Father Muldowney, Pastor
Father Thomas M. Muldowney was born and raised in Wilkes-Barre, PA and is the son of late Martin and Judith Muldowney. He has two brothers, one being his fraternal twin. Prior to his ordination to the priesthood, Father Muldowney worked in the healthcare profession and received a diploma in Practical Nursing from the Wilkes-Barre Area School of Practical Nursing and has been a Licensed Practical Nurse since 1990. While attending nursing school he was elected Class President and upon graduation he was awarded by the faculty, The Excellence in Clinical Nursing Award. During his nursing career, Father Muldowney’s professional experiences included: Medical- Surgical and Critical Care Nursing. He worked primarily in the Critical Care division, specifically in the Cardiothoracic Telemetry Unit and Cardiac Intensive Care Unit.
Commissioned a Naval Officer, Father Muldowney graduated from the United States Navy Chaplain School and served as a Chaplain in the U.S. Navy Reserves for six years where he held the rank of Lieutenant. Father Muldowney serves as Chaplain for the Pennsylvania State Police, a position he has held since 2005. He has extensive experience with law enforcement critical incidents and crisis management.
His professional memberships include the American Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress, and the National Center for Crisis Management. Father Muldowney is board certified as a Crisis Chaplain and Trauma Expert. Additionally, he is certified in Crisis Intervention and in Emergency Crisis Response and has been designated as a Diplomate by the American Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress. He serves as a adjunct instructor for the Pennsylvania State Police Academy and Lackawanna College Police Academy. Additionally, Father Muldowney serves as a Trauma Specialist for the Lackawanna County Corners’ Office.
Father Muldowney received the Chapel of the Four Chaplains, Bronze Medallion Award, the highest award given by the organization. The award is bestowed on a person who has contributed in an outstanding manner to the well-being of others, to world peace or to inter-faith and inter-ethnic understanding.
Ordained a priest for the Diocese of Scranton, he has served parish ministry and held a number of diocesan positions including Vocation Director, Episcopal Vicar for Clergy, Director of Continuing Education for Priests and Director of Clergy Personnel. Prior to his appointment as Pastor of St. Catherine of Siena Parish, Father Muldowney served as Vicar General and Moderator of the Curia of the Diocese of Scranton for more than a decade.
He received a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Scranton, a Pontifical Bachelor’s of Sacred Theology and a Master of Divinity degree from Saint Mary’s Seminary and University in Baltimore, Maryland.
Frank H. Zeranski, Deacon
Deacon Frank H. Zeranski, 63, has been married to his wife, Jayne, for 39 years. The Jefferson Township residents are members of Saint Catherine of Siena Parish in Moscow.
Zeranski is a 1977 graduate of North Pocono High School and earned his certificate in electronics technology from Lackawanna County Vocational Technical School in Scranton.
He subsequently received his associate’s degree in computer science and bachelor’s degree in business administration from Keystone College in La Plume.
He is employed by RS Integrated Supply in Radnor as an application support representative in the Information Systems Department. He also serves as a site coordinator, instructor, and rider coach for the PA Motorcycle Safety Program.
Mary Rable, Secretary/Communications
My husband George and I moved to Moscow in December of 1992 and have been parishoners of St. Catherine’s since then. We have three children, Jeff, Sarah, and Tom who all graduated from North Pocono High School and are now scattered across the country after having completed their college educations at three different universities in Philadelphia.
I am a graduate of King’s College in Wilkes-Barre, PA with dual degrees in Marketing and English. I worked for several regional and international companies in various aspects of Marketing until choosing to be a stay at home mom when my children were young.
After years of volunteering at St. Catherine’s and being an active member of the Altar & Rosary Society, I am excited to be working in the office of the parish that has been an important part of my and my family’s lives for the past thirty years.
Katie Trunzo, Coordinator of Youth Ministry/Bookkeeping
I joined St. Catherine’s Ministry team in November 2018.
I grew up in Blairstown, NJ and my family was very active in our parish, St. Jude’s. My sister and I even started our own youth group with our friends called the Catholic Student Association because our parish did not have a youth group, this is where my love for God was nourished and my interest in youth ministry began. My parish was my home away from home. I graduated from Pope John XXIII High School. While studying at Marywood University, I found that my religious studies courses interested me more than my Elementary Education ones did. I made the decision to switch my course of study to only Religious Studies. I even interned at Our Lady of Snows Parish in Clarks Summit and Immaculate Conception Parish in Scranton.
