Author: Eric Deabill

(OSV News) – A Texas bishop and head of the U.S. Catholic bishops’ migration committee is sounding the alarm over the Trump administration’s plans to acquire massive warehouses all over the country, each capable of interning thousands of people, in the name of its sweeping — and at times deadly — crackdown on immigration.

“The thought of holding thousands of families in massive warehouses should challenge the conscience of every American,” said Bishop Brendan J. Cahill of Victoria, Texas, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Migration, in a Feb. 20 statement released by the USCCB. “Whatever their immigration status, these are human beings created in the image and likeness of God, and this is a moral inflection point for our country.”

The New York Times, citing internal Department of Homeland Security documents it had obtained, reported Feb. 18 that the administration is seeking to purchase some 20 warehouses for the detentions, with the goal of 92,600 total beds. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, called it a “necessary downstream requirement” for the planned tempo of its enforcement and arrest operations in 2026 after a “surge hiring effort” that added 12,000 officers.

All of the new facilities are set to open by Nov. 30, 2026, “ensuring the timely expansion of detention capacity,” ICE said.

So far, at least eight facilities — located in Georgia, Maryland, Pennsylvania and Texas — have already been acquired by the Trump administration.

The statement released by the USCCB drew particular attention to eight “mega centers” that would be each “capable of detaining 7,000 to 10,000 people.”

Warehouses are also being considered in Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Carolina, Tennessee and Utah.

A majority of the people targeted by ICE for mass detention and eventual deportation are expected to be Catholics in six out of 10 cases, according to a 2025 joint Catholic-Evangelical report published by the USCCB and World Relief. It also found Christians make up 80% of those at risk of President Donald Trump’s mass deportation effort. The report also found nearly one in five Catholics (18%) in the U.S. are either vulnerable to deportation or live with someone who is.

In a Feb. 13 document, ICE detailed its “Detention Reengineering Initiative,” aiming to “meet the growing demand for bedspace and streamline the detention and removal process.”

Along with “eight large-scale detention centers,” the plan includes “16 processing sites” and “the acquisition of 10 existing ‘turnkey’ facilities” where ICE already operates.

The estimated cost for the ICE’s “new detention center model” will be $38.3 billion, to be funded by congressional allocations under the Trump administration’s “One Big Beautiful Bill Act.”

But the USCCB preface to Bishop Cahill’s statement noted, “Aside from the internment camps used to incarcerate Japanese Americans in the 1940s, such facilities have no precedent in American history.”

During World War II, the federal government at the order of President Franklin D. Roosevelt incarcerated more than 125,000 Japanese Americans to remotely located camps throughout the nation, claiming they posed a security threat following the Empire of Japan’s 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor.

Some 70,000 of those interned were U.S. citizens, with 1,600 of the people imprisoned dying during their incarceration. Interment also economically ruined families who lost property and businesses as a result.

The final camp was closed in 1946, and in 1988, a formal apology and reparations were issued under President Ronald Reagan. Only in 2022 was a full, accurate list of victim names made available thanks to the work of Duncan Williams, a scholar at the University of Southern California Dornsife.

In his statement, Bishop Cahill described the Trump administration’s ICE detention facility expansion plans as “deeply troubling.”

“The federal government does not have a positive track record when it comes to detaining large numbers of people, especially families, and the proposed scale of these facilities is difficult to comprehend,” he said.

A number of immigration advocates have deplored conditions at ICE detention centers, citing unsanitary conditions, lack of basic care, and instances of violence and death, as well as denial of pastoral visits and access to legal counsel.

Last year, 32 people died while in ICE detention — the largest number in over two decades, according to a Jan. 4 report by The Guardian. As of January, six people have died in ICE custody.

As of Feb. 7, 68,289 persons were in ICE detention, with 73.6% of detainees having no criminal conviction, according to Syracuse University’s Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse.

Bishop Cahill said that “the private prison industry is who stands to gain the most from this supercharging of immigration detention.”

He pointed to the USCCB’s special pastoral message on immigration, issued during the conference’s annual fall meeting in 2025.

