by John L. Allen Jr. When I was growing up in the 1970s and ’80s, I was something of a baseball nerd, which is how I fell hard in love with the Brooklyn Dodgers. Bear in mind, this was a full two decades after “Dem Bums” had pulled up stakes and left for the West […]
by Father Ronan Murphy
The life of Jesus began with Mary. Therefore, it was appropriate to begin the New Year with a feast of Mary, the Mother of God. Since Mary is the Mother of God, she is the Mother of joy. “Do not be afraid, for behold I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people, for today in the city of David, a Savior has been born to you who is Christ the Lord,” (Lk 2:11). So, the traditional greeting on the first day of the Year is one of joy: Happy New Year!
by Father James Rodriguez
As our nascent new year of ordinary time marches on, and the glow of Christmas grows fainter, Isaiah continues to cry out in our wilderness, challenging us not to become complacent, since “anguish has taken wing, dispelled is darkness.” Though he prophetically looks forward, at the same time he is looking backward, speaking as one who has already seen the promise fulfilled. Such is the trust of true prophets.
Americans not obsessed with politics — that is, most Americans — will start paying serious attention to the 2020 presidential race after the February 3 Iowa caucuses and the February 11 New Hampshire primary — or perhaps after the March 3 Super Tuesday primaries winnow the Democratic field. So before the partisan din rises to ear-shattering volume, there’s some time left for those who aren’t entombed in ideological silos to ponder the qualities they would like to see in a president. I recently came across a description of such qualities.
Viewing and reflecting about Terrence Malick’s new film, “A Hidden Life,” has reminded me of two other great films that deal with conscience: “A Man for All Seasons” and “Sophie Scholl.” It has occurred to me that a wonderful film festival showing these three films could be conducted in a parish on the topic “A Christian Conscience.” I have already shown “A Man for All Seasons” (1966) and “Sophie Scholl” (1905) in festivals that I have conducted and I plan to show “A Hidden Life” as soon as it becomes available.
Sisters Elaine and Jeanie Hagerdorn, CHM, are real life “sister sisters,” — members of the Congregation of the Humility of Mary — who have been actively involved in every presidential election since 1960, when John F. Kennedy became the first Catholic in the country to be elected president.
Ascension in Elmhurst is one of a handful of churches in the Brooklyn Diocese that honor the annual Philippine Sinulog tradition, celebrated worldwide every year on the third Sunday of January.
Curtis Sliwa, founder of the Guardian Angels, a volunteer organization known for patrolling New York City’s subways in the 1980s, never left the streets, but he and his group are back in a more prominent role, because of the spree of anti-Semitic crimes that have hit the area during the last month.
Dear Editor: It is very disheartening to see self-proclaimed Catholics like Ms. Pelosi using her title of Catholic to promote abortion, constant slander of our president and outright lies regarding concern she and the Democratic Party claim they have for the DACA or plight of the homeless.
Dear Editor: Holy Family Catholic Academy in Fresh Meadows, Queens is a very special place of learning, because the teaching of the Catholic faith is ongoing every single day in every classroom.
