Parish’s Live-Streaming Mass Returns to Facebook

Since Jan. 22, Sacred Hearts-St. Stephen parish was unable to “live-stream” its daily Mass on Facebook. The broadcast resumed on Feb. 3., although Facebook had not yet explained why the daily service had been blocked, or how to keep that from happening again.

Bayside Parish Celebrates 90 Years With ‘Giving Back’

Parishioners at Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament in Bayside, Queens wanted to celebrate their 90th Anniversary with a dinner/dance, but the pandemic squashed their plans. Instead, they chose to divert ticket money for the event into charitable giving. And they didn’t stop there.

Lloyd Austin, Biden’s Pick for Secretary of Defense, Approved by Senate

Lloyd Austin, a retired four-star Army general, is President Joe Biden’s pick for secretary of defense. On Thursday, both houses of Congress voted to approve a waiver for him to be considered for confirmation since he has been retired for only four years, not the required seven. Now the Senate must vote on the actual confirmation.

Turmoil, Progress Resonate for This Year’s MLK Holiday

The visions of peace, equality, and love will resonate powerfully during the 2021 Martin Luther King Jr. holiday, as the tumult of 2020 continues into the new year, said clergy and laity in the Diocese of Brooklyn. The annual MLK day prayer service is set for noon Jan. 18 at Our Lady of Victory Church, in Bedford-Stuyvesant. 

Focolare Members From Egypt Share Gospel, Urge Unity

Several families of Coptic Catholics from Egypt have settled in Staten Island where they continue their pursuit of the Focolare movement, sharing the Gospel in Arabic and English, urging unity, and welcoming all.

Focolare Catholics, Friends Strive to Ease COVID Suffering

By learning the scriptures, local followers of the Focolare movement find ways to be like Jesus, which opens doors to serious exchanges between Catholics and other religions. Service to people in need is also key, so some members volunteered to assemble respirators soon after the COVID-19 pandemic reached New York City.