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Philadelphia Archbishop Leads Scranton Italian Mass

Philadelphia Archbishop Leads Scranton Italian Mass - Sunday, September 6, 2009 at 10:10PM EST

Reported by: Kyla Campbell
Sunday, Sep 6, 2009 @ 10:10pm EST

SCRANTON, LACKAWANNA COUNTY -- Hundreds of people packed into St. Peter's Cathedral here for the annual mass in Italian. Cardinal Justin Rigali, the Archbishop of Philadelphia, led the celebration.

"It's not every day we get to hear the Italian language, so it's nice to keep up the tradition," said Jim Peters of Clarks Summit. He and his wife wanted to make sure their children took part in the Cardinal's mass.

"We are very spiritual people, and we think it's important they participate," added his wife, Leslie Peters.

"It's amazing. It's amazing," said Tom Carlin, Luzerne, of the mass. "Since he's filling in as the new bishop, it's great."

Cardinal Rigali is the apostolic administrator for the Scranton Diocese until the pope appoints a new bishop.

"I ask everybody to work as a community in the mean time," said Cardinal Rigali. "Keep up our spirits of working together and await the new bishop. In our daily lives, aren't we used to facing challenges? So, we don't give up."

He says there's no set time table for replacing Bishop Joseph Martino, who stepped down last Monday.

"It does take some months," said His Eminence. "Six months would be a good time."

He says some qualities in a bishop are a must.

"The bishop has to be a surrogate of the church, a teacher of God's people," said Cardinal Rigali. "He has to be a pastoral Bishop, he's called to be a pastor, to imitate Christ. He has to be a good shepherd who's interested in the lives of the people."