As part of its 39ᵗʰ annual prayer breakfast on Saturday, October 21, 2023 at 9 AM at Fiorelli’s, Pennsylvanians For Human Life Scranton Chapter will feature the Most Reverend Joseph C. Bambera, Geri Featherby, and Peter DiMaio as its speakers. The focus of this year’s breakfast is “Educating Our Youth,” with students kindergarten through college admitted free of charge.

“We have taken a new direction with our breakfast this year. Our dynamic speakers will highlight what’s happening in the pro-life movement with emphasis on how things are affecting our youth. In fact, in order to attract more people, we have lowered the ticket price from $55 to $25 per adult, with students free. We are looking forward to seeing a sea of young people,” states Patrick Williams, President of Pennsylvanians For Human Life Scranton Chapter.

To reserve, simply go to https://prolifescranton.org/event/annual-prayer-breakfast/, call 570-343-5099, or email pahumanlife@yahoo.com.

October 10, 2023

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

Reverend Michael S. Drevitch, from administrative leave to Parochial Vicar, Corpus Christi Parish, West Pittston, and Saint Barbara Parish, Exeter, effective October 20, 2023.

Reverend John M. Lapera, to Pastor, Our Lady of the Snows Parish, Clarks Summit, effective January 24, 2024.  Father Lapera will remain Pastor, Church of Saint Gregory, Clarks Green.

Monsignor Joseph G. Quinn, J.D., J.C.L., from Pastor, Our Lady of the Snows Parish, Clarks Summit, to Pastor Emeritus, Our Lady of the Snows Parish and Senior Priest, Our Lady of the Snows Parish, Clarks Summit, and Church of Saint Gregory, Clarks Green, effective January 24, 2024.

Reverend Kenneth M. Seegar, from leave of absence for reasons of health to Sacramental Minister, Our Lady of the Eucharist Parish, Pittston, effective October 1, 2023.


September 29, 2023

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

Reverend Andrew Amankwaa, from Administrator pro tem, Saint Brigid Parish, Friendsville, effective October 20, 2023 and Administrator pro tem, Most Holy Trinity Parish, Susquehanna, effective October 24, 2023 to Administrator pro tem, Saint John Vianney Parish, Montdale, effective October 24, 2023.

Reverend Michael Amo Gyau, to Parochial Vicar, Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary Parish, Jermyn, effective October 24, 2023.  Father will remain Parochial Vicar, Christ the King Parish, Archbald.  

Reverend Thomas Augustine, from ministry, Diocese of Nellore, India, to Administrator pro tem, St. Brigid Parish, Friendsville, effective October 20, 2023. 

Reverend J. Duane Gavitt, from Chaplain, Holy Redeemer High School, Wilkes Barre, effective September 29, 2023.  Father will remain Pastor, Holy Rosary Parish, Hazleton, and Holy Name of Jesus Parish, West Hazleton.

Reverend Ryan P. Glenn, to Pastor, Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary Parish, Jermyn, effective October 24, 2023.  Father will remain Pastor, Christ the King Parish, Archbald.

Reverend John C. Ruth, from Pastor, Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary Parish, Jermyn, to Pastor, Most Holy Trinity Parish, Susquehanna, effective October 24, 2023.

Reverend Philbert Takyi-Nketiah, to Chaplain, Holy Redeemer High School, Wilkes-Barre, effective September 29, 2023.  Father will remain Parochial Vicar, St. Jude Parish, Mountain Top, and Our Lady Help of Christians Parish, Dorrance.

Reverend Seth D. Wasnock, V.F.,  from Administrator pro tem, Saint John Vianney Parish, Scott Township, effective October 24, 2023.  Father will remain Pastor, Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish and Saint Rose of Lima Parish, Carbondale.

DEACON

Deacon James L. DiSimoni, from Diaconal Ministry, Diocese of Erie, to Diaconal Ministry, Prince of Peace Parish, Old Forge, effective September 29, 2023.

 

 

Four local nonprofits are joining forces to provide gifts this holiday season. The Catherine McAuley Center, Catholic Social Services, Friends of the Poor and the Salvation Army are connecting community donors with families living at or below the poverty line to bring a little bit of joy under the tree this Christmas.

This collaborative effort expects to serve an estimated 1,500 families.

The first 25% of families to register on Tuesday, October 3 will be paired with donors in the community to receive gifts. The remaining families will register to “shop” (at no cost)  for donated toys for their children at a giveaway hosted at the University of Scranton in late December.
 To register to receive gifts, visit the Facebook pages of any of these non-profits at 9AM on October 3 for the online link to register. Registration will be first come, first serve.

