Author: Eric Deabill

SCRANTON – When asked why he came to the Diocese of Scranton’s annual Wedding Anniversary Mass, Brian Kelly didn’t hesitate to be honest.

“My wife told me I was going to do it,” he joked with a smile, glancing at Pat, his wife of 50 years.

The Kellys, parishioners of Saint Andrew Parish in Wilkes-Barre, were among 115 couples honored at the Cathedral of Saint Peter on June 1 for reaching milestone anniversaries – 25, 50, and even more years of marriage. Together, the couples represented an astounding 4,880 years of love, partnership, and commitment.

But for Brian, after starting with direction, the occasion turned more into reflection.
“The more I thought about it, the more I said, what an honor, what a wonderful day and I would not ever have missed today,” he said.

His sentiment echoed throughout the Cathedral, which was filled with couples who’ve walked together through decades of joy, challenges, and struggles.

“Being married isn’t a bed of roses. It is an endeavor that two people take and they have to meet the challenges along the way,” Pat Kelly explained. “I believe God is right there with you, because between two people you have to have God with you, and he helps you get through everything.”

The Wedding Anniversary Mass, celebrated by the Most Rev. Joseph C. Bambera, Bishop of Scranton, has become a beloved tradition in the Diocese of Scranton, honoring the sacred bonds of marriage.

In his homily, Bishop Bambera thanked couples for being living witnesses of love and perseverance.

“Christian marriage, your marriage, has endured because you come to see it as part of something much bigger than yourselves,” Bishop Bambera said. “You see your marriage as something of a mystery – the mystery of God’s love woven into creation, embraced in your lives and lived only through God’s grace.”

Each couple attending the Mass received a special certificate, but more than any memento, many said they were touched by the opportunity to come together and reflect on what it takes to build a marriage that lasts.

Many also appreciated the opportunity to renew their wedding vows during the Mass.

“It went by very quickly,” Christine Kane, a parishioner of Saint Maria Goretti Parish in Laflin, said. “Renewing our vows was nice. It reminded me how long it has been since we’ve actually looked at each other in the eyes and said those vows.”

Christine and her husband, Thomas, are celebrating their 25th anniversary this year.

“It is a nice reminder of how our marriage started with vows and being in church,” Thomas added. “Church has always been a big part of our lives, so it is a nice reminder to reemphasize that on our anniversary like this.”

Asked what advice they might offer couples just starting their journey, this year’s attendees had many things to offer.

“Love, patience, and always listening to what the other person has to say,” Christine said.

“Communication is very important. Working together and knowing you’re working together and having a sense of humor,” Thomas added.

“I think it’s having faith in God that he is going to help you get through everything,” Pat Kelly said.

“Love, big time, I’ve had that from day one,” her husband Pat added with a smile.

SCRANTON – After more than 120 years as a spiritual home to generations of Catholics in South Scranton, Nativity of Our Lord Church closed its doors for the final time on Sunday, June 8, 2025.

The church, filled to capacity with more than 500 parishioners, was filled with both sorrow and gratitude as the community gathered for the closing Mass.

“It was a solemn and sad occasion but one that was also filled with faith and love,” Father Jonathan Kuhar, pastor of Saint Teresa of Calcutta Parish, explained.

Father Kuhar served as principal celebrant of the Mass and was assisted by Deacon Albert Giacometti. Seven other priests who are either native sons or served at Nativity Church concelebrated the liturgy.

“I thought the nine priests and a deacon on the altar for the consecration was incredible. It was beautiful to see them all up there and consecrating the hosts together,” parishioner Katie Kearney stated.

The final Mass, rich in symbolism and tradition, honored the sacred history of the church. Following the Prayer after Communion, the congregation participated in the Church’s traditional rites for the closing of a sacred space.

Together, the community prayed over the baptismal font that welcomed new life, the ambo from which the Word of God was proclaimed, and the Stations of the Cross that guided the faithful through the Passion and Death of Jesus.

But it was the final act of veneration – when parishioners were invited to approach the altar one last time – that brought the deepest emotion. One by one, young and old, families and longtime parishioners stepped forward.

Some touched the altar gently; others knelt and kissed it, a deeply personal goodbye to a place that had shaped their lives.

