50 Years Ago - Father Peyton arranges to have Papal Christmas Mass broadcast in U.S.

Dec. 4—Dec. 4, 1972

Papal Christmas Mass to be televisedThe Rev. Patrick Peyton, C.S.C., director of Family Theater and founder of the Family Rosary Crusade, made arrangements to broadcast Pope Paul VI's Midnight Mass in the United States and multiple countries around the world.

The midnight service, which usually takes place inside the Sistine Chapel, would be held this year in the small town of Sant'Oreste for construction crews who were working on a massive railroad project.

The televised Mass would be beamed from an Italian broadcaster via satellites to West Virginia. Once the signal arrived stateside, AT&T would transmit it to the Family Theater control center in New York City, where it would be sent out to all the participating stations in the United States.

The Mass was scheduled to air on WNEP Channel 16 starting at 6 p.m. on Christmas Eve.

Peyton immigrated to Scranton from Ireland in 1928 and worked at St. Peter's Cathedral as sexton. He would later be ordained as a priest and go on to start the Family Theater and Family Rosary Crusade.

Lottery prize surpriseJoan Rempe of South Irving Avenue, Scranton, received a surprise when she reexamined her Lucky 7 Pennsylvania Lottery ticket.

Rempe first believed she won $50 in last week's drawing. But on closer inspection, she found she actually won $15,000.

She told the Times that she was "overwhelmed" learning about her windfall.

South Irving Avenue must be a lucky place. In September, a neighbor of Rempe's, Helen Laskowski, won $50,000 from the lottery.

Shopping listChuck roast was 68 cents per pound, pork chops were 78 cents per pound, chicken legs were 35 cents per pound, a box of elbow macaroni was 25 cents, two boxes of Shake & Bake was 24 cents, California navel oranges were 6 cents each, green peppers were 23 cents per pound, a 2-pound bag of sugar was 39 cents, 5-pound bag of frozen french fries was 68 cents and five cans of apple juice were $1.

Brian Fulton, library manager, oversees The Times-Tribune's expansive digital and paper archives and is an authority on local history. Contact Brian at bfulton@timesshamrock.com or 570-348-9140.

Brian Fulton, library manager, oversees The Times-Tribune's expansive digital and paper archives and is an authority on local history. Contact Brian at bfulton@timesshamrock.com or 570-348-9140.