Pope Francis uses incense as he celebrates Mass marking the feast of Mary, Mother of God, in St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican in this Jan. 1, 2017, file photo. Conflict, climate change and poverty are driving the demise of the tree that produces frankincense resin. (CNS photo/Paul Haring)

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Pope Francis will celebrate the Vatican’s traditional Christmas “Mass during the Night” Dec. 24, but will begin the liturgy at 7:30 p.m. local time so that the few people invited to attend can get home in time to observe Italy’s 10 p.m. curfew.

The curfew is one of many measures the Italian government has employed in an effort to slow the spread of the coronavirus.

In addition to the early start time, the Vatican’s COVID-19 measures are still in force: only a small congregation will be allowed inside the basilica; people’s temperatures are checked as they arrive; masks are required for the congregation and servers; the seating is socially distanced.

While the nighttime Mass often is referred to as “Midnight Mass,” it has not been celebrated at midnight at the Vatican since 2009 when Pope Benedict XVI moved it to 10 p.m. Pope Francis moved it to 9:30 p.m. in 2013, his first Christmas as pope.

The pope’s Christmas blessing “urbi et orbi” (to the city and the world) will be given, as usual, at noon Christmas Day from the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica.

Other liturgies announced by the Vatican Dec. 10 include:

— Dec. 31, 5 p.m., evening prayer and the singing of the “Te Deum” in St. Peter’s Basilica to thank God for the past year.

— Jan. 1, 10 a.m., Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica for the feast of Mary, Mother of God, and World Peace Day.

— Jan. 6, 10 a.m., Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica for the feast of the Epiphany.

 

This 2016 file photo shows the original image of Our Lady of Guadalupe in the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City. (CNS photo/Paul Haring)

MEXICO CITY (CNS) — With the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe closed for her feast to prevent the spread of COVID-19, Pope Francis said Catholics still can receive a plenary indulgence Dec. 11 and 12 for their Marian devotion if they follow certain conditions.

Mexico City Cardinal Carlos Aguiar Retes’ letter announcing the indulgence was accompanied by the formal proclamation by Cardinal Mauro Piacenza, head of the Apostolic Penitentiary, the Vatican tribunal that deals with matters of conscience and with indulgences.

To receive an indulgence, a remission of the temporal punishment one deserves for one’s sins, the following conditions must be met. A person must:

— Prepare an altar or place of prayer to Our Lady of Guadalupe at home.

— Watch a livestream or televised Mass at the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City Dec. 12, “actively participating … with devotion and with exclusive attention to the Eucharist.” It said Masses could be accessed at www.youtube.com/user/BasilicadeGuadalupe at midnight or 12 p.m. CST.

— Complete the usual conditions for an indulgence by praying for the pope’s intentions, being in a state of grace after confession, attending a full Mass and receiving Communion. The letter said the last three conditions “can be fulfilled when public health guidance allow.”

The indulgence would be for anyone in the world, but Cardinal Aguiar acknowledged that people in the United States and the Philippines have special devotions to Our Lady of Guadalupe, whose feast is Dec. 12.

In late November, Mexican church and civic officials canceled public feast celebrations for Mexico’s patroness due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The celebration normally attracts 10 million pilgrims to the basilica, the world’s most-visited Marian shrine.

Mexico’s health secretariat reports more than 100,000 COVID-19 deaths — fourth most of any country — and the numbers are increasing.

The Archdiocese of Mexico City organized a virtual pilgrimage and asked people to submit photos with their intentions and share images of their home altars and small celebrations closer to home.

At the news conference announcing the closure, Archbishop Rogelio Cabrera López, president of the Mexican bishops’ conference, said, “We already know that the Virgin moves and moves to where her sons and daughters are, especially those who are grieving.”

 

 

Shown, from left: Munireh Sayed; Alley Sayed; Leana Pande, IAANEPA Youth Leader; Charmaine Johnson; Mona Pande, IAANEPA President and Mike Cianciotta, Director, Saint Vincent de Paul Kitchen.

On Friday, December 4, 2020, representatives from IAANEPA (Indian American Association of Northeast PA) donated $500 in support of the work and mission of Saint Vincent de Paul Kitchen in Wilkes-Barre.

Saint Vincent de Paul Kitchen provides hot, nutritious meals to members of the community on a daily basis from 39 East Jackson Street, Wilkes-Barre.

 

 

 

Shown, from left: Rob Williams, Executive Director, Saint Francis of Assisi Kitchen and Food and Clothing Pantry; Charmaine Johnson; Leana Pande, IAANEPA Youth Leader; Mona Pande, IAANEPA President and Munireh Sayed.