“Last November, my brother bishops and I unequivocally opposed the indiscriminate mass deportation of people and raised concerns about existing conditions in detention centers,” he said. “We specifically highlighted a lack of access to pastoral care for detainees. On many occasions, we have also opposed the expansion of family detention, recognizing its harmful impacts on children in particular.”

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.

The Church’s teaching, the bishops’ special message noted, “rests on the foundational concern for the human person, as created in the image and likeness of God (Genesis 1:27).”

The bishops’ condemnation of “indiscriminate mass deportation” also has a reference point in the Church’s magisterial teaching at the highest level. St. John Paul II’s 1993 encyclical “Veritatis Splendor” (“Splendor of Truth”) and 1995 encyclical “Evangelium Vitae” (“The Gospel of Life”) both quote the Second Vatican Council’s teaching in “Gaudium et Spes,” that condemns specifically “whatever is offensive to human dignity, such as subhuman living conditions, arbitrary imprisonment, deportation” among others. It calls them “a disgrace, and so long as they infect human civilization they contaminate those who inflict them more than those who suffer injustice, and they are a negation of the honor due to the Creator.”

Papal teaching in “Veritatis Splendor” reinforced the Council’s moral condemnations, stating these acts are examples of “intrinsic evil” incapable of being ordered to God or the good of the human person.

Bishop Cahill implored the Trump administration and Congress “to lead with right reason, abandon this misuse of taxpayer funds, and to instead pursue a more just approach to immigration enforcement that truly respects human dignity, the sanctity of families, and religious liberty.”

ROME (OSV News) – On Ash Wednesday, Pope Leo XIV encouraged Catholics to ask the Lord for “the gift of true conversion” at the start of the 40-day penitential season of Lent.

Speaking to English-speaking pilgrims at his Wednesday general audience in St. Peter’s Square Feb. 18, the pope encouraged people to approach Lent as a time of “conversion of heart” so that “we may better respond to his love for us and share that love with those around us.”

“At the beginning of Lent, I urge you to live this liturgical season with an intense spirit of prayer so that you may arrive, inwardly renewed, at the celebration of the great mystery of Christ’s Resurrection, the supreme revelation of God’s merciful love,” Pope Leo added in Italian at the close of the audience on a sunny winter day in Rome.

Before the audience, the pope greeted pilgrims from the popemobile, frequently stopping to bless babies as he made his way through the square.

Continuing his weekly catechesis on the documents of the Second Vatican Council, Pope Leo offered a reflection on “Lumen Gentium,” the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, which he explained “presents the Church as both a sign and an instrument of this plan of salvation.”

He said the Church is a sign “because the Church community makes the unity established by Christ through his Cross and Resurrection visible to the world today” and an instrument as
“It is through the Church that God achieves the aim of bringing people to him and uniting them with one another.”

“As we journey through a world still marked by division, let us ask the Lord to continue to guide his Church in the mission of sanctification and reconciliation,” he said.

In his message for Lent this year, Pope Leo encouraged the faithful to embrace the “ancient ascetic practice” of fasting, as well as “refraining from words that offend and hurt our neighbor.”

Lent is a liturgical season of penance stretching from Ash Wednesday to Holy Thursday, during which Christians are encouraged to undertake voluntary acts of self-denial such as fasting and almsgiving, along with charitable and missionary works.

On Wednesday afternoon, Pope Leo will lead a solemn procession on Rome’s Aventine Hill from the Benedictine Basilica of Sant’Anselmo to the Dominican Basilica of Santa Sabina, retracing a papal procession route that dates back centuries.

The procession will culminate with the pope offering Ash Wednesday Mass at Santa Sabina, one of the oldest surviving Christian basilicas in Rome. Built in 422 A.D., the ancient church is the first stop in the Lenten Station Church pilgrimage, a tradition rooted in the early practice of the Bishop of Rome celebrating the liturgies of the church year at various churches throughout the city. By the latter half of the fifth century, a fairly fixed calendar had developed, with Mass held at different churches throughout Rome each day of the Lenten season.

The station church tradition has experienced something of an Anglophonic revival in recent decades, spearheaded by the Pontifical North American College, which has offered a 7 a.m. English-language Mass at the station churches each day of Lent in recent years.

