About Christ the King · Archbald, Pennsylvania
Christ the King Parish is a Roman Catholic parish of the Diocese of Scranton serving the Mid-Valley communities of Archbald, Eynon, and Jermyn in Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania. Its roots stretch back to 1846, when the first Mass was celebrated in a local home, and the current Saint Thomas Aquinas Church in Archbald — its principal worship site — was dedicated in 1875. The parish today is a multi-site community formed through the 2011 merger with St. Mary of Czestochowa in Eynon and the 2024 consolidation with Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary in Jermyn, served by Father Ryan P. Glenn and Father Michael Amo Gyau.
- Established
- 1846
- Patron
- Christ the King (parish); worship sites named for Saint Thomas Aquinas, Sacred Heart of Mary, and Saint Mary of Czestochowa
- Rector
- Reverend Ryan P. Glenn
- Diocese
- Diocese of Scranton
Why belong here
Christ the King is a multi-site parish where small-town Catholic life is still tangible — daily Mass is celebrated in the historic Saint Thomas Aquinas Church, the parish feeds roughly 65 families a month through the Christ the King Food Pantry, and a free hot meal is served every Tuesday through the St. Francis Satellite Soup Kitchen. A Lumen Christi Youth Group for grades 8–12, parish choirs, a Legion of Mary praesidium, a Knitting & Crocheting Mission of Charity, and religious education for grades 1–12 give every member of the family a way to belong. It is also a parish with deep roots — and a tangible ministry to the hungry, the homebound, and the local schools.
Mass times at Christ the King
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Friday 6:45am – 7:25am (Saint Thomas Aquinas Church)
- Saturday 3:30pm – 4:15pm (Saint Thomas Aquinas Church)
- By appointment — call the Parish Office at (570) 876-1701
Adoration times
- Friday 8:00am – 12:00pm (Saint Thomas Aquinas Church, Archbald)
History of Christ the King Parish
Catholic life in Archbald dates to 1846, when the first Mass was celebrated in a nearby home. A first church followed in 1850, and Bishop John Neumann erected the parish in 1858. The cornerstone of the present Saint Thomas Aquinas Church was laid in 1873, with the men and boys of the parish themselves digging the foundation; the church was consecrated by the first Bishop of Scranton on August 15, 1875, at a cost of about $58,000. Generations of coal miners funded and built the parish, with parishioners even working an extra week in the D&H mines in 1877 to retire the construction debt.
- 1846 — First Mass celebrated in a local home
- 1850 — First church built
- 1858 — Erected as a parish by Bishop John Neumann
- 1873 — Cornerstone laid for current Saint Thomas Aquinas Church
- 1875 — Church consecrated August 15
- 1877 — Extra week of mine work pays off remaining debt
- 1899 — Cyclone wrecks steeple; rebuilt to about half its original height
- 1908–1909 — Interior renovated; apse added; Italian-artist ceiling; rededicated January 31, 1909; fire six weeks later
- 1949–1950 — Stained-glass windows installed
- 1970s — Renovations to conform with Vatican II
- 2008 — 150th anniversary: new organ and sound system installed
- 2009 — Ceiling collapse under Msgr. Joseph Bambera
- 2011 — Church restored and reopened March 2011; merger with St. Mary of Czestochowa, Eynon, forms Christ the King Parish
- October 2023 — Pastoral linkage with Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary, Jermyn
- July 1, 2024 — Consolidation with Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary; name Christ the King retained
- August 16, 2025 — 150th anniversary Mass of Saint Thomas Aquinas Church celebrated by Bishop Bambera
- June 7, 2026 — Closing Mass of Sacred Heart of Mary Church, Jermyn (Vision 2030)
Saint Thomas Aquinas Church — The Heart of the Parish
Saint Thomas Aquinas Church at 429 Church Street, Archbald, is the principal worship site of Christ the King Parish and the place where daily Mass is celebrated. The 19th-century building is marked by a painted ceiling by an Italian artist (1908), stained-glass windows installed in 1949 and 1950, a near-original 19th-century Crucifixion painting behind the altar, and the rebuilt — half-height — steeple. Daily Mass is offered here Monday through Friday, and it is the venue for the Vigil Mass, the 10:30am Sunday Mass, Friday Eucharistic Adoration, and Reconciliation.
- 429 Church Street, Archbald, PA 18403
- Wheelchair accessible (per Diocese of Scranton)
- Daily Mass celebrated here
- Saturday Vigil at 4:00pm
- Sunday Mass at 10:30am
- Weekday Masses: Mon 7:30am, Tue 12pm, Wed 7:30am, Thu 12pm, Fri 7:30am
- Confessions Fri 6:45–7:25am; Sat 3:30–4:15pm
- Adoration Fri 8:00am–12:00pm
Worship Sites
Christ the King Parish has served the Mid-Valley as a multi-site community. Saint Thomas Aquinas in Archbald is joined by Saint Mary of Czestochowa in Eynon and, until its recent relegation, Sacred Heart of Mary in Jermyn.
- Saint Thomas Aquinas Church — 429 Church Street, Archbald, PA 18403 (principal site; wheelchair accessible)
- Saint Mary of Czestochowa Church — 417 Main Street, Eynon, PA 18403 (Sunday 7:30am Mass; wheelchair accessible)
- Sacred Heart of Mary Church — 624 Madison Avenue, Jermyn, PA 18433 (Sunday 9:00am Mass; Closing Mass celebrated June 7, 2026, under Vision 2030)
Clergy and Parish Staff
Christ the King Parish is served by a pastor and parochial vicar, supported by a team of lay staff and volunteers. The pastor leads pastoral planning across all three worship sites and chairs the Parish Pastoral Council and Finance Council.