On Friday, December 4, 2020, representatives from IAANEPA (Indian American Association of Northeast PA) donated $500 in support of the work and mission of Saint Francis of Assisi Kitchen in Scranton.

Saint Francis of Assisi Kitchen provides hot, nutritious meals to members of the community on a daily basis from 500 Penn Avenue, Scranton.

 

Cindy Opalka, left, and Jim Roberts, right, help to prepare meals for distribution at Saint Rose of Lima Parish in Carbondale on Dec. 3, 2020. (Photo/Eric Deabill)

CARBONDALE – The smell of meatloaf filled the basement hall at Saint Rose of Lima Church on Thursday, Dec. 3, and it provided a taste of normalcy for approximately a dozen parish volunteers.

For the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic began in March, the parish hosted its weekly Mid Valley Outreach meal to anyone in need in the community. With the assistance of Saint Francis of Assisi Kitchen in Scranton, the parish will once again provide a warm, nutritious meal to people in the Carbondale community once a week.

“We’re very happy and excited to be able to provide for the people of the Carbondale area once again,” Rob Williams, Executive Director of Saint Francis of Assisi Kitchen and Food and Clothing Pantry, said.

Saint Francis of Assisi Kitchen provides the food, chef and everything it takes to deliver the meal, but parish volunteers help to serve it. Due to the ongoing health crisis, the meals are being served in to-go containers at the door.

“One of the greatest things for me, with regards to the Mid Valley Outreach, is that it’s local people serving local people,” Williams added.

The outreach meal started in Carbondale five years ago and quickly became popular. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, volunteers would typically serve between 80-110 sit-down meals each Thursday.

Jim Roberts serves as coordinator for the community meal.

“Jesus told us to feed the hungry and minister to them in any way you can,” he said.

Recognizing that the need for a warm meal never disappeared during the pandemic, Roberts said his volunteers were excited to get back to work.

“They are more than eager. They wanted to come back. They want to do this. They knew we would have to take precautions, wear masks and gloves and social distance but they wanted to come back. It is their way of serving,” he explained.

Volunteer Cindy Opalka says the team of volunteers have formed a tight-knit family. Over the course of the last few months, she would often hear from people in the community how much the weekly meal was missed.

“I could not wait,” she explained, describing excitement to get back to serving.

Central to the work of Saint Francis of Assisi Kitchen is volunteerism. That is why the partnership between the kitchen and Saint Rose of Lima Parish is so critical.

In addition to Carbondale, Saint Francis of Assisi Kitchen has also provided meals to churches in Olyphant and Archbald on a weekly basis as part of the Mid Valley Outreach Program.

While those meals have not yet resumed, Williams is hopeful they will resume early in 2021.

“We’ve been in conversations with those parishes and pastors and I’m hoping that in the new year, at some point in the new year, we’ll be in the position to continue our service to those communities as well,” Williams explained.

 

SAYRE – A popular community meal, sponsored by Epiphany Parish in Bradford County, has taken on added significance due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Offered on the second Tuesday of every month, some recipients say the meal has helped them during the financial instability of 2020.

“We’ve lost a lot of income due to COVID and it helps feed our family,” Laura Houseknecht said while picking up meals for her family recently. “Thank you to everyone that helps out with this meal. It has been great. We’ve been coming for years and thank you during this very hard time.”

Because of the pandemic, Epiphany Parish has been serving its community meal in to-go containers, instead of holding a sit-down meal, to avoid large crowds and help maintain physical distancing.

“We prepare a hot meal with dessert,” parishioner William Hillyard explained. “They just have to drive up, tell us how many dinners they need and we load up their cars.”

Everyone is welcome at the community meal sponsored by Epiphany Parish. Meals are served between 4:30 p.m. and 6:00 p.m.

“It is open to the whole community, not just to our parish,” Hillyard added.

Epiphany Parish receives a Social Justice Grant from the Diocese of Scranton to help pay some of the costs associated with the community meal. Generous gifts to the Diocesan Annual Appeal help support the Social Justice Grant Program and the important projects that receive funding.

“We’d like to thank the donors who give to the Annual Appeal, which in return comes back to us so we can continue to put on this service for our community,” Hillyard added.

Parishioners James and Patricia Briggs stopped by the community meal recently to pick up more than a dozen meals, which they share with their neighbors and friends.

“We usually get 14 dinners and where we live in the neighborhood is where we pass them out,” Patricia Briggs said.

By handing out the meals, the Briggs ensure their neighbors get a warm, nutritious meal at least once a month.

“We would like to thank all the parishioners who donate to the Diocesan Annual Appeal. We think it’s a very important mission for the church and we definitely appreciate the contributions,” Patricia added.