“As a Eucharistic Minister, I’ve been giving Communion out for 38 years now. That is the centerpiece of the church,” parishioner George Schneider, Jr., said. “It was beautiful the way they closed it, acknowledging the baptismal font, stained glass, altar, and statue of Mary.”

The closure of Nativity of Our Lord Church comes after several years of prayerful consultation and difficult discernment by parish leaders. With a decline in Mass attendance and growing financial pressures, it was concluded that the community could no longer sustain two worship sites.

In his homily, Father Kuhar acknowledged the heartbreak while pointing the community toward hope. He also thanked many people, including the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, who helped build the faith community.

“Nothing that is loved by God is ever lost. It might pass through our fingers for a moment, but it is never lost,” Father Kuhar said. “Even though we say goodbye today, we entrust it to God’s hands. We are a pilgrim people. We journey through this life, and we do as best we can the work of our God.”

Following the Mass, many parishioners left Nativity together on foot, walking approximately 20 minutes to Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary Church on Prospect Avenue – a symbolic procession from the past into the future. Following a prayer service, a reception allowed the faithful to share stories, memories and hope for the future.

LOCKING THE DOORS

Four long-time parishioners were invited to serve as closing sacristans to lock the doors of Nativity Church and seal them with ribbon.

Paul Bracey, 92, never thought he would be asked to perform the important task.

“I locked the doors many times through the years for different services. It was tough to see it go,” he admitted.

Even though it has been more than 80 years since he received his First Holy Communion in Nativity Church, Bracey still remembers being part of the first class to receive the Holy Eucharist in the Upper Church.

“It was the first time they opened up the Upper Church to children,” he said. “Before that, all the children’s Masses were held in the Lower Church. The pastor even brought the children up on the top step to receive Communion. That sticks with me all these years.”

HONORING FOUNDING PASTOR

As part of its closing weekend, Father James O’Reilly, the founding pastor of Nativity Church was honored and remembered.

On Saturday, June 7, parishioners prayed Morning Prayer together in remembrance of former cleric who died in 1907. After his death, Father O’Reilly was interred in the lower chapel at his request so that he could remain with the community.

Following Morning Prayer, the parish community reinterred him at the Sacred Hearts Cemetery. He was buried in a place of honor on the hill next to Bishop Henry Klonowski, the longtime pastor of Sacred Hearts Parish.

“From there may they both watch over the flock of our parish while we wait together for the Day of Resurrection,” a note in the Closing Mass program stated.

PARISHIONERS MOVE FORWARD IN FAITH

While Nativity Church will no longer be a location for liturgies, parishioners say the legacy of Nativity of Our Lord Church will continue to live on in the hearts of its people.

Two years ago, the faithful of Nativity Church and Sacred Hearts Church consolidated to form Saint Teresa of Calcutta Parish serving South Scranton and East Mountain.

Since that time, the church congregations have merged and learned from one another.

“While the church is beautiful, it is a building,” parishioner Victoria Ayala said. “But it is not just about a building. It’s the faith inside of us and what we hold in God’s love. That is what we transport from here to there.”

SCRANTON – With the smell of potato pancakes in the air and the sound of music echoing down Wayne Avenue, the summer festival season officially kicked off this past weekend at the annual Mary, Mother of God Parish Block Party.

Held on June 14 and 15, the beloved neighborhood tradition drew thousands of people from near and far.

Whether they came for the food – favorites like pizza fritta, hot dogs and hamburgers – or for the fellowship, games, and basket raffles, there was something for everyone.

“We got very lucky. The weather, which had been predicted to be very bad all week, on Friday, turned out to be one of the nicer days of the year,” Father Cyril Edwards, pastor, Mary, Mother of God Parish, said.

While describing Block Party Weekend as a little “chaotic,” Father Edwards says the work is well worth it.

“No other event brings as many people to the streets of North Scranton as our Block Party. Friday night was a mad house with people,” he said. “You make a profit and introduce people to church who may have very little or no connection to any church.”

The Block Party – like other church festivals, picnics, and bizarres being planned around the Diocese of Scranton this summer – is a powerful reminder of community, tradition and shared joy.

“We get to see people that we haven’t seen all winter and people come from all over. It’s wonderful,” Mary Claire Boylan, co-chair of the Mary, Mother of God Block Party, explained. “What we do brings so many people together.”

