SCRANTON – In his more than 15 years as leader of the Diocese of Scranton, the Most Rev. Joseph C. Bambera, Bishop of Scranton, said he could not recall a local liturgy that more powerfully radiated the universality of the Catholic Church than the World Mission Sunday Mass celebrated on Oct. 19 at the Cathedral of Saint Peter.
“I don’t think I have ever experienced a Mass in this Cathedral in all of my years as Bishop that has reminded us of the fact that our hands reach across oceans and countries to one another as brothers and sisters in the Lord,” the Bishop said at the close of the liturgy. “May we continue to live in that spirit!”
The Mass, which drew a diverse crowd of religious sisters and lay faithful, featured both the Cathedral choir and a Congolese choir that sang in Swahili. Their voices highlighted the richness of the global Church – not just in song – but in shared mission.
While Bishop Bambera served as principal celebrant of the World Mission Sunday Mass, the homily was delivered by Bishop Matthew Kwasi Gyamfi, Bishop of Sunyani, Ghana – a longtime friend of the Scranton Diocese.
He called on the faithful to rekindle their missionary spirit and recognize their shared role in the Church’s global mission.
“This task of evangelization to all corners of the earth was given, not only to the pope or bishops and religious, but to all of us,” Bishop Gyamfi said.
He also reminded those in attendance that the Church’s mission is far from complete.
“There are still vast areas of the world where people have never heard the name of Jesus,” he shared. “I come from one such area. There are still children growing up without a church to worship in, a priest to baptize them, or a catechist to guide them.”
Bishop Gyamfi offered a powerful scriptural image from the first reading: Moses, whose arms were held up by Aaron and Hur, to ensure victory in battle. Likewise, he said, Bishops need their priests, and the Church needs every lay person, to sustain the mission.
“Working together, we win,” he said. “Each of us has a role to play.”
The impact of that shared mission is critically important for the Diocese of Sunyani.
In recent years, financial and spiritual support from Scranton has helped fund schools, health clinics, assisted with seminarian tuition, and assisted with chapel construction in some of the most remote corners of Ghana.
Bishop Gymafi recalled how Bishop Bambera, on visits to Sunyani in 2022 and 2023, saw firsthand the impact of that support.
“On behalf of our priests, clergy, religious, and the lay faithful of the Catholic Diocese of Sunyani, I express my sincerest gratitude and profound appreciation for helping us,” Bishop Gyamfi added. “You may never come there (Ghana), but your contributions go far and make an impact.”
There are currently eight priests from the Diocese of Sunyani serving as pastors, assistant pastors, or administrators in parishes throughout the Diocese of Scranton. These men are among more than 20 international priests currently serving locally.
As the celebration concluded, Bishop Bambera expressed his admiration for Bishop Gyamfi’s words and the profound reminder they offer.
“You are not only a dear friend and colleague to me, but your presence here reminds us of the great relationship that we have with the Diocese of Sunyani,” Bishop Bambera noted.
Shannon Kowalski, Director of the Pontifical Mission Societies in the Diocese of Scranton, said people often think missionaries are elsewhere spread across the globe – but there are missionaries right here in Scranton.
“Today’s Mass was a vibrant illustration of what World Mission Sunday is meant to be,” she said.
Kowalski hopes people will be inspired by Bishop Gyamfi’s final words of challenge.
“The Lord calls us to go to the corners of the world,” Bishop Gyamfi said. “What have you been doing? What can you do?”