Pope Francis formally recognized the martyrdom of an Italian priest shot by Nazi soldiers after they discovered he was helping his parishioners hide about 100 Jews.
World War II
Belle Harbor Parish Honors Four Chaplains, Parishioner, Lost on the Dorchester
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.
Troop Ship’s Demise 80 Years Ago Sparked Story of Faith, Heroism
Eighty years ago, pandemonium seized the crew and passengers of the SS Dorchester when a German torpedo blew a hole in the troop ship as it carried 900 men and four U.S. Army chaplains.
Only in Print: ‘Four Chaplains’ Memorialized in Queens and Beyond
The legacy of the four chaplains who died in the 1943 sinking of the SS Dorchester troop ship inspired scores of memorials throughout the U.S., including plaques, namesake chapels, murals, monuments, and stained-glass windows.
Only In Print: WWII Hero Comes Home For His Final Rest
A burial nearly 80 years in the making took place at St. John’s Cemetery in Middle Village on Saturday, Nov. 19. And when Lt. John J. Heffernan Jr., a bomber pilot killed in World War II, was finally laid to rest, it was a testament to his family’s determination.
U.N. Official: Ukraine Exodus Is Fastest-Growing Refugee Crisis Since WWII
A top United Nations official said March 6 that the world hasn’t seen a refugee crisis such as the one developing in Eastern Europe, caused by Russia’s attack on Ukraine, since the last World War.
Brooklyn’s Memorial Day Parade Makes a Comeback, of Sorts
The Brooklyn Memorial Day Parade will take place on Memorial Day, Monday, May 31, at 11 a.m. — with a twist. Instead of marching on foot, participants will be driving in a caravan of antique cars and military vehicles like Jeeps and Humvees.
Catholic Hero Honored on 75th Anniversary of Iwo Jima
An American who risked his life in one of World War II’s most vicious battles was honored during the 75th anniversary of Iwo Jima, Feb. 19, at the Staten Island U.S. Marine Corps League headquarters. Veteran Nick Troianiello believed he survived his wounds during that bloody battle, because of God.
A Man of Sacrifice Earns Degree
Joseph Quinlivan, who grew up in Manhattan’s Chelsea neighborhood before he moved to Brooklyn, received his diploma from Operation Recognition, a program that allows war veterans to earn New York state high school degrees, even if they were unable to finish.
Franciscan Priest From Brooklyn, a WWII Hero, Remembered 75 Years Later
A 75th memorial Mass for Father Dominic Ternan, O.F.M., was celebrated on June 19 at St. Francis of Assisi Church in Manhattan, which is where he had his first pastoral assignment as a newly ordained priest in the late 1930s. St. Francis of Assisi was also the site of Father Ternan’s funeral Mass.