On Feb. 18, hundreds of people, including many American college students and seminarians, attended an English-language Ash Wednesday Mass at Santa Sabina organized by the seminary.

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

More than ever before in recent memory, Lent meets us in a wounded world. The war in Ukraine continues to rage, the Middle East remains unsettled, innocent lives are being slaughtered in Nigeria, and the potential for conflict with Iran looms, to mention just a few areas around the globe that are steeped in pain and suffering.

In our own country, the immigration crisis continues to expose deep wounds within our society. While recognizing the duty of the government to protect the common good and maintain its borders, we must never forget that migrants and refugees are not strangers – but brothers and sisters, many of whom flee violence, poverty and persecution. Recent tragic incidents have reminded us how fragile human life is and how urgently we need solutions that safeguard communities while also honoring the God-given dignity of those seeking safety and hope.

Our Lenten experience begins in the midst of this sobering context.

In the liturgy of Ash Wednesday every year, we listen to the words of the prophet Joel, who sets the stage for our response to the Lord’s call to discipleship. He does so by challenging us to change our lives – not merely by performing religious gestures and practices – but by peering intensely into our hearts to ensure that our spirits are honest, pure and open to the transforming power and presence of God.

Saint Matthew, in that same liturgy, reinforces the words of the prophet as he calls us to pray, fast, and to give alms in support of the poor – not because such behavior will make us righteous – but because such acts for the true follower of Jesus are simply the consequence of faithful lives rooted in Jesus, who teaches us how best to live.

Yet, brothers and sisters, during these sacred days, it is not enough for us to simply focus on our own spiritual and moral well-being and growth to the exclusion of assuming any responsibility to care for our suffering world.

Lent does not allow us to look away!

It challenges us, in whatever situation and circumstance God has placed us, to move beyond indifference, to pray with honest hearts and to serve one another in ways that restore human dignity.

It beckons us to be people of healing, to listen before judging, to welcome before excluding, and to choose love when it’s easier to walk away.

While not one of us, on our own, can change the sad realities of the world in which we find ourselves, each one of us, through Baptism, can and must assume our place in building God’s kingdom of peace.

Lent then becomes a season of grace for personal conversion and a blessed opportunity to speak to our struggling world God’s words of love and peace.

In this same spirit of hope and promise, we will welcome catechumens into the ranks of the elect on the First Sunday of Lent. Their numbers in our own Diocese and throughout our country have increased significantly in recent years, serving as a powerful reminder of the presence of God moving among us and continually calling his people to life and salvation. When you meet them in your parishes, welcome them and let them know how proud you are of their willingness to say “yes” to Jesus’ call to discipleship.

As part of our Diocesan Lenten experience, for the fourth year, I will once again celebrate a Holy Hour before the Blessed Sacrament in each of our twelve deaneries throughout the weeks of Lent. I look forward to praying with many of you as we together we reflect upon how best to find God’s peace in these challenging times.

Finally, I encourage all of us to avail ourselves of the Lord’s mercy and healing in the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

In a message to the entire Church, Pope Leo XIV offered this perspective on our Lenten journey, “Let us ask for the grace of a Lent that leads us to greater attentiveness to God and to the least among us … Let us strive to make our communities places where the cry of those who suffer finds welcome, and listening opens paths towards liberation, making us ready and eager to contribute to building a civilization of love.”

Please know of my prayers for a fruitful observance of Lent.

 

Faithfully yours in Christ,

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

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SCRANTON – Each Lent, the Church marks a powerful moment of grace for those preparing to enter full communion through the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA) as it celebrates the Rite of Election and the Call to Continuing Conversion on the First Sunday of Lent.

During the Rite of Election, catechumens – those who have not yet been baptized – publicly declare their desire to receive the Sacraments of Initiation at the Easter Vigil. Their names are inscribed in their parish ‘Book of the Elect,’ and the Bishop, on behalf of the Church, formally affirms that they are chosen to receive Baptism, Confirmation, and the Eucharist.

