SAVE THE DATE! Join us for the celebration of the parish feast day of Queen of the Apostles Parish on Sunday, August 23, at the Mercatilli-Segilia picnic pavilion in Moosic! An outdoor rosary will be prayed at 12:30 p.m., followed by a potluck picnic lunch in the pavilion. This is an event open to parishioners from both our parishes and is sponsored by the SM Altar & Rosary Society.

The books for 2027 Mass intentions for our parishes will open in the Parish Offices on Monday, August 17, 2026 at 8:30 a.m. In the interest of fairness, please do not make any earlier requests. You may visit the parish office, use the Mass intention envelopes found in the narthex, or use the postal system to make your 2027 requests. The offering of Mass for deceased loved ones is a real spiritual gift to assist souls in purgatory and allow our beloved dead to know of our loving remembrance. Many people have Masses said in their parishes on death anniversaries or other significant dates. Masses may also be offered for the intentions of the living. The stipend for Mass intention is $10. The parish secretary will record the requests.

Bishop Bambera’s Statement on the Society of St. Pius X:

It is with great sadness that I join the universal Church in acknowledging the painful division that has resulted from the Society of Saint Pius X’s (SSPX) decision to proceed with the unauthorized ordination of four bishops on July 1, 2026, without the proper pontifical mandate and against the will of the Holy Father.

Throughout the years, several popes have worked to restore full communion with the SSPX which is why these recent events have been so painful. Please join me in praying that these efforts may one day bear fruit and that the unity for which Christ prayed will be restored.

While the Society of Saint Pius X maintains a presence within the geographic boundaries of the 11 counties of the Diocese of Scranton, it is important for me to note that no parish, chapel, school, or ministry of the Diocese is currently administered by the Society or its clergy.

For any individual who has worshipped with the Society of Saint Pius X, or who may have questions about these recent developments, I want to assure you of my prayers and pastoral concern. The Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith has issued guidance for both clergy and lay faithful who wish to remain in full communion with the Catholic Church.

Most importantly, in light of the formal schism of the SSPX, Roman Catholics who desire to remain in good standing with the Church should not participate in liturgies celebrated by bishops or priests of the Society of Saint Pius X or receive the sacraments from them, including Baptism, Confirmation, Holy Eucharist, Penance, Marriage, and Holy Orders. Canon law provides an exception only in the case of immediate danger of death.

I recognize that many Catholics who have attended the Society’s chapels have done so because of their deep love for the Church’s liturgical tradition, especially the celebration of the Mass according to the 1962 Roman Missal. That desire for the traditional Latin Mass can be fully lived within the communion of the Catholic Church.

Here in the Diocese of Scranton, the traditional Latin Mass is celebrated regularly at Saint Michael Parish in Scranton by priests of the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter (FSSP), a priestly fraternity that is in full communion with the Holy Father and the Catholic Church. At this challenging time, I ask all faithful to pray for healing, reconciliation, and unity within the Church, that we remain steadfast in our fidelity to the Successor of Saint Peter.

Faithfully yours in Christ, Most Reverend Joseph C. Bambera, D.D, J.C.L. Bishop of Scranton