Walsh III, Dennis Shovlin and Ed Niewinski – for their years of service.

Presenting plaques in their honor, conference chairman Mike Kilmer praised the men as “outstanding Catholic men, husbands, fathers, grandfathers and mentors.”

Catholic men are encouraged to save the date of Oct. 9, 2027, which is when the twelfth annual Catholic Men’s Conference is slated to take place.

SCRANTON – For Sister Judy O’Brien, I.H.M., leading this year’s Thanksgiving Community Program is more than a responsibility.

It is a full-circle moment.

Five decades ago, Sister Adrian Barrett, I.H.M., founded what would become a significant program of Friends of the Poor and Catherine McAuley Center, inviting people who had nowhere to go to a Thanksgiving meal.

This year, Sister Judy – a longtime friend of Sister Adrian and the newly appointed President and CEO of Friends of the Poor and Catherine McAuley Center – will help carry the tradition forward as the program celebrates its 50th anniversary.

“I feel like I am walking in the shoes of Sister Adrian Barrett,” Sister Judy said during an Oct. 8 press conference at Cooper’s Seafood House in Scranton. “There were 34 people at that first event. Today, this season, we will feed 4,000 people in her name and in the name of all those people who have walked with Friends of the Poor and Catherine McAuley over these years.”

This year’s milestone comes at a time when the need, and the cost of meeting it, continues to grow.

Linda Robeson, Director of the Family to Family Thanksgiving Food Basket Program, said the organization hopes to provide Thanksgiving food baskets to approximately 3,500 local families this year. But the rising cost of food has made that goal more difficult.

“Turkeys, this year, unfortunately have gone up over $1 a pound,” Robeson said.

Family to Family, which is marking its 40th year, has provided food to more than 1.5 million people over the course of its history. The Thanksgiving program alone has cost approximately $120,000 in recent years.

“We want to give a nice size turkey,” Robeson explained. “We want them to have leftovers. It’s a hard market, believe it or not, to find the right size price range when you’re buying turkeys a year in advance.”

The Thanksgiving Community Program will begin with an interfaith prayer service on Friday, Nov. 13 at Temple Hesed, 1 Knox Road, Scranton. The Thanksgiving Community Dinner will follow on Nov. 24 at the Scranton Cultural Center, 420 North Washington Avenue, Scranton, with drive-through and walk-up meals available from 2:30-5:30 p.m., or until supplies last.

On Nov. 25, Family to Family will distribute Thanksgiving food baskets at the Scranton Cultural Center from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., or until supplies last.

For Sister Judy, the effort is ultimately about much more than food.

“This is what we’re supposed to do,” she said. “It is not an obligation. It is a centering of the true meaning of Thanksgiving and the holiday season.”

And she emphasized, it cannot happen without the community.

“There are hundreds and hundreds of people who will stand with us this holiday season to help our neighbors in need,” Sister Judy said. “We could not do this without the community.”

HOW TO HELP
50th THANKSGIVING COMMUNITY PROGRAM

Tuesday, November 24, 2026
Thanksgiving Community Dinner
To donate or volunteer, visit fotpcmc.org or call (570) 342-1342

Wednesday, November 25, 2026
Family to Family Food Basket Distribution

To donate, send a check to:
Family to Family
PO Box 13
Scranton, PA 18501

 

 

ARCHBALD – In a community that is at the center of the growing debate over artificial intelligence and data centers in northeastern Pennsylvania, the local Catholic parish recently turned to Pope Leo XIV for guidance.

Christ the King Parish in Archbald hosted a panel discussion Sept. 23 examining the impact of artificial intelligence on faith, health and the local community, using Pope Leo’s first encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas, as its guide.

Released in May, Pope Leo’s encyclical calls the Church and the broader world to approach rapidly developing technology through the lens of human dignity, conscience, freedom and the common good.

Father Ryan Glenn, Pastor of Christ the King Parish in Archbald, said the conversation was timely because of the ongoing discussions surrounding proposed data centers in his community.

