Our Intercessory Prayer Chain is still available for prayer requests; contact Rosanne at rms719@yahoo.com or  570.466.2244. We have 25 dedicated "links" in our prayer chain, who pray daily for all requests we receive. You may use first name, initials, or full name; it remains private, It is always good to take our worries and concerns to our Lord in prayer.

Recently the diocese produced a very short video with guidelines for returning to Mass, which you can see here. Both Susquehanna and Lackawanna Counties are currently in the green phase.

Throughout this public health emergency, we will collect information about schedule changes, family and spiritual resources, including links to live-streamed Masses and our pastor's homilies, on this page.

On Saturday, June 13, we resumed our former weekend Mass schedule, as well as a slightly altered daily Mass schedule. You can quickly view the schedule by clicking the gold floating button labeled with a chalice and host and "Mass Times & Directions." A videotaped Mass will be transmitted to our videos page at 5:00 pm on Saturday. On the Mass Times & Directions pop-up schedule, any live-stream or video Mass is marked by a small, gold arrow that will take you to the videos page.

When you come to church for Mass, we will be employing safety protocols so that you can stay safe. Here is what to expect and how you can plan ahead.

1. Anyone who is not feeling well, who has an underlying health condition, or is of a vulnerable age--a senior citizen or elderly--should stay home. Sunday Mass obligation remains suspended, and you can join us in prayer at home via video.
2. If you are able to attend a weekday Mass, please do so to free weekend seats for those who work during the week.
3. Everyone must wear a protective mask. We will provide a mask if you don't have one, 
4. Use only the main church doors. Maintain 6-foot distance when approaching and entering the church, and use hand sanitizer available in the entryway.
5. Attendance is limited to maintain 6-foot distance inside the church, and permissable seats are marked with blue circles. Please select marked seats closest to the altar first so that as more people arrive they do not have to walk past you, and so that those who sanitize pews after Mass do not have to clean every pew..
6. Households of two or more can sit next to an aisle; blue stickers for every seat indicate the group size that will fit, e.g.,  in Corpus Christi Church up to three family members fit adjacent to a center aisle, up to four persons on a window end of the pew, with a single individual in a seat in the middle of the pew..
7. Please maintain 6-foot distance to receive communion, which will be distributed after Mass. Receive the host in your hand, step away, pull down your mask briefly to place the host in your mouth, and reposition the mask immediately afterward.
8. After communion, do not return to your pew. Exit via a side door, using hand sanitizer on the way out.

On weekends you can view a video of Sunday Mass via Facebook or on our videos page. The video willl remain on the website indefinitely. You can read or download and print Father's weekend homilies here on our website.

Daily Mass at the Cathedral of Saint Peter in Scranton is is broadcast on CTV: Catholic Television of the Diocese of Scranton (12:10 pm, 3:30 pm and 7:00 pm weekdays). On weekends, the Saturday evening Mass is broadcast at 4:00 pm and rebroadcast on Sunday morning at 10:00 am. Saturday, Sunday and weekday Masses are also streamed live and can be viewed later as video on the Diocese of Scranton’s website. These Masses are also available on the Diocese of Scranton’s social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter and Instagram) and are accessible on the Diocese of Scranton’s YouTube channel.

To watch a Mass with Pope Francis as presider, go to the Vatican YouTube channel.

Our Sunday bulletins are always posted here on our webiste; to read a bulletin, click its date, then click the cover and it will open in a new tab.

The Diocese of Scranton provided opportunities to pray with Bishop Bambera and other Catholics, and you can still pray with the videos.

• Holy Hour and Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament
• Luminous Mysteries of the Rosary for the Blessed Mother's intercession during the pandemic.
• Stations of the Cross for an end to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Multiple forms of Morning and Evening Prayer, live-streamed Mass from St John's Abbey in Collegeville MN, audio rosary, music, Scripture reflections, and more are included on the One Call Institute's resource page. as well as free access to Give Us This Day. One Call is a sponsored program of the National Association of Pastoral Musicians.

