Matteo Bruni, director of the Vatican press office, said the reception of the body into St. Peters Basilica would be a private ceremony. It often seems as if science the natural sciences on the one hand and historical research, like the exegesis of Sacred Scripture, on the other are able to offer irrefutable results at odds with the Catholic faith, he said. And, while they are walking, Jesus helps them reinterpret the facts in a different way, in the light of the prophecies, of the Word of God, the pope said. As expected, in his first speech in Hungary to government and civic leaders and diplomats serving in Budapest the pope acknowledged efforts to protect traditional values, but insisted those values include supporting European unity, welcoming migrants and working to end the war in neighboring Ukraine. Jewish and Muslim organizations also sent delegations. We are the church, so we wanted to gather with the church, here in person, for this moment, she told CNS. It was widely reported before his death that his burial site would be in the chapel where St. John Paul IIs body rested until his beatification in 2011. The retired cardinal was arrested in May and fined in November together with five others on charges of failing to properly register a now-defunct fund to help anti-government protesters. ', Cardinal Robert W. McElroy of San Diego also reflected on Pope Benedict XVIs death with sadness and gratitude, saying he served God with sacrifice and courage, brilliance and wisdom, humility and kindness for his entire life.. The experience of the pandemic teaches us that no one can save himself alone, but that together we can walk the path of peace and development, he said. The Ad Altare Dei program centers on the Sacraments and the program for the Pope Pius XII emblem helps scouts explore vocations (single, married, religious, ordained) and ministries in the Church as calls from God. Todays Gospel invites us to tell Jesus everything, sincerely, without being afraid of disturbing him he listens without fear of saying the wrong thing, without shame at our struggle to understand, he said. For further information contact Mike Kilmer 570-746-0100 or michaelkilmer71@gmail.com. Many of these scandals involve the leadership, or lack thereof, regarding the current Bishop of the Diocese, Bishop Joseph Bambera. Pope Francis chose Father Jeffery Walsh to be the next bishop of the Diocese of Gaylord. The funeral Mass, presided over by Pope Francis, will be in St. Peters Square Jan. 5 starting at 9:30 a.m. Rome time. The information presented on this website is for informational purposes. He was ordained to the priesthood for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia by Cardinal John J. Krol May 18, 1985. Many U.S. bishops also reflected on how Pope Benedict XVIs intellectual contributions and humility went hand-in-hand, rooted in a life of following Jesus Christ. A damp chill hung in the air at 9 in the morning when the doors of the basilica opened to the public on the first of three days to view the popes body. His tomb is located between the only two women buried in the grotto under the basilica: the 15th-century Queen Charlotte of Cyprus and the 17th-century Queen Christina of Sweden. During different retreat days held in Lent, students at each school brought in items to create 188 birthday bags filled with boxed cake mix, icing, sprinkles, candles, balloons and a disposable cake pan. He was wearing black shoes not the red ones he was known for as pope and was holding a crucifix and rosary. His long life included not only his ecclesial contributions, but his impassioned pleas for world peace, human understanding, and global solidarity, Cardinal Wilton Gregory, archbishop of Washington, said in a statement praising Benedicts distinguished and generous life in service to Catholicism and humanity., Cardinal Sen P. OMalley, archbishop of Boston, whom Pope Benedict XVI made a cardinal in 2006, and president of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors since its establishment in 2014, said in a statement that he always found the late pope to be an engaged leader, thoughtful in his decisions and always committed to the mission of the Church., Cardinal OMalley recalled Pope Benedict XVIs deep pastoral care for the survivors when the cardinal accompanied survivors of clergy sexual abuse to a meeting with the pope in Washington during the pontiffs 2008 pastoral visit to the United States. Its something I wont forget in my whole life.. The message, the cardinal said, emphasizes that a vocation is the gift of self, a call that is common to all Christians: all are called to be on the front line, to do their part so that the earth may become the common home in which individuals and peoples live together as brothers and sisters, under the gaze of the one Father., In his message, Pope Francis said that, led by the Spirit, Christians are challenged to respond to existential peripheries and human dramas, ever conscious that the mission is Gods work., The mission, he said, is not carried out by us alone, but always in ecclesial communion, together with our brothers and sisters, and under the guidance of the churchs pastors., The multiplicity of vocations, gifts and responsibilities in the church, he said, always has been part of Gods dream: that we should live with him in a communion of love.. Nearby Karolina Hejka, a Polish woman, was standing alongside a bright pink floral suitcase and an overnight bag; she also said being present for the funeral was a