Come One, Come All! Join us for the best deal in town—our Annual Turkey Raffle on Friday, November 21. Doors open at 7 p.m. For just $1, you’ll enjoy: Entry into the St. Boniface school gym A chance to win one of 30 raffles for Tony’s gift cards Free food and beverages throughout the evening Bring your friends and enjoy a fun night of socializing and community spirit! Tickets to buy or sell are available in the back of the church. Interested in helping out? Please contact: Lenny at 570-772-0722 Sharon at 570-220-4611 ...

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Beginning Sunday, November 30 (the First Sunday of Advent), the parishes of Saint Ann and Saint Boniface will start publishing a single, combined bulletin. To submit content, please use the Communications Request Form (preferred) or contact Becky Goonan at media.stannrcc@gmail.com. All submissions must be received by 10:00 AM on the Tuesday preceding the publication of the bulletin. For example, items for the December 7 bulletin are due by 10:00 AM on Tuesday, December 2. Thank you for helping us streamline joint parish communications! Communications Request Fo...

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At next weekend’s 5:30 p.m. Mass, the linkage between St. Ann and St. Boniface Parishes takes another step.  At that Mass, I’ll be installed as pastor of St. Ann Parish.  It’s an extremely simple ritual: a few words spoken, two pieces of paper signed.  We can do it in any number of ways—an office visit with the Bishop or his Vicar for Clergy, a ritual moment within the community’s normal celebration of Mass. If we imagine this is principally about the priest, we’d be wrong.   Listen to what I’m asked to say...

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Mass intentions for 2026 will open on Monday, November 10. Each household may request one weekend Mass and two weekday Mass intentions through January 1, 2026. The offering is $10 per Mass intention. St. Boniface Candles for 2026 will also be available starting Monday, November 10. The offering is $10 per week. Please call 570-326-1544 or visit the parish office to schedule your 2026 Mass intentions or candle requests.

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A week and a half ago, I walked into St. Boniface Church. Technically, the building was closed. The organ workers needed the space to dismantle the pipes. But I had a key. I needed to get into the church to pick up a vestment from the sacristan. And I was curious about what this project would look like. I’m glad I popped in. Enormous organ pipes were carefully placed over the pews—protected by soft pieces of cloth. Every pipe was lying in its appropriate place—next to its neighboring pipes. Wooden crates were sitting around, all carefully sized and mark...

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Were you wondering why the church was closed for an entire week in October? The dismantling was a long process. Enormous organ pipes were carefully place over the pews—protected by soft pieces of cloth.  Every pipe was laying in its appropriate place—next to its neighboring pipes.  Wooden crates were sitting around, all carefully sized and marked to contain the pipes.               

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The other day I walked into a store. There I discovered that the display of Halloween lawn creatures—skeletons and witches, werewolves and vampires—was just starting to be crowded out by a giant collection of figures from Rudolph—the Abominable and the elf/dentist, the gold prospector and the poor misfit deer. Yes, with the beginning of November, we’re already on the rush towards Christmas (with Thanksgiving getting little more than a polite nod)! That means it’s finally time to talk about the Christmas schedule at our churches. Let me ju...

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During the Month of All Souls (November), our parish continues the beautiful tradition of honoring our beloved deceased through the Book of the Names of the Dead. This custom comes from the ancient practice of recording the names and dates of those who have died, offering the living a way to remember, pray, and find comfort in faith. The book will be displayed from the Solemnity of All Saints until the beginning of Advent. You are invited to write the names of your departed loved ones in the book, which will remain open for all to read, remember, and pray for the repose ...

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Let’s talk about next weekend. That complicated weekend—Halloween, All Saints Day, All Souls Day. Three days that ask us to look in all sorts of directions—into the darkness, into the light, into the very face of death. But, three days that speak of one great Christian mystery—Christ’s triumph over sin and death.  Before Halloween became commercialized (and we probably could say the same in a few months about Christmas), the connections between these observances were a little more obvious. The dark side of Halloween, even the hellish...

