Saints Peter and Paul Roman Catholic Church

There will be a Mass for the Solemnity of SS. Peter and Paul on Monday, June 29th, at 9:00 AM. This is an opportunity to celebrate the lives of our parish Patron Saints.

Principal Kelly Wilhelm would like to put in a thank you for all who donated to NEPA Gives. We’re close to meeting our goal to purchase a new stove for the St. Agnes Kitchen. We appreciate all your kindness. 

St. Agnes 2026-2027 registration is now open for Pre-K through 6th Grade.  Check out our Facebook page or call the school office for more information. 

Also, Saint Agnes Elementary School is anticipating several elementary teaching positions starting August 2026. Please contact the school office for inquiries. 570-265-6803.

From his first appearance after his election in May 2025, Pope Leo XIV has called upon Catholics to live in 
peace and unity with one another within the Church and to share this invitation to peace and unity with the 
whole world. Next week we will take up the Peter’s Pence collection to support the universal Church and the 
work of the Holy See, including the charitable works of Pope Leo XIV. These works benefit our brothers and 
sisters on the margins of society, including victims of war, oppression, and disasters.

For centuries, Catholics have expressed our unity with the Pope by giving to the Peter’s Pence Collection, 
which supports his mission to proclaim Christ’s message of unity and peace with the world. Our gifts to the 
collection are “concrete signs of hope” to Pope Leo XIV that fulfill the two aims of Peter’s Pence: 
“1) To support the Holy Father's mission, which extends throughout the entire world, from the 
proclamation of the Gospel to the promotion of integral human development, education, peace, and 
brotherhood among peoples: thanks also to the many activities of service carried out by the dicasteries, bodies 
and organs of the Holy See that assist him every day; and 2) To support the numerous charitable works in the in 
aid of people and families in difficulty, populations afflicted by natural disasters and wars, or who are in need 
of humanitarian assistance or support for development.

Please be a sign of hope with your generosity!

St. Mary’s Annual Picnic will be held on the Church grounds in Wyalusing on Sunday, July 12th, from 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Everyone is welcome! There will be games, food, Happy Wagon, raffle, Basket raffle, and Cash raffle. Come join your friends and family for a fun filled afternoon and support our sister Church in Wyalusing!

The Crusader Classic Golf Outing is looking for golfers and sponsors for the 3rd edition of this event. It is being held on August 14th, 2026 at Towanda Golf Club. This is a fundraiser for St. Agnes School. The school relies on the generosity of alumni, parents, and friends to help it continue delivering a quality Catholic education in the tradition of the Sisters of Mercy. The Format is Captain and Crew with Shotgun Start at 9:00 AM.

There are forms and sign-up sheets located at St. Agnes School and the back of the church. The day promises to be a fun-filled event and the purpose s a great one—to play for the children, families, faculty and staff of St. Agnes School.

So far this year, donations total $743.00. 

This weekend is Father’s Day weekend, the traditional ending date for donations. The donations of this week will be added to the total we currently have. We are working toward our goal of one dollar more than last year’s total of $1,421.00. 

As announced last week, families who are away, or who forgot to bring their donations, or those who have decided to make a donation after all, should bring their donations next weekend. Envelopes are available in the back of the church for any last minute users. Thank you to all who are helping Hopegate provide needed services to their clients.

The Bradford County Pennsylvanians for Human Life, is recruiting volunteers to man the booth at the Troy Fair from Monday, July 27th, until Saturday, August 1st, in two hour increments. Might you consider spending a few hours working the booth? No special knowledge is required. Our display has sentiments like: “Defending human life from conception to natural death”, “You formed my inmost being; You knit me in my mother’s womb. I praise You, so wonderfully you made me.” and “Life-The First Human Right”. Past volunteers have told us that it is a very positive experience and is fun!  The volunteer coordinator for the Troy Fair is Nancy Schrader. Her cell is 607-426-9362 and her email is cschrader1@stny.rr.com. Please contact her for your time slot at the Fair!

His Excellency, the Most Reverend Joseph C. Bambera, D.D., J.C.L, Bishop of Scranton, and the Office for Parish Life wish to invite couples celebrating their 10th, 25th, 40th or 50th wedding anniversary in 2026 to a Diocesan Wedding Anniversary Mass on Sunday, June 28th, 2026. The event includes a 2:30 PM Mass at the Cathedral of Saint Peter followed by a light reception.

The registration deadline for this event is Sunday, June 7th, 2026. To register, please go to https://www.dioceseofscranton.org or contact Bridget Maille at 570-207-2213 x 1133 or familylife@dioceseofscranton.org.

High school men (Rising Sophomores through Graduating Seniors) are invited to join the Diocesan Vocations Office for our eleventh annual Quo Vadis Days, June 29th – July 1st, 2026 at Marywood University!

Quo Vadis is a 3-day summer camp for high school men that is designed to teach them about vocations and enrich their faith through prayer, fellowship, speakers, and activities.

