Uncovering Vatican Treasures – a Real Blast

by Carol Glatz VATICAN CITY (CNS) – A little bit of spring cleaning or a much needed renovation can turn up the most unexpected things – especially if you’re sprucing up or digging through the Vatican. Home of hundreds of thousands of artifacts, archived documents, ornate frescoes, plaster niches and underground tombs, it can be […]

Church Workers Are Called to Lives of Service

VATICAN CITY (CNS) – Careerism and a drive to seek power in the Church are sins as old as the Church itself, Pope Francis told a group of employees from Vatican Radio and from the Vatican’s office for pilgrims and tourists. Commenting on the day’s Gospel passage – Mark 9:30-37 – the pope said that […]

Tablet Forum: Animal Rights Is Topic of Interest (with slideshow)

The role of animals in God’s creation was the topic of the most recent Tablet Forum conducted May 10 at Christ the King R.H.S., Middle Village. The session featured the N.Y.C. premiere of the film, Peaceable Kingdom: The Journey Home, a group discussion on animal rights and a tasting of vegan delights. Nearly 500 people […]

Jesuit School Fights for Life

by Marie Elena Giossi Failure is not an option for the biggest test ever to face the school community at Brooklyn Jesuit Prep in Crown Heights – staying open. Efforts are underway to secure $1 million to save this Catholic middle school, which has been serving low-income children for nearly a decade. New York Nativity, […]

St. Dorothy of Brooklyn – Potential Saint Has Connections to the Diocese

by Deacon Don Zirkel Dorothy Day, whose cause for canonization is underway, has at least six important ties to the Brooklyn Diocese: her birth and earliest years; service as a nurse; significant retreat; volunteer co-workers; Catholic Worker house in Park Slope; and many references in the pages of the diocesan newspaper. The most influential woman […]

Would Dorothy Want Canonization?

by Chaz Muth Patrick Jordan gazed down at the gravestone of a dear friend who died 32 years ago, a woman the Catholic Church may one day canonize. He squatted in front of the grave, made the sign of the cross and then offered a prayer for Dorothy Day, an American peace activist and co-founder […]

Number of Catholics in World on the Rise

by Carol Glatz VATICAN CITY (CNS) – The number of Catholics in the world and the number of bishops, priests, religious men and seminarians all increased in 2011, while the number of women in religious orders continued to decline, according to Vatican statistics. The number of permanent deacons is showing “strong expansion” globally, but especially […]

Hospitalized NY Dad Sees Daughter’s First Communion

ROCHESTER, N.Y. (CNS) – Confined to Strong Memorial Hospital as he waits for a heart transplant, Timothy Day of Kenmore, N.Y., wasn’t going to be able to attend his eight-year-old daughter Erin’s First Communion. So Erin decided the celebration of the Eucharist should come to him. “I gave her the choice if she wanted to […]

Abortion Doctor Is Declared a Murderer

PHILADELPHIA (CNS) – Dr. Kermit Gosnell may have been convicted May 13 of murder at his Philadelphia abortion clinic, but “nothing can bring back the innocent children he killed, or make up for the vulnerable women he exploited,” said Archbishop Charles J. Chaput. And, he added, “the repugnance of his clinic conditions” must be remembered. […]

Two Poles Ordained Deacons On Their Way to Priesthood

by Antonina Zielinska The Diocese of Brooklyn welcomed two Polish seminarians, who left their former lives behind and crossed the Atlantic Ocean to answer the call of Jesus. Cezar Jastrzebski and Marcin Chilczuk were ordained May 12 as transitional deacons on the path to priesthood by Auxiliary Bishop Paul Sanchez at Our Lady of the […]