Prelude to The Great Irish Fair
This year’s Great Irish Fair honorees enjoyed a meet and greet at the Fair’s kick-off reception at St. Francis College, Brooklyn Heights, last month. Festivities included Irish music and refreshments. Above left, the attendees at the reception included honoree Thomas A. Tormey with his family, above, and Firefighter Vincent O’Grady with his family, below. The Great Irish Fair is the weekend of Sept. 13 and 14 in Coney Island. See this week’s special pullout section for full details.
Save the date! If you’re a fan of Father James Martin, S.J., he will be in Brooklyn, Sept. 28. The best-selling author and editor-at-large of America magazine will be at the Oratory Church of St. Boniface in Downtown Brooklyn to lead a discussion, “Encountering Jesus.” The event begins at 1 p.m. and seating will be on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Whether you call them Oma and Opa, Abuelo and Abuela or Bibi and Babu, grandparents are special people. This Sunday, Sept. 7 is Grandparents’ Day! Be sure to celebrate them and spend time with them (in person or in prayer).
Word has it that a full, hot breakfast will be served to all blood donors at St. Columba Church, Marine Park, on Sunday, Sept. 21. There is a critical need for blood donations. The Men’s Club is sponsoring the blood drive, which will run from 8:30 a.m. through 1 p.m. For more details, call the rectory at 718-338-6265.
And if you live in Queens and would like to make a donation, visit St. Matthias parish, Ridgewood, on Sept. 21. A blood drive will be held in the school auditorium from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. For more information, contact Brother Michael at 718-456-9104.
Has your son or daughter headed off to college this fall? Perhaps you’d be interested in attending a talk on “Sex and the Soul: Juggling Sexuality, Spirituality, Romance and Religion on America’s Campuses,” on Sept. 8, 6 p.m. on Fordham University’s Rose Hill campus in the Bronx.
Brooklynite Dr. Donna Freitas will present her research about young adult attitudes regarding the hookup culture, sex, romance and dating on college campuses today and how a pervasive interest in spirituality fits into this mix.
She’ll discuss the powerful – though often private – yearnings among young men and women to find love during college and will discuss ways the Catholic tradition can respond to this yearning as well as the desire for something other than hooking up during college.
Talk is free and open to the public. To register, contact Jodi Hunt: eventsgre@fordham.edu or 718-817-5966.
St. Mark, Sheepshead Bay, has announced an exciting new project to create a state-of-the-art multimedia center, which will be called The Lion’s Den.
Though still in the planning and fundraising stages, the proposal includes a retractable screen, ceiling-mounted projector, a state-of-the-art surround sound system, a computer, a Blu-ray player and cable television and Internet connections.
This facility, if it comes to fruition, could become an integral part of the new youth ministry program, enhance school and religious education activities, facilitate adult faith formation and be a resource for parish meetings.
Good thinking!
This week’s Tip of the Tablet TALK Top Hat goes to all of the honorees of the 33rd annual Great Irish Fair (See the special pullout section). Each is a shining example of Irish Catholic faith, heritage and culture in his or her own way. Bail ó Dhia ort!
Tablet TALK Quote of the Week (for Grandparents’ Day): “Our grandchildren accept us for ourselves, without rebuke or effort to change us, as no one in our entire lives has ever done, not our parents, siblings, spouses, friends – and hardly ever our own grown children.” — Ruth Goode
Tenor Antonio Guarna will perform at an Italian Festival Night, Oct. 11 at SS. Simon and Jude Church, Gravesend. Event will feature Neopolitan music, a hot dinner, beverages and dessert as well as the The Dance House of Brooklyn performers. Tickets are $50 and must be purchased in advance by calling 718-375-9600 on weekday afternoons only.
Celebrate the feast of Mary’s Nativity at Mary’s Nativity-St. Ann parish, Flushing. Join the parish for 9 a.m. Mass on Sept. 8, followed by a breakfast reception in the parish center. The donation is $5 per person. All are welcome.