In celebration of World Marriage Day (February 7th), the Vocations Committee invites married couples to submit a wedding photo along with your names, wedding date, location, and parish. We will feature these photos in a special slideshow during the weekend of February 8th and 9th. Please send your photos and the requested details to Jaci Cappel at sbslprepgrade6@gmail.com by Wednesday, February 5th.

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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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What Whisky Can Teach Us About Faith – Join us for an enjoyable evening of light hors d'oeuvres, door prizes, and plenty of fun on Friday, January 24, from 7-8:30 p.m. at the St. Boniface Rectory. Whether you're a whisky connoisseur or a newcomer, you'll gain a deeper appreciation for Scotch and the spirit it embodies. Tickets are $60, and only 24 spots are available. To reserve your place, email stboniface@comcast.net with 'whisky' in the subject line.

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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 M...

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Parishioners are invited to join our parish community in creating "2025 Daily Lenten Reflections" to be shared from Ash Wednesday through Easter Sunday. In connection with the Jubilee Year theme "Pilgrims of Hope," we invite interested parishioners to write a short reflection based on the daily Mass readings. Reflections will be made available during the Lenten season on the parish website and Facebook page, along with printed copies for others to read and reflect upon. Please contact Jack Houston at 570-326-4637 or email jhouston8@fordham.edu if you wou...

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Let’s embrace Catholic resolutions together for the New Year, strengthening our faith as families and individuals. Here are some thoughtful ideas to consider: Set aside consistent time for prayer. Join the Bible in a Year Journey with Fr. Mike Schmitz. Read more spiritual books. Commit to praying the Rosary more regularly. Attend Mass more than once a week. Spend time in Adoration at least once a month. Go to confession more frequently. Learn about the lives of Catholic saints. Explore saint-inspired recipes for family meals. Visit Catholic pil...

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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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It’s still Christmas. It wasn’t Christmas the day after Halloween or the day after Thanksgiving. No matter what the radio played or what shops looked like, it just wasn’t Christmas. It really wasn’t Christmas during those hectic weeks of parties and concerts, shopping, and cookie baking. But now it’s Christmas, and Christmas sticks around for us as Catholics. We’re still celebrating Christmas today as we reflect on the Holy Family. New Year’s Eve and Day will be the Octave Day of Christmas (along with our celebration of Mary as M...

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Our next batch of 300 Club tickets will go on sale starting the weekend of January 4th. Each ticket is priced at $1. The first of five drawings will take place on February 9th. Tickets will be available after Masses beginning on January 4th and will be sold until they are gone. If you're unable to attend Mass but would like to purchase a ticket, please contact Deb at 570-220-2303 or Lenny at 570-772-0722. Thank you!

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We all know that Advent is about looking forward. Yes, we look forward to Christmas, to remember how God came into our world in the incarnation. Perhaps, more importantly, we look forward to his Second Coming when we enter into a new heaven and earth, where tears are wiped away, death is defeated and life—a perfectly happy life—never ends. While I certainly want us to seize the moment of each Advent day and hour, let’s look ahead to some things happening in our parish: Christmas Confessions: Last opportunities before Christmas on Mondays, December 16...

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We are updating our database! Please let us know if you have new contact information (phone number, cell number, email, etc.) We have found many phone numbers are out of date and disconnected. Call the parish office at 570-326-1544 or email stboniface@comcast.net with any changes. Thank you!

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Tomorrow—the Immaculate Conception of Mary: Shouldn’t it be today, December 8? How did it land on the 9th? But, on Monday, that day wouldn’t be a holy day of obligation, right? Yes, Mary’s conception is set for December 8— exactly nine months before the feast of her nativity. But, when it falls on Advent Sunday, Advent (just like Lent or Easter) wins over the feast. But, it’s an important feast because, obviously of Mary and because it’s the patronal feast for the United States. So, it gets moved instead of canceled. Rome has recent...

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I’m writing this column a full week before Thanksgiving. And I just got back from Hobby Lobby. It wasn’t really a fun trip. (No fault of the store, by any means!) I only needed candles for the Advent wreaths in the house. I know they had them last year. But, they’re not exactly in an easy spot to find. I had to plow through all sorts of Santas and trees, shiny ornaments and fake gift boxes (Why, for heaven’s sake, is that even a thing?), crowds of people piling up the stuff they apparently need to get before Thanksgiving arrives in 8 days. And, of co...

