As we move through the Church’s year we’re so often reminded that we celebrate “with the Church throughout the world.” Christmas, Lent, Easter, Pentecost—even today, Most Holy Trinity—are times that Catholics, wherever they are, hear the same words, offer the same prayers, and celebrate the same mighty works of God. But, the Church also gives great feast days for the local community—the patronal feast and the feast of the local Church’s dedication. Tomorrow is one of those days: the feast of St. Boniface. We celebrate it with ...

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National Eucharistic Revival-Corpus Christi:  The dioceses of the United States are currently engaged in a multi-year National Eucharistic Revival to renew the Church by enkindling in the faithful a living relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ in the Holy Eucharist.  We are now approaching the parish phase of the Revival beginning on Sunday, June 11, 2023, the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi). To commemorate the beginning of the parish phase of the National Eucharistic Revival, our parish will be offering a Eucharistic E...

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This Tuesday we’ll welcome a seminarian, Andrew McCarroll, to St. Boniface and St. Lawrence Parishes. He will be here for a “pastoral year.” I know it’s been some time since our parishes hosted a seminarian for a summer or winter assignment. I suspect it’s been since never that we’ve had someone here for the duration of a year. So, let me give you some sense of what this experience means. Andrew, a native of Lehman (at the upper end of Route 118) and a son of St. Aloysius Parish in Wilkes-Barre, has just finished his third year in graduat...

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Congratulations to our three new pastoral council members as they join current council members in advising our pastor on matters related to the spiritual health and administration of The Parishes of St. Boniface & St. Lawrence: Greg Deck, Karen Kirk-Newman, and Scott Lorson. Their three-year terms will begin in June. A special thank you goes out to our Recruitment and Training Committee for organizing and overseeing this year's council elections. 

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Most mornings I read the news from the New York Times on my phone. Many mornings I’ll take a stab at the games the NYT provides—the crossword, the sodoku, the spelling bee. That last game invites us to create words from a limited number of letters: the more letters, the more points. But, sometimes I put in a legitimate word and it gets rejected—either because it’s a foreign word, a proper name, or just one that the game designers don’t know. Two examples: “cenacle” and “novena.” Real words. Actual words that play into th...

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We are currently working on the St. Boniface lector and eucharistic minister schedules for July, August, and September, and would like to add more liturgical ministers to our list. Both parishes need additional eucharistic ministers, especially for Saturday Masses. If you are interested in joining these ministries, please contact the parish office for more information and training. (email stboniface@comcast.net or call 570- 326-1544)

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It’s time once again for summer VBS, sponsored by St. Boniface, St. Lawrence, St. Ann's, and St. Joseph the Worker. In order to make VBS affordable for families, we charge a fee that covers only a small portion of the cost of this program. The parishes are responsible for the remaining costs. So, we are asking parishioners to help us by donating some of the items we need to offset those costs. There are posters located in the back of each church that outline VBS needs. Please take a moment to review these items and consider donating. Items should be brought to chu...

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Vacation Bible School

Our parishes are responsible for providing the meals for Family Promise from Sunday, May 28 through Saturday, June 3. If you are able to donate a meal, please contact Pam Fink at (570) 916-0883 or email her at picturepam@comcast.net. The parishes will also be responsible for meals August 13-19 and November 26-December 2.

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Family Promise

Parish Center. Rectory. Convent. The building behind St. Lawrence Church has had a host of names and quite a variety of uses throughout the years. This summer that building’s name and use will change yet again. Beginning this summer, the parish will rent that property to St. John Neumann Regional Academy—to be used as a preschool campus. We hope this will be a positive for both the parish and our regional Catholic school. For the school, this means more much-needed room for the growing pre-school program at SJNRA. For the parish, we’ll no longer be paying ...

