PROSPECT HEIGHTS — As Maria Monge guided 15 young adults from across the Diocese of Brooklyn through the Co-Cathedral of St. Joseph on April 18, she made sure to highlight the many works of art that filled the ceiling.
“Through art, you can find truth — and that truth is God,” said Monge, the coordinator of parish communications and outreach at the co-cathedral.
Monge hosted the walking tour of the co-cathedral on behalf of the Diocese of Brooklyn’s Youth and Young Adult Ministry. The day’s journey, which began at the co-cathedral and ended with Mass at St. Francis of Assisi-St. Blaise Parish in Prospect Lefferts Gardens was intended to teach the young adults about the history of the parishes.
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Abigail Castro, a parishioner at Ascension Parish in Elmhurst, said she has heard beautiful stories about the parishes in Brooklyn and participated in the walking tour to learn more.
“It was very beautiful. When I walked in (to the co-cathedral), I felt a peace and something that was very welcoming, without being said,” Castro said. “Walking into the church and seeing the different images of Mother Mary from different countries — it was very beautiful.
“I’ve never seen this in other churches.”
Beginning outside the co-cathedral before making their way inside — where they took in the many colorful murals lining the cathedral’s ceiling as tourists snapped pictures — the young adults learned about the history of the cathedral, which was built in 1912 and can hold over 1,000 parishioners.
They also found out about the symbolism behind the bronze statue of St. Joseph at the entrance (St. Joseph teaches Jesus how to hammer while holding the nail — representing his trust in God), the artwork throughout the co-cathedral (including 20 images of the Blessed Mother from around the world), the emblems of the bishops who have led the diocese, and the American saints depicted above the church entrance.
After touring the co-cathedral, the group made its way to St. Francis of Assisi-St. Blaise — with rosaries in hand and praying the Sacred Mysteries along the way — where Father James Kuroly, the diocese’s director of youth and young adult ministry, celebrated Mass, which marked the ongoing Franciscan Jubilee.
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“I think, especially for the young adults, they wonder, ‘Where am I in the church?’ They can feel alone,” Father Kuroly said. “But something like this, a simple gesture of walking, is symbolic to them, and shows they are not alone.”
Luceros Manzanares, associate director for the diocese’s Youth and Young Adult Ministry, said this was the second walking tour they hosted, explaining they are meant to foster community while showcasing the beauty of parishes around the diocese.
“It was beautiful,” Manzanares said. “We got to meet some new faces and for them to see each other, like, ‘Oh, there’s other young adults here, I don’t have to go somewhere else, I can foster a community here.’ ”