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Thanks to the generosity of St. Boniface parishioners, Sojourner Truth Ministries was provided with pumpkin pies, cranberry sauce, and rolls for the Thanksgiving holiday. The Thanksgiving Day meal, along with a leftover dinner the following day, served over 200 guests. Parish volunteers continue to serve meals every Friday from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

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Sojourner Truth

We heard these words today: “Jesus Christ...the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead and ruler of the kings of the earth...who has made us into a kingdom, priests for his God and Father....” Yes, we celebrate Christ as our King. But, we also acknowledge that we belong to a priestly and royal people, the Church. We belong to each other. We’re responsible for each other. That’s a great challenge for the pilgrim Church on earth. But, if we think back to the beginning of this month, we also belong to that Church triumphant, the saints in h...

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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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Last weekend we had lots of things going on. We put on the costumes for Halloween. We celebrated All Saints Day. We heard magnificent music at the All Souls Day Requiem Mass. We celebrated Sunday for the first time as one consolidated parish. But, we missed something during those days. The Church sets aside this week for prayer for vocations—vocations to religious life as sisters and brothers, vocations to the permanent diaconate, vocations to the priesthood, vocations to sacramental married life. We didn’t miss the moment entirely. We’re always pray...

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We’re in a season of change. Kids go back to school. Then the first chilly evening. The first frost touches the garden. The moment when we can’t find a pumpkin to carve because the store’s just put out the Christmas decorations. Today’s a change for us. We’re now St. Boniface Parish, in both St. Lawrence and St. Boniface Churches. We officially have a new territory—all of South Side until we near Bastress, the East End of Williamsport until we reach the borders of Loyalsock Township. And we have another project at the end: growing into...

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This past week was the annual Priests’ Convocation, I appreciate again how good is to be away. Good to be in a different space, among people I don’t see every day, doing a different set of tasks. But, in the end, we’re ready to come home. We ask each other the question: “What’s next week like? Will it be a quiet week?” This year the answer is most definitely “no”! We have several things going on this week. They’re all good, they’ll help us grow in our faith. So, let’s not allow it to slip by. Now: The B...

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Not an easy read, the insert in today’s bulletin. It asks to change and change is never without its challenges. It’s written in rather technical, legal language. I can understand why we might stop reading and look for the easy version. But, I’m glad we have those words. They protect our rights and line our responsibilities. One set of words really struck me. It’s in the title— which I’m not sure I ever paid much attention to—for the Diocesan planning process. Vision 2030—that much I’ve known and used for years!--Creat...

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There are weeks when I wish the bulletin deadline weren’t quite so early in the week. And not because I’ve wasted time or been lazy or too busy to come up with an idea. But, because sometimes something’s just happened on a Tuesday and I’d like to reflect on it with you. Like this past week, when we had our listening session about the upcoming consolidation of St. Lawrence and St. Boniface parishes. As I write these words, that meeting hasn’t yet happened. I don’t know what people will say, what they’ll hear, what they’ll th...

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We’re always interested in names. Think about the conversations expectant parents happen over the options—Who in the family wants a namesake? Which names are in fashion these days—and do we opt in or avoid? We listen to hear the confirmation name a young person has chosen. At a wedding we want to know: Name change or not? Hyphenated for her? Or for both? And, of course, as our parishes move to a closer union, we know the name questions in the air. But, that’s not the name I’m talking about today. It’s the Appeal—what used to be t...

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Everyone is encouraged to experience the spiritual beauty of Eucharistic Adoration which is open to all on Monday evenings from 5:30 to 7 p.m. The greatest gift God gives us is himself, and Adoration is another way for us to recognize that gift outside of receiving the Eucharist at Mass. Come pray in silence in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament. No signup or reservation is needed. “The time you spend with Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament is the best time that you will spend on earth. Each moment that you spend with Jesus will deepen your union with Him and make y...

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Think about the last words Jesus spoke before he left this earth. Think about what he didn’t say. And think about what he did say. He didn’t say: “You’re my Church. Be glad that you’ve heard the good news. Hang on to it, it’ll get you into heaven.” No, Jesus said: “Go, proclaim the good news to all the nations.” Our faith isn’t a treasure we’re to cling to, it’s meant to be shared—boldly and lovingly. Let’s think about what this means to us: Live a vibrant Christian life. The philosopher ...

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Why feed the hungry? When you are hungry but there isn't food on the shelves or in the refrigerator and money needs to go to rent, heat, and electricity, what do you do? We offer a way to help families through this with our food collection boxes at St. Boniface and St. Lawrence. We can help Sojourner Truth provide daily lunches and Salvation Army Food Pantry provides food for their 160-plus families. Please be part of this ministry by donating unexpired food into the collection boxes. We all can help make a difference. Needed items include pasta/sauce, mac & cheese,...