At the same celebration, candidates – those already baptized in another Christian tradition who now seek full communion with the Catholic Church – participate in the Call to Continuing Conversion. They express their intention to complete their initiation through Confirmation and the Eucharist.

This year’s celebration will be broadcast live on CTV: Catholic Television on Sunday, Feb. 22, at 2:30 p.m., offering parishioners throughout the Diocese of Scranton the opportunity to witness these inspiring testimonies of faith.

A livestream will also be available on the Diocese of Scranton website, YouTube channel and across all social media platforms.

As we begin Lent, please pray for this year’s catechumens and candidates!

SCRANTON – Parishes throughout the Scranton Deanery will once again come together this Lent for their annual ‘Road to Resurrection’ series, a collaborative spiritual journey designed to help the faithful prepare their hearts for Easter.

The series will begin on Thursday, Feb. 19 at Saint Paul Parish in Green Ridge and conclude six weeks later on Thursday, March 26 at Divine Mercy Parish.

Rooted in the themes of conversion, sacrifice, and hope, the evenings invite parishioners to reflect more deeply on the journey from Calvary to the empty tomb – reminding us that every cross carried in faith leads toward the promise of new life.

All are welcome to attend any or all of the gatherings!

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

CTV: Catholic Television of the Diocese of Scranton will make many of these opportunities available to the faithful through television broadcasts and livestream opportunities.

Every Sunday during Lent, the Cathedral will be hosting Adoration and Evening Prayer following the 5 p.m. Mass.

Evening Prayer is part of the Liturgy of the Hours, also known as the Divine Office. In the Liturgy of the Hours, the Church fulfills Jesus’ command to “pray always.”

Through this prayer, the people of God sanctify the day by continual praise of God and prayers of intercession for the needs of the world.

During Lent, CTV plans to broadcast both the Sunday 5 p.m. Mass live as well as the Sunday Evening Prayer that will begin directly thereafter (around 6:15 p.m.).

The first broadcast of the Sunday 5 p.m. Mass and Evening Prayer will take place on Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026.

STATIONS OF THE CROSS

Every Friday during Lent, the faithful are invited to enter more deeply into the mystery of Christ’s saving love by praying the Stations of the Cross following the 12:10 p.m. Mass at the Cathedral of Saint Peter.

Walking spiritually along the path to Calvary, we reflect on the moments of Jesus’ Passion – His condemnation, His falls, His encounter with His Blessed Mother, His crucifixion and death. In each station, we see not only the suffering of Christ, but the depth of God’s mercy poured out for the world.

The Stations remind us that the crosses we carry are united to His – and that no suffering is endured alone.

For those unable to attend in person, Catholic Television will broadcast the Stations of the Cross live each Friday, with rebroadcasts following the Daily Mass at 3:30 p.m. and 7:00 p.m., allowing the faithful to participate prayerfully from home.

Accompany our Lord to Calvary this Lent. Walk with Him, meditate upon His sacrifice, and discover in His Passion the hope and peace that lead to Easter joy.

WYALUSING – As Lent unfolds across the Diocese of Scranton, the Most Rev. Joseph C. Bambera, Bishop of Scranton, will once again travel to each of our 12 deaneries to lead Lenten Holy Hours centered on this year’s theme: “Finding Peace in Challenging Times.”

The Holy Hours begin tonight at 7 p.m. at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish in Wyalusing, Bradford County.

In a world marked by uncertainty – and in lives often burdened with personal crosses – these evenings of Eucharistic Adoration, reflection, and sacred music offer a chance for the faithful to pause. Before the Blessed Sacrament, you will be invited to lay down your worries, seek clarity amid confusion, and rediscover the steady peace that only Christ can give.

All are welcome to attend any Holy Hour at 7 p.m., regardless of parish or deanery.

The full schedule is listed below.

Consider making time this Lent to step away from the rush of daily life, encounter the Lord in stillness, and find peace in the midst of life’s challenges.

SCRANTON – Some came in wheelchairs. Family members or caregivers assisted others. But they all approached the sanctuary with hands open, ready to receive a blessing.

On Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026, dozens of faithful received the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick during the Diocese of Scranton’s annual World Day of the Sick Mass at the Cathedral of Saint Peter in Scranton.