Boylan, who has co-chaired the Block Party since 2009, says the events allow parishioners of all ages and abilities to get involved.

“We usually start planning in February. We start having committee meetings because we have a phenomenal group of people,” she added.

Throughout the summer months, dozens of other parishes across the Diocese will open their doors – and their parking lots – to host festivals, picnics, and bazaars.

While each has its own unique flavor, from homemade ethnic foods to live music and games for kids.

Whether you’re craving a taste of tradition or simply looking for a fun evening out with family and friends, the following listing of parish festivals offer something meaningful for everyone.

To view a full list of upcoming church festivals submitted by parishes, visit the Diocese of Scranton website at dioceseofscranton.org.

HARVEYS LAKE – Neither gray skies nor the threat of rain could dampen a beloved tradition in Luzerne County.

On Sunday, June 15, 2025, local boaters gathered once again on Harveys Lake for the annual Blessing of the Boats, an event that has taken place on the popular waterway for more than 70 years.

Held at the Warden Place dock on Lakeside Drive, the Blessing of the Boats draws family boats, sleek jet skis, colorful kayaks, and everything in between.

Despite overcast skies, Father Andrew Hvozdovic offered blessings for a safe, joyful, and peaceful season on the lake to each family that participated.

“Just like we offer a blessing for cars and houses, we just ask for God’s safety and for God’s protection to be upon them,” Father Hvozdovic said, referring to the boaters.

As Father Hvozdovic, pastor of Our Lady of Victory Parish in the community, sprinkled holy water on each vessel, he also joked with each person that the blessing only takes effect if he gets to ride on the boat.

“They get a chuckle out of that,” he said.

Locals say the boat blessing marks the unofficial start of lake season, bringing together year-round residents and weekend visitors alike.

For many families, it’s a multi-generational tradition.

“I’ve had my boat blessed. I’ve had my wave runner blessed multiple times, so today I brought over my paddleboat to get that blessed and get a little exercise,” Merry Ann Edwards said.

Despite the chance of rain at any moment, the spirit of those participating was still high.

“It’s just one of the fun things of summer. We have a very short season here at the lake. The winters are hard, so we look forward to our summers and to allow our wonderful faith to be a part of our wonderful summer,” Edwards added. “It just makes for a wonderful time here on the lake.”

As summer officially approaches, Harveys Lake is once again ready to welcome days of sunshine, laughter, and safe adventures on the water – with just a little extra divine protection.

“I’ve grown up coming to this every year,” resident Jack Herron said. “It’s a good tradition and something that we always look forward to each year.”

SCRANTON – Many people in the community may not know that located near the entrance of Cathedral Cemetery in West Scranton is a quiet, sacred space dedicated to the unborn.

Due to the efforts of the Knights of Columbus Council 12572, that space is now more visible and welcoming to the public.

On Saturday, June 14, 2025, the Knights of Columbus held a special dedication ceremony for a newly installed three-foot plaque at the Tomb of the Unborn, inviting the public to recognize the peaceful spot as a place of prayer, reflection, and healing.

“As people drive by seeing the plaque, knowing it’s the Tomb of the Unborn, they can offer a prayer quickly, or if they want to stop and kneel here at the foot of the monument, they can do so,” Master Brian Hallock, Knights of Columbus Pennsylvania Central District, said.

John Scandale, Knights of Columbus District Deputy, said prior to the plaque being installed there was only a small name plate at the top of the monument that often went overlooked.

“It got very little notice. People generally don’t look up, so it got missed,” Scandale explained. “We thought this needed identification.”

Through the generosity of Monuments by Parise, a company based in Lackawanna County’s Up Valley, the plaque was donated and installed.

“They did an excellent job,” Patrick Williams, one of the project organizers explained.
Williams said the Tomb of the Unborn was also power washed, and new shrubbery was planted around its base, including two new rose bushes.

“We’re working with J&L Construction on replacing some of the stone and pointing the joints of the monument because they’re starting to leak a little bit,” Williams added.

The work is very meaningful for Theresa Baux who visits the site regularly.

“I’ve come here for years and years, being a post-aborted woman,” Baux explained. “I would always come here and pray because I didn’t have a monument for my own child. I would just come here and pray.”