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Some of you have asked about what progress we’ve made with the pipe organ. I haven’t said much about it since informing you of the various problems Tropical Storm Debby brought. I haven’t done much up until now because I haven’t had answers to give you. An organ is a complicated instrument. Repairing one that’s damaged requires a number of steps—and decisions. First of all, as you can see, we’ve removed the console from the church. That allowed us to have mold remediation done promptly. We’ve removed the carpet that was, ra...

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Bishop Bambera has announced the consolidation of Saint Boniface and Saint Lawrence Parishes effective November 3, 2024. Despite their unique histories, both parishes have been collaborating for a decade and share the mission of living the Gospel and serving God. This merger reflects their existing cooperation and unified purpose. In order to answer any questions that you have, Father McCreary is holding an information session for our two parishes that will be held on Tuesday, September 24, 2024, at 6:30 p.m. in the Saint Lawrence Church Hall, 800 W. Central Avenue, So...

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Get the latest parish updates, events, and announcements. Our newest bulletin for the week of September 1 is now available! bit.ly/3XdCjqu

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In his final homily a few weeks ago, Deacon McCarroll asked the question: “Was it worth it?” He pointed that question in more than one direction, but it was rooted in the Eucharistic Revival, an American project that tried to counter indifference to the Eucharist and a time for conferences and talks, processions and days of adoration, a renewed focus on how we offer and receive this Sacrament. Of course, we’ve had the added blessings of a summer when we reflect on Jesus’ Bread of Life discourse from John’s gospel. And now all that&rsq...

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The other evening I was having drinks with some friends from Muncy—people who knew both me and Deacon McCarroll. They asked about when he’d be going back to school. Then they posed the question: “Will you miss him?” “Of course, I’ll miss him,” I quickly responded. Almost as quickly one of them offered the helpful suggestion: “Well, you could always get a dog.” Let me be clear: I’m not getting a dog. Let me also be clear: I will miss Deacon McCarroll. I value our friendship, and I have enjoyed sharing ministry wi...

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Get the latest parish updates, events, and announcements. Our newest bulletin for the week of August 18 is now available! https://bit.ly/3WP0T0J

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As I come to the end of my internship year with the parish families of St. Boniface and St. Lawrence, I can’t help but notice how appropriate this Sunday’s gospel (John 6:51-58) is for us as a community. In these verses, Jesus reveals himself to us as the Bread of Life, saying, “I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever... Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him.” Over the past year, we have gathered around the Lord’s Table, sharing the Body and Blood of Jesus Chr...

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Get the latest parish updates, events, and announcements. Our newest bulletin for the week of August 11 is now available! https://bit.ly/3WBkW2w

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A couple of years ago, I joined some priest friends in reading and discussing a book called Words Without Allow, A Biography of the Lectionary for Mass. We were interested in the project that faced the Church in the 1960s when Vatican II called for more scripture at Mass. How does one expand a set of readings that had been set for centuries upon centuries? What scheme for including various parts of the Bible? What discussions happened in those meetings, around those tables? Honestly, it was some of the most tedious reading we’ve ever done. Well researched, carefull...

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Get the latest parish updates, events, and announcements. Our newest bulletin for the week of July 28 is now available! https://bit.ly/4cUQ3x9

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I'm writing these words Monday evening. But I’m thinking about words I want to say and a homily I want to preach on Wednesday evening. I was asked to preach at the beginning of the St Ann Novena at St Ann’s parish. I was happy with the invitation. The image of Christ’s grandmother has long been a favorite of mine. I’ve joined in those prayers for many years, asking for her help. But, this year I stand before that congregation as part of a process that means change for all of us—our parishes, their parish. There’s a phrase from St P...

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Get the latest parish updates, events, and announcements. Our newest bulletin for the week of July 21 is now available! http://bit.ly/4f75F23

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Last weekend’s Sun Gazette featured a front-page article about the merger of two of our neighboring Protestant congregations. Like a similar article about us a few weeks ago, reasons for the transition were listed out. The vision for the future was described. I hope and pray it goes well for them. But, I could not help noticing a couple of things. First, whenever Catholics talk about changing demographics or the need to alter parish structures we get some advice. We hear people say: If the Catholic Church just lightened up, more people would come. If the Catholic C...

