Welcome to the Office for Parish Life Newsletter!  

Communicating important events and available resources

from the Office for Parish Life

Come Holy Spirit 

Leading your Parish in a Season of Renewal

In the May 5th webinar, Responding to Loneliness and Division: Fostering Renewal in Catholic Parishes, Dan Cellucci, CEO of Catholic Leadership Institute, and Jason Simon, President of The Evangelical Catholic, explored ideas for breaking through division and loneliness to build more engaging parish communities—and even touched on the role of AI in that work.

Click the link below to watch the replay. 

Month of May - Dedicated to Mary

On May 31st, the Church celebrates the Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. This feast commemorates the Blessed Mother’s visit to her cousin Elizabeth and the encounter of Jesus and St. John the Baptist while in the wombs of their mothers.

Join with Catholics around the country in praying "A Novena for Life" from

May 22-30. Sign up to receive daily novena emails. You can also download and print the full novena.

To Mark the 250th Anniversary of the United States

the US Bishops will Consecrate our Nation to the

Sacred Heart of Jesus

Bishop Bambera invites you to join in these special liturgical celebrations as we entrust our country to the Lord's mercy, love and care.  

Thursday June 11 | 7 PM 

Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish, Peckville

or 

Friday June 12 | 5:30 PM 

Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish, Dupont

See flyers for more details

Priest Jubilarian Mass

June 4, 2026 | 12:10 PM

Celebrating Years of Devoted Priestly Service:

70 Years - Reverend Joseph J. Adonizio, M.A.

65 Years - Reverend John J. Kilpatrick

 Reverend Theodore L. Obaza

50 Years - Reverend John B. Boyle, M.S., M.A.

Reverend Michael J. Kirwin, M.A.

Reverend Kevin P. Mulhern, M.A.

Reverend William B. Pickard

Reverend John V. Polednak

Reverend Phillip J. Sladicka

25 Years - Reverend Jose Joseph Kuriappilly

Reverend Joseph J. Pisaneschi

ALL ARE INVITED TO ATTEND

Triumph of the Heart  

Parish Screening Licenses Still Available

at Deep Discount Until Pentecost

"If you were raised Catholic—especially with Polish blood in your veins or Polish traditions in your church—chances are you’re familiar with the story of Saint Maximilian Kolbe’s martyrdom in Auschwitz. When ten prisoners were selected to be starved to death—a collective punishment and warning after one prisoner had escaped—one of the men, a husband and father, broke down begging for his life. Kolbe, a Polish Franciscan priest, offered his own life in the man’s place. Fourteen days later, Kolbe and the few other men still alive were executed by lethal injection..." 

More than a Matchmaker

The Holy Family in Our Journey to Love

“Bridget, do you pray for your future spouse?” asked my older sister when I was about 18 years old as we were driving in the car together. I didn’t quite know how to answer her, I hated talking about boys, and I had no idea what to say. So, being the incredible older sister she was (and still is) and recognizing how I immediately withdrew, she simply encouraged me to pray. Her advice to me was to pray about whether or not God was calling me to marriage someday, and if he was, then to start praying for the young man who would one day be my spouse, because he probably needed the prayers ... "

Wedding Anniversary Mass 2026

Every summer, the diocese holds a Wedding Anniversary Celebration for couples celebrating their Tenth, Twenty-Fifth, Fortieth and Fiftieth years of marriage at Saint Peter’s Cathedral, where couples renew their wedding commitment.  

This year’s Mass will be held on June 28, 2026, at 2:30 PM. Mark your calendar if you are celebrating your Tenth, Twenty-Fifth, Fortieth or Fiftieth Anniversary in 2026, or share this news with others who may be doing so.

For more information, contact:

Bridget Maille, Program Coordinator, Family Life

570-207-2213 x 1133 or familylife@dioceseofscranton.org

Pre-Cana offers engaged couples a meaningful opportunity to deepen their relationship, grow together in faith, and prepare for a lifelong vocation of love and commitment alongside other couples preparing for marriage.

Use the link below to view the 2026 schedule and register for a Pre-Cana Marriage Preparation session. 