Baux now works with other women who have had abortions and provides information and resources to pregnant women hoping they choose life.

“The unborn that are killed in the womb in this day and age is a terrible tragedy,” Baux stated.

Father Michael Boris, assistant pastor, Our Lady of the Snows Parish, Clarks Summit, and Saint Gregory Parish, Clarks Green, attended the dedication ceremony and provided a blessing.

Located just to the first left as you enter Cathedral Cemetery on Oram Street, the new plaque at the Tomb of the Unborn now stands not only as a memorial, but also as a reminder of the Knights’ ongoing mission to support life and family in all stages.

“We’re trying to build up our activities, get more members and do more work in the community,” Scandale ended by saying.

SCRANTON – For Shannon Andres of Reading, this year’s Catholic Women’s Conference was more than just a day of spiritual reflection – it was a deeply personal journey of faith shared with her mother.

Andres, who currently lives in the neighboring Diocese of Allentown, attended the June 7 event at Marywood University alongside her mother, who had come alone the previous year.

In the months since, the two women have grown closer in their spiritual lives – so much so that Shannon invited her mother to a women’s conference in the Allentown area earlier this year. In a beautiful return gesture, her mother brought her to this year’s “Refresh Your Faith: Heart to Heart Prayer” conference in Scranton.

“It’s just nice to be in a room full of women who just know the importance of Christ and the importance of our faith,” Andres said.

The day-long event, filled with prayer, powerful speakers, music, and community, left attendees like Shannon and her mother renewed and inspired in their Catholic faith.

“It’s just so moving and it’s just so great to hear people express what we can do to be closer to our faith and what we can do to reflect how much Jesus loves us,” she added.

Several hundred women attended the conference, saying the event radiated energy, inspiration, and a renewed sense of purpose.

“It has been such an incredible experience. I’m very touched. It had amazing energy. I can feel the Spirit, I can feel God’s presence here today,” Lizbeth Lamont, a first-time attendee from Saint John Parish in East Stroudsburg said.

“It is great talking to people that we know and people that we don’t know and just sharing in the love of our Lord and just enjoying each other’s company for a great day of prayer,” Bridget Kennedy of Saint Paul Parish in Scranton added.

The Most Rev. Joseph C. Bambera, Bishop of Scranton, kicked off this year’s conference with a special Mass, urging women to embrace the heart of prayer and the strength of their faith in today’s world.

“This gathering today, with its theme of Heart to Heart Prayer, is an invitation for all of us to engage in the vital practice of opening our hearts to God and placing before the Lord our lives – with all their blemishes, joys, blessings and brokenness – trust that God will ever and always receive us in his tender embrace,” Bishop Bambera said.

The day unfolded with a lineup of speakers that each offered a unique perspective on faith and spiritual growth.

Sister Maria Kateri of the Sisters of Life encouraged attendees to live with courage and conviction rooted in God’s love. Kara Kardell, host of the popular Draw Near podcast, encouraged the women to take time to listen to God speak to them in silence. Acclaimed Catholic musician Sarah Hart moved the crowd with her music and message, blending song and storytelling in a way that brought tears, laughter, and reflection.

“My favorite part is when Kara had us close our eyes and say our name to ourselves,” Danita Evans of Saint Ann Parish in Williamsport said. “If we’re quiet and we silence ourselves and we listen, we can hear His voice.”

“Kara’s message about making sure that we have the time to listen to God speak in silence to us, I think that is what I’ll take away from today,” Teresa James of Most Holy Trinity Parish in Cresco added. “Also, Sarah’s encouragement that none of us have this figured out but God is with us and all will be well.”

Throughout the day, women also took advantage of opportunities for the Sacrament of Reconciliation, fellowship during a community lunch, and spiritual conversations in the lively Catholic marketplace that featured vendors, local ministries, and other artisans.

As the day ended, many attendees left reinvigorated in their mission as women of the Church – ready to carry the light of Christ into their families, parishes, and communities.

That includes Shannon Andres and her mother – who shared the special spiritual journey together.

“The Holy Spirit works in mysterious and wonderful ways and just having a day where everyone can focus on how much they love Christ and love our faith is such an amazing thing,” she said.

SCRANTON – Despite all the rich symbolism and sacred rituals of a Diaconate Ordination Mass, it was just eight words that held the deepest meaning for Jan Carlo Perez.

