As we begin the season of Lent, the Rite of Election on the first Sunday of Lent is perhaps one of the highlights of the Liturgical Year in the Diocese of Brooklyn. For those who are to be Baptized and fully initiated on Easter, their journey begins in earnest during this 40-day period.
Put Out into the Deep
Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio, the seventh Bishop of Brooklyn, has led the Diocese since 2003. He is a forceful voice on behalf of migrants and immigrants, whose causes he has worked for through most of his priestly ministry. Complete Bio
Be of Strong Heart During Lent
The season of Lent is the time when we are asked to firm up our faith, when we are to give special attention to training our will so that we can love God all the more.
Waking Up the World
Last November, on the Feast of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Pope Francis declared a Year of Consecrated Life beginning on that day and to continue until Feb. 2, 2016, the Feast of the Presentation of Jesus at the Temple. As a religious, Pope Francis understands, perhaps better than many, the gift of consecrated life to the Church, as well as the difficulties of leading a consecrated life in the world today.
Racial Divide Still Plagues Us
The current situation in our country, especially in the City of New York, brings to mind the question of racial and class divide in our society. I am grateful to my brother Bishop Edward Braxton, of Belleville, Ill., for his reflection on “The Racial Divide in the United States: A Reflection for the World Day of Peace 2015.”
The Gospel of the Family
My dear brothers and sisters in the Lord, The Final Report of the Extraordinary Synod of Bishops on the Family, which will serve as a preliminary document for next fall’s Synod on the Family, gives us much thought for consideration. I would like to focus my attention in this column on the proclamation on the […]
A Comprehensive Pro-Life Agenda
Each year, the Pro-Life movement has united at the March for Life in Washington, D.C. This year, it will be held on Thursday, Jan. 22. This event provides an opportunity for us to gather in our Nation’s capital and march down Constitution Avenue, ending at the Supreme Court, where the decision to make abortion legal in the United States has set a destructive path and human life has been reduced to a choice. It is unfortunate that there is a fundamental misunderstanding of the beginning of human life, its innate dignity and the possibility of terminating life.
‘No Longer Slaves…’
As we begin this new year, there are two important messages from our Holy Father, Pope Francis. The first, in his Message for the World Day of Peace, celebrated Jan. 1, he took the theme “No Longer Slaves, But Brothers and Sisters” directly from the Scriptures and the words of St. Paul as he commends the slave Onesimus as he returns to Philemon his owner. St. Paul urges Philemon to treat Onesimus as a brother and as a fellow Christian, so that fraternity will be the fundamental bond of family life and the basis of life in society.
The Lessons of 2014
My dear brothers and sisters in the Lord, In the last issue of The Tablet for 2014, the questions are always posed to me to look back on the year which has just passed and emphasize the lessons which, perhaps, we have learned. Like all years, this past year has contained challenges and surprises, joys […]
God Enters Into Creation
My dear brothers and sisters in the Lord, Christmas in many ways is one of the most nostalgic periods of time. We have many treasured memories, especially surrounding the celebration of Christmas. Perhaps as we come closer to this Christmas, we can recall these memories. For me, it was the annual ritual of buying the […]
Building a More Just City
My dear brothers and sisters in the Lord, Democracies offer citizens the right of assembly, regress, and the ability to protest issues that are not favorable to its citizens. Recently, we have seen examples of both peaceful and not so peaceful protests. In Hong Kong, far from us, we have seen in the last month, […]