surprise. Walter Hurley and the Temple of (Diocesan) Doom The End? The evening before the funeral Mass a small assembly of cardinals, officials of St. Peters Basilica and members of the late popes household gathered in St. Peters Basilica to witness Pope Benedicts body being placed into a cypress casket and closed. SCRANTON, LACKAWANNA COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) The Diocese of Scranton announced the death of a former bishop who passed away on Easter Sunday. Pope Benedict had moved into the building shortly after retiring in 2013. The ceremony took place Jan. 4 after about 195,000 people had paid their respects to the pope over three days of public viewing. That statistic is basically on par with one showing that fully one quarter of all Catholics in this country are foreign born, explained Father Gaunt.While the majority (89%) of ordinands were not homeschooled, the data indicated the 11% who were educated at home (for an average of 8 years, among the 2023 class) could rise to an estimated 13% by 2028. Im confident that the music and singing at our diocesan staff Christmas party will be kicked up a few notches, he added. He said he was in Rome for his studies when Pope Benedict was elected in 2005, and I met him once after an Easter Mass, which means Im still kind of processing the fact that he found himself back in Rome when the pope died. Responding to questions about whether Pope Benedict XVI would be buried with a pastoral staff or a papal ferula, which is a staff topped with a cross, Bruni said the ferula is only held by a reigning pope and that no pope is ever buried with either item. Crys Keler Formentin from Brazil, along with four friends, stood in St. Peters Square with their luggage. In an age of flaunted raw ambition, he did not cling to power. They had come to the Vatican straight from the airport after hearing that Pope Benedicts funeral was the day they were arriving in Rome on tickets purchased months ago. I think it truly symbolically closes the earthly symbiosis of the two popes the Polish and German pontiff, added Yago de la Cierva, professor at the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross in Rome. It will be a joy to have the whole church represented in Rome for the synod.. The Lord quietly bestows the spirit of meekness that is ready to understand, accept, hope and risk, notwithstanding any misunderstandings that might result. While we grieve that he is no longer with us here, I join Catholics everywhere in offering my profound gratitude to the Lord for the gift of Pope Benedict XVI and his ministry, said Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. A group of 20 women, members of the Notre-Dame de Vie secular institute, drove 12 hours from southern France to attend the funeral. Turning to his efforts at dialogue, the document said that he successfully promoted dialogue with Anglicans, Jews and representatives of other religions, as well as resumed contacts with the priests of the St. Pius X community.. As a scholar and churchman his whole life, Pope Benedict XVI showed us what it means to fulfill the ancient command to love God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your mind, said Cardinal Blase J. Cupich, archbishop of Chicago. The text, released in Latin and Italian shortly before the popes funeral Mass Jan. 5, highlighted his work as a theologian, his ecumenical outreach, his relations with the Jewish community and his efforts to deal with the clerical sexual abuse scandal. Father into your hands I commend my spirit, the pope said, is the plan for life that Jesus quietly invites and inspires people to follow. Diego Giovanni Ravelli, and Archbishop Georg Gnswein, the late popes longtime personal secretary, together placed an opened Book of the Gospels on the casket. Now, its a little more unusual to see a seminarian or someone entering the novitiate for a religious community entering at age 40 or 45.. Shavertown, PA 18708 Attn: Mens Conference, Also put Mens Conference on the memo line of the check. But he assured those reading the document that throughout his life he had seen science offer apparent certainties against the faith only to see them vanish, proving not to be science, but philosophical interpretations only apparently pertaining to science., At the same time, he said, it is in dialogue with the natural sciences that faith too has learned to better understand the limit of the scope of its claims, and thus its specificity.. I started way back in first grade and now Im a junior in high school, he explained. Bishop Gainer, who has headed the Harrisburg Diocese since 2014, turned 75 last August, the age at which canon requires bishops to submit their resignation to the pope. Allison Van Pelt, who has served as an altar server and sacristan at Saint Jude Parish, believes the morals and values taught in scouting help to empower young people to live as disciples of Jesus Christ in our world today. JOSEPH LUAN An estimated 50,000 people filled the square for the Mass, and a number of visitors told Catholic News Service that banners and flags were being confiscated by security upon entrance. The fee is $40 (Early Bird $30), Students $15, Priest/Deacons FREE. SCRANTON Former Bishop James C. Timlin, the former bishop of the Scranton Diocese who was ensarled in the Catholic Church sex abuse scandal, died Sunday at 95. Together, we want to say, Father, into your hands we commend his spirit.'