“This truly does help the local people and the needs of our community,” Father Andrew Hvozdovic, pastor, Epiphany Parish, said.

The community meal is just one of several programs that Epiphany Parish has applied for funding through the Social Justice Grant Program. In previous years, the parish has received funding to help the Chow for Children Program, an ecumenical program which feeds roughly 45-50 families per week during the school year, the Knights of Columbus annual coat drive which helped nearly 400 children last year as well as the Helping Hands of Bentley Creek.

“If it wasn’t for the great generosity of the donors of the Diocesan Annual Appeal, we wouldn’t have these outstanding outreach possibilities here in Bradford County,” Father Hvozdovic added.

For more information on all of the Diocesan ministries supported by gifts to the Annual Appeal, to view one of the regional Annual Appeal videos or to make a donation online, visit AnnualAppeal.org. Gifts can also be made by calling the Diocesan Development Office at (570) 207-2250 or by sending a donation to: Diocesan Annual Appeal, 300 Wyoming Avenue, Scranton, PA 18503.

 

A social media campaign by the Vatican’s Dicastery for Laity, the Family and Life aims to encourage young people to reach out to their grandparents and older people. You can participate in the campaign by using the hashtag #aGiftOfWisdom. (CNS photo/Dicastery for Laity, the Family and Life)

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — One present young people should ask for this Christmas is words of wisdom from older people they know, a Vatican dicastery said.

“Today, in the difficult circumstances of a Christmas still overshadowed by the pandemic, we are proposing that young people post on social media a memory, a piece of advice or a ‘gift of wisdom’ they have received from one of the elderly people with whom they have formed a bond in recent months,” said the Dicastery for Laity, the Family and Life.

The invitation was part of a new campaign launched Nov. 27 aimed at encouraging young people to reach out to their grandparents and other older people, not only to help alleviate the isolation and loneliness caused by pandemic restrictions, but also to create new and creative bonds.

The unusual circumstances caused by the pandemic means “there is an opportunity for young people to receive a special gift” for Christmas this year, the dicastery said in a news release.

“Because of the pandemic, there are more elderly people who live alone. We can create bonds with each of them — this is a treasure waiting to be discovered!”

The Vatican office asked that people reach out to older people and ask for “the gift of their wisdom.” People can then take the advice, memories and nuggets of wisdom they collect and post them on social media using the hashtag #aGiftOfWisdom.

“Some of the best posts will be shared” on the dicastery’s social media accounts @laityfamilylife, it said.

“Unfortunately, in many cases, because of the health regulations in force, visiting can only take place remotely, via telephone, video calls and messaging. But it is possible to participate in this campaign” by sharing “the wise words of grandparents and the elderly on social media,” it added.

The latest campaign follows a similar effort the dicastery launched in July in which it “collected virtual hugs sent by many young people to both their own grandparents and to ‘adopted grandparents,'” it said. The effort was meant to encourage young people to show kindness and affection to older people who may be feeling lonely.

For other ideas and guidance, the dicastery has posted on its website, laityfamilylife.va, a free e-book, “The Richness of Many Years of Life,” which offers a toolkit in multiple languages “for the development of a true pastoral ministry that reaches out” and involves the elderly as active participants in the church.

The e-book includes the proceedings of the first international conference on the pastoral care of the elderly the dicastery held in January 2020 to promote a “renewed concern for the pastoral care of the elderly in every ecclesial community.”

 

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Marking the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, Pope Francis again insisted that all Catholics with disabilities have a right to receive the sacraments, and he suggested that Catholic parishes make real efforts to welcome and train persons with disabilities to serve as catechists.

“Creating a fully accessible parish requires not only the removal of architectural barriers, but above all, helping parishioners to develop attitudes and acts of solidarity and service toward persons with disabilities and their families,” the pope said in his message, published Dec. 3.

For the church, he said, “our aim should be to speak no longer about ‘them,’ but rather about ‘us.'”

The U.N. theme for the 2020 celebration of the international day was “Building Back Better: Toward a disability-inclusive, accessible and sustainable post COVID-19 world.”

Pope Francis said he was struck by “the expression ‘building back better,'” which made him think of the Gospel story about a house built on rock or on sand.

When used in reference to the way society, and sometimes even the church, treats persons with disabilities, he said, the rain, rivers and winds that threaten the house in the Bible story “can be identified with the throwaway culture widespread in our time.”

In a throwaway culture, he said, “some parts of our human family, it appears, can be readily sacrificed for the sake of others” or simply pushed aside and ignored.

Such an attitude “ignores the inevitable fact that frailty is part of everyone’s life,” he said. And, in fact, some people “with even severe disabilities, despite great challenges, have found the way to a beautiful and meaningful life, whereas many ‘able-bodied’ people feel dissatisfied or even desperate.”