- Reverend Ryan P. Glenn — Pastor
- Reverend Michael Amo Gyau — Parochial Vicar / Assistant Pastor
- Mr. Faustinus Ugo — Pastoral Affiliate
- Mrs. Maria Forish — Business Manager
- Ms. Katie James — Notre Dame Echo Apprentice
- Ms. Ellen Faliskie — Religious Education Director
- Ms. Annette O'Bell — Administrative Assistant
- Mr. Bob Guman — Director of Maintenance
- Mr. Mike Casey — Cemetery Caretaker
- Mr. David Chindemi — Volunteer Audio/Visual Coordinator
Faith Formation and Religious Education
The parish Religious Education Program serves students in grades 1 through 12, offering formation classes on Sundays and Tuesdays, plus a supported homeschool track for parents who teach their children the faith at home. The program depends on volunteer catechists with state clearances and training, who commit from September through April.
- Religious Education for grades 1–12
- Sunday and Tuesday classes
- Supported homeschool option for family catechesis
- Catechist recruitment and training (September–April commitment)
Youth Ministry — Lumen Christi
The Lumen Christi Youth Group serves young people in grades 8 through 12 with a mission of growing closer to Jesus Christ through renewing their faith, fellowship activities, and trips. Its stated goal is to learn the faith through the lives of the saints and to become better disciples of Christ.
- Open to grades 8–12
- Faith-renewal, fellowship, and trips
- Learning through the lives of the saints
- Forming disciples of Christ
Music Ministry
Music ministry at Christ the King Parish includes a Children's Choir for students in grades 1–8 (singing at the 10:30am Mass) and an Adult Choir that enriches weekend Masses and special liturgies, rehearsing on Mondays. Cantors lead the assembly in sung parts of the liturgy, increasing active and conscious participation.
- Children's Choir (grades 1–8)
- Adult Choir (rehearses Mondays; sings at weekend and special liturgies)
- Cantors
Outreach and Charitable Works
Outreach is a hallmark of parish life. The Christ the King Food Pantry distributes non-perishable food to roughly 65 families a month on Tuesday mornings as part of the Bread Basket of PA's seven-pantry system in Lackawanna County. The St. Francis Satellite Soup Kitchen serves a free hot meal every Tuesday at noon, with volunteers delivering to homebound parishioners. A newer Clothing Closet ministry collects and distributes used clothing, and a Knitting & Crocheting Mission of Charity donates hundreds of handmade items to homebound parishioners and local charities.
- Christ the King Food Pantry — Tuesday mornings; ~65 families/month
- Bread Basket of PA (7-pantry system in Lackawanna County)
- St. Francis Satellite Soup Kitchen — Tuesday noon; delivery to homebound
- Clothing Closet — used clothing for neighbors in need
- Knitting & Crocheting Mission of Charity — hundreds of donated items
Spiritual and Devotional Groups
Beyond the regular liturgical schedule, the parish hosts prayer and devotional groups that meet weekly or monthly for the spiritual works of mercy, evangelization, and community formation.
- Legion of Mary — Our Lady of Czestochowa Presidium (since 1984); weekly meetings at the Vilna Center; visits the sick and homebound; Rosary service at Lackawanna Health Care Center
- St. Gabriel Society — promotes Catholic media and evangelization (FORMED, Lighthouse Catholic Media, parish website)
- Rosary-making sent to the missions and shared with First Communion / Confirmation classes
Sacraments
Information about sacramental preparation (Baptism, Marriage, Anointing of the Sick) is handled through the Parish Office. Communion is brought to the sick and homebound by the Legion of Mary and other volunteers.
- Reconciliation — Fri 6:45–7:25am; Sat 3:30–4:15pm; or by appointment
- Eucharist — daily and Sunday Masses (see schedule)
- Eucharistic Adoration — Fri 8:00am–12:00pm
- Baptism, Marriage, Anointing of the Sick — contact Parish Office
- Communion to the Sick and Homebound
Getting Involved and Stewardship
The parish welcomes new members and volunteers across all its ministries. Online giving is available through OSV Hub, and the 150th Anniversary Memorial Brick Walkway is a current fundraiser honoring the dedication of Saint Thomas Aquinas Church. A 2024 State of the Parish Report is published on the parish website.
- Online Giving: osvhub.com/christthekingarch/giving/funds
- 150th Anniversary Memorial Brick Walkway fundraiser
- Volunteer opportunities: Food Pantry, Soup Kitchen, Religious Education, Music, Outreach, Knitting/Crocheting, A/V
- Parish Pastoral Council and Finance Council (with representation from all three worship sites during the consolidation transition)
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Monsignor Joseph C. Bamberathrough ~2009 (later Bishop of Scranton)
Pastor when the Saint Thomas Aquinas ceiling collapsed in 2009; returned as Bishop for the 150th anniversary Mass on August 16, 2025.
- Father Sahdaround 2011–2015
Pastor who oversaw the post-collapse reopening of Saint Thomas Aquinas in March 2011 and the early years of the merged Christ the King Parish.
- Reverend Ryan P. Glenncurrent pastor (leading linkage in October 2023 and consolidation July 1, 2024)
Shepherded the 2024 consolidation with Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary and the parish's 150th anniversary in 2025.