“I testify that he has been found worthy,” Father Alex Roche, Diocesan Secretary for Clergy Formation/Diocesan Vocations Director, proclaimed during the Rite of Ordination on May 24, 2025, at the Cathedral of Saint Peter in Scranton.

“When you’re on this road, you struggle a lot with unworthiness … To hear ‘we have found him worthy’ to the acclamation of God’s Church, that was something special,” Rev. Mr. Perez said just minutes after the Mass concluded. “It has been eight years since I started, three years in minor seminary, a pastoral year, theology, I left for a year and I came back, it has been a long road.”

A road that Perez admits was filled with prayerful discernment.

“I’ve grown a lot in ways that I never expected to grow. I just thank God. To God, be all the glory,” Rev. Mr. Perez added.

Perez, 26, is the son of Dr. Alex and Mrs. Liana Perez of Stroudsburg. He is a parishioner of Saint Matthew Parish in East Stroudsburg. Perez graduated from Notre Dame High School in East Stroudsburg in 2016 and attended Temple University for one year before transferring to Cathedral Seminary in Queens, N.Y., later graduating from St. John’s University in Queens in 2020.

For the last several years, Perez has been attending St. Mary’s Seminary and University in Baltimore, Md., where alongside his normal seminary studies he is getting a specialization in sacred scripture.

“God has given me everything and I can only give him so little back. I can give him back my life, that’s about it,” Rev. Mr. Perez added.

The Diaconate Ordination Mass was attended by clergy and seminarians, along with Perez’s family and friends, who gathered to witness and support him in this sacred moment.

“Honestly, I feel great. This has been awesome. There were so many people that I just didn’t know would come and support me on this day,” he explained.

The Most Rev. Joseph C. Bambera, Bishop of Scranton, served as principal celebrant, homilist, and ordaining prelate at the Mass. During his homily, the Bishop explained that the responsibilities of a deacon encompass three main areas: Ministry of the Word of God; Ministry of the Liturgy; and Ministry of Charity.

“If you want your ministry as a deacon to be fruitful, Jan, you must root yourself in Jesus’ life and love. The disciplines of prayer, obedience, and celibacy that you are called to embrace this day are meant to enable you to grow in the same spirit of service and mercy that so characterized Jesus’ ministry,” Bishop Bambera said. “These disciplines are not obstacles, hurdles or distractions that are somehow detached from what it means to be an ordained minister of the Church. They are not meant to set you up as being better or greater than others. Rather, they are the vehicles that will carry you to a deeper union with Jesus.”

While Perez is excited to begin preaching homilies and proclaiming God’s Word, he readily admits needing to serve the poor in a greater way.

“I’ve been reflecting on service a lot because I think, if I can be a little vulnerable here, I think it’s probably one of the things I feel weakest in. I feel like I haven’t done enough for God’s Church and now I’ve been commissioned to do this by the Church, so I know I have to look for every opportunity to serve the homeless, the poor, and the suffering,” Perez added.

Perez was ordained as a transitional deacon, meaning he will now serve in various capacities within the diocese, gaining practical experience and deepening his spiritual life in preparation for priestly ordination, which is expected to take place next year.

His journey reflects the Church’s commitment to nurturing vocations and ensuring that those called to serve are well-prepared to lead and guide the faithful.

“I’m really looking forward to learning everything I can this year so that I can be as prepared as I can be for the priesthood,” Perez said. “The day of (priestly) ordination is just the beginning. It’s not like graduating where you’re done with school and now, you’re onto something completely different. No, it’s just the beginning of something and I look forward to being as prepared as I can be.”

VATICAN CITY (CNS) – Pope Leo XIV will spend two weeks of July at the papal summer residence in Castel Gandolfo, bringing back a centuries-old tradition that had been suspended by Pope Francis.

Pope Leo also will celebrate the feast of the Assumption of Mary for the whole town and visitors Aug. 15 as per tradition, according to the Prefecture of the Papal Household.

Matteo Bruni, director of the Vatican press office, confirmed Pope Leo would be staying in the Villa Barberini, the former summer residence of the Vatican secretaries of state; Pope Francis turned the former papal palace on the town’s main square into a museum, which opened in 2016.