. Hannah OConnor from Rhode Island credits Pope Benedict as being instrumental in her conversion during college, where we read a lot of Ratzinger., His writings and pontificate were an important part of my journey, she said, and I hope that people keep encountering his works and are brought to the one church through beauty, thats what really drew me in., Sugey Viramontes from Mexico told CNS that, without a doubt, his example of simplicity, and above all how he spent his last few years, always in prayer, is a great example for us young people., Inside the basilica, staff and security kept visitors moving smoothly and quickly, letting people stop before the popes remains long enough to make the sign of the cross and take a picture or two before being asked quietly to Please, move along.. Elected St. John Pauls successor April 19, 2005, it said, he presented himself as a humble worker in the vineyard of the Lord' when he greeted the crowds from the central balcony of St. Peters Basilica. After his death, the late popes body was moved into the chapel of the Mater Ecclesiae Monastery in the Vatican Gardens. After the funeral Mass, the popes casket was taken to the chapel in the crypt of St. Peters Basilica where he was to be buried. As you can see, the space in the tent is being enlarged, Cardinal Mario Grech, synod secretary-general, told reporters, echoing the title that had been chosen for the working document for the just-completed continental phase of the synod. Some 120 cardinals, another 400 bishops and 3,700 priests concelebrated. The resignation and appointment were publicized in Washington April 25 by Archbishop Christophe Pierre, apostolic nuncio to the United States. And the only official delegations to be present will be from Germany and Italy, the Vatican said. White ordinands accounted for 64% of the 2023 class, with 10% Asian and Pacific Islander, 6% Black or African, and 3% representing other ethnic backgrounds.A significant number of the 2023 ordinands (25%) were born abroad. The popes decision to expand the categories of synod members, the April statement said, is in continuity with the Catholic Churchs growing understanding of the synodal dimension of the church and the consequent understanding of the institutions through which it is exercised.. The rogito, a document rolled up and placed in a tube, was placed in the casket with the body. VATICAN CITY (CNS) Jesus knows how to turn every difficulty or fall into a step forward, Pope Francis said. (Pope Francis canonized him and St. John XXIII in 2014.). On May 9, only a month after the Polish pontiffs death, the new pope began the beatification process for Pope John Paul II. Yet the sounds of German folk music permeated the dense air as some 500 traditionally dressed Bavarians descended upon the Vatican to attend the funeral of their beloved countryman, Pope Benedict XVI. Since this was the first time in four years that the Scout Mass has been celebrated, four individuals were also presented with the Saint George Emblem, which honors a member of the laity or clergy, scout or non-scout alike, who have made significant and outstanding contributions to the spiritual development of Catholic youths through scouting. VATICAN CITY (CNS) A quiet hush covered the vast expanse of St. Peters Square even though it was filled with thousands of people slowly winding their way around the colonnade into St. Peters Basilica to pay their last respects to the late Pope Benedict XVI. One member of the group, Marguerite Mouton, said she had seen the late pope on four different occasions, and didnt want to miss the chance for a fifth. Ravelli extended a white silk cloth over the deceased popes face. Timothy Christian Senior was born March 22, 1960, in North Wales, Pennsylvania, to James Harwood (d. 1977) and Elise (ne Rothwell) Senior. Due to high inflation and financial challenges, however, not every family is able to afford the extras associated with a big bash. Pope Benedict XVI would spend a lot of time in the chapel. In the course of our lives, he said, this call, which is part of the fiber of our being and the secret of our happiness, comes to us by the work of the Holy Spirit in ever new ways. Senior was named an auxiliary bishop for Philadelphia June 8, 2009, and he was ordained a bishop July 31, 2009. The report coincides with the 60th annual World Day of Prayer for Vocations, celebrated April 30, the Fourth Sunday of Easter, which is also known as Good Shepherd Sunday in the Latin Church. Bishop Timlin, who was The first reading will be taken from the Book of Isaiah (29:16-19) in which the Lord says there will be a day when the deaf will hear the words of a scroll and, after gloom and darkness, the eyes of the blind will see. A pope known for his concern for the environment, he thanked God for the beauty of his Bavarian homeland, in which I always saw the splendor of the Creator himself shining through.. He was declared blessed May 1, 2011. Born in 1927, Joseph Ratzinger was raised in a Germany struggling to recover from the first World War; Adolf Hitler came to power when the future pope was only 7. After Loughney was charged with soliciting underage males, he was removed from ministry following significant negative publicity. In July 2022, Archbishop Prez named him seminary chancellor with responsibility over the plans for the seminarys move from its historic Wynnewood campus west of Philadelphia in 2024 to Lower Gwynedd Township, which is northeast of the city. I know Bishop Senior will serve them joyfully as a faithful shepherd.. Manuel Kustermann, dressed in lederhosen, toted a large