Day of Sanctification steers priests to be bridges

Transcription

1 The Allentown in the Year of Our Lord By TARA CONNOLLY Staff writer We establish a bridge between this world and the next. That s what we do, said Father Paul Scalia, priest for the of Arlington, Virginia and the son of the late U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, during a Day of Sanctification for Priests. Father Scalia was the main presenter for an estimated 100 priests for the of Allentown, who gathered to reflect on the privilege of serving Christ and renewed their commitment to grow in the likeness of Christ, March 8 at DeSales University, Center Valley. Guiding the priests to focus on the image of priests in the Book of Joshua carrying the Ark of the Covenant and leading the Israelites across the Jordan River, he said their acts epitomize the role of a priest. The ancient priests were bridge builders. They bridged the A bridge is meant to gap between God and man, said Father Scalia. be walked on. The Recounting Joshua 3:14-17, bridge has a humble Father Scalia said the priests carrying the ark went ahead of Isra- purpose. There is something beautiful elites because the river was at flood stage. As soon as the and difficult about high priest touched the edge of the Jordan River, the water stopped flowing. The priests stood and held the ark until the willingness to be the entire nation of Israel passed by to dry land. taken for granted so We, as priests, are always seeking people to live the others can find life. fullness of their baptism. The priest who does this stands in the river and accompanies his sheep, he said. Priests not only build bridges, but are in a sense the actual bridge, according to Father Scalia. Priests are not just building bridges. We are the bridge. We surrender our time and give our efforts and strengths so people can cross over. You being there and being firm Please see BRIDGES page 4 }} VOL. 29, NO. 6 MARCH Day of Sanctification steers priests to be bridges By FATHER KEITH MATHUR Director, Office of Divine Worship The Holy Thursday tradition of visiting seven churches is an ancient practice most likely originating in Rome, where early pilgrims visited the seven major basilicas (Holy Cross in Jerusalem. St. John Lateran, St. Lawrence Outside the Walls, St. Mary Major, St. Paul Outside the Walls, St. Peter and St. Sebastian) as a sign of penance. This noble practice has continued throughout the centuries into our day. The Office of Divine Worship of the of Allentown has created a list of all the parishes by deanery and their visitation times. At the close of the Mass of the Lord s Supper, in nearly Left, Father Paul Scalia, priest for the of Arlington, Virginia, speaks at DeSales University, Center Valley during a Day of Sanctification for Priests. (Photos by John Simitz) Below, Msgr. Victor Finelli, pastor of St. Francis of Assisi, Allentown, welcomes his brother priests to the day that featured talks, holy hour, confession and benediction. Spend time with the Lord in the Holy Eucharist Plan to visit seven churches on Holy Thursday Please see SEVEN page 3 }} Youth pray together at Holy Ghost, Bethlehem during their visit to the last of seven churches on Holy Thursday (File photo) U.S. Catholics asked to accompany migrants, refugees seeking better life WASHINGTON (CNS) The U.S. bishops in a pastoral reflection released March 22 called all Catholics to do what each of them can to accompany migrants and refugees who seek a better life in the United States. (Also see article and statement page 15.) Titled Living as a People of God in Unsettled Times, the reflection was issued in solidarity with those who have been forced to flee their homes due to violence, conflict or fear in their native lands, said a news release from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). To live as a people of God is to live in the hope of the Resurrection, said the reflection, which was approved by the USCCB Administrative Committee on the first day of a two-day meeting in Washington. The 37-member committee is made up of the executive officers of the USCCB, elected committee chair- Please see ACCOMPANY page 20 }}

2 2 The A.D. Times March 23, 2017 Published biweekly on Thursday by Allentown Catholic Communications, Inc. at P.O. Box F Allentown, PA Phone: , Ext. 264 Fax: adtimes@allentowndiocese.org President Msgr. Alfred Schlert Editor Jill Caravan Staff Writers Tara Connolly Tami Quigley Design & Production Marcus Schneck Advertising Contact Lori Anderson Office Assistant Priscilla Tatara MISSION STATEMENT As part of the Catholic Press, The A.D. Times is the official newspaper for the Roman Catholic of Allentown, serving Berks, Carbon, Lehigh, Northampton and Schuylkill counties. The A.D. Times proclaims the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the People of God through evangelization, catechesis and the teaching of the Church, the extension of Christ s presence in the world today. It endeavors to nourish, strengthen and challenge the faith of its readers by continually providing news information, formation, inspiration, religious education and Catholic identification. Under the patronage of Mary, Mother of the Church, The A.D. Times serves the Church so that the Kingdom of God might become a reality in our society transformed by His Good News. POLICY STATEMENTS The A.D. Times will consider all editorial copy and photos submitted in a fair and objective manner. The newspaper reserves the right to reject or edit any submission. Any advertising copy accepted does not necessarily reflect the views, opinions or endorsement of The A.D. Times and/or its publisher. The A.D. Times reserves the right to reject any advertising copy submitted. DEADLINES Advertising copy must be received by Monday of the week before publication. News copy must be received by Thursday of the week before publication. MEMBERSHIPS Catholic Press Association, Rockville Centre, N.Y. Catholic News Service, Washington, D.C. Catholic Press Association Award Winner 1991, 1992, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 POSTAL INFORMATION The A.D. Times (USPS ) is published on Thursdays, biweekly January to May; triweekly June to September; biweekly October to November; and triweekly in December, at a subscription cost of $20 per year by Allentown Catholic Communications, Inc. at 1515 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, Allentown, PA Periodicals Postage paid at Allentown, PA and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The A.D. Times, P.O. Box F, Allentown, PA awards $93,650 in Poverty Relief Fund grants The of Allentown has announced that 22 programs and agencies from all five counties of the diocese have been awarded Poverty Relief Fund grants totaling $93,650. The money is allocated from the proceeds of the Poverty Relief Fund collection taken up in the 84 parishes of the diocese in the third weekend of November. Applications for grants came from 25 agencies or programs and totaled more than $200,000, much more money than was collected. This year s recipients, their award and the program it funds are as follows: $8,000 to the St. Vincent de Paul Society at St. Benedict Parish, Mohnton for food, rental and utility assistance in the Reading area. $1,000 to the Divine Mercy Cenacle at St. Joseph the Worker Parish, Orefield for its food pantry. $500 to St. Mary Parish, Kutztown, for the ecumenical effort known as the potato project. $2,000 to Sacred Heart Parish, Palmerton to fund a homeless shelter at the parish as part of the Family Promise Initiative in Carbon County. $4,000 to St. Peter the Fisherman Parish, Lake Harmony for the parish food pantry. $7,000 to Catholic Charities, of Allentown to fund counseling services for students and families at Allentown s Central Elementary School. $7,000 to Holy Family Manor, Bethlehem for computer software for residents. $8,000 to the St. Vincent de Paul Society at Notre Dame of Bethlehem Parish for rent and food assistance. $5,000 to the St. Vincent de Paul Society at St. Anne Parish, Bethlehem for rental and utility assistance. $3,000 to Stephen s Place in Bethlehem, a transitional housing program for nonviolent offenders. $5,000 to Mary s Shelter for food, clothing and utilities at their facilities in Bethlehem and Reading. $3,000 for Central City Program at Allentown Central Catholic High School and its urban garden used to provide food for the poor. $2,400 to the School Sisters of St. Francis in Bethlehem for their Farm Project. $6,000 to the St. Vincent de Paul Society at St. Jane Frances de Chantal Parish, Easton for rent and utility assistance. $3,000 to the St. Vincent de Paul Society at St. Matthew the Evangelist Parish, Minersville for its food pantry. $2,000 to the Divine Mercy Society at St. Joseph Parish, Jim Thorpe for rental assistance, utilities and food. $6,000 to the St. Vincent de Paul Society at St. Joseph Parish, Coopersburg for rental assistance. $1,250 to the Carbon County Prime Time Club at Our Lady of Lourdes Parish, Weatherly for food for the needy. $2,500 to the St. Vincent de Paul Society at Holy Guardian Angels Parish, Reading for food, clothing and utility assistance. $8,000 to Servants to All, which operates a homeless shelter in Pottsville. $7,000 to St. Francis Home, a hospice scheduled to open in June in Cumru Township, Berks County. $2,000 to the summer food program run by the Whitehall Coplay Hunger Initiative through St. Elizabeth of Hungary Parish, Whitehall. The 2017 Poverty Relief Fund collection will be taken up in all churches in the diocese the weekend of Nov April, May, June school open house dates Elementary schools Berks County St. Catharine of Siena School, 2330 Perkiomen Ave., Reading Monday, April 10, 9 to 10 a.m., , altbscs@ptd.net. St. Ignatius Loyola Regional School, 2700 St. Albans Drive, Sinking Spring Spring Open House and Transfer Information Session, Thursday, April 6, 5:30 to 7 p.m. School tours will be given, and there will be a story time and craft for the younger children in the school library beginning at 6 p.m. Please RSVP to Stephanie Conlon, advancement director, siadvancement@stignatiusvikings.org or Elementary schools Carbon County St. John Neumann Regional School; Slatington Campus, 641 West Washington St., Slatington; Palmerton Campus, 259 Lafayette Ave., Palmerton Open house second Thursday of each month, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.; Wednesday, May 10, 5 to 7 p.m.; private tours always available, (Slatington), altlcsjn@ptd.net. Elementary schools Lehigh County Sacred Heart School, 325 N. Fourth St., Allentown Open enrollment grades K-7, call for appointment, , altlsh@ptd.net. St. Ann School, 435 S. Sixth St., Emmaus Tuesday, April 11, 4:30 to 6:30 p.m., , altlsa@ptd.net Elementary schools Northampton County Holy Infancy School, 127 E. Fourth St., Bethlehem Open enrollment grades K-8, call for appointment, , rodriguezy@holyinfancy.k12.pa.us. Immaculate Conception School, 290 W. Babbit Ave., Pen Argyl Sunday, April 23, 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., , altnics@ptd.net. St. Jane Frances de Chantal School, 1900 Washington Blvd., Easton Monday, April 10, 6 to 7 p.m., , principal@stjaneschool.com. Elementary schools Schuylkill County Assumption BVM School, 112 S. Seventh St., Pottsville Thursday, May 4, 6 to 8 p.m., , altsabvm@ ptd.net. St. Jerome Regional School, 250 W. Broad St., Tamaqua Kindergarten open house Wednesday, April 19, 4 to 6 p.m., , altssj@ptd.net. High schools Allentown Central Catholic High School, 301 N. Fourth St., Allentown Saturday, May 6, 3 to 4 p.m. and Tuesday, June 6, 6 to 7 p.m. An opportunity to learn more about ACCHS academics, admissions and financial aid. Tours available. Contact Ashley Pittman, director of admissions, apittman@acchs.info or , ext Marian High School, 166 Marian Ave., Tamaqua Prospective parent/student social Monday, June 12, 6:30 p.m. in school library, no registration is necessary, , altsmhs@ptd.net. VICTIM ASSISTANCE COORDINATOR The of Allentown provides assistance to anyone who, as a minor, was sexually abused by a priest, deacon or employee/volunteer of the /Parish Parents, guardians, children and survivors of sexual abuse are invited and encouraged to contact the of Allentown for more information about this program. The fullness of compassion should be extended to these victims by the Church. To speak directly to the Victim Assistance Coordinator, please call the direct line To learn more about the of Allentown s Youth Protection Programs, Sexual Abuse Policy and Code of Conduct, please visit and click on Youth Protection at top right. COORDINADOR DE ASISTENCIA A LAS VÍCTIMAS La Diócesis de Allentown provee asistencia a cualquier persona que, como menor de edad, fue abusado sexualmente por un sacerdote, diácono o empleado/voluntario de la Diócesis/Parroquia. Los padres, tutores, niños y los sobrevivientes de abuso sexual están invitados a contactar la Diócesis de Allentown para obtener más información sobre este programa. La plenitud de compasión debe extenderse a las víctimas por la Iglesia. Para hablar directamente con el coordinador de asistencia a las víctimas por favor llame a la línea directa Para obtener más información acerca de los Programas de Protección de la Juventud, Política de Abuso Sexual y el Código de Conducta de la Diócesis de Allentown, por favor visite y haga clic en Protección de la Juventud en la parte superior derecha.

