Five diocesan commissions are entrusted with the role of supporting and advising Bishop Alfred Schlert as he serves individuals across the Diocese of Allentown.
On Sept. 12, during the vigil Mass at the Cathedral of St. Catharine of Siena, Allentown, Bishop Schlert commissioned priests and lay people from across the Diocese to serve on these five commissions.
The commissions are Youth, Young Adults, Men, Women, and Lumen Christi, the last of which assists the Bishop in protecting the faithful from the scourge of pornography. While the other commissions have been operating for years, the Commission for Youth was newly established over the summer. The September Mass acknowledged and recommissioned many long-serving members of the various commissions and also welcomed new additions.
In his homily, Bishop Schlert emphasized the importance of community and personal connection the commissions create in an increasingly digital world. He said technological advances, while often good, have led people to speak up to 300 fewer words a day, resulting in less personal interaction and conversation.
“We can order our groceries online. Wherever you go, there is usually a kiosk, and you do not need to talk to anyone,” he said.
Bishop Schlert stressed that “we are made for community, for communion, for spiritual and interpersonal connection,” and warned of the dangers of isolation.
“These commissions are extremely important to me as the Bishop,” he told those gathered. “They are able to advise me and give me a sense of the temperature in our Diocese on certain issues, and this is important work.”
He reminded the commission members that their calling began at Baptism, when all Christians are invited into the life of the Church and commissioned to serve others.
The Bishop also quoted St. Paul: “There are different kinds of spiritual gifts but the same Spirit; there are different forms of service but the same Lord; there are different workings but the same God who produces all of them in everyone” (1 Corinthians 12:4-6).
Bishop Schlert encouraged the members to remember that their service is not just for themselves, but for the good of the whole Church.
After the commissioning, Maggie Riggins, Executive Director of Evangelization and Formation, expressed her gratitude to the Bishop and to the commission members.
“We know that it is a dedicated time that you give to serving on your respective commission,” she said, highlighting their commitment to living out their baptismal call through missionary work and service.
Each commission member was recognized for their willingness to serve, receiving a certificateand a meaningful icon: Commission for Youth, an icon of St. Carlo Acutis; Young Adults, St. Pier Giorgio Frassati; Men, St. Joseph; Women, Mary; and Lumen Christi, St. Michael.
“For me, it’s about spreading the faith to the young adults,” said Madeline Paguia, who was among those commissioned to serve on the Commission for Young Adults. She is a junior neuroscience major and head sacristan at Lafayette College, Easton. “If we keep Christ at the center of it, that’s what helps us to put everything else in place.”
Naomi Kimmel, a homeschooled high school junior and member of the Commission for Youth, expressed her excitement and sense of purpose. “I feel like this is exactly what God’s calling me to do right now. I get to use my voice to talk and do something that I love while also helping the younger generation. My heart explodes with joy [over the opportunity].”
The event represented a powerful reminder of the importance of community, faith, and service in the life of the Church, and the vital role of faith-filled leadership in the Diocese of Allentown.
For information on the commissions:
Commission for Youth and Commission for Young Adults: Zelenda Hodgskin, zhodgskin@allentowndiocese.org; Young Adults website adcya.org.
Commission for Women: Rhady Tulloch, rtulloch@allentowndiocese.org.
Commission for Men: Maggie Riggins, mriggins@allentowndiocese.org; website www.menaliveinchrist.org
Lumen Christi Commission: Fr. Allen Hoffa, adlumenchristi@allentowndiocese.org; website www.adlumenchristi.org
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