Author: settinger
Catholic Charities’ Response to Sandy
On the weekend before the arrival of Hurricane Sandy, Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens staff worked long hours to prepare facilities and clients for the storm ahead. In advance of the storm, staff members provided meals for nearly 2,000 homebound elderly neighbors through the meals-on-wheels program, delivering food for a two-day period. Workers at the […]
French Bishops Oppose Human Embryo Research
PARIS (CNS) – The French bishops described as “shocking” the French Senate’s approval of a law permitting the use of human embryos for stem-cell research. “The human embryo has the right to be protected,” and current French law urges “respect for the human person ‘from the beginning of its life,’” said Archbishop Pierre D’Ornellas of […]
Pope Calls for Strong Catholicism in America
by Carol Glatz VATICAN CITY (CNS) – The universal Church needs Catholics in the Americas who are joyful missionaries, well-catechized and faithful to the teachings of the Church, Pope Benedict XVI said. The only way to solve today’s problems is through credible and effective Christian witness and charity, he said, since only actions based on […]
Pastoral Institute Enrolling for Lay Ministry Program
The Pastoral Institute is accepting registrations for the 10-week Foundations for Ministry program that begins in February, 2013. The program will be offered in Creole, English and Spanish at various sites in Brooklyn and Queens. Designed for men and women who are discerning participation in the three-year Lay Ministry program or who desire a basic […]
Case Against HHS Mandate Continues
A U.S. District Court judge in Brooklyn has ruled that a lawsuit challenging the federal contraceptive mandate filed by the Archdiocese of New York and two other Catholic entities can move forward. The defendants – the U.S. departments of Health and Human Services, Labor and the Treasury – filed a request that the case be […]
Britain’s Bishops Oppose Redefining Marriage
by Simon Caldwell MANCHESTER, England (CNS) – Catholic bishops in England and Wales said they strongly oppose a bill to redefine marriage to include same-sex couples. Archbishop Vincent Nichols of Westminster and Archbishop Peter Smith of Southwark – the president and vice-president of the Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales – criticized moves to legalize […]
The Great Gift of Forgiveness
by Father Robert Lauder Fifth in a series Reading a section in Pope Benedict XVI’s Jesus of Nazareth: Holy Week: From the Entrance into Jerusalem to the Resurrection (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2011, pp. 262) about Judas and forgiveness has set me thinking about what a great gift forgiveness is. It has also moved […]
Treasure of Advent
Finding the treasure of Advent is the key to getting into the Christmas spirit. Even with Advent more than half over – or perhaps especially because of it – claiming the time to accept its graces will deepen both the joy and peace Christmas promises. St. John the Baptist, a paramount Advent figure, spent most […]
Holiday Depression Is Readily Treatable
by Father Frank Mann This time of the year can often be a difficult and tumultuous one for many individuals. Recently, a 19-year-old man jumped to his death from the east tower of the Brooklyn Bridge. He was on top of the tower for approximately 45 minutes before ending his life. During that time, traffic was halted on the […]