3 March 23, 2017 Seven }}Continued from page 1 every church in the diocese, a single altar of repose has been adorned with candles and flowers. Here the Blessed Sacrament remains to await the coming of Good Friday. Parishioners are encouraged to spend time with the Lord in the Holy Eucharist on this evening and, if possible, to visit seven churches. Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI at the Mass of the Lord s Supper in 2012 said: DeSales University Board of Trustees names fourth president The board of trustees of DeSales University, Center Valley March 16 elected Oblate Father James Greenfield as the university s fourth president. Father Greenfield will begin his tenure Jan. 1, 2018, succeeding the retiring Oblate Father Bernard O Connor, who has served as president since Father Greenfield will be the first alumnus of the university to serve as president. He is provincial of the Wilmington-Philadelphia Province of the Oblates of St. Francis de Sales, leader of 145 priests, brothers and seminarians who serve along the east coast. Working as provincial, he directed all human resource and development programs for the Oblates on matters of identity, mission and trends of vocations and religious life. Upon Father O Connor s retirement in May, Dr. Gerard Joyce, vice president of student life at DeSales, will serve as interim president until Father Greenfield begins his term of service. Joyce is a graduate of DeSales and has worked there since The trustees are pleased to announce this appointment of Father Greenfield, said W. Douglas Brown, chairman of the board of trustees. Father Greenfield has been a member of the board at DeSales for nearly 15 years, so he is well known to them and the greater DeSales community. The board of trustees is grateful to Father O Connor for his vision and dedicated leadership of the university during the past 18 years. I am esteemed by the trust of the board to be chosen as president, and I am honored to follow Father O Connor, said Father Greenfield. To Holy Thursday also belongs the dark night of the Mount of Olives, to which Jesus goes with his disciples; the solitude and abandonment of Jesus, who in prayer goes forth to encounter the darkness of death. Let us try at this hour to understand more deeply something of Adoration schedule for Holy Thursday, April 13 Adoration schedule for Holy Thursday, April 13 Berks Deanery Bally, Most Blessed Sacrament 8:15-10 p.m., Night Prayer 10 p.m. Boyertown, St. Columbkill 8:15 p.m.-midnight. Douglassville, Immaculate Conception BVM 8:15-10 p.m. Hamburg, St. Mary 8:15-9:30 p.m. Kutztown, St. Mary 8:15-9:15 p.m. Kutztown University, St. Christopher Catholic Newman Center 10 p.m.-midnight, Night Prayer midnight. Mohnton, St. Benedict 8-11 p.m., Night Prayer 10:45 p.m. Reading, Holy Guardian Angels 8:15-10 p.m., Night Prayer 10 p.m. Reading, Holy Rosary 8:15-10 p.m., Night Prayer 9:45 p.m. Reading, St. Catharine of Siena 8:15-10:30 p.m., Night Prayer 10:30 p.m. Reading, St. Joseph 8:30-11 p.m. Reading, St. Margaret 8:30-11 p.m. Reading, St. Paul 8:30-11 p.m. Reading, St. Peter the Apostle 8:30-11 p.m. Robesonia, St. Francis de Sales 8:15-10 p.m. Shillington, St. John Baptist de la Salle 8:30-10 p.m., Night Prayer 10 p.m. Sinking Spring, St. Ignatius Loyola 8:15 p.m.-midnight, Night Prayer midnight. West Reading, Sacred Heart 8:30-11 p.m., Night Prayer 10:45 p.m. Carbon Deanery Jim Thorpe, Immaculate Conception 8-10 p.m. Jim Thorpe, St. Joseph 8:15 p.m.- midnight. Lake Harmony, St. Peter the Fisherman 8:15-10 p.m. Father Greenfield His leadership has strengthened the university s mission greatly, and I look forward to continuing his legacy of a Salesian community of learning that advances the spirit of St. Francis de Sales, our patron. From my time as a student and now proud alumnus and trustee, I have experienced firsthand the deepening of the school s commitment to forming students in our rich Catholic tradition, especially through its high-quality teaching, impressive academic offerings and varied student programs. I am excited to help build on these strengths. Previously Father Greenfield was an adjunct lecturer at George Washington University, The Catholic University of America and the former Washington Theological Union, all in Washington, Lehighton, SS. Peter and Paul 7:45-9 p.m. Palmerton, Sacred Heart 8:15-10 p.m., Night Prayer 10 p.m. Summit Hill, St. Joseph 8:15-10 p.m., Night Prayer 10 p.m. Lehigh Deanery Allentown, Cathedral of St. Catharine of Siena 8-10:45 p.m., Night Prayer 10:45 p.m. Allentown, Immaculate Conception BVM 8-11 p.m. Allentown, Our Lady Help of Christians 8-10 p.m. Allentown, Sacred Heart of Jesus 8:30 p.m.-midnight. Allentown, St. Francis of Assisi 8:15 p.m.-midnight. Allentown, St. John the Baptist 8-10 p.m. Allentown, St. Paul 8:45 p.m.-midnight. Allentown, St. Stephen of Hungary 8 p.m.-midnight. Allentown, St. Thomas More 9 p.m.- midnight. Allentown, SS. Peter and Paul 8-10 p.m. Catasauqua, Annunciation BVM 8:15-10 p.m. Catasauqua, St. John Fisher 8:30-11 p.m. Coopersburg, St. Joseph 8:15-11 p.m., Night Prayer 11 p.m. Coplay, St. Peter 7:30-10 p.m. Emmaus, St. Ann 8:15-10:45 p.m., Night Prayer 10:45 p.m. Northampton, Assumption BVM 8-10:45 p.m., Night Prayer 10:45 p.m. Northampton, Queenship of Mary 8:15-11 p.m., Night Prayer 11 p.m. Orefield, St. Joseph the Worker 8:15 p.m.-midnight. D.C., where he taught required courses in human development. Father Greenfield serves on the board at Salesianum School, where he is chair, and Nativity Preparatory School, both in Wilmington, Delaware. He is also a trustee on the board of Father Judge High School and Cristo Rey Philadelphia High School, both in Philadelphia. In 2013 he was elected to serve a threeyear term as president of the Conference of Major Superiors of Men (CMSM), representing the nation s 17,000 priests and brothers who are members of reli- Diocesan statement The A.D. Times 3 gious orders. Father Greenfield earned his bachelor s degree in politics (1984) at DeSales University, a master of divinity degree (1990) at the DeSales School of Theology, and a master s degree in counseling (1992) and a doctoral degree in human development (1998) at George Washington University. He is also a certified pastoral counselor and author of a number of articles on religious life, life-long faith formation, and the intersection of spirituality and human development. Below is the statement of of Allentown Administrator Msgr. Alfred Schlert on the election of the new president of DeSales University: I congratulate Father James Greenfield on his election as the next president of DeSales University. The of Allentown and DeSales have had, dating back to its founding more than 50 years ago, a close working relationship. On behalf of the clergy, religious and lay people of the of Allentown, I welcome Father Greenfield to the of Allentown, and I look forward to his continuing the rich history of Catholic fidelity and development of the human person that has distinguished DeSales University. In my former role as vicar general of the diocese and as a current member of the DeSales board of trustees, I have known and collaborated with Father Greenfield in his role as superior of the Oblates of St. Francis De Sales and a fellow board member. I look forward now to working with him when he becomes president of the university next January. I also wish to thank very deeply Father Bernard O Connor for his 18 years of dedicated service as president of DeSales University. His commitment to the Catholic identity and the academic excellence of the university has been exemplary. Slatington, Assumption BVM 8:15-10:30 p.m. Whitehall, Holy Trinity 8:15-11 p.m., Night Prayer 11 p.m. Whitehall, St. Elizabeth of Hungary 8:15-11 p.m., Night Prayer 10:30 p.m. Whitehall, St. John the Baptist 7:30-10 p.m. Northampton Deanery Bangor, Our Lady of Good Counsel 8:15-10 p.m. Bath, Sacred Heart of Jesus 8:30 p.m.-midnight. Bethlehem, Assumption BVM 8:30-10 p.m. Bethlehem, Holy Ghost 8-11:30 p.m. Bethlehem, Holy Infancy 8:30 p.m.- midnight. Bethlehem, Incarnation of Our Lord Adoration at Holy Ghost, Bethlehem. Bethlehem, Notre Dame of Bethlehem 8:15-11 p.m., Night Prayer 11 p.m. Bethlehem, Our Lady of Perpetual Help 8:15 p.m.-midnight. Bethlehem, Sacred Heart 8:15-11 p.m. Bethlehem, St. Anne 8:30 p.m.-midnight. Bethlehem, SS. Simon and Jude 7:30 p.m.-midnight. Easton, Our Lady of Mercy 8:15-10:30 p.m. Easton, St. Anthony of Padua 8-11 p.m. Easton, St. Jane Frances de Chantal 8:45 p.m.-midnight, Night Prayer midnight. Fountain Hill, St. Ursula 8-9 p.m. Hellertown, St. Theresa of the Child Jesus 8:15-11 p.m. Martins Creek, St. Rocco 8-10 p.m. Nazareth, Holy Family 8:15-11 p.m. Pen Argyl, St. Elizabeth of Hungary these events, for in them the mystery of our redemption takes place. May our time spent with the Lord on Holy Thursday renew our relationship with him so that we may experience the glory and the joy of the Resurrection on Easter morning p.m. Roseto, Our Lady of Mount Carmel 8:15-10 p.m. Walnutport, St. Nicholas 8 p.m.- midnight, Night Prayer 11:45 p.m. Schuylkill Deanery Ashland, St. Charles Borromeo 8-9 p.m., Night Prayer 9 p.m. Barnesville, St. Richard 7-10 p.m. Frackville, St. Joseph (at Annunciation BVM) 8:30-11 p.m. McAdoo, All Saints 8:15-10:30 p.m., Night Prayer 10:30 p.m. Mahanoy City, St. Teresa of Calcutta 8-10 p.m. Minersville, St. Matthew the Evangelist 8:15-9:30 p.m., Night Prayer 9:30 p.m. Minersville, St. Michael the Archangel 8-10 p.m. New Philadelphia, Holy Cross 8:15 p.m.-midnight. Port Carbon, St. Stephen 8:30-10 p.m. Pottsville, St. John the Baptist 8-10 p.m., Night Prayer 10 p.m. Pottsville, St. Patrick 8-11 p.m., Night Prayer 10:45 p.m. Ringtown, St. Mary Adoration at St. Joseph, Sheppton. St. Clair, St. Clare of Assisi Adoration at St. Stephen, Port Carbon. Schuylkill Haven, St. Ambrose 8:15-9:30 p.m., Night Prayer 9:30 p.m. Shenandoah, Divine Mercy 8-10 p.m. Shenandoah, St. Casimir (Worship Site) 8-10 p.m. Sheppton, St. Joseph 8-10 p.m. Tamaqua, St. John XXIII (at SS. Peter and Paul) 8:15-10 p.m. Tremont, Most Blessed Trinity 8-11 p.m., Night Prayer 11 p.m.

4 4 The A.D. Times March 23, 2017 Bridges }}Continued from page 1 allows them to go from the wilderness to the Promised Land, he said. On a deeper level, he asked the priests to consider how the ancient priests encouraged each other as they stood for a great deal of time while others crossed the Jordan. They had to be tired. How did they encourage and exhort each other? I believe it comes from something within. We ourselves have to be the means by which people find life, said Father Scalia. He told the priests that their vocation is not defined by this or that and requires investing and giving of themselves to others. This sometimes means that the people of God are walking all over you. If that is true then you are doing it right. You are laying down your life, said Father Scalia. Temptation always exists, he said, and warned the priests of the great danger of just doing Catholic things and not investing themselves. You just can t put the ark down. The challenge is to invest ourselves more. We want that of our parishioners too. We want them to participate interiorly in the Mass. We don t want them just going through the motions and just saying prayers, said Father Scalia. He then pondered what type of virtues the priests upheld that allowed the people of Israel to walk over them. First of all, they had to have faith when they were told to go stand in a river and the water will stop. They had to have faith and complete trust that it would happen. They had to have confidence in the Word of Our Lord and in all that he promised, said Father Scalia. For us, it means promise of priesthood, the grace and unique friendships the Lord has given us as priests. There is a special affection Jesus showed his apostles. We can forgive sins, offer the Mass and speak divine truths through our unique friendship with the Lord. Father Scalia also pointed to humility, perseverance and fraternity the ancient priests exhibited. A bridge is meant to be walked on. The bridge has a humble purpose. There is something beautiful and difficult about the willingness to be taken for granted so others can find life, he said. How long did they have to stand there? I am sure there were some people and children who weren t going quickly while they held the ark. There was physical, mental and spiritual exhaustion. It is so important to have perseverance when frustration strikes. Although the priests stood there together, Father Scalia reminded them that Above, priests for the of Allentown gather for a Day of Sanctification to reflect on becoming more like Christ. Right, Father Scalia, right, talks with Father Stephen Halabura, left, pastor emeritus of St. Richard, Barnesville, and Msgr. Robert Kozel, pastor emeritus of St. John the Baptist, Allentown. they did not select each other as friends but were brought together by Joshua. They had to encourage one another and love one another enough to correct each other. We must love one another enough to pull each other aside and correct each other, he said. Last, Father Scalia stressed the importance of seeking proper rest and said being a workaholic or a nonworkaholic are both forms of sloth. If we don t have proper pace of work and rest, we get worn out. Sloth can also mean being too busy and bouncing around, he said. We need to find ways of not just vegging out. We need to rest in the Lord. There is a big mistake in just collapsing at the end of the day. We should come in with a soft landing and not just crash. Father Scalia is a native of Virginia and grew up in the of Arlington. He attended College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts, and studied theology at the Pontifical Gregorian University and the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas, both in Rome, Italy. Since his ordination in 1996 he has served as parochial vicar of St. Bernadette, St. Patrick and St. Rita parishes. He served as pastor of St. John the Beloved until 2012, when he was appointed the bishop s delegate for clergy. He has written for various publications and is a regular contributor to the Arlington Catholic Herald and Encourage and Teach on the diocesan website. He is also a frequent speaker for the Institute of Catholic Culture in Front Royal. Diocesan priests seated together at the Day of Sanctification are, counterclockwise from front left: Father Bernard Ezaki, assistant pastor of St. Jane Frances de Chantal, Easton; Father Keith Mathur, director of the diocesan Office of Divine Worship; Father Donald Cieniewicz, pastor of St. Mary, Hamburg; Father Jerome Tauber, pastor of St. Theresa of the Child Jesus, Hellertown; Father Jason Stokes, pastor of Most Blessed Trinity, Tremont; and Father Brian Miller, assistant pastor of St. Catharine of Siena, Reading.

5 March 23, 2017 The A.D. Times 5 For Better or Worse sifts through ups and downs of marriage By TARA CONNOLLY Staff writer We have become unhinged from the good things about marriage. If you look at all the benefits of marriage, you will see that those things outweigh all the negative statistics, said Deacon Frederick Lanciano, assigned to St. Ignatius Loyola, Reading, March 20 during an informal discussion for both Faith and Spirits and Theology on Tap. Deacon Lanciano, theology teacher at Berks Catholic High School, Reading, presented For Better or Worse at Allentown Brew Works for the two speaker series that came together for the evening to discuss the state of marriage in today s culture and the love and joy it offers. Deacon Lanciano opened the discussion by sharing how he benefited from his parents marriage, and how their example inspired his 37-year marital relationship and raising three sons and two nieces. I saw my parents work together, sacrifice for one another and put others first. Part of the problem in today s world is that we are disconnected from what real love is. Real love calls us to the altar and to sacrifice and most people don t like that. Most people want romance and great sex, he said. Marriage is work. You don t always get what you want, but you find a way to make it work. In our culture we don t have the proper understanding of marriage. The gift of marriage is not something sexual. Marriage is transformational and it will change you. To make marriage work, he stressed Being aligned with God has helped us make the decisions for our life together. As a member of the family of God, you get a support system of people who are mutually invested in your marriage. that couples have to be all in and be open to change. At the beginning of their marriage, Deacon Lanciano said, he asked his wife, Sheryl to uproot her life and move away from her family. In return, her only request was that they attend Mass together every Sunday. Being aligned with God has helped us make the decisions for our life together. As a member of the family of God, you get a support system of people who are mutually invested in your marriage, he said. Deacon Lanciano, who also offers talks for marriage preparation programs, said he advises couples to join a church community, regularly date their spouse and stay close to God. If you put God in your life you will get support. When you date, you get a chance to take a break from the craziness, he said. Marriage won t always be easy, according to Deacon Lanciano, who said he tried to teach his wife how to use a folding board to properly fold his laundry during the early stage of their married life. Things will get under your skin, he said. When you talk to each other, you learn what you are good at and what you re not so good at. When you are in a marriage there will be pains and indifferences. You have to leverage the indifferences and find resolutions. My wife does not fold my laundry; my laundry is always on my side of the bed for me to fold. When couples embark on their mar- Deacon Frederick Lanciano, right, theology teacher at Berks Catholic High School, Reading, presents For Better or Worse at Allentown Brew Works. (Photos by John Simitz) ried life, he advises them to place a crucifix and a statue of Mary in their home. Love is something that we do. It s a choice every day. The crucifix and Mary are reminders of how we are to love, said Deacon Lanciano. He pointed out that the primary purpose of marriage is to help each other get to heaven. Marriage is an eternal act. It is not a human act. Men and women are made good. We are made for eternal life with God, said Deacon Lanciano. On the journey to heaven, he said, it is critical to have friends and family who are vested in their marriage, and to keep God in their relationship. You have to stay close to God and stay close to one another, he said. Today s world also needs witnesses to marriage. We have lost the road map to successful marriage. If you are married, let your light shine so others can see it. If they see your happiness, they will want it, too. Theology on Tap is a young adult speaker series sponsored by the Office of Youth, Young Adult and Family Ministry. Faith and Spirits is a discussion series for all adults offered by the Office of Adult Formation. For more information, adultformation@allentowndiocese.org or call , ext. 21. Adults listen to the discussion during the evening that combined Faith and Spirits and Theology on Tap. of Allentown Catholic Schools are part of a task force exploring solutions that schools can provide to the epidemic of addiction on the rise in our communities. As part of this effort, people are invited to come and view Generation Found, a documentary on adolescent addiction and its program model for supporting sober solutions; especially important with the current epidemic society is facing. This showing will be Monday, March 27 at 7 p.m. at ArtsQuest Theater in Bethlehem. Rick Dooley, assistant director of the diocesan Office of Adult Formation, welcomes adults to the combined speaker series event. Deacon Lanciano listens to a question during the discussion. Diocesan school leadership part of adolescent addiction discussion Tickets are available at screening/reserve/19493 until 4 p.m. the day of show, when they ll be available in person at the ArtsQuest Center box office Ṫhe film Generation Found is an independent, intimate look at the system of treatment centers, sober high school, alternative peer groups, and collegiate recovery programs that can intervene early and provide a real and tested long-term alternative to the increased prevalence of drug use in adolescence. It is a call to communities to join together to fight the alarming epidemic of addiction. Matt Butler, a nationally distributed recording artist and composer of Just One. the film s credit song, will perform before the movie. Butler is an artist in recovery and passionate about how his creative life has blossomed in his sobriety. The film premiere and the panel discussion are the beginning of an effort by of Allentown schools to raise awareness about adolescent addiction, and continue to provide ongoing opportunities for teachers, students and families to learn more. Dr. Brooke Tesche, deputy superintendent of diocesan schools, will be on a five-person panel discussion after the movie, along with the principal of Salisbury High School, the superintendent of Northwestern Lehigh School District, and other community and parent advocates. The of Allentown serves nearly 12,000 students in 33 elementary schools, 6 high schools, and 3 special learning centers across Berks, Carbon, Lehigh, Northampton and Schuylkill counties.

