My dear brothers and sisters in the Lord, As we celebrate Father’s Day this Sunday, our knowledge of human fatherhood must take its understanding from our knowledge of God’s paternity. Perhaps one Gospel parable that best explains the Father’s love is Jesus’ story of the Prodigal Son, or as it is sometimes called The Forgiving […]
My dear brothers and sisters in the Lord, I had the privilege to participate in the Plenary Meeting of the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People held in Rome. The Council is responsible for the Church’s work in the field of migration and refugee protection. I have served on the […]
My dear brothers and sisters in the Lord, Just under a year ago, I petitioned the Holy See to name St. Joseph Church in the Prospect Heights section of Brooklyn as our Co-Cathedral. Some have asked me why do we need a new Co-Cathedral? Is not the Cathedral-Basilica of St. James suitable? Would we be […]
My dear brothers and sisters in the Lord, The issue of immigration reform has surfaced now in the 113th Congress as a priority of both President Obama and House Speaker John Boehner. It is important that we understand this issue from a Catholic perspective. The interest of the Church in the issue of immigration is […]
My dear brothers and sisters in the Lord, This week, as the Diocese celebrates its 22nd annual World Communications Day Conference, let me briefly reflect on the Second Vatican Council’s “The Decree on the Media of Social Communications.” The Latin title for this document, Inter Mirifica, means “Among the Wonderful.” It is one of the […]
My dear brothers and sisters in the Lord, The issue of immigration reform has surfaced now in the 113th Congress as a priority of both President Obama and House Speaker John Boehner. It is important that we understand this issue from a Catholic perspective. The interest of the Church in the issue of immigration is […]
My dear brothers and sisters in the Lord, St. John recounts a beautiful story of Our Lord and His dialogue with a woman drawing water from a well. The scene is remarkable because it seems to be a breach of the ancient code of conduct between men and women, as well as an affront to […]
Msgr. Edward Scharfenberger, currently the pastor of St. Matthias parish, Ridgewood, was officially installed April 20 as the new episcopal vicar for Queens. He had been serving in that position since Jan. 31, but the installation Mass, celebrated by Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio at St. Matthias, was the formal public decree of his new post. Msgr. […]
China is undergoing massive growth, and buildings and towers are springing up all throughout the country. It is a modern society, but it is still a country of the East, and I was very fortunate to have Msgr. Joseph Chiang as my traveling companion. He is an 83-year-old priest who was born in FuZhou City; […]
by Marie Elena Giossi Arrayed in the attire of their native lands, representatives of 32 ethnic groups from Brooklyn and Queens led the entrance procession at the annual Migration Day Mass, celebrated by Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio at St. James Cathedral-Basilica, Downtown Brooklyn, Sunday afternoon, April 14. This year’s focus was on immigration reform, and among […]
