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.
Author: Bill Miller
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.
‘Concert for Healing’ at St. Pancras Showcases Christ’s Power of Redemption
The thematic arc of “A Concert for Healing” allows viewers of this online performance to experience Christ’s power of redemption, said its organizers at St. Pancras Church, Glendale, Queens. It was videotaped and produced at the church to help its members mend from a tumultuous year for their parish.
‘It was Like an Answer to a Prayer for me’
Father Brian Shanley is the new president of St. John’s University, with a start date of Feb. 1, 2021. He is the former president of Providence College, Providence, R.I., where he earned notoriety for improving campus facilities, increasing the faculty, and building a more diverse student body.
Woman’s Cancer Journey Inspires Trust, Prepares for Eternity
Sandy Gross of Longmont, Colorado, believes there is redemption in suffering. She knows, having endured aggressive treatments in her nearly two-year fight with breast cancer.
Protestors At U.N. Accuse China’s Government of Brutality
Protestors representing ethnic minority groups under the control of China gathered Dec. 10 near the United Nations headquarters to assail China’s government for alleged crackdowns on friends and family in their homelands. Religious freedom was among their top concerns.
Pandemic Crimps Attendance But Not Joy at Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Brooklyn
The 220 attendees also paid loving honor to the late Father Jorge Ortiz-Garay, who died in March of COVID-19.
Diocese Honors Mosaic of Immigrants With Sculpture, Christmas Tree Lighting
Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio, joined by New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, on Tuesday, Dec. 8, unveiled the sculpture, “Angels Unawares,” at the Soldiers and Sailors Arch in Brooklyn’s Grand Army Plaza. The annual lighting of the plaza’s Christmas tree followed the unveiling.
‘Angels Unawares’ Called a Fitting Nativity for Brooklyn’s Immigrant Heritage
A duplicate rendering of “Angels Unawares” is touring the U.S., with a stop in Brooklyn to serve as the Nativity scene for the Diocese of Brooklyn in Grand Army Plaza of Prospect Park. Its unveiling is set for early Tuesday evening, Dec. 8, along with the annual Christmas tree lighting, also in the plaza.
Immigrant Workers Exploited During Pandemic, Group Says
Wage theft has increased since March when the COVID-19 took hold of the U.S. economy, the Worker’s Justice Project reports. Before then, WJP saw about four instances of wage theft per week. In recent weeks, however, the weekly average has grown to 11.