SCRANTON – The faithful of Mary, Mother of God Parish gathered on Sunday, Nov. 9, for a special Mass honoring the men and women who have served in the United States Armed Forces.
Patriotic touches throughout the 11 a.m. Mass celebration created a celebration not only rooted in faith – but also in gratitude.
While many parishes throughout the Diocese of Scranton commemorate Veterans Day with special liturgies, this community goes above and beyond, not only recognizing veterans during Mass but also reaching out with gifts, visits to the homebound, and a home-cooked meal for residents of the nearby Saint Francis Commons veterans facility.
“We have the freedom to worship, or not worship, because of those who sacrificed so much. They gave so much of their lives and many never came home. It is the least we can do. We’ll do this every year,” Father Cyril D. Edwards, pastor of Mary, Mother of God Parish, said. “It’s a way to teach patriotism, to teach gratitude in the context of worship. It was really beautiful. We had a huge crowd at the Mass.”
Before the liturgy began, there was a moving procession that featured eight parish veterans carrying flags representing each branch of the military.
Seeing one of the veterans, Adam Ambrogi, who was accompanied by his granddaughter, Victoria Siess, brought many in the crowd to tears.
“I was crying like a baby,” Donna Zupp, a member of the parish’s Service and Coordinating Team, admitted. “Some of these gentlemen have been doing it for a couple of years. Sadly, we have had a couple who have done it that are no longer with us or weren’t able to carry the flag.”
Other parish veterans who participated in the procession were Larry Butler, Bob Jones, Vince Carden, Joe O’Connor, Mike Gavin, Jerry Walsh, and Joe Fadden.
In the pews, even the youngest parishioners joined in the celebration, waving small American flags.
“The service and community teams were looking for a special event that would have a powerful impact on all different ages. We owe our veterans an infinite amount of gratitude,” Father Edwards explained. “Seeing people crying as I walked down the aisle at the end of Mass, you can see that they were touched.”
Jerry Walsh, a parishioner and veteran of the Army Reserves’ Signal Corps 305, said he was “very honored” to participate.
“I really appreciated everybody that was in the church,” he said. “I know they were very pleased to see the flags and the way we presented them.”
The celebration didn’t end with Mass. Parish volunteers prepared gift bags for local veterans who attended. They also delivered 20 bags to parish veterans who are homebound or in nursing homes. Each bag included a homemade scarf, a grocery store gift card, and chocolate – small tokens meant to remind recipients that their service is never forgotten.
At the back of the church, a “Table of Thanks” offered parishioners a chance to write messages of gratitude, which will remain on the altar throughout November.
“My son is a captain in the United States Army Reserves, so this is something that is very dear to my heart,” Jennifer Pitts, a parish volunteer who helped lead the committee that organized the event, said. “It was very emotional today. It was beautiful.”
The parish’s outreach also extends to Saint Francis Commons, a Scranton veterans’ facility operated by Catholic Social Services of the Diocese of Scranton.
While parish volunteers regularly visit the facility with coffee and donuts, the Marian Society of the parish prepared and served a “Thanksgiving-style” dinner there on Nov. 12 – one more way to express gratitude.
“It is a blessing to take care of them and to be able to honor them,” Zupp said.