Bishop Robert Brennan (above) celebrated the 11:30 a.m. Mass at St. Peter Claver Church, Bedford-Stuyvesant, on Sunday, February 27.
Diocesan News
St. Saviour BHM Event Takes ‘Step’ in the Right Direction
In 1976, 200 years after the United States of America declared independence from Great Britain, then-President Gerald Ford officially recognized February as Black History Month (BHM) across the U.S. The fact that such a milestone in African American history happened only 50 years ago wasn’t lost on the young women who planned, practiced, and then performed at St. Saviour High School’s annual BHM assembly on Feb. 17.
Only In Print: Rice Bowl Almsgiving on the Rebound after COVID Crimp
The 2022 Rice Bowl Lenten almsgiving program, sponsored by Catholic Relief Services, is underway with local organizers and participants hoping to improve on last year’s rebound from a pandemic-induced slump in 2020.
Catholic Relief Services Seeks Safety and Prosperity in El Salvador
Catholic Relief Services, which operates several programs in El Salvador, is worthy of support, said retired Auxiliary Bishop Octavio Cisneros and an engineer from that country who now lives in Queens. Their observations coincide with the start of the 2022 Rice Bowl Lenten almsgiving program sponsored by CRS.
Artists Perfect Faux Finishing to Restore Catholic Churches
Ginger Andro and Chuck Glicksman use faux finishing to rehabilitate “sacred spaces,” like Catholic churches. They insist, however, that there’s more to what they do than merely applying a fresh coat of paint. Their company, True Faux Studio, aims to create art.
Only In Print: Diocese of Brooklyn Delegation Sees Humanitarian Work at the Texas-Mexico Border
The a four-person delegation from the Diocese of Brooklyn joined an “immersion” trip to tour the collaborative work shared by Sister Norma Pimentel and Catholic Extension to help thousands of asylum seekers stuck at the U.S./Mexico border.
Ash Wednesday Returns to Pre-Pandemic Ways, Stirs Hope in Diocese Faithful
Ash Wednesday 2022 marked the first time since the pandemic uprooted everyone’s lives that Catholics were able to take part in the holy day in a normal fashion. It also marked Bishop Robert Brennan’s first Ash Wednesday since becoming Bishop of Brooklyn in November.
Our Lady of Angels Blesses New Lenten Cross on Ash Wednesday
Following the distribution of ashes at the 11:45 a.m. Ash Wednesday Mass, Father Kevin Abels blessed a new six-foot Lenten cross outside Our Lady of Angels.
Firefighter Gerhard Remembered As a Carpenter, Bridge Builder, Dedicated Member of FDNY
Firefighter Jesse Gerhard was a talented carpenter who loved to build things and a man who had such a deep love for his country, friends and family said, that he proudly displayed the American flag.
Masks Optional at Catholic Schools in Brooklyn and Queens Starting Wednesday
In response to Governor Kathy Hochul’s announcement on Sunday, February 27, 2022, that the NYS School Mask Mandate would be lifted as of Wednesday, March 2, 2022, Catholic Academies and Parish Schools in the Diocese of Brooklyn, which includes Queens, will make face coverings an individual choice for school personnel and a parental choice for all students.