Pennsylvanians for Human Life through The VOICE of JOHN invites you to join us in a celebration of Life.  The event will honor the memory of Monsignor Arthur Kaschenbach, a priest who spoke with courage in defense of human life.  Through his priesthood he was always faithful to the ministry of The VOICE of JOHN and PHL.  The event will recall a day that will go down in infamy, the legalization of abortion in 1972.  With prayer and music, we will celebrate the overturn of Roe, as we honor the lives of almost 65 million children who have died from abortion. 

The event will take place on the 50th year anniversary of the Roe vs Wade decision, Sunday January 22nd at 2 PM, at St John Bosco Church, route 93 in Sugarloaf.  We are pleased to announce the featured speaker for the event:  Elizabeth Leon, writer, speaker, and musician from Ashburn, Virginia and the author of “Let Yourself Be Loved: Big Lessons from a Little Life”, the story which explores the heart of a mother carrying a baby to term with the certainty of death.  John Paul Raphael lived only 28 hours and 10 minutes.  She and her husband, Dr  Ralph Leon, are the parents of ten children—5 of hers, 4 of his, and their son, John Paul Raphael.    Elizabeth will share videos of her little boy and the holy mysteries of her son’s life. 

The event is intended to inspire, educate and motivate us as we move forward in a “World Post Roe”,  Dr Frank Polidora will preside as master of ceremonies.  Music by Shannon Marsyada. 

The event is free of charge, donations will be welcome.  Light refreshments will be served.  The event chairperson is Nancy Zola and will conclude with a pro-life rosary for anyone wishing to remain. 

For more information, contact Maryann Lawhon at (570)-788-JOHN (5646), or Carol Matz at 570-956-0817/

 

OBITUARY
Monsignor Arthur James Kaschenbach

Monsignor Arthur J. Kaschenbach, Pastor Emeritus of St. Mary of the Mount, Mt. Pocono, died on the 3rd day of January, 2023.

Monsignor Kaschenbach, the only child of the late Arthur Henry Kaschenbach and Kathleen Marie (Phillips) Kaschenbach, was born in Wilkes Barre, on October 18, 1926.  He received his early education at St. Mary’s Elementary and St. Mary’s High School in Wilkes Barre.  Monsignor entered St. Charles College, Catonsville, Maryland and completed his studies for the priesthood at St. Mary’s Seminary, Baltimore, Maryland.  He received a Licentiate of Sacred Theology in June of 1951.   Monsignor Kaschenbach was ordained to the priesthood on May 19, 1951 by Most Reverend William Joseph Hafey, D.D., late Bishop of Scranton. 

Monsignor Kaschenbach served as assistant pastor at St. Peter’s Cathedral, Scranton from  1951 to 1968 when he was appointed administrator of St. Patrick, White Haven.  In 1973, Monsignor was assigned his first pastorate at St. Ann, Tobyhanna where he served until 1977.    Monsignor was assigned his second pastorate at St. Mary of the Mount, Mount Pocono in 1977 where he remained until his retirement and appointment as Pastor Emeritus in 2006.  Monsignor Kaschenbach resided in the Hazleton area for most of his retirement and was of great ministerial assistance to the parishes in this area.  He was also a gracious host and cook in the rectories where he lived.

Monsignor Kaschenbach was named a prelate of honor by Pope Saint John Paul II on November 2, 1978 and given the title Monsignor.

In addition to his parochial duties, Monsignor also served as director of the League of the Sacred Heart from 1955 until 1991; Region V Chairman: “Follow Christ”; Office of Religious Education Regional Director; and Dean of Monroe County.

Father celebrated the 60th Anniversary of his Ordination in 2011 with a Pontifical Mass Celebrated by Most Reverend Joseph F. Martino, D.D., Hist. E.D., bishop Emeritus of Scranton.         

A viewing will take place Friday, January 6, 2023 from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at Most Holy Trinity Parish, 212 PA-390, Cresco, PA.   A Vesper Service will be celebrated at 7:00 p.m.   A viewing will also take place at Most Holy Trinity Parish, Cresco, Saturday, January 7, 2023, at 9:00 a.m., prior to the funeral.

A Pontifical Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated by the Most Reverend Joseph C. Bambera, D.D., J.C.L., Bishop of Scranton, on Saturday, January 7, 2023 at 10:00 a.m. at Most Holy Trinity Parish, Cresco, Pa.   Interment will be in St. Mary’s Cemetery, Wilkes Barre.

All funeral arrangements are being handled by Bolock Funeral Home, Cresco, PA

 

The Most Reverend Joseph C. Bambera, Bishop of Scranton, will celebrate several Masses for the Nativity of Our Lord at the Cathedral of Saint Peter in Scranton.

The bishop, on behalf of the clergy and religious of the Diocese of Scranton, cordially invites the faithful to attend Christmas Masses in person this year, especially if they have been away for a while because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Diocese of Scranton created a brief “Come Home for Christmas” video to invite parishioners from all 11 counties across the Diocese to attend Mass in person. You can view the video on the Diocese of Scranton’s YouTube channel by clicking here.