“There is a lot of debate, a lot of dialogue, a lot of discord over that in our borough where our parish is located,” Father Glenn said. “I thought it was really important for the parish, on behalf of the Church, to provide a forum where we could think, discuss and really hear from the mind and the heart of the Church.”

The panel brought together Father Glenn, Megan Ossont, a psychiatric nurse practitioner and assistant professor of nursing at The University of Scranton, and Megan Heeder, assistant professor of theology at the University.

The discussion explored both the opportunities and concerns surrounding AI, but repeatedly returned to a central question raised by Pope Leo.

That question is: Does technological progress ultimately make human life more human?

Heeder said that question from Magnifica Humanitas has become an important starting point for discernment because society does not yet have all the answers about where artificial intelligence will lead.

“We don’t really have a blueprint for best and worst decisions, particularly because in local communities the realities can be so different,” Heeder said.

For Ossont, the implications are especially significant in health care, where AI is increasingly being considered as a tool for diagnosis, decision-making and patient care.

“It can be a helpful tool, but it does not replace human critical thinking for diagnostics or the human experience of care,” Ossont said.

She believes that discernment will be critical for the next generation of health care professionals.

“If we can have the next generation of healthcare providers discern the appropriate use of AI, it can really help start to slow down that trend of replacing human providers with AI,” Ossont added.

Heeder noted that the Church’s concern extends beyond individual applications of technology.

“You lose the human connection behind all of this,” she said. “Providing care to someone is so much more than simply providing a diagnosis.”

That emphasis echoes Pope Leo’s broader message that AI must remain at the service of the human person rather than reducing people to data, productivity or performance.

Father Glenn said another major concern with the use of AI is that it isolates people.

“We believe that a (church) community is a response to that isolation and to that individualism,” he said, pointing to worship, the Eucharist, the sacraments, fellowship and opportunities for education and formation.

The Sept. 23 panel discussion was funded through a Social Justice Grant from the Diocese of Scranton’s Catholic Ministries Appeal. The conversation will continue with an encore presentation at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 22, at The University of Scranton, offering another opportunity for people (especially college students) to consider Pope Leo’s challenge in an increasingly technological age.

As Heeder left the first session, she said the gathering offered a hopeful sign.

“To be able to discuss this together in a place where questions about AI and data centers are so pressing for the daily lives of so many people, it’s just a really beautiful sign of hope,” Heeder said. “And a sign of the Church’s continued ability to speak to the realities that we’re facing now.”

LAFLIN – A beloved annual tradition of prayer continued this year in a new location as faithful from across the Diocese of Scranton gathered for the annual Rosary Novena at the Oblates of Saint Joseph Chapel.

Held Oct. 3-11, the nine-day Novena brought the faithful together each evening for the Rosary, Divine Mercy Chaplet, Exposition of the Most Blessed Sacrament and a spiritual reflection from a priest or deacon.

The theme of this year’s Rosary Novena was “To Jesus through Mary.”

For many years, the annual Novena was held at Saint Lucy Parish in Scranton before moving to Divine Mercy Parish in Scranton recently. This year marked the first time the Novena has been held at the Oblates of Saint Joseph Chapel along Route 315 in Laflin.

For those who have made the Rosary a regular part of their lives, gathering with others to pray each October has become special.

“It’s good to know that I’m not alone and that there are people doing the same thing and praying along with me,” Frank Barbrie of Communion of Saints Parish in Pittston said. “It’s special. You get a good feel of the Holy Spirit.”

Stephen Englot of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish in Swoyersville said he and his family have prayed the Rosary at home for many years, but there is something different about joining others in prayer before the Blessed Sacrament.

“Sometimes when you say prayers at home you wonder, are we the last ones doing this?” he said. “You look around here and see the intense concentration and piety and it just restores our faith that God is working through the intercession of the Blessed Mother.”

Joan Marzen of Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish in Dupont was particularly encouraged to see many young people participating this year.

“It was absolutely beautiful and inspiring. We need all the prayer that we can in this world,” she said.

For Marzen, the Rosary is a reminder that hope remains even amid a troubled world.

“It shows that there is hope,” she added. “There is hope for us in this world. Never give up.”

