Bishop’s Christmas Luncheon

The Bishop’s Christmas Luncheon held Dec. 6 at Russo’s-on-the-Bay, Howard Beach, netted $750,000 for scholarship money to assist students affected by Hurricane Sandy. Honored were: Msgr. John Bracken with the Blessed John Paul II Distinguished Stewardship Award; Joseph E. Geoghan with the Emma Daniels Benefactor’s Award; and Joseph Palumbo with the Spirit of Hope Award. […]

Stars Come Out for Faith Film Festival

The NET conducted its annual Faith Film Festival at the Grand Prospect Hall, Park Slope. This season’s awards were presented to “Born In Goma,” Chris Carpenter, Best Documentary, Lighthouse Vision Award; “Women In Hats,” Brandi Brown, Best Screenplay, Lighthouse Award For Writing; “Are We Listening?” Andrew Sensenig, Best Educational Film, Lighthouse Faith Award; “The Jesus Picture” […]

Catholic Charities’ Response to Sandy

On the weekend before the arrival of Hurricane Sandy, Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens staff worked long hours to prepare facilities and clients for the storm ahead. In advance of the storm, staff members provided meals for nearly 2,000 homebound elderly neighbors through the meals-on-wheels program, delivering food for a two-day period. Workers at the […]

French Bishops Oppose Human Embryo Research

PARIS (CNS) – The French bishops described as “shocking” the French Senate’s approval of a law permitting the use of human embryos for stem-cell research. “The human embryo has the right to be protected,” and current French law urges “respect for the human person ‘from the beginning of its life,’” said Archbishop Pierre D’Ornellas of […]

Pope Calls for Strong Catholicism in America

by Carol Glatz VATICAN CITY (CNS) – The universal Church needs Catholics in the Americas who are joyful missionaries, well-catechized and faithful to the teachings of the Church, Pope Benedict XVI said. The only way to solve today’s problems is through credible and effective Christian witness and charity, he said, since only actions based on […]

Pastoral Institute Enrolling for Lay Ministry Program

The Pastoral Institute is accepting registrations for the 10-week Foundations for Ministry program that begins in February, 2013. The program will be offered in Creole, English and Spanish at various sites in Brooklyn and Queens. Designed for men and women who are discerning participation in the three-year Lay Ministry program or who desire a basic […]

Case Against HHS Mandate Continues

A U.S. District Court judge in Brooklyn has ruled that a lawsuit challenging the federal contraceptive mandate filed by the Archdiocese of New York and two other Catholic entities can move forward. The defendants – the U.S. departments of Health and Human Services, Labor and the Treasury – filed a request that the case be […]

Britain’s Bishops Oppose Redefining Marriage

by Simon Caldwell MANCHESTER, England (CNS) – Catholic bishops in England and Wales said they strongly oppose a bill to redefine marriage to include same-sex couples. Archbishop Vincent Nichols of Westminster and Archbishop Peter Smith of Southwark – the president and vice-president of the Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales – criticized moves to legalize […]