As we celebrate Christmas this year, it is a Christmas like no other that I have ever celebrated in my 76 years. Fortunately, I never celebrated Christmas in a time of war when the whole world was in turmoil, but this year the Coronavirus has joined the world together in a crisis never before seen in the last hundred years.
Bishop DiMarzio
Only in Print: Brooklyn’s ‘Angels’ Among Us
Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio unveiled the replica of the “Angels Unawares” statue to serve in place of the Nativity scene for the Diocese of Brooklyn in Grand Army Plaza of Prospect Park.
Bishop DiMarzio’s First Virtual Christmas Luncheon
The central message throughout the first virtual Christmas luncheon presented by the Catholic Foundation for Brooklyn and Queens (CFBQ) was clear: even during a pandemic, one can still get into the Christmas spirit and help support the diocese’s youth.
We Have Built Up Our Nation by the Sweat and Sacrifices of Immigrants
This week, as in the past five years, our DeSales Media Group sponsored a Christmas Tree lighting in Grand Army Plaza in front of the monument dedicated to the Union Soldiers from Brooklyn who fought in the Civil War. In addition to the tree, a large Nativity has a place of honor.
How Can We Prepare for Christmas in This Difficult Time?
The Gospel reading this year for the First Sunday of Advent tells us of a rather ominous saying of Jesus which is meant to prepare us not only for Christmas, but also for the end of time: “Be watchful, be alert for you do not know when the time will come.”
Reasons to Give Thanks in the Midst of This Difficult Period
We all know that this year our Thanksgiving will not be what we have normally experienced, no parades, perhaps limited football, smaller dinners, and less interaction with our most beloved family members. But we still must give thanks. As we look back over the past year, for what can we give thanks?
The Prayer for All People
As we enter October, the month of the Holy Rosary, we have an opportunity to meditate on the meaning of the Rosary in our lives today. The origins of the Rosary are clouded in mystery.
We All Become Pilgrims and Migrants
The 106th World Day of Migrants and Refugees has been changed from the week before the Epiphany to this present week in September, allowing for a greater celebration outside of the Christmas season. The theme for this year given to us by our Holy Father, Pope Francis, is: “Like Jesus Christ, forced to flee, Welcoming, protecting and integrating internally displaced persons.”
The Attack That Shook the Foundations of Our Society
This year, Patriot Day will be observed on Friday, September 11, the 19th Anniversary of the attack on the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and Shanksville in Pennsylvania. Each year, Patriot Day is celebrated in remembrance of all those who were killed or injured by the terrorist attack.
Beacons of Light in Today’s Secular World
As we all know, the summer of 2020 has been a summer like no other.