For Englot, the experience of praying together offered a glimpse of something even greater.

“The feeling is almost supernatural,” he said. “You’re just in union with the Spirit. Peace and community. It’s almost like a taste of what heaven will be like when we’re praying face to face with our Lord.”

HARRISBURG – Bus after bus rolled into Harrisburg on Sept. 21, 2026, bringing young adults, families and pro-life advocates to the State Capitol to take part in the sixth annual Pennsylvania March for Life.

Media members estimated about 6,000 people participated in this year’s event, making it the largest crowd yet. The Pennsylvania Family Institute said approximately 70 buses were scheduled to bring participants from every corner of the commonwealth, which was also a record.

Mike Kilmer was on one of two buses that came from Bradford County. He has attended all the previous Pennsylvania marches and said the growth has been unmistakable.

“It has been growing,” Kilmer said. “We feel that abortion is the greatest abomination that has ever happened in our country … it is a felony if you destroy an eagle’s egg, but you can kill a human being in the womb at any time, in eleven states, up until birth. That’s not even logical.”

Kilmer said the shift of the pro-life movement’s focus toward state capitols following the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2022 decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization has made gatherings such as the Pennsylvania March increasingly significant.

Numerous buses from the eleven counties of the Diocese of Scranton were among those counted in attendance figures.

A Diocesan-sponsored bus made stops in Scranton and Wilkes-Barre, while additional buses carried participants from the Northern Tier, the Poconos and Hazleton. Others made the trip on their own, making for a strong local presence in Harrisburg.

For many, the most striking part of the day was not simply the size of the crowd, but the number of young people participating.

“This is my first time and I’m really glad I came. I thought it was really beautiful,” Katelyn Torres, a young parishioner of Saint Teresa of Calcutta Parish in Scranton, said. “I never realized how big ‘pro-life’ really was until I came here.”

As she left the March for Life, Torres said she has hope for her generation.

“I’m going to invite my friends and tell my friends about what I saw today,” she added. “I think a lot of people (my age) should get to experience this.”

Lexi Villarreal, who lives in Scranton and also attends Saint Teresa of Calcutta Parish, said she was surprised by the number of participants.

“I expected a lot less,” she said.

Instead, she found herself surrounded by a crowd so large that participants were “bumping into each other” as the march got underway.

“That really amazed me, how many people there was,” Villarreal said.

Colleen Eisley, a Jersey Shore native and senior theology and marketing major at Saint Francis University, attended a previous March for Life and returned to Harrisburg this year with fellow students.

“It’s just a beautiful way to be involved in our state and local community and stand for life,” Eisley said. “We’re standing for life on campus and in our community. I think that it’s our responsibility to stand up for life, to stand up for the babies and their moms.”

Other young participants came to Harrisburg looking to learn as well as provide witness.

For Kimberly Munoz-Jimenez, a senior from King’s College in Wilkes-Barre, the experience was an opportunity to become more informed.

“I wanted to experience it to see what it was like,” she said. “Also, to bring awareness and get myself informed, so I can help others as well.”

Katelyn Moses, a King’s College sophomore, said she was excited when her school decided to participate.

“It is something that is difficult to be bold in, and I’ve decided with change in my life, I changed to a theology major, so I really want to make that boldness a big part of my life. So, I want to stand up and stand with life,” Moses said.

The call to “be bold” and carry the experience of the March for Life beyond Harrisburg was a central theme of a morning rally before the march itself.

Michael Geer, President of the Pennsylvania Family Institute, reminded participants that witnessing for life requires more than showing up for one day.

“It requires ongoing persistent action: praying, voting, engaging,” Geer explained.

Pro-life leader Jeannie Lichter similarly told the crowd, “It matters so much what you do when you leave here!”

She challenged participants to speak about the dignity of human life, advocate for pro-life laws and policies and – perhaps most importantly – “walk with moms” by supporting women and families facing difficult pregnancies.

Pennsylvania law currently permits abortion through the 23rd week of pregnancy, with additional restrictions after 24 weeks except when two physicians certify that the pregnant woman’s life or health is seriously endangered.