Ways to support this project:

  • Purchase gifts for an assigned family by visiting: https://forms.gle/AsZpZ8C6NC6aWLcX8
  • Donate new, unwrapped gifts to any participating agency
  • Make a monetary donation to the Catherine McAuley Center or Friends of the Poor with a memo indicating “Christmas for Kids”
  • Volunteer at the Community Giveaway

As we continue to see the need in our community grow, it is important to make the largest impact, and by working together we believe we can best serve the kids of NEPA. More information can be found by visiting: https://www.catherinemcauleycenter.org/adopt


September 11, 2023

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

Reverend Michael J. Kirwin, from Pastor, Saint John Vianney Parish, Montdale, to Pastor Emeritus, effective September 30, 2023.

Reverend Seth D. Wasnock, V.F., to Administrator Pro Tem, Saint John Vianney Parish, Scott Township, effective September 30, 2023.  Father will remain Pastor, Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish and Saint Rose of Lima Parish, Carbondale.

 

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has put out a proposed regulation that would require employers to accommodate employees who choose to get abortions, such as by giving them leave to obtain one. The proposal misinterprets the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, which is a new law meant to help working mothers keep their job, if they wish, while protecting their health and that of their preborn children. The EEOC is now twisting that law to promote abortion instead, the exact opposite of pregnancy. But there is nothing fair about ending an innocent baby’s life, or about forcing employers to go along with it.

Join USCCB in telling the EEOC to leave abortion out of the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act!

Take Action Now

 

 

 


August 29, 2023

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

Reverend Andrew Amankwaa, from Parochial Vicar, Most Holy Trinity Parish, Susquehanna and Saint Brigid Parish, Friendsville, to Administrator Pro Tem, Most Holy Trinity Parish, Susquehanna and Saint Brigid Parish, Friendsville, effective August 29, 2023.

Reverend Stephen Brenyah, from ministry in the Diocese of Sunyani, Ghana, to Parochial Vicar, Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish and Saint Anthony and Saint Rocco Parish, Dunmore, effective September 7, 2023.

Reverend Mark J. DeCelles, from Parochial Vicar, Saint Therese Parish, Shavertown, and Saint Frances X. Cabrini Parish, Carverton, to Parochial Vicar, Saint John Neumann Parish and Saint Paul of the Cross Parish, Scranton, effective September 7, 2023.  Father will continue to serve as Associate Director of the Permanent Diaconate.

Reverend Shawn M. Simchock, from Parochial Vicar, Saint Ignatius of Loyola Parish, Kingston, and Holy Family Parish, Luzerne, to Administrator Pro Tem, Saint Ann Parish, Williamsport, effective September 7, 2023.

Reverend Paul Yeboah, from ministry in the Diocese of Sunyani, Ghana, to Parochial Vicar, Saint Ignatius of Loyola Parish, Kingston, and Holy Family Parish, Luzerne, effective September 7, 2023.

DEACON 

Deacon Paul Jennings, to Diaconal Ministry, Saint Lucy Parish, Scranton, effective September 6, 2023.  Deacon Jennings will continue to serve in Diaconal Ministry at Saint Patrick Parish, Scranton.

18 August 2023
Mass of Christian Burial
Ellen Harding Casey
(1932-2023)
Cathedral of St. Peter
Funeral Homily of Msgr. Joseph G. Quinn

            The closing words of the Gospel you just heard proclaimed are indeed a succinct statement of the lifetime philosophy of the ever amazing and truly remarkable Ellen Harding Casey.

            First spoken by Jesus to His original disciples some two thousand years ago …. and to us, His current day disciples… listen to those words again as we all reflect upon the life of the good woman whose extraordinary ways bring us all together this day: “Rejoice And Be Glad, For Your Reward In Heaven Will Be Great.”

            Ellen Casey knew the truth of those divine words … and she lived them out each and every day of her life over the course of her ninety-one year journey homeward.

            And because she did that …. and did it so graciously, kindly and compassionately, we come together this day to mourn her death, pray for her eternal peace and perhaps most importantly, reflect upon the wisdom of her heart and the countless lessons to be learned from her blessed and graced life.

