June 2023 | The Dunmorean

Father John A. Doris retiring from St. Mary of Mount Carmel

By Steve Svetovich

The beloved Reverend John A. Doris is retiring as pastor of St. Mary of Mount Carmel Parish, 322 Chestnut St., Dunmore, on Sunday, July 16.

Son of John and Theresa Doris, Father Doris was born in Wilkes-Barre and where he attended St. Aloysius Elementary School and graduated from St. Mary’s High School. He attended St. Charles College, Catonsville, MD, and graduated from the University of Scranton.

Father Doris pursued his theological studies for the priesthood at Mary Immaculate Seminary, Northampton, PA, where he attained both his Masters of Divinity and Masters of Theology.

“Dunmore has truly become my home for the past 28 years,” Father Doris said as his retirement approaches. “Retiring now leaves me so thankful to the people of my parish and in general to my Dunmore family.

“I have truly experienced love, joy and Jesus here. I truly feel honored knowing and loving the people of this community. I do hope to stay close to my friends and real family here.

“And in the words of poet e.e. cummings, “‘I carry your heart in my heart.'”

Father Doris served three years as assistant pastor at St. Rose of Lima Church, Carbondale, worked one year with the Vincentian Fathers in experimental ministries in Alabama and Philadelphia, and served as assistant pastor at St. John the Evangelist, Pittston, while teaching at Seton Catholic High School.

Father Doris was later transferred to Hazleton where he served as catechist and later as director of Religious Formation at Bishop Hafey High School until 1989.

In 1989, Father Doris was named Pastor at St. Anthony’s Parish, Freeland, and continued teaching for the Religious Education Institute for the Diocese of Scranton. In 1991, Father Doris became pastor both for St. Anthony’s and St. Ann’s in Freeland, and in 1993 was named pastor of St. Casimir’s and St. John’s, thus becoming pastor of a four-parish restructuring in Freeland.

In 1995, Father Doris was named pastor of St. Mary’s of Mount Carnel, Dunmore, as well as St. Casimir’s, Dunmore. He also served as president of the Board of Pastors at Bishop O’Hara High School, Dunmore. In 1998, the Dunmore Parish restructuring would assume a new sister parish, All Saints Parish, and in 1998 Father Doris would serve as Dean of the Dunmore Deanery.

In his retirement letter to Bishop Joseph C. Bambera, Father Doris wrote: “I asked our Lord where to begin. I thought of the words gratitude, love and thanksgiving for a call so precious that such a call would entail my whole life and the lives of so many precious people.

“I remember my parents, brother, grandparents, aunts and uncles holding me and revealing Jesus to me in rather beautiful ways. I remember the Religious Sisters often telling stories of Jesus, His Mother, Saints and Apostles.

“I remember the joy, the reverence, and care of our parish priests whom I served as altar server. These memories, especially serving at the altar and knowing the love of Jesus in such profound and private ways, led me to ask to enter the Seminary.

“The Seminary, a place to learn more and more of Jesus, His Church, the Revelation of God in His history revealing His love to us. It is a magnificent love. The Seminary, what a place of good times and bad, sickness and health.

“The journey to know, love and manifest this divine love as His priest would become revealed over the next 40 some years. The call to know, love and serve Him as an assistant pastor, as a teacher of youth, as a teacher of adults, and as a pastor.

“What a gift it is to see Jesus in the lives of our youth, their parents and grandparents and to experience Jesus in the very lives of all His people and then to share the gift of Christ with so many. I have found, after being a pastor for so many years, that I have not only shared Christ as a member of their families, but been given the privilege of seeing the very presence of God within and among those families.

“To this day I can still look for Jesus and perhaps understand His process of revelation continuing in our lives. The people I have worked with have shown me Jesus in their sacrifice, joy, and true care. My brother priests continue to manifest Christ to me in rather unique and humorous revelations. I know to look to Jesus, as I am about to retire, in the lives of my brother, my niece and her husband, and Serena, a 16-month old who constantly shows me Christ.”

By Steve Svetovich

She is a state champion and the world is her oyster.

The future is most certainly bright for North Carolina-bound Dunmore senior Ciera Toomey who was named Miss Pennsylvania Basketball late last month.

The 6-foot-4 three-time first-team all-state basketball standout was honored and received her award during ceremonies Saturday, May 27, at The Country Club in Harrisburg.

Ciera is the first female District 2 recipient of the award.

Daughter of Patrick and Carrie (Bowen) Toomey, Dunmore, Ciera returned from a torn ACL to lead the Dunmore Lady Bucks basketball team to its first state title, a 42-30 win over River Valley in the Class 3A championship game. She led her team in scoring, rebounding and blocked shots throughout the playoff run. She and teammates Sophia Talutto and Cadie Lewis provided the leadership of a champion playing under Dunmore Lady Bucks first-year coach Carrie Bowen Toomey, her mom.

Ciera earned the Miss Pennsylvania Basketball Basketball award over a highly impressive field of five other players who totaled 13 first team berths, including Gatorade state Player of the Year Gabby Casey of Lansdale Catholic.

This marks the 10th year the award was presented. Ciera joins Abington Heights graduate J.T. Show, who was Mr. Pennsylvania Basketball in 2014, as the only District 2 recipient.

“It was such an honor to receive an award like this after having to face such adversity over the past year,” Ciera said. “I am so proud to now be part of the small group of women who have won this award.”

Also a standout member of the Dunmore golf team, Ciera was one of 300 candidates at the start of the Miss Pennslvania Basketball process, and when the field was trimmed to semi finalists and finally six finalists, was still in contention for the prestigious award presented by Sportsrecruiters.com.

“It is all thanks to my amazing teammates and the coaches who have helped me over the past year. They are all the ones who make me look good.

“This is definitely at the top of the list because winning the player of the year in 3A, that’s only for one class. To get something like this where all the girls in the state are nominated, it just means a lot.

“It’s been really cool. Every award means something. It just makes me so happy I chose to play this year and for the season we had, winning a state championship.

“It’s cool to have these awards to remember the season we had.”

Other finalists for the award were Casey, a St. John’s University commit who led her team to a state title, including a 4A semifinal win over Scranton Prep; University of Pennsylvania commit Abby Sharpe of Plymouth-Whitemarsh, who led her team to a. 2022 state title in 6A; Kansas State recruit Alexis Hess of Fleetwood; Cumberland Valley junior Jill Jekot and Cedar Cliff sophomore Olivia Jones.

Ciera’s mom and sister Victoria were also Dunmore basketball standouts who went on to outstanding collegiate careers. Victoria will play her final collegiate basketball season next year at the University of Scranton while pursuing graduate studies. She previously played at Rider University. Her mom was a college All-American basketball player at Franklin and Marshall.

Ciera received a scholarship to pursue her collegiate studies and basketball career in the fall at the University of North Carolina. She graduates from Dunmore High School this month culminating a memorable four years.