The Most Rev. Joseph C. Bambera, Bishop of Scranton, served as principal celebrant and homilist. He called the Mass a special and sacred moment for the Church.

“It’s beautiful to see so many of you gathered for this annual celebration,” Bishop Bambera his homily by saying.

Celebrated each year on the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes, the World Day of the Sick invites Catholics to pray in a special way for those who are ill, elderly, or suffering, while also honoring caregivers and healthcare professionals who accompany them with compassion.

The World Day of the Sick was established in 1992 by Saint John Paul II as a moment of prayer and spiritual closeness for the entire Church.

For 2026, Pope Leo XIV chose the theme: “The Compassion of the Samaritan: Loving by Bearing the Pain of the Other.”

Reflecting on that theme, Bishop Bambera pointed to the familiar Gospel story of the Good Samaritan.

“Without even thinking about it, he makes a difference,” Bishop Bambera said of the Samaritan who stops to care for an injured stranger. “He makes the world more fraternal. He participates in building a community that we know as the Body of Christ.”

The Bishop reminded the faithful that love cannot remain an abstract idea.

“Love can’t just be spoken about,” he said. “It needs concrete gestures of closeness, through which we enter into the suffering of others – those who are ill, and especially those who experience poverty, isolation, grief, loss and loneliness.”

During his homily, the Bishop spoke about celebrating Christmas Mass each year at the Gino Merli Veterans Center in Scranton – a simple gathering in a community room.

“For all that is so obviously missing in that gathering, it is a sacred moment, because, like here, Jesus is present,” the Bishop remarked. “He’s present in the Eucharist, he’s present in the Scriptures that are proclaimed, but he is so very present in family members, volunteers, staff and most especially the residents that make their way to Christmas morning Mass.”

That same sacred presence filled the Cathedral as the faithful came forward for anointing.

The priests present traced the sign of the cross with holy oil on each person’s forehead and hands, praying for healing, strength, and peace.

“Today, Jesus invites us to experience His healing and His grace. Say yes to His invitation to come to Him with your burdens, to find consolation and peace,” Bishop Bambera ended by saying. “Trust, that in the midst of all that life seems to unload upon you, that Jesus will care for you and remember – through the wonderful sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick – every one of you will encounter the Lord, who promises to touch our hearts and give rest to our spirits.”

The Mass for the World Day of the Sick was broadcast live by CTV: Catholic Television of the Diocese of Scranton and livestream on Diocesan media platforms, allowing many who could not attend in person the opportunity to participate in prayer.

SCRANTON – Surrounded by family members and caregivers, individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities were honored in a special way on Feb. 8, 2026, during the Diocese of Scranton’s annual Mass for Persons with Disabilities at the Cathedral of Saint Peter.

Reflecting on Jesus’ call to be the “salt of the earth” and “light of the world” in the Gospel for the Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time, the Most Rev. Joseph C. Bambera, Bishop of Scranton, reminded those gathered that the true value of salt and light is realized only when they are shared.

“Salt and light, of themselves, are not good for very much,” Bishop Bambera said. “Their value is realized only when they interact with other things.”

In the same way, the Bishop explained, disciples of Christ are called to live with humility and generosity – drawing out goodness in others and illuminating the presence of God in the world.

Bishop Bambera noted that those living with disabilities often offer a powerful witness to that message.

“More than you realize, my good friends, you teach us what it means to be ‘salt and light’ for our world,” Bishop Bambera stated. “You illuminate our world and our hearts in such ways that even the most cynical among us can see the presence of God in the simplest gestures and in the most unexpected places. Often with few words and with your infectious smiles, you teach us lessons of gratitude for the simplest of blessings.”

The liturgy itself reflected the spirit of inclusion the Mass seeks to foster each year.

Sister Mary Alice Jacquinot, IHM, President and CEO of Saint Joseph’s Center, served as one of the lectors. She was joined by Gerard Wazeter of Saint Frances X. Cabrini Parish in Carverton, who has been privileged to proclaim the Word of God at the annual Mass for several years.

Members of the Order of Alhambra, Alamar Caravan #4, served as gift bearers.

