Religion is important in genealogy. Not only does it help us to locate records and connections with ancestors that we might otherwise miss, but it can tell us about the people we are seeking and the lives they lived. However, it can also be confusing. To which church would your great grandparents have belonged? You've learned from family members that they were married in St John's, but which St John's? What denomination? Where was it located? What church was built when? Where are the records today?
This section began as an attempt to present some of the history of the Catholic Church in northeast Pennsylvania and has grown somewhat, now including information and links for the Latin Rite Diocese of Scranton, the Uniate Eparchies which share overlapping territory with the diocese, the Polish National Catholic Church (PNCC) which began in and is headquartered in Scranton, and the Orthodox churches which drew many of their early members from the Uniate churches of the diocese. The purpose is genealogical rather than theological, and no effort is made to compare the beliefs or practices of the entities. Latin-rite Catholics are numerically superior in the area, and information has been easier to find on them. The site will hopefully grow as more information is gathered. As my own interest centers in Lackawanna County, the project started there and is branching outward through the rest of the region. If you see errors or omissions, or have other recommendations or contributions, please write me or use the Contributor form . Any and all assistance with this project would be much appreciated.