To prepare to watch Sunday Mass online, reflect on the Sunday readings with your children or grandchildren. Daily Scriptures can be accessed from our Worship and Pray page and you can download The Nazareth Page from our Family Faith Formation page.

Jared Dees, TheReligionTeacher curator, is also sharing for free his Bible stories ebook, Take Up Your Cross: Lenten Bible Stories for Kids. Stories are short and simple, written to help caring adults teach children the most important lessons of the Christian life from Sacred Scripture to children ages 6-12; older children can also read to younger children.

One Call offers a variety of faith formation resources and "A Faith Response to the Coronavirus" on this page.

If you feel isolated by social distancing , or even if you don't, you can connect with people engaged in "Coffee, Community, & Conversation," faith-sharing, a sing-along, or prayer on One Call's Livestream Event Calendar page. RENEW International has made available a faith-sharing session, about half-way down the linked web page, which you can use via Skype, FaceTime, or Zoom; and live, scheduled faith-sharing sessions for which you can register in advance.

The JustFaith Network is offering free membership to help people connect during the pandemic. Each week during the crisis they are sending a free resource, such as this one for April 6, that can be used for a virtual discussion group.

Given that a husband and wife's relationship is the foundation of a healthy home, a couple must tend to their marriage even as inconveniences and dangers swirl around them. Teri and John Bossio, founders of Happy Together Catholic marriage enrichment, are providing free access to The Virtues program.

Daily prayer, e-spirations, webinars and more offered by The Upper Room (Steubenville Conferences) can help Catholics who are quarantined or sheltering in place experience the grace and power of the Holy Spirit during these challenging days.

Up-to-date Information about CoViD19

• United States: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
• Pennsylvania: Department of Health
• Pennsylvania county case numbers and Unemployment, Voter, more links: VIA
• For regional updates check the Scranton Times-Tribune 
• Information is on TV and online at WNEP.
• Diocese of Scranton updates are on the diocesan website.

Recovery Meetings

Persons in recovery (and family members) who can't participate in meetings during social distancing can connect through virtual meetings.

• Catholic in Recovery virtual meeting list
• In the Rooms is a free online recovery tool offering a schedule of 130 meetings for people recovering from addiction and related issues.

Emotional Health Resources

Grief Support

Exercise

• To get parents and kids off the couch, a father and his sons are creating themed (e.g., safari, super-heros) workout videos, which you can check out and subscribe here.
• Instructions and demonstrations of beginner, intermediate, and advanced at-home workout routines are available from Healthline.
• Beginners and Seniors can get a 30-minute workout that includes low-impact aerobis and seated strength-training, requiring no equipment, and set to music, from this video with Jenny McClendon, MS, PT.
• The National Institute for Aging at NIH offers sample workouts and strength, balance, and flexibility exercises in their Go4Life workout videos.
• Seniors can find many exercise routine videos, ranging from 10-30 minutes, with no or minimal equipment from Heart and Soul Fitness.

The Diocese of Scranton set up a Coronavirus Emergency Fund for individuals to financially support any parish, assist public ministries that operate food pantries, kitchens and shelters, or provide emergency tuition assistance for Diocesan Catholic School families. People interested in supporting the fund can make a gift to a specific parish, school, pantry, kitchen, shelter or relief assistance program. Interested donors are encouraged to make gifts to the Coronavirus Emergency Fund online or mail gifts to Coronavirus Emergency Fund, Diocese of Scranton, 300 Wyoming Ave., Scranton, PA 18503. Checks should be made to the Diocese of Scranton and list the gift designation by parish name, Catholic Human and Social Service program, or specific Catholic School you wish to support.

Staying at home during the pandemic is not easy for every--any?--family. Our Catholic Bishops' office offers some very good suggestions for building family bonds during COVID-19.

