Life Brings Constant Change and Hope

On a trip to the East Coast, I had the pleasure of going to a midwife’s appointment with my pregnant daughter and her husband. It’s my first grandchild, so everything is a big deal to me. The amplified heartbeat brought a tear to my eye. The midwife was sweet enough to ask whether I had any questions. I did not – at least not any I could expect her to answer.

Bill Dodds

Learning to Care for Loved Ones

Family caregivers don’t solely need hands-on training. They need “hearts-on” training, too. It becomes clearer and clearer that love demands action and that it calls for repeated effort and self-sacrifice. At times, it seems that caring for another person is akin to going to boot camp.

Bereavement Conference

Journey to Healing: Faith and Loss in a Diverse World is the theme of an upcoming bereavement conference at St. John’s University, Jamaica, on Saturday, Nov. 8.

Feeling Adrift: Reflections on Grief

After experiencing the death of a loved one, often shock and numbness take place. Life feels like a boat that has capsized – becoming unmoored and trapped in the fog of a storm. Sometimes the pain is informative and transformative – enhancing the griever’s outlook on life.

100-Year-Old Former Teacher Still Volunteers

It was a crisp fall morning on Sunday, Oct. 19, when St. Ephrem’s parish and school community gathered in Dyker Heights to celebrate the 100th birthday of Madeline Scotto. The celebration began at the 10 a.m. parish Mass.

Priests of Diocese Convene To Reflect on Their Ministry

On the newly designated Feast of St. John Paul II, the priests of Brooklyn and Queens were told to use the new saint as a role model for their priesthood. “If the Lord is going to renew His flock in the Diocese of Brooklyn, He is going to do it through the parish priest,” said Coadjutor Archbishop Bernard Hebda of Newark, N.J.

Let Your Voice Be Heard

This Tuesday, we get our annual opportunity to go to the polls and make our choices as to where the city, state and nation is heading.

Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor: Conservatives are deeply disturbed that they no longer have their own way in the Vatican, that the new pope has dared to open discussions among bishops and lay people. No more Roma locuta, causa finita; more come and let us reason together.

Ed Wilkinson

How to Be a Catholic in New York City

I’m a big fan of a new book titled “New York Catholics, Faith, Attitude and the Works” by Dr. Patrick McNamara. I write that not just because I’m one of the 71 people profiled in the book but because it is an outstanding piece of scholarship that offers insight into the history of the Church in New York City.