Statement of the Most Reverend Joseph C. Bambera, Bishop of Scranton, on the Death of Pope Francis
SCRANTON – On Monday, April 21, 2025, the Most Reverend Joseph C. Bambera, Bishop of Scranton, released the following statement upon the death of Pope Francis.
Just hours before his death, Pope Francis appeared on the central balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica to deliver his Easter blessing “urbi et orbi” (to the city and the world) at the Vatican April 20, 2025. (CNS photo/Vatican Media)
“I join with Catholics from the Diocese of Scranton and around the world today in grieving the death of our beloved Holy Father, Pope Francis, who returned to the house of our Heavenly Father in the morning hours of Easter Monday, shortly after sharing his blessing upon the world on Easter Sunday.
“While we feel an overwhelming sense of loss, we are comforted by the incredible legacy of love, compassion and mercy that Pope Francis bestowed upon the Church – a legacy that will continue to inspire and guide us well into the future.
“Pope Francis will long be remembered as a shepherd who drew us all closer to the heart of Christ. During his 12 years as pope, and more than 50 years as a priest, Pope Francis made it his mission to share the endless compassion of God. His words, which I have often quoted in my homilies, always pointed us toward the essential truths of our faith – that God is love, that mercy is the cornerstone of our salvation, and that our mission is to reflect that divine mercy in our daily lives.
“During one of the defining moments of Pope Francis’ papacy, his proclamation of the Year of Mercy in 2015-2016, he called the entire Church to reflect on the richness of God’s mercy, reminding us that we are all invited to experience and share this mercy with one another, especially those most in need. His focus on God’s mercy – and that no one can be excluded from it – was not just an abstract teaching. It permeated his words and actions, from his encounters with the poor and marginalized, to his tireless efforts to foster peace and reconciliation around the globe.
“Pope Francis’ ministry was a living witness to the Gospel message. By putting Christ at the center of his life, he was able to demonstrate his great love for the poor, was able to use his voice to call for the care of creation, and worked tirelessly to build bridges of understanding among all Christians.
“Like so many people, I will never forget Pope Francis standing alone, delivering a blessing in an empty, rain-slicked Saint Peter’s Square in March 2020, during the height of the coronavirus, bringing hope to a desperate world. During those days, while so many were facing fear, isolation, and uncertainty, through his words and actions, Pope Francis reminded the world that Christ – and the Eucharist – are our true signs of hope.
“As we mourn the passing of Pope Francis, I ask the people of the Diocese of Scranton to offer their prayers for the peaceful repose of his soul. May God grant him the gift of eternal life and bring comfort to those who mourn his passing.
“In gratitude for his life and teachings – I will celebrate a special Diocesan Memorial Mass for Pope Francis on Tuesday, April 22, 2025, at 12:10 p.m. at the Cathedral of Saint Peter in Scranton. All are invited to attend.
“Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him. May he rest in peace. Amen.”
Bishop’s Letters
“For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me” (Matthew 25:35)
Faith is not just about belief. It is also about action.
As noted in the verse above from Matthew’s Gospel, how we treat others – particularly the most vulnerable in society – is directly linked to our relationship with Christ.
Put simply, when we serve those in need, we are serving Jesus Himself.
This basic principle is put into action every day across northeastern and north central Pennsylvania without a second thought: from young students collecting food for the less fortunate, to community organizations working together to provide nightly shelter to those experiencing homelessness, and parishioners in our parishes visiting the sick and lonely.
As Christians, this verse should also shape how we approach complex societal issues, reminding us to always act with mercy, dignity, and love.
The issue of immigration in the United States is one that often divides us. For some, the conversation revolves around safety, security, and order in our great nation, while for others, it is about compassion and human rights.
As followers of Christ, we must never forget one of the central and basic tenets of our faith: the dignity of every human person. Every person is made in the image and likeness of God – and that inherent dignity cannot be taken away by status or nationality.
From the very beginning of Scripture, God’s command to welcome the stranger is clear. The parents of Jesus had to flee their own land and take refuge in Egypt to save the life of their child.
