St. Peter’s Basilica Introduces Monthly Eucharistic Adoration

The public can now attend an hour-long Eucharistic Adoration every second Tuesday of the month in front of St. Peter’s Basilica.

The first adoration, held on March 14, was led by Cardinal Mauro Gambetti, archpriest of St. Peter’s Basilica. Prayers were offered for Pope Francis in honor of the 10th anniversary of his pontificate.

The initiative is a new addition to the pastoral outreach of the Basilica. Last fall, the Basilica released Lectio Petri, a set of meetings to reflect on various aspects of St. Peter’s life.

This series came after a video about St. Peter was projected onto the facade of the Basilica for two weeks during the month of October.

The video used images of St. Peter from the Vatican Museums and its goal was to help pilgrims and tourists alike get to know the first Pope.

9/11 Victims Attorney Fears for East Palestine, Says EPA ‘Sent Shivers Down My Spine’

People who live in East Palestine, Ohio are trying to get on with their lives after a train derailment in February up-ended their community.

Despite the EPA deeming the site clean and safe, the worst may not be over for them according to some experts.

One lawyer who’s been helping victims of 9/11 says the health of East Palestine residents is at risk.

Michael Barasch from Barasch and McGarry is worried the Ohio residents may still be in danger from the fallout of the derailment.

Our Lady of Grace Catholic Academy Uses Technology to Help Migrant Student Succeed

The instructions from her teacher are loud and clear, but Dulce Maria doesn’t understand them.

Unlike her fellow fifth grade classmates, in English, she reads at a kindergarten level.

That’s why Christine Latona and the teachers at Our Lady of Grace Catholic Academy in Gravesend, Brooklyn, even those who don’t have Dulce Maria in class, are rallying around her, making sure she gets all the benefits of a Catholic education.

“It’s allowing her to get the education she needs, it’s enabling her to be bilingual in a predominantly English speaking school and it’s giving her the confidence that she’ll need later on in life to say look what I was able to accomplish and learn by coming to a Catholic school,” Latona said.

She uses iReady, it’a a program used to determine students’ needs, track their progress and personalize their learning. For Dulce Maria, the school is using it in two languages.

“I like school but the problem is I still can’t speak English well. I’m trying my best because I know they’re trying to help me so I try to pay attention especially to any feedback that give me,” said Dulce Maria.

Dulce’s been at Our Lady of Grace since she arrived in New York two months ago. She came with her father from Colombia, they crossed the southern border on foot.

“In Colombia there are a lot of robberies and incidents caused by some very bad people, we were afraid to go out with jewelry or anything of value and it gave people in the city a feeling of insecurity, it’s not safe,” she said.

Stephanie Campanella is the school’s DeSales Technology Institute coach, she set Dulce Maria up on Duo Lingo, meeting her right where she is so she can learn English at her own pace.

“We want to have our doors open to anyone who comes in to have a great Catholic education and not just have a safe place but to learn and thrive in whatever environment they’re in and we work collaboratively to make sure that happens,” she said.

With support from her teachers, her new friends and Our Lady of Grace’s technology, not just progress but success is possible for Dulce Maria. It might take time, but for now – it clicks.

Currents News Update for Monday 3/20/23

Catholic schools in the Diocese of Brooklyn are doing what they can to help with the migrant crisis currently ensuing in New York City.

Supporters of former President Donald Trump could be planning big protests in Manhattan after the former president said on social media that it appears he’ll be arrested on Tuesday.

The Archdiocese Of Los Angeles is honoring the late Bishop David O’Connell with his own chapel at the Cathedral of Our Lady of The Angels.

St. Joseph Art Contest Winners Drawn From 827 Entries, Take Home Cash Prizes

DYKER HEIGHTS — A record number of entries and the most cash prizes ever awarded converged on March 16 with the announcement of winners in the 2023 youth spring art contest co-sponsored by The Tablet.

The newspaper joined the Co-Cathedral of St. Joseph and the Archbishop John Hughes Council of the Knights of Columbus to hold the contest for youth in the Diocese of Brooklyn. This year had the theme — “St. Joseph: Fatherhood.”

