Category: News

 

As the Diocesan Annual Appeal continues in all 118 parishes, a renewed focus is being placed on the percentage of parishioners from each parish who donate to the Appeal.

“We would like to make a special request to all parishes to join with us at this time to help increase the number of parishioners who contribute to the Appeal. Gifts of any amount are welcome and the support of all of our parishes is very much appreciated,” James Bebla, Diocesan Secretary for Development, said.

“Last year we saw a decrease in the number of donors to the Appeal. So far this year, many loyal donors who give every year have again pledged their support and several hundred parishioners who did not give last year have renewed their gift. We have also had a number of first-time donors contribute this year.”

Seventeen parishes have achieved a participation rate among their parishioners of 30% or more for the 2019 Diocesan Annual Appeal. More than 30% of parishioners have made contributions to the Annual Appeal in the following parishes: Blessed Virgin Mary, Queen of Peace Parish, Hawley; Epiphany Parish, Sayre; Exaltation of the Holy Cross Parish, Hanover Township; Holy Child Parish, Mansfield; Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish, Dushore; Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish, Wyalusing; SS. Peter & Paul Parish, Towanda; Saint Boniface Parish, Williamsport; Saint Brigid Parish, Friendsville; Saint Elizabeth Parish, Bear Creek; Saint Frances X. Cabrini Parish, Carverton; Saint Joseph the Worker Parish, Williamsport; Saint Lawrence Parish, South Williamsport; Saint Michael Parish, Scranton; Saint Peter Parish, Wellsboro; Saint Thomas the Apostle Parish, Elkland: and Saint Thomas More Parish, Lake Ariel.

“At this point in the campaign, we are so grateful to see the number of parishes with a participation rate of 30% or more,” Bebla said.

Diocesan ministries supported by gifts to the Annual Appeal include Catholic Social Services; parish social justice and faith formation programs; Catholic education in our Catholic schools and parish religious education programs; care for our current and retired priests and support for seminarians preparing for the priesthood; parish life and pastoral planning efforts; and communication programs such as The Catholic Light and Catholic Television.

To date, $3.5 million in gifts and pledges has been raised, bringing the campaign to 70% of the $5 million goal. More than 19,000 donors have made pledges to this year’s Diocesan Annual Appeal. Fifteen parishes have surpassed their Annual Appeal goal so far.

Parishioners and friends who have not yet made an Appeal gift are asked to consider a donation in support of the wonderful ministries funded by the Appeal. Interested donors may make a gift to the Diocesan Annual Appeal by visiting www.annualappeal.org to give online, by calling the Diocesan Development Office at (570) 207-2250 or by sending a donation to: Diocesan Annual Appeal, 300 Wyoming Ave., Scranton, PA, 18503.

 

SCRANTON – The U.S. Surgeon General has called it an epidemic and local experts agree, highlighting the importance of parents understanding and taking action regarding youth e-cigarette use.

“Statistics show that in 2018, more than 3.6 million youth, including one in five high school students and one in 20 middle school students were e-cigarette users,” Trooper Robert Urban with the Pennsylvania State Police said during an “Evening with the Experts” on Dec. 5, 2019.

Recognizing the health risks associated with vaping, the Diocese of Scranton Catholic School System put together a program featuring panelists from the fields of law enforcement, health and education. More than 30 parents and educators attended the session which was held at the Diocesan Pastoral Center.

“Less than a decade ago, the e-cigarette was an obscure product marketed as a safe, tobacco-free alternative to conventional cigarettes by a single company in China,” Trooper Urban explained. “Now it is a $3 billion global industry with over 600 brands and 8,000 flavors and liquids.”

The panel began by explaining exactly what e-cigarettes are — battery-powered devices that deliver nicotine, flavorings and other ingredients to the user. The panelists then explained that they do not create harmless “water vapor,” instead they create an aerosol that can contain harmful chemicals.

Benjamin Tolerico, principal, Holy Cross High School, highlighted that every school district is confronting problems associated with vaping and e-cigarette usage.

Tolerico highlighted the difference between the current use of e-cigarettes by students and the cigarette-smoking generation decades ago.

“Years ago, if a kid was smoking the bathroom, you could certainly smell it…now it’s not these giant plumes of smoke or vape. You really can’t see anything and they’re odorless,” Tolerico explained.

As of Dec. 4, 2019, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 2,291 cases of lung injury linked to vaping. It also reported 48 deaths have been confirmed in 25 states and the District of Columbia.

Dr. Sreelatha Naik, a specialist in pulmonary, critical care and sleep medicine with Geisinger, explained many of the health dangers associated with vaping.