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Here’s a question that people have asked. Not one of the twenty questions, but it’s important for me to answer. The question: What happened to the statue of Mary at St. Boniface? The one we use for the May crowning? Simple answer: the statue’s in the lounge, a room that was notable for its crowd of priestly portraits and its lack of sacred images. I’m glad to balance things a little bit by shifting an image of the Mother of God into that space. But, why the move? Two answers. First, Vatican II urges to take care about the number and placement o...

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A few days ago I was talking to a friend about the many blessings and challenges within the vocation of adoption - how a couple or single person comes to the decision to adopt a child or children. He brought up a point which has been stirring in my mind. He said, a child from birth is loved by their natural parents because it’s the natural response of the heart. But, an adopted child is loved by their parent(s) because of a discerned and active choice to love. Well, I thought of this because the Collect for this Sunday’s Mass says: “O God, who through t...

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Deacon Andrew

When Resurrection Parish was building a new church a few years ago, my mind kept returning to a verse from the Psalms: “If the Lord does not build the house, in vain do the builders labor.” What a healthy reminder that we’re to be about God’s work! If it’s God’s work, why don’t we actually give it over to God? Sure, we had to dream and plan, engage with architects and builders, face unexpected twists in the process. But, at every turn prayer made it better. We’re not being asked here at St. Ann's, St. Lawrence and St. B...

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Take a look at this picture: a brightly colored bouquet in the middle of the rectory’s kitchen table. It’s literally a spiritual bouquet, a collection of prayers and charitable works offered on my behalf. A gift from our PREP students and catechists to celebrate the World Day of Prayer for the Sanctification of Priests (observed on the feast of the Sacred Heart, this year June 7). Each blossom contributes to an assortment of prayers—Hail Marys and Our Fathers, rosaries and daily prayers, works of justice, and charity. As I approach my ordination anniver...

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Finally, the last two questions! What type of music do you like to listen to? I can answer that by naming the Sirius stations in my car. Classical, Broadway, Jazz—in that order. I sometimes dabble in popular music—a little Billy Joel, some ABBA, some R&B. Almost never Country. What attracted you to the priesthood? I can answer in one word: Jesus. As a Catholic, I find his life and message compelling. I wanted to be part of his mission—into whatever vocation that would lead me. In last weekend’s homily, I talked about how as Church we need t...

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What three words would you use to describe yourself? Honestly, this is a tough question for me to answer. I thought about it and really couldn’t come up with three words. So, I asked the 4th-grade students at St. John Neumann Regional Academy to help me out. These are three of the words that they came up with: funny, kind, and hardworking. What is your favorite movie? One of my favorite movies is the 1986 film The Mission, starring Robert De Niro and Jeremey Irons. This film follows the missionary endeavors of 18th-century Jesuits who try to save their mission to t...

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Deacon Andrew

Here’s the question I’ve been avoiding: What three words would you use to describe yourself? It’s too much like an awkward icebreaker at a meeting. Or a really annoying drinking game at a party. But, here we go: Introverted (which you must have noticed, but remember that introversion—just like its opposite—can be an asset). Creative (the part of me that values things like music and art, architecture and gardens, poetry and story-telling). Faithful (think of Dorothy Day’s description of faith as “a need to worship, to adore"). ...

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My favorite food? That’s a tough question to answer! I love almost any type of food whether it is steak or bologna. Although not very luxurious, my go to favorite meal is a hoagie (i.e. a “sub” as some call it). In my opinion, nothing beats a hoagie from the Red Rock Corner Store on Route 118 which is close to my hometown. You’ll usually see me there for lunch on my day off. My favorite hobby? Again, another hard question to answer. I enjoy spending a lot of time in the outdoors during my spare time. I’m usually hiking, fishing, skiin...

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Deacon Andrew

As Fr. McCreary mentioned in his “Pastor’s Corner,” our Vocation’s Committee is hard at work in promoting an awareness of vocations in our community – the ways in which God has called each of us to witness to our Christian faith. My hope is that you can see how Christ has been at work in the life of Fr. McCreary and myself in our answers to these 20 questions! What did your parents do? My dad was the owner of McCarroll Pre-Cast, a family concrete business that my grandfather started in 1966. A lot of my childhood memories took place there si...

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For a few months, we’ve had a Vocations Committee forming in the parishes. We’ve been looking at ways to encourage vocations—to the priesthood, to religious life, to Christian marriage—among our people, especially our young with their whole lives ahead of them. One suggestion was to have Andrew and I answer a list of 20 questions about ourselves. So, let’s begin—just a few questions at a time. What did your parents do? My mother was a schoolteacher. She taught what we used to call home economics (largely cooking and sewing). Now ...

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