Religious Education

Lessons for grades K through 8 and Confirmation preparation lessons can be downloaded from our Children's Religious Education page.
Children will enjoy a connection with the Sunday gospel when they use Sunday Gospel Coloring Pages: Holy Week through Pentecost., which you can download and print by clicking on the highlighted title; one of our catechists purchased permission to share this from Holy Heroes to share with all parish children. The Catholic Kid also has free coloring pages for the Easter season and beyond, and CatholicMom offers Sunday Gospel worksheet-coloring pages. You can access more free pages and other activities from Tiny Saints. Saint Mary's Press has lots of activities and ideas to help your child grow spiritualy, designed for elementary children and middle and and high school teens.

Adults can also continue to learn about our faith with the Augustine Institute's offer of a free 40 days of Formed.

Coronavirus Response Lesson

Dr Harvey Payne, Dean, School of Counseling at Divine Mercy University, advises parents on how to talk with your kids about COVID-19 and deal with family issues during the pandemic.

Loyola Press created a special lesson as a companion to Growing with God: Safe and Sacred™ child safety and Catholic family living program. This Coronavirus Response Lesson helps parents or educators discuss the COVID-19 virus with children and teach them valuable skills. This lesson offers prevention and mitigation techniques based on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance and includes a faith component to remind children of God’s unconditional love for them. We hope these resources offer you some comfort and hope during the current situation.  For the most current information on the COVID-19 outbreak, please visit the CDC website.

• Growing with GOD Coronavirus Response Lesson – Student Worksheet
• Growing with GOD Coronavirus Response Lesson – Teacher/Catechist/Parent Pages
• Growing with GOD Coronavirus Response Lesson – Lesson Resource

At-Home Learning

Literature for Adults and Children

• StoryLine Online, featuring celebrities reading illustrated childrenb's books, and other opportunities are accessible from the Lackawanna County Library System website.
• While the Lackawanna County Library System is closed, adults can continue to access eBooks and Audiobooks.
• The Audible company has a gift for your children who are missing classroom stimulation and books from the library. At stories.audible.com, you will find many completely free titles to entertain, engage, and inform young people ages 0–18. These stories offer a screen-free option that can help break up the day for families with students home from school. The experience is completely free – no log-ins, credit cards, or passwords required. Just click, stream, and listen.
• Many good, illustrated children's books read by authors or actors are available online, including I'm Bored by Michael Ian Black, illustrated by Debbie Ridpath Ohl, Library Lion by Michele Knutson, illustrated by Kevin Hawkes, Corduroy by Don Freeman, Ten Magic Butterflies by Danica  McKellar, illustrated by Jennifer Bricking, One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish by Dr Seuss.
• During Stay At Home Storytime, Oliver Jeffers encourages young listeners to create and share their own illustrators; and Read with Malcolm, of the Share the Magic Foundation, welcomes children reading via Facebook videos.
• The Librarian Bookends blook posts daily lists, each with dozens of authors or readers sharing books live-stream, with later video.

Arts

Get outdoors

• Go for a walk in the neighborhood or at a park where you won't encounter crowded paths. Listen and look for birds, and with the help of the Cornell Lab, learn to identify them. Take along a wildflower or tree identifier book or a smartphone app that identifies plants by photographing them.
• Plant a garden: From early spring onward, many vegetables can be sown directly into the ground and will produce enough vegetables throughout the summer to save trips to the grocery store. Learn about five to plant now; six to start early, including some perennial plants; and salad standards. Start early or give growth a boost with a cold frame using directions to build a cold frame, learning four ways to use a cold frame, and five tips for success. If you've never gardened, learn how from the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society Food for the Soul blog. Urban Farmer has information about growing zones and planting calendars. Home Depot's kids' activities page includes several related to gardening.
• On rainy days when you can't get out, take a video tour of Smith College 2020 Bulb Show or see what you missed at this year's Washington D.C. Cherry Blossom Festival, after using one of the exercise routines for adults and children linked in the Health Resources section, above.