Participants will have the opportunity to connect with other faithful young men in the Diocese of Scranton through games, sports, music, and small group discussion. Talks will be given on priesthood, marriage and dating, prayer, and more! Participants will also have a chance to get to know our priests and seminarians of the Diocese of Scranton. Participants will also have a chance to meet and celebrate Mass with Bishop Joseph C. Bambera, Bishop of Scranton.

Those interested in participating must have a recommendation from their Pastor, a Religious Sister, Youth Minister, Director of Religious Education, Deacon, Teacher, or other parish minister.

For more information or if cost is a hindrance, please email vocations@dioceseofscranton.org or call (570) 207-1452.

The cost is $100. Deadline to register is Thursday, June 11th.  

High school women (Rising Sophomores through Graduating Seniors) are invited to join the Diocesan Vocations Office for our third annual Fiat Days, June 29th – July 1st, 2026 at Marywood University! Fiat is a 3-day summer camp for high school women that is designed to teach them about vocations and enrich their faith through prayer, fellowship, speakers, and activities.

Participants will have the opportunity to connect with other faithful young women in the Diocese of Scranton through games, art, sports, music, prayer, small group discussion, and more! Throughout the camp, these young women will connect with religious sisters from various orders serving in the Diocese of Scranton, hear discernment stories from both religious life and marriage, and chat one-on-one with a sister if they wish. Participants will also have a chance to meet and celebrate Mass with Bishop Joseph C. Bambera, Bishop of Scranton. 

Those interested in participating must have a recommendation from their Pastor, a Religious Sister, Youth Minister, Director of Religious Education, Deacon, Teacher, or other parish minister.

For more information or if cost is a hindrance, please email vocations@dioceseofscranton.org or call (570) 207-1452.

The cost is $100. Deadline to register is Thursday, June 11th.

As pastors, we the bishops of the United States are bound to our people by ties of communion and compassion in Our Lord Jesus Christ. We are disturbed when we see among our people a climate of fear and anxiety around questions of profiling and immigration enforcement. We are saddened by the state of contemporary debate and the vilification of immigrants. We are concerned about the conditions in detention centers and the lack of access to pastoral care. We lament that some immigrants in the United States have arbitrarily lost their legal status. We are troubled by threats against the sanctity of houses of worship and the special nature of hospitals and schools. We are grieved when we meet parents who fear being detained when taking their children to school and when we try to console family members who have already been separated from their loved ones. 

Despite obstacles and prejudices, generations of immigrants have made enormous contributions to the well-being of our nation. We as Catholic bishops love our country and pray for its peace and prosperity. For this very reason, we feel compelled now in this environment to raise our voices in defense of God-given human dignity.

Catholic teaching exhorts nations to recognize the fundamental dignity of all persons, including immigrants. We bishops advocate for a meaningful reform of our nation’s immigration laws and procedures. Human dignity and national security are not in conflict. Both are possible if people of good will work together.

We recognize that nations have a responsibility to regulate their borders and establish a just and orderly immigration system for the sake of the common good. Without such processes, immigrants face the risk of trafficking and other forms of exploitation. Safe and legal pathways serve as an antidote to such risks.

The Church’s teaching rests on the foundational concern for the human person, as created in the image and likeness of God (Genesis 1:27). As pastors, we look to Sacred Scripture and the example of the Lord Himself, where we find the wisdom of God’s compassion. The priority of the Lord, as the Prophets remind us, is for those who are most vulnerable: the widow, the orphan, the poor, and the stranger (Zechariah 7:10). In the Lord Jesus, we see the One who became poor for our sake (2 Corinthians 8:9), we see the Good Samaritan who lifts us from the dust (Luke 10:30–37), and we see the One who is found in the least of these (Matthew 25). The Church’s concern for neighbor and our concern here for immigrants is a response to the Lord’s command to love as He has loved us (John 13:34).

To our immigrant brothers and sisters, we stand with you in your suffering, since, when one member suffers, all suffer (cf. 1 Corinthians 12:26). You are not alone!

We note with gratitude that so many of our clergy, consecrated religious, and lay faithful already accompany and assist immigrants in meeting their basic human needs. We urge all people of good will to continue and expand such efforts. 

We oppose the indiscriminate mass deportation of people. We pray for an end to dehumanizing rhetoric and violence, whether directed at immigrants or at law enforcement. We pray that the Lord may guide the leaders of our nation, and we are grateful for past and present opportunities to dialogue with public and elected officials. In this dialogue, we will continue to advocate for meaningful immigration reform. 

As disciples of the Lord, we remain men and women of hope, 
and hope does not disappoint! (cf. Romans 5:5)

May the mantle of Our Lady of Guadalupe enfold us all in her maternal and loving care and draw us ever closer to the heart of Christ.

Como pastores, los obispos de los Estados Unidos, estamos unidos a nuestro pueblo en nuestro Señor Jesucristo, por lazos de comunión y compasión. Nos inquieta ver en nuestras comunidades un clima de temor y ansiedad ante las prácticas de perfilamiento y la aplicación de las leyes migratorias. Nos entristece profundamente el tono que ha adoptado el debate contemporáneo y la creciente denigración de los inmigrantes. Nos preocupan las condiciones en los centros de detención y la falta de acceso a una atención pastoral adecuada. Lamentamos que algunos inmigrantes que viven en los Estados Unidos han perdido su estatus migratorio de manera arbitraria. Nos preocupan las amenazas contra la santidad de los lugares de culto, y el carácter especial de los hospitales y las escuelas. Nos entristece profundamente cuando nos encontramos con padres que temen ser detenidos al llevar a sus hijos a la escuela o cuando intentamos consolar a familiares que ya han sido separados de sus seres queridos. 

