Each year, St. Francis de Sales Parish in Belle Harbor honors Pvt. Daniel O’Connor, an honor student from the parish’s Catholic academy. He died with more than 600 servicemen, including the famed “Four Chaplains,” in the sinking of the troop ship Dorchester during World War II. The parish will honor Pvt. O’Connor again at noon, Sunday, Feb. 5, during the parish’s annual Mass for the Dorchester’s dead.
Michael Fontana has dedicated the past 30 years of his life to producing and directing pastoral music in the Roman Catholic tradition. He also has a rich background in music as a composer — having published his first piece of organ music at the age of 18 — and has continued to compose, with several pieces published last year.
An army of firefighters from the FDNY and units from around the metropolitan area lined the streets of this oceanside community Friday morning to honor one of their own, who died in the line of duty five days earlier.
A 31-year-old firefighter killed in the line of duty while battling a three-alarm fire in a Canarsie home on Sunday, April 24, is being hailed as a hero by city officials and those who knew him.
About a month ago, Eugene and Elizabeth Desyuk lived under the sounds of emergency sirens and slept in the corridor or basement of their Ukrainian home, fearful of an attack from Russian forces. On Monday, they were learning the alphabet and playing with toys alongside their new classmates at St. Francis de Sales Catholic Academy.
Another weekend in New York City means another engagement proposal photo shoot for Queens-based photographer Aj Tolentino, who has no complaints about the business that has come his way during the pandemic.
The Tablet subscriptions sold during the month-long campaign resulted in more than $30,000 going back into students’ and schools’ pockets. Those checks are finally in the process of being signed, sealed, and delivered to participating students across the Diocese of Brooklyn.
The longtime diocesan priest received a surprise honor.
As the COVID-19 rages on, pastors in the Diocese of Brooklyn are coming up with ways to keep their churches financially afloat during the pandemic when social distancing rules are sharply curtailing attendance at Masses and most revenue streams have been brought to a halt.
For many Catholics, making the transition from in-person to livestreamed Mass during the pandemic has been a sobering experience. It has meant not being able to receive the Eucharist and participate in Mass with the rest of the faithful. That’s not Debbie Starkman-Zdyrko’s experience. She feels closer to her community and the Catholic faith now than she did before quarantine began.