Marriage Care

• Four videos about The Virtues help you build strength into your relationshi;
• An in-home Date Night package, including a comedy club;
• A webinar on Managing and Working Amidst a Stay-at-Home Reality;

Connecting

Families and neighborhoods are creating ways to connect while being physically separated.

• Whether as a sign of prayer, support, or hope, light a flameless candle in a front window every evening as the sun goes down, and invite your neighbors do the same.
• Arrange Skype or Facetime dinners when family members or friends sit down to the table at the same time to converse electronically while eating their meal.
• Use Fasebook Messenger or Messenger Kids to chat with distant family members.
• Every day call one person who lives alone or for any reason might feel vulnerable during the pandemic.

Prayer During the Pandemic

Almighty and Compassionate God,through your Son, Jesus, you brought healing to the sick and hope to a suffering world.We pray for all of those who have died as a result of this coronavirus pandemic,and especially everyone infected with this disease now.May they receive the strength to persevere through their suffering,and may those who care for them, medical professionals as well as caretakers,be shielded from this illness.May we develop a greater appreciation for the men and womenwho put themselves in harm’s way to ensure our safety and sustentation.Inspire the hearts and mindsof those working towards treatment and vaccines for this disease,so that through your mercy, our broken world may be again made whole. Amen.  (Diocese of Scranton)

A Prayer Amid an Epidemic

You can download the beautiful A Prayer Amid an Epidemic by Kerry Weber here.

Prayer for Mary's Intercession

Pope Francis

O Mary, you always shine on our path as a sign of salvation and of hope.
We entrust ourselves to you, Health of the Sick, who at the cross took part in Jesus' pain, keeping your faith firm.
You, Salvation of the Roman People, know what we need, and we are sure you will provide so that, as in Cana of Galilee, we may return to joy and to feasting after this time of trial.
Help us, Mother of Divine Love, to conform to the will of the Father and to do as we are told by Jesus, who has taken upon himself our sufferings and carried our sorrows to lead us, through the cross, to the joy of the resurrection. Amen.
Under your protection, we seek refuge, Holy Mother of God.
Do not disdain the entreaties of we who are in trial, but deliver us from every danger, O glorious and blessed Virgin.

A second version:

O Mary, Health of the Sick,
you always shine on our path
as a sign of salvation and of hope.
We entrust ourselves to you.
You know what we need,
and we are sure you will provide,
so that, as in Cana of Galilee,
we may return to joy and to feasting
after this time of trial.
Help us, Mother of Divine Love,
to do as we are told by Jesus,
who has taken upon himself our sufferings
and carried our sorrows, leading us through the cross
to the joy of the resurrection. Amen.
Pope Francis, March 2020 (adapted by Give Us This Day)

Pope Francis' Prayer

Let us continue to pray for the sick. I think of the families under lockdown. Children who can’t go to school, perhaps parents who can’t leave the house, some who are in quarantine. May the Lord help families to discover new ways, new expressions of love, of living together in this new situation. It's a beautiful opportunity to rediscover affection, with creativity, in the family. Let us pray for families, so that the relationships within the family at this moment might flourish always for the good. United to Christ we are never alone, but we form one body and he is the head. It is a union that grows with prayer and spiritual Communion, a practice strongly encouraged when it is not possible to receive the sacrament. Our God lets us understand that he always operates in simplicity, in the simplicity of the house of Nazareth, in the simplicity of everyday work, in the simplicity of prayer. (March 17, 2020)

Rosary

Join with hundreds of people in the Rosary Campaign to End the Coronavirus, sponsored by the Archdiocese of Philadelphia to seek the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary to end CoViD19; tune in via Zoom, by phone, or in spirit at 8:00 every evening until further notice. Or pray the daily rosary with Jeff Cavins via the Ascension Press Facebook page.