All private audiences with the pope will be suspended during July, including the Wednesday general audiences, which will resume July 30, the prefecture said in a communique June 17.

“On the afternoon of Sunday, July 6, the Holy Father Leo XIV will move to the pontifical villas of Castel Gandolfo for a period of rest” until the afternoon of July 20, it said.

While he is at the hilltop town south of Rome, Pope Leo will celebrate Sunday morning Mass July 13 in the parish Church of St. Thomas of Villanova in Castel Gandolfo’s main square, followed by the recitation of the Angelus prayer at noon in the square in front of the apostolic palace.

He will celebrate Sunday morning Mass July 20 in the cathedral of the nearby city of Albano Laziale. He will return to Castel Gandolfo to recite the Angelus at noon in the square and then return to the Vatican in the afternoon, the prefecture said.

Pope Leo will return to the papal summer villa for the three-day holiday weekend of Aug. 15-17. He will celebrate Mass Aug. 15 at the parish of St. Thomas, followed by the Angelus prayer in the square in front of the apostolic palace.

He will also recite the Sunday Angelus at noon Aug. 17 in the square before returning to the Vatican that afternoon, it added.

Castel Gandolfo was the summer residence of popes from 1626 until the election of Pope Francis, who chose to stay at the Vatican and not escape Rome’s summer heat at the cooler hilltop papal villa.

The town of close to 9,000 people about 15 miles southeast of Rome had relied on the massive influx of tourists and visitors during the period when popes would vacation there and greet the public at the Sunday Angelus. The highlight was always the feast of the Assumption of Mary Aug. 15 when the pope would celebrate Mass for the whole town and thousands of visitors.

To attract visitors back to the town year-round and not just in the summer, Pope Francis turned the palace into a museum and opened the villa’s gardens to tours.

Pope Leo spent several hours May 29 visiting the Borgo Laudato Si’ ecology project set up by Pope Francis in 2023 at the papal villa and farm in Castel Gandolfo, as well as the former papal summer residence there.

The papal property at Castel Gandolfo extends over 135 acres — surpassing the 108.7 acres of Vatican City. It includes 74 acres of gardens — 17 of which are formal gardens — 62 acres of farmland, three residences and a farm with chickens, hens, rabbits, assorted fowl, cows and a small dairy operation. There are also fruit and olive orchards, vineyards, hayfields, vegetable patches, aromatic herbs, flowerbeds and plants that often are used to decorate the papal apartments and meeting rooms at the Vatican.

(OSV News) – “No one can turn a deaf ear to the palpable cries of anxiety and fear heard in communities throughout the country in the wake of a surge in immigration enforcement actions,” said the leader of the nation’s Catholic bishops in a June 16 statement that assured all impacted of their shepherds’ support.

Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio of the U.S. military archdiocese, the president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, issued a reflection ahead of the USCCB’s weeklong retreat in California, a triennial gathering that this year replaces the bishops’ usual spring plenary session.

The archbishop said the occasion of the bishops’ gathering seemed “appropriate to give voice to a profound concern in the hearts of the Shepherds of the Church in our Country” over the Trump administration’s immigration policies.

While he commended law enforcement actions “aimed at preserving order and ensuring community security” as “necessary for the common good,” Archbishop Broglio said, “The current efforts go well beyond those with criminal histories.”

Following through on a campaign pledge, President Donald Trump has cracked down on immigration to the U.S. Among the administration’s efforts are terminating protected status for migrants from several conflict-wrought nations, fully or partly banning travel to the U.S. from several nations, ordering Immigrations and Customs Enforcement to meet daily arrest quotas of 3,000, halting visa interviews for foreign students, attempting to end birthright citizenship and deporting persons without permanent legal status in the U.S. to third countries in defiance of court orders.

While the administration claims to target criminal actors in its sweeps, several high-profile arrests and deportations have impacted individuals with no demonstrated criminal record. Some 44% of the more than 51,000 in ICE detention facilities as of June 1 are estimated to have no criminal record, other than entering the U.S. without permission, according to the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse at Syracuse University.

The USCCB and Catholic Charities USA are among some 200 non-governmental organizations named in a congressional probe for allegedly aiding immigrants its leaders call “inadmissible aliens” during former President Joe Biden’s administration.