“By sheer numbers alone, far and wide, it’s the biggest contest we’ve had,” said Dustin Etheridge, manager of digital content and creative services for DeSales Media Group, the ministry that produces The Tablet.

The contest, which began in mid-February, was open to all school students in the diocese from first through 12th grades. Judges had 827 submissions to evaluate and were categorized into two groups: first through eighth grades and high school.

Father Christopher Heanue, the rector of the Co-Cathedral of St. Joseph, conceived the idea to host the art contest while the church is preparing for an installation of a statue honoring its namesake. He added that the artwork might help inform the final product of the sculpture.

“I was so excited to try to release some ideas for the co-cathedral in terms of trying to use the creative talent of our students from our Catholic schools,” Father Heanue said during the awards ceremony at the Knights of Columbus Hall in Dyker Heights.

Etheridge said the contest had first, second, and third-place winners in both categories. The students at the ceremony knew they’d placed in the competition. However, they only knew which prizes they won when announced.

The top three winners in each category received, respectively, $500, $300, and $100. Additionally, the Knights of Columbus gave $500 to the school with the most entries — Our Lady of Mercy, Forest Hills.

“I’m just super honored,” exclaimed Eleni Kougiemitros, a 10th grader from St. Francis Prep, who won first place in the high school division. “It’s so crazy that I won!”

Madison Summerville, an eighth grader from St. Sebastian Catholic Academy, won second place in the first- to eighth-grade category.

“I had only one day to complete that,” she said. “And it took me 4-5 hours to do.”

Leah Struss, a second grader from Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Academy, was the youngest winner with third place in the grade-school category.

“I just really thank my parents for supporting me because if nobody supported me, I wouldn’t feel like I was good enough,” she said.

Etheridge said the cash prizes no doubt fueled the massive participation, but the contest was well-publicized, and believes the contest theme also had a unique draw.

“I think that the Fatherhood of St. Joseph — St. Joseph, as the earthly father of Jesus — is something that any child can relate to,” Etheridge said.

The winners are:

FIRST-EIGHTH GRADE CATEGORY

1st place: $500

Mikaela Pereira, 6th grade

St. Joseph Academy, Astoria

2nd place: $300

Madison Summerville, 8th grade

St. Sebastian Catholic Academy, Woodside

3rd place: $100

Leah Struss, 2nd grade

Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Academy, Forest Hills

Honorable Mention: $50

Ella Mangels, 4th grade

St. Bernadette Catholic Academy, Dyker Heights

HIGH SCHOOL CATEGORY

1st place: $500

Eleni Kougiemitros, 10th grade

St. Francis Prep, Fresh Meadows

2nd place: $300

Seunghwa Woo, 12th grade

St. Francis Prep, Fresh Meadows

3rd place: $100

Sze Yu Queemy Yiu, 11th grade

Christ the King, Middle Village

SCHOOL WITH THE MOST ENTRIES

$500 from the Knights of Columbus

Our Lady of Mercy, Forest Hills

Pope Francis Prays For Ecuador Earthquake Victims

During the Angelus on Sunday, Pope Francis expressed his sorrow for the earthquake in Ecuador that caused heavy damage and left more than a dozen dead.

“Yesterday, in Ecuador, an earthquake caused deaths, injuries and enormous damage,” Pope Francis said. “I want to express my solidarity with the Ecuadorian people and I promise to pray for the deceased and all those who suffer.”

He encouraged the people present in the square to reflect on the Gospel of the day, where a miracle of Jesus sparks controversy because it was performed on the Sabbath.

“Are we happy to proclaim that Jesus loves us, that he saves us,” Pope Francis said. “Or instead, like the parents of the man who was born blind, do we let ourselves be caged by the fear of what people will think?”

In his closing, Pope Francis greeted the participants and organizers of the Rome Marathon, which also took place that day.

St. Patrick’s Day Parade Honors Immigrants’ Quest for Better Lives

MIDTOWN — On a day steeped in all things Irish, Claire Mullin kept up her three-decade tradition by watching the St. Patrick’s Day Parade on the sidewalk in front of Saks Fifth Avenue.

The 262nd New York City St. Patrick’s Day Parade passed by the spot on its annual trek up Fifth Avenue on Friday, March 17, with a rousing spectacle of bagpipes, drums, and marchers carrying Irish-themed banners.

