There are a few lessons that one can take from the event of the Holy Father’s hospitalization — illness can come to anyone, everyone needs to take care of their personal health, and we need to keep each other in prayer.

As we celebrate Independence Day, perhaps we should think about the role that our nation plays in the world and if our country’s quest for freedom and liberty is compatible with the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church.

We have seen the fight for religious freedom recently here at home. The Diocese of Brooklyn sued to get fair treatment in regards to capacity limits so that the faithful could safely attend Mass when many retail stores were allowed to operate at what appeared to be full capacity.

For all these reasons, we are blessed by the dedication of the statue of Mother Cabrini in Carroll Gardens. We know that she is one of the many great women that built New York City and we hope to get more people to know all about her!

Sometimes the ordination classes are large, sometimes they are smaller, but, because of God’s providential care for us, there have always been priestly ordinations in our diocese. This is not always the case in some other dioceses in the country. There are some dioceses that have not had an ordination to the priesthood in several years.

Increased policing, effective community programs, and prosecuting criminals is important to curb violence, but one solution that is often overlooked is supernatural. Society must turn to a concentrated reorientation of the Lord.