The Catholic Sun Digital Update for
May 30 – June 12
Preview edition
An Ordination preview
ABOVE: Rev. Misters Ben Schrantz and Pawel Zmija photographed in May 2023 before their diaconal ordination.
Two men to be ordained to the priesthood at Cathedral this Saturday
By Dc. Tom Cuskey, editor
Hundreds of family members, friends and clergy will gather this Saturday, June 1, at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Syracuse for the ordination of two young men to the Holy Order of Priesthood. Transitional deacons Benjamin Schrantz and Pawel Zmija will be ordained priests in a solemn and joyful liturgy by Bishop Douglas J. Lucia.
The Catholic Sun and Catholic TV will be on hand for coverage (live-streamed on the Syracuse Diocese Catholic TV YouTube Channel). The Catholic Sun story will appear in the June 20 edition. In anticipation of this event, we sat down with each of the ordinands for a brief preview of the holy event.
Deacon Benjamin Schrantz
Deacon Ben has been caught up in the “ very chaotic” process of wrapping up his studies, making his canonical retreat and planning for the ordination Mass and celebration of his first Mass.
“But it’s a good chaotic,” he said. “I’ve used the expression: I’m planning my own wedding by myself. I don’t have that spouse there to help me plan it.” His comment sent the Sun interviewers into a brief fit of laughter. “That’s, I think, the best way to describe how all of this is going right now for me.”
Retelling the beginning moments of his journey to the priesthood took him back to college days.
“Back in undergrad I was part of the Newman Center at SUNY Fredonia, and it was there that I met people my own age,” he said. “And it was the first time I met people my own age who were away from home, growing in their faith. They took it seriously.”
Good Samaritans Exemplify Christ’s Teachings
By Eileen Jevis, Staff writer
For the first time in the history of the Catholic Church, an entire family is on the path to sainthood. In 2023, the Ulma family was given the status of “Blessed” during a beatification Mass in the family’s village of Markowa, in southeastern Poland.
During World War II, Jozef and Wiktoria Ulma and their children were executed by the Nazis for hiding eight Jews in their farmhouse. The Nazi shot and killed Wiktoria, who was eight months pregnant with her seventh child, along with Jozef and their six other children. The Church declared that the seventh child, who was in the process of being born upon its mother’s
Deployed dads
Service to country takes them away but dads never really leave their loved ones
By Tami S. Scott, associate editor
When United States Air Force Senior Master Sergeant Joe Hernon, of Manlius, was deployed in Kuwait, he carried around a “flat Joey” and posed with it for pictures. The life-sized cutout created by his 5-year-old son, Joey, was part of a school project. Hernon mailed it back home where Joey could proudly present it to his preschool class and say it’s traveled the world.
“That was fun,” he said, smiling.
Two transitional deacons are welcomed into Holy Orders
A significant step on the path to priesthood
By Dc. Tom Cuskey, editor
The Diocese of Syracuse is in the midst of the 2024 ordination season, when the Sacrament of Holy Orders is conferred on men dedicating their lives to the Lord through service to his Church. It started earlier in May at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception with the ordination of eight permanent deacons and will come to an apex with the ordination of two men to the priesthood on Saturday, June 1.
Nestled between these two sacramental events, and not to be overlooked, was the ordination of two men to the Order
Pope recognizes miracle needed for church’s first ‘millennial’ saint
Above: Pope Francis recognized May 23 the second miracle needed for the canonization of Italian Blessed Carlo Acutis, who died of leukemia in 2006 at age 15. He is pictured in an undated photo. (CNS photo/courtesy Sainthood Cause of Carlo Acutis)
By Catholic News Service
VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Pope Francis formally recognized a miracle attributed to the intercession of Blessed Carlo Acutis, a 15-year-old Italian teenager whose birth in 1991 will make him the first “millennial” to become a saint. In a meeting on May 23 with Cardinal Marcello Semeraro, prefect of the Dicastery for Saints’ Causes, the pope signed decrees advancing the sainthood causes of
A community of love and Pastoral Annoucements
May 26, 2024 The Most Holy Trinity
Dear Diocesan Family,
“Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit!”
On Pentecost 2022, I announced the formation of new vicariates for the Diocese to foster greater collaboration between the parishes of a pastoral care area (PCA) and the adoption of a team approach to forming disciples. Over the last two years, this vision has been taking shape as the groundwork for these cooperative efforts has been proceeding both on the diocesan and parish levels.
This Lord’s Day, I write to share with you that with the announcement of the pastoral assignments being made this weekend —
Unexpected!
By Tami S. Scott, associate editor
When construction recently began at Holy Cross School in DeWitt, little did anyone know that a very well-hidden treasure from decades past would soon be revealed.
The school is in the middle of an expansion project to add a new entryway and porch, which required moving the building cornerstone. Weighing lighter than expected piqued a curiosity that led to the discovery of its hollowed-out center. Inside? A carefully packed time capsule from 1958.
Among the items inside were coins, including a half dollar with the image of Benjamin Franklin (John F. Kennedy’s presidential election was still some years away – the half dollar with his image wasn’t issued until
Shine in my heart
By Bishop Douglas J. Lucia
Editor’s note: This is the homily Bishop Lucia delivered at the Religious Jubilee Celebration Mass on May 14 at Immaculate Conception Church in Fayetteville. Sixteen members of various religious orders were celebrated for milestone years of service.
Dear Sisters and Brothers, Today is a day of Jubilee … a day of thanksgiving to God – with those who have reached special anniversaries of religious profession, and as the Church, we give thanks for the grace of perseverance in their religious vocation. Together, here in this upper room, the whole people of God render our great prayer of thanksgiving and sacrifice of gratitude – the Eucharist – for the prayerful
Welcome to SunSpeak…
Each Digital Update from the Catholic Sun features…
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A timely column from Bishop Douglas J. Lucia.
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Ordinary Time” with Lucia Silechia, (the “Lucia” theme is ourely concidental).
From time to time we will feature other columns of note. Let us know if you like the service we are providing; email us at [email protected].
‘Remembering in Ordinary Time’
By Lucia A. Silecchia
On Memorial Day last year, an acquaintance of mine visited a parish not my own and brought home a church bulletin. I glanced through it and saw, prominently displayed, a colorful graphic wishing everyone a “Happy Memorial Day.” I found myself surprisingly angry to see this festive greeting. I have come to accept the misunderstanding of Memorial Day by secular advertisers pushing Memorial Day sales and promoting the start of the summer vacation season. Yet, Memorial Day is not a “happy” day for those who see its real purpose: to remember with gratitude and to mourn with sorrow all those who gave their lives in defense of this nation we call home.
Events in our Diocese week of 5/30 – 6/12
Here is a listing of a few events of interest happening in our Diocese.
Visit here for a complete list.
10th Marian Eucharistic Healing Retreat May 31st — June 1st
Funtastic Friday Fundraiser for St. Rose of Lima School
Marriage Prep-ZOOM
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