“Today’s the day to celebrate your Irish heritage,” Mullin said. “I mean, my parents are immigrants. They came to this country — they didn’t have anything — but they gave us a good life. So why not celebrate the fact that we’re still here?”

Earlier, just a block up from where Mullin stood with friends, Cardinal Timothy Dolan celebrated the annual pre-parade Mass at St. Patrick’s Cathedral.

This historic house of worship, with a capacity of 2,500 people, held a full house with dignitaries and the faithful, shoulder to shoulder and clad in their favorite shades of green. Also on hand were Catholic clergy and members of the New York National Guard.

Cardinal Dolan opened his remarks by greeting a long list of guests that included Mayor Eric Adams and State Attorney General Letitia James.

He also welcomed parade grand marshal Kevin Conway, Irish Consul General Helena Nolan, and several concelebrants, including Bishop Robert Brennan and Bishop John Barres of the Diocese of Rockville Centre.

“It’s a grand day for Ireland, a grand day for New York City, for America, and for the Irish diaspora worldwide,” Cardinal Dolan proclaimed. “Made all the more grand by your gracious company.

“Fellow Irish, one and all, what better way to commence this grand feast day than with the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass?”

Gov. Kathy Hochul greeted Cardinal Dolan during the parade as she passed by the cathedral’s front steps. NYPD Commissioner Keechant Sewell and FDNY Commissioner Laura Kavanagh also stopped to say hello.

Each year, an estimated 150,000 people march in the parade down Fifth Avenue, lined with about two million spectators.

The annual event’s organizers bill it as the oldest and largest St. Patrick’s Day Parade in the world. The first parade was held on March 17, 1762 — 14 years before the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

St. Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland and of the Archdiocese of New York.

Just before the parade stepped off at 11 a.m., Bishop Brennan reflected on the legacies of Irish immigrants. Despite their poverty, they not only cared for their families but also built hundreds of churches that nurtured the faith.

He noted that immigrants from other countries around the world also made unique contributions.

“Our ancestors,” Bishop Brennan said, “(faced) the struggles of a new life not only to make their own lives better but to make better lives for their children and grandchildren, to give opportunities. That’s my story.”

Currents News Update for Friday 3/17/23

St. Patrick’s Day in New York kicked off with Mass at St. Patrick’s Cathedral, which was followed by the famous parade on Fifth avenue.

How much do you actually know about the patron Saint Of Ireland?

Bishop Robert Brennan of the Diocese Of Brooklyn is the Grand Marshal in Lindenhurst’s Parade next weekend.

Meet the winners of the latest Tablet Newspaper St. Joseph Art Contest.

McMahon’s Public House Prepares for St. Patrick’s Day After Lenten Dispensation

By Jessica Easthope

Get it by the piece, by the sandwich, or by the pound – no matter how you slice it, McMahon’s says it’s the best corned beef in Brooklyn. And this year Catholics can opt out of their Lenten obligation and savor every bite.

“Anybody can walk in your door, you have to make sure they come back and we’re very lucky because tomorrow we have a lot of nationalities coming in for St. Patrick’s Day, not just Irish, every body,” said Mike McMahon, owner of McMahon’s Public House in Park Slope.

Mike says they usually get a crowd of 3,000 on St. Patrick’s Day. Between people eating in and taking out, he ordered twelve hundred pounds of corned beef. The way it’s made stays a secret.

“They’re preparing this delicious corned beef for like 3 or 4 days now and it’s not just boiling corned beef, they put a lot of seasoning into it which I can’t say,” he said.

This year, St. Patrick’s Day falls on a Friday, but Bishop Robert Brennan said not to worry. His dispensation acknowledges St. Patrick, who brought Catholicism to Ireland. So anyone who raises a toast to him, can do so with corned beef and Celtic culture. All he asks for is a work of charity in return.

“We were raised to say our rosary every night and not forget where we came from Ireland and we were told just do the right thing, we never ate meat on Friday during Lent, right now the Bishop says okay I think we have to take his word for it,” said Mike.

So as the gravy simmers, there’s calm before the storm at McMahon’s. Céad míle fáilte, one hundred thousand welcomes and twelve hundred pounds of corned beef.

