The faithful of Mary, Mother of God Parish gathered on Sunday, Nov. 9, for a special Mass honoring the men and women who have served in the United States Armed Forces.

Patriotic touches throughout the 11 a.m. Mass celebration created a celebrated not only rooted in faith – but also in gratitude.

While many parishes throughout the Diocese of Scranton commemorate Veterans Day with special liturgies, this community goes above and beyond, not only recognizing veterans during Mass but also reaching out with gifts, visits to the homebound, and a home-cooked meal for residents of the nearby Saint Francis Commons veterans facility.

“We have the freedom to worship, or not worship, because of those who sacrificed so much. They gave so much of their lives and many never came home. It is the least we can do. We’ll do this every year,” Father Cyril D. Edwards, pastor of Mary, Mother of God Parish, said. “It’s a way to teach patriotism, to teach gratitude in the context of worship. It was really beautiful. We had a huge crowd at the Mass.”

Before the liturgy began, there was a moving procession that featured eight parish veterans carrying flags representing each branch of the military.