At the Cathedral of Saint Peter, Bishop Bambera will serve as principal celebrant and homilist at the following Masses:

• 4 p.m. – Pontifical Vigil Mass of Christmas
• Midnight – Pontifical Mass of Christmas at Midnight

CTV: Catholic Television will provide a live broadcast of the 4 p.m. Vigil Mass on Catholic Television, with a livestream provided on the Diocese of Scranton website and all social media platforms. CTV will also provide a live broadcast of the 10 a.m. Mass on Christmas Day from the Cathedral.

A full listing of Christmas Mass times and Reconciliation schedules for every parish in the Diocese is also available on the main page of the Diocese of Scranton website at dioceseofscranton.org.

Bishop Bambera’s 2022 Christmas Message, “Embrace the Good News of Christmas,” which was published in the Dec. 15 edition of The Catholic Light, can also be found by clicking here.

 

Members of the Holy Name Society and St. Anthony’s Playground Association will assemble Christmas gift bags with various items for the children of Friends of the Poor.

Gift bags will be distributed to children in their after-school programs. Members gathered on December 1st at the Parish Hall.

 

His Excellency, Bishop Joseph C. Bambera, announces the following appointments, effective November 28, 2022:

Deacon John Bankus, to diaconal ministry, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish, Swoyersville.

Deacon John Bubb, to diaconal ministry, St. Joseph the Worker Parish, Williamsport..

Deacon Martin Castaldi, to diaconal ministry, Divine Mercy Parish, Scranton.

Deacon Matthew Eisley, to diaconal ministry, Immaculate Conception Parish, Williamsport and St. Luke Parish, Jersey Shore.

Deacon Thomas Kostic, to diaconal ministry, Saints Cyril and Methodius Parish, Hazleton.

Deacon Steven Miller, to diaconal ministry, Our Lady of Victory Parish, Tannersville.

Deacon Nicholas Rocco, to diaconal ministry, St. Eulalia Parish, Roaring Brook Township.

Deacon Frank Zeranski, to diaconal ministry, St. Catherine of Siena Parish, Moscow.

 

 

His Excellency, Bishop Joseph C. Bambera, announces the following appointments, effective as indicated:

Reverend Sixtus Appiah Kyeremeh, from Parochial Vicar, Saint Faustina Kowalska Parish, Nanticoke, and Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish, Lake Silkworth, effective November 15, 2022. Father Appiah Kyeremeh will return to ministry in the Diocese of Sunyani, Ghana.

Reverend Richard Gyansah-Tabiri, from the Diocese of Sunyani, to Parochial Vicar, Saint Faustina Kowalska Parish, Nanticoke, and Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish, Lake Silkworth, effective November 15, 2022.

Reverend Binesh Joseph Kanjirakattu, from Parochial Vicar, Saint Lawrence Parish, South Williamsport, and Saint Boniface Parish, Williamsport, to residence, Ascension Parish, Forest City, and Saint Katharine Drexel Parish, Pleasant Mount, effective August 16, 2022.

Deacons

Deacon Paul Brojack, from diaconal ministry, Our Lady of the Abingtons Parish, Dalton, and Saint Patrick Parish, Nicholson, to diaconal ministry, Saint Brigid Parish, Frie Most Holy Trinity Parish, Susquehanna,
effective November 15, 2022.

 

 

Good morning.  It is a pleasure for me to affirm the good work that you and so many others have done is support of human life.

Not long ago, as he has so often done, Pope Francis affirmed that every human person has a reason to hope, because every person “has a place in God’s heart from all eternity.”  Focusing upon the weakest and most vulnerable – the sick, the elderly, the poor and especially the unborn – the Holy Father asserted that every person “has an inviolable right to life” and “is a masterpiece of God’s creation, made in his own image, destined to live forever, and deserving of the utmost reverence and respect.”

Powerful words, aren’t they?  Words that need to be seared into the hearts of every one of us – and many others as well.

Most of us appreciate the Holy Father’s words – because every one of us has been blessed with the faith and wisdom to see the value of God’s gift of life – to recognize that this gift, in whatever shape and form it takes – is not the result of an accident of creation but are the result of God creative and loving presence among us.

Sadly, however, it is quite apparent that this fundamental teaching of our faith hardly resonates with many of our brothers and sisters.  As a Church, we are grateful for the Supreme Court’s decision earlier this year to overturn its 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that legalized abortion throughout our land.  Yet, the division that has emerged in our country these past few months is a stark reminder of the fact that so many fail to appreciate the dignity and value of all human life, especially the life of the unborn.

