In 2001, Father Gerard Sauer was a newly ordained priest at St. Patrick Church, helping guide a grieving parish through the horror of the 9/11 terror attack and its aftermath. Two decades later, he is the pastor of the Bay Ridge church, helping parishioners cope with the COVID-19 pandemic.
Author: Paula Katinas
For Many, 9/11 Lingers in Form of Life-Threatening Illnesses
Chris Sorrentino still has a hard time thinking about that day. But Sept. 11 never goes away for another reason: the toxic dust at ground zero that he breathed in over the next several months and the bladder cancer he developed years later.
Remembrances of 9/11 Can Be Found All Over the Diocese
Twenty years later, the memories of Sept. 11 are still vivid for people in the Diocese of Brooklyn. There are reminders everywhere. Over the years, churches and schools erected monuments in tribute to the parishioners and alumni they lost on that tragic day.
Real+True Project Seeks to Engage Millennials, Gen Z in Catechism
Edmundo Reyes is determined to change your perception of the Catechism. In his view, it’s more than just a thick book that explains the ins and outs of the Catholic faith.
Afghanistan Education Advocate Vows to Continue Her Work Despite Taliban Risk
Pashtana Zalmai Khan Durrani had a choice to make: work to educate women inside Afghanistan despite the potential danger of doing so, or leave for a safer location. She chose to be courageous and not take the easy way out.
Only In Print: Women Face Uncertain Future Under Taliban Rule
With the Taliban now in full control of Afghanistan, females in that country could face discrimination and hardships not seen in two decades, experts and women’s rights advocates said.
Churches Deal With Cleanup Headaches, Damage Assessment, After Ida
The floodwaters of Hurricane Ida have receded. Now, for churches and schools in the Diocese of Brooklyn among many other sites, comes the hard part — cleaning up.
St. Helen’s Church Remembers Heroes With Candlelight Prayer Service
There was only one place Army veteran Dominick Liello wanted to be on the night of Sept. 2 — at a candlelight prayer service at St. Helen’s Church to honor the 13 U.S. military service members killed a week earlier in a suicide bombing in Kabul, Afghanistan.
Concerns Mount Over Fate of Christians Left in Afghanistan
As the bloody, contentious U.S. evacuation of Afghanistan approached its Aug. 31 deadline, fears rose about the ultimate fate of Catholics and Christians under Taliban rule if they are unable, or unwilling, to flee.
Cristo Rey HS President’s Family Tree Includes Bishop Ford, Sister Ita
William Ford III, the incoming president of Cristo Rey Brooklyn High School, says he doesn’t feel the weight of family history as he settles into his new role; instead, he insists, he just feels “really blessed.”