6 6 The A.D. Times Our Lenten obligation Church law considers every Friday and the season of Lent as penitential days and times. The practice of penance is a part of our faith and Christian life. When we do penance, we imitate Jesus, who himself recommended it as necessary to his followers, and gave them the example of his prayer and fasting. The Lenten obligation, as determined for Catholics in the United States by our bishops, requires that fasting be observed on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. The law of abstinence is to be observed on Ash Wednesday and all the Fridays of Lent. Who must fast? All Catholics who are between the ages of 18 and 59. The obligation ceases when one begins his/her 60 th year on his/her 59 th birthday. Who must abstain? All Catholics who are 14 years and older. What does fasting mean? The observance of fasting means that those obliged may take only one full meal on the day of fast. Two lighter meals (not equal to another full meal) may be taken to maintain strength according to one s needs. What does abstinence mean? The law of abstinence forbids the eating of meat, including poultry. Voluntary abstinence refers to refraining from lawful pleasures in a spirit of penance. Can anyone be dispensed or excused from fast and/or abstinence? Individuals for a just cause may be dispensed by their pastor or by a priest with the faculty to do so. In our diocese all priests may dispense individuals who are committed to their pastoral care. Those who are ill or have a similar serious reason are excused from the observance of fast and abstinence. Catholics are reminded that they should not lightly excuse themselves from this obligation. Are there other obligations we should fulfill? Catholics are obliged to fulfill what has been called their Easter Duty. They are required to receive Holy Communion during the Easter time. In the United States this obligation can be fulfilled from the First Sunday of Lent until Trinity Sunday (March 5 until June 11, 2017). Those conscious of serious sin are reminded of the obligation to confess their sins at least once a year during this time. Catholics also are encouraged to make Lent a time of more intense prayer and to practice almsgiving and other works of charity. Parishes are encouraged to continue participation in Operation Rice Bowl. March 23, 2017 Nuestra obligación de Cuaresma La ley eclesiástica considera todos los viernes y el tiempo de Cuaresma como los días y tiempo de penitencia. La práctica de la penitencia es una parte de nuestra fe y vida cristiana. Cuando hacemos penitencia, imitamos a Jesús, Él mismo recomendó como necesario para sus seguidores y les dio el ejemplo de su oración y ayuno. La obligación de Cuaresma, según lo determinado por los católicos en los Estados Unidos por nuestros obispos, requiere que se observe el ayuno el miércoles de Ceniza y el Viernes Santo. La ley de la abstinencia se observa el miércoles de Ceniza y todos los viernes de Cuaresma. Quién debe ayunar? Todos los católicos que están entre las edades de 18 y 59. La obligación cesa cuando se haya cumplido los 59 años. Quién debe abstenerse? Todos los católicos que tienen 14 años y mayores. Qué significa el ayuno? La observancia del ayuno significa que los obligados pueden tomar sólo una comida completa en el día de ayuno. Dos comidas más ligeras (Que no igualen a una comida completa) pueden tomarse para mantener la fuerza de acuerdo a las necesidades de uno. Qué significa la abstinencia? La ley de la abstinencia prohíbe el consumo de carne, incluidas las aves de corral. Abstinencia voluntaria se refiere a abstenerse de los placeres lícitos en un espíritu de penitencia. Puede alguien ser dispensado o excusado de ayunar y/o la abstinencia? Los individuos de una causa justa pueden ser dispensados por su párroco o un sacerdote con facultad para hacerlo. En nuestra diócesis todos los sacerdotes pueden dispensar las personas que están comprometidos con su cuidado pastoral. Los que están enfermos o tienen una razón similar seria están excusados de la observancia del ayuno y la abstinencia. Se les recuerda a los católicos que no deben excusarse a sí mismos de esta obligación. Existen otras obligaciones que debemos cumplir? Los católicos están obligados a cumplir con lo que se ha llamado su deber de Pascua. Ellos están obligados a recibir la Sagrada Comunión durante el tiempo de Pascua. En los Estados Unidos esta obligación puede ser cumplida a partir del Primer Domingo de Cuaresma hasta el Domingo de Trinidad (5 de marzo hasta el 11 de junio 2017). Los que tienen conciencia de pecado grave se les recuerda de la obligación de confesar sus pecados al menos una vez al año durante este tiempo. También se les anima a los católicos a hacer de la Cuaresma un tiempo de oración más intensa y de practicar la limosna y otras obras de caridad. Se anima a las parroquias a continuar su participación en la Operación Plato de Arroz.

7 March 23, 2017 Worship The A.D. Times 7 Sunday Scripture Sunday, March 26 Fourth Sunday of Lent First reading Samuel 16:1b, 6-7, 10-13a Responsorial Psalm Psalms 23:1-6 Second reading Ephesians 5:8-14 Gospel John 9:1-41 or 9:1, 6-9, 13-17, Sunday, April 2 Fifth Sunday of Lent First reading Ezekiel 37:12-14 Responsorial Psalm Psalms 130:1-8 Second reading Romans 8:8-11 Gospel John 11:1-45 or 11:3-7, 17, 20-27, 33b-45 Recommended to your prayers by Pope Francis Apostleship of Prayer Intention for April Young People That young people may respond generously to their vocations and seriously consider offering themselves to God in the priesthood or consecrated life. The monthly intentions are also available on video, with a reflection or download the app at In memoriam Please remember these clerics of the of Allentown in your prayers during April, the anniversary month of their death. 1 Father John Brady, Deacon Victor Quiles, Father George Check, Father Thomas King, Deacon Joseph Pufko, Msgr. Joseph Hager, Msgr. Stanley Sosnowski, Deacon Sylvester Simchick, 2011 Please pray for our Holy Fathers, our bishops and these priests serving in the of Allentown during each designated date of April. 1 His Holiness Pope Francis 2 Pope Emeritus Benedict 3 Bishop Emeritus Edward Cullen 4 Father James Torpey 5 Msgr. James Treston 6 Father James Ward 7 Msgr. Robert Wargo 8 Msgr. Anthony Wassel 9 Father Joseph Whalen 10 Father Robert Wiesenbaugh 11 Father George Williams 12 Father George Winne 13 Father Robert Yankevitch 7 Father Edward Coleman, Father Thomas Peleshek, Father Miles Bonner, Deacon John Coffin, Father John Lyons, Deacon Lawrence Fessler, Father John McNamara, Father James O Rourke, Father Stanislaus Norbutas, Father John Shalvey, Msgr. J. Francis Haley, Father William Hoffner, Father Michael Lesko, Father William Jones, Father James Hanlon, 1995 Prayer requests for priests 14 Msgr. Daniel Yenushosky 15 Deceased priests 16 Msgr. Vincent York 17 Father Jared Zambelli 18 Father Christopher Zelonis 19 Msgr. Edward Zemanik 20 Seminarians 21 Father Michael Ahrensfield 22 Father Luke Anderson 23 Father David Anthony 24 Father Eric Arnout 25 Father George Aschenbrenner 26 Father Achilles Ayaton 27 Msgr. Thomas Baddick 28 Msgr. Andrew Baker 29 Msgr. William Baker 30 Father Francis Baransky Upcoming issues of The A.D. Times Publication Date Advertising Deadline News Deadline April 6 March 27 March 30 April 20 April 10 April 13 May 4 April 24 April 27 May 18 May 8 May 11

8 8 The A.D. Times March 23, 2017 Diocesan school launches unique special needs program St. Joseph Center for Special Learning, Pottsville has initiated a conductive education program unique to Catholic schools in the United States the only one of its kind in the Northeast. Conductive education is an intensive, multi-disciplinary approach to education, training and development for individuals with motor disorders of neurological origin, like cerebral palsy, spina bifida and other motor challenges. This system helps build cognitive skills and alternative strategies to accomplish common motor tasks, and provides Deaths Religious sisters an avenue for independence. Students receive five days of therapy a week partnered with an education and socialization with similar peers, meeting the mission of our Catholic schools to educate the whole child. Conductive education was the focus of the work of Hungarian Professor Andras Petro. Now Livia Burgermeiszter, a conductor trained at the Petro Institute in Budapest, is leading this specialty program in eastern Pennsylvania. To implement a program of this nature, we knew we needed the right expertise and knowledge, said Principal Roobhenn Smith. To have someone directly linked to the founding institute is a rare find. The program has been offered since January 2017 and positive outcomes are already being seen. The beauty of a program of this nature is that you can see the growth, said Smith. You can watch how a student who might not have been able to stand, but is now able to stand and has more control of their body because of this program. Sister M. Charlene Altemose, 82, a Missionary Sister of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus (MSC), died March 9 at St. Joseph Villa, Reading. She was born Dorothy Rosanne Altemose in Coplay, daughter of the late William and Maria (Kroboth) Altemose. Sister taught in various elementary schools in the of Allentown, with additional teaching assignments at Mount St. Michael and Holy Name high schools, both in Reading. She also taught theology at Alvernia College (now University), Reading for five years. In later years she presented workshops and programs. She ministered in adult religious education at St. Anne, Bethlehem; St. Catharine of Siena, Reading; St. Ignatius Loyola, Sinking Spring; and Sacred Heart, West Reading. For a number of years she was a member of the formation team for the MSCs. She was also engaged in religious journalism and writing. She wrote a weekly column in the Bethlehem Globe and wrote a series of books on What Catholics Should Know for Ligouri Press; Why Do Catholics ; and several series of booklets. Sister also served in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia and the of Venice, Florida. She retired to Sacred Heart Villa, Reading in Surviving is a brother, Charles of Easton. Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated March 13 in at Sacred Heart Villa, Reading, followed by burial in the convent cemetery. Sister Grace Marie Stankiewicz, 77, died March 7 in Camilla Hall, Immaculata Ṡhe was born in Shenandoah and entered the Congregation of the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (IHM) in 1957 from St. Casimir Parish, Shenandoah. Sister served in elementary schools in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, the s of Arlington, Virginia and Metuchen, New Jersey, and various parishes in the of Allentown for nearly 20 years. Surviving are sisters Valerie Sajone and Eileen Fluharty, nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews. She was predeceased by her parents, August and Violet Stefanski, a sister Barbara Boris, Prayer cards to pray for a new bishop distributed St. Joseph Center is accepting applications and referrals to the conductive education program and has available placements in the school. The center is a member school of the of Allentown that serves nearly 12,000 students in 33 elementary schools, 6 high schools, and 3 special learning centers across Berks, Carbon, Lehigh, Northampton and Schuylkill counties. For more information, contact Amanda Campbell, or acampbell@stjosephctr.com. and brothers-in-law Anthony Sajone and Sunny Fluharty. Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated March 11 at Camilla Hall. Sister Margaret Songster (formerly Sister Mary Silverius), 93, a Sister of Mercy (RSM), died March 9 at McAuley Convent, Merion. She taught in both primary and secondary education, in the of Allentown at Allentown Central Catholic High School She also served in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia; in Williamsburg, Virginia; and ministered to children at Camp Joyous Heart in the Poconos. Surviving are nieces, a nephew, grandnieces and grandnephews. Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated March 15 in the Chapel at the Convent of Mercy, Merion Station, with burial March 16 in the community cemetery. Father Keith Mathur, director of the diocesan Office of Divine Worship, has distributed Prayer for a New Bishop prayer cards to parishes, for the period of waiting for a new bishop a prayerful time of invoking the Holy Spirit s guidance upon the future of the local church. It was recommended that this prayer be recited prior to the Entrance Hymn or after the Final Blessing/Dismissal at all Masses beginning the weekend Feb. 4-5, until the ordination and/or installation of a bishop for the diocese. The cards printed below can be cut out and folded over to form two-sided cards. Sede vacante is Latin for [with] the seat being vacant, the seat in question being the bishop s throne of the particular church.

9 March 23, 2017 One of the oldest Lenten programs in the United States is underway in the of Allentown to bring relief and aid to several projects in the diocese, Africa, Asia, India, Ghana, Russia and Vietnam. Operation Rice Bowl (ORB) was established in 1975 in the of Allentown as a response to the famine in the African Sahel region. The idea has withstood the test of time and funded countless efforts to fight poverty and hunger in the United States and overseas. The program evolved from Msgr. Robert Coll, pastor emeritus of Assumption BVM, Bethlehem, now retired to Naples, Florida, and an interfaith group in the diocese, out of concern for the millions of people who were starving in Third World countries. Since 1980 Msgr. John Murphy, director of ORB in the Allentown and director of the diocesan Pontifical Mission Societies in the United States, has supervised the ORB collection in the diocese. Msgr. Murphy forwards the collection to Mark Smith, secretary of the diocesan Secretariat for Temporal Services and chief financial officer, and then to Msgr. Alfred Schlert, diocesan administrator. The diocese can be very proud of what has been accomplished not only in the diocese, but worldwide. Through the program millions of dollars have been provided to people in need of the basic necessities of life, said Msgr. Murphy. It all began here a relatively small diocese and we have touched the lives of so many people. The program works by parishioners eating one sacrificial meal a week and donating the proceeds to the ORB program, which largely feeds the hungry in mission countries and the diocese. Through ORB, families or Operation Rice Bowl funds stretch around the world By TARA CONNOLLY Staff writer Father Paul Agyei, pastor of St. James, Sunyani Ghana, and young parishioners gather around the construction of a new church structure partially funded by diocesan donations to Operation Rice Bowl. The diocese can be very proud of what has been accomplished not only in the diocese but worldwide. Through the program millions of dollars have been provided to people in need of the basic necessities of life. other groups enhance the Lenten experience through prayer, fasting, learning and giving. The people of the diocese each year generously, lovingly and unselfishly give their all to Christ so that others can encounter Christ, said Msgr. Murphy. Ed Liszka, administrative assistant to Msgr. Murphy, said ORB bore $163, last year. After $3, for expenses and $3,800 for reserve for 2016, there was $155, for distribution. Father Paul Agyei, pastor of St. James, Sunyani Ghana, received $2,500 to aid in the construction of a new church. According to Liszka, Father Agyei visited St. Thomas More, Allentown and St. Joseph the Worker, Orefield last summer and in summer 2015 to meet with Msgr. Murphy; Msgr. Robert Wargo, pastor; and Father Joseph Kweder, assistant pastor of St. Thomas More. The parish is growing and is working hard to complete the second phase of the church structure, which includes flooring, columns and walls, said Liszka. Funds were also disbursed in the amount of $20,000 to the Missionaries of Charity of Blessed Teresa of Calcutta to care for the poor in India and in honor of the life of St. Teresa of Calcutta. Mary Mother of God Mission Society in Russia was awarded $2,500 to assist two American priests who arrived in the Primorye region to revive the Catholic Church. They reclaimed the original church from the government and will use monetary support to strengthen the future of the Catholic Church in Russia. The School Sisters of St. Francis received $2,500 for their mission in Barbeton, South Africa and missions in Central Asia. Their missionary work involves Alvernia lecture on human rights April 6 Alvernia University, Reading will present this year s Francis Factor/Hesburgh Lecture with Paolo Carozza. This year s discussion will focus on Human Rights and the Catholic Church, from St. Francis to Pope Francis. The event will be Thursday, April 6 at 7 p.m. at McGlinn Conference and Spirituality Center. Carozza is a professor of law, concur- rent professor of political science and director of the Kellogg Institute for International Studies at the University of Notre Dame, and has been appointed to the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences by Pope Francis. Established by St. Pope John Paul II in 1994, the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences promotes such social sciences as economics, sociology, law and The A.D. Times 9 care for the sick children and the elderly, along with operating preschools. Funds in the amount of $2,500 were given to the Dominican Sisters of Mary Immaculate Province, who serve the United States and Vietnam by providing direct services to those in need and the disadvantaged. The sisters are also involved in youth religious education and performing charitable works. Locally, the Missionary Sisters of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, Reading were awarded $2,500. Formed more than 100 years ago, the community has cared for newborns, orphans, single mothers, the elderly and terminally ill, and remains committed to bringing God s love to all. ORB presented Romania Valentia, a nonprofit association, with $2,500. The association is made up of foreign and American volunteers that engage in mission work in Bucharest, Romania. Their work involves educating abandoned children and teaching needy families food preparation, sewing and proper hygiene. Rosemary Leblond, a parishioner of St. Thomas More, did humanitarian work there and last summer gave a presentation about it to students at St. Ambrose Church, Schuylkill Haven. In addition, the of Kumbakonam, India and the mission of Vijayawada, India each received $2,500. Kumbakonam will use the funds to promote spiritual, social, education and health ministries and training for its Catholic education facilities. Vijayawada, the largest city in the diocese with a population of 5 million, is home to diocesan centers for youth, homes for the elderly and disabled, hospitals, orphanages, and socio-economic centers. Other programs that received grants from 2016 ORB were the of Allentown, in the amount of $38, and Catholic Relief Services in the amount of $77,500. Diocesan schools and programs that received funds include: Catholic Charities, $15,000; Bishop s Charity Fund, $2,000; Sacred Heart School, Allentown, $ 3,739.84; Holy Infancy School, Bethlehem, $1,811.04; and St. Peter School, Reading, $4, political science, and makes studies in them available to the church for the development of social doctrine and the application of that doctrine in contemporary society. An international body composed of 25 scholars, the academy includes another Notre Dame faculty member, Vittorio Hösle, Paul Kimball Professor of Arts and Letters. Carozza joined the Notre Dame faculty in His expertise is in the areas of comparative constitutional law, human rights, law and development and international law. His writings in these areas have been published in Europe and Latin America as well as in the United States. The Francis Factor: Past, Present, Future series launched in 2016, and is sponsored by Alvernia s Mission Integration Office. Topics delve into Pope Francis as a servant leader and explore ways he is influencing the embrace of the Gospel in the church and wider world.