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The final carnival report can be found on the bulletin insert. This includes a breakdown of each stand as well as carnival profits from when it first started. The overall profit would not have been possible without MANY donations from businesses, parishioners, and others. These donations included monetary, product, treasures for the White Elephant, creation of baskets for the games, and time from many different people. Thank you to everyone that helped make the carnival so successful!  

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Carnival

Traveling Chalice Coming to St. Boniface Parish The Vocations Committee is rolling out a new program designed to encourage prayer for vocations (particularly to the priesthood and religious life) within our parish community. The parish of St. Ann's has graciously loaned us their beautiful Traveling Chalice for our parish to use. The chalice and paten were donated by the Knights of Columbus.The chalice is hosted by a different family every two weeks. The chalice should be placed in a prominent location within the home to serve as a daily reminder to pra...

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The St. Ann Women’s Guild warmly invites the women of St. Boniface Parish to join our community. We come together to build friendships, deepen our faith, and support parish needs through a variety of fundraising activities—while enjoying fun and fellowship along the way. Annual membership is only $10. To join or learn more, please contact Guild President Bernadette DeLullo at 570-419-0891 or reach out to the St. Ann or St. Boniface Parish Offices. We would be delighted to welcome you!

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When I wake up these mornings, I run through a series of questions: What day is it? Where am I supposed to go? And, when I get there, what am I supposed to do? I know in time, our changed schedules will fall into a new normal ritual. But that’s not happening these next two weeks! Already, we face some adjustments to what happens in which place on what day—temporary adjustments, but very real ones. WEEK OF OCTOBER 20-24 One of the early steps in repairing the storm-damaged pipe organ begins. The pipes will be removed and taken to Albany for refurbishment. ...

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We encourage everyone to formally register as members of the parish so that we may stay in touch with you regarding faith formation news, special events, activities, volunteer opportunities, and more. Register online!

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The letter sits in front of me on my desk. The letter from Bishop Bambera that begins with the words: “In response to the needs of the faithful of the Diocese of Scranton, I am appointing you Pastor, Saint Ann Parish, Williamsport…[you] will continue to serve as Pastor, Saint Boniface Parish, Williamsport.” It sounds pretty tidy. A pastor and a parochial vicar (Fr. Dias received a similar letter the same day) were assigned to two separate parishes. What does that mean in practical terms? How do our lives as St. Ann and St. Boniface Parishes change? How...

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As part of this weekend’s Priesthood Sunday (yes, it’s a thing—not sure if the Church or Hallmark created it, though), the parish Vocation Committee has asked me and Fr. Dias to play a sort of icebreaking game —This or That. So here we go: Early Bird or Night Owl. Definitely an early bird. I try, not always with success, to adjust the end of my day so that I still get enough sleep with an early rise. Coffee or Tea. Both actually. Coffee for morning, tea later in the day. (And I mean real tea with the caffeine still in it!) Godspell or Jesus ...

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Download the comprehensive fall 2025 Adult Faith Formation schedule to see all opportunities offered on Sundays and throughout the week. Programs include PREP Talks on Sunday mornings, The Creed Series with Father Dias, Mondays with The Chosen, and more.  The PDF schedule provides dates, times, locations, and details through December 31. All parishioners are welcome, and you’re encouraged to bring a friend.

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Adult Faith Formation

The Catholic Ministries Appeal is the primary fundraiser supporting vital ministries across the Diocese of Scranton. Gifts provide critical support for Catholic Social Services, Catholic Education, priestly vocations, parish life, faith formation, and social justice grants. Together, we bring hope to those most in need—doing what no single parish can do alone. Your generosity makes this possible! Donate today securely online

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As many of you are aware, for the 21 years that I was pastor at Resurrection Parish, I was also responsible for serving as Catholic chaplain at the women’s prison in Muncy. Recently, it has become challenging for Resurrection Parish to continue that ministry. Given that St. Boniface Parish is the only parish in this county with two priests, Bishop Bambera asked to resume this ministry. What does that mean to us as a parish? In the first place, it adds a Sunday evening Mass at the prison. On a normal Sunday, that allows Fr. Dias and me each to celebrate two Ma...