bass drum bearing the insignia of his hometown as he marched into the square. WebDiocese of Scranton Serves; Advocacy; Parish Social Justice Trust Fund Grants; Ministries for Persons with Disabilities; Ministry Formation. Loughney, Fr. Ive learned so much more than tying knots and building fires. As he raised his hands to convey the amount of rain that poured down on the more than 1 million young people gathered for Mass that day, a Paraguayan woman from across the aisle recognized the story and interjected in Spanish I was there, too! Being able to see and pay homage to the late pope made the group part of a really incredible piece of history, he said. As the day began, the thick morning fog obscuring the cupola slowly began to lift as 12 laymen emerged from the basilica carrying the popes casket. However, he said, the path requires sustained and prayerful devotion that is silently shaped and refined amid the challenges and resistance that every pastor must face in trusting obedience to the Lords command to feed his flock.. Written in German and dated Aug. 29, 2006 in the second year of his almost eight-year pontificate Pope Benedict wrote with great affection of his parents, his sister and his brother, the beauty of Bavaria and his faith in God. Jesus Christ is truly the way, the truth and the life and the church, with all its inadequacies, is truly his body., In the end, Pope Benedict wrote, I humbly ask: pray for me, so that the Lord, despite all my sins and inadequacies, may receive me into his eternal dwelling.. His statement said the former popes keen intellect invigorated the New Evangelization by drawing hearts and minds into the mystery of our redemption in Christ, and inspiring countless men and women to spread the Gospel by the example of their lives., Archbishop Salvatore J. Cordileone of San Francisco said Pope Benedict XVIs passing marks the loss of one of the worlds greatest theologians and pastors of souls of the 20th and early 21st centuries., Many generations to come will benefit from the breadth and depth of his understanding of our faith tradition and ability to communicate it clearly and effectively, he said in a statement provided to OSV News by his communications office. The Diocese of Scranton has been rocked by a series of sexual abuse scandals among its clergy. The Polish pope wanted to transform the Church in every country, but he needed someone to remain in the office to make sure his new initiatives were truly Catholic, he needed to have a theologian as a backup. The crowd applauded as the cypress casket was brought into the square and placed before the altar. Ask the Lord to console him and sustain him in his witness of love for the church until the very end, Pope Francis had said at the end of his general audience. When he returned to Philadelphia, he served in the archdiocesan Secretariat for Catholic Human Services from 1992 to 2004, first as deputy secretary and then secretary. WASHINGTON (OSV News) Across the U.S., Catholic bishops called on the faithful to unite in mourning for retired Pope Benedict XVI, who died on the eve of the new year. He also has a master of divinity and a master of arts degrees in pastoral theology degrees from the seminary. Medlin as been the Assistant Vocations Director for the Diocese of Gaylord. The Synod of Bishops will remain a synod of bishops, Cardinal Grech said, but it will be enriched by representatives of the whole church. This Years Theme Is Stand Fast In The Faith. Registration begins at 7:00 am (coffee available). He then studied at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary, earning bachelor of philosophy degree in 1981. That day changed my life and left a mark that has endured to the present day, the pope wrote. Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich, relator general of the synod, told reporters April 26 that about 21% of the synods 370 members would not be bishops and at least half of that group would be women. For information on group visits, please contact amwelsh@eriercd.org. Elizabeth Redington from Gate of Heaven Parish in Dallas earned the recognition in 2022, Mark Kuloszewski of Saint Lucy Parish received it for 2021 and C.J. Bryan Medlin, who is accused of inappropriate text messaging to minors. Archbishop Mokrzycki was a secretary of St. John Paul II, and Pope Benedict asked him to continue his mission for the first two years of his papacy. More than 1,000 journalists, photographers and camera operators from around the world were accredited to cover the funeral in St. Peters Square. And, finally, he wrote, I thank God for all the beauty I experienced at every stage of my journey, especially in Rome and in Italy, which became my second homeland.. Rome authorities estimated there would be 30,000 to 35,000 people a day visiting the basilica and an estimated 60,000 people attending the funeral in St. Peters Square. The Mass booklet features a color reproduction of Caravaggios Deposition or entombment of Christ a 17th-century masterpiece housed in the Vatican Museums. St. Paul VI inaugurated the first World Day of Peace in 1968 as a day to be dedicated to prayer and reflection for world peace, he said. Three outstanding Catholic Speakers have been scheduled. Pope Francis continued using the cane instead of a wheelchair as he walked down the red carpet at the Budapest airport and around the presidential Sndor Palace where he met privately for 25 minutes with Hungarian President Katalin Novk and then for 20 minutes with Orbn. Pope Francis said it