10 10 The A.D. Times March 23, 2017 Apologetics Forum on Marriage, Divorce and Annulments April 25 Have you ever been asked or wondered. What is marriage? Is an annulment just Catholic divorce? Can divorced people receive the Eucharist? These and other common questions about the Catholic understanding of marriage will be answered at the next installment in the event series of the of Allentown Office of Adult Formation called Apologetics Forum: The Catholic Faith Explained. Marriage, Divorce and Annulments: What Does the Church Really Teach? will be presented Tuesday, April 25 from 7 to 9 p.m. at Monocacy Manor, 395 Bridle Path Road, Bethlehem. Speaker will be Msgr. Victor Finelli, a judge on the Diocesan Tribunal. Apologetics, derived from the Latin adjective apologeticus, is a theological science for the explanation and defense of the Christian religion. This free series discusses topics within the faith that many of our contemporaries disagree with or don t ascribe to. Many of us believe the church s teachings, but don t know how to speak about them with our neighbors, co-workers and children. Evening for respect life coordinators and parish advocates There will be an Evening of Reflection and Fellowship for Parish Respect Life Coordinators/Committees and Parish Advocates for Persons with Disabilities, Tuesday, April 4 at 7 p.m. at St. Francis Center for Renewal, Bethlehem. Father John Pendzick will be the speaker. The evening is being hosted by the diocesan Office of Pro-Life and Social Concerns and the Office for Ministry with Persons with Disabilities. All are welcome to attend. To register and for questions, contact , ext. 21 or cle@allentowndiocese.org. Charismatic Renewal Mass celebrated April 30 Mass will be celebrated by Father Clifton Bishop, diocesan liaison for the Charismatic Renewal of the of Allentown, Sunday, April 30 at St. Catharine of Siena, Exeter Township. Everyone is invited to this special eve- ning to give thanks to the Lord. Praise and worship music will begin at 6:30 p.m., with Mass at 7 p.m. (Mass fulfills Sunday obligation). There will also be a healing service and benediction. This series of forums is changing that. It is preparing lay Catholics with the tools of how to discuss the challenging teachings of our great faith. There is no charge for attending. For those in need of continuing education The 2017 Ministry with Persons with Disabilities half-day conference for all parish advocates will be Saturday, April 29 at the religious education building of St. Mary, Kutztown. This year s theme, Understanding Dementia, will be addressed by a speaker from Phoebe Center for Excellence in credits for a master catechist certificate, attending this event counts. For more information, contact the Office of Adult Formation, adultformation@allentowndiocese.org or , ext parish advocate conference on Understanding Dementia Dementia Care. Registration and light refreshments will begin at 8:30 a.m., with welcome and opening prayer at 9 a.m. All advocates are strongly urged to attend. (If unable to do so a representative should be sent in their place.) Top reason to switch to an online subscription of The A.D. Times You can brag to your friends about how tech-savvy you ve become. You read The A.D. Times online! To transfer your print subscription to instead receive an notification with a link to each new issue posted on the diocesan website, send the following information to adtimes@allentowndiocese.org or fill out the submission form on the diocesan website, click under subscriptions at right. address Name Address Parish Daytime phone number Subscriber number (on line immediately above your name printed in the lower left-hand corner of this issue)

11 March 23, 2017 The A.D. Times 11 Lehigh County churches forming network to host homeless families By TARA CONNOLLY Staff writer A program that provides shelter to homeless families is expanding to Lehigh County and is in need of volunteers and churches of different faith denominations to aid in the initiative. Family Promise, a public charity that provides temporary shelter, meals and fellowship to meet the basic needs of families without permanent housing, is in its initial stage in developing a network of churches to reach out to the homeless in Lehigh County. Parishioners of St. Joseph the Worker, Orefield and five other local churches are steering the effort to unite in the ecumenical effort to help the homeless in their community. Parishes are taking on this project because they realize how homelessness impacts the future of children. They have the ability to help and see this as a community mission. It puts their belief in a higher power to the test of securing positive change in others, said Susanne Preisler, parishioner of St. Joseph the Worker and vice chairperson of the project s finance committee. It gives all religions the ability to bond together for a common good. It will not only help individual congregations to work as a whole, but to share their spirit with other congregations for a common cause. It will also help faith-based groups to share their combined experiences with community organizations to affect positive changes in Lehigh County. Karen Fitzpatrick, secretary of Family Charting Our Ecumenical Future, this year s Campbell Lecture for Christian Unity, will be presented Friday, April 7 at 9 a.m. at Dubbs Memorial Community Center of the Lehigh Conference of Churches, 457 Allen St., Allentown. Speaker will be Dr. Robert Jones, CEO of the Public Religion Research Institute and a leading scholar and commentator on religion, culture, and politics. He is frequently featured in national media, including CNN and The New York Times. The families that we will be helping are considered situational homeless families. Due to unforeseen conditions such as loss of job or illness they have found themselves without a bed or home of their own. Promise of Lehigh County, said the idea to establish a network in Lehigh County formed after notable success of Family Promise of Carbon County. The families that we will be helping are considered situational homeless families. Due to unforeseen conditions such as loss of job or illness they have found themselves without a bed or home of their own, she said. Family Promise of Lehigh County will operate like Family Promise of Carbon County by forming a network of host locations who agree to house homeless guests for one-week intervals. Family Promise awards grants to the network that also taps organizations like community groups or scouts for additional volunteers and donations to the mission. Above, Family Promise of Carbon County was established in 2009 to help the homeless and will expand to Lehigh County. Left, JoEllen Santana, center, holds her children Mattie Tran, left, and Kylanni Tran at Family Promise of Carbon County. (Photos by Ed Koskey) Each week a different host congregation will provide overnight accommodations, hospitality and fellowship to the guests. Volunteers at the host congregation will work side-by-side with guests in the preparation and clean-up of the evening meal. They will provide a continental breakfast and the items needed for families to pack a bagged lunch. They will take the time to talk with our guests, share life experiences, read stories to the children and provide help with homework. The program hopes to be operational by Sept. 1 and has secured eight of the necessary 13 host congregations. The program will also include a day center for guests to receive counseling and other services. To open our doors, we of course need additional funding, a van to transport our guests and a facility to house our day center, said Fitzpatrick. At the moment we are in need of additional volunteers to fill out our working committees that will spearhead our efforts on finding a day center and a van, developing a short- and long-term fundraising plan, the recruitment of support congregations, local businesses and community organizations. Aside from St. Joseph, other churches participating in the effort are: Greenwalds United Church of Christ, Whitehall; Jacob s Church, New Tripoli; Jordan United Church of Christ, South Whitehall; Life Church, Macungie; Macungie Christian Community Church, Macungie; St. Luke Lutheran Church, Allentown; and St. Paul United Church of Christ, Trexlertown. In addition Ziegel Union Church, Breinigsville will participate as a supporting congregation. The Family Promise concept originated in 1986 by Karen Olson, a businesswoman from New Jersey. Today there are more than 180 Family Promise networks across the country, each serving homeless families in their communities. For more information or to become a volunteer or host organization, familypromiselehighcnty@gmail.com or call Fitzpatrick, Campbell lecture on Charting Our Ecumenical Future Jones Holy Week services at the cathedral The schedule of diocesan services for Holy Week at the Cathedral of St. Catharine of Siena, Allentown, is: Passion (Palm) Sunday, April 9 Saturday 4:15 p.m. Sunday 7:30, 9, 10:30 a.m. and 12:15 p.m. Masses. Monday, April 10- and Tuesday, April 11 Masses 6:30 and 8 a.m. Sacrament of Reconciliation Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday of Holy Week before morning Masses. Holy Thursday 3:15 p.m. Good Friday 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 12 6:30 a.m. Mass. 10:30 a.m. Mass of the Oils (Chrism), celebrated by Bishop Emeritus Edward Cullen, with priests of the diocese. All are invited to attend. Holy Thursday, April a.m. Morning Prayer. 7 p.m. Mass of the Lord s Supper, followed by Adoration of the Most Author of The End of White Christian America, Jones will discuss the impact of demographic changes on the future of evangelization. Established by the Lehigh Conference of Churches in 1990 and held annually since 1993, the Campbell lectures inform and educate leaders, congregations and the wider public on the enduring importance of Christian unity and its potential for addressing problems facing society. LCC seeks to unite Christians through community service, ecumenical ministry, and advocacy for social justice, while administering housing and social service programs that meet basic human needs. The Campbell lectures are in memory Blessed Sacrament until 11 p.m. 10:45 p.m. Night Prayer. Good Friday, April a.m. Morning Prayer. 3 p.m. Commemoration of the Lord s Passion. 7 p.m. Stations and Veneration of the Cross. Holy Saturday, April a.m. Morning Prayer. Noon Blessing of Easter Food in church. of Robert Campbell, a former chief executive officer of PPL and devout ecumenist who actively encouraged Christian unity. Since its inception in 1993 the annual lectures have brought distinguished scholars and theologians to the Lehigh Valley. All are welcome; registration is required. Cost is $25 per person (includes breakfast). Register online at lehighchurches.org/campbell or call There will be no 4:15 p.m. Mass. 8 p.m. Solemn Easter Vigil Mass. Easter Sunday, April 16 Masses 7:30 a.m. in church, 9 a.m. in church (special liturgy with Blessing of Children and Easter Baskets) and parish activity center, 10:30 a.m. in church and parish activity center, and noon in church. Divine Mercy Sunday, April 23 Confession 2 p.m. Recitation of the Divine Mercy Chaplet and Devotions 3 p.m.

12 12 The A.D. Times March 23, 2017 Reading/Berks March for Life set for April 30 By TARA CONNOLLY Staff writer A local march defending life that began in 2011 has grown in size and numbers and is calling people of all ages to demonstrate the Power of One. The seventh annual Reading/Berks March for Life, Power of One, will be Sunday, April 30 at Berks Catholic High School (BCHS), Reading. Rally will begin at 2 p.m. and the march at 3 p.m. We are calling all peoples who hold life dear and want to witness with us this day as we recognize the dignity and sanctity of the child in the womb, said Helen MacMinn, organizer of the march. Abortion is not only about the number of innocent human lives destroyed but also the direct consequences of abortion upon our culture, our families and our Christianity. When life and family are not treasured and preserved in a society, collapse on all fronts is inevitable. The program will begin in the auditorium at BCHS with a welcome address by Father Eugene Ritz, BCHS chaplain. One of the speakers will be Kathy Barnette, radio host of It s a New Day, heard on the Fox affiliate radio station out of Philadelphia, 1180am WFYL. She is also the host of Truth Exchange with Kathy Barnette, heard on WAAR radio (We Participants are kindly asked to donate a baby item or supplies such as diapers, wipes, bottles or clothing for local crisis pregnancy centers. Are America Radio). Her corporate career includes working with two major Wall Street firms and in corporate America. She served her country proudly for 10 years in the armed forces reserves, where she was accepted into Officer Candidacy School. In addition, Barnette was a board member of a pregnancy crisis center for five years, and is the founder and president of Truth Exchange a ministry that engages minds to think critically about the world around them from a perspective of truth, logic and history. Also scheduled to speak is Sam Rohrer, president of the Pennsylvania Pastors Network, former businessman and 18-year state legislator. In addition, Rohrer is founder and president of the American Pastors Network, whose purpose is to identify, educate and assist pastors to Stand in the Gap for Truth. He is a regular guest on national radio and TV, speaking on a wide range of public policy issues. Rohrer writes and produces a weekly radio program, Stand in the Gap Minute, and hosts Stand in the Gap Weekend program. Sam and his wife, Ruth Ann, have been married for 39 years and have six children and 12 grandchildren. State Rep. Mark Gillen, who serves the 128th District in Berks County, will give an update on Pennsylvania pro- life legislation. Father Allen Hoffa, assistant pastor of Holy Guardian Angels, Reading, will also offer comments. After the speaking part of the program, participants will proceed from BCHS to Penn Street and across the bridge to Holy Rosary, Reading at Third and Franklin streets for praise and worship music. Food will be provided by the Knights of Columbus, and buses will be available to transport participants back to BCHS. Participants are kindly asked to donate a baby item or supplies, such as diapers, wipes, bottles or clothing, for local crisis pregnancy centers. We are asking all those who can attend to make plans now to be part of this total community effort in support of the sanctity of human life, said MacMinn.

13 March 23, 2017 The A.D. Times 13 Liberación Por DIÁCONO JOSÉ SANTOS Dios siempre ha buscado la libertad de sus hijos. Cuando el hombre se hace esclavo de las cosas, el Padre Dios está planeando la forma de liberarlo del flagelo que lo maltrata, lo hace sufrir, lo destruye y a muchos los conduce a la muerte. El demonio, el pecado, lleva al ser humano a vivir en la esclavitud. Cuando Dios creó al hombre y a la mujer, los capacitó, entregándoles dones para actuar con cautela; la capacidad de pensar, analizar, distinguir entre lo bueno y lo malo, la voluntad que los hace libres o esclavos de las cosas. La descendencia de Abraham, Isaac y Jacob vivió por muchos años en Egipto, cuando a los hijos del pueblo de Israel, Dios les llamó a vivir de las promesas del Señor: que volverían a las tierras de sus antepasados. Muchos se desanimaron y acogieron las costumbres de los egipcios. El Señor en el momento oportuno, les envió al libertador, Moisés para guiarlos a la tierra prometida. Pero el Señor siguió diciendo: Claramente he visto cómo sufre mi pueblo que está en Egipto. Los he oído quejarse por culpa de sus capataces, y sé muy bien lo que sufren. Por eso he bajado, para salvarlos del poder de los egipcios; voy a sacarlos de ese país y a llevarlos a una tierra grande y buena, donde la leche y la miel corren como el agua. Es el país donde viven los cananeos, los hititas, los amorreos, los fariseos, los hebreos y los jebuseos. Mira, he escuchado las quejas de los israelitas, y he visto también que los egipcios los maltratan mucho (Ex 3,7-9). Dios quiere lo mejor para ti, no quiere el sufrimiento, no quiere que te maltrates, ni te maltraten. El Creador de cielo y tierra te ama, porque tú eres lo más importante de toda la creación. Tú eres precioso(a) a sus ojos, tu vales mucho para Él. Por eso envió al libertador en la antigüedad a Moisés, en nuestros tiempos a Jesús. Jesús nos habla por medio de sus elegidos, los apóstoles y sus sucesores. En el antiguo testamento Dios hablaba por medio de Moisés para enseñar a su pueblo la verdad y no fuesen engañados como a Adán y a Eva los engañó la serpiente. Hoy la Iglesia de Jesucristo está encargada por el mismo Jesús y guiada por el Espíritu Santo para enseñar la verdad a cada uno de sus hijos que buscan obedecerle y llegar a la santidad, y por la santidad a la tierra prometida, el cielo, la patria celestial. Una de las frases de Jesús que manifiesta esa libertad integral: Jesús les dijo a los judíos que habían creído en Él: Si ustedes se mantienen fieles a mi palabra, serán de veras mis discípulos; conocerán la verdad, y la verdad los hará libres. Ellos le contestaron: Nosotros somos descendientes de Abraham, y nunca hemos sido esclavos de nadie; cómo dices tú que seremos libres? Jesús les dijo: Les aseguro que todos los que pecan son esclavos del pecado. Un esclavo no pertenece para siempre a la familia; pero un hijo sí pertenece para siempre a la familia. Así que, si el Hijo los hace libres, ustedes serán verdaderamente libres (Jn 8, 31-36). Cuánto vale la libertad? Es gratis para todo el que la desea y la busca donde realmente está. La libertad está en Jesús, y Él la regala a todo el que viene a Él con un corazón sincero, buscando hacer su voluntad. La voluntad de Jesús es que hagan lo que manda el Padre; la voluntad del Padre es que haga lo escrito por Moisés, los diez mandamientos, y crean en su enviado Jesucristo. Los mandamientos no son una carga. Al contrario, son fuentes de sabiduría. Observando los mandamientos la vida es más ligera. Como dice el refrán: saber no pesa. Quien cumple los mandamientos experimenta libertad interior. He conocido a varios hermanos que dan testimonio que estando en la cárcel, leyendo la biblia encontraron su liberación antes de cumplir su condena. En la mayoría de los casos salen antes de la fecha fijada. Dios es infinitamente bueno y hoy te invita a pedir la libertad interior, a desear esa libertad que San Pablo vivió cuando se encontró con Jesús, el único nombre dado a los hombres por el cual podemos ser salvados, liberados para siempre. Qué bello es poder decir: soy libre, no estoy apegado a los bienes materiales, no dependo de las cosas, ellas no me poseen. Todo lo que existe es un regalo del Creador para compartir con mis hermanos en el momento oportuno los bienes de la creación. Las personas a mi alrededor son también regalos temporales los cuales debo tratar bien cada día. Señor gracias por la libertad que poseo. Gracias. Rediscover the love in your marriage Retrouvaille offers a welcoming and loving space to couples who have been living with the misery of a failing mar- riage. It offers hope: hope that it is not too late, hope of a different and better marriage. It helps couples to show each other mercy through the opportunities it provides to listen, to forgive, to be reconciled and to move into their futures believing that God loves them, and with his help and their efforts, their marriages can be healed and restored. Retrouvaille provides help for marriage problems, difficulties or crises. The next program in our area begins the weekend of Friday, April 21 at the Family Life Center in Malvern. Another weekend will be held in August. For more information, or to register for one of the weekends, visit www. HelpOurMarriage.com or call or All inquiries are kept strictly confidential.