“There is so much inflammation in the lungs that it is hard for the lungs to take oxygen from the air,” Dr. Naik said as she showed photographs of lungs damaged by vaping and described her experiences in treating patients locally.

The panel explained that e-cigarettes come in many shapes and sizes. Some look like regular cigarettes, cigars or pipes while larger e-cigarettes such as tank systems – or “mods” – do not look like other tobacco products.

Parents also learned that some e-cigarettes look like other items commonly used by young people, such as pens and USB flash drives.

Judy Price, First Assistant District Attorney for Lackawanna County, ended the panel discussion by discussing ways that local, state and federal officials are working to tackle the vaping problem.

“Right now, it’s not illegal to buy or sell to minors, vaping products, under our (Pennsylvania) laws as they exist. It’s illegal to sell tobacco so we are trying to broaden our tobacco laws to include vaping products,” Price said.

Price also emphasized that all Lackawanna County school districts, including the Diocesan School System, participate in the Safe Schools Coalition where information on topics like vaping is discussed on a regular basis.

This was the second “Evening with the Experts” hosted by the Diocese of Scranton Catholic School System. The first program, held earlier this year, focused on the potential dangers associated with social media usage.

 

 

With a new decade now just days away, the Diocese of Scranton is beginning the process of taking a good look at the life of its parishes in order to project a future vision in response to God’s call.

On the second Sunday of Advent, Bishop Joseph C. Bambera delivered a homily by video to all parishes, in which he invited parishioners to begin the process of thinking about the challenges and opportunities that the next decade will present.

“What do we see when we look around us and confront changing realities in our world – in our society and in our church?” Bishop Bambera asked in his homily. “How are we called to respond in faithfulness to the Gospel values and to the promises of God in which we have placed our hope?”

Northeastern and north central Pennsylvania has experienced a number of changes that warrant this examination. In terms of demographics, an aging population and shifts in the make-up of some communities factor into the situation. The expected diminishment in the number of ordained priests that will be available to serve as full-time pastors will also play a part.

“Looking squarely at each of these and other realities impacting our present and future parish life, we must work together to create a manner of responding which is innovative, achievable and respectful of the mission that we have been given as baptized followers of Jesus,” Bishop Bambera said.

Unlike the process of consolidations that took place a decade ago that resulted in a radically different profile of parishes serving more than 250,000 Catholics, the bishop is simply asking parishioners to look at how we wisely use our resources.

“In engaging this process, while every parish is similar in what it’s been called to do and to be, each parish will respond in ways that are unique to its situation and circumstance. When faced with change, such as the retirement of a pastor, the need to address the condition of aging parish buildings or a diminishment of parishioners due to changing demographics, each parish will be asked to reflect upon and propose ways in which it can best move forward in a manner that continues to give life to our faith and to our responsibility as Christian disciples,” the bishop said.

Pastors and Parish Life Coordinators have already started the process of looking towards the future and are expected to broaden the conversation with parish leadership and all parishioners in the coming months.

“We continue to work very hard to foster vocations to the priesthood, diaconate and consecrated life. We so desperately need the unique gifts of those who are called to these vocations within the Church, especially those of our priests. Yet, each of you, because of your baptism, also has a vocational calling to which we need you to respond,” Bishop Bambera said. “Your involvement in the life of the Church and in this process, more than anything else, will give us a vision into your particular parish and, in turn, will serve the needs of our Diocese as a whole.”

 

WILKES-BARRE, PA — After months of planning and construction, the opening of the new CYC Annex Child Care Center will help to meet the growing needs of child care in the Wyoming Valley.

A ribbon cutting ceremony for the new facility located on South Washington Street was held on Wednesday, December 4, at 1:00 p.m.

The new facility includes two infant rooms, a pre-school classroom, kitchen area and laundry room.

“We are elated to be able to convert this vacant space into something valuable for our community,” Mark Soprano, Executive Director of the Catholic Youth Center, said. “We are excited to be able to provide more families in Luzerne County with quality child care!”

Within the last year, the Catholic Youth Center has seen a tremendous increase in need for its child care services. During the months of December 2018 through February 2019, the center went from an average enrollment of 227 children per day to more than 300 per day.

The new CYC Annex Child Care Center will provide additional space to increase enrollment by 45 children and will also create six new full-time positions at the agency.

“Since opening our doors in 1948, the CYC has been a backbone of our community. This year marks the 20^th year that the CYC has provided child care 24 hours a day. Over the years, our facility has become much more than just a place of recreational opportunities as we have also focused on educational programs and social development,” Soprano said.

