Up Front and Personal

Following the Pope on Catechetical Sunday

September 16, 2015

Safeguarding the Dignity of Every Human Person is the theme for the annual Catechetical Sunday, which will be celebrated on Sunday, Sept. 20. This Catechetical Sunday will mark the beginning of a week of great joy and celebration as we welcome our Holy Father, Pope Francis, to the U.S. During these next few days of preparation for his visit, it would be good to reflect on the goals of our 2015-2018 diocesan springboard plan for evangelization and renewal, fittingly named The Joy of Encountering Christ: The Families Hope, in place since Holy Family Sunday of 2014.

Pope Francis Encourages A Culture of Vocations

September 10, 2015

Many consider Pope Francis a great reformer in the life of the Church today. His visit to the United States will put the Catholic Church in the center of American media. He will be speaking to Congress, the United Nations, priests and religious, people from different faith traditions, families, the poor and the imprisoned. His speeches and homilies will be heard by millions of people worldwide!

When the Lord Tugs Us, Let Us Heed the Call

September 7, 2015

My tiny, five-pound Yorkshire terrier Sonya, in her old age, first became deaf and then blind. It happened suddenly and quickly. … The reality is that Sonya has to relearn her entire world and how to successfully function in it – but now, in complete silence and darkness.

Appreciating the Value Of Catholic Education

August 27, 2015

By Arielle Kaminski I have been serving the diocese as the marketing coordinator for Catholic schools and academies for the past three years. As we begin the new school year, I am sad that I will no longer be a part of the Diocese of Brooklyn. I am newly married and I will embark on […]

Taking Long View of HHS Mandate Issue

August 20, 2015

Early in our community’s history, a group of townspeople who witnessed the Sisters’ humble charity toward the elderly dubbed them the “Little” Sisters of the Poor. The name stuck. Recently, however, we have become known to some as “the HHS Sisters” due to our lawsuit against the federal government over the contraceptive mandate.

Making a Commitment To Find Freedom

August 17, 2015

I am now beginning to understand what the saints mean when they say that by giving up one’s own will to God, one becomes truly free.

Being Nice Has Its Own Rewards

August 12, 2015

Good things happen to nice people. As far as philosophies go, that one must rank near the top. It’s a philosophy that makes the world a better place. For people like Kahlil Calixte, being nice inserts him into stories he’ll be talking about for years to come.

Planned Parenthood and The Invisible Children

August 5, 2015

By now you have probably seen, or at least heard about, the videotapes on which Planned Parenthood officials speak bluntly about trafficking in the organs and tissues of aborted babies.

Live Well and Times Will Be Good

July 23, 2015

It has been a rough few months for the Church. We are told that disagreeing with the dominant culture by affirming age-old truths is discriminatory and bigoted. Are this summer’s legal decisions harbingers of dark days ahead for those committed to expressing their religious convictions in their daily lives?

Teaching Rosary-Making, One Bead at a Time

July 15, 2015

The Brooklyn Queens Diocese supports a Lay Ministry Program in conjunction with local parishes. It’s a wonderful opportunity to deepen your faith and to understand the many aspects of the Catholic Church, and most importantly, the Bible. One of the goals of this three-year program is to prepare participants to be lay ministers within their parishes. These new lay ministers will join existing parish ministries or start their own ministry, fulfilling the needs of their parish.