Invalid Baptisms Possible But Rare

Catholics in the U.S. are learning about a problem most could never anticipate — the idea that a baptism could be invalid. Church leaders in the Diocese of Brooklyn acknowledged that this could happen.

Only in Print: ‘Shock’ of Pandemic Hit Lay Movements Hard

Survivors of COVID-19, or even those who never had it, can still suffer its residual ravages of confusion, isolation, and loneliness — sorrows shared by lay workers for the Diocese of Brooklyn. In the pandemic’s wake, they grieve losses of family, friends, and even clergy, but they also mourn how the disease robbed them of the fellowship they enjoyed while laboring in dozens of lay movements active in the diocese.

Harris Seen as Progressive Partisan Who Can Pivot

Kamala Harris’s campaign positions on immigration reform, aid to refugees, and poverty, align with the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. But some Catholics won’t approve of her stance on abortion. Some advocates of religious freedom claim Harris has been openly hostile to their beliefs.

Critics Hope to Rein In Emergency Pandemic Powers for Cuomo, de Blasio

The Legislature voted in March to give Gov. Andrew Cuomo the power to suspend certain laws by executive order during the COVID-19 pandemic, but critics say it’s time to end the added authority because statewide coronavirus deaths have dropped significantly. 

Local Scouts Stay Busy Despite Virus Lockdown

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced Boy Scouts sponsored by parishes in the Diocese of Brooklyn to complete rank and merit badge courses “virtually” with video-conferencing programs like Zoom.