Likewise, we must see Christ in those who seek refuge among us – whether because of war and widespread violence, religious and ethnic persecution, or human rights abuses. For many of these individuals, the decision to leave their homeland is often born out of desperation – and in the face of these concerns – we all have a responsibility to respond with compassion and understanding.
While the Catholic Church teaches us that individuals and families have the right to migrate, likewise, no country should be unduly burdened by those seeking refuge. To be clear, the United States has the responsibility to secure its borders and keep its citizens safe. Yet, as Pope Francis recently noted in a letter to the Bishops of the United States, “the true common good is promoted when society and government, with creativity and strict respect for the rights of all … welcomes, protects, promotes and integrates the most fragile, unprotected and vulnerable.”
Like many of my brother bishops, I am calling on our political leaders to set aside partisan politics and to fix our broken immigration system. But I pray that they do so in a way that respects Gospel values. Threats of mass deportations and allowing immigration officials to enter churches, schools, and healthcare facilities to conduct arrests, have only led to fear and anxiety for many of our brothers and sisters who live in our neighborhoods, attend our schools, provide useful services throughout our communities and worship with us on a regular basis.
Since its inception, our nation has been built upon the presence of immigrants who have contributed to the well-being and greatness of our land. As such, it is essential that we continue to support proper, legal pathways for immigration, ensuring that those who seek to contribute to society can do so in a manner that honors both their dignity and the lawful order of our communities.
As we pray for a system that honors the dignity of all people, one that is always guided by God’s love and justice, let us all remain hopeful that with faith, dialogue, and a commitment to justice, a solution to the complex challenges of immigration may be addressed in a way that honors the dignity of all.
May Our Lady of Guadalupe, the patroness of the Americas, intercede for us and for our nation, guiding us toward solutions that uphold the dignity of all people and reflect the mercy of Christ.
Jubilee 2025: Pilgrims of Hope
The Holy Father has announced the 2025 will be a Jubilee Year. This is something that happens every 25 years. The theme for Jubilee 2025 is “Pilgrims of Hope.”
“We must fan the flame of hope that has been given us, and help everyone to gain new strength and certainty by looking to the future with an open spirit, a trusting heart and far-sighted vision. The forthcoming Jubilee can contribute greatly to restoring a climate of hope and trust as a prelude to the renewal and rebirth that we so urgently desire; that is why I have chosen as the motto of the Jubilee, Pilgrims of Hope. This will indeed be the case if we are capable of recovering a sense of universal fraternity and refuse to turn a blind eye to the tragedy of rampant poverty that prevents millions of men, women, young people and children from living in a manner worthy of our human dignity.”
– Pope Francis, Letter for the Promotion of the New Evangelization for the Jubilee 2025 https://www.iubilaeum2025.va/en.html
OUR CALL TO SERVE - CATHOLIC MINISTRIES APPEAL 2024
By supporting the Catholic Ministries Appeal, you help provide funding for essential ministries throughout the eleven-county area of the Diocese of Scranton. Through our unity and stewardship, we are able to attend to the physical and spiritual needs of our friends and neighbors throughout Northeastern and North Central Pennsylvania.
Holy Year 2025 Pilgrimage Information
Pope Francis has announced ‘Pilgrims of Hope’ is the theme for the Holy Year 2025. A Holy Year, or Jubilee, is a time of pilgrimage, prayer, repentance, and acts of mercy, based on the Old Testament tradition of a Jubilee Year of rest, forgiveness, and renewal.
Bishop Joseph C. Bambera will lead a Pilgrimage to Italy and Rome from Aug. 31-Sept. 9, 2025, in celebration of the Holy Year. The trip will include a Papal Audience, Masses celebrated daily at various Basilicas and Cathedrals, a unique opportunity to visit the Scavi, a tour of the necropolis under St. Peter’s Basilica culminating at the tomb of St. Peter, and much more.
For more information, including a day-by-day itinerary, visit the Diocese of Scranton website at dioceseofscranton.org.
