Obituary — Sister Kathleen Thomas Steadman, O.P.

Sister Kathleen Thomas Steadman, O.P., a member of the Sisters of St. Dominic, Amityville, for 56 years, died Nov. 11. She was 74. Born in Jackson Heights as Marguerite, she entered the congregation from her home parish of St. Frances de Chantal in Wantagh, L.I., in 1956. She was invested and received her religious name […]

Obituary — Sister Maria Victoria Aldea, O.P.

Sister Maria Victoria Aldea, O.P., 82, a member of the Sisters of St. Dominic, Amityville, for 60 years, died Oct. 18. Born in Caguas, Puerto Rico as Maria Eulalia, she dropped out of school and cared for her seven younger siblings when their mother died. She became acquainted with the Dominican Sisters in Puerto Rico […]

Obituary — Sister Mary Aquinas Messer, O.P.

Sister Mary Aquinas Messer, O.P., a member of the Sisters of St. Dominic, Amityville, for 79 years, died Dec. 5. She was 98. Born in Brooklyn, she grew up in Maryland and entered the congregation from Ascension parish, Halethorpe, Md., in 1933. She received the habit with her religious name the following year. On Aug. 26, […]

Obituary — Sister Margaret Mary Ford, C.S.J.

Sister Margaret Mary Ford, C.S.J., a member of the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph, Brentwood, L.I., for 66 years, died Nov. 19. She entered the congregation in 1947, from St. Teresa of Avila parish, Prospect Heights. She attended the Catholic University of Puerto Rico and was an educator in Puerto Rico for 30 […]

Obituary — Sister Jeanne McCarthy, R.S.M.

Sister Jeanne McCarthy, R.S.M., 86, a member of the Sisters of Mercy for 69 years, died Dec. 14 at Maria Regina Residence, Brentwood. She attended St. Gerard Majella Elementary School, Hollis, and Mercy Juniorate H.S. She entered the congregation from St. Gerard Majella parish on Feb. 2, 1944. Formerly known as Sister Mary Gerard, she […]

Obituary — Sister Clare Marie O’Keeffe, O.P.

Sister Clare Marie O’Keeffe, O.P., formerly Sister Maureen Daniel, a member of the Sisters of St. Dominic, Amityville, for 60 years, died Dec. 5. She was 81. She entered the congregation from St. Matthias, Ridgewood, in 1952 and received the habit and her religious name the following year. She pronounced religious vows on Aug. 7, […]

Obituary  — Sister Sheila Hughes, O.P.

Sister Sheila Hughes, O.P., a member of the Sisters of St. Dominic, Amityville, for 76 years, died Oct. 22. She was 94. Born as Margaret, she became acquainted with the Dominican Sisters at St. Luke School in Whitestone. She entered the congregation on Sept. 8, 1936. The following year, she received the habit and her […]

Christmas Caption Contest

                  Write your caption for this photo which was recently posted on Catholic News Service and e-mail it to ewilkinson@diobrook.org (subject line: Christmas Caption Contest). Hurry! The deadline is Dec. 20. The best caption wins.

Newest Basilica in Diocese Dedicated

by Ed Wilkinson Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio celebrated a Solemn Mass Dec. 8 to mark the dedication of the Basilica of Regina Pacis, Bensonhurst, the third church in the diocese to be so designated. During the liturgy, the proclamation of the Decree granting the title of “Minor Basilica” to Regina Pacis was read by Msgr. Anthony […]

Christmas Lights in Bensonhurst

In Bensonhurst, it’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas. St. Athanasius parish lit up its creche on Bay Pkwy. and Christmas tree in front of the rectory following the 5:30 p.m. Mass on Saturday, Dec. 8. In attendance were Hollywood actors Quintin Aaron, seen below with Santa Claus and a young parishioner; Danny Aiello, […]