“In the context of a gravely deficient immigration system, the mass arrest and removal of our neighbors, friends and family members on the basis of immigration status alone, particularly in ways that are arbitrary or without due process, represent a profound social crisis before which no person of good will can remain silent,” said Archbishop Broglio. “The situation is far from the communion of life and love to which this nation of immigrants should strive.”

He pointed to Pope Leo XIV’s recent video address to the young people of Chicago and the world — in which, said Archbishop Broglio, the pope “reminded us that at the heart of the Christian faith is an invitation to share in the communion of life and love of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, the first community and based completely on love.”

“The Holy Father also challenged us to be a sign of hope by making the world a better place,” said Archbishop Broglio.

The archbishop noted the backlash sparked by Trump administration policies on immigration.

“The many actions of protest throughout the country reflect the moral sentiments of many Americans that enforcement alone cannot be the solution to addressing our nation’s immigration challenges,” he said.

“While protest and dissent can be a legitimate expression of democratic participation, violence is never acceptable,” Archbishop Broglio stressed.

At the same time, he observed that injustice can be a trigger for conflict, quoting Pope Francis’ encyclical “Evangelii Gaudium”: “Without equal opportunities the different forms of aggression and conflict will find a fertile terrain for growth and eventually explode.”

Archbishop Broglio said that “the chronic lack of opportunities for legal status for our immigrant brothers and sisters, together with the growing denial of due process to them, is injurious to human dignity and is a considerable factor in the breakdown of the rule of law.”

He added, “Likewise, unfounded accusations against Catholic service providers, who every day endeavor to provide critical support and care to the most vulnerable, contribute to societal tensions and a growing climate of fear.”

Speaking on behalf of the nation’s bishops, Archbishop Broglio said, “I want to assure all of those affected by actions which tear at the fabric of our communities of the solidarity of your pastors.

“As your shepherds, your fear echoes in our hearts and we make your pain our own. Count on the commitment of all of us to stand with you in this challenging hour,” he said.

He also acknowledged “those in our Catholic service and community organizations working to promote the common good by binding up the wounds of the afflicted.”

Archbishop Broglio assured “those motivated by the urgency of the current moment to work for just and humane solutions to these immigration challenges” of “the cooperation and goodwill of the Catholic Bishops of our country.”

(OSV News) – Close to half of the nation’s adults have a personal or family connection to Catholicism, but Mass attendance makes for significant differences in what Catholics say is essential to their identity.

In addition, the share of U.S. Catholics who are Hispanic is growing, a significant number of conversions to the faith are prompted by marriage, and clerical abuse — though still widely perceived as an ongoing issue — is more broadly viewed as also problematic among other religious leaders, not only Catholic.

On June 16, Pew Research Center released its latest findings on Catholic life in the U.S., drawing on two surveys for data: its 2023-2024 U.S. Religious Landscape Study and in particular its Feb. 3-9 survey of 9,544 U.S. adults that included 1,787 Catholics. The latter survey included several questions “designed specifically for Catholics,” said the report.

The report found that 47% of U.S. adults indicated some connection to Catholicism.

Of those, 20% identified themselves as Catholic, while 9% described themselves as cultural Catholics, who identify with the faith for reasons “aside from religion,” such as ethnic, cultural or family ties or background.

Another 9% stated they were former Catholics, having been raised Catholic but no longer identifying themselves with the faith or with its cultural associations, and 9% said they were “connected to Catholicism in other ways” — that is, without cultural or religious ties to the faith, but having a Catholic parent, spouse or partner, or answering yes when asked if they ever attend Mass.

Among U.S. Catholics, just 13% pray daily, attend Mass at least weekly and go to confession once a year, although 50%, 28% and 23% respectively observe those individual practices.

Conversely, 13% seldom or never pray, and seldom or never attend Mass, and never go to the sacrament of reconciliation, which the report termed confession.

“The largest share of Catholics (74%) fall somewhere in the middle of this spectrum of observance,” stated the report. “They may pray. They may attend Mass. They may go to confession. But they don’t regularly do all three (pray daily, attend Mass weekly and go to confession annually).”

For many questions, the survey found “large differences between Catholics who attend Mass at least once a week and those who don’t.”