            Before we proceed and do that, however, I just wanted to let you know that our dear shepherd, Bishop Bambera, deeply regrets not being able to be present for today’s funeral Mass. He is recovering from a medical procedure and asked that I share these, his words, with you:

To Mrs. Casey’s beloved children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren … as well as her relatives and friends… please know of my sympathy and prayers. You lost the heart of your family and we lost a devoted public servant, a gracious presence in our community, a defender of human life and a woman of deep faith. May God give her rest and may you, her dear family, know God’s peace.” 

            And then there are the words of the President of the United States…. Scranton-native Joseph Biden … who so kindly made his way to this very Cathedral yesterday to express his heartfelt sympathy.  In his own words, he noted:

            “I’ve often said that everything important I learned in life I learned in Scranton and you don’t have to look any further than Ellen Casey to know why. To spend just a few minutes with Ellen was to get a lifetime’s education in Scranton values: Honesty. Decency. Integrity. Character.  They were non-negotiable. It was who she was.

            Kindness was not a sign of weakness. It was a sign of strength. And no one was more kind (… than Ellen.)  …  Family always came first. But life was about serving others. …  She and Bob raised their eight children with these values passing along a (spirit of) devotion to family and (of always) serving others.” 

            And when one does truly live one’s life in that spirit  – as both Ellen and her beloved Spike always did – one can indeed “Rejoice And Be Glad”….Confident That “Your Reward In Heaven Will Be Great.”

            Some five centuries before Christ would walk the face of the earth, a young writer now simply known as “David” gave us the Old Testament “Book of Psalms” with its 150 psalms or prayers  reflecting upon many of the same issues that all of humanity has always struggled with in the course of our journey of life. Wrestling with issues re the ultimate meaning of life. Pondering how it is we are to deal with each other. Prayers that focus on the issues and concerns we all have in one way or another in our often restless search for the inner calm we all need… that which is called “God’s Peace.”

            Perhaps the 90th Psalm sums it up best of all when these words were written down: “Lord… maybe you give us 70 years. 80 if we are strong. And many of these are filled with emptiness and pain. So, Lord, teach us the shortness of our days that we might live them with wisdom of heart.”

            And isn’t that what we all find ourselves pondering this morning as we reflect upon the life of this ever kind and modest, gracious ad elegant, pleasant and selfless woman of God?  Isn’t our time together this morning intended by God for all of us to pause and remember how she made it through all the many chapters and challenges of her life’s journey?  Shouldn’t we all be thinking right now about the genuine “Wisdom of Heart” that was seen consistently in the life and love that marked her long earthly pilgrimage homeward?

            And if we did indeed do that, I think that with God’s graces at work in our lives, we would readily conclude that for Ellen Harding Casey:

  • Coming to know God and learning to live one’s FAITH really does matter;
  • Discerning one’s true purpose in life and committing oneself to intentionally fulfilling it does make a real difference;
  • Remaining genuinely HOPEFUL in what one believes to be God’s purpose for your life DOES aid one in finding the inner calm and joy we all need to move forward one day at a time:
  • And, finally, selflessly sharing one’s LOVE with and for others….. does help to rise to new life and truly understand the “shortness of our days” so as to live them humbly and honestly as did our beloved Ellen Casey.

            Perhaps the great St. Augustine said it best of all when some 1,700 years ago when he noted that “Our hearts are restless, O Lord, until they rest in you.”

            Said even more succinctly by Ellen’s famous husband, the original Robert P. Casey, in his noteworthy autobiography appropriately entitled “Fighting for Life” when speaking about his remarkable wife and the extraordinary mother of their eight children:

            “It’s amazing to think back on our life and recall how little real planning went into it. (Ellen and I)  never set out with any grand plans for the future. … After the birth of our first child we didn’t say, “Okay, seven more to go.”…  From the start, the only real plan Ellen and followed was that whatever came our way – whatever joys and whatever troubles – we would live them together…”

            And they did. Accepting the many twists and turns of life. Changing what they could and learning to live with the rest.  Always remaining upbeat and hopeful…. Regardless of what happened along the way. Bearing the many crosses in their own lives… but never really complaining. Doing their best to treat everyone equally. They were blessed with good instincts… common sense and genuine humility.  With God’s plentiful graces at work in their lives, they never lost hope nor did they ever allow their great smiles to fade.

            Saint Paul could well have been speaking of Ellen Casey when he said: “Your kindness should be known by all….. Have no anxiety at all. But in everything, by prayer and petition, with a grateful heart, make your requests known to God… and then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”

            Bravely, courageously and amazingly they both faced overwhelming health challenges in the course of their lives, but never gave up without extraordinary efforts. They loved life and both did all they could to respect it, protect it and help others persevere. And with their unshakable faith, neither of them ever feared death. Throughout it all, they did indeed “rejoice” and did remain both “grateful and glad” ….. which will always happen when, as they both did, one realizes that we are not here for ourselves…. but here to live our lives in generous fashion “with and for others.”

