2025

A lifelong Mets fan turned groundskeeper shares how his faith — and a little patience — led him to his dream job at Citi Field.

Amid ICE raids, Bishop Alberto Rojas of San Bernardino is offering a Mass dispensation to Catholics in fear of deportation.

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops reaffirmed the Church’s non-partisan stance following an IRS acknowledgement that permits political speech in places of worship.

The Our Lady of Mount Carmel Feast in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, is underway. The feast’s iconic Giglio lift is set to take place July 13.

Mets Groundskeeper Relies on Catholic Virtue of Patience

By Katie Vasquez and Jim Mancari

Finally, after a long, cold winter, baseball is back!

And with baseball comes the exquisitely mowed grass, smoothed infield dirt, and expertly painted chalk lines on the field — all prepared to ensure a quality, consistent product is delivered each night.

As fans, it’s easy to take the grounds crew for granted. Especially for New York fans, we’re so focused on the action that takes place on the field that we may not realize what it actually takes to get that field ready to play.

All this to say, there’s much more to the grounds crew than being the people who unroll the tarp when it’s raining.

Nick Baker, a parishioner at St. Mel in Flushing, is the manager of field operations for the New York Mets, and his office is Citi Field in Queens. He and his team are tasked with caring for every inch of the playing surface with the utmost detail — truly an Amazin’ career path.

A native of Iowa, Baker always enjoyed being outdoors. He played Little League baseball in his hometown of Albia, and he took a special liking to one of MLB’s brightest stars at the time.

“With there not being a professional team in Iowa, I grew up being a Mets fan,” Baker said. “I was a catcher, so of course I was drawn to Mike Piazza.”

While at Iowa State University, he channeled his passion for the outdoors into earning a horticulture degree with an emphasis on turf management. In 2009, he spent the season as an intern with the Mets’ grounds crew during the inaugural season at Citi Field while also attending Mass at St. Luke in Whitestone.

For his first few years in the business, he bounced around to cities across the country. He spent time with the Minnesota Twins organization, the St. Paul Saints of the Independent League, and the Milwaukee Brewers spring training complex in Phoenix. At each stop, his Catholic faith remained a staple in his life.

“The one constant for me was that there’s always been a church,” Baker said. “First, I would find the ballpark, and then I would find a church to go to.”

In 2019, he returned to the Big Apple — this time with his wife, Emily, and their three children: Adeline, 11; Flynn, 9; and Cora, 6. His son, Flynn, is named after Pete Flynn, the late longtime Shea Stadium head groundskeeper.

Emily coaches Adeline in Catholic Youth Organization volleyball for Sacred Heart, Bayside, and all three children attend religious education at St. Luke’s, where their parents are the teachers.

Throughout the offseason, Baker and the grounds crew team still tend to the field closely months before the start of the season. They cover the grass with geotextile blankets to make a greenhouse effect on the ground, and they maintain the infield dirt, warning track, pitcher’s mound, and batter’s boxes religiously.

Once the season begins, it’s a daily process to care for the field. Much like ballplayers go through the same exact routine every day to get ready to play, the grounds crew follows the same exact steps to get the field ready so that those players can play.

The day starts at 8 a.m. and continues throughout the morning and into the evening. Mowing, soaking, leveling, filling — you name it, this team does it and does it well.

When batting practice ends around 6 p.m., the crew puts the finishing touches on the prep, such as one last watering, painting the lines, positioning the bases, and smoothing out the dirt. After the third and sixth innings, they’re back out there, switching the bases and dragging the infield to ensure a true hop for the ball.

“I call it Groundhog Day some days because it’s the same thing over and over,” Baker said.

In baseball, every play is critical to the outcome of a game, so the grounds crew takes pride in making sure the field is in pristine condition, which lets the players’ talents dictate the outcome. It’s a beautiful thing!

The Catholic virtue of patience is an integral part of Baker’s life. It takes more than 11 hours to prepare the field for a night game, and it takes an entire offseason to get the field ready for the long haul of the regular season.

Staying grounded and staying patient goes a long way as a groundskeeper, so Baker’s Catholic faith has molded him perfectly for this unique career.

If you attend a Mets game at Citi Field this season, marvel at the gorgeous site you’re beholding and admire the work that went into the stunning masterpiece.