Prayer of St Augustine

RENEW Prayer Amid a Pandemic

Lord Jesus Christ, we pray for your healing touch during this pandemic. We ask you to accompany those in our small groups, our parishes, our communities, our nation, 
and throughout the world who are impacted by the virus through infection, economic loss, or anxiety.
Renew our faith in your promise to be with us always. Keep us mindful, Lord, that we share in this crisis as a family and that whatever we are asked to do to prevent the spread of infection, we do for the good of all.
May we be patient and generous with each other, following your example, you who live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.
Copyright © 2020, RENEW International. All rights reserved. This text may be reproduced in whole or in part without alteration for nonprofit educational use, provided such reprints are not sold and include this notice.

Prayer for the Intercession of Our Lady of Guadeloupe

With the worldwide outbreak of the coronavirus, we are confronted once more with the fragility of our lives, and again we are reminded of our common humanity—that the peoples of this world are our brothers and sisters, that we are all one family under God. God does not abandon us, he goes with us even now in this time of trial and testing. In this moment, it is important for us to anchor our hearts in the hope that we have in Jesus Christ. Now is the time to intensify our prayers and sacrifices for the love of God and the love of our neighbor. Let us draw closer to one another in our love for him, and rediscover the things that truly matter in our lives. United with our Holy Father Pope Francis, let us pray in solidarity for our brothers and sisters here and around the world who are sick. Let us pray for those who have lost loved ones to this virus. May God console them and grant them peace. We pray also for doctors, nurses, and caregivers, for public health officials and all civic leaders. May God grant them courage and prudence as they seek to respond to this emergency with compassion and in service to the common good. In this time of need, I invite all the faithful to seek together the maternal intercession of Our Lady of Guadalupe. (Archbishop Jose H. Gomez, President, US Conference of Catholic Bishops)

Holy Virgin of Guadalupe,
Queen of the Angels and Mother of the Americas.
We fly to you today as your beloved children.
We ask you to intercede for us with your Son,
as you did at the wedding in Cana.

Pray for us, loving Mother,
and gain for our nation and world,
and for all our families and loved ones,
the protection of your holy angels,
that we may be spared the worst of this illness.

For those already afflicted,
we ask you to obtain the grace of healing and deliverance.
Hear the cries of those who are vulnerable and fearful,
wipe away their tears and help them to trust.

In this time of trial and testing,
teach all of us in the Church to love one another and to be patient and kind.
Help us to bring the peace of Jesus to our land and to our hearts.

We come to you with confidence,
knowing that you truly are our compassionate mother,
health of the sick and cause of our joy.

Shelter us under the mantle of your protection,
keep us in the embrace of your arms,
help us always to know the love of your Son, Jesus. Amen.

• Wash your hands well for at least 20 seconds with soap and water. Sing the refrain to Michael Joncas’ song “On Eagle’s Wings” (“And he will raise you up...”) while you wash.
• Avoid touching your face.
• Cough or sneeze into your elbow or a tissue.
• Follow the guidance of local officials.
• Stay home if you become ill.

• Leave the masks to others. Masks only make sense for health care workers and those who are infected. They are not guaranteed to prevent transmission anyway.
• Do not overbuy supplies. Retailers are being wiped out of disinfectants and other supplies, leaving some who most need them without. Be prepared, but be thoughtful and reasonable.

• Have compassion for those most at risk. Stand up for those who need the most help and make sure they are being cared for, without judgment.
• Fight racism. Discrimination against those with Asian background only hurts the situation.

• Check in on isolated or vulnerable neighborsand offer to help with specific tasks such as shopping, child or pet care, cleaning, etc.
• If you are in a position of power, use that power for the good of all. Allow workers to work from home or take time off, limit large gather-ings, follow government guidance, etc.
• Thank those on the front lines who are pro-tecting us, such as health care workers, police, firefighters. Be gentle and kind with them.
• Pray for all those affected by the crisis.

Letter from our Pastor

Dear Friends:

I am sure you are making some adjustments in your day to day life because of the coronavirus pandemic. Some of you who are elderly are particularly vulnerable to the virus and you may be afraid to go out shopping for food. Some of the children in our community may depend on school for a free meal. Everyone’s circumstances differ.