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Lately, I’ve heard a couple of interrelated questions: When will we begin work on the new organ? Is that (the keyboard you hear at 4 pm Mass) the new organ? And if that’s not the new organ, why not just keep playing that? Doesn’t it sound just fine as it is? Let’s start with the work question. Actually, work has begun on the “new” organ. I’d prefer we talk about restoring or rebuilding the instrument. The pipes—the most important part of the organ—were not damaged last year. They need some 50-year maintenance, bu...

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Many of you have been asking, and the wait is nearly over! Tomorrow, September 8, the books for Mass intentions open up. That date always seems to create a rather a frenzy as people try to get their requests for Masses in as soon as they can. For those of you who have no idea what I’m talking about—and for those who do—some explanation might be in order. As Catholics, we have a long tradition of oīering Mass for particular intentions. Of course, every Mass is oīered for the salvation of the entire world. The Mass is, after all, the sacrifice of Jesus...

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THANK YOU to everyone who helped make this year’s carnival a success. Our parishioners played an essential role—running games, selling raffle tickets, preparing and serving food indoors and out, donating baked goods, assembling gift baskets, organizing (and shopping!) the white elephant sale, supporting the kiddie rides, and so much more. A heartfelt thank you as well to those who set up and will help take everything down. Every effort was noticed, and every contribution deeply appreciated.

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Carnival

The wait is over! Mass intention requests for October 1 thru December 31, 2025, are available starting Monday, September 8. Note that only one weekend Mass can be requested at this time. Weekend and daily masses, as well as the sanctuary candles, are $10.  Please call the parish office for more information on dates (570-326-1544).

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Effective October 1, 2025 St. Boniface Parish will link with St. Ann Parish. Please note the Mass schedule for October: Saturday (Vigil) 4:00 PM · St. Boniface 5:30 PM · St. Ann Sunday 8:00 AM · St. Lawrence 9:30 AM · St. Ann 11:00 AM · St. Boniface Monday & Tuesday 7:00 AM · St. Lawrence 8:00 AM · St. Boniface Wednesday 7:00 AM · Divine Providence Hospital Chapel Thursday & Friday 7:00 AM · St. Ann 8:00 AM · St. Boniface Con...

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Mass Times

Join us on Mondays over the next several months to watch and explore topics covered in The Chosen, a historical drama television series about the life and ministry of Jesus of Nazareth, primarily set in Judaea and Galilee in the first century. The series depicts Jesus's life through the eyes of the people who interacted with him. Hosted by Jack Houston, we meet at 6:30 p.m. in the St. Boniface rectory basement (RAC) for refreshments and post-video discussion. Bring a friend! Schedule of Mondays: September 8 October...

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In the midst of the upcoming events I listed out a couple of weeks ago, I forgot one. It’s the Diocesan Catholic Ministries Appeal. And it’s going to happen. Some of you may already have been receiving the request letters from the Diocese. Some of us may already be thinking about our giving budget and making decisions about how much to give to that worthy cause. Just a heads up: This year, the Ministries Appeal will be treated a little differently for St Boniface Parish. We’ll have a goal. We’ll put the ask out there for you. I will never tell ...

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Lately, our finance council and our parish pastoral council have been rather busy. Busy enough that we didn’t manage to skip one of our meetings this summer! But, busy with things that are important to the life of the parish. After all, these women and men are the representatives that you nominate to serve. I genuinely look to them to give me advice as we move forward on so many fronts. One of the responsibilities that falls to finance councils, pastoral councils, and pastors is the regular evaluation of properties. We’re always called to look closely at the ...

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There’s no way around it. We have a number of things going on these last weeks of summer. They’re all important. They all deserve some attention on this page. I’ll try to give each of them space in the bulletin these next few weekends. First, it’s Little League. That’s a time to be especially attentive to how we welcome people. Don’t think for a moment this is just a St Lawrence Church thing. Fans and teams have always shown up at any and all of our parishes in Lycoming County. We routinely had Little League people come to Resurrection...

