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Supreme Court Sides with Christian Post Office Worker Who Wanted Sundays Off

In a unanimous decision June 29, the Supreme Court sided with a Christian mail carrier who had been required to work Sundays for the U.S. Postal Service against his religious beliefs that the day was one of worship and rest.

The 9-0 ruling threw out a lower federal court’s ruling that had sided with the Postal Service and rejected the former mail carrier’s claim that requiring him to work on Sundays violated federal anti-discrimination law.

The lower court ruling on this case, by the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Philadelphia, said that absences by the Pennsylvania employee, Gerald Groff, placed too much of a hardship on his co-workers and his employer.

But the nation’s highest court, in an opinion written by Justice Samuel Alito, ordered the 3rd Circuit to reconsider the case, stressing that the employer must “show that the burden of granting an accommodation” has “substantial increased costs in relation to the conduct of its particular business.”

In its ruling, the court overturned its 1977 decision that said employers had to “reasonably accommodate” an employee’s religious beliefs and practices, so long as it did not create an “undue hardship” on the business.

Based on this decision, it could now be easier for employees to obtain religious accommodation in the workplace.

Catholic News Headlines for Wednesday 06/28/2023

 

Diocese of Brooklyn priests and principals will play softball against each other.

We’re shining a light on a parishioner at St. Thomas Aquinas in Brooklyn who uses his creativity for the good of the church.

 

Scholars Take On Collars For Catholic Schools Night

In the heart of Coney Island, at Maimonides Park, a unique showdown is set to take place. But it’s not the usual matchup between the Cyclones and the Blue Claws that has everyone talking. This time, it’s the Collars versus the Scholars.

This wouldn’t be the first time the two teams collided though. It’ll be the fourth annual softball game that takes place on Catholic Schools Night. The participants on each team? Principals from the Diocese of Brooklyn schools, who will go head-to-head with their adversaries — the priests they work closely with.

The anticipated softball game will kick off at Maimonides Park on June 28. The gates will open at 5:45 p.m.

 

Surge in Whale Sightings Along NYC Harbor as Some Wash Ashore on City Beaches

Whale sightings have become a common event along New York CIty area beaches and harbor over the course of several years.

There have been a number of theories on the sudden rise of whales in the area and why they are suddenly flocking to the harbor.

In some unfortunate cases, there have been sightings of the mammoth-sized ocean creatures washing up on beaches dead.

Currents News Katie Vasquez took a trip on one of the whale watching excursions and spoke with experts to learn more about the growing trend.

Catholic News Headlines for Tuesday 06/27/2023

 

Whales washing ashore is beginning to become a common sight along New York City area beaches.

Tomorrow night’s game between Priests and Principals will happen before the Cyclones take the field.

Cardinal Matteo Zuppi will visit Moscow this week as Pope Francis’ peace envoy.

Newly Appointed Episcopal Vicars of Diocese of Brooklyn’s Updated Regional Territories Speak To Currents News

Bishop Robert Brennan announced some new changes in the Diocese of Brooklyn on Friday, June 23.

The bishop is planning a new regional map for the diocese, consisting of four regions, and introducing the four Episcopal Vicars who will oversee them.

The regions will be divided among Brooklyn East, Brooklyn West, Queens East, and Queens West.  

Each Vicar will be responsible for his own territory within the diocese.

The four Regional Episcopal Vicars will support diocesan initiatives and install and assist new pastors within the diocese’s 22 deaneries. 

Auxiliary Bishop Witold Mroziewski, will lead Brooklyn West. 

He is currently the pastor of Holy Cross in Maspeth, and vicar for the diocese’s Migrant and Ethnic Apostolates. 

“The biggest challenge will be the closeness to each other and also more collaborative work as partners, with the parishes, with two or three parishes, pastors and lay people,”Bishop Mroziewski said. “But I think it will be very fruitful to listen and work with them.”

The vicars will also be in charge of investigating and addressing complaints made to Bishop Brennan and complaints of inappropriate conduct. 

It’s a responsibility Father Peter Purpura of Our Lady of Hope, who will lead Queens West, said he takes extremely seriously.

“These are the things where we’re going to be thrust into these sensitive situations, where there’s been someone harmed or with just fielding and responding to a common complaint, or people just air their grievances and it will be our responsibility to respond to that and where possible repair the harm,” Father Purpura said.

Another aspect of this new role is pastoral planning within the diocese.

Father John Costello of St. Luke’s, who will lead Queens East, said he looks forward to working with pastors on spiritual goals, for both the Diocese of Brooklyn and the global church.

“At the end of the day our role is to bring people to a personal relationship with Jesus,” Father Costello said. “The million dollar question is how to get parents and young people back to church and that’s the key message we need to get out to people, that Jesus makes a difference in our lives.”

Father Joseph Hoffman of St. Barbara’s in Bushwick-Ridgewood, and a chaplain for the Fire Department of the City of New York, will lead Brooklyn East.

To read more about the new regions and their vicars, click here.

For detailed maps of the regions and their corresponding parishes, purchase a copy of the July 1 & 8 double edition of The Tablet in your parish.

You can receive future editions by going to thetablet.org and becoming a sustaining member or subscribing.

Catholic News Headlines for Monday 06/26/2023

The Diocese of Brooklyn is being reconfigured.

Pope Francis marked the 40th anniversary of the so-called “Vatican Girl” disappearance with prayer.

Hundreds of pro-lifers converged on Washington D.C this weekend to mark the one year anniversary of the overturning of Roe v. Wade.

With the Fourth of July about a week away, some people in the Diocese of Brooklyn have begun celebrating early.

Catholic News Headlines for Friday 06/23/2023

A teacher at St. Catherine Of Genoa – St. Therese of Lisieux Catholic Academy In East Flatbush makes a real difference in the lives of his students.

The tower at the Cathedral Basilica of St. James is back and it’s drawing people in.

There’s a new 500 foot pier in Ocean Grove, New Jersey, also known as god’s square mile, is shaped like a cross.

The chefs at Enoteca Maria are all grandmothers.