At St. Nicholas of Tolentine in Jamaica, Queens, we learned much of their success is driven by the involvement of their ACA parish team. Another compelling part of the Annual Catholic Appeal is utilizing the “over-goal” feature of the program to raise money for a special project at the parish.
Brooklyn Diocese
Sunset Park Couple Battle Alzheimer’s
Victoria Javier hasn’t had a conversation with her husband, Santiago, in 10 years. The reason: Santiago Javier, 81, is nonverbal, one of the consequences of his Alzheimer’s disease, a brain disorder that affects 5.8 million Americans, according to the Alzheimer’s Association.
Xaverian, Diocese Confront Teen Vaping Crisis
The danger of vaping is real. According to a Sept. 19 weekly report from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the number of people with a deadly vaping-related lung disease rose to 530 from 380 the week before (38 states and one U.S. territory report numbers). Officials have said half of those patients are under 25 years old and 16 percent are younger than 18. Nine deaths have been reported.
Dedication Mass Shows St. Michael’s Diversity
At the dedication Mass, readings were done in Tagalog, Spanish, English and Mandarin. The church has parishioners from almost 50 countries, according to pastor Father John Vesey, and has seven Masses every Sunday. Some services were cancelled on Sept. 22 to encourage parishioners to attend the dedication Mass.
New Yorkers Join Global Fight Against Climate Change
Global Climate Strike — a gathering of more than four million young people worldwide on Sept. 20 to call attention to the dangers of climate change — was a local event, too, as more than 60,000 rallied in lower Manhattan to voice their support for efforts to curb global warming.
St. Gerard Majella’s Outdoor Prayer Garden Struck Third Time
After reportedly causing more than $10,000 worth of damage during two nighttime visits last week, the suspect returned to St. Gerard Majella, Hollis, on the night of Sept. 17 to try to damage the statue of the Blessed Mother that’s in the parish’s parking lot.
Around the School Bell: ‘Together We are One’
After receiving 60 transfer students from closed Catholic high schools, Fontbonne Hall Academy made this year’s theme “Together We are One.”
Kings County League Coming to CYO
The new CYO Kings County boys’ basketball league will feature the same rules, mission and values as the parent diocesan CYO league.
The Parish Plan
Throughout our Diocese, countless individuals have made a lasting impact on the life of the Church and its ability to share the faith with the next generation. It all starts with a plan.
Marian Devotion in Queens Village
Parishioners of Our Lady of Lourdes in Queens Village held a procession to celebrate the feast of Our Lady of Velankanni (Our Lady of Good Health), known as “the Lourdes of the East,” a growing Marian devotion in our diocese, on Sept. 8.