A pesar de los obstáculos y prejuicios, por generaciones, los inmigrantes han contribuido inmensamente al bienestar de nuestra nación. Como obispos católicos, profesamos nuestro amor por nuestro país y oramos por su paz y prosperidad.  Por este preciso motivo nos sentimos obligados en este entorno a elevar nuestras voces en defensa de la dignidad humana otorgada por Dios. 

La enseñanza católica exhorta a las naciones a reconocer la dignidad fundamental de todas las personas, incluidos los inmigrantes.  Como obispos, abogamos por una reforma significativa de las leyes y los procedimientos migratorios de nuestra nación. La dignidad humana y la seguridad nacional no son valores en conflicto. Ambas pueden alcanzarse con buena voluntad y uniendo esfuerzos. 

Reconocemos que las naciones tienen la responsabilidad de controlar sus fronteras y establecer un sistema de inmigración justo y ordenado por el bien común. Sin dichos procedimientos, los inmigrantes corren el riesgo de caer en la trata de personas y en otras formas de explotación. Las vías legales y seguras sirven como antídoto frente a esos riesgos.

La enseñanza de la Iglesia se basa en la preocupación fundamental por la persona humana, creada a imagen y semejanza de Dios. (Génesis 1:27). Como pastores, recurrimos a las Sagradas Escrituras y al ejemplo de Dios mismo, donde encontramos la sabiduría de la compasión de Dios. La prioridad del Señor, como nos recuerdan los profetas, es para los más vulnerables: las viudas, los huérfanos, los pobres y los migrantes (Zacarías 7:10). En el Señor Jesús, vemos a Aquel que se hizo pobre por nosotros (2 Corintios 8:9), vemos al buen samaritano que nos levanta del polvo (Lucas 10:30-37) y vemos a Aquel que se encuentra en los más pequeños (Mateo 25). La preocupación de la Iglesia por el prójimo y nuestra preocupación aquí por los inmigrantes son una respuesta al mandato del Señor de amar como Él nos ha amado (Juan 13:34).

A nuestros hermanos y hermanas inmigrantes, estamos con ustedes en su sufrimiento, pues si un miembro sufre, todos sufren (1 Corintios 12:26). ¡No están solos!

Observamos con gratitud que tantos de nuestros sacerdotes, religiosos consagrados, y fieles laicos ya están acompañando y asistiendo a inmigrantes en sus necesidades humanas básicas. Exhortamos a todas las personas de buena voluntad a continuar y ampliar esos esfuerzos. 

Nos oponemos a las deportaciones masivas e indiscriminadas. Oramos por el fin de la retórica inhumana y de la violencia, ya sea dirigida contra inmigrantes o contra los organismos de seguridad. Oramos para que el Señor guíe a los líderes de nuestra nación y estamos agradecidos por las oportunidades pasadas y presentes de dialogar con funcionarios públicos y electos. En este diálogo, continuaremos abogando por una reforma migratoria significativa.

Como discípulos del Señor, seguimos siendo hombres y mujeres de esperanza, ¡y la esperanza no defrauda! (Romanos 5,5).

Que el manto de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe nos envuelva a todos en su maternal y amoroso cuidado y nos acerque cada vez más al corazón de Cristo.

We have received reports of people receiving telephone calls from the rectory in an attempt to collect unpaid invoices. The scammers are spoofing Caller ID to display our phone number, and using publicly available names of parish staff to trick you into divulging personal financial information.

If you receive one of these telephone calls, just hang up. SS Peter & Paul Church does not make calls to collect unpaid bills. Please call your financial institution if you believe that your account security has been compromised.

Heavenly Father,

You have raised Your servant, Pope Leo XIV, to the Chair of Saint Peter.  
Pour out Your abundant blessings upon him.
Through him, guide Your pilgrim Church along the path to Heaven.
Grant him wisdom to discern Your will,Courage to fulfill it,
And charity to shepherd Your people with the Heart of Christ.

In this time of transition,
Bring peace to troubled hearts,
Joy to those who suffer,
And hope to the despairing.

May he be a faithful successor to Peter,
A humble servant of Your Word,
And a fearless herald of Your Divine Mercy and Truth.
Strengthen him with the grace of the Holy Spirit,
That he may lead the Church in unity, holiness, and fidelity.

We entrust him to the maternal care of the Blessed Virgin Mary,
And to the prayers of all the saints.
Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Copyright © 2025 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission. www.mycatholic.life

Bulletins are Back!  in the church each weekend, and are also available on the parish website; just click on "Bulletin" at the top of the home page.

If you are unable to come to church and want to receive a "snail-mailed" paper bulletin, please notify the office office@sspeterandpaulchurch.net or call 570-265-2113.

Thank you!