Father Brian Shanley is the new president of St. John’s University, with a start date of Feb. 1, 2021. He is the former president of Providence College, Providence, R.I., where he earned notoriety for improving campus facilities, increasing the faculty, and building a more diverse student body.
New York City was covered in at least 10 inches of snow, as of mid-morning on Dec. 17, during its first snowfall of the season. While snow plows scraped the asphalt outside, Diocese of Brooklyn’s students were inside, learning remotely at home.
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.
Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio unveiled the replica of the “Angels Unawares” statue to serve in place of the Nativity scene for the Diocese of Brooklyn in Grand Army Plaza of Prospect Park.
John Mazzola contracted COVID-19 in March. “I had terrible back pain. I had a cough that I couldn’t get rid of. And I had really bad fatigue for two and a half weeks,” he recalled.
Msgr. John H. Maksymowicz; Msgr. Richard E. Marchese; and Msgr. Robert J. Thelen mark their golden jubilee. Father Robert J. Armato marks his silver jubilee.
Tucked along the side of Our Lady of Grace Church is its very own thrift shop that sells gently-used household and novelty items. It reopened on Dec. 13 under a new team of parish volunteers, after indefinitely closing in March due to the coronavirus pandemic.
One of the best feelings ever, which many older students can attest to, is when it’s finally the end of the semester. After spending a semester studying and working hard to excel in academics and extracurriculars, they look forward to unwinding and celebrating with their classmates.
Two beautiful paintings of the Blessed Mother were blessed at Our Lady of Grace (OLG) Church on the eve of the Immaculate Conception. They depict the Assumption and the Coronation of the Blessed Virgin Mary and are now located high above either side of the church’s doors upon exiting.
The lights finally came back on at the San Damiano Mission Catholic Church after nearly nine months when the pandemic began. Parishioners were welcomed back with masked smiles and open arms as Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio celebrated the reopening Mass, which took place on the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary.
