By Carol Powell The liturgical season of Advent is here once again. This is a time when we prepare not only to celebrate the birth of Christ but to remind ourselves of the Second Coming of Christ at the end of time. We are also asked to prepare our hearts and to purify our lives […]
Up Front and Personal
Lay Ministry Program Changed My Life
by Dolores Grosso Personal, ongoing study of Catholicism has been a part of my life since my return to the Church some 20 years ago. I had been somewhat active in my parish. However, in undertaking the three-year Lay Ministry Program sponsored by the diocesan School of Evangelization’s Pastoral Institute, I experienced a merging of […]
Daytime TV Fare Is No Prescription for Healing
Has daytime TV devolved into a search into a seemingly bottomless pit of imperfect people willing to humiliate themselves, or let themselves be humiliated, before a nationwide audience?
Filipino Reflection on Diocesan Pilgrimage
With a heavy heart due to the recent loss of my father, joining the pilgrims at the diocesan pilgrimage to the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washingto, D.C., gave me hope that life does move on.
Trekking Through the Amazon with Atheists
“What in God’s name am I doing here?” was the question I asked myself as I trudged through the 90-degree, 95-percent humidity of the Ecuadorian Amazon.
Two Years Later, the Pain Is Still Raw
Diocese of Brooklyn Press Secretary Stefanie Gutierrez recalls the that pain is still real after passing of her daughter Anna two years ago.
Jornadistas to Emphasize Leadership Among Youth
With the end of summer and the beginning of the school year, Jornadistas prepare for another year of “youth evangelizing youth” via service and prayer. To kick off the year, zone delegates of parishes (ZDPs) and zone delegates of missions (ZDMs) came together to provide a retreat for the delegates of parishes.
New Catechetical Year Has Been Launched
By Theodore Musco The theme for Catechetical Sunday 2014, “Teaching about God’s Gift of Forgiveness,” helps us to focus on God’s deep and constant love for each of us. As pastors and catechetical leaders throughout the country planned to celebrate Catechetical Sunday on Sept. 21, they were reminded of the great gifts catechists are to […]
There’s No Excuse for Tolerating Pornography
The New York State Legislature is considering a new law to criminalize what’s known as “revenge porn.” It seems that in our brave new world of social media, it’s become somewhat common for couples in intimate relationships to share sexually explicit photographs via email or “Instagram” or “sexting.” Later, after the relationship has dissolved, recipients of the images sometimes share them on the Internet, with identifying details and disparaging remarks.
Hope Is Response to Day We Will Never Forget
It was a beautiful day, and the sun was shining. Shining brilliantly in the clear blue sky above America’s east coast, the sun promised a good travel day.