Understanding Immigrant Children

My dear brothers and sisters in the Lord,
The influx of unaccompanied minors at the southern border of the U.S. has grabbed national headlines in recent weeks and turned much of our attention to our Nation’s capital and our foreign policy.

Liberty and Justice for All

This week, we celebrated the Fourth of July, the remembrance of the beginning of the independence of the United States of America. Contemporaneously, Catholics in the U.S. have been asked to observe a fortnight for religious liberty, which began on June 22, the Feast of St. Thomas More, the martyr for religious freedom during the reign of King Henry VIII.

What Good Can a Priest Do?

Several months ago, one of our priests ordained seven years ago, Father Raphael Munday Kukana, asked for an appointment to meet with me. At our meeting, he brought me two surprises.

Ordinands from Many Different Nations

My dear brothers and sisters in the Lord, On Saturday, June 28, through the Grace of God, I will ordain 13 men to the priesthood for service to the Diocese in Brooklyn and Queens.

The Gifts of the Spirit

This Sunday we celebrate the Feast of Pentecost and we recognize that the coming of the Holy Spirit did not just happen to the Church 2,000 years ago, but it is a present event, especially as we receive the Holy Spirit in all the sacraments. Because it is the Holy Spirit that makes our encounter with Jesus possible.

A Dangerous Prescription

Passage of the medical use of marijuana does not bode well for the State of New York.

Ambitious Plan for Vocation Recruitment

My dear brothers and sisters in the Lord, Last week, the priests of the diocese gathered together in a convocation to discuss issues important to the life of the diocese. This recent convocation centered on vocations, especially to the priesthood and religious life including sisters and brothers. The day prepared us for the dedication of the St. Joseph’s Co-Cathedral. Clearly we understood, during the day, that if the life of the Church which centers on the Eucharist, is to be continued, if we are to fill our churches not only with beauty but also with God’s people, we need ministers who make Christ present in the churches.

Ite Ad Joseph – Go to Joseph!

My dear brothers and sisters in the Lord, Text of the Bishop’s homily at the dedication of St. Joseph’s Co-Cathedral, May 13: In 1989, Ken Folette wrote a book entitled “The Pillars of the Earth,” which dramatized in a fictional way the construction of a cathedral in England during the 12th Century. Of course, the plot was rather complicated. However, the description of the building of the cathedral itself was fascinating.

The Gift of Our Mothers

My dear brothers and sisters in the Lord, It is by a wonderful coincidence that Mother’s Day falls in the month of May dedicated to Mary, the Mother of God. As we contemplate the great gift of motherhood, there is no better backdrop from which to view motherhood than looking to the Motherhood of Mary, […]