On Aug. 4, Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens and Northwell Health Long Island Jewish Forest Hills celebrated the grand opening of their Baby Café in Jamaica.
Diocesan News
‘A Model For Us:’ BK Priests Get Taste of Catholicism in Arkansas
Brooklyn priests Father Hugues Berrette and Father Charlie Keeney traveled the Diocese of Little Rock with eight other priests from July 7–9 on a pastor immersion trip hosted by Catholic Extension, a nonprofit organization that supports the Church in poor and remote mission dioceses nationwide.
Men Find Faith, Brotherhood Through St. Helen Church Ministry
Father Michael Panicali has led the Men’s Ministry at St. Helen Church since he arrived as parochial vicar in 2022. It was organized to provide an opportunity for men to grow in their Catholic faith and find support from other men as they navigate life’s challenges.
Man Smashes Blessed Mother Statue Outside St. Rita Church
A statue of the Blessed Mother was smashed outside of St. Rita Church on Aug. 1, marking the fourth time in two years the church has been targeted.
St. Christopher Still Guides Travelers, Despite Confusion Over Church Status
In 1969, Pope Paul VI removed St. Christopher’s feast day from the church’s liturgical calendar, a move that led to a great deal of confusion over the status of the patron saint of travelers that continues to this day.
Queens Street Named After 9/11 FDNY Hero Gets New Sign
As thousands of people were running out of the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001, FDNY Lt. Kenneth Phelan was running in. On July 22, his family gathered with FDNY members and City Council representatives to unveil a new red street sign bearing his name on the Maspeth block where he lived.
Diocese of Brooklyn’s Haitian Catholics Turn to Faith After Temporary Status Ends
As mass deportations loomed following the end of Temporary Protected Status for Haiti on July 27, members of the island nation’s diaspora filled St. Jerome Church seeking spiritual solace and direction.
Secret to Long Life is Putting Faith First, Says 110-Year-Old Brooklyn Parishioner
Judith Mends, a parishioner at St. Thomas Aquinas Church, was born in Grenada on June 21, 1916 — more than 10 years before the invention of television. At 110 years old, Mends is a supercentenarian and is believed to be the world’s oldest living Grenadian.
Queens Teen’s Care Packages Bring Comfort To Others With Same Rare Condition
After undergoing successful surgery for a rare disorder, Anne McDonagh, a sophomore at Xaverian High School, has created a project to get helpful personal care items to others recovering from the same condition.
Mary Louis Academy Grad Sets Sights on Influencing Health Policy
Mary Balid, a rising junior at Princeton University and a 2024 graduate of The Mary Louis Academy in Jamaica Estates, is hard at work as an intern at a health policy think tank in Manila, Philippines. She plans to make health policy her career.