14 14 The A.D. Times March 23, 2017 $500 ExxonMobil Educational Alliance Grant St. John Neumann Regional School has received a $500 ExxonMobil Educational Alliance grant. It is with much gratitude that I accept this $500 check, said Sister V. Stephanie, principal. Our students will benefit from the support of this money for our STEM Club. The award was made possible by Cross- America Partners and ExxonMobil. SJNRS educates students from the eight surrounding school districts, in grades kindergarten through grade eight. It has campuses in both Palmerton and Slatington, and accepts students of all races and religions. Transportation and tuition aid are available. Mother-daughter tea to explore God s gift Mothers of daughters from 9 to 13 years of age are invited to a special afternoon exploring God s precious gift of human fertility in respectful, loving atmosphere, establishing a foundation for dialogue between mothers and daughters within the family. The tea will be Sunday, April 30 from 1 to 4 p.m. at Penn State Health St. Joseph, 2500 Bernville Road, Reading. Katelyn D Adamo, an energetic young speaker from Generation Life, will offer practical and empowering tips on modesty, virtues and responsibility. Elisabeth Laskowski, a health care professional trained in the Creighton Model FertilityCare System, will discuss physical and emotional changes that occur, as well as a discussion on the sacredness of life. Both presentations will emphasize respect, understanding and appreciation for God s gift of fertility. There will also be games, door prizes, a Q&A session, light refreshments and take-home resources for mothers to share with their daughters when they believe they are ready. Registration is $30 for each mother and up to three daughters, ages 9-13 only please. Preregistration is required by Thursday, April 20. Register online at Holleran Center at Alvernia centralizes real-world experiences The Holleran Center of Alvernia University, Reading is expanding to offer its students a centralized hub to explore a wide range of real-world learning experiences. To reflect the center s new purpose, the Holleran Center for Community Engagement has also been renamed the Holleran Center for Community and Global Engagement (HCCGE). By pairing real-world learning opportunities with classroom experience and career development, Alvernia strives to empower students to discover their passion and transition from the world of college to the world of work, helping them make a positive difference in the world and the lives of others. Now under the umbrella of the HC- CGE are the specialties of community engagement, service-learning, career development, multicultural initiatives, sustainability, and global learning. There are many different types of real-world experiences offered at Alvernia, so it makes sense to consolidate them into one hub, said Jay Worrall, director of the HCCGE. The new design will help us to more easily connect students with meaningful learning activities that further their careers and their personal goals. Now in its 10 th year, the Holleran Center continues its important work to cultivate and sustain strategic partnerships, both locally with programs like the South Reading Youth Initiative and Reading Collegiate Scholars Program and globally in places like Ireland and China, to strengthen campus and community life. We want the Alvernia experience to be transformational to help them turn what they love into a lifetime of career success and personal fulfillment, said Worrall. Alvernia is a thriving university that empowers students through real-world learning to discover their passion for life, while providing the education to turn what they love into lifetimes of career success and personal fulfillment, helping them make the world a better place. Situated on a scenic 121-acre suburban campus in historic Berks County, the university of more than 3,000 students is conveniently located near Philadelphia (60 miles) and within an easy drive of New York, Baltimore and Washington, D.C. With a College of Arts and Sciences and College of Professional Studies, Alvernia today offers more than 50 undergraduate majors and minors, and a range of graduate programs at the master s and doctoral levels through its School of Graduate and Adult Education. Satellite sites are in the City of Philadelphia and Schuylkill County.

15 March 23, 2017 Bishops chairman on migration: new executive order still leaves many at risk WASHINGTON Bishop Joe Vásquez of Austin Texas, chair of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops Committee on Migration, said that President Donald Trump s latest executive order still puts vulnerable populations around the world at risk. In a statement issued after the announcement of the travel suspension, Bishop Vásquez said that while we seek to maintain our values and safety, we must also exercise compassion in assisting and continuing to welcome the stranger. Bishop Vázquez s full March 16 statement follows: We remain deeply troubled by the human consequences of the revised executive order on refugee admissions and the travel ban. While we note the administration s efforts to modify the executive order in light of various legal concerns, the revised order still leaves many innocent lives at risk. The removal of one of the original seven predominantly Muslim countries temporarily barred from entering the United States is welcome, but we are disappointed that the revised order maintains the temporary shutdown of the U.S. refugee admissions program, continues the more than 60 percent reduction in the number of refugees who can be resettled into the United States this year, and still temporarily bars nationals from six predominantly Muslim countries from entering the United States. The U.S. Catholic Bishops have long recognized the importance of en- suring public safety and would welcome reasonable and necessary steps to accomplish that goal. However, based on the knowledge that refugees are already subjected to the most vigorous vetting process of anyone who enters the United States, there is no merit to pausing the refugee resettlement program while considering further improvement to that vetting process. The United States has long provided leadership in resettling refugees. We believe in assisting all those who are vulnerable and fleeing persecution, regardless of their religion, including Christians, Muslims and all others. We believe that by helping to resettle the most vulnerable, we are living out our Christian faith and welcoming the stranger as Jesus has challenged us to do. Today more than 65 million people around the world are forcibly displaced from their homes. Given this extraordinary level of suffering, the U.S. Catholic Bishops reaffirm their support for, and efforts to protect, all who flee persecution and violence, as just one part of the perennial and global work of the church in defense of vulnerable persons. Resettling only 50,000 refugees a year, down from 110,000, does not reflect the need, our compassion and our capacity as a nation. We have the ability to continue to assist the most vulnerable among us without sacrificing our values as Americans or the safety and security of our nation. stands with USCCB committee s statement In union with the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops Committee on Migration, the of Allentown stands with all our brothers and sisters who are struggling trying to find a better life for their families. As Bishop of Austin Jose Vásquez, chair of the committee, said, While we seek to maintain our values and safety, we must also exercise compassion in assisting and continuing to welcome the stranger. Many refugees and immigrants are fleeing the same violence from which we are trying to protect our country and its citizens. As members of the Body of Christ, we are called to affirm the inherent dignity of all people, especially the poor and marginalized. Our identity is not determined by the circumstances of our status, but is given to us by God and, therefore, each person must be treated in a way that respects that dignity. We suffer with immigrant families that are being torn apart, and we will strive to help them as much as we can to stay united under these difficult circumstances. The full statement of the USCCB Committee in Migration is available on the USCCB website WASHINGTON-El Reverendísimo Joe Vásquez, obispo de Austin y presidente del Comité de Obispos para la Migración, dice que la última orden ejecutiva del presidente Trump todavía pone poblaciones vulnerables en todo el mundo en situación de riesgo. En un comunicado emitido después del anuncio de la suspensión de viajes de hoy, Obispo Vásquez dice que mientras buscamos mantener nuestros valores y la seguridad, también hay que ejercer la compasión en la asistencia y continuando a acoger al extranjero. Declaración completa del obispo Vázquez sigue 6 de marzo de: Seguimos profundamente preocupados por las consecuencias humanas de la orden ejecutiva revisado sobre admisión de refugiados y la prohibición de viajar. Aunque tomamos nota de los esfuerzos de la Administración para modificar el orden ejecutiva a la luz de distintos problemas legales, la orden revisada aún deja muchas vidas inocentes en riesgo. La eliminación de uno de los siete países predominantemente musulmanes originales prohíbe temporalmente entrar en los Estados Unidos es bienvenida, pero estamos decepcionados de que el orden revisada mantiene el cierre temporal del programa de admisión de refugiados de Estados Unidos, continúa la reducción de más del 60 por ciento en el número de los refugiados que pueden ser reubicados en los Estados Unidos este año, y aún bares temporalmente nacionales de seis países predominantemente musulmanes la entrada a Estados Unidos. Los Obispos Católicos de Estados Unidos han reconocido desde hace tiempo la importancia de garantizar la seguridad pública y darían la bienvenida a las The A.D. Times 15 El presidente en migración de los obispos de los estados unidos dice que la nueva orden ejecutiva sigue dejando todavía muchas vidas inocentes en riesgo medidas razonables y necesarias para lograr ese objetivo. Sin embargo, con base en el conocimiento de que los refugiados ya están sometidos al proceso de investigación más vigorosa de cualquier persona que entra en los Estados Unidos, no hay mérito para pausar el programa de reasentamiento de refugiados, mientras que teniendo en cuenta una mejora adicional a ese proceso de selección. Los Estados Unidos ha proporcionado durante mucho tiempo el liderazgo en el reasentamiento de refugiados. Creemos en ayudar a todos aquellos que son vulnerables y huyen de la persecución, independientemente de su religión, incluyendo a los cristianos, los musulmanes y todos los demás. Creemos que al ayudar a reasentar a los más vulnerables, estamos viviendo nuestra fe cristiana y acoger al extranjero, como Jesús nos ha desafiado a hacer. Hoy en día, más de 65 millones de personas en todo el mundo están obligados a abandonar sus hogares. Teniendo en cuenta este extraordinario nivel de sufrimiento, los Obispos Católicos de Estados Unidos reafirman su apoyo y esfuerzos para proteger, todos los que huyen de la persecución y la violencia, ya que sólo una parte del trabajo perenne y universal de la Iglesia en defensa de las personas vulnerables. El reasentamiento de los refugiados sólo al año, por debajo de , no refleja la necesidad, nuestra compasión y nuestra capacidad como nación. Tenemos la capacidad de seguir ayudando a los más vulnerables entre nosotros sin sacrificar nuestros valores como estadounidenses o la seguridad y la seguridad de nuestra nación. Diócesis de Allentown en unión con el comité La Diócesis de Allentown, en unión con el Comité en Migración de la Conferencia Católica de los Obispos de los Estados Unidos, está con todos nuestros hermanos y hermanas que luchan por encontrar una vida mejor para sus familias. Como dice el Reverendo José S. Vásquez, Obispo de Austin y Presidente del comité, mientras buscamos mantener nuestros valores y seguridad, también debemos ejercer compasión en ayudar y seguir recibiendo al extranjero. Muchos refugiados e inmigrantes están huyendo de la misma violencia de la que estamos tratando de proteger a nuestro país y a sus ciudadanos. Como miembros del Cuerpo de Cristo, estamos llamados a afirmar la dignidad inherente a todas las personas, especialmente a los pobres y marginados. Nuestra identidad no está determinada por las circunstancias de nuestra condición, sino que nos he dada por Dios y, por lo tanto, cada persona debe ser tratada de una manera que respete esa dignidad. Sufrimos con familias inmigrantes que están siendo desgarradas y nos esforzaremos por ayudarles tanto como nos sea posible para permanecer unidos bajo estas circunstancias difíciles.

16 16 The A.D. Times March 23, 2017 Two sons of Allentown meet during military deployment in Qatar By TAMI QUIGLEY Staff writer It s often said there is no such thing as coincidence rather, it is the hand of God at work. That certainly seems to be the case with two sons of the of Allentown who met for the first time due to their military deployment, and followed their faith to become extraordinary ministers of the Eucharist. The two young men are SPC (Specialist) Bobby George, son of Von and Jane George; and SPC Jake Moyer, son of Valerie Moyer. The soldiers joined the Virginia Army National Guard and met while preparing to deploy to Qatar. Von George said his son and Jake met in Bedford, Virginia after being raised in Allentown, attending St. Thomas More Parish, Allentown and graduating from Parkland High School, Orefield without knowing each other in their home state. A deployment brought them together and the faith has sustained these two soldiers, Von George said. Both have become extraordinary ministers of the Eucharist while deployed. The soldiers left Fort Bliss, Texas in summer 2016 and will return home soon. Bobby will resume his college studies at Hampden-Sydney College, Virginia. Jake will start U.S. Army Ranger School. Jake graduated from Virginia Military Institute, as did Father Christopher Butera, military chaplain, now director of the Newman Center and Catholic chaplain at Lehigh University, Bethlehem. Bobby George noted both Hampden- Sydney College and Virginia Military Institute separate themselves from most institutions of higher learning with student-run honor codes. With God in the desert is how Valerie Moyer described the soldier s experience. I see God s fingerprints all over the military deployment of Jake Moyer and Bobby George, Valerie Moyer said. She said about a year ago, Jake and Bobby discovered each other among 400 Army National Guard (ARNG) soldiers and their families at a military predeployment gathering in Virginia. They had been students at different Virginia colleges and each belonged to different VA ARNG Units. In conversation they discovered that they were both from Pennsylvania Allentown to be specific. They went on to discover they had attended the same high school Parkland and been members of the same parish St. Thomas More. What a coincidence, Valerie Moyer said. A few weeks later, on the day they re- Sandy the feral cat after adoption by Jake Moyer in Qatar. (Photo courtesy Valerie Moyer) The spirit is on the move in these men. SPC Jake Moyer, left and SPC Bobby George just prior to deployment. (Photo courtesy Valerie Moyer) Valerie Moyer, Von George and Jane George enjoy the anniversary gala of St. Thomas More, Allentown last year. (Photo courtesy Valerie Moyer) ported for the actual deployment, I was so happy to see Bobby s smiling face as he ran to us from the building, in the rain, to help Jake carry all his gear from the car. It was sad separating from Jake, but reassuring to know he would be heading off alongside someone from home. After dropping Jake off, while on my way home, I stopped for coffee at a McDonald s in Bedford, Virginia and saw a face that looked familiar. Could it be? I struck up a conversation and learned the faced belonged to Von George, Bobby s dad. He introduced me to his wife, Jane. We chatted about the coincidence of our sons discovering each other, and then the further coincidence of our own discovering of each other. We exchanged contact info and vowed to stay in touch and to pray for each other s sons. After they arrived in Qatar, we learned that Bobby and Jake were assigned to be roommates. We shared the names of the soldiers in their squad and had our friends and families pray for them during the deployment. How powerful those prayers turned out to be. Not only were our sons united, but Jane and Von and I were together on many occasions. We attended a Mary s Shelter fundraising event together. The Georges invited me to share their table at the St. Thomas More Anniversary Gala. They also invited me to place wreaths on the graves of veterans buried at Resurrection Cemetery as part of the Wreaths Across America program. Valerie Moyer said the Georges have also showed their support of VAST, an anti-human trafficking coalition, in which she is involved. We had fun sending care packages to several of the soldiers, said Valerie Moyer. For Christmas I sent Bobby a selection of cigars when I learned their family had a spiritual tradition of celebrating First Holy Communions with cigars. Bobby sent me the book A Man for Others: A Biography of St. Maximillian Kolbe with a note saying he hoped I enjoyed it as much as he did. I was so impressed that he had read such a book that I read it that weekend and was so inspired, that I have been sharing it with family and friends ever since. We parents were thrilled to learn that Bobby s and Jake s first sergeant had made a point of relieving them of duty so they could get to Sunday Mass as often as possible. She sent the sergeant a copy of the book Jesus Calling with a thank-you note for looking out for them spiritually. Then, things got even better when we learned that both of them had been asked to become extraordinary ministers of the Eucharist, said Valerie Moyer. Coincidentally (?), I was asked to become an extraordinary minister around the same time. Jake and I discovered that we both served as extraordinary ministers at our local Ash Wednesday Mass. Valerie Moyer said Sandy is a feral cat who lived at one of the remote outposts in the desert. His mission was rodent control, she said. Jake is like St. Francis in that he has a heart for animals. He befriended Sandy and the transformational impact of that bond is quite evident. I was concerned that Jake s generosity toward Sandy might jeopardize Sandy s career, but Jake assured me of Sandy s job security, she said, noting Sandy s mission is lifelong. Valerie Moyer said Jake expects to return home to Allentown by the end of March and looks forward to attending Stations of the Cross and the sacrament of confession during Lent. Within a few days of arriving home, he will travel to Atlanta, Georgia to serve as a godparent for the new daughter of his college roommate from the Virginia Military Institute. The spirit is on the move in these men, she said. To me, it is quite clear that God has honored all our prayers and has been very close to Bobby and Jake during their time in the desert. There they learned to trust him, to lean on him and to serve him. As a result they have grown in the character of Christ. I couldn t be more grateful. As Jake heads off to Army Ranger School at the end of April, and Bobby heads back to Hampton-Sydney College, I ask for prayers on their behalf from everyone who reads this story. I look forward to seeing how God will use them in his service in the future. God is so good. It was always reassuring to have someone with whom to discuss the small things missed from home, like Yocco s Hot Dogs or Mayfair, said Bobby George. However, it was our connection of St. Thomas where we truly shared a past. Our first sergeant had heard our interest in attending Mass and personally helped us receive time to attend. We began making a habit of attending, and when asked to help deliver the Eucharist Please see QATAR page 17 }} Bobby George and Jake Moyer and their fellow soldiers after running the Army 10-Miler. Bobby is number 67 and Jake is number 66 in center. (Photo courtesy Bobby George)

