DIOCESE OF SCRANTON

A small fire was set inside the front door of St. Peter’s Cathedral Rectory early this afternoon, Dec. 30th.  The fire was discovered by a person coming into the rectory to visit someone in the office.  That same person was able to quickly extinguish the fire with the help of Cathedral staff members.  Damage to the inside door of the rectory was minimal.

The Scranton Police fire marshal has determined that the fire was intentionally set.  This is very disturbing news especially in the wake of the small fire that was set inside St. Peter’s Cathedral on Dec. 20th.  The Diocese has confidence that the Scranton Police Department will solve this case and we pray that whoever is responsible for these acts will refrain from doing this again and seek reconciliation.

Any information on these cases should be reported to the Scranton Police Detectives Bureau at 570-348-4139.

In the meantime, the Diocese plans to arrange for surveillance of the Cathedral and other properties in the area.

Dear Friends in Christ,

“I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For today in the city of David a savior has been born for you who is Messiah and Lord!” (Luke 2:10-11) As it does each year, the celebration of Christmas focuses our thoughts upon a moment in human history when a child, born in poverty, yet filled with the splendor of God, first offered hope and salvation to the world.

From this moment in time, God has truly become “God with us.” No longer is he the distant God who can in some way be perceived from afar, in creation or in our own consciousness. He has entered the world. He is close to us. Indeed, the words of the risen Christ echo the message of Bethlehem: “Lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age” (Mt 28:20). In this assertion, we discover a message that cannot leave us indifferent. The belief that God is present in our world and in our midst should affect everything that we do and who we are as his people.

Pope Benedict XVI, in his encyclical Deus Caritas Est, wrote: “Being a Christian is not the result of an ethical choice or lofty idea, but the encounter with an event, a person, which gives life a new horizon and decisive direction.” Because of the Christmas event, we encounter the living God in the person of Jesus who, by his birth, bids us see and embrace every day, in every human person, the very image and likeness of God.

The great Saint Augustine offered these words centuries ago: “The perfection of our religion is to imitate the One we worship.” The Christmas event invites us to reflect upon the heart of our lives as Christians. It holds before our eyes the miracle of the Incarnation and the profound love of God shared with us in the birth of His Son, Jesus. Christmas beckons us to open our hearts in faith to receive God’s gift of salvation. It also challenges each of us to pattern our lives on Jesus’ example of selfless love for his sisters and brothers – to seek the lost, to heal the broken, to feed the hungry, to release the prisoner, to bring peace to our world.

For many, the days of this holy season are filled with joy and consolation as we worship at the Lord’s table of the Eucharist and as we join together with family and friends to share gifts of love and goodness. For some, these days can be difficult reminders of happier moments in our lives, days in which the pain that comes from grief and loss can seem to overwhelm us. Whatever our experience, may we remember that Jesus’ birth found him embracing both the joy and pain of this world, giving us hope and peace as we journey through life.

On a personal note, I am so blessed to have been given the privilege of serving as Bishop of the Diocese of Scranton. In the eight months that have passed since my ordination and installation, you have welcomed me into your lives and have touched my heart with your goodness and love. I thank God for each of you and remember you daily in my prayers. I especially thank you for all that you do to honor the presence of Christ within you and within the lives of all you hold dear. In so doing, you keep alive the true meaning and the real work of Christmas.

May Jesus, the heart of this Christmas season, be our hope and peace. May Mary, our Mother, teach us to recognize and respect in one another the Son she bore for our life and salvation.

With prayers for a holy and blessed Christmas, I am

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Most Reverend Joseph C. Bambera, D.D., J.C.L.

Bishop of Scranton

The Diocese is saddened by the death of Father Daniel Hitchko. Although Father, who was 73, had been battling several serious health problems for a number of years, his sudden death while attending an event at Wyoming Area Catholic School was unexpected.

The paramedics who responded attempted to use the school’s automated external defibrillator (AED), but apparently the device was not functioning. It is unclear why it did not function or whether it would have changed the outcome.

Father Hitchko served the Church faithfully for 46 years. The Diocese mourns his loss. Our thoughts and prayers are with Father Hitchko and his family.

His Excellency, Bishop Joseph C. Bambera, announces the following appointments:

PASTOR/ADMINISTRATOR

Reverend Philip A. Altavilla, V.E., from Administrator, Immaculate Conception Parish, Scranton, effective November 18, 2010. Father Altavilla will continue as Episcopal Vicar, Northern Pastoral Region, and Diocesan Director of Ecumenism and Interfaith Affairs.

Reverend Patrick J. McLaughlin, from Leave of Absence for health reasons, effective November 18, 2010. He will continue to serve as Pastor of Immaculate Conception Parish, Scranton.

PERMANENT DEACON

Deacon Peter G. Smith, from Leave of Absence for health reasons, to Diaconal Ministry, Saint John the Baptist Parish, Larksville (Plymouth), effective December 15, 2010.

Longtime Chancellor James B. Earley has announced he will retire on Jan. 1, concluding 19 years of distinguished service to the Diocese.

Mr. Earley, 62, began his tenure in 1991 as editor of The Catholic Light. He was named Chancellor in 1996, the first layperson to hold that position.

Reflecting on Mr. Earley’s service and his decision to retire, Bishop Joseph C. Bambera said: “I am grateful for the many years of dedicated service that Mr. Earley has given to the Diocese. Throughout his tenure, he has been tireless in his efforts, responding to both administrative and pastoral needs in a thorough and professional manner.

“Above all, Mr. Earley has always maintained a deep commitment to the mission of the Church. For this, I am most grateful. I pray that God will bless him abundantly as he enters a new chapter in his life.”

As Chancellor, Mr. Earley was responsible for oversight of administrative offices, maintenance of Diocesan properties and archives, compilation of various official reports and coordination of several councils and commissions.

He also oversaw all elements of compliance with the U.S. Bishops’ Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People, including preparation for the annual audit; interaction with victims, the Victim Assistance Coordinator, district attorneys and lawyers; and reparation issues.

In 2002, he coordinated a comprehensive renovation of the Chancery building.

Mr. Earley is the author of Envisioning Faith: The Pictorial History of the Diocese of Scranton, a volume that was published in 1994.

He wrote the report on the Polish National Catholic-Roman Catholic Dialogue, 1989-2002, which appears in Journeying Together in Christ: The Journey Continues. And he has written entries on the history of the Polish National Catholic Church for the Pastoral Dictionary on Migration and Human Mobility and for The Catholic Answer.

In addition, he has written biographical entries for Scranton Bishop Michael J. Hoban and Father John Curran, the famous labor priest from the Diocese, for the Encyclopedia of American Catholic History published in 1998.

Mr. Earley is a member of St. Patrick’s Parish in west Scranton.