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St.
Martin of Tours and St. Paul's Churches |
Martin was born around 330 of pagan parents. His father was a soldier, who enlisted Martin in the army at the age of fifteen. One winter day he saw an ill-clad beggar at the gate of the city of Amiens. Martin had no money to give, but he cut his cloak in half and gave half to the beggar. (Paintings of the scene, such as that by El Greco, show Martin, even without the cloak, more warmly clad than the beggar, which rather misses the point.) In a dream that night, Martin saw Christ wearing the half-cloak. He had for some time considered becoming a Christian, and this ended his wavering. He was promptly baptized. At the end of his next military campaign, he asked to be released from the army, saying: "Hitherto I have faithfully served Caesar. Let me now serve Christ." He was accused of cowardice, and offered to stand unarmed between the contending armies. He was imprisoned, but released when peace was signed.
A zealous persecutor of the Christians who also assisted at the stoning of Saint Stephen the Proto-martyr. On the road to Damascus Paul saw a heavenly light flash around him and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” Upon asking, “Who are you, Lord?” the voice replied, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.” Jesus instructed Saul to travel to Damascus where he was filled with the Holy Spirit. From then on Saul, now Paul, became a tireless preacher of the Good News of Jesus Christ. Known as the Apostle to the Gentiles, Paul is among the most influential teachers of Christendom, laying out in his many epistles to early believers the foundation of Christian theology.
The holy Apostle carried the Gospel to the uttermost limits of the world, enduring great trials and hardships and finally consecrating Rome with his martyr's blood. He left fourteen Epistles. He is venerated as the patron saint of Malta, public relations, and safety from snakebites.
Saint Martin of Tours Church, Jackson, PA
Located in Jackson, PA, at the intersection of Routes 547 and 92, on the former Felton Farm, St. Martin of Tour's Church was erected in 1940. The late Very Reverend James Walsh, V.F., then pastor of St. John's Church and Dean of Susquehanna County, brought the dire conditions the faithful were enduring to the attention of the late William J, Hafey, Bishop of Scranton. Bishop Hafey acted promptly and purchased the Felton Farm in April 1940, and in June 1941, dedicated the new church.
St. Martin of Tours Church has had ten pastorates since its erection and has grown to home of nearly 200 families plus numerous seasonal visitors. The structures have been expanded and the community of the faithful has grown in their devotions and causes.
Saint Paul's Church,
Starrucca, PA 
Located in Stacrucca, PA, St. Paul's Church is located on Old Starucca Creek Rd in Starucca, PA. St. Paul's was erected in 1873 as a mission of St. John's Church in Susquehanna, PA. Through the efforts of the late Father John Henry Judge, the land for St. Paul's Church was acquired in April 1871 as a donation by Judge Elisha P. Strong for the purposes of building a Catholic Church. The funds for building the initial structure came from sacrificial donations made by the 125 families of the parish, as well as a donations from non-members, including a substantial gift from Major Strong, himself a non-Catholic.
The priest most often assigned to say Mass at the mission church was the assistant priest from St. John's. As these were often young men with zealousness to bring God's word to St. Paul's, they greatly endeared themselves to the parishoners. From 1883 through 1939 when Fr. John Patrick Henry McCormick was assigned, there were 20 priests who brought blemssings to the parishoners of St. Pauls.
The Hall of Pastors is located in the southwest stairwell of St. Martin of Tours' Church. It serves as a memorial to the ten pastors that have guided the parishioners at St. Martin of Tours Church and St. Paul's Church since 1940, beginning with Fr. McCormick.
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