SCRANTON – The Cathedral of Saint Peter was filled with youthful energy Nov. 2, 2025, as young adults from across the Diocese of Scranton gathered for the tenth annual Leave a Mark Mass.
This year’s liturgy, celebrated by the Most Rev. Joseph C. Bambera, Bishop of Scranton, also held special significance because it not only marked the beginning of National Vocation Awareness Week, but also coincided with the Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed (All Souls’ Day).
Launched in 2016 in response to Pope Francis’ challenge at World Youth Day in Poland – urging young people not to “vegetate” through life but to “leave a mark” on the world – the annual Mass has quickly become popular with teenagers as they think about how God is calling them to serve the Church.
“Open your hearts to the power and presence of God, to reflect upon the ways in which the Lord is calling you to serve the Church and to walk as His disciples,” Bishop Bambera said in his greeting at the beginning of Mass.
Jian Carlo Capellan, a young adult from Saint Matthew Parish in East Stroudsburg, attended the Leave a Mark Mass for the first time this year and called the experience “awesome.”
“It was beautiful to be able to go in the Cathedral,” Capellan said. “I think it’s very important that youth come together and congregate together to learn more about God and his teachings.”
This was also the first Leave a Mark Mass that Alexandra Villarreal, a parishioner of Saint Teresa of Calcutta Parish in Scranton, attended.
“Connecting with teens my age really opens new ground to connecting with God and how we can build on the church,” she said.
Sophia Petrus, a university sophomore, said returning to the Leave a Mark Mass for a second year felt like coming home.
“I came here for the first time last year and I met so many great people. I met the Capuchin Sisters of Nazareth and I decided in a week to go on a retreat with them,” Petrus said.
Father Alex Roche, Diocesan Secretary for Clergy Formation and Diocesan Director of Vocations and Seminarians served as homilist for the Leave a Mark Mass.
Reflecting on both All Souls’ Day and the call to discipleship, Father Roche offered a reflection on the ancient phrase memento mori, which means “remember your death.”
He challenged all people attending the Mass to keep their focus on what truly endures.
“So many of the things that we spend so much of our time worrying about and obsessing over, simply don’t matter in the end,” Father Roche said. “What matters is how we follow our call, how each, in our own unique way, brought God’s peace, beauty, hope and love into the world.”
Following Mass, young adults gathered at the Diocesan Pastoral Center for a reception featuring food trucks from The Greek Shack and All Belgium. As they ate, those in attendance also got to learn more about vocations to religious life or the priesthood if they were interested.
Liam Barry, who just entered Saint Andrew’s College Seminary in South Orange, N.J., believes the Leave a Mark Mass is an important event to build up vocations to the priesthood.
“I think it’s very important for young people to take an active role in the church because we are the future of the church,” Barry stated.