A few days before the start of Lent, Father Vincentius Do assessed the COVID-19 pandemic’s assault on Chinese members of St. Agatha’s Parish.
“The report is bleak,” the pastor said, “The Asian community seemed to be spared in the first wave, but hit hard in the second wave.”
Author: Bill Miller
Sister Ortiz Survived Torture; Became Voice for Victims
Sister Dianna Ortiz struggled daily with memories of torture and rape at the hands of Guatemala security forces in 1989, but she would not let that define her life.
Local Clergy Concerned About No Mention of Vatican in China’s New Rules
Chinese priests in Brooklyn are taking a “wait-and-see” approach to reports the government in their homeland might be planning to ignore the renewed two-year deal with the Vatican over the selection of bishops.
Diocese of Brooklyn Donates Pews to Cathedral in Haiti
Pews, chairs, and a church bell, all formerly used in Diocese of Brooklyn churches, have a new home at the Cathedral of St. Anne in Anse-à-Veau, Haiti. The diocese donated these historical pieces to help the cathedral get ready for Anse-à-Veau’s upcoming tricentennial celebration in July.
CRS’s Lenten Rice Bowl Helps Feed 150 Million Worldwide
Catholic Relief Services’ annual Lenten Rice Bowl program helps fund efforts to teach “best practices” for growing abundant, nutritious food for 159 million people in more than 100 countries. Last year’s donations were about 47 percent below normal because of the COVID-19 pandemic, but CRS leaders hope this year will be much better.
Only in Print: ‘Dream’ Homes
In the early 1900s, entrepreneurs created a unique housing development in the St. Albans neighborhood of Queens.
Focolare’s New President ‘A Daughter of the Church’ In ‘Service of All’
Focolare, the international ecumenical organization, has a new president — Margaret Karram, an Arab Catholic from Israel, and an expert at promoting dialogue among religions. In a Feb. 5 audience with Pope Francis, Karram told him, “I don’t like the word ‘president.’ I’m a daughter of the Church, and I want to be at your service and the service of all.”
Bishop Healy Vaulted From Slavery to Servant of God
James Augustine Healy in 1875 became the first bishop of African-American heritage in the U.S. He was the son of an Irish cotton planter father and a mixed-race mother who was a slave. This family from Georgia also produced two other priests, two nuns, a hardware dealer, and a famous ship captain.
Conservative Groups Push Back Against ‘Hate Group’ Labeling by SPLC
The Southern Poverty Law Center, a high-profile group in the fight against racism, is being criticized by pro-family groups complaining of unfair inclusion on the SPLC’s annual list of dangerous “hate groups.”
New Educational Center Enlivens Father Tolton’s Legacy
Supporters of the cause for canonization of Father Augustus Tolton (1854-1897), have created the Tolton Spirituality Center to help Catholics learn from his examples of ministering to people of all races and loving all of humanity. The center, now in its development stages, is moving forward with a $1 million grant from the Lilly Endowment, Inc.