TONIGHT AT 7: How a Queens Parishioner Maintains the Mets’ Grounds at Citi Field

By Katie Vasquez

The New York Mets play 82 games each year at Citi Field, and one Queens parishioner is responsible for making sure the baseball diamond is in perfect condition for the first pitch.

Catholic News Headlines for Wednesday 7/9/2025

Many churches in the Diocese of Brooklyn are over a century old – their architecture showcases timeless faith in an ever-changing city. But for one church in Brooklyn, that beauty has been blocked from shining through.

While rescue and rebuilding efforts are still underway in Texas following the flash floods, one organization has stepped up to offer a meal and a prayer to those who lost everything.

Pope Leo XIV is committed to spreading peace, even during his two-week vacation: he held a private audience with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at his summer home.

Construction Blocks Stained Glass Windows of Downtown Brooklyn Church

By Katie Vasquez

As the faithful gather in the Oratory Church of St. Boniface in Downtown Brooklyn, some find they are celebrating midday Mass in the dark.

A veil of shadow covers a corner of the church: construction on a new building next door has blocked the natural light.

“Those three windows there literally right now are completely dark, because behind them is corrugated steel. It looks like a garage door. It’s part of the whole New York City fire code,” explained the administrative vicar at the Oratory Church of St Boniface, Father Anthony Andreassi, CO.

It’s a disappointing sight for people in the pews who regularly admire the view.

“I was a little upset because every church has its art and being part of this church, it made me feel very uncomfortable that there is three windows dark. You cannot see the art at all,” said parishioner, Robert.

“I think it’s a shame you can’t see them, and these over here look so beautiful,” said parishioner, John Baldo.

At one point in time, the church was the tallest building in the neighborhood but now it’s dwarfed by towering skyscrapers.

It was built in 1872, as German immigrants wanted a parish in that particular part of Brooklyn.

“Many of the stained glass windows in here either have German scripture verses in them or the saints depicted had a particular attachment to German immigrants at that time. Of course, the church is dedicated to Saint Boniface, who was a great missionary who was really English, but he was a monk bishop who brought the faith to Germany,” said Father Andreassi, CO.

There is a light at the end of this tunnel, however: the project next door is on parish land, meaning the church will be able to use the bottom four floors for parish space and Catholic campus ministry.

“We keep reminding them: ‘Just give us a little more time,'” Father Andreassi told Currents News. “There’s a wonderful project that’s happening on the other side of the windows, and then we’re going to be able to bring light back to the windows.”

The church has had conversations with lighting experts about installing backlighting to the windows once construction is completed, in order to make them even more vibrant.

Catholic News Headlines for Tuesday 7/8/2025

Campers and alumni from Camp Mystic, an all-girls Christian sleep away camp, are coming together to mourn and comfort each other following the deadly flash floods in Texas.

Tens of thousands of U.S. residents could face deportation: the Trump administration will be terminating temporary protected status for migrants from Honduras and Nicaragua.

The Diocese of Brooklyn is well-equipped to serve migrants in New York City, including seven men who have been newly ordained as priests.

Catholics Mourn, Offer Support as Texas Flood’s Death Toll Rises

by Lauretta Brown

(OSV News) – Texas Gov. Gregg Abbott declared Sunday, July 6 a day of prayer throughout the state, as the death toll from catastrophic flooding July 4 has now risen to more than 100 people as of July 8, including children in Kerr County. More than 40 people remain missing. This is a developing story.

A search remains underway for girls and a camp counselor still missing from Camp Mystic, a Christian, girls-only sleep away camp in Hunt, Texas. The camp’s director, Richard “Dick” Eastland, perished while trying to save campers from the deluge.

“Texans are known for their faith, strength, and resilience,” said Abbott, who is Catholic. “Even as floodwaters raged, neighbors rushed in to rescue, comfort, and bring hope. In times of loss, we turn to God for comfort, healing, and strength. I urge every Texan to join me in prayer this Sunday – for the lives lost, for those still missing, for the recovery of our communities, and for the safety of those on the front lines.”

The state received prayers from Rome as Pope Leo XIV spoke of the horrific events at his Sunday Angelus talk.

“I would like to express sincere condolences to all the families who have lost loved ones, in particular their daughters, who were at the summer camp, in the disaster caused by flooding of the Guadalupe River in Texas in the United States,” he said, adding, “We pray for them.”