Most weekly Mass attendees (83%) cited receiving the Eucharist as an essential part of being Catholic, compared to 56% of those who attend once or twice a month, 31% who attend a few times a year, and 15% of those who never attend.

Half of the nation’s Catholics report receiving holy Communion most or all the time when they attend Mass, with 82% of weekly Massgoers receiving. Forty-three percent of those who attend a few times a year or seldom report receiving holy Communion. Pew noted the preferred method of reception is by hand, with 44% of all U.S. Catholics and 62% of those who attend Mass at least weekly indicating such, while 14% of the nation’s Catholics and 21% of at least weekly Massgoers saying they prefer to receive on the tongue.

Most Catholics (87%) have not attended Mass according to the 1962 Roman Missal, the older usage of the Roman rite commonly called the “traditional Latin Mass,” within the last five years, with 13% reporting they had attended at least once within the last five years and 2% saying they attend at least once per week.

Most Catholics (71%) regard their parish priests favorably, with 32% very favorable in their opinion.

A majority of Catholics surveyed (62%) said clerical abuse remains an ongoing problem; however, that number is down from 69% in 2019. A majority (68%) also said that sexual abuse and misconduct are equally prevalent among other religious leaders, aside from Catholics. That share marks an increase from 61% in 2019.

Pew also asked participants to weigh in on 14 items related to Catholic belief and practice as “essential,” “important but not essential” or “not an important part” of being Catholic.

Baptism was not listed among the options provided by Pew. However, the research center told OSV News that the survey list offered a final open-ended question, to which “a small percentage of respondents (less than 1% of Catholics by religion) mentioned sacraments in their open-ended response,” including baptism. In addition, said Pew, many responses to the question from cultural Catholics “mentioned receiving the Sacraments of Initiation as children, including Baptism.”

Of the Catholic identity options offered by Pew, the most widely endorsed one was “having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ,” with 69% of U.S. Catholic adults describing the practice as “essential” to their Catholic identity.

At the same time, the phrase itself is not specifically a Catholic one. Scholar Benjamin Bennett-Carpenter of Oakland University in Rochester, Michigan, observed in a September 2017 journal article that the formulation, though extant in the 19th century, remains “relatively recent,” having been broadly popularized by Protestant U.S. evangelists such as Billy Graham from the 1940s onward.

Still, Gregory A. Smith, senior associate religion research director at Pew, told OSV News that the phrase “resonates with many Christians, including Catholics,” and that the view of it as critical is “especially common among Hispanic Catholics.”

Smith also pointed out that the phrase had figured in Pew’s 2015 survey of Catholics, where it also “topped the list,” with 68% of Catholics ranking it as essential to their religious identity. The previous survey also found that belief in Jesus’ actual resurrection from the dead — a question not repeated in the current survey — was cited by 67%.

Devotion to the Virgin Mary (50%), working to help the poor and needy (47%), and receiving the Eucharist (46%) were also listed by Pew. Forty percent listed getting married in the church as essential, while 33% pointed to the leadership of the pope and 32% stressed being part of the unbroken apostolic tradition — the latter of which tied with opposing abortion (32%).

Other markers of Catholic identity ranked as essential were taking care of the environment (31%), being part of a Catholic parish (30%), caring for immigrants (30%), celebrating feast days associated with national or ethnic heritage (26%), and opposing the death penalty (22%).

The least ranked marker was “going on pilgrimages,” which was cited as essential by only 9%.

Pew found that Hispanic Catholics represent 36% of all Catholic adults in the U.S., up from 29% in 2007, and are more likely than white Catholics to report participating in a variety of devotional practices such as wearing or carrying religious items (56% v. 39%), practicing devotion to Mary or a favorite saint (46% v. 31%), and praying the rosary (37% v. 22%).

Close to half of all Catholic converts (49%) said their decision was motivated by having a Catholic spouse or partner, or a desire to marry in the Catholic church.

Awareness of two major initiatives affecting the U.S. Catholic Church — the National Eucharistic Congress, specific to the nation, and the Synod and Synodality — was not found to be widespread, with about three in 10 U.S. Catholics saying they had heard at least a little about the congress, and 23% about the synod. Significant portions of weekly Massgoers were also unaware of both efforts, with 43% reporting they had not heard anything about the congress and 60% saying they had heard nothing about the synod.