Dr. Monique Ruberu, an OB/GYN and Board Member of 40 Days for Life, insisted there is never any medically necessary abortion.

“There are amazing physicians who are trained specifically to take care of moms with medical complications, maternal fetal medicine specialists, who walk with these moms. Their job is to take care of the mom and the baby. Because there are two patients in every pregnancy,” Dr. Ruberu said. “Don’t stand for the nonsense when people say it’s a ‘medically necessary procedure.’ It is not!”

SCRANTON – From her lector seat in the sanctuary of the Cathedral of Saint Peter, Cindy Cox was able to look out and see all the faces gathered at the Diocese of Scranton’s annual Respect Life Sunday Mass.

What she saw moved her.

“As I was sitting up there from the lector chair and I looked out, I was overwhelmed by the amount of love and support that was out there showing how this community really does respect life,” the Executive Director of the Scranton Chapter of Pennsylvanians for Human Life, said.

That witness was at the heart of the celebration on Oct. 4, 2026, as Catholics from throughout the Diocese of Scranton gathered with the Most Rev. Joseph C. Bambera, Bishop of Scranton, to reflect on the Church’s call to defend and care for human life at every stage.

The theme for Respect Life Month 2026 is “Mary, Mother of God,” highlighting the Blessed Mother’s willingness to welcome Jesus into her life and her faithful presence with Him through his death on the Cross.

In his homily, Bishop Bambera challenged those in attendance not simply to profess a belief in the sanctity of life, but to demonstrate it through the way they treat others.

“Every one of us has been given a portion of God’s vineyard to cultivate,” Bishop Bambera said, reflecting on the Gospel for the 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time. “The vineyard – God’s creation entrusted to our care – is not remote. It is not contrived or make believe. The vineyard is as close as the home you return to after this Mass. It is as close as the nearest nursing home, clinic, prison or school. It is here – in his people, made in his own image and likeness – all around us.”

The Bishop urged the faithful to reject any tendency to value some lives more than others, reminding them that respect for human dignity must extend from “conception to natural end.”

“Respect for the dignity of every human being must be upheld and witnessed to always, even when such a stance places us in opposition to popular values, political expediency and the tide of today’s evolving cultural norms,” he continued.

Bishop Bambera connected that call to the example of the Blessed Virgin Mary, whose “yes” to God came at a moment she could not fully understand or anticipate.

“In becoming the mother of Jesus, the Blessed Virgin Mary, our mother, becomes the mother of life. Her acceptance in that unplanned and unforeseen moment demonstrates how each of us is called to welcome the gift of human life, even when that gift is unexpected or calls us to make sacrifices,” he said.

Bridget Maille, Program Coordinator for Family Life in the Diocese of Scranton, said the annual Respect Life Sunday Mass not only offered an opportunity for people to pray for the protection of life, but to recognize the many people and organizations already working to cherish life.

Representatives from Pennsylvanians for Human Life, the Order of the Alhambra, and Catholic elementary and high school students all participated in the Mass.

“Each of these organizations and groups, each and every day, work toward respecting life,” Maille said.

Cox said the commitment of the organization she leads extends far beyond defending unborn life.

“We believe that life is precious from the moment of conception,” she said, while also noting the work of accompanying families facing hardships, individuals with physical and intellectual disabilities, the elderly, those in nursing homes and the critically ill.

“As pro-lifers, we want to create a culture that supports, loves and protects all life, whether it is somebody in the womb or someone at the end of their life,” Cox said. “We’re called to walk with each other through the darkest of times and be there for each other.”

CLARKS GREEN – For more than 140 parishioners of Our Lady of the Snows Parish, Clarks Summit, and the Church of Saint Gregory, Clarks Green, the last Saturday of September was a day to roll up their sleeves, lend a hand and put their faith into action.

The two parishes joined together for their annual Day of Service on Sept. 26, 2026, taking on approximately a dozen projects throughout the Abingtons and Scranton community.

“Our Day of Service is an opportunity for our communities to come together as one family, to serve a common purpose and add to our story of faith and service,” Dan Marx, Director of Music and Mission, said.

