When Msgr. Joseph Calise was a young priest, he was caught in the grip of alcohol to the point that it almost took over his life. Looking back, he can recall the moment he knew he needed help. 

“The tradition continues,” Martin Cottingham declared as he sat on the sidelines and watched over the 43rd annual Great Irish Fair held Sept. 14 on the grounds of Holy Name Parish.

“Saint” and “addiction” aren’t commonly used in the same sentence, but along with overcoming attachment to sin, some saints also had to gain control of addictions to drugs or alcohol. Their perseverance and dedication to mastering their weaknesses are two aspects that helped lead them down the path of sainthood.

Someday, Elvis Toribio will be active in his parish serving as priest. But today he is actively studying toward that goal. On this day, he was seated at his desk in a classroom at St. Joseph’s Seminary and College in Dunwoodie, trying to absorb the wealth of information from his professor, Father John Cush, in a Fundamental Theology course. 

Mike Benn’s Irish eyes will certainly be smiling on St. Patrick’s Day, and not just because he is a proud son of Ireland. Benn, 75, who is retired from the construction trade and lives in Rockaway Beach, has been named the Grand Marshal of the 264th Annual New York City St. Patrick’s Day Parade and will lead the marchers up Fifth Avenue on March 17. 

Twenty-three later, the memories of Sept. 11 are still vivid for people in the Diocese of Brooklyn.

Every year, Paula Chong celebrates the Feast Day of Our Lady of Good Health, a meaningful day to Indian Catholics that marks the appearance of the Blessed Mother to two peasant boys in Velankanni, India, in the 16th century.