FROM THE OFFICE OF THE BISHOP
An important message from Bishop Bambera was shared at all Masses this weekend regarding upcoming changes for our parish and local Catholic community. As we move forward, we look forward to deepening our collaborative efforts with Saint Ann Parish. Together, we will more intentionally further the mission of Christ and His Church.
Please take a few moments to read the letter from Bishop Bambera to the parishioners of St. Boniface, St. Lawrence, and St. Ann's on the next steps of Vision 2030.
June 8 & 9, 2024
OFFICE OF THE BISHOP
Dear Parishioners of Saint Ann Parish,
Dear Parishioners of Saint Boniface Parish,
Dear Parishioners of Saint Lawrence Parish,
In our divided and polarized times, Jesus' message in today's Gospel for the Tenth Sunday in
Ordinary Time could not be more fitting. He says, "If a kingdom is divided against itself, that
kingdom cannot stand. And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to
stand" (Mk 3:24-25). Later in the same passage, Jesus reminds us that we are all His brothers and
sisters when He says, "For whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother" (Mk
3:35).
As brothers and sisters of Jesus, each one of us is invited to go out into the world, proclaim the
Good News, and bring about His Kingdom with confidence and joy.
Over the last several years, I have been happy to see how closely the Catholic parishes in Lycoming
County have been working together. From your collaboration on shared ministry projects like last
weekend's Corpus Christi procession, to Vacation Bible School, to youth ministry trips and
conferences, and even sharing schedules for your churches on Holy Days of Obligation and holidays,
your partnerships are extremely important. Your hard work is already helping people to come
together as "one body," drawing strength from our shared faith and the knowledge that we are not
alone on this journey.
As I hope you are ,aware, four years ago, the Diocese of Scranton began its Vision 2030 Pastoral
Planning Process to look proactively at the realities of our local church in the present moment,
while striving to meet the opportunities and challenges of the coming decade. The goal is to create
vibrant parish communities rooted in the life of Jesus Christ.
Like the message we hear in this weekend's Gospel, as the Church of Scranton strives to be
"mission-driven," we must all work together in a way that we best live out our baptismal calling in
a world- and local environment - that continues to change. Our Church faces significant challenges, among
which are a fewer number of parishioners, financial sustainability questions, facility
infrastructure needs and a diminishing number of ordained priests.
With this in mind, and in recognition of all our Church faces, and after consultation with the
priests of the Williamsport Deanery, your Pastor/Parish Administrator, as well as an initial
conversation with your Parish Pastoral and Finance Council members, I am directing that the
parishes of Saint Ann, Saint Boniface and Saint Lawrence, begin working together in a more cohesive
and specific way over the next year. As we look toward the future, I am proposing a two-phase plan
to create a hope-filled future with more opportunities for enhanced ministry and outreach in the
Williamsport area.
Phase I: Consolidation of Saint Boniface & Saint Lawrence Parishes in Fall 2024
For more than a decade, Saint Boniface Parish, Williamsport, and Saint Lawrence Parish, South
Williamsport, have been successfully working together in a linkage with a single Pastor. Over that
time, the two parishes have created a joint staff, joint bulletin and website, launched a combined
religious education program, have worked together on many ministry projects, and have been
utilizing a Joint Pastoral Council for the last three years.
Because both parishes remain independent in a linkage, they must each have their own Finance
Council and the administrative and financial work can often be redundant.
By entering into a consolidation later this year, Saint Boniface and Saint Lawrence will be poised
to combine the resources of their two parishes and actively create a new entity for the betterment
of all parishioners.
Phase II: Linkage of the Newly Consolidated Parish of Saint Boniface & Saint Lawrence with Saint
Ann Parish beginning July 1, 2025
The Diocese of Scranton is currently blessed to have 87 active Diocesan priests - but within just
six years - is facing the known retirement of 24 men - not factoring in the possibility of someone
else getting sick or leaving ministry. While we currently have ten young men discerning the
priesthood, including one who will be ordained at the end of this month, and numerous international
priests to minister locally, one of the most pressing challenges we face in ensuring the Church is
vibrant and present for future generations is a diminishing number of ordained priests to serve all
of our 11 counties.
