Yes, great things can happen when we see the good in people and give them a chance.
Up Front and Personal
In Memoriam to My Spiritual Mother, Sister Nellie Daquel
Sister Nellie Annunciata Daquel, MUCP was a Filipino native who made her home on earth at St. Sebastian’s in Woodside. I was honored to be among the last graduating class of RCIA in 2018 with Sister Nellie as our teacher. So please forgive me if I don’t use all the proper Catholic terms.
We All Benefit From Enforcing the Law
Peacemakers include all those honorable law enforcement officers, male and female, who dedicate their lives, day in and day out, to keeping the peace.
The Blessing of a Broken Dishwasher: A Soul Cleanse
As Catholics, our sacramental imagination does not have to be limited to beautiful liturgies or great art. There’s something to be discovered in the mundane tasks of everyday life.
Definition of a Mother
When I was a child, electricity was not available in my town in Vietnam at that time. As I went to sleep, my mom usually made a breeze for me with a fan made of thatch or spathe. Sometimes, it was not hot, but my mom still cooled me off. When I felt a little bit too chilly, I told my mom: “Mom, you do not have to fan me anymore. I am not hot!”
Where Is God When the Tabernacle Is Empty?
On Holy Thursday, I kneeled with the congregation as the priest and a long procession of altar servers moved the Holy Eucharist from the main tabernacle to the side altar, signaling the beginning of Jesus’ passion and death. I never realized how empty it looked without a ciborium. I felt an overwhelming sense of dread and sadness, as if God were no longer with us.
Easter Has Always Been a Time of Peace and Terror
Pregnancy during Lent adds an extra layer of anticipation for new life and the glorious shouts of “Alleluia.”
My Heart Forgives
I was asked to write a reflection of my experience as a survivor of sexual abuse by clergy. This Lent, just as last year, I read from two diaries; the first was that of St. Faustina and the second was The Diary of Anne Frank.
Healing Begins When We Listen to One Another
Since the latter half of 2018, and throughout 2019, I have been taking part in Listening Sessions throughout the diocese, as a member of a panel. The focus of these listening sessions has been the sexual abuse crisis in the Church. These sessions have been nothing less than challenging. Yet in the midst of taking on a topic which has been so profoundly hurtful for so many, somehow as only God makes happen, His presence is felt.
Class Dismissed: A Reality Check
I am writing in response to “Class Dismissed: Rethinking the Catholic School Model.” I want to clarify some of the misleading points made in the column on Catholic elementary school education in the 21st century, and how it exists in the Diocese of Brooklyn.