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At the end of June, whether from a seat in the cathedral or facing a computer or TV screen, many of us watched Fr McCarroll’s ordination. That ancient ritual contains any number of striking moments: the candidates prostrate before the altar while we sang the Litany of Saints, the long prayer that asked God to change these deacons into priests, the moment when each of the newly ordained, for the first time, shared aloud a part in the Eucharistic Prayer. But, one rite that many of you commented on was the laying on of hands—first the bishop, then the procession...

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These past few weeks and months, I’ve had rather a lot to say about today’s Dedication Anniversary. Let’s pause for a few moments and reflect on the prayers that were offered that day, 50 years ago. They’re words that, yes, tell us about a building. But they’re words that describe our work as Church. 50 years ago, the Bishop prayed, “Here may the waters of baptism overwhelm the shame of sin; here may your people die to sin and live again through grace as your children.” Still, we’re called to evangelize, to draw those who s...

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Once in a great while, I’ve encountered stories of a priest on the occasion of his ordination anniversary offering a list of his sacramental data: how many baptisms, how many confirmations, how many marriages and funerals, how many Masses he celebrated over the course of 25 or 50 years. I can’t begin to imagine how anyone amasses those particular numbers. Does he keep some sort of clicker in the confessional to keep the number up to date? Does he hold on to half a century’s worth of appointment books to track the Masses and sacraments? For me, any of those...

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OK, you can mark us absent this weekend. But, we have excuses! Both Fr. Dias and I are celebrating all the Masses at St. Ann’s Parish this Saturday and Sunday. Fr. Simchock is away, and part of the responsibility that falls to St Boniface Parish— with our new parochial vicar in place—includes offering help to neighboring parishes. Of course, we’re grateful that Fr. Fidelis is at hand to celebrate Mass in our absence. However, we hope this weekend becomes about more than juggling priests around so that Mass can happen. Remember a couple of we...

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Many of you, I know, saw the pictures on Facebook. St Ann’s Parish has moved the statue of St. Ann from the front of the rectory to near the front of the church. And that’s already prompted some of you to ask: “Wasn’t something supposed to happen with St. Ann and St. Boniface Parishes this summer? Wasn’t July the date for our upcoming linkage?” Yes, you remember correctly! Our linkage was originally set for July 2025. But, because of some other situations with priests and parishes in the Diocese, that date was pushed out to October. ...

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Over the past more than thirty years, I’ve been welcomed into any number of communities. Sometimes—think the first days in a seminary—it was a highly organized, incredibly active orientation program. Occasionally, it’s the cookies and punch reception after Sunday Mass. In one parish, I was intrigued that the cookies were precisely lined up, and since they were the chessmen cookies, they were organized in rook, pawn, and bishop piles. I thought that might be a sign that that particular parish would be extremely organized in all parts of its life. I...

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Rev. Mr. Thomas J. Dzwonczyk and Rev. Mr. Andrew T. McCarroll were ordained to the Sacred Priesthood for the Diocese of Scranton on Saturday, June 28, 2025, at the Cathedral of Saint Peter. The Most Rev. Joseph C. Bambera served as principal celebrant, homilist, and ordaining prelate. We rejoice that these two men are now priests, following years of prayer, discernment, and formation. Congratulations to both men, and especially Father McCarroll, who served a pastoral year here at St. Boniface and St. Lawrence. You can view the Mass on YouTube at https://youtu.be/cbxUbz...

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I’d always thought that in summer things slow down. I’ve often been proven wrong. This summer looks like one of those times. Let me give you some idea of what’s coming up in the next few months: Pipe organ repairs. We recently signed a contract to do repairs (and upgrades) on the Ruffatti instrument damaged last August by Tropical Storm Debbie. This will be a long process. A new console will be built. Pipes will be removed for refurbishing. And much of the labor requires specialized workers. We probably won’t hear the completed instrument until la...

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This past week, as we all look forward to Deacon McCarroll’s ordination to the priesthood, I heard a number of questions about the priesthood and ordination. Some of them pretty everyday things: Is there still room on the bus? Where’s parking available around the cathedral? How long does this thing go on? I’m away that day: can I watch the ordination somewhere? But, one person asked me: What’s it feel like to be ordained? What’s it like once those prayers have been said, those hands anointed, that invitation to stand at the altar with the bi...

