When the U.S. entered the war in 1917, Joyce Kilmer was 30 years old, a poet famous for writing “Trees,” and the father of five children, including a 5-year-old daughter paralyzed from polio. He didn’t have to fight in France, but he did. He deployed with the Fighting 69th Infantry Brigade just four years after converting to Catholicism.
Author: Bill Miller
Father Duffy: Times Square Sentinel, Faithful Chaplain of the ‘Fighting 69th’
Father Francis Duffy’s legacy as an influential New Yorker began with his service as the chaplain of the 69th New York Infantry Regiment — the celebrated “Fighting 69th” — during World War I.
Transitional Deacon From Nigeria Brings Mechanical Skills & Fervent Prayer to Serve People
Deacon Nnamdi Eusebius Eze has worked as a mechanic in Nigeria and also earned a degree in mechanical engineering. But his eyes are now fixed on pastoral duties as a newly ordained priest in the Diocese of Brooklyn. His ordination will be on June 3.
Mother’s Long-Lost Memorial to Child Revived in Marian Garden at St. Agnes
About two dozen parishioners huddled beneath umbrellas Saturday, May 20 at St. Agnes Parish, Carroll Gardens for the grand opening of the Marian Garden. The garden’s centerpiece is a statue of the Blessed Mother. It replaces an earlier statue that memorialized Victor Grant from the parish, who drowned at a Boy Scout summer camp in 1967.
Only In Print: Former City Dwellers Embrace Tranquility to Help Spread Devotion to the Divine Mercy
The National Shrine of the Divine Mercy, Stockbridge, Mass., is considered the epicenter of Divine Mercy Devotion throughout the world. The shrine’s volunteers settle in Stockbridge to be near the campus which they call “holy ground.”
Native of Cuba Hopes to Teach Kids and Serve the Sick in the Diocese
Deacon Ernesto Alonso worked as a personal chef specializing in kosher cuisine before deciding to complete his lifelong ambition to be a priest. He is among four transitional deacons who will be Saturday, June 3 in the Diocese of Brooklyn.
New York City Tenant Advocates Say Right-to-Counsel Program Underfunded
The Right to Counsel NYC coalition is calling on Mayor Eric Adams to triple the amount of his proposed 2024 budget that pays lawyers to represent indigent tenants in housing court cases.
Joy, Sadness Mingle at Final Convocation for Cathedral Seminary House of Formation
Bittersweetness prevailed Saturday, May 13, as bishops, a cardinal, priests, seminarians, and their families assembled for the Class of 2023 convocation at Cathedral Seminary House of Formation. The event honored seven seminarians who are receiving bachelor’s or master’s degrees at upcoming commencement ceremonies.
Transitional Deacon from Kenya Embraces Lessons to Help People Heal
Deacon Samuel Mwiwawi, who is from Kenya, has a second family in the parishioners at St. Bernard of Clairvaux Parish in Bergen Beach where he has been helping out while awaiting his ordination, June 3. He is one of four transitional deacons who will become priests that day in the Diocese of Brooklyn.
Mother’s Day: Priests’ Moms Give Continued Support With Tears of Joy
No matter how a priest’s vocation is formed, his mother’s support always sustains him. For Mother’s Day, Fathers Sean Suckiel, Daniel Kingsley, and Gregory McIlhenney praise the ladies who raised them.