was urgent that Europe as a whole devise safe and legal ways for those fleeing violence, poverty and climate change to enter its borders. Ive learned what it means to have good character, to be a good person., Scouting is an amazing program, Basham added. In fact, the pope wrote, our common vocation to give ourselves in love develops and finds concrete expression in the life of lay men and women, devoted to raising a family as a small domestic church and working as a leaven of the Gospel to renew the different sectors of society; in the testimony of consecrated women and men who are completely committed to God for the sake of their brothers and sisters as a prophetic sign of the kingdom of God; in ordained ministers deacons, priests and bishops placed at the service of preaching, prayer and fostering the communion of the holy people of God.. And the womens International Union of Superiors General also will elect five sisters or nuns. The Holy See Press Office predicted the crypt where Pope Benedict was laid to rest will be ready for the faithful to visit after Jan. 8.The two popes had a unique intellectual friendship throughout St. John Pauls papacy. Cardinal Daniel N. DiNardo of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston also noted Pope Benedict XVIs first-hand knowledge of Vatican IIs teaching, and said his scholarly work will shape the church for years to come. VATICAN CITY (CNS) Every Christian has a vocation to respond to Gods love and to share that love with others, Pope Francis said. Each grade brought in something small to contribute and created the completed bags that we then donated to local food pantries, Liz Devine, elementary school guidance counselor, explained. Together we beg our Lord to grant him eternal rest.. Editor Note: For the complete text of Pope Francis message in English click here. In Italy to this day, the office is called SantUffizio, the Holy Office, and has been one of the most fundamental curial offices for centuries. But Pope Francis also used the words of St. Stephen, the 11th-century king of Hungary, to draw attention to the theme of migration, a major area of difference with Orbn who, since 2015, has promoted a no migrants policy. The Retreat of Catholicism, Bishop Walsh Talks To A Newspaper But Not His Flock, Diocese Promotes (Anti-)Catholic Relief Services, The Latest Battle for the Traditional Latin Mass. Before reciting the midday Regina Coeli prayer with about 30,000 people gathered in St. Peters Square, Pope Francis spoke about the days Gospel reading, Luke 24:13-35, which describes the Risen Jesus encounter with the disciples heading to Emmaus. Of the few flags and banners that did make it past security was a white cloth with Santo Subito (Sainthood Now) written in red and a Thank you, Pope Benedict written in light blue in German. And Karol Wojtyla trusted Ratzinger in every doctrinal issue, de la Cierva told OSV News. The second reading for the Jan. 5 Mass is from the first letter of St. Peter (1:3-9) which praises Gods mercy giving the faithful a new birth as his children and by raising Jesus Christ from the dead, so that we have a sure hope and the promise of eternal life in heaven. Past synods have included women as non-voting auditors, a group that included many women. Find dates, locations and times for public veneration at www.eriercd.org/relics.html. For those of us who have had the great blessing of interacting with him on a personal level, we will always be inspired by his gentleness, kindness, wit and ability to listen with respect and compassion.. The true nature and richness of each of those vocations, he said, is revealed and makes sense only in relation to the others within the community of the church. The place of burial is unique for many who knew the fond relationship of St. John Paul II and Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, the future pope who was the Vaticans chief doctrinal official under the Polish pontiff. The Lords call is grace, complete gift and at the same time a commitment to bring the Gospel to others, the pope wrote in his message for the World Day of Prayer for Vocations, which was to be marked April 30 in most dioceses. Coming to A Diocese Near You? The Bible readings at the Mass were in Spanish, English and Italian, and the prayers of the faithful at the Mass were recited in German, French, Arabic, Portuguese and Italian. Ive learned public speaking skills. Viewed in this light, the pope said, the church is a vocational symphony with every vocation united yet distinct, in harmony and joined together in going forth to radiate throughout the world the new life of the kingdom of God.. WebDownload the WNEP app on your mobile device to get personalized weather. He is regional bishop of Montgomery County and chancellor of the archdioceses St. Charles Borromeo Seminary. A difficult cross to embrace, the decision to forgive an offense, a missed opportunity for redress, the toil of work, the sincerity that comes at a price and the trials of family life can appear to us in a new light, the light of the crucified and Risen One, who knows how to turn every fall into a step forward., 2023 Roman Catholic Diocese of Scranton, PA, Diocese of Scranton Financial Report 2017-2018, Additional Catholic and Diocesan Organizations, Third Order and Associations of the Lay Faithful, Parish Resources for 2022 Diocesan Annual Appeal, Virtual Learning Community for Faith Formation, Parish Pastoral and Finance Council Formation, Parish Partnerships Cluster and Deanery Planning.