“For so many years, the Bishop has offered this liturgy to highlight the idea of inclusion – involving people in their community – to be able to celebrate and honor people with disabilities and to recognize their unique gifts,” Sister Mary Alice said following the Mass. “We’re creating a welcoming community.”

She noted that the residents living and served through Saint Joseph’s Center demonstrate inspiring values each day.

“They teach us courage, perseverance, acceptance, trust,” she said. “But also, they bring a great spirit of gratitude, humility, and unconditional love. I think those are all values that we can embrace and learn.”

Ada Magni, Supreme Director of Region II of the Order of the Alhambra, said her organization is grateful to participate in the annual celebration.

“It’s a real opportunity to spotlight the unique gifts that God has given to them,” Magni said. “We can always learn from them. They’re just cherished.”

The Order of the Alhambra, founded in 1904, is dedicated to assisting individuals with intellectual disabilities. Alamar Caravan #4, established locally in 1906, will celebrate its 120th anniversary in June and is the oldest caravan in the nation.

Throughout the year, members host events like dinner dances, hockey outings, and an annual festival.

“We want to continue to do God’s work, to help those with intellectual disabilities and provide events for them,” Magni added.

Both Magni and Sister Mary Alice emphasized that inclusion within the Church – and in society – requires continued effort.

“We establish belonging when we welcome the varied gifts of all people,” Sister Mary Alice said. “We’re really able to broaden our understanding of God’s love for us by getting to know people with disabilities.”

As he concluded his homily, Bishop Bambera also echoed that same message of gratitude and learning.

“Thank you for serving us through your lives,” he said. “And for teaching us how to believe, to trust, and to love with the generous, selfless spirit of Jesus.”

SCRANTON – Music and the shuffling sounds of dancing feet filled the Diocesan Pastoral Center on Saturday, Feb. 7, 2026, as more than 100 people came together for the Diocese of Scranton’s first-ever Swing Dance celebrating National Marriage Week.

The evening began with dance instruction from local instructors Philip Spinka and Jill Wetzel, followed by an open dance featuring the 17-piece Swing Fever Dance Band, a Big Band recreating the swing sounds of the 1930s and 1940s.

For many couples that participated, it was a chance to relax and simply enjoy the company of their spouse.

“It is a hobby of ours,” Marie Sica of Saint Michael Parish in Scranton said. “It’s nice to be able to have a live band and have good company and just be together.”

Her husband, Robert Sica, echoed her enthusiasm.

“It was a great opportunity to get out with my wife. We have 11 children at home so it’s difficult to find a good value to be able to have fun and just connect with one another,” he said. “The band was phenomenal. We were really excited about being able to dance in front of a live band. Just the way they play with changing the tempo, makes it exciting to try other dance moves.”

The Huffmans, who belong to a parish in Scranton, were also happy they attended.

“We had a great time,” Rebecca Huffman said. “I really enjoyed the lessons. The band was fantastic and it was nice that it was a BYO (Bring Your Own) event, so it kept the cost down.”

Rebecca is hoping another Swing Dance night is held soon.

“My husband and I learned some (new moves), and we have to keep practicing, and hopefully the Diocese will do this again,” she added.

Philip Huffman said the Swing Dance was a great opportunity to get out as a couple.

“I’m learning to dance. It’s new to me,” he joked. “It’s good exercise. It’s great to actually get out of the house when it’s zero degrees out.”

Bridget Maille, Program Coordinator for Family Life in the Diocese of Scranton Office for Parish Life, organized the event.

“The Swing Dance came out of a hope and a dream from a personal passion of mine that I hoped would catch fire – and it has,” Maille said. “It is one of my favorite things to do … What is beautiful about it is it brings you out of your comfort zone, out of your shell, and you get to meet new people. It’s a wholesome activity – where you learn new talents and skills and you get to do something very special with the people you love.”

Couples of all ages attended the Swing Dance, and some even brought friends or singles looking to meet someone new.

Maille said the event was meant to be a fun way for couples to keep their marriage alive and celebrate National Marriage Week (Feb. 7-14) in a fun and uplifting way.