17 March 23, 2017 Qatar }}Continued from page 16 The A.D. Times 17 Institute for Catechesis and Formation offering April courses Berks County ICF 101 Christian Anthropology. What does it mean to be human? This course will examine who God is as the one who seeks to share himself with his creation. A brief survey of salvation history will be traced to Jesus Christ, the redeemer who saves humanity, and teaches us what it means to be a human person. This course will be presented by Steve Bujno and is scheduled for Saturdays, April 22 and 29 from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Berks Catholic High School. Lehigh and Northampton counties ICF 201 Prayer & Spirituality. Deepen your relationship with Christ by learning the fundamentals of a Catholic prayer life and spiritual dispositions. Participants will examine what it means to pray, why we pray and how to have a fruitful prayer life. Practical exercises of traditional Catholic prayers and devotions will be covered so participants will learn how to express themselves to God and how to hear his voice in everyday life Ṫhis course will be presented by Father Kevin Gualano and is scheduled for Saturdays, April 22 and 29 from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Bethlehem Catholic High School. Schuylkill and Carbon counties CAT II Classroom Applications. Practical information for catechists on their role as formators in the faith. The course includes learning to create lesson plans, communication with parents and how to engage them in religious instruction, material delivery at age-appropriate levels, and more. This course will be presented by Jane Habel and is scheduled for Saturdays, April 22 and 29 from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Marian High School, Tamaqua. ICF courses are meant for any Catholic adult looking to grow deeper and learn more about the faith. There are no prerequisites. Cost is $30. To register, visit org/icf. For more information, call , ext. 21 or adultformation@allentowndiocese.org. we were more than happy to help. Knowing that Bobby and Jake were keeping the faith while deployed was a blessing. We re blessed with their return to Fort Bliss, Texas and soon back home to Pennsylvania, said Von George. Von George said in a universally Catholic effort, St. Joseph the Worker, Orefield; St. Thomas More; and St. John Ukrainian Catholic Church, Northampton, all pooled time, talent and treasure to send beaucoup care packages to Bobby s unit. Andrea Kochan Neagle of St. John the Baptist Ukrainian Catholic Church, Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Philadelphia, said parishioners collected food, clothing and personal hygiene items Oct. 1-17, 2016 to send to Bobby s unit stationed in the Middle East. The children in the parish s religious education program sorted all the items Oct. 18 and packed over 25 packages for the soldiers. We included a letter in each box written by the students, said Neagle, who is executive director of Design IP, Intellectual Property Law, Allentown. Two summers ago I had the pleasure of briefly interning with Design IP in Allentown, said Bobby George. The Nagles were constantly helping me for a hopeful future in law. Their church kindly put together many packages for our platoon. The packages were greatly appreciated. Neagle said several of the parish s children involved in this project attend of Allentown schools: Elizabeth Schock, attending Notre Dame of Bethlehem; Alexandra Serencits, Good Shepherd Regional School, Northampton; and Elizabeth, Catherine and Alexander Neagle, St. Joseph the Worker School. In addition, St. John s parishioner Tania Kulischenko, a math teacher at St. Thomas More School, collected six large boxes of donations from her students. It was a beautiful evening of service with families who have strong ties to both the of Allentown and the Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Philadelphia both the lungs of the church working together to support Bobby and his colleagues, Neagle said. It pays to advertise in The A.D. Times Contact Lori Anderson at landerson@allentowndiocese.org or ext. 273

18 18 The A.D. Times March 23, 2017 Calendar Editor s note: , fax or mail church-affiliated items for the Calendar page (Calendar, Retreats, Socials, Festivals, Bazaars, Trips) to: , adtimes@allentowndiocese.org; fax, ; The A.D. Times, P.O. Box F, Allentown, PA Items must be received by Thursday of the week before publication. Please type or print. Please notify The A.D. Times if bingos and other regularly listed events are cancelled for the summer or other holiday periods, and again when they resume. The A.D. Times publishes only newly announced, churchaffiliated trips on a regular basis. The entire previously announced repeating trip list is published only as space permits. Please notify The A.D. Times when seats are filled for a trip so it can be removed from the repeating list. Please do not send items again after they are published. For more information, adtimes@allentowndiocese.org or call , ext Thursday, March 23 Shroud of Turin Exhibit, Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Ukrainian Church, 504 Summit Ave., Reading, daily noon-7 p.m., through Tuesday, March 28. Homemade Easter Egg Sale, parish center, St. Charles Borromeo, Ashland, $1 each, $11 per dozen, available for pick-up daily until Easter (unless sold out), large orders preorder Friday, March 24 Come and See. weekend for young men of the of Allentown ages 18 or older, St. Charles Borromeo Seminary, Philadelphia; Mass and time with our seminarians; prayer, adoration and reflection; sightseeing in Philadelphia, visit to St. John Neumann Shrine and stop at Pat s for a cheesesteak; through Sunday, March 26; sponsored by diocesan Office of Vocations and St. Andrew Committee, , registration deadline Thursday, March 16. Saturday, March 25 Behold: Our Souls Proclaim the Greatness, day of reflection for young adult married couples, sponsored by diocesan Office of Youth, Young Adult and Family Ministry, at St. Francis Retreat House, Easton, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., $30 per couple, childcare available onsite, call office for details, behold, , ext. 21. Legacy Gala of John Paul II Center for Special Learning, Reading, honoring Eric and Jeannie Savage, Double Tree Hotel, Reading, 5:30 p.m., $75, info@ johnpaulcenter.org. March into Spring Dance, social hall, St. John the Baptist, Allentown, 7-10 p.m., doors open 6:30 p.m., $5 per person, BYOB, kitchen open, Sunday, March 26 Breakfast, Assumption BVM, Slatington, 9 a.m.-noon, adults advance tickets $6, at door $7, children 5-12 $3, under 5 free. Schlachtfest, featuring Josef Kroboth, Holy Family Club, Nazareth, dinner 1-2 p.m., dancing 2-5 p.m., tickets $20, reservations , Bach Choir Spring Concert, Leonard Bernstein s Mass, First Presbyterian Church of Bethlehem, 4 p.m., adults $37, students $9, , ext. 115/110. Walking Humbly with our God Living Everyday Stewardship, parish mission, Our Lady of Mercy, Easton, 7-8:30 p.m., speaker Tracy Earl Welliver, also Monday, March 27 and Tuesday, March 28, 12:45-2:30 p.m. and 7-8:30 p.m., free will offering, Serra Clubs of the of Allentown, to visit our seminarians at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary, Philadelphia, including brunch, praying the rosary for vocations, tour of houses and grounds, vespers at 5 p.m., $15, , stephenchahn@yahoo.com. Tuesday, March 28 Serra Club of Bethlehem meeting, Monocacy Manor, Bethlehem, 6:30 p.m., speaker Father Richard Kennedy, The Missionaries of the Sacred Heart and His Vocation. Thursday, March 30 Princess Whatsername, eighth grade class, St. John Vianney Regional School, Allentown, in Walson Center, 210 N. 18 th St., Allentown, 6:30 p.m., doors open 6 p.m., donations at door, also Friday, March 31 and Saturday, April 1. Grief Support Group, convent meeting room, St. Theresa of the Child Jesus, Hellertown, 6:30-8 p.m., Thursdays through May 11 (except Holy Thursday), free and open to the public, Saturday, April 1 Fools for Christ: Men Called to Glorify God through His Catholic Church, of Harrisburg men s conference, Bishop McDevitt High School, Harrisburg, 7:15 a.m.-4:15 p.m., $30 before Monday, March 13; $40 by Monday, March 20; $50 walk-in, Sunday, April 2 Breakfast with Family and Friends, Holy Family Club, Nazareth, 7:30 a.m.-noon, adults $7, seniors 65-plus $6, children 5-12 $4, under 4 free. Blood and Platelet Drive, to support 3-year-old Bobby Favocci, gym, Holy Family, Nazareth, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., giveapint.org/donor/schedules/drive_)schedule/ Spring into Mission Starlight Benefit, Missionary Sisters of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, Berkleigh Golf Club, Kutztown, 3:30 p.m., adults $60, under 18 $30, cwhitmoyer@ mscreading.org, Born for This, presented by Lift Your Spirits Performing Arts (LYSPA), St. Joseph Hall (former Annunciation BVM Hall), Nine S. Broad Mountain Ave., Frackville, 6 p.m., doors open 5 p.m., tickets $10, children under 16 and accompanied by adult free, or Tuesday, April 4 Evening of Reflection and Fellowship for Respect Life Coordinators and Parish Advocates for Persons with Disabilities, St. Francis Center for Renewal, Bethlehem, 7-9 p.m., speaker Father John Pendzick, , ext.42, jjohnson@allentowndiocese.org, Wednesday, April 5 Pysanky Classes (Ukrainian Easter Eggs), St. Michael Hall, Shenandoah, 6-9 p.m., , also Saturday, April 8, 9 a.m.-noon. Serra Club of Allentown, dinner meeting, Econolodge, hospitality 6 p.m., dinner 6:30 p.m. Thursday, April 6 Logos and Lagers, Berks County Catholic Young Adults, Bible Study group for young adults ages 21 to 35, Most Blessed Sacrament, Bally, 7-8:30 p.m., discussion of Mass readings for the upcoming weekend, followed by food and fellowship at a local establishment, also Thursday, May 4, St. Peter the Apostle, Reading, Human Rights and the Catholic Church, from St. Francis to Pope Francis, speaker Notre Dame University s Paolo Carozza, McGlinn Center, Alvernia University, Reading, 7 p.m., free. Friday, April 7 Charting Our Ecumenical Future, Robert K. Campbell Memorial Lecture on Christian Unity, Dubbs Memorial Community Center, 457 W. Allen St., Allentown, 9 a.m., $25 (includes breakfast), speaker Dr. Robert P. Jones, CEO, Public Religion Research Institute, sponsored by Lehigh Conference of Churches, Saturday, April 8 Prayer Pilgrimage, peaceful prayer to end abortion, Helpers of God s Precious Infants; Mass, Notre Dame of Bethlehem 8 a.m., celebrant Msgr. Alfred Schlert, diocesan administrator, followed by rosary at Allentown Women s Center, 9:15 a.m., , hogpi@hotmail.com. Sunday, April 9 Berks County Traditional Latin Mass, St. Mary Church, 250 S. 12 th St., Reading, 12:30 p.m., reconciliation noon, followed by social. Monday, April 10 Friendly Fifties, social hall, St. John the Baptist Byzantine, Northampton, 1 p.m., entertainment by singer Glen Kakowski. Friday, April 14 Collection for the Shrines of Our Faith in the Holy Land. Monday, April 17 The Psalms and the Wisdom Books, Bible study, Finnegan Room, Assumption BVM, Bethlehem, 10-11:30 a.m., and 6:30-8:30 p.m., also Wednesdays 10-11:30 a.m. Wednesday, April 19 Serra Club of Allentown, meeting, St. Thomas More, Allentown, speakers Kevin Damitz and J. Kerridge on Fiat programs. Friday, April 21 Retrouvaille, weekend for healing marriages, Family Life Center, Malvern, register or Saturday, April 22 Willaoke (Shakespeare meets karaoke), St. Stephen of Hungary, Allentown, 6-9 p.m., free, family-friendly, srlloyd7@ gmail.com. Bunny Bounce Dance, social hall, St. John the Baptist, Allentown, 7-10 p.m., doors open 6:30 p.m., $5 per person, BYOB, kitchen open, Sunday, April 23 Breakfast, Knights of Columbus, church basement, Sacred Heart of Jesus, Bath, 7:30-11 a.m., adults $8, children $4, under 6 free. Health Fair, church hall, St. Francis of Assisi, Allentown, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Lenten dinners Fridays of Lent (except Good Friday) Soup and Stations, Knights of Columbus, St. Thomas More, Allentown, 6 p.m., light Lenten meal served in the Colonnade prior to Stations of the Cross, good will offering to benefit Vocations Fund. Fish Dinner, St. John the Baptist, Pottsville, at Russell Building, Ninth Street and Schuylkill Avenue, 4-7 p.m., adults $13 or $16, children under 12 $8. Lenten Pierogi Sale, St. Mary, Reading, 10 a.m.-3 p.m., dozen $8, new location basement under church. Friday, March 24 Lenten Fish Dinner, Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Bethlehem, 5-7 p.m., adults $10, children 5-10 $5, tickets available after Mass starting weekend of Feb , also available at door. Fridays, March 24 and 31 Lenten Fish Dinner, Knights of Columbus Council 4050, Ruffanach Hall, St. John the Baptist, Whitehall, adult fish $9, child fish $7, pierogi dinner $6, l. Fridays, March 24, 31 and April 7 Lenten Fish Fry, Most Blessed Sacrament, Bally, in carnival building, Seventh and Pine streets, Bally, 10:45 a.m.-7 p.m. Friday, March 31 Lenten Fish Bake Dinner, Knights of Columbus, school hall, St. Ignatius Loyola, Sinking Spring, 5-7 p.m., adults $10, children 6-12 $5. Lenten Fish Dinner, sponsored by parish and Knights of Columbus, basement, Sacred Heart, Bath, 4:30-7 p.m., adults $9, children $4, under 5 free, stuffed flounder special $12. Lenten Food Sale, St. Matthew the Evangelist, Minersville, noon to 3 p.m., large orders call Fridays 9-11 a.m. Fridays, March 31 and April 7 Lenten Fish Bake, Knights of Columbus Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Council 4282, Nazareth, at Holy Family Club, 515 W. Mauch Chunk St., Nazareth, 4-7 p.m., adults $12, children 6-12 $5, under 6 free. Wednesday, April 5 Lenten Dinner, Divine Mercy, Shenandoah, at St. Stephen Hall, Shenandoah, 3-5:30 p.m., $8, take out only, , order deadline MArch 29. Good Friday, April 14 Devil Crab or Fish Dinner, Knights of Columbus Council 618, Shenandoah, $9, must preorder by Monday, April 3, , , pickup noon-sellout, free delivery in Shenandoah, Mahanoy City and Frackville. Lenten events Fridays of Lent Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, St. Francis of Assisi, Allentown, after 8 a.m. Mass to beginning of Stations of the Cross at 7 p.m. Fridays of Lent (except Good Friday) and Holy Thursday, April 13 Homemade Pierogi Sale, St. Clare of Assisi, St. Clair, 11 a.m.-2 p.m., church basement, use Hancock Street entrance; dozen $7.50, order by previous Wednesday, , , , Saturday, March 25 Knights of Columbus Council 7279, St. John Baptist de la Salle, Shillington on a Lenten Pilgrimage to St. John Paul II National Shrine, Washington, D.C., $35, , stallone7179@aol.com. Sunday, March 26 Lenten Taize Service, night of prayer and meditation through music, Scripture and silence, St. Benedict, Mohnton, 6 p.m., questions , andang@hgaschool.org. Sunday, April 2 Born for This, depicts Passion of Jesus Christ in a different way, presented by Lift Your Spirits Performing Arts (LYSPA), St. Joseph Hall (former Annunciation BVM Hall), Nine S. Broad Mountain Ave., Frackville, 6 p.m., doors open 5 p.m., tickets $10, any child under age 16 and accompanied by adult is free, followed by light refreshments, , Tuesday, April 11 Easter Nut Roll Sale, main lobby, Sacred Heart Hospital, Allentown, 8 a.m.-4 p.m., $15, preorders suggested Palm Sunday, April 9 and Good Friday, April 14 Living Stations of the Cross, performed by parish youth, St. Francis of Assisi, Allentown, April 9 3 p.m., April 14 7 p.m. Good Friday, April th Anniversary Living Stations of the Cross, presented by ACTION Youth Group, beginning 7 p.m., St. Cecilia Chapel, 22 S. Catawissa St., Mahanoy City, ending St. Teresa of Calcutta Church, 600 W. Mahanoy St., free will offering accepted, presented by ACTION Youth Group. Everyone s Way of the Cross, St. Anne, Bethlehem, 6:30 p.m., with music, prayers, Scripture, meditation, prayerful silence and singing by Pastor Father Anthony Mongiello. Retreats First Tuesdays Simply Prayer, mornings of prayer, reflection and sharing, St. Francis Center for Renewal, Bethlehem, 9:30 a.m.-noon, free will offering, , Third Tuesdays Journey of the Heart: Introduction to Contemplative Prayer Practices, St. Francis Center for Renewal, Bethlehem, 7-9 p.m., free will offering, , First Fridays Day of Prayer, St. Francis Retreat House, Easton, 9 a.m.- 2:30 p.m., $30, register a week in advance , stfranrh@rcn.com, Monday, March 27 A Way to Grow, St. Francis Center for Renewal, Bethlehem. 6:45-9 p.m., examine how we grow spiritually, per session $20, , stfranciscenter@gmail.com, Wednesday, March 29 We Thirst: Lessons in Mercy, a course on addiction awareness within our society, St. Francis Center for Renewal, Bethlehem, 6:45-9 p.m., $10, per family $15 per session, , stfranciscenter@gmail.com, Saturday, April 8 A Paschal Journey into Holy Week, day of reflection, St. Francis Center for Renewal, Bethlehem, 9 a.m.-noon, $45, , stfranciscenter@gmail.com, Monday, April 10 Where is Our Humor? Have We Lost It? mini-retreat, St. Francis Retreat House, Easton, 6-9 p.m., $25, , stfranrh@rcn.com, Monday, April 24 Bridge Over Troubled Waters, twilight retreat, St. Francis Please see CALENDAR page 19 }}

