The Catholic Churches of Olyphant and Throop welcome you to a free Community Meal at Holy Cross Parish at 12 Noon each Wednesday. The nutritious meal is prepared at St. Francis Kitchen, Scranton.

Bring your dogs, cats, turtles, fish, horses, elephants, iguanas, stuffed animals and/or any pet your like.Sunday, October 2nd at 1:00 at Holy Cross, will meet outside on the parish grounds. As we honor St Francis of Assisi on Tuesday, October 4th, we remember the love of all creation and are reminded that we are stewards of all God’s creatures. Come join us for prayer, blessing and what will surely be a loud pet choir.

Our Catholic life begins and ends in the Parish because a Parish is the gathering of God’s faithful people. Today, more than ever, we must connect with our fellow parishioners, reinforcing our faith and keeping it vital for the next generation of Catholics. It is crucial that we foster a rich parish life, where families and friends come together in the spirit of Catholic fellowship. The Office for Parish Life assists in all aspects of Liturgy and Worship, Service & Social Concerns, Community and Family Development. Your gifts fund such programs as networking and training for Youth .Ministry Leaders, Directors of Religious Education, Music and Liturgical Ministry, Bereavement Support, Social Concerns and Parish Councils.

As Augustine is remembered as saying “He who sings prays twice” Come join our parish choirs and help lead our parishes in prayers.

Choirs began meeting on Wednesday, September 7th at 6:30 pm. In both Holy Cross and Blessed Sacrament Parishes. Holy Cross is under the direction of Mary Therese McKane, Blessed Sacrament.

The Social Concerns Committee of Holy Cross and Blessed Sacrament Parish, under the direction of Monsignor Michael Delaney, is pleased to announce that Ms. Susan Scanland MSN, CRNP,GNP-BC, CDP, CSP will be presenting a Sunday Seminar on Alzheimer’s and other Dementias October 16, 2016. The lecture, which is free to the public, will take place at Blessed Sacrament Parish (St. Anthony’s Church) at 2 PM.

Susan Scanland is a Gerontological Nurse Practitioner/Certified Dementia Practitioner and a national Alzheimer’s expert. Over 34 years of practice, she supported family caregivers, diagnosed and treated all dementias in long-term care, assisted living and home care. Ms. Scanland is the founder of Dementia Connection® LLC, a dementia education and consultation business.

Susan is one of two nurse practitioners in the world to receive the Certified Speaking Professional Award (CSP) through the National Speakers Association. She has presented over 600 seminars in the United States and Canada, as well as the International Conference on Vascular Dementia in Valencia, Spain.

Ms. Scanland has been nationally certified as a gerontological nurse practitioner since 1984 and is also a Certified Dementia Practitioner (CDP). She holds a Nursing Faculty Specialist position at the University of Scranton. Susan has also taught in geriatric faculty positions at Binghamton University (SUNY) from 1999-2004 and the Wyoming Valley Family Practice Residency in Kingston, Pennsylvania from 1987-1999. She received her MSN from the University of Pittsburgh and BSN from Wilkes University.

The Social Concerns Committee and Monsignor Delaney hope that you will attend this Sunday Seminar and gain insight into this topic that greatly affects our families and our friends.

The Diocese of Scranton confirms that it has received a subpoena from the state grand jury. In its commitment to protecting children and young people and to providing support to victims of sexual abuse, the Diocese of Scranton cooperates fully with all civil authorities in their investigation of such matters. The Diocese encourages anyone who has been sexually abused by a member of the clergy or anyone else, to immediately notify local law enforcement authorities; and to contact Mary Beth Pacuska, Victim’s Assistance Coordinator, at (570) 862-7551; or Monsignor Thomas M. Muldowney, Vicar General of the Diocese of Scranton at (570)-207-2269.

Lord Jesus Christ,

You have taught us to be merciful like the heavenly Father,
and have told us that whoever sees you sees Him.
Show us your face and we will be saved.

Your loving gaze freed Zacchaeus and Matthew from being enslaved by money;
the adulteress and Magdalene from seeking happiness only in created things;
made Peter weep after his betrayal,
and assured Paradise to the repentant thief.

Let us hear, as if addressed to each one of us, the words that you spoke to the Samaritan woman:
“If you knew the gift of God!”

You are the visible face of the invisible Father,
of the God who manifests his power above all by forgiveness and mercy:
let the Church be your visible face in the world, its Lord risen and glorified.

You willed that your ministers would also be clothed in weakness
in order that they may feel compassion for those in ignorance and error:
let everyone who approaches them feel sought after, loved, and forgiven by God.

Send your Spirit and consecrate every one of us with its anointing,
so that the Jubilee of Mercy may be a year of grace from the Lord,
and your Church, with renewed enthusiasm, may bring good news to the poor,
proclaim liberty to captives and the oppressed,
and restore sight to the blind.

We ask this through the intercession of Mary Mother of Mercy, you who live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit for ever and ever.

Amen

St. Francis of Assisi Kitchen in Scranton is in need of Coffee. Any donations will be greatly appreciated! Thank You, Msgr. Joseph P. Kelly

Provident God, You bless us with the gift of Jesus Who cares for us as a good shepherd. By our Baptism we are anointed and sent to continue the mission of Jesus. Guide Your people to prayerfully choose a way of life that best serves you with their gifts. Empower us by Your Holy Spirit to live dedicated lives as married and single people, as deacons, priests, and religious. United with Jesus, our shepherd, we are one with You, now and forever. Amen.

When you go on vacation in the summer, do you take a vacation from Mass? Do you make the days of summer lazy by staying home on Sunday? Here are four reasons to fit Mass into your summer schedule. 1) After Jesus’ resurrection, his followers formed the early Church by gathering and keeping his message alive. Every time you attend Mass, you help to keep Jesus’ message alive – but that can only happen in church. 2) At Sunday Mass, millions of people you don’t know are praying for you and with you. Where else can you get that kind of help? 3) Attending Mass connects you to the Communion of Saints – the saints in heaven, the souls in purgatory, and believers on earth. That’s powerful company! 4) Mass is the way a Catholic fulfills the commandment to keep holy the Sabbath day. If God tells you to do something, it’s a good idea to do it. To find a church or Mass time anywhere in the United States, visit www.masstimes.org.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY – SPIRITUALLY ADOPTED BABY

Your spiritually adopted baby was born this month – nine months after his/her mother conceived him/her. The only change at birth is a change in the external life support system of the baby. He/she is not different now than he/she before birth except that he breathes and eats differently. He began as a 46 chromosome cell and has developed over the past nine months into this unique human baby. Never before in history nor ever again will anyone exist who is just like your spiritually adopted baby. Your prayers saved his/her life. Thank you on behalf of the little babies that you cared enough to pray for him/her and his/her mother.

Catholic Social Services of The Diocese of Scranton offers compassionate counseling in a safe, comfortable environment where your privacy is always respected. Counseling is about self-discovery and can be used for personal growth or when distressing conditions exist and you need a bit of extra support… help is available. Anyone who struggles with anxiety, depression, grief and loss, life transitions or a variety of emotional or psychological conditions is welcome. For more information or to make an appointment, call 570-207-2283.