While my experience consists of Youth Ministry work, it also consists of many different experiences working with youth. My life has also been quite the journey over the past few years! I taught outdoor education and team building classes for a few years at a camp in New Jersey. I have taught swimming and water safety courses for many years. Most recently I was out teaching skiing for four years in Breckenridge, Colorado. Watching young people master the hockey stop or make it down from the top of the mountain for the first time were the most rewarding moments.
I am excited to bring my experiences and ideas to St. Catherine’s and want to keep learning as much as I can about the parish and what is important to you as a faith community! My priority is the safety of all young people and making everyone feel welcome and at home. Guiding young people to be active disciples of Christ, responsible community members, and the best version of themselves are so very important to me.
We will continue a lot of wonderful activities and programs that you have had in Youth Ministry here while adding new ones and building it up.
In addition to Youth Ministry, in October 2020, I began working in the office at the parish bookkeeper too!
Thank you for making me a part of this beautiful faith community and I’m so happy to have a new parish family!
Sandra Czyzyk, Director of Religious Ed
Sandra Czyzyk comes to our parish with a BA in Education from Marywood University and an MA in Theology from Villanova. Her home parish is St. Paul of the Cross Parish in Scranton, but has formerly subbed with the North Pocono School District and worked with children with “special gifts” in its schools, through the Youth Advocate Program of which she is currently employed. She has been a DRE in several parishes in the Diocese of Scranton and formerly worked in the Office of Religious Education. Sandra is also a Secular Franciscan, in formation, in the Archdiocese of Washington.
Her main goal in the parish is to accompany the families, and catechists in their ongoing growth in faith that has been already nurtured by so many good DRE’s and Pastors in this parish.
Paul Lukasiewicz, Worship/Liturgy
I am a Scranton native and have been an elementary music teacher in the Scranton School District since 2002. In addition to teaching music to students in KG to 5th grade, I directed and created programming material for the TV studio at George Bancroft, until the district did away with the elementary TV studios, and I have published articles about my work in the Scranton School District newsletter, which was distributed by the Scranton Times.
I started at St. Catherine’s as an organist for the weekend masses in 1991. Since that time, I became the accompanist for the Youth Choir, the Adult Choir, choir director, and as of July 2009, Director of Music. I have debuted many original musical works at our church, including settings for “Ave Maria” and “For the Beauty of the Earth,” several instrumental pieces performed during the Christmas and Easter seasons, and two Mass Settings: “Missa Benedicta,” named for Sr. Benedicta Berendes IHM, my music history teacher and advisor at Marywood, and “Missa Miriam,” named for Sr. Miriam Reinhardt IHM, my music theory teacher at Marywood. I also assist with the development & updating of our website.
I graduated from Marywood University in 1999 with a BM in Music Education and was awarded The Sister M. Clare Kelley Medal for Excellence in Music. In 2007, I received my MA, also in Music Education from Marywood. In addition, I have studied music technology courses during the summers at Villanova University and online through the University of Colorado and have completed my TI:ME (Technology Institute for Music Educators) certification. My TI:ME instructors have included Dr. Tom Rudolph, Dr. Floyd Richmond, Dr. John Kuzmich, Ken Peters, and Mike Fein. I have taught various music and technology classes at Marywood University’s Vivace Music Institute (formerly known as the Summer Music Camp) from 1995 through 2011, when the program was discontinued.
I have performed in the pit orchestra of Marywood’s major theatre productions: “Pippin,” “A Chorus Line,” “Guys & Dolls,” and “Will Rogers Follies,” and in the senior workshop production of “The Fantastics.” I have also worked behind the scenes, assisting with props, lighting, and sound for several music department productions. Several of my original pieces have been performed by the Marywood Wind Ensemble, Jazz Band, Percussion Ensemble, and at the Vivace Music Institute. I have also performed in several musicals and cabarets at “Diva Theater” and continue to work as an independent musician for weddings, wedding receptions, etc.
I play the piano, organ, violin, and percussion, and have studied privately with Bob Manento, Sr. Immaculate Severino IHM, Steve Mathiesen, Mark Laubach, and Sophie Till.
Besides my musical endeavors, I have achieved the rank of 4th Dan in the martial art Soo Bahk Do/Tang Too Do, and I enjoy keeping up on the happenings in the technology world.