Diocese of Scranton

  On Saturday May 11th the Lycoming County Catholic Young Adults Group hosted a silent retreat at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Bastress, PA. The day was filled with presentations by Fr. Bert Kozen and the Capuchin Sisters of Nazareth on Meeting Christ through Mary, as well as periods of silence for reflection and prayer. … Continue reading "Lycoming County Young Adults Host Silent Retreat"

ROME (OSV News) – Israel’s escalation in Rafah is only worsening the humanitarian situation for countless men, women and children caught in the crossfire, said Ireneusz Krause, deputy director for Caritas Poland. In a statement released May 7, Krause said that Caritas Poland workers were on the ground and working to help the ‘desperately hungry … Continue reading "Access to aid in Gaza should not be a ‘bargaining chip,’ Caritas says as people face ‘full-blown famine’"

VATICAN CITY (CNS) – For more than 700 years, the Catholic Church has celebrated “jubilee” or “holy” years as special times to renew people’s faith and experience God’s forgiveness, particularly by going on pilgrimage. The official Vatican website for the Holy Year 2025 — www.iubilaeum2025.va — says, “In 1300, Pope Boniface VIII called the first … Continue reading "Jubilee countdown: Preparations for 2025 Holy Year move into high gear"

  (OSV News) – By boats, over bridges and along byways, pilgrims on the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage’s eastern route will accompany the Eucharist to many sites associated with America’s saints as they make their way across eight states and the District of Columbia. Beginning in New Haven, Connecticut, May 18, the day before Pentecost, the … Continue reading "National Eucharistic Pilgrimage pilgrims walk among American saints on Eastern route"

VATICAN CITY (CNS) – The Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith will publish its new norms for the discernment of apparitions and other supernatural phenomena May 17, the Vatican press office said. Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández, prefect of the dicastery, and Msgr. Armando Matteo, secretary of the doctrinal section of the dicastery, will present … Continue reading "Vatican to publish updated norms for investigating alleged apparitions"

VATICAN CITY (CNS) – Jesus calls believers not only to be servants of his kingdom, as the prophets and Mary were, but also to be his friends, Pope Francis said. “Friendship is not the fruit of calculation, nor of compulsion, it is born spontaneously when we recognize something of ourselves in the other,” he said … Continue reading "Jesus asks for faithfulness, but also friendship, pope says"

WASHINGTON (OSV News) – The annual collection for the U.S. bishops’ Catholic Communication Campaign takes place in most U.S. parishes during Masses the weekend of May 11-12. Half of the gifts to the diocesan collection stay in the participating diocese where they support the local diocese’s communications programs. The other half supports communication activities of … Continue reading "Supporting Catholic media through collection connects ‘world with Christ’"