Funding for the project was made possible by a grant provided by the Moses Taylor Foundation. Work on the Annex began this summer. In addition to the grant money, more than 300 hours of volunteer time has helped prepare the facility for its grand opening.

 

“So many people hear about the CYC and see the front of our building but once they come inside, they really are in awe of what is taking place on a daily basis. We invite and welcome members of our community to come and see the new CYC Annex Child Care Center and learn more about our activities and programs,” Soprano added.

The annex location that has been renovated has a long history in the community. The space, which had been vacant since August 2018, was most recently occupied by Coordinated Child Care which offered subsidized care for working families.

The annex was also previously home to the Catholic Guild Studios and Catholic Social Services office until the early 1990’s at which time the Guild closed at Catholic Social Services moved to Northampton Street. Luzerne County also previously rented the space for its Single Point of Contact (SPOC) program which provided job training/placement for young parents. While the parent was attending training, submitting applications or attending job interviews, their children were cared for by CYC staff on site.

Even with the opening of the new facility, the planning is not compete. An outdoor courtyard with picnic tables, play space and greenery is expected to be added in the spring.

 

Blessed Sacrament Parish is celebrating ten years (established December 13 2009) and looking back at 125 years since Roman Catholics first organized in the town of Throop.

The Joseph C. Karolewicz Chapter of Blessed Sacrament Parish Holy Name celebrated by inviting parishioners 75 years and older, all altar servers and their parents/guardians, free as guest to their annual communion breakfast.

The focus additionally was a recognition of the permanent diaconate with short talks by two deacons with ties to the history of Blessed Sacrament Parish. Deacon John Musyt of Blessed Sacrament and Holy Cross Parishes in Throop and Olyphant, and Deacon Matt Lorent of the Parish of B.V.M./Queen of Peace-St.Veronica, Hawley and Lake Wallenpaupack Area addressed the gathering, and Nicholas Rocco who is on the path to becoming a deacon, and who also has ties to the parish, were recognized.

 

 

No one should die alone.

 

That is why dozens of Notre Dame High School students traveled to Saint Matthew’s Church in East Stroudsburg on Tuesday, Nov. 19, to celebrate a funeral Mass for Edwin Carl Hughes, 68, of Stroudsburg.

Hughes passed away from pneumonia at Lehigh Valley Hospital-Pocono on October 17, but his body went unclaimed.

Notre Dame senior Heidi Martens wanted to honor Hughes and organized the funeral service for him.

“I felt that nobody should die alone. I feel like, as a Catholic, we have to mourn. The Corporal Works of Mercy is bury the dead respectfully so nobody should have to die alone,” Martens said.

As her senior service project, Martens created the Saint Joseph Arimathea Ministry at Notre Dame High School. The ministry will provide volunteer pallbearers, readers and altar servers along with choir services to small families, indigent people or those who die alone.

Through her work, Martens learned as much as she could about Edwin Hughes.

“Edwin was in the Air Force for about two years and then he resided in Tennessee and was in the National Guard for about seven years and then he came back to live in Stroudsburg. There wasn’t a lot on him. I only had his papers from the Air Force to make the obituary,” Martens said.

Martens got some help from her classmates at Notre Dame to put together the funeral service.

“My grandfather was in the service, World War II and my father’s great uncle also died in France during World War II and just imagining this man as my uncle in France and honoring him with this service was just a right cause and the right thing to do,” fellow Notre Dame senior Patrick Carney said.

After hearing about Martens effort, the Monroe County Honor Guard attended the service to properly honor Hughes for his service. Fellow students served as readers, altar servers and choir members.

Father Jerry W. Shantillo celebrated the funeral Mass and was touched by the students’ compassion.

“They’re getting what our mission is all about,” Father Shantillo said following the Mass. “I think it reinforces our teaching that we believe that every human being is born and they’re created in the likeness and image of God and they have a great dignity because of that.”

Father Shantillo said he was pleased to see the efforts of Martens and her classmates.

“I saw the future of the Church. I see our young people who are really in love with the Church and their faith. Sometimes, maybe, some of their peers aren’t as interested in the faith but what I think I saw was that when they realize that they’re all together in this and they make up the body of Christ and they’re all on fire about their faith, it just gives us a lot of hope for our future,” Father Shantillo added.

Following the service, Martens felt satisfied she was able to honor someone she never even met.

“I just feel good. I feel veterans have done so much for us, it was our time to give back and I couldn’t have done it without the support of my community and school,” Martens said.

 

The Diocese of Scranton has once again been found in compliance with the U.S. Bishops’ “Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People.”

The Diocese has passed independent audits of its child protection procedures every year since the policy was adopted by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops in 2002.

