VATICAN CITY (CNS) – Pope Francis met for the third time in late February with his international Council of Cardinals, an eight-member group advising him on the reform of the Vatican bureaucracy and other issues. The meetings focused on financial and bureaucratic matters even as the council was rumored to be working on a draft […]
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Recognizing Blood Donors
Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio will recognize the parishes that have contributed the most to the New York City Blood Center at a recognition event on Thursday, March 6, from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. at the Immaculate Conception Pastoral Center, Douglaston. The bishop will honor parishes and schools for their participation in the blood drives. There will […]
Pope: Mass Is More Than Just a Habit
VATICAN CITY (CNS) – Going to Mass and receiving the Eucharist should make a difference in the way Catholics live, Pope Francis said; they should be more accepting of others and more aware of their sinfulness. “If we don’t feel in need of God’s mercy and don’t think we are sinners, it’s better not to […]
Cathedral Club Hears Call To Preserve Catholic Schools (with slideshow)
by Ed Wilkinson Attendees at the annual dinner of the Cathedral Club of Brooklyn received a full serving of information about Catholic education. Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio, as well as the evening’s main speaker and its honoree, all devoted their remarks to the value of Catholic education and the need to preserve it. Bishop DiMarzio said, […]
Local Catholics Mark Black History Month
Jesuit Father Gregory Chisholm says local black Catholics must strengthen their families, churches and communities so that their light may shine more abundantly in Brooklyn and Queens.
Queen Elizabeth to Visit Pope
MANCHESTER, England (CNS) – The Queen of England will visit Pope Francis at the Vatican in April, Buckingham Palace announced. A Feb. 4 statement said Queen Elizabeth II and her husband, Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, will meet the pope on April 3. The queen and prince will visit Rome at the invitation of […]
Petition Urges Pope to Condemn Death Penalty
Religious sisters and pro-life advocates have launched a petition drive to urge Pope Francis to call for an end to capital punishment in the U.S. and to personally intervene in the case of a prisoner in Indiana. The Sisters of Mercy and Cherish Life Circle, a pro-life advocacy group founded by the religious community, launched […]
Pastoral Institute Grads Reflect on Training
The diocesan Pastoral Institute interviewed two graduates of its three-year Lay Ministry Program who were commissioned as lay pastoral leaders in May, 2013. They were asked about the effects that their participation in the program has had on their lives and ministries. The interviewees were Esmeralda Hidalgo of Our Lady of Fatima parish, East […]
Vatican Says UN Committee Unfairly Attacked Church
VATICAN CITY (CNS) – The Vatican said that a report issued by the U.N. Committee on the Rights of the Child is unfair to the Church. The committee continues to insist that the Vatican compile and publish detailed statistics on clerical sexual abuse of minors and that the pope, as head of the Church, can […]
Bishop Issues New Organizational Charts for Central Diocesan Administration
Recently, Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio presented a re-organization of the Central Diocesan Administration to the curia and to diocesan employees. The Bishop explained, “This structure allows us to conduct the essential services of the diocese and attain our mission of the New Evangelization in the most effective and efficient manner possible.” He used two charts […]