• April 14: Palm Sunday, Holy Mass at 9:30 and 11:30am.
  • April 15: Holy Monday. Holy Mass for Healing at 6:15pm. Parish Committee Meeting.
  • April 16: Holy Tuesday. Clergy Conference. Holy Mass of Chrism (Cathedral in Scranton).
  • April 18: Maundy Thursday, Holy Mass, Procession, Stripping of the Altars, 7pm.
  • April 19: Good Friday, Cross Walk at 11:30am, Bitter Lamentations at 3pm, Liturgy of the Presanctified and Opening of the Tomb at 7pm.
  • April 20: Holy Saturday, Liturgy of New Fire, Renewal of Baptismal Promises, Blessing of Easter Baskets, 4pm.
  • April 21: Solemnity of the Resurrection/Easter, Procession and Solemn High Holy Mass at 8am and Holy Mass at 10am. Easter repast after each Holy Mass.

But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices which they had prepared.

They came, so sad, with faces stained;
Behind them the rays of a new dawn flamed.
All about them heaven with glory began to open…

The partial stanza above is from the poem The Resurrection by Fr. Walter Hyszko. This and other poems by Fr. Hyszko can be found in his book, Ode to Great Men and Great Things in Poetry and Prose.

This poem is so appropriate to us. It reflects on the early morning walkMary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women took to the tomb. They were deeply saddened, faces tear stained from prolonged crying. Their hearts were broken.

In their sadness, they set out to commit a final act of love toward Jesus, to anoint His dead body with spices. He was dead.

Fr. Hyszko paints a picture in words. They reflect what we may be experiencing Easter Sunday morning if we have walked with

Jesus throughout Lent, if we actually spent time in church from Maundy Thursday through Holy Saturday. The weight of Jesus betrayal, arrest, torture, death, and the ensuing silence after burial weighs heavy on us. Our sinfulness, our failures, our unwillingness to be there for Jesus, presses on us. We feel death’s press and we miss it.

As Fr. Hyszko points out, the Marys, Joanna, and the other women missed it too: Rays of a new day flamed / heaven with glory began to open. All those things that weigh on us, all the tears and regrets in our lives have been covered in the redeeming blood of Jesus. We have been washed and made new. That day burned forth as new – a new era – rebirth into a time where heaven is open. The doors have been unbarred. Death has been crushed by death. He lives!

The last line of the poem’s first stanza says: Yet the thrall of grief remained unbroken. Do not let your grief remain unbroken this Easter for we are made new. Rejoice!!!

Join us this April for the conclusion of our Lenten and Passiontide journey. Join us in our Lenten retreat on April 6th. Join in directed giving. Palm Sunday is April 14th, then Holy Week – a full schedule of events taking us on a journey through every emotion – by which we grow so close to Jesus. In the end, grief will not win.

Read more in our April 2019 Newsletter.

Please join us as we walk with the Lord. Our schedule for Holy Week and Easter:

  • Palm Sunday, April 9: Holy Mass at 9:30 and 11:30am.
  • Holy Monday, April 10: Holy Mass for Healing at 6:15pm.
  • Holy Tuesday, April 11: Clergy Conference. Holy Mass of Chrism (Cathedral in Scranton).
  • Maundy Thursday, April 13: Holy Mass, Procession, Stripping of the Altars, 7pm.
  • Good Friday, April 14:
    • Cross Walk at 11am,
    • Private Devotions at 2pm,
    • Bitter Lamentations at 3pm,
    • Liturgy of the Presanctified and Opening of the Tomb at 7pm.
  • Holy Saturday, April 15: Liturgy of New Fire, Renewal of Baptismal Promises, Blessing of Easter Baskets, 4pm.
  • Solemnity of the Resurrection/Easter, April 16: Solemn Procession and Holy Mass at 8am and Holy Mass at 10am.

We pray that you will experience a Reverent Holy Week. May we approach these sacred Liturgies of the Church with great reverence and solemnness. We have a wonderful opportunity over these next days to share with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in the events of salvation. Take advantage of the opportunity we have and approach these beautiful Liturgies of the Church with reverence, respect, and allow them to draw us closer to Jesus and our brothers and sisters in the faith.

The schedule below notes all services for Holy Week and Easter. Please remember that Wednesday through Saturday of Holy Week are days of fasting.

  • 3/21 – Holy Monday. Holy Mass for the Sick at 6:15pm
  • 3/22 – Holy Tuesday: Clergy Conference and Holy Mass of Chrism, St. Stanislaus Bishop & Martyr Cathedral, Scranton, PA.
  • 3/24 – Maundy Thursday: Holy Mass of the Lord’s Supper, Reposition of the Blessed Sacrament, 7pm.
  • 3/25 – Good Friday: Cross Walk begins at 9am at St. Adalbert’s R.C. Church. Church Open for Private Devotion at 2pm. Lamentations at 3pm, Liturgy of the Pre-Sanctified and Opening of the Tomb at 7pm.
  • 3/26 – Holy Saturday: Holy Saturday Liturgies – Blessing of new fire, holy water, renewal of baptismal promises, blessing of food, 4pm.
  • 3/27 – Solemnity of the Resurrection: Procession and Solemn High Holy Mass at 8am with Baptism, Holy Mass at 10am. Easter Repast/ ÅšwiÄ™conka after each Holy Mass.

The on-time (sorry, but not early) newsletter streak continues.

January – a time of new beginnings. What better way to start the new year than with circumcision? St. Paul told us that works like circumcision in the flesh are meaningless. What is required is a true dedication – a circumcision of the heart. We get there by faith. We cannot do things for God or achieve heaven by works, but we can dedicate ourselves by faith, and from that flows great deeds born out of joy and heaven.

January – the midst of the Christmas season. Tons of events and a real quick turn-around into the pre-Lenten season. It is going to fly by. Get updates on the work of the Church’s Future Direction Committee. Read about a new year dedicated to reverence, and a local theme focused on joy. Important information on our Church’s democratic process (yes, we really do need your help to keep it alive) is included too. Read up and remember – be joy filled in Jesus.

You may view and download a copy of our January 2016 Newsletter right here.

A schedule of our Holy Masses and other services during the Christmas season:

  • December 24: Vigil of the Nativity. Children’s Vigil Holy Mass at 4pm.
  • December 25: Nativity of the Lord, Holy Mass at Midnight and 10am
  • December 27: Solemnity of the Humble Shepherds/Feast – St. John, Apostle & Evangelist. Holy Mass at 9:30 and 11:30am with Blessing of Wine (bring a bottle or two to be blessed)

Happy 2016

  • January 1: Solemnity of the Circumcision, Holy Mass at 9:30am. Happy 2016!
  • January 2: Solemnity of the Holy Name of Jesus – Holy Mass at 4pm
  • January 3: Feast of the Holy Family. Holy Mass at 9:30 and 11:30am.
  • January 6: Solemnity of the Epiphany of our Lord. Holy Mass with blessing of chalk, charcoal, and incense at 7pm.
  • January 10: Solemnity of the Baptism of the Lord. Holy Mass at 9:30 and 11:30am.