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Many mornings, I'll try my luck with the online puzzles that the New York Times provides: the crossword, Wordle, the Sudoku. The one I actually enjoy the most is called Spelling Bee. They give us seven letters and challenge us to build words. They have some rules about the words. They have to be in English usage. I'd argue that "penne" is an Italian word, even though the Times counts it as English. I'd also argue that "goal" is an English word, but the Times says no to that one. But the word that always gets rejected is the word "nove...

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Our Senior C.A.R.E. Team — which stands for Communion, Activities, Resources, and Encouragement — is made up of trained volunteers who bring weekly Communion and prayer to individuals of any age who are unable to attend Mass. Team members also offer friendly visits and phone calls to seniors in need of companionship or support. If your loved one is hospitalized, moves into a nursing facility, or is homebound and unable to attend Mass regularly, please let us know. We want to ensure they continue to receive the sacraments and spiritual care from our dedicated ...

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Senior CARE Team

Saturday evening, the Vigil of Pentecost, we hear (or heard) Jesus speak about the Spirit “on the last and greatest day of the feast.” With Pentecost, we reach a milestone. We’ve kept 50 days of Easter joy. We’ve arrived at the moment that began with the preparations for Lenten fasting and prayer. We’ve celebrated the Lord’s death and resurrection. We’ve baptized new believers. We’ve welcomed children to the Lord’s table for the first time. Today we confirm our young people. It feels like we’ve done a lot. Time ...

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Many of you use books like Magnificat or The Word Among Us. I know you appreciate how they help you to follow the readings and prayers at Mass, both weekdays and Sundays. But, once in a while, we come to days when they just don’t seem to work. The readings we hear at Mass aren’t the ones printed in the magazine! What goes on here? Did the publishers print the wrong texts? Did the lector (or even the priest) turn the wrong page? The answer: None of the above. Some days in the church’s year allow a number of options. Publishers of books like The Word A...

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The other weekend, Deacon McCarroll opened his homily with some commentary on the names that the Sunday after Easter has been given over the centuries. Maybe, as he suggested, it might seem rather liturgical nerdy stuff. But the other morning, I happened to listen to a podcast where people were talking about the name of Easter itself! So, let’s take at what the names are and what they mean. First of all, what you call Easter (and it’s not just the Sunday, but the 50 days of Easter that will end this year on June 7) depends on where you live, what language you...

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Think of this irony. In 1924, Al Smith, Governor of New York, lost in the US presidential election. Among the reasons: he was a Catholic, and many feared a Catholic presidency would merely be a “pipeline to the Pope.” Just slightly over 100 years later, against all the prophecies and predictions that it couldn’t happen, an American was elected as Bishop of Rome, Pope Leo XIV. Amongst all the chatter of the past couple of weeks—his Chicago origins, the Villanova years, the Augustinians, the mission work in Peru, his mother’s Creole heritag...

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Today is… I know, you’ve expected me to say “Mother’s Day,” and you’d be right. We’re grateful for the women who gave us birth, who nurtured our lives and our faith. We pray for them—the living and the dead. But today’s also the World Day of Prayer for Vocations. And I’d be remiss—we’d be remiss— if we didn’t pay attention to this day when we ask the Good Shepherd to bring us shepherds to continue his work with his flock. Just as we need mothers to give and sustain human life, we need...

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Last spring, Deacon McCarroll created a poster—a picture of his face superimposed on an image of Uncle Sam. “Deacon McCarroll Needs You to be a Eucharistic Minister!” That silly image worked. You responded, and we’ve had communion ministers to help at weekend Masses.I don’t have a fun poster for you. But I have a need. It’s not really my need exactly. It comes from Jesus, the Jesus who said (and will one day again say): “I was hungry and you gave me to eat. I was thirsty and you gave me to drink. I was naked, and you clothed me. I was a stranger and you welcomed me.” People...

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Part of our work for our upcoming linkage between St. Ann and St. Boniface Parishes was creating a new Mass schedule. You read a little bit about that two weeks ago when we described the work of our transition teams from the two parishes. Now it’s time to talk about the results. But first, a little bit about the process. Between St. Ann Parish and St. Boniface Parish, we currently have 7 weekend Masses (3 on Saturday evening, 4 on Sunday morning). In addition, we have 9 weekday Masses between us.   While we’re promised a second priest in July, we&...