For the audit, the Diocese submitted data to Stonebridge Business Partners, a Rochester, N.Y. firm that is tasked with conducting compliance audits of the nation’s 195 dioceses.

The audit evaluates each diocese’s efforts to ensure the protection of children, including criminal background checks and educational awareness programs on recognizing and preventing abuse.

Among the information the Diocese of Scranton reported to the auditors: 13,120 students currently enrolled in Catholic schools in the Diocese or in parish religious education programs have received Safe Environment training.

A total of 237 priests who are in active ministry, along with 77 permanent deacons and 20 seminarians and candidates for the Diaconate have also received that training.

More than 420 educators and administrators in Diocesan schools, more than 1,750 employees of the Diocese or its parishes across 11 counties and 3,740 volunteers at schools, parishes and Diocesan facilities have also received valuable information to keep children safe.

Between July 1, 2018 and June 30, 2019, the audit period, a total of 83 in-person training sessions of the VIRTUS Protecting God’s Children Program were held across the Diocese of Scranton.

More than 3,300 individuals also completed training on Recognizing and Reporting Child Abuse in Pennsylvania.

The Diocese of Scranton’s Safe Environment Office ensures that Charter standards are continually met.

For more information on the Diocese of Scranton’s Safe Environment Program, visit www.dioceseofscranton.org/child-protection-victim-assistance/

 

 

SCRANTON, PA – The 8th annual Run Against Hunger, which benefits the St. Francis of Assisi Kitchen, will take place on Saturday, November 9 at 9 a.m. The 5k/10k run and two-mile walk will take place at the LHVA River Trail, Olive Street trailhead, in Scranton. (Near the Ice Box Sports Complex)

Cost to pre-register is $25 for the 5k run or 2-mile walk and $30 for the 10k run. Registration for all events the day of run/walk is $35. It is free for children under the age of 10. Race day registration will take place from 7:30 a.m. to 8:45 a.m.

The Scranton Running Company and AllOne Charities are hosting the event.  The presenting sponsor is Electric City Dental. Matthew Byrne, the founder and director of Run Against Hunger and co-founder of the Scranton Running Company will be available for questions. Rob Williams, director, St. Francis of Assisi Kitchen, will also be available.

The St. Francis of Assisi Kitchen, located at 500 Penn Ave in Scranton, is open seven days per week, 365 days per year, and serves more than 100,000 hot meals per year.

 

SAYRE, PA (November 7, 2019) – John and Joan Schoonover, Sayre, are serving the Diocese of Scranton as regional chairpersons for the 2019 Diocesan Annual Appeal, representing Bradford, Sullivan and Susquehanna Counties while Father Philip Rayappan, Pastor of Holy Name of Mary, Montrose, is serving as clergy chair for the region.

Mr. and Mrs. Schoonover are parishioners of Epiphany Parish and members of the Pastoral Council, the Stewardship Implementation Team and the choir. The couple have three children and four grandsons.

“When we are truly grateful for all God’s blessings, then we know that we must share them with others. God gives us gifts of time, treasure and talent and we, in turn, use them to serve others in His name,” Joan Schoonover said.

The Diocese established the Appeal in 1987 to support vital religious and social service ministries which now include: Catholic Social Services; Catholic schools; clergy education and care; parish life, social justice and faith formation programs; and Catholic media and communications. The goal of this year’s Appeal is $5 million.

“Giving to the Appeal is a great statement about where we should be and what we should be doing,” John Schoonover said. “Please continue your support of your parishes and the Appeal and please encourage your friends and fellow parishioners to do the same!”

More than 4,500 students are receiving a quality, faith-based education in our 20 Catholic schools. Catholic education is at the center of our commitment to pass on the faith to our children and is supported by the Appeal.

Feeding the hungry and providing clothing and shelter to the poor are at the heart of the mission of the Diocese of Scranton. Gifts to the Appeal help Catholic Social Services serve more than 300,000 people each year and fund grants to parishes to provide programs in support of those in need throughout the Diocese.

Father Rayappan added, “Individuals who depend on the Diocesan ministries and services need our monetary support. We have a responsibility for this work to continue…We have to shine as Christ’s light. We have to share our blessings through the Appeal and do our share, my share, because we love our Church!”

For more information on all of the Diocesan programs supported by the Annual Appeal, to view the Annual Appeal video in English and Spanish or to make a donation online, visit www.annualappeal.org. Gifts may also be made by calling the Diocesan Development Office at (570) 207-2250 or by sending a donation to: Diocesan Annual Appeal, 300 Wyoming Ave., Scranton, PA, 18503-1279.