Guest Report: Dedication Mass of St. Joseph Church Purchased and Restored by St. Thomas More Anglican Use Roman Catholic Parish in Scranton, PA

Today, I had the privilege to attend the Dedication Mass of St. Joseph Church recently purchased and restored by St. Thomas More Anglican Use Roman Catholic Parish in Scranton. The church was filled to capacity—many former Lithuanian parishioners of the church came...and judging by their reaction as they walked in the door, they were overjoyed to see their church so beautifully appointed and being used again as a Catholic Church (the Diocese of Scranton closed the church earlier this year). The restoration isn't finished (Father Bergman noted their kneeling pads for the altar rail weren't in yet...warning us of the "penance" of kneeling on the marble floor). They also have to acquire a statue for the St. Joseph altar—the church's patron. Still—what amazing progress in a few short months. I saw the church in May...and well...I'll just say I couldn't believe it would be ready by August 18th. The sanctuary had been gutted in the 70's...carpet over the marble floor, etc. Father and the parishioners really had to burn the midnight oil to get the church in the fine shape it was today.