ROARING BROOK TOWNSHIP – With the beautiful colors of the changing autumn season providing a picturesque backdrop outside its church, the community of Saint Eulalia Parish gathered in prayer, thanksgiving, and celebration to mark a milestone 75 years in the making.
The Most Rev. Joseph C. Bambera, Bishop of Scranton, was the principal celebrant and homilist of a special 75th Anniversary Mass at 10:30 a.m. on Sunday, Oct. 12, 2025.
The pews of the church were filled with several hundred faithful, including longtime parishioners older than the parish itself and young children who will carry it into the future.
Following Mass, a catered luncheon in the parish hall drew more than 220 guests.
“We have a vibrant parish with a wonderful past and a hopeful future,” Father David Cramer, pastor, said. “Great things are happening here at the parish for worship and service. We have a good number of kids in religious education – more than 200 – and a lot of baptisms and a nice number of weddings.”
Founded as an independent parish in 1950, Saint Eulalia’s roots reach back even further – to its days as a mission church in the late 1920s. The original stone church was dedicated in 1927 on land donated by the Vogelbocker family, and its current home on Blue Shutters Road – built in 1984 – reflects the growth and vision of a parish constantly evolving to meet the needs of its people.
“Today was a nice celebration to bring everybody together,” parishioner Linda Naro explained. “We had a very good turnout.”
Naro contributed to the anniversary celebration in a special way by painting a new icon of Saint Eulalia for the occasion.
“We had a small one that I did 11 years ago when I was first learning, so I felt that we needed a new one, since my painting has progressed,” she added. “During the Mass, Bishop Bambera blessed it with incense.”
Naro’s icon was also reproduced on commemorative holy cards distributed to attendees at the luncheon, featuring a prayer to the young saint who continues to inspire the community that bears her name.
Saint Eulalia was a 13-year-old Spanish girl martyred in the third century for refusing to renounce her faith. Her courage and faithfulness remain central to the parish’s identity today.
That same spirit of courage, faith, and unity is what 75th anniversary committee member Paulette Nish said makes Saint Eulalia a special place.
“The biggest thing for me is the sense of community that our parish has. We have wonderful families that are part of this community,” Nish stated. “It is just wonderful to have multiple generations celebrating with us this morning.”
The Mass itself was a joyful liturgy – enhanced by the voices of several choirs – including a children’s choir that sang following Holy Communion.
James Muniz, a lifelong parishioner, emphasized the day was not just about the celebration, but about what it represents.
“This is a celebration of the community that we’ve built here. We have a beautiful building, but it is the people that are really the ‘parish,’” Muniz explained. “I’m proud because of the work that we do … we come here to gain the energy to go out into the community, and as the deacon said, to proclaim the Gospel with our lives.”
A strong sense of fellowship was a recurring theme mentioned by parishioners.
“Our parish is like a big family,” parishioner Teri Taynton, added, describing the Mass as “absolutely beautiful.”
Father Cramer said he believes the parish’s best days are still to come because its people remain rooted in faith, love, and service.
“The Lord has even greater blessings for us in the future,” Father Cramer said.