To “build back better,” he said, inclusion is key because “the strength of a chain depends upon the attention paid to its weakest links.”

For the church, he said, religious education programs must be available to those with disabilities, and every seminarian, priest and catechist should be educated about disabilities and familiar with “the use of inclusive pastoral tools.”

“Before all else,” he said, “I strongly reaffirm the right of persons with disabilities to receive the sacraments, like all other members of the church. All liturgical celebrations in the parish should be accessible to them, so that, together with their brothers and sisters, each of them can deepen, celebrate and live their faith.”

And, like all members of the church, they should know they are called to be “missionary disciples,” sharing the faith with others, he said. “Indeed, the active participation of people with disabilities in the work of catechesis can greatly enrich the life of the whole parish” by their witness.

 

 

Bishop Joseph C. Bambera has invited Father Joseph Elston, pastor of Saint John the Evangelist and Saint Joseph Marello Parishes, Pittston, and Paula and Joe Panzitta, parishioners at Corpus Christi Parish, West Pittston, to serve as this year’s Luzerne County regional chairs for the Diocesan Annual Appeal.

Father Elston is a native of Scranton and was a member of Nativity of Our Lord Parish, now Saint John Neumann Parish. Prior to serving in Pittston, he was Chaplain and Dean of Students at Holy Redeemer High School, Wilkes-Barre, and Sacramental Minister at Holy Family Parish, Luzerne.

“I am happy to be the Luzerne County Clergy Chair for the Annual Appeal. A very important part of the Appeal is the sheer amount of help a person provides by giving to the Appeal. The necessary monies raised by the Appeal reach so many people and are depended upon by so many areas of ministry and outreach all across our Diocese,” Father Elston said.

The Panzittas are active members of their parish. Joe is a member of the Parish Council, Building and Grounds Committee and Parish Bazaar Committee and is one of the ministry coordinators for ushers. Paula serves on the Parish Council and the Finance Committee and has been a lector for the past 27 years.

Joe has worked in his family’s contracting business, Panzitta Enterprises, Inc., his entire life and Paula works in the office. They have two sons. Matthew and his wife, Jennifer, live in Columbus, Ohio, and Andrew and his wife, Julia, reside in Dallas, Pa.

“I believe that giving to the Annual Appeal is an extension of the other volunteer work I do in my parish to share all that God has given to me,” Paula said.

“Following in the footsteps of my grandparents and parents, I believe if you give, you will receive,” Joe added. “I always felt that I was very lucky and fortunate to benefit from all that I have been given.”

 

 

Father Glenn McCreary, pastor of Resurrection Parish, Muncy, and Susan and Jim Dinsmore, parishioners at Saint Lawrence Parish, South Williamsport, are serving as this year’s Diocesan Annual Appeal regional chairs for Lycoming and Tioga counties.

Father McCreary was raised in Montoursville and grew up as a member of Saint Boniface Parish, Williamsport. He has served as pastor of Resurrection Parish for 19 years and was previously a parochial vicar at Immaculate Conception Parish, Scranton.

“I find attractive the sense that when I give to the Diocesan Annual Appeal I’m participating in the mission of the whole Church. We can certainly support our local food pantries and homeless shelters. In the parish, our support responds to the needs of those who come to us looking for food, for rent, for fuel assistance,” Father McCreary said. “But, the Appeal invites us to a larger vision. We can feed the hungry throughout the eleven counties of our Diocese. We can support parish ministries in communities far and wide.”

Father McCreary continued, “We’re helping men on the entire spectrum of priestly ministry – from discernment, through seminary formation, through those first assignments, into mature ministry and retirement. I’m tremendously grateful for my seminary preparation – and grateful for the people and the parishes that made it possible for me to experience that rich growth in faith and commitment.”

The Dinsmores are active in their parish. Jim is a Eucharistic Minister and Finance Council member and Susan helps count the collection and cooks at pancake breakfasts. They have been married for 27 years and have two sons in college, Ian and Joseph.

Jim is a wealth manager and certified financial planner with Evergreen Wealth Solutions, Williamsport. Susan is education director for Lycoming Nursery School, Williamsport.

In sharing their thoughts about support of the Appeal, Susan said, “When we give, we support our parish food pantries, social justice missions, Catholic education, and priest retirement, to name a few of the critical needs in our Diocese. Our contributions not only bring many blessings to others, we are blessed by our ability to give to them.”

“We know this year has been filled with many challenges emotionally, physically, and financially,” Jim added. “That is why any donation amount is gratefully accepted by the Diocese.”