19 March 23, 2017 The A.D. Times 19 Calendar }}Continued from page 19 Center for Renewal, Bethlehem, 6:45-9 p.m., $25, presented by Father Bernard Ezaki, assistant pastor, St. Jane Frances de Chantal, Easton, , Wednesdays, April 26, May 3 and May 10 Spring Film Study, St. Francis Center for Renewal, Bethlehem, 6:30-9 p.m., $10 per film or $25 for all three, , stfranciscenter@gmail.com, Tuesday, May 9 Am I Not Here, Your Mother? twilight retreat, St. Francis Center for Renewal, Bethlehem, 6:45-9 p.m., $25, testimony of women who have special devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe, , stfranciscenter@gmail.com, Friday, June 23 Sunday, June 25 Rachel s Vineyard Retreat, intimate spiritual journey for anyone seeking healing after abortion, Rachel , ext. 19, projectrachel@allentowndiocese.org, www. rachelsvineyard.org, deadline for registration June 5. Sunday, July 2 Friday, July 7 Our Work Is Loving the World, sisters conference retreat, St. Francis Center for Renewal, Bethlehem, $400, , stfranciscenter@gmail.com, Socials Sundays Bingo, St. Joseph, Summit Hill, 6:30 p.m. Bingo, Immaculate Conception School, Pen Argyl, 1 p.m., doors open 11 a.m., Second Sundays Bingo, Most Blessed Sacrament, Bally, 12:30 p.m., doors open 11 a.m. Thursdays Bingo, St. Joseph, Summit Hill, 6:30 p.m. Thursday, March 23 Designer Bag Bingo, Family Center, St. Thomas More, Allentown, 7 p.m., doors open 6 p.m., $25, bring outreach items for Mary s Shelter and receive tickets for prize giveaway. Friday, March 24 Sunday, March 26 Basket Social, parish center, Annunciation BVM (St. Mary s), Catasauqua, Friday 6-9 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Sunday 9 a.m.-1 p.m., $5, benefit religious education program, Saturday, March 25 Designer Handbag Bingo, gymnasium, Holy Family School, Nazareth, 1 p.m., doors open noon, $25 in advance, $30 at door, bring canned good for free bingo dauber, , hfshandbagbingo@gmail.com. Saturday, March 25 Sunday, March 26 Basket Social and Bake Sale, St. Nicholas, Walnutport, Saturday 9 a.m.-6 p.m., Sunday 9 a.m.-1 p.m., $5, , Sunday, March 26 Handbag Bingo, Ladies Guild, St. Theresa of the Child Jesus, Hellertown, at social hall, Leithsville Fire Company, Route 412, Hellertown, 1 p.m., doors open 11:30 a.m., $20 in advance, $25 at door, , Designer Handbag Bingo, St. Francis of Assisi, Allentown, 1 p.m., doors open noon, $20 in advance, $25 at door, donate nonperishable food item and receive 1 free raffle ticket, donate new pair of baby sock or other small baby items and receive two free raffle tickets (limit of three free raffle tickets per person), Longaberger Baskets and Designer Handbags Bingo, Bethlehem Chapter of UNICO, at cafeteria, Bethlehem Catholic High School, 1:30 p.m., doors open 12:30 p.m., advance $20, at door $25, Saturday April 1 Sunday, April 2 Tricky Tray, Notre Dame of Bethlehem, Saturday 10 a.m.- 6:30 p.m., Sunday 8 a.m.-1:30 p.m., Sunday, April 2 Cash and Gift Card Bingo, Father Farrell Hall, St. Jane Frances de Chantal, Easton, 1:30 p.m., doors open noon, $25, Wednesdays, April 5 and May 3 Bingo, Knights of Columbus, cafeteria, St. Ann School, Emmaus, 7:30-10 p.m., doors open 7 p.m., $20, org, knights@koc12886.org. Friday, April 7 Sunday, April 9 Tricky Tray, Home School Association, Marian Inn, Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Bethlehem, Friday 5-9 p.m., Saturday 11 a.m.-8 p.m., Sunday 8 a.m.-2 p.m., tickets at door $5. Sunday, April 9 Meat Bingo, social hall, St. John the Baptist, Allentown, 1 p.m., kitchen opens noon, $11, Sundays, April 9 and May 21 Bingo, Parish Center, Annunciation BVM, Catasauqua, 1 p.m., kitchen open 11:30 a.m., Sundays, April 23; May 7, 21; June 4, 25; July 9, 23; Aug. 6, 20; Sept. 10, 24; Oct. 8, 22; Nov. 5, 26; and Dec. 10 Bingo, Knights of Columbus Council 618, Shenandoah at St. Stephen Hall, 2 p.m., doors open noon, accessible to handicapped. Saturday, April 29 Sunday, April 30 Basket Raffle/Tricky Tray, Women s Guild, Our Lady of Mercy, Easton, Saturday 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Sunday 8:30 a.m.-1 p.m., Trips Editor s note: Trip listings include sponsoring group, destination, cost and contact information. Call the sponsor for other details, such as times, dining location, itineraries and what is included in the cost. Send church-affiliated trips to adtimes@allentowndiocese.org by Thursday of the week before publication. Newly announced Saturday, April 22 St. Thomas More, Allentown to Philadelphia Art Museum plus Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Art, $115, Saturday, May 20 St. Thomas More, Allentown to Broadway Come From Away $145, Groundhog Day $144, Thursday, July 6 St. Thomas More, Allentown to Pirates vs. Phillies (section 412), $58, Wednesday, July 19 St. Thomas More, Allentown to Broadway Charlie and the Chocolate Factory $122, Dear Evan Hansen $164; Sunday, Aug. 13 St. Thomas More, Allentown to Red Sox vs. Yankees (section 212), $107, Previously announced Wednesday, March 29 St. Elizabeth of Hungary, Whitehall to Born Yesterday, Hunterdon Hills Dinner Theatre, Hampton, New Jersey, $89, Thursday, March 30 Fellowship Group, Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Bethlehem to Mohegan Sun Casino, Wilkes-Barre, $22, , Club, Notre Dame of Bethlehem to Mohegan Sun Casino, Wilkes-Barre, $25, Tuesday, April 4 St. Ann, Emmaus to Mohegan Sun Casino, Wilkes-Barre, $22, Wednesday, April 5 Prime Time, St. Thomas More, Allentown to Jonah, Sight and Sound Theatre, Lancaster, $93, Saturday, April 8 Assumption Travel Club, Slatington to Cirque du Soleil Paramour, New York City, $109, , atclub@ptd.net. Wednesday, April 12 St. Joseph the Worker, Orefield to Mohegan Sun Casino, Wilkes-Barre, $25, Saturday, April 22 St. Joseph the Worker, Orefield to Bronx, New York, with tram ride through Botanical Gardens, $70, , suemueller45@gmail.com. Sunday, April 23 Monday, May 1 St. Joseph the Worker, Orefield to Branson, Missouri and the Ozarks, from $959, , suemueller45@gmail.com. Thursday, April Club, Notre Dame of Bethlehem to Brooklyn Pizza Tour, $90, Thursday, May 4 Queenship of Mary, Northampton to Vegas Legends, American Music Theatre, Lancaster, $85, , Monday, May 15 Thursday, May 18 Travelers, St. Matthew, Minersville to Ocean City and Eastern Shore, Maryland, $439, , Monday, May 22 Thursday, May 25 Fellowship Group, Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Bethlehem to Wildwood, New Jersey, $309, , Saturday, June 10 Assumption Travel Club, Slatington to Legends of Pop, Hunterdon Hills Dinner Theatre, Hampton, New Jersey, $90, , atclub@ptd.net. Visit to seminarians planned for March 26 The Serra Clubs of the of Allentown invite everyone to join them Sunday, March 26 from noon to 6 p.m. as they visit the seminarians of the diocese at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary, Philadelphia. The day will include brunch with the seminarians, praying the rosary for vocations in St. Martin s Chapel, a tour of both houses and the grounds, and vespers with all the seminarians in the Chapel of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception at 5 p.m. End of Life Issues: What Does the Church Teach? The Office of Pro-Life and Social Concerns is sponsoring the seminar End of Life Issues: What Does the Church Teach? in cooperation with the Catholic Medical Association. The seminar will be Saturday, April 29 from 9 a.m. to noon at the parish center of St. Elizabeth of Hungary, Pen Argyl. Presentations will address ordinary vs. extraordinary care, artificial nutrition, hydration and palliative care. Other topics to be covered are organ donation, dialysis treatment and artificial respiration, along The day will also serve as the Serrans District Retreat. Everyone is invited to join the clubs to pray and learn what they do to promote religious vocations. Cost is $15 and all proceeds go to the seminary. For more information, contact Steve Hahn, or stephenchahn@yahoo.com, or Mark or Paulette Roth, with living wills and advanced directives will be covered. A panel discussion will follow with an opportunity for general questions. Speakers will be Deacon Dr. Bruno Schettini, Dr. Henry Schairer, Dr. Ed Fleming and Father Christopher Zelonis. This is a free event. For questions or to register, visit org/endoflife or contact nkantz@allentowndiocese.org or , ext. 28. Participants are asked to register by Monday, April 25.

20 20 The A.D. Times World March 23, 2017 In new book, Archbishop Chaput describes how America lost its way VATICAN CITY (CNS) - We are passing through a revolution of sorts in America, says Philadelphia Archbishop Charles Chaput. Following such upheavals in the nation s moral life as the normalization of pornography, premarital sex, divorce (and) transgenderism, the 2015 Supreme Court decision to legalize same-sex marriage was a symbolic overthrow of traditional Catholic sexual morality, he said. It was to help Catholics understand such changes, the archbishop says, that he wrote his new book, Strangers in a Strange Land: Living the Catholic Faith in a Post-Christian World. I was thinking about the confusion that exists in the lives of so many people, even ordinary, everyday Catholics who love the church and who love our country here in the United States, but at the same time have a sense that something is wrong and they really don t know what it s about, he told Catholic News Service during a phone interview March 17. For example, he said, expressing concern about the change in the meaning of marriage is considered to be oldfashioned or retrogressive or bigoted and that leads people to be afraid to even talk about it. Archbishop Chaput, 72, draws a contrast between contemporary society and the simpler America he knew in his childhood during the 1940s and 1950s. In today s world, we treat people with disabilities much better than they did when I was a young man. Society is very conscious about their rights and Accompany }}Continued from page 1 men and elected regional representatives. It acts on behalf of the nation s bishops between their spring and fall general meetings. To live in Christ is to draw upon the limitless love of Jesus to fortify us against the temptation of fear, it continued. Pray that our engagement in the debate over immigration and refugee issues may bring peace and comfort to those most affected by current and proposed national policy changes. The bishops urged Catholics to pray for an end to the root causes of violence and other circumstances forcing families to flee their homeland to find a better life; to meet with newcomers in their parishes and listen to their story, and share your own ; and to call, write or visit their elected representatives to ask them to fix our broken immigration system in a way that would safeguard the country s security and our humanity through a generous opportunity for legal immigration. The statement opened with a passage from Chapter 19 of the Book of Leviticus: The word of God is truly alive today. When an alien resides with you in your land, do not mistreat such a one. You shall treat the alien who resides with we even rearrange the structures of our buildings to help people with physical disabilities. On the other hand, we have a technology that has kept most people with Down syndrome from being born, because the disability is detected early, and technology has done that, and we decide to eliminate those people through abortion, he said. It s a symbol of Archbishop Charles Chaput (CNS photo/ Massimiliano Migliorato) how we ve at the same time progressed and at the same time regressed, the archbishop said. Archbishop Chaput identifies the contraceptive pill and the transistor as key inventions of the last century that led to many of the cultural changes he outlines in his book. The pill was very tiny but led to huge changes in our perception of the meaning of human sexuality, which affects the way we think about family, and the transistor, found in most electronic devices, led to all kinds of new technologies that challenge Christian living in various ways, he said. The disruption of family life through new communications technologies, for instance, has led to a situation you no differently than the natives born among you; you shall love the alien as yourself; for you too were once aliens in the land of Egypt. The bishops urged Catholics to not lose sight of the fact that behind every policy is the story of a person in search of a better life. They may be an immigrant or refugee family sacrificing so that their children might have a brighter future. As shepherds of a pilgrim church, they wrote, we will not tire in saying to families who have the courage to set out from their despair onto the road of hope: We are with you. Those families could include a family seeking security from an increased threat of extremist violence, they said, adding that it is necessary to safeguard the United States in a manner that does not cause us to lose our humanity. The bishops said that intense debate is essential to healthy democracy, but the rhetoric of fear does not serve us well. When we look at one another, do we see with the heart of Jesus? they asked. Their pastoral reflection comes at a time when the Trump administration s rhetoric and its policies on national security, refugees and immigration are in the headlines almost daily. Those policies have sparked almost nonstop protests in various parts of the country since President Donald Trump s Jan. 20 inauguration. In some cases, the where parents don t know how to influence their kids, or are so busy they don t have time for each other, he said. The archbishop attributes America s emphasis on the supreme importance of the individual as a contributing factor to the collapse of a Christian moral consensus in the country. Individualism is one of the weaknesses of American culture. We don t focus enough on history or on community, and that gets in the way of us being serious about those who ve thought before us. For example, I don t see a whole lot of generosity on the part of the new leadership class in the United States, he said. Millennials seem focused on making money and having great success and being elite, and I don t see a lot of focus on the common good. The appropriate Catholic response to the cultural situation in the United States, where the basic assumptions of Christianity and Catholicism are questioned by everyone, is to live the Gospel in a radical kind of way, Archbishop Chaput said. Writing toward the end of the book, the archbishop calls for Christians to engage in political debates in the public square, but also to build the communities, the friendships, and the places in which we joyfully live out our faith. Rather than a naive and emotionbased optimism, the driving force in terms of facing the future for Christians is always the virtue of hope, Archbishop Chaput said. anti-trump demonstrations have turned violent. The latest action on the refugee issue came March 16 when two federal judges blocked Trump s new executive order banning for 90 days the entry into the U.S. of citizens from six Muslim-majority nations and suspending for 120 days the resettlement of refugees. Two federal judges, one in Hawaii and one in Maryland, blocked the order before it was to take effect March 16 at midnight. The Department of Justice announced March 17 it will appeal the Maryland ruling in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit, which is based in Richmond, Virginia. In their reflection, the bishops said that all in this country find common dreams for our children in their diverse backgrounds. Hope in the next generation is how the nation will realize its founding motto, out of many, one, they said. In doing so, we will also realize God s hope for all his children: that we would see each other as valued sisters and brothers regardless of race, religion or national origin. Christ, as the word made flesh, strengthens us to bring our words to life, they said, and suggested three ways Catholics, in our own small way, can bring our words of solidarity for migrants and refugees to life : by praying, This is the cover of Strangers in a Strange Land: Living the Catholic Faith in a Post-Christian World by Philadelphia Archbishop Charles J. Chaput. (CNS) Hope is energy built on conviction that the future is in God s hands and God wants us to be very much a part of creating that future we are kind of the instruments for the future. Pope: Make confession more available; God s heart is always open VATICAN CITY (CNS) Hear confession every time someone asks, Pope Francis said, and don t ever put limited hours on the sacrament of reconciliation. Please, let there never be those signs that say, Confessions: Mondays and Wednesdays from this time to that time, he told hundreds of confessors and other participants attending an annual course sponsored by the Apostolic Penitentiary, a Vatican court that handles issues related to the absolution of sin. Hear confession every time someone asks you. And if you are sitting there, praying, leave the confessional open because God s heart is open, he said March 17. Confession is a pastoral priority, and is a daily call to head to the peripheries of evil and sin, and this is an ugly periphery, he said. I ll confess, he told his audience, that the Apostolic Penitentiary is the tribunal that I really like because it is a tribunal of mercy, where one goes to get that indispensable medicine for our souls, which is divine mercy. A good confessor, he said, has begged God for the gift of a wounded heart, capable of understanding others wounds and of healing them with God s mercy, he said. Accompany men and women with prudent and mature discernment and with true compassion for their suffering, caused by the poverty of sin, he said. So much harm is done to the church and human souls when a confessor is not guided by prayer and the Holy Spirit in discerning what God wants to be done, he said. welcoming newcomers and writing to their elected representatives urging them to support humane immigration policies. Pray for an end to the root causes of violent hatred that force mothers and fathers to flee the only home they may have known in search of economic and physical security for their children, the bishops said. They asked Catholics to meet with newcomers in their parishes, and to listen to their story and share your own. The bishops noted parishes across the country have programs for immigrants and refugees both to comfort them and to help them know their rights. They also urged Catholics to to reach out in loving dialogue to those who may disagree with us. The more we come to understand each other s concerns the better we can serve one another. Together, we are one body in Christ. Finally, Catholics should call, write or visit their elected officials urging they fix our broken immigration system in a way that safeguards both our security and our humanity through a generous opportunity for legal immigration. The reflection ended with a quote from Pope Francis: To migrate is the expression of that inherent desire for the happiness proper to every human being, a happiness that is to be sought and pursued. For us Christians, all human life is an itinerant journey toward our heavenly homeland.