            On that note, allow me to close with the inspired and challenging words of St. Ignatius of Loyola…. the founder the of the Society of Jesus…. better known as “The Jesuits” who once wrote:

Lord, teach me to be generous.
Teach me to serve You as You deserve;
to give and not count the cost,
to fight and not heed the wounds.
to toil and not seek for rest,
to labor and not to ask for any reward,
except that of knowing that I do Your will. 

            Throughout all of her life, Ellen Harding Casey did precisely that. She lived her life with an endlessly generous heart.

            May she now be reunited with her beloved husband and her ancestors and friends as together they all celebrate the eternal peace and joy of heaven.

Rejoice And Be Glad, Ellen, For Your Reward in Heaven Will Be Great.

 

 

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

Effective August 14, 2023: 

Reverend Brian J.T. Clarke, to Chaplain, Notre Dame High School, East Stroudsburg.  Father will remain Senior Priest, St. Matthew’s Parish, East Stroudsburg. 

Effective September 1, 2023: 

Reverend John J. Chmil, from Pastor, St. Ann’s Parish, Williamsport, to Pastor, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish, Swoyersville. 

Reverend Duane J. Gavitt, from Pastor, St. Elizabeth’s Parish, Bear Creek, and St. Rita’s Parish, Gouldsboro, to Pastor, Holy Rosary Parish, Hazleton and Holy Name Parish, West Hazleton.

Reverend Binesh Joseph Kanjirakattu, from Administrator, Holy Rosary Parish, Hazleton and Holy Name Parish, West Hazleton, to Parochial Vicar, Good Shepherd Parish, Drums, and Immaculate Conception Parish, Freeland.

Reverend Michael J. Kloton, to Administrator, St. Patrick’s Parish, White Haven.  Father will remain Pastor, Good Shepherd Parish, Drums and Immaculate Conception Parish, Freeland.

Reverend Rawel Toppo, from Administrator, St. Patrick’s Parish, White Haven and Parochial Vicar, Good Shepherd Parish, Drums, and Immaculate Conception Parish, Freeland, to Administrator, St. Elizabeth’s Parish, Bear Creek, and St. Rita’s Parish, Gouldsboro.

Effective September 6, 2023: 

Reverend Richard E. Fox, to Pastor, St. Lucy’s Parish, Scranton.  Father will remain Pastor, St. Patrick’s Parish, Scranton.

Deacons:

Deacon John M. Hanley, from diaconal ministry, Archdiocese of New York, to diaconal ministry, St. Vincent de Paul Parish, Milford, effective August 14, 2023.

Deacon Carmine Mendicino, from diaconal ministry, St. Lucy’s Parish and SS. Peter and Paul Parish, Scranton, to retirement, effective September 6, 2023. 

 

 

A pregnant woman is seen outside the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington in this 2016 file photo. On Aug. 8, 2023, Bishop Michael F. Burbidge of Arlington, Virginia, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Pro-Life Activities, objected to a proposed interpretation of the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act to include accommodations for obtaining an abortion. (OSV News photo/Tyler Orsburn, CNS)

WASHINGTON – On Monday, Aug. 7, 2023, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) released proposed regulations implementing the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act. Bishop Michael F. Burbidge of Arlington, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) Committee on Pro-Life Activities, responded with the following statement:

“We supported the bipartisan Pregnant Workers Fairness Act because it enhanced the protection of pregnant mothers and their preborn children, which is something that we have encouraged Congress to prioritize. The Act is pro-worker, pro-family, and pro-life. It is a total distortion to use this law as a means for advancing abortion, and the complete opposite of needed assistance for pregnant mothers.

“The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s proposed interpretation of the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act to include accommodations for obtaining an abortion is wrong and contrary to the text, legislative history, and purpose of the Act, which is to help make it possible for working mothers to remain gainfully employed, if desired, while protecting their health and that of their preborn children. We are hopeful that the EEOC will be forced to abandon its untenable position when public comments submitted on this regulation demonstrate that its interpretation would be struck down in court.”

Editor Note: There is currently a 60-day period where the public can submit their public comments on this regulation. You can submit a comment at the following site: https://www.regulations.gov/document/EEOC-2023-0004-0001