Genesis Mission

The Genesis Mission is an evangelization initiative that equips ordinary Catholics with the confidence and skills to share their faith by promoting simple, natural ways of talking about God with others.  Through seven short sessions, participants will deepen their relationship with Jesus, grow in faith, and discover how everyday encounters can become opportunities to bring others closer to Christ.  

New groups forming now! 

For More Information, Contact:

Regina Wright

(570) 207-2213 x1135

rwright@dioceseofscranton.org

Promote Your Event to Catholics throughout the Diocese!

We'd love to help you get the word out about your event in the Office for Parish Life's Good News Notes Newsletter!

To submit your event for inclusion in the Good News Notes, click the link below and complete the form at least 2 weeks in advance of your event.  Specific events can be promoted up to two months in advance of the event date or registration deadline.  We do our best to include all submissions but can't guarantee inclusion and may edit for length.  

Questions? 

Contact Regina Wright at

(570) 207-2213 x 1135

or rwright@dioceseofscranton.org

Join Us in Seoul, South Korea

World Youth Day 2027

World Youth Day is a life-changing gathering uniting more than a million young Catholics from around the globe on pilgrimage with  Pope Leo XIV.  

Start planning your trip today!

Priority registration deadline is June 30, 2026

Introducing Scranton Young Adult GroupMe

Join our GroupMe to stay up to date on different events in the diocese and make connections with other Young Adult Catholics in the area!  For ages 18-40. 

Save the Date

HISPANIC HERITAGE EVENT 

September 19, 2026

Parish Faith Formation Grants

Continue to Have a Meaningful Impact

Now in it's fourth year, the parish based faith formation grants continue to be a sought after source of funding which has a meaningful impact in our parishes.  

The highly competitive Parish Based Faith Formation Grant is funded by the generosity of parishioners through the Catholic Ministries Appeal and is designed to support innovative faith formation initiatives in parishes throughout the Diocese of Scranton.

The grant provides financial resources to parishes who form missionary disciples through new and innovative evangelization & catechesis efforts.

Now under review, the grants will be awarded in June, for distribution by July 1, 2026. 

Looking for New Ways to Share the Faith?

Learn from National Leaders

The Steubenville John Bosco Conference offers over 9 tracks and 70 workshops plus 4 keynotes and amazing worship to help us grow as catechists. 

See flyer for full details.

May Gatherings for Parish Catechetical Leaders

For Meeting Link and More Information Contact:

 Marianne Guarnieri at

(570) 207-2213 x 1100 or

mguarnieri@dioceseofscranton.org

Support the 3^rd Annual Pennsylvanians for Human Life 

Run4Life - 5k and 1.5 mile Fun Walk!

May 30,2026

T-Shirts for the first 150 paid participants

Free for kids under 12

Children's Activities

Awards & Prizes

June 5-6, 2026

Catholic Women's Conference

Marywood University

Saturday, June 13

Walking Pilgrimage through Pinchot State Forest

Sign-In Begins at 7:30 AM

A tradition began four years ago at Holy Spirit Parish will continue this year under a new name. The Footsteps of Our Ancestors Walking Pilgrimage is set for Saturday, June 13, beginning at Saint Mary's Church (Saint Faustina Kowalska Parish), 130 Rectory Road, Mocanaqua, and concluding at Saint Nicholas Ukrainian Catholic Church, 153 East Main Street, Glen Lyon. Originally known as the Holy Spirit Parish Walking Pilgrimage, the walk has been renamed Footsteps of Our Ancestors following the closure of Saint Adalbert Church and the suppression of Holy Spirit Parish in January.

The pilgrimage will begin with sign-in and an opportunity for Confession from 7:30 to 8:45 a.m. at Saint Mary’s Church. A blessing of pilgrims will take place at 8:45 a.m., after which participants will depart for an approximately seven-mile journey through the Mocanaqua Tract of Pinchot State Forest. Brief stops will be made at Saint Adalbert Cemetery and at the sites of the former Saint Michael and Saint Adalbert churches in Glen Lyon.

Divine Liturgy will be offered at Saint Nicholas Church at 12:30 p.m. or upon arrival of the pilgrims. Those who are unable to walk the pilgrimage route are welcome to attend the Liturgy. Lunch will be served, and bus transportation back to Mocanaqua will be available at 3:00 p.m.