New York City Faithful Follow Jesus’ Final Steps During Way of the Cross

By Katie Vasquez

Good Friday is the most solemn day of the year for Catholics, as they remember Christ’s crucifixion.  Hundreds of faithful followed those footsteps, crossing the Brooklyn Bridge in a procession meant to mimic Jesus’ final steps. 

They walk with purpose, crossing the Brooklyn Bridge in a procession that they feel brings them closer to the Son of God, by reliving his sacrifice. 

“It’s us walking with Christ. It’s sort of a symbolic call, the heart to not only believe what he says, but also to do what he did, like take that walk with our crosses in a physical sense, not only just spiritually. we live it out in our lives,” said Holy Family Church parishioner, Noel Guzman. 

The morning started with prayer at the Cathedral Basilica of St James with Brooklyn’s Bishop Robert Brennan, New York’s Cardinal Timothy Dolan, and the Greek Orthodox church’s Archbishop Elpidophoros of America joining together for the Good Friday service.

“Well, we’re working toward unity. This is something we’ve been working for centuries toward, and the celebration of the common date of Easter, the shared date of Easter, is a great sign of that, and our walking with Christ on this journey,” said Bishop Robert Brennan of the Diocese of Brooklyn. 

Spencer Bell learned of the Way of the Cross from Bishop Brennan last week at a Holy Hour, and knew it would open his heart more to Jesus.

“What He went through, to sