Thomas Downing — a freeman born to formerly enslaved people in Virginia — became one of the city’s wealthiest citizens as the proprietor of his world-famous oyster restaurant in Lower Manhattan.
National News
Bishop Seitz Responds to Vance on Immigration: ‘He Clearly Doesn’t Know Me’
Calling Vice President JD Vance’s “bottom line” comments a “tremendous mischaracterization,” Bishop Mark Seitz of El Paso said that “[Vance] clearly doesn’t know me. He doesn’t know my heart” while also offering a sit-down conversation.
Archbishop Broglio Prays U.S. Government Commits to ‘Help Those in Desperate Need’
In a letter to Pope Francis on behalf of the U.S. bishops, Archbishop Timothy Broglio said they join the Holy Father in praying that the government will continue to help those in need.
Could a Former Slave Who Defied Danger Join the Saintly Six on Path to Sainthood?
In 1878, yellow fever swept the lower Mississippi Valley, bringing chaos and killing an estimated 5,000 people in Memphis, Tennessee.
Faith Groups Sue Over Trump Administration Policy to Permit ICE Arrests at Churches
More than two dozen Christian and Jewish groups filed a lawsuit Feb. 11 in federal court to challenge a Trump administration policy that rescinded long-standing restrictions on Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents from making arrests at what are seen as sensitive locations, including houses of worship, schools and hospitals.
Pilot of Fatal DC Crash Remembered in Brooklyn: ‘He Will Never Be Forgotten’
Capt. Jonathan Campos, the pilot of the doomed American Eagle Flight 5342 that collided with a military helicopter in midair over Washington, D.C., on Jan. 29, was remembered during his funeral as a dedicated professional who had always dreamed of flying.
Pope to U.S.: Migration Policies Built on Force, Not Truth, ‘Will End Badly’
Pope Francis has urged U.S. Catholics and people of goodwill to not give in to “narratives” that discriminate against and cause unnecessary suffering to migrants and refugees.
Pope Francis Chastises Trump Administration for Mass Deportation Plan
Faced with United States President Donald Trump’s insistence on a plan of mass deportations, Pope Francis has published a letter chastising the policy and calling faithful and politicians alike to care for the poor and those whose dignity is threatened.
Cardinal Tobin Orders Review of Seton Hall’s McCarrick Investigation
Cardinal Joseph Tobin has ordered an independent review of the results of an independent investigation he ordered on behalf of Seton Hall University in 2019 regarding Theodore McCarrick, with a particular focus on references to the university’s current president, Msgr. Joseph Reilly.
U.S. Bishops Call for ‘Prayer and Action’ Against Human Trafficking
On the International Day of Prayer and Awareness Against Human Trafficking, Bishop Mark Seitz of El Paso, Texas, called on Catholics to unite in prayer and action to combat what is referred to as “modern-day slavery” and urge policymakers to act.