College students faced FAFSA application chaos, but St. Francis College found a game-changing solution.
St. Francis College in Brooklyn secures $3.5 million NSF grant to boost minority representation in STEM.
Discover the story of a devoted parishioner in this month’s ‘Pulse of the Parish,’ where finding an empty pew at Our Lady of Sorrows in Corona is a Sunday challenge amid thousands attending Mass.
Palmina Dionisi has been spending her days in this classroom at Archbishop Molloy High School in Briarwood for nearly four decades. But her teaching career has come to an end.
“Yes, 38 years,” said Dionisi. “38 wonderful, fulfilling, fantastic, challenging years. I loved every minute of it. I gave 100% of myself to my kids every single day.”
Her last day at Molloy was a celebration, her devotion getting some much-deserved recognition by students and her fellow faculty. Palmina’s final walkout was a rush of emotion.
“The last day, I think it all came together for them,” said Dionisi. “They saw me get emotional, and they got emotional. And I told them, ‘I gave you the best of myself, and those of you who gave me the best of yourselves, I thank you very much.'”
But there was no rushing in packing up her classroom. Palmina took her time, sifting through the memories.
Her Italian classes became a blend of language and culture. Though Palmina was born here, her parents were new immigrants, and her first language was Italian. So starting school was a bit of a struggle.
“We lived on a block, and on the corner there used to be a pharmacy,” said Dionisi. “And the pharmacist there was educated and spoke both Italian and English. So we would go there in the evening and have him correct my homework.”
But she learned to lean on her faith and pass it on to her students.
“I started each and every class with the Our Father and the Hail Mary in Italian,” said Dionisi. “I’ve tried to encourage my students to follow their faith. I always look to my favorite saint, Padre Pio, to guide me through dark moments. And until now, he’s never disappointed me.”
In retirement, Palmina’s excited to make pasta from scratch with her family and spend more time with her new granddaughter. But she has no regrets when it comes to the time she spent away from home and in the classroom.
“One Italian word to describe my career: ‘professionale,’ professional,” said Dionisi. “I tried to be professional at all times, with my students, with my colleagues, with the administration. I tried to give the best of myself to my career every day.”
She was the teacher, but as for what she learned:
“That students crave desire, discipline, organization, dedication,” Dionisi said. “Did I say organization? Yes, organization. They want a challenge.”
Earlier this year, millions of incoming college freshmen were met with technical difficulties while applying for federal student aid. The FAFSA website was down for months, delaying applications across the country and leaving many students unable to commit to schools.
St. Francis College in downtown Brooklyn is making up for it, helping their freshmen through a FAFSA fumble. Currents News’ Jessica Easthope has the story at 7.
Summer vacation is just beginning for students in the Diocese of Brooklyn, but one beloved teacher is about to embark on a permanent vacation.
Two years since Roe v Wade was overturned, new numbers are out showing just how many people traveled to get an abortion last year.
With just three weeks to go, the anticipation for the National Eucharistic Congress is building as pilgrims from all over make their way to Indianapolis. We’re getting a glimpse of the diverse and talented entertainers who will be gracing the event, adding to the excitement and intrigue.
We’ll also meet some Buddhist monks from Thailand who are walking from Key West, Florida, to Western New York on a journey to promote peace.
by Katie Vasquez
It was a beautiful day for a ball game at Maimonides Park on Friday, June 21. But before the Brooklyn Cyclones took on the Jersey Shore Blue Claws, priests and Catholic school principals took to the field for the 5th Annual Collars vs. Scholars game.
The friendly face-off is a part of Catholic School Night, a celebration of Catholic education across Brooklyn and Queens. This game is a fan favorite for Diocese of Brooklyn students, but the two teams didn’t let the pressure stop them from enjoying the game.
“I’m delighted to be part of this,” said Bishop Paul Sanchez, pastor at Our Lady Queen of Martyrs. “It’s always a fun time.”
“It doesn’t matter about the score,” said Michael Phillips, principal at St. Ephrem Catholic Academy. “We’re all having fun. A three-inning game. It was just a fun time all around.”
In the end, the Scholars beat the Collars 11 to 1, but priests were still popular among the crowds.