Former Queens Deacon Sentenced to 16 Years for Enticing Minors for Sex

By Paula Katinas and Jessica Easthope

DOWNTOWN BROOKLYN — Rogelio Vega, a former deacon at St. Sebastian Church in Woodside, who pleaded guilty last year to enticing three minors to engage in sexual conduct, was sentenced to 16 years in prison on Wednesday, March 15.

Judge Eric R. Komitee, who handed down the sentence in Brooklyn Federal Court, also sentenced Vega to five years of supervised release after he gets out of prison and ordered him to register as a sex offender.

Vega, 52, who authorities said led a double life for years — as a deacon and someone engaging in unlawful sexual activities — was charged with both state and federal crimes.

“This was a crime that occurred on a large number of occasions over a long period of time,” said the judge, who added that Vega robbed the victims of their childhoods.

Deterring sex crimes against minors is “an essential task of the criminal justice system,” the judge added.

Vega was originally arrested on state charges on Jan. 22, 2021, when he was nabbed as part of a sting operation. Authorities said he began using a dating app in July 2020 and started communicating with a person he thought was a 14-year-old.

In reality, the person was an undercover NYPD detective. Prosecutors said Vega exchanged pornographic pictures with the “minor” and made plans to meet up with him.

But when Vega showed up at the agreed-upon location, the undercover detective was there to arrest him. Vega pleaded guilty in that case in October 2021.

The same day he pleaded guilty, he was arrested on federal charges after a search of his cell phone turned up evidence that he had enticed minors for sex, authorities said.

The Diocese of Brooklyn released a statement after Wednesday’s sentencing.

“We hope the healing process can begin for the victim-survivors in this case. We pray for them and all victim-survivors of sexual abuse,” the statement reads. “These heinous acts betrayed not only his victims but damaged the sacred trust of the faithful.”

The Diocese of Brooklyn immediately suspended Vega from his post as a deacon upon his Jan. 22, 2021, arrest. Following his guilty plea to the federal charges in September 2022, the diocese began the process that permanently removed him from ministry.

Upon Vega’s removal from St. Sebastian in 2021, the diocese sent a letter to parishioners to inform them of the arrest and actions taken against him and sent its vice chancellor and head of the Office of Victim Assistance to St. Sebastian to meet with parishioners.

The steps are part of the diocese’s commitment and protocols, including a zero-tolerance policy, put in place nearly two decades ago to combat sexual abuse.

In 2004, now-retired Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio established a reporting line (888-634-4499) for anyone to report allegations of sexual abuse within the diocese. The confidential line connects directly to law enforcement authorities. Victims are encouraged to report a crime no matter when the alleged abuse occurred.

The Office of Victim Assistance also provides supportive services to victims, including counseling and referrals for therapy. In addition, the diocese runs the Office of Safe Environment, which trains clergy, employees, and students on identifying the signs of sexual abuse and how to report it.

According to federal court documents, Vega used apps to find, coerce and entice his victims, between the ages of 14 and 16, and arranged to meet them in person.

In fact, Komitee said, the defendant used multiple cell phones, which “says something about the lengths Mr. Vega was going to” to commit his crimes.

The evidence showed that his criminal activity took place between approximately 2015 and January 2021, prosecutors said. Vega pleaded guilty in federal court on Sept. 16, 2022.

Federal prosecutors, led by Department of Justice Trial Attorney Assistant Patrick J. Campbell, sought a sentence of 30 years in prison, while Vega’s defense attorney, James Darrow, asked for him to get 10 years.

Vega wept as he read a statement in court. “It has not been easy. I lost the trust of my family,” he said. “I wish things could be different. I wish we could go back in time.”

As for the victims, he said, “I hope they are finding peace in their life.”

When Vega became too overcome to continue, Darrow read the remainder of his statement.

Vega was ordained a deacon on May 28, 2011. He had been serving at St. Sebastian Church from December 2015 until his arrest in 2021. Prior to that, he was assigned to Most Holy Trinity-St. Mary Parish in Williamsburg.

It was revealed in court on Wednesday that Vega was himself a victim of child sex abuse. But the judge said that meant he should have known better.

“You knew from your experience the harm you were causing,” he told Vega.