Christmas is the feast of encounter, the celebration of God’s love and nearness. “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth,” we read in St. John’s Gospel. God became one of us! He united himself to every man, woman and child in every time and place in Jesus Christ, the sacrament of our encounter with God.
An open flame, referred to as the Peace Light, arrived by plane in JFK Airport, Dec. 11 escorted by officials from Austrian Airlines. After a welcome ceremony at Our Lady of the Skies Chapel, the flame began its pilgrimage across the U.S. in trucks and cars, lighting wicks in homes, churches and community centers along […]
By Cindy Wooden VATICAN CITY (CNS) – No saint was ever known for having a “funeral face,” Pope Francis said; the joy of knowing one is loved by God and saved by Christ must be seen at least in a sense of peace, if not a smile. Celebrating the third Sunday of Advent, Gaudete Sunday, […]
The St. John’s Prep, Astoria, is in full preparation mode this Advent season. Special public prayers have been said each day; the Sacrament of Reconciliation has been offered to all students; food is being collected; the Christmas Tree was officially lit; the halls and classrooms are being festively decorated; and student musicians and singers have […]
ROME (CNS) – In the heart of Rome’s high-end shopping district, sparkling with Christmas lights and shiny baubles in the windows of famous designers, Pope Francis prayed that people would spend time in silence and in service as they prepare to celebrate Jesus’ birth. Celebrating the feast of the Immaculate Conception Dec. 8, Pope Francis […]
To kick off the Year of Consecrated Life, men and women living out their religious vocations from various communities in Brooklyn and Queens gathered at Our Lady of Angels Church, Bay Ridge, for an afternoon of prayer Dec. 8.
My dear brothers and sisters in the Lord, Democracies offer citizens the right of assembly, regress, and the ability to protest issues that are not favorable to its citizens. Recently, we have seen examples of both peaceful and not so peaceful protests. In Hong Kong, far from us, we have seen in the last month, […]
Above, 80 students and faculty of Chaminade H.S., Mineola, L.I., went on a pilgrimage to the Cathedral Basilica of St. James in Downtown Brooklyn. The group took the Long Island Railroad from Mineola to Atlantic Ave. and then walked to the cathedral. The rector, Msgr. John Strynkowski, greeted the group and gave an explanation of […]
Many homilies at this time of year could be titled “Don’t forget Advent!” Yes, in our mad rush to prepare for Christmas, this liturgical season is too often passed over and forgotten. It’s important for us to see Advent as a preparation for us to commemorate the birth of Christ into history. That aspect is […]
Once again, we were reminded this past week that we live in a fallen world. The Eric Garner case is, simply put, a tragedy. Whenever anyone loses his or her life in an act of violence, it is a tragedy. It doesn’t matter that Garner is older or younger, black or white, what matters is […]