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Save the date! The St. Lawrence Church rummage sale is June 9 & 10. As you clean out and prepare your home for warmer weather, consider donating any items that could be resold at the sale. Please contact Dianne Fisher at 570-322-3278 or Judy Campion at 570-323-6202 for more information about donations.  Download the full information brochure for the event at https://stbonifacecatholic.com/

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Please note the new schedule for Holy Days in our parishes: Holy Day Masses will be held at 7 a.m. St. Lawrence, 10 a.m. at St. Boniface (SJNRA), and at 5:30 p.m. at St. Boniface. Schedules for area churches will be posted as needed.

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Holy Day

Some years ago, I celebrated a Mass—probably during Catholic Schools Week—where a high school student gave a talk about his experience of Catholic education. He had clearly prepared well. He was convincingly excited about his Catholic faith. But, I was a little surprised what people said—and didn’t say—as they talked to him after Mass. I heard: “You speak well—you should be a teacher,” “—you should be a lawyer,” “—you should be in politics.” What I didn’t hear: “You could be a pr...

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Something’s puzzled me over the past several months. The summer Mass schedule change. I wasn’t clear on why we have it. We’re not resort communities that fill with worshippers for summer getaways or winter ski trips. We’re not cancelling a Mass because few people attend in the summer; we’re just moving them closer together. Why, I ask? I’ve heard all sorts of answers—mostly about people other than the folks I’ve asked. Summer Mass schedule is for the priests, for the musicians, for families with children, for golfers, etc. So,...

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We’ve sometimes called this Sunday “Low Sunday.” After all, anything compared to Easter would seem to fall into a lesser place. The throngs of people, the triumphant music, the fresh flowers, the families gathered to feast: all that seems to be last week’s story. But, in terms of the dynamics of the Church’s liturgy, that almost completely wrong. Last Sunday began Easter, it certainly didn’t finish it! We have fifty days of Easter, Sundays and weekdays that unfold the unimaginable power of Christ’s resurrection. And the high point r...

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Students in PRE-K through grade 5 this school year are invited to attend Vacation Bible School (VBS) sponsored by our area Catholic churches. VBS will be held June 19–23 from 8:45 a.m.–12:15 p.m. at the St. John Neumann Regional Academy High School campus on Penn Street in Williamsport. Register online at www.osvhub.com/saintannrcc/forms/vbs. Earlybird registration cost per student is $20 through May 31. Families with 3 or more children pay $60.  Starting June 1, the cost per student is $40 so get your children registered as soon as possible....

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Vacation Bible School

Easter cards are a funny thing. Most of them are about rabbits and eggs—often with all sorts of puns and jokes involved. A few, carefully placed in the part of the rack identified as “religious”, show a cross or a picture of Jesus. I can deal with all of those. But, I’m wary of the ones that wish us “Happy Easter, Happy Spring!” As if those two things are the same. They’re not. Spring comes as just one more season, repeating itself over and over. As soon as it arrives, it leads to another summer, another fall, another winter. But, E...

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At Mass sometimes the priest has the option of saying things “in these or similar words.” Many times, no such option is offered— “This is my Body” has to be “This is my Body,” after all. We don’t always think of these sorts of options for the lay faithful, do we? There’s no “in these or similar words” option for the Sanctus or the Lamb of God. Parents with babies to be baptized and couples coming to be married have to say “I do!” to the questions. But, there is one place where all of us— lay...

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A few years back, we received a new English translation of the Mass. We’ve grown used to “and with your spirit” rather than “and also with you.” So, of course, it’s time for the Church to launch a new English translation for another sacrament: Reconciliation. When you come to confession this Lent and beyond you may notice—and, admittedly, the change is so small you can miss this—two small changes in the priest’s words. Now we tell you that the Father has “poured out” the Spirit and that the Church promises th...

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Important notice for Weekday Masses: If there is a delay or cancellation of area schools, please follow this Mass schedule: St. Lawrence will follow the South Williamsport Area School District closure or delay announcements.  St. Boniface will follow the Williamsport Area School District closure or delay announcements.  St. Lawrence Masses: Monday & Tuesday 7 a.m. services will move to St. Boniface at 9 a.m. St. Boniface Masses:  Thursday & Friday 8 a.m. services will move to 9 a.m.  Divine Providence Hospi...

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Snow Emergency