Could we do something as a parish to help you out? Would you like us to do your food shopping? Do your children need a meal? Do you have a need which is not addressed here? Perhaps you are doing well and would like to reach out to help someone in our community?

If you answer “yes” to any of the above questions pick up the phone and call us at 570-254-9502, Ext. 4 “Help Hotline.” Leave us your name and phone number. We will get back to you within 24 hours. One thing we can all do is to pray for those who are ill, their caretakers and the scientists who are working on a vaccine. Don’t forget something—God is with us!

Sincerely in Christ,

Rev. Michael J. Kirwin

God said: “Can a mother forget her infant, be without tenderness for the child of her womb? Even should she forget, I will never forget you. See, upon the palm of my hands I have written your name.” (Isaiah 49:15-16)

Letter from Bishop Bambera

March 16, 2020
 
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
 
Effective immediately, and until further notice, I have suspended the celebration of Masses open to the public and all public gatherings in all diocesan parishes, worship sites, college campuses, chapels and health care facilities in the eleven counties of the Diocese of Scranton.
 
Churches of the Diocese will remain open daily for individual private prayer. The timeframe for each parish is to be determined by its pastor or parish life coordinator. The dispensation from the obligation to attend Mass during this time remains in effect.
 
Scheduled sacramental celebrations such as weddings, baptisms or funerals will be permitted, but attendance will be limited to immediate family members and follow any guidelines established by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The sacraments of the Anointing of the Sick and Reconciliation will be available, when requested individually, by the faithful in cases of serious need.
 
It deeply saddens me to take this temporary action, knowing the depth of your faith and your desire to celebrate the Holy Eucharist on a regular basis. In light of continued concerns surrounding COVID-19, and upon the advice of medical experts, it is clear that we, as a faith community, must do our part in order to help slow the spread of this virus.
 
The number of faithful souls who filled our churches this past weekend, even with the dispensation from the obligation to attend Mass, was deeply consoling to me. As you always have, so many of you are turning to your faith as the surest place where we will find God’s peace, consolation and hope.
 
Unfortunately, the presence of such great numbers of worshippers in our churches is not serving our efforts to help mitigate the spread of the Coronavirus. In an effort to prevent overwhelming our hospitals and health care facilities, national, state and local leaders have urged people to avoid large gatherings of people and keep appropriate social distancing from one another.
 
As your bishop, in addition to the care of souls, the safety and health of all of our faithful parishioners, friends and those we welcome through our outreach and service, is of utmost importance to me. As such, the decision that I have announced, while difficult, is the best way for us to work together to serve the common good of all, both in our parishes and in our communities.
 
During these challenging times, it is also crucial that we not forget who we are as Christians. May we continue to offer, in whatever way we can, care and concern for those who are most vulnerable, including the poor, our senior citizens and those who are ill. I also urge those who can do so to maintain support for your parishes during these difficult days in order to sustain the ministries and outreach services for parishioners and those most in need.
 
Despite the suspension of public Masses, a private Mass 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 (www.dioceseofscranton.org), 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.
 
Additional resources for individual parishioners to deepen their faith during Lent are also available on the Diocese of Scranton’s website.
 
During this sacred season of Lent, we are being asked to sacrifice more than ever before – particularly with the loss of cherished religious practices, most especially the celebration of the Holy Eucharist. May we do so mindful of the selfless sacrifice of Jesus and for the sake of our brothers and sisters who are most vulnerable and in need of our help.
 
The Diocese of Scranton continues to monitor the rapidly evolving health situation regarding the coronavirus. We are constantly monitoring directives from national, state and local officials. This policy will be reassessed on a regular basis, in addition to the plans for Holy Week and Easter.
 
God bless you and keep each of you in His care. Let us continue to pray for one another.
 
Faithfully yours in Christ,
†Joseph C. Bambera
Most Reverend Joseph C. Bambera, D.D., J.C.L.
Bishop of Scranton