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Did you notice where the gospel ended today? It didn’t feel like the conclusion of other stories, did it? We didn’t hear the words “…and they lived happily ever after”! Instead, at the Easter Vigil, the gospel ended, “Their story seemed like nonsense, and they did not believe them. But Peter got up and ran to the tomb, bent down, and saw the burial cloths alone; then he went home, amazed at what had happened.” Hardly the happy ending we might have expected. Then this morning we hear John’s account ending with the words:...

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Vacation Bible School will be held June 16–20 from 8:45 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. at the St. John Neumann Regional Academy High School Campus, located at 901 Penn Street in Williamsport. All children currently in Pre-K through Grade 5 are invited to join us for a fun-filled week of faith, learning, and fellowship. The cost is $20 per student, with a family maximum of $60 for households with three or more children. Early bird registration ends on May 31. Starting June 1, the cost increases to $40 per student. To register, please visit www.tinyurl.com/lycovbs25. We...

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We’ve come to a busy week.  A Holy Week for the Church.   And not just a Holy Week because these things happened to Jesus of Nazareth almost 2000 years ago. A Holy Week because our celebration builds up our faith and strengthens us for our witness to the world. And it only works if we show up! Let’s think about the moments when we need especially to be Church this week: Holy Thursday.  Our celebration of the Lord’s death and resurrection begins with the 7 pm Mass, the Mass that recalls the beginning of Christ’s Passion, his gift ...

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Remember spring cleaning? When the days grew longer and the temperature rose, people would set about cleaning their homes and their yards. Leaves were raked and gutters emptied out. Open windows let in fresh air. Winter sweaters were put in mothballs. Lighter clothing was pulled out of storage. Floors were mopped, carpets swept, and old food from the back of the fridge was tossed. Some of that spring cleaning is connected to Lent and Easter. People expected guests for the great holiday. Special foods needed to be prepared. We wanted our homes to look their best, our k...

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Last week I entertained the question “Father, how often should I go to confession?” This week, let’s think about the next question I usually get: “And, Father, what do I say when I get there?” Confession begins when we examine our conscience. And that begins with prayer. You don’t know what you’re supposed to say? Ask the Holy Spirit. After all, Jesus promised that the Holy Spirit would lead us to all truth. I imagine that includes the truth about ourselves. The Holy Spirit will reveal the truth to us. We might tend to beat up on...

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Father, how often should I come to confession? I get that question a lot. Sometimes from nonbelievers who want to understand this strange religious system of ours. Sometimes from people interested in becoming Catholic—they want to know just what they’re getting into. Sometimes from Catholics who are confused about the messages they’ve received— everything from “God doesn’t really care about sin anymore” to “Why aren’t you like Mother Teresa or John Paul II, who when to confession every single week?” The answe...

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Last Sunday afternoon I was sitting in St. Peter’s Cathedral in Scranton. I had traveled over there for the Rite of Election—an important part of the Order of Christian Initiation for Adults (OCIA) which used to be called Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA). As I sat there waiting for the liturgy to begin, I realized just how long it had been since I last participated in that particular ceremony. For many years of my priesthood, I had to skip that rite because I had evening Mass responsibilities. Since coming here, my Sunday afternoons and evenings ha...

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I know I’ve driving home this pilgrimage aspect of the Holy Year pretty often. But, it’s a treasured part of our Catholic faith. I’d hate to have the next several months to pass by and have us think: “I could have participated, I could have done something…”  Now we are fortunate to have a pilgrimage site in one of our churches. But, that doesn’t stop us from finding other sites as well. Think of it this way: As we travel, for work or for vacation, we’re passing pilgrimage sites all along the way. After the Broadway sh...