The Archdiocese of San Antonio asked for the intercession of St. Anthony of Padua for “our communities in need.” In a social media post, it prayed for “families who have lost loved ones, homes, or livelihoods due to the recent flooding in the Hill Country, that they may find strength and healing through Christ.”

The Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston posted prayers in English and Spanish for those affected by the flooding saying, “in this time of uncertainty and sorrow, we unite ourselves to the Good Shepherd and ask for His protection and comfort over the victims, families, and first responders. We entrust the souls of those who passed to the mercy of Our Heavenly Father, and we seek the intercession of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, imploring her assistance in the rescue of those still missing.”

Among the dead were two sisters from St. Rita’s Catholic Church in Dallas, Blair and Brooke Harber, 13 and 11 years old. The girls were camping with their grandparents along the Guadalupe River. According to a GoFundMe for the family, the girls were known to love religion class and had their rosaries with them on the trip. The sisters’ bodies were found 15 miles away with their hands clasped together.

The girls’ parents were in a separate cabin and were able to survive the flood, but their grandparents were still missing as of July 7.

“Please keep the Harber family in your prayers during this time of profound grief. May our faith, our love, and our St. Rita community be a source of strength and comfort in the days ahead,” St. Rita’s pastor, Father Joshua J. Whitfield, said in a message to the church community.

Notre Dame Catholic Church in Kerrville, where Archbishop Gustavo García-Siller of San Antonio celebrated a July 6 Mass following the tragedy, has been a hub of both material and spiritual support for the devastated community. The outpouring of support has been so great that the church has paused collection of food, water, clothes and cleaning supplies, although financial donations are still being accepted.

“We were overwhelmed by the amount of support that has poured in over the last two days,” the parish said in a July 6 Facebook post, which included pictures of dozens of cases of bottled water, paper products, shelf-stable food, diapers and cleaning supplies.

The parish has also announced a nightly rosary, which will be prayed July 7-11 at 6:30 p.m., for flood victims, families still searching for loved ones, first responders and volunteers.

“All are invited, parishioner or not, Catholic or not, to join us” in prayer, said the parish.

Catholic News Headlines for Monday 7/7/2025

More than 80 people in Texas, including young girls from Camp Mystic, a Christian summer camp, have died in flash floods.

As search and rescue efforts continue, Pope Leo XIV is praying for the victims of the natural disaster.

Archbishop Gustavo García-Siller of San Antonio has a message of hope for those affected by the floods, saying the Catholic community is listening to the cries of the suffering.

San Antonio Archbishop Asks for Prayers, Solidarity Following Texas Flooding Tragedy

By Currents News and The Tablet Staff

(OSV News) – As many in Kerrville, Texas, rushed to find news of missing loved ones or grappled with losing their homes following catastrophic flooding, San Antonio Archbishop Gustavo García-Siller was among the faith leaders present to offer prayers and support.

OSV News spoke with the archbishop July 5 about his efforts to respond to the devastation left by the historic flooding that has left at least 80 dead, including campers and counselors from Camp Mystic, a Christian summer camp in Hunt, Texas.

The archbishop went to Kerrville July 4 and spoke with families affected by the flooding, including one mother whose 9-year-old daughter was still missing from Camp Mystic. He visited a designated site serving the families searching for their loved ones, and he encountered many people there who were scared and who welcomed prayers as they sought answers.

The archbishop also visited Notre Dame Catholic Church in Kerrville, “one of four sites that the city has selected to be centers for refuge, for care, for help,” he said.

“Catholic Charities was present, bringing food, clothes, hygiene articles, water,” Archbishop García-Siller told OSV News, adding that they “were able to place cots there because families have been evacuated and some families also have lost their house or their trailer so they will need a place to stay.”

Driving to the area, the archbishop asked himself what God was “asking of me in this situation, so that I would be useful,” to those facing fear and loss, but he said his focus quickly changed when he arrived from wondering how he could best be helpful to simply being present to those who were suffering.

He said in these situations, it’s important to “let yourself be touched with the reality” of the moment and “just to be” with people and attentive to their needs as well as offering prayer.

“In my case, it’s calling upon the Holy Spirit to guide me to know how to be present, not just to them in general, but to this individual,” he said.

“A lot of young parents were there, very young and they were coming from different places too,” he said. “This is not an issue just for the San Antonio Archdiocese, which is part of it, but no, there were people from Houston, from Austin, from other states.”

