About St. Clare · Scranton, Pennsylvania
St. Clare Church in Scranton, Pennsylvania, is a mission church of St. Paul Parish in the Green Ridge neighborhood, operating under the Diocese of Scranton. Originally dedicated in March 1955 as a mission of St. Paul Parish to serve the booming Green Ridge residential area, it became an independent parish in 1967 before merging back with St. Paul in 2009 to form a combined parish of more than 1,600 families. Today St. Clare hosts a weekday and Sunday Mass schedule, daily Eucharistic Adoration with the Rosary, and a community food pantry in its basement. The campus continues to serve as the primary (preschool through grade 2) site of the combined St. Clare/St. Paul School.
- Established
- 1955
- Patron
- St. Clare of Assisi
- Rector
- Monsignor Neil J. Van Loon, V.F.
- Diocese
- Diocese of Scranton
Why belong here
St. Clare Church offers a warm, neighborhood‑style Catholic home in Green Ridge — a mission church of a large, active combined parish of more than 1,600 families. Daily Mass Monday through Saturday, a full Sunday schedule, and daily Eucharistic Adoration with the Rosary make it easy to grow in prayer throughout the week. Parishioners also come together in practical service through the on‑site food pantry and a wide range of lay ministries, making St. Clare a place where faith is lived as much as it is celebrated.
Mass times at St. Clare
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:15–3:45 PM (at St. Clare)
Adoration times
- Monday–Friday 3:00 PM–4:00 PM — Eucharistic Adoration & Rosary (Rosary begins at 3:30 PM) at St. Clare Church
History of St. Clare Church
St. Clare's story begins in the post‑war expansion of Scranton's Green Ridge neighborhood, when Bishop Hafey called for smaller neighborhood churches and schools. Its school opened in September 1954, the church was dedicated as a mission of St. Paul Parish in March 1955, and the convent was completed in February 1958. After operating independently as a parish from 1967 until 2009, St. Clare merged back with St. Paul Parish to form a unified community of more than 1,600 families.
- St. Clare School opened September 1954
- St. Clare Church dedicated March 1955 as a mission of St. Paul Parish
- St. Clare Convent completed February 1958
- Declared an independent parish June 1967
- Sharing one pastor with St. Paul from 2007
- Merged with St. Paul Parish June 2009
- Now a mission church within St. Paul Parish
Clergy & Staff
The combined St. Paul Parish (which includes St. Clare Church) is led by Monsignor Neil J. Van Loon, V.F., as Pastor. The parish is also served by Deacon Christian Saunders. Office and ministry coordination is handled through the parish offices at 1510 Penn Avenue, Scranton.
- Pastor: Monsignor Neil J. Van Loon, V.F.
- Deacon: Christian Saunders
- Music/Choir Director: Eugene Mentz
- Parish contact: Marci Stevens (ministry coordination)
- Parish Finance Manager: [email protected]
Mass & Worship Schedule
St. Clare Church hosts the full weekly Mass schedule for the parish: daily Mass Monday through Saturday, two Sunday Masses, and a Saturday Vigil. Confessions are heard Saturday afternoons before the Vigil Mass.
- Sunday Mass: 8:00 AM and 10:30 AM
- Daily Mass (Mon–Fri): 8:00 AM
- Saturday Mass: 8:00 AM
- Saturday Vigil: 4:30 PM (per diocesan listing; parish bulletins also note 4:00 PM Vigil)
- Confessions: Saturday 3:15–3:45 PM
St. Paul's / St. Clare's Food Pantry
The parish food pantry operates out of the St. Clare Church basement (Parish Center), at the corner of Park Street and N. Washington Avenue. Thanks to generous donors, the pantry welcomes registered clients twice a month. Clients must be registered with proof of need.
- Location: St. Clare Church Basement (Parish Center), 2235 N. Washington Ave.
- Regular hours: Fridays 3:00–4:30 PM (closed the Friday after Thanksgiving)
- Summer hours: Fridays 12:00–1:30 PM
- Rear/Park Street ramp entrance
- Coordinator: Marci Stevens ([email protected])
- Transportation: COLTS bus, free with Royal Card
Parish Ministries
St. Paul Parish — of which St. Clare is a mission church — supports a broad range of lay ministries. Parishioners serve at the altar, in the choir, in formation, and in outreach. The parish also hosts Knights of Columbus, Legion of Mary, several youth groups, and a local chapter of the St. Thomas More Society (former Episcopalians who have come into the Catholic Church).
- Music Ministry (Eugene Mentz, director)
- Altar Servers (grade 4 and up) and Senior Altar Servers
- Lectors
- Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion
- Ushers
- Offertory Counters
- Baptism Preparation
- RCIA
- Parish Pastoral Council
- Finance Council
- Ministers to the Homebound
- Knights of Columbus
- Legion of Mary
- Youth groups
- St. Thomas More Society
St. Clare / St. Paul School (Primary Campus)
The former St. Clare School building now serves as the primary campus (preschool through grade 2) of the combined St. Clare/St. Paul School. School children at the primary campus attend Mass at St. Clare Church and take part in school‑hosted Stations of the Cross during Lent.
- Primary campus serves preschool through grade 2
- Main campus (grades 3–8) at St. Paul Church
- Students attend weekday and special Masses at St. Clare