The parishes, which are currently linked and are in the process of coming together as one parish family, have embraced the motto “Pilgrimage to Pentecost” as a way of marking their journey toward unity. Throughout the coming months, they are intentionally creating opportunities to pray, worship, serve and celebrate together.

The annual Day of Service is an important part of that journey.

At the Church of Saint Gregory, parishioners gathered for “Confections Connections,” packing 50 boxes of homemade baked goods.

The treats, many of which were prepared by parishioners at home, were distributed to local nursing homes and about 25 homebound parishioners.

Other volunteers bagged groceries at Gerrity’s to raise money for Saint Francis Commons Veterans Home in Scranton which is operated by Catholic Social Services. Others participated in various activities at CHOP Out Hunger, The Pines, Clarks Summit Senior Living and elsewhere.

The number of projects was intentional, allowing people of different ages, interests and abilities to find a way to serve.

“Everyone plays a part in serving our community,” Marx added. “There is no talent or skill or amount of energy that is too small or too insignificant to make a difference.”

Thomas Kneiss, who attends Mass at the Church of Saint Gregory, said the importance of the day went beyond the work itself.

“You get to meet more people,” he said. “In Mass, usually it’s just someone around you that you might say hello to. Here, you connect with them.”

Kneiss said service is also an important way to put his Catholic faith into action.

“I think you have to do more than just come to church and pray and receive the sacraments,” Kneiss continued. “The idea is to live out that faith that Jesus Christ said – to go out and help your fellow people – no matter who they are.”

That sentiment was shared by Noreen Blewitt who attends Mass at Our Lady of the Snows Parish. She helped to pack boxes of baked goods for distribution.

“It is such a good feeling. It’s the camaraderie of the group that is participating,” Blewitt said. “To do something like this, you realize the great need that there is in our community and beyond.”

The annual Day of Service is another example of what the two parishes are calling “Our Common Story” – recognizing that while each parish has its own history and traditions, its people already share so much in common.

“Our story – the stories that we share, the stories that we hold onto and embrace – there is so much more common about them than different,” Marx said.

BALLINA, Ireland – A nine-day Diocesan pilgrimage to Ireland, led by the Most Rev. Joseph C. Bambera, Bishop of Scranton, offered more than 50 travelers an opportunity to deepen their faith while exploring the country’s rich Catholic heritage and learning more about longstanding connections to northeastern Pennsylvania.

Organized in partnership with TravelWorld, the pilgrimage took place Sept. 20-28, 2026, with stops in Dublin, Ballina, Westport, Galway, Connemara, Killarney, Dingle Peninsula, Blarney and other destinations.

Besides the Bishop, the pilgrimage group included Father Gerald W. Shantillo, Vicar General of the Diocese of Scranton; Father Andrew Hvozdovic, Diocesan Coordinator of Pilgrimages; and Father Jeffrey Tudgay, Pastor of the Cathedral of Saint Peter and Immaculate Conception Parishes in Scranton.

One of the trip’s most significant highlights was a visit to Ballina, County Mayo, Scranton’s sister city since 1990.

On Sept. 22, Bishop Bambera and the pilgrims celebrated Mass at Saint Muredach’s Cathedral before visiting the Clarke Museum of Irish History, where they met local civic and tourism representatives and learned more about the generations of family, cultural and community connections linking the two communities.

The pilgrimage also included a visit to the Father Peyton Center in Attymass, which shares the life and mission of Father Patrick Peyton, C.S.C. Born in Ireland in 1909, Father Peyton became internationally known for promoting family prayer and maintained important ties to Scranton, where he worked at the Cathedral of Saint Peter before entering the seminary.

The pilgrimages also visited the Knock Shrine, one of the world’s major Marian pilgrimage sites, commemorating the reported apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary in 1879. Other highlights included the scenic Connemara region, Mass at Galway Cathedral, the dramatic Cliffs of Moher and Blarney Castle.

The pilgrimage concluded with a visit to Dublin, where the group celebrated Mass at Saint Mary’s Pro Cathedral on Sept. 27, the final full day of the journey.