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During the Jubilee Year 2025, the Holy Father invites all Christians to become “pilgrims of hope.” For this journey to be meaningful, each person must be grounded in God's grace and His mercy's fullness. Even those unable to make a pilgrimage to Rome are encouraged to participate in the spiritual movement of receiving an Indulgence during this special year. To obtain the Indulgence, the faithful within our Diocese are invited to take the following steps: 1. Visit a Designated Pilgrimage Site: Cathedral of Saint Peter, 315 Wyoming Ave, Scranto...

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From time to time, I hear people assert that the Church had done away with something. Friday penance or Sunday Mass obligation, confession, or indulgences. Usually, it’s accompanied by an appeal to an event (like Vatican II) or a person (like the Pope). “Didn’t Vatican II  get rid of that?” “Didn’t Pope Francis change that?” Truth: none of the aforementioned items have been changed. Not by a Council, not by the pope, not even by the synodal process. Check out how often Pope Francis has invited u...

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A couple of times in the past few weeks I’ve talked about the Holy Year—as part of a homily, in the bulletin. We’ve reflected on Jesus’ words in the Nazareth synagogue—“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me…to proclaim a year of favor from the Lord.” We’ve talked about pilgrimages and shrines and holy doors. Imagine my surprise when I learned that the Bishop wanted to mark St. Boniface Church as a diocesan site for pilgrimage this year. Suddenly, Holy Years weren’t things that happen somewhere else&mdash...

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One of the elements of a Holy Year in the Catholic Church is pilgrimage. The pope opens the doors of Rome’s great basilicas. From across the world people travel to pass through those doors—to gain the indulgence of the holy year, a particular expression of God’s mercy. But, every pilgrimage is more than a trip or a vacation. Lovely though it may be to see Rome or Jerusalem, Canterbury or Compostela, a good pilgrimage points to something deeper than holy places or sacred shrines. It tells us we’re pilgrims—from the moment of our baptism until...

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You thought today was just Sunday, right? Another Sunday like all other Sundays. If you were particularly focused on Church and Mass, you might have guessed it was Some Sunday in Ordinary Time—third, fourth, whatevereth? But, this Sunday’s a lot more. It’s Groundhog Day and if you’re reading this on Sunday morning, that rodent has already warmed or chilled our hearts with a prediction for spring. It’s the Presentation of the Lord—the fortieth day after Christmas when the Christ Child was presented in the temple, and one of those fea...

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If you listen carefully to the prayers in today’s Mass, you’ll notice a focus on the Church’s unity. (Actually, you might first notice that they don’t exactly line up with the prayers given in publications like The Word Among Us and Magnificat.) This week each year the Church— along with other Christian communities, Orthodox and Protestant—invites us to pray that Christ’s believers might grow to be one as he so deeply desired—and himself so deeply prayed at the Last Supper. Let’s not forget that unity has always been ...

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During the Church’s Evening Prayer on Epiphany, the liturgy proclaims: Three mysteries mark this holy day: Today the star leads the Magi to the infant Christ; Today water is changed into wine for the wedding feast; Today Christ wills to be baptized by John in the river Jordan to bring us salvation. Usually, we stop with the Magi. The crèche is complete: Mary and Joseph, ox and ass, shepherds with their flocks, magi with their gifts. While everyone might leave the stable—the Holy Family to Egypt, the shepherds telling glad tidings to the villagers, the Magi...

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I’ll be the first to admit it: Epiphany’s Mass involves a lot of words. Prophet and gospel are lengthy. Our best-known hymn for the day (written in Williamsport, mind you!) doesn’t really allow much room to sensibly skip verses. Throw in Eucharistic Prayer I, with its special texts for the Epiphany and we end up with a lot of words. There’s one more set of words we could add: the Announcement of Easter and the Moveable Feasts, a chant given to the deacon to proclaim after today’s gospel. We won’t be doing it, but here are the words: ...

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This past year our parish Vocations Committee has brought some special days to our attention: International Marriage Day (around St Valentine’s), Good Shepherd Sunday (after Easter, when we pray for vocations to priesthood), Buy Your Priest a Beer Day (yes, that’s really a thing). We have one coming up this week—and one that may present an unfamiliar notion for us—Day of Prayer for Cloistered Life. This Thursday the Church celebrates the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin, the day when Joachim and Anne bring the child Mary to Jerusalem, where, as ...

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