My family and I were very lucky to have developed a great relationship with our neighbors. We all moved into our respective townhouses in Brooklyn around the same time. I vividly remember my parents bringing my sister and me to meet the neighbors. From the moment we all met, I had a feeling this was going to be a good fit for all of us.
Author: Wandy Ortiz
Letters to the Editor, Week of April 10, 2021
As a Senior Citizen, I Fear For My Safety; April Is National Donate Life Month; The Greatest and Most Charitable Country; Light at the End of This Very Long Tunnel.
School Helps Kids Stay Socialized in Pandemic
Recess is a chance for kids to be themselves: get up from behind the school desk, meet up with friends from other classes, and put their high energy to good use. But this school year, playground time looks a lot more like an office coffee break for young ones in Catholic schools throughout the Diocese of Brooklyn.
Black-Owned Business Puts Faith in Brooklyn’s Caribbean Community
Nestle Brunache is a teacher by trade, but a restauranteur by a blessing. And who does he thank for that? God, and the community in Prospect Heights that comes to the table at BK9 Kitchen and Bar.
Inspired by Her Faith, Amanda Gorman Urges People to ‘Be the Light’
“For there is always light. If only we’re brave enough to see it. If only we’re brave enough to be it” — these final words from Inaugural Poet Amanda Gorman encapsulate hope. More than that, these words encapsulate faith in humanity.
Motivated by Faith, Catholic Scientists Look Beyond Earth’s Galaxy
After an unexpected 2020, this year began with Jupiter, Pluto, and Saturn’s conjunction — a nighttime view akin to the North Star that led the Magi to the Baby Jesus. For some, the sight was a reminder of just how beautiful God’s creation is, even in the most difficult times.
Tunes From the Caribbean Show Christmas Music Has a Beat
At this time of year, many in the Diocese of Brooklyn would be preparing their hearts and homes for Christmas get-togethers, door-to-door caroling, and hymns at Christmas Eve midnight Mass.
A Jewish Woman’s Journey Toward the Catholic Faith Amid Livestreamed Mass
For many Catholics, making the transition from in-person to livestreamed Mass during the pandemic has been a sobering experience. It has meant not being able to receive the Eucharist and participate in Mass with the rest of the faithful. That’s not Debbie Starkman-Zdyrko’s experience. She feels closer to her community and the Catholic faith now than she did before quarantine began.
Retired Auxiliary Bishop Octavio Cisneros Presents Our Lady of Sorrows Parish With Statue of Our Lady of Charity
“I come from everywhere and I go everywhere. I am art among the arts and with the mountains, I am one.” These verses, from Cuban patriot and poet José Martí, were on the mind of retired Auxiliary Bishop Octavio Cisneros as he prepared to present Our Lady of Sorrows Church with a statue of Our Lady of Charity.
For Mexican Catholics in the U.S., Biculturality Impacts All Areas of Life
Twenty-year-old Abigail Zarate is a Latino Studies student at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, a Mexican-American, a Catholic, and a first-time voter. For some, this might sound like a lot, but for her, being many things at once is part of her cultural identity and faith journey.