In response to this division, it is incumbent upon us, as a people of faith, to not merely point fingers of derision at those who fail to embrace the teaching of the gospel regarding the value of human life.  To the contrary, as disciples of Jesus, we are called to be light in the midst of darkness – a leaven to transform our misguided world.  As such, it is our responsibility to witness to our beliefs by caring for life – not merely for life in the womb but for all of life and particularly for women and the children they have carried past the time of birth.

Simply put, brothers and sisters, if we desire to live our lives as God-fearing individuals with authenticity, we have no choice.  We cannot merely speak of our respect for human life or self-righteously criticize those whose beliefs may be different from our own.  We must enliven our words with action.  We must both choose and serve life in whatever way we can.

The challenge to defend human life cannot be side stepped in an effort to create a false peace or sense of harmony.  We must be fearless in our defense of the unborn – but also mothers in need, the elderly, the sick, the poor, the disabled, the immigrant and every life that is in jeopardy.

Nor must we ever shrink from confronting life issues in our prayer, in what and how we teach as a Church and in the pastoral care that we offer.  But we must also never shrink from confronting life issues when we vote, in the initiatives and public policies that we are able to influence, in our volunteer efforts and in the daily activities and choices of our lives that can even unwittingly exploit the most defenseless among us.

So continue to embrace the noble cause of this blessed organization.  Don’t let down those treasures of life that God has woven into our lives.

Defend life, even if – and particularly when the world proclaims a different message.  ….

Our task is hardly simple and the road ahead, for all of the strides that have been made in recent years, continues to be challenging and filled with unexpected obstacles.  May we persevere in prayer and through the support of one another.

May we be encouraged by the words of the great Saint John Paul II:

Love and honor the life of every man and woman.  Work with perseverance and courage, so that our time, marked by too many signs of death, may at last witness the establishment of a culture of life, the fruit of the culture of truth and love.

 

 

The National Religious Retirement Office (NRRO) announces that on Dec. 10-11, the Diocese of Scranton will hold the annual Retirement Fund for Religious collection in parishes throughout the diocese.

Last year, the parishioners in the diocese donated $68,433.29 to the collection. About the upcoming collection, NRRO Executive Director Sister Stephanie Still, a member of the Sisters of the Presentation of San Francisco, said, “The care of our aging religious presents an enormous financial responsibility. It is our privilege to care for those who gave a lifetime of tireless service, and I feel we are deeply blessed by all the U.S. Catholic donors who have steadfastly contributed to this fund.”

Historically, Catholic sisters, brothers, and religious order priests—known collectively as women and men religious—served for little to no pay. With rising health-care expenses, hundreds of U.S. religious communities face a large gap between the needs of their older members and the funds available to support their care. As a result, many now lack adequate retirement savings.

The 2021 appeal raised nearly $28.5 million, and the NRRO distributed funding to 271 U.S. religious communities. Donations also underwrite resources that help religious communities improve elder care and plan for long-term retirement needs.

About the National Religious Retirement Office:

The National Religious Retirement Office coordinates the annual national appeal for the Retirement Fund for Religious and distributes financial assistance for retirement needs to eligible religious institutes. To help address the deficit in retirement funding among U.S. religious orders, Catholic bishops of the United States initiated the Retirement Fund for Religious Collection in 1988.

For more information, visit retiredreligious.org, or contact Robin Cabral, Campaign Director, by phone at (508) 685-8899 or email at robincabral@retiredreligious.org.

Retirement Fund for Religious

 

The final FREE Community Dinner of 2022 at St. Maximilian Kolbe Parish, Pocono Pines, was a huge success!  The parish hall was warm and inviting – decorated in the colors of autumn – and friendly conversation filled the room.  More than 86 guests enjoyed a delicious served meal of roast pork, mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans, a garden salad, dinner roll, and their choice of homemade dessert – pumpkin pie or apple cake.  The dinner also provided hot and cold beverages including apple cider, a definite taste of the season!

Each year, the Social Concerns Committee of St. Max hosts three Free Community dinners.  The dinners are gifts to the parish and community.  Funding for the meals, and all their charitable works, comes from the proceeds of the committee’s three annual Lenten Buffets.

Committee members are supported in their efforts by their fellow parishioners including Confirmation students.

Father Paschal Mbagwu is Parish Administrator.

 

As Catholics in a post-Roe world, we continue to respond to our call to build a culture of life that supports the dignity of every person at every stage. We call on our lawmakers to do the same. Encourage your members of Congress to pass legislation that advances the health, safety, and flourishing of women, children, and families. Passage of bills such as the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act and the PUMP for Nursing Mothers Act and support for the Child Tax Credit, paid family leave, pregnancy resource centers, child care and pre-kindergarten programs, housing, nutrition, maternal and child health, adoption, healthy relationships, environmental protections, inclusion of immigrant families in social programs, and the end of marriage penalties will help build an authentically life-affirming society.

We encourage you to add your own personal story about why more policies that support women, children, and families are needed.

You can read a recent USCCB letter calling for the passage of life-affirming policies that prioritize families here.

Take Action Now!