He added that the flooding will have a long-lasting impact on the community.

“I was very involved with what happened in Uvalde, Texas, with the killing of 19 children and two teachers, three years ago, and we’re still dealing with that,” he said. Following the floods, the archbishop said despite the cause being different, “the fact is the same: lives are missing,” and “the families are going through a lot.”

Archbishop García-Siller celebrated Mass on July 6 at 11 a.m. at Notre Dame Church, which he sees as an opportunity to be with the people and accompany them as they continue to deal with the impact of the lives and homes lost.

In these moments, he said, it is important “to recognize that God wants to work in us, in this very difficult time,” and we should “open ourselves to believe — that will lead us in time to have hope.” In the meantime, he said, he said that every person wanting to help can “make a choice to love.”

He said that while the area has plenty of resources for the time being, he encouraged the faithful to empathize with and pray for those who so quickly and unexpectedly lost their homes and family members.

The archbishop said there aren’t easy answers or quick fixes for tragic situations like “the family who loses their child at a young age and especially like this, totally unexpected.”

“That’s why we are called to do something, to be present and we find out with God’s grace how we are contributing for the well-being of the people,” he said, adding that there are “many other aspects besides the material needs that are being addressed, and we’ll continue addressing.”

Archbishop García-Siller said people “should not be indifferent” when they hear of such tragedies. And he praised those who want to help and asked that people use this as an opportunity to better understand the suffering of others, adding “it is a contribution if they pray.”

Vehicles sit damaged after deadly flooding in Kerrville, Texas, on July 5, 2025. (Photo: OSV News/Sergio Flores, via Reuters)

Prayers, Tears, Applause: New Priests Ordained in the Diocese of Brooklyn

By Katie Vasquez

After years of formation, seven men entered the Co-Cathedral of St Joseph as deacons and prepared to leave as priests in the Diocese of Brooklyn.

Brooklyn Bishop Robert Brennan led the men in the Sacrament of Holy Orders on Saturday, June 28.

Where prostrating before the altar they offered their lives in service to the people of God.

“I’m giving it all to God and just laying down my life just as Christ laid his, and I’m no longer the owner of my life at this point. It belongs now to the church, to Christ,” said Father Callistus Ibeh, a newly ordained priest.

“When I lay down on the floor, that is the death of Paulo Salazar. And when I rise up, it’s Father Paulo. And to go out and to bless His people and to give them the nourishment of the food for their souls,” said Father Paulo Salazar, a newly ordained priest.

They come from different countries and speak a multitude of languages, but the Brooklyn shepherd says their one similarity is their devotion to Christ.

“These are very talented men, but they’re also generous, they bring a vast variety of experiences and gifts, and they’re going to be putting those gifts to work,” said Bishop Brennan.

Then the seven reached the moment they were all waiting for: Bishop Brennan placed his hands on their head followed by the priests of the diocese, officially marking them as ordained priests.

“Now I’m moving on to this next life. Not completely sure where our Lord is going to take me, but I’m very confident in Him because of all the blessings of graces He’s brought to me into my life, through so many people and through certain prayers and intercession,” said Father Robert Ruggiero.

REALTED: Prayers, Tears, Applause as Seven New Priests Are Ordained in Diocese of Brooklyn

“To have a moment to pray and to really surrender, to hold on to God and to give myself completely to Him,” was important, Father Alvaro Moralez Sanchez told Currents News.

Their hands, which were anointed during the Mass, will lead countless other faithful throughout Brooklyn and Queens through the sacraments.

“I’m just very happy, genuinely very, very happy,” said Father Benoit Chavanne, “for the very reason that it’s through the ministry and through the hands that we will be consecrating the Host and giving the Sacrament of Confession, too.”

After the Ordination Mass ended, each one spent time blessing loved ones.

“Blessing the people through me because I’m an instrument of God, and I want to be an instrument for the faithful, to encourage them to to praise the Lord, to give thanks to Him, and to be blessed by him,” Father Juan Herrera told Currents News following his ordination.

As they prepare for their assignments, each one is ready to begin their ministry.

“I want to be involved a lot with the youth so they can think about vocation and they might have the call. But sometimes nobody talks to them about the vocation. So I want to spend some time getting to know people,” said Father Gerardo Tlatelpa.

They are spreading the Word of God across the Diocese of Brooklyn.