People in the stands also walked away with a special bobblehead of Father James Kuroly, the rector and president of Cathedral Prep.
“It was a tremendous honor for me,” Father Kuroly said. “But really, the way that I look at it, it’s an opportunity to honor those to whom I serve at Cathedral Prep.”
However, Father Elvin Torres, parochial vicar for St. Sebastian Church, believes the game could serve a higher purpose.
“Those guys who are watching, who may be feeling the call to the priesthood, we welcome you and we are waiting for you,” Father Torres said. “We have fun. We enjoy it. We bring God to the field. That’s the whole point, right?”
The ultimate MVPs of the night were the students, as valedictorians and salutatorians were awarded for their hard work.
“It’s good to see young kids who’ve won amazing awards just gathered together,” said Kamsiyo Chukwu, the salutatorian at Sacred Heart Catholic Academy.
Superintendent of Schools, Deacon Kevin McCormack, said the key to these students’ success is their ability to work together as a team.
“What our kids have done all year long with their teachers, with the parish, with the administrators, with the staff, it’s always together,” Deacon McCormack said. “We come and create a family. That’s what makes our schools so terrific and wonderful.”
Monday, June 24, marks two years since the historic Dobbs decision that overturned Roe v. Wade. The case involved a Mississippi law banning abortion after 15 weeks, directly challenging the High Court’s previous precedents set in Roe.
The justices voted six to three to uphold the Mississippi law on June 24, 2022, thus overruling a nearly 50-year precedent and moving the decision on abortion to the states.
There are currently 29 states where abortion is legal, including in New York. In seven states, abortion is legal with a gestational limit of between 6 to 18 weeks. For 14 states, abortion has been either totally or near totally banned. Around 10 states will put the procedure up for a vote in ballot initiatives this November.
U.S. bishops marked this historic day. The bishops of New York are committed to helping moms in need.
They have a resources page designed to help you find a pro-life center near you. Just go to nyscatholic.org/helpformoms/.
There’s also a statewide map that directs you to local Catholic parishes with available ministries.
You’ve heard of Christmas in July, but did you know there’s a Summer Christmas for Catholics?
It marks the birthday of St. John the Baptist, who is one of only three people, besides Jesus and Mary, whose birthday is celebrated in church liturgy.
The Nativity of St. John the Baptist falls on June 24, exactly six months before the Solemnity of the Nativity of Our Lord, which is why it’s sometimes known as Summer Christmas.
While it isn’t usually celebrated with presents, some countries observe “St. John’s Eve” with a bonfire, fireworks, or a candle-lit procession in honor of the saint who “was not the light, but came to testify to the light.”
Thirty young people took part in a Portal Pilgrimage on Saturday, June 22.
The giant circular screens allowed the young people to gather near the Flatiron Building and pray the rosary in real-time with a group from Dublin, Ireland.
The Manhattan portal was unveiled in May as one of the first in a global network of identical portal sculptures created by a Lithuanian artist.
The organizer of the Manhattan rosary plans to return to New York on the 22nd day of each month for more rosaries.
The Scholars’ stunning victory over the Collars highlighted a thrilling Catholic Schools Night at Maimonides Park, featuring an epic softball clash between priests and principals.
As part of a unique portal pilgrimage in New York City on Saturday, young pilgrims prayed the rosary in real time with a group from Dublin via giant circular screens.
Two years after Roe v. Wade, U.S. bishops reflect on victories and challenges in the ongoing fight for life.
Just five days before the athletes get on their bikes, a delegation from the Tour de France visited the Vatican. They presented Pope Francis with two jerseys worn by competitors in the world-famous bicycle race.
A fierce competition is about to get underway at Maimonides Park, but we’re not talking about the Brooklyn Cyclones. We mean the Collars versus Scholars, the softball rematch between priests and principals of diocesan schools.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul just signed two groundbreaking bills to safeguard kids online, targeting predatory activities and making the digital world safer for minors.
In a stunning twist, the Vatican summons Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano to face schism charges for denying Pope Francis’s legitimacy and rejecting the Second Vatican Council.
Unearthing a 3,000-year-old shipwreck, archaeologists discover one of the Mediterranean’s oldest maritime secrets from the 14th century B.C.