Knowing the significant challenges we face with clergy, when Father Shawn Simchock became
Administrator Pro Tern of Saint Ann Parish in September 2023, his assignment was not meant to be
long term or permanent. As such, I have asked Father McCreary, Pastor of Saint Boniface & Saint
Lawrence Parishes, and Father Simchock to begin partnering together in a more intentional way with
the goal of establishing a new linkage by July 1, 2025. Announcing this plan well ahead of time
will allow plenty of time for collaboration and consultation with all the faithful, and will
proactively work to address future pastoral needs of each parish community. There will certainly be
questions and choices that will need prayerful discernment as this linkage takes shape, but please
know Diocesan professionals in pastoral formation, financial planning, communication and
engineering are ready to assist in any way necessary.
It is critical to stress that neither a linkage, nor a consolidation, means the immediate closure
of any church building, but discussions may lead to that at some point in the future after serious
study and prayer centered around the reality of finances, Mass attendance, community demographics
and infrastructure needs. At this point, what is most important is that all parishioners (of all
three parishes) have the opportunity to voice their thoughts, dreams and hopes for the future with
your parish leadership teams.
While I know change is never easy, be assured of my deep gratitude for all that you and your
families have shared, and continue to share, in furthering the mission of the Church. Let us
embrace the opportunity to forge new connections and deepen existing relationships. As you know,
our mission is to take Christ into the world. I am confident that by working together we can "Go
into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel to every creature" (Mk 16:15).
Be assured that you are in my prayers as this process towards a new hope-filled future begins.
Faithfully yours fo Christ,
Most Reverend.Joseph C. Bambera, D.D., J.C.L. Bishop of Scranton •
DIOCESE OF SCRANTON
300 WYOMING AVENUE
SCRANTON, PENNSYLVANIA 18503-1279
Bishop Joseph C. Bambera issues statement on COVID-19 vaccines
“The COVID-19 pandemic has caused tremendous grief and fear in our country and world over the last year, leaving more than 500,000 dead in the United States alone.
“I want to be clear and concise in my pastoral guidance regarding COVID-19 vaccines. Given the grave danger this virus poses, it is morally acceptable to receive any of the current COVID-19 vaccines that have been determined to be clinically safe and effective. This position is supported by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.
“People should not delay getting a vaccine. Receiving a vaccine not only protects an individual’s health but also serves the common good by protecting the community – including the weak and vulnerable.
“While fully recognizing the complex moral and ethical issues involved in vaccine development, at this time, most people are not being given a true choice of which vaccine they receive, and likely won’t be able to make such a choice without a lengthy delay.
“Given that risk to public health, the faithful can in good conscience receive any of the current vaccines.”
To view the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith’s December 2020 Note on the Morality of Using some anti-COVID vaccines, please click here.
Faithfully yours in Christ,
†Joseph C. Bambera
Most Reverend Joseph C. Bambera, D.D., J.C.L.
Bishop of Scranton
To be vaccinated or not: Answering common questions for Catholics
Private Masses will be celebrated daily in the Cathedral of Saint Peter in Scranton, and made available on CTV: Catholic Television of the Diocese of Scranton.
On weekdays, the Mass will be broadcast at 12:10 p.m., 3:30 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.
On weekends, the Saturday Vigil Mass will be broadcast at 4:00 p.m. and rebroadcast on Sunday morning at 10:00 a.m.
The Masses will also be streamed on the Diocese of Scranton’s website, made available on the Diocese of Scranton’s social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter and Instagram) and will be accessible on the Diocese of Scranton’s YouTube channel.
COVID-19 Resources
For a listing of all Diocesan and parish events, visit: Diocese Calendar
Follow the Diocese of Scranton on Facebook:
https://facebook.com/DioceseofScranton 