21 March 23, 2017 The A.D. Times 21 Customers Bank provides $310,000 in scholarships Customers Bank announced that it has contributed $310,000 to support scholarships in Berks County for students in kindergarten through 12th grade. The scholarships will be awarded to diocesan schools as part of Pennsylvania s Education Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) and Opportunity Scholarship Tax Credit (OSTC) programs. The EITC and OSTC programs provide state tax credits to businesses that commit to funding eligible scholarships to organizations, such as the Eastern Pennsylvania Scholarship Foundation (EPSF). We believe that education is a cornerstone of vibrant communities. Investing in our children is an investment in the communities we serve, said Richard Ehst, president and chief operating officer. These scholarships will give families with financial need opportunities to provide their children with a quality education to become productive, thriving members of our society. Customers Bank s contributions through EITC and OSTC programs will support students in the following dioce- Merchants Bank has awarded $2,000 to Immaculate Conception School, Pen Argyl with Educational Improvement Tax Credits (EITC). An additional $5,000 was also awarded for the Blue and White Scholastic Foundation, Inc., benefiting Immaculate Conception School. School administrators, along with some students, were present at the check presentation. Merchants Bank has participated in the EITC program for several years. The bank submits an application to the Department of Community and Economic Development, which then provides tax credits in random order until all available tax credits are exhausted. This is a very valuable and additional vehicle for our bank to support the local community, said Rocco Del Vecchio, CEO of Merchants Bank. san schools: Berks Catholic High School, Holy Guardian Angels Regional School, St. Catharine of Siena School, St. Margaret School, St. Peter School, all in Reading; Sacred Heart School, West Reading; John Paul II Center for Special Learning, Merchants Bank awards EITC to Immaculate Conception School Immaculate Conception Academy, Douglassville will be offering a new full-day Pre-K option beginning with the school year. Families now have the option to enroll their student for up to five full days or five half days. Program hours are 8:30 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. and 8:30 a.m. to noon. Before care options are available for all students. After care is available for full-day students. The program will prepare students both academically and socially to enter It s never a guarantee that we will receive approval for the tax credit. We try to support every eligible nonprofit organization in our market each year with the dollars allocated within our budget. Merchants Bank has been a tremendous support to our school, said Sister Maria Luz, principal at Immaculate Conception School. We are honored to be among the awardees the bank has chosen. Established in 1890, Merchants Bank is a locally owned and operated community bank headquartered in Bangor. In 2013 the bank was recognized for its community involvement and volunteerism through two awards: Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce s Spirit of Forks Award and the Volunteer Center of the Lehigh Valley s Spirit of Volunteerism Award. Immaculate Conception Academy launching full-day pre-k Allentown Central Catholic High School (ACCHS) has announced that its board of directors approved a plan at the Feb. 15 meeting to incorporate a learning initiative for students. The initiative combines collaboration, critical thinking, creativity and communication in an engaging, inspiring environment. The program will prepare students for success in the 21st-century college and future workplace by integrating and using technology. Through an approved lease option Immaculate Conception Academy s fullday kindergarten program. The curriculum will include weekly art, music and library visits, as well as age-appropriate physical education experiences. Immaculate Conception Academy is now enrolling for all programs Pre- K through grade 8. Individual tours are available by appointment. For more information, contact Adele Reilly, advancement director, or adele.reilly@icaknights.org, or visit Shillington; and St. Joseph Center for Special Learning, Pottsville (Schuylkill County). Participating in the presentation are, back from left: Rocco Del Vecchio, CEO of Merchants Bank; Sister Maria Luz, principal; and Janis Geist, Catholic school scholarship administrator for the of Allentown Office of Education. Allentown Central Catholic High School announces ipad initiative with Apple, Inc., every student in grades nine through 12 will receive an ipad for school and homework beginning in the school year. The program will include comprehensive training of staff in the use of technologies and digital resources for the purpose of improving teaching and learning. The learning initiative will allow for the consistent and meaningful integration of these technologies into the learning environment. It will allow students access to the tools needed to develop the technological competencies required in today s world. This effort will ensure each student has access to the same resources both at school and at home. ACCHS recognizes the evolution of the technology available to its students has brought about a new environment for communication and instruction. As stewards of the future for its children, ACCHS is committed to teaching each student in a manner that is consistent with individual needs and prepares them for higher education.

22 22 The A.D. Times March 23, 2017 Reading Serra awards students for Vocation Essay Contest The Serra Club of Reading recognized three parochial school students of the Berks Deanery for their achievements in the club s fourth annual Vocation Essay Contest Feb. 3 after Masses celebrating Catholic Schools Week. The first place certificate with an award of $200 was presented to Michelle Chi, daughter of Zhenguan Chi and Fanny Natalia Gunawan from Sacred Heart School, West Reading. The second and third place winners were from St. Catharine of Siena, Mount Penn second place of $150 to Grace Donato, daughter of Dr. Anthony and Karin Donato, third place to Joyce Chan, daughter of Hung Wah Chan and Jin Yu Wang. The club thanked these students for their accomplishment and gave special thanks to the schools principals and English teachers for their leadership, inspiration and instruction: Katharine Napolitano and Joanne Spanier at Sacred Heart, and Sister Teresa Ballisty and Jessica McElderry at St. Catharine. The club also shared this message about vocations: Serra is the lay apostolate for the support and promotion of vocations to the clergy and religious life, and we are honored to support our Catholic schools mission in this small, yet special, way. All of us recognize our Catholic schools as centers of excellence in our community, in the classroom, in the arts and music, and on the athletic fields. Yet, it is beyond this temporal success, it is in Michelle Chi, front left, displays her first place award for the Serra Club of Reading s Vocation Essay Contest. Also pictured are, from left: front, Joanne Spanier, Fanny Natalia Gunawan and Zhenguan Chi; back, Kathy Napolitano; Deacon Bill Kase; Msgr. Joseph DeSantis, pastor; and Danielle Parisi, religion teacher. the recognition that the intrinsic and indispensable reality that our pilgrimage in this life is for our giving of self in service to one another, that a Catholic education truly distinguishes itself. The Serra Club is happy to join in the invitation extended by our Catholic schools to every student, to contemplate Left, Serra District Gov. Steve Hahn presents the second place award to Grace Donato, along with Father Brian Miller, assistant pastor of St. Catharine. Right, Joyce Chan receives her third place award from Steve Hahn, right, with Father Brian Miller. God s plan for their lives. The essays we receive are the proofs and the fruit of this encounter, and they seem to get better every year. Winston Churchill once said that we make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give. That is the essence of vocation, be it in the single life, in marriage or in the clergy or consecrated life. And it is in that spirit that the Serra Club of Reading applauds the staff and volunteers at all our diocesan schools and encourages them to continue to live and model this ideal. We especially honor our religious sisters whose lives are a true contradiction to this world and beacons to all of the meaning of love and service, the lamp that gives light to the whole room. It was especially poignant that the Sunday after the awards presentation was the World Day for Consecrated Life and that, for those in attendance at St. Catharine, we will be saying farewell, after almost 80 years of service, the Immaculate Heart of Mary Sisters, who have ministered to the parish community so faithfully and fruitfully. Please pray for an increase in vocations of consecrated brothers and sisters in our diocese and around the world. They are much needed. Finally, the Serrans of the diocese offer our sincere appreciation to all our Catholic school parents for their sacrifice and remind them that vocation is formed in families. May we all live our vocation more fully each day, and our lives be witness to all the joy of Jesus Gospel message. Speaking of joy, recall that the word itself is a great acronym for prioritizing our life J for Jesus first, O for others second and Y for yourself last. May Christ s joy and peace be a hallmark of our schools for years to come. Mary, Mother of Vocations, pray for us. Notre Dame of Bethlehem boys win state CYO basketball championship Left, Coach Mike Horvath and assistant coach Karen Horvath flank the Notre Dame of Bethlehem eighth grade district champions four years ago. The same group of boys comprised the team this year. (Photo courtesy Mike Horvath) Right, Darnell Farrell (14) of the Cathedral of St. Catharine of Siena/St. Francis of Assisi team, puts a shot up during a game with Queen of Angels March 3 at the tournament. (Photo by Ed Koskey) More photos on page 22

23 March 23, 2017 Sports The A.D. Times 23 Notre Dame of Bethlehem, St. Thomas More and St. Patrick win diocesan titles Notre Dame of Bethlehem won the of Allentown Catholic Youth Organization (CYO) Basketball Championship Tournament March 5 at Nativity BVM High School, Pottsville, and moved on to win the state championship (see article and photos page 24). St. Thomas More, Allentown, won the grade school boys championship. St. Patrick, Pottsville won the grade school girls championship. The tournament began Feb , continued with the semi-finals March 4 and concluded with finals March 5. St. Jane s Alexandria Nehme (15), left, and St. Jane s Grace Medei (4) try to stop St. Patrick s Alex Blum (22) as she drives the ball during the semifinals March 4. (Photo by Ed Koskey) Grace Medei of St. Jane Frances de Chantal, Easton (4) takes the ball down court as Kamryn Abdo of St. Patrick, Pottsville (23) guards her during the semi-finals March 4 of the of Allentown CYO Basketball Championship Tournament Feb and March 4-5 at Nativity BVM High School, Pottsville. (Photo by Ed Koskey) Jaden Workman of Immaculate Conception Academy, Douglassville (10) looks to grab a loose ball during a game with St. Joseph the Worker, Orefield during the semi-finals March 4. (Photo by Ed Koskey) St. Joseph Regional Academy players applaud their teammates on the court as they play St. Thomas More during the semi-finals March 4. (Photo by Ed Koskey) St. Joseph the Worker s Mason Abromitis (11) drives past Immaculate Conception s Ryan Wethey (34) during the semi-finals March 4. (Photo by Ed Koskey) Above, Lila Koller of St. Thomas More, Allentown (13) takes the ball ahead of Abby McGinley of St. Joseph Regional Academy, Jim Thorpe (12) during the semi-finals March 4. (Photo by Ed Koskey) Fans of the St. Thomas More boys team cheer as they play St Ambrose during the semi-finals March 4. (Photo by Ed Koskey) St. Joseph the Worker head coach Dan Maxsim holds the grade school boys second place trophy near his players at the March 5 finals. (Photo by Ed Koskey) Keegan Brennan of St. Ambrose, Schuylkill Haven (2) tries to get the ball past St. Thomas More s Christian Spugnardi (0) as teammate Jake Kuperavge (20) watches during the semi-finals March 4. (Photo by Ed Koskey) St. Thomas More is the grade school boys champion. From left are: front, Patrick Walsh, Michael Driscoll, Brendan Boyle, Kyle Hodrick, Jake Seed; back, head coach David Gehris, Grant Brobst, Andrew Csensits, Jack McGorry, Aiden Burmeister, Christian Spugnardi, Liam Joyce, Jarrett Lysek and coach Kevin Hodrick. (Photo by Ed Koskey) Above, assistant coach Ann Vaughan and her St. Thomas More players wear medals and hold the second place trophy for the grade school girls championship at the March 5 finals. (Photo by Ed Koskey) St. Patrick, Pottsville is the grade school girls champion, from left: front, Gillian Guzick, Brooke Siket, Kamryn Abdo, Alex Blum and Katie Brennan; back, head coach Ron Abdo, Caroline Gist, Taylor Welsh, Samantha Heenan, Jules Plachko, Kaitlyn Zemantuski, Jillian Guzick, and assistant coaches Dennis Siket and Brian Brennan. (Photo courtesy Karen Abdo)

24 24 The A.D. Times Sports March 23, 2017 Notre Dame of Bethlehem boys win state CYO basketball championship The Knights of Notre Dame of Bethlehem won the Pennsylvania State Catholic Youth Organization (CYO) 2017 Boys Basketball Tournament hosted by the of Allentown March 3-5 at Allentown Central Catholic High School. The championship tournament wrapped up March 5 with Notre Dame s win over the team of the Cathedral of St. Catharine of Siena, Allentown/St. Francis of Assisi, Allentown. They were the diocesan champions not only this year for high school, but also in their eighth grade year. Mike Horvath is the team s coach and his wife, Karen Horvath, is assistant coach. The Allentown entered two teams in the state tournament. Notre Dame played in the eastern bracket and Cathedral/St. Francis in the western. I ve been coaching this group of boys since they were in the third and fourth grades at Notre Dame of Bethlehem, said Mike Horvath, which eventually led to a district championship in their eighth grade year and a third place finish in the diocesan playoffs. Most of them then went on to play basketball for Bethlehem Catholic High School and Liberty High School, Bethlehem through their freshman and sophomore years, but eventually moved on to other sports and interests. During their junior year, many of these kids got together and talked about forming a CYO high school team for our parish and asked if I would coach them again. How could I say no to that? Last year, our first year back together, we made it to the district finals and lost. However, we made a commitment to come back again this year and we set a goal to go all the way to states. What a way for this long journey to finally come to an end, culminating in a perfect 17-0 season while winning the district, diocesan and state championships. One thing I can say for certain about this team is their resilience and level of determination to not be denied the goals they set out to accomplish. I am so very proud of them and how they have grown over the years both on and off the court. Left, Desean Morillo of the Cathedral of St. Catharine of Siena/St. Francis of Assisi team, Allentown, looks to pass the ball in the championship finals of the three-day Pennsylvania State CYO High School Boys Basketball tournament March 5 in Allentown Central Catholic High School s Rockne Hall. (Photo by Ellis Weitzman) Below, cheering on Notre Dame at the March 5 finals are Bethlehem Catholic High School seniors, from left, Mackenzie Hoenig, Maddie Macknis, Regan Downey, Brooke Adams and Amanda Beers. They encouraged their favorites to win the 2017 title game (Photo by Ellis Weitzman) Left, Drew Bartos of Notre Dame, right, attempts to drive the basketball past defender Darnell Farrell (14) of Cathedral/St. Francis during the first half of the March 5 finals.(photo by Ellis Weitzman) Right, as teammates Mark Horvath, back left, and Gabe Albino watch, Notre Dame of Bethlehem s Colby Treadwell grabs a rebound between Holy Name of Jesus Jake Peroski (21) and Marshall Kent (4) of the of Harrisburg March 3 during the state tournament. (Photo by Ed Koskey) Above, coach Mike Horvath, left, and assistant coach Karen Horvath, right, pose with their champions, the Notre Dame of Bethlehem Knights as the 2017 Pennsylvania State CYO High School Boys Basketball tournament winners. The Knights won the game 61 to 47. The champs are, from left: front, Mark Horvath, Colby Treadwell, Mike Perrault, Drew Bartos; back, Alex Super, Gabe Albino, Nate Gehringer, Matt Horvath and Max Dillman. (Photo by Ellis Weitzman) Right, assistant coach Bob Beck, front left, watches Steve Wylie, kneeling, head coach of the Cathedral of St. Catharine of Siena/St. Francis of Assisi team, talk to his players from the cathedral, St. Francis of Assisi, St. Paul, Allentown and St. Ann, Emmaus, March 3 as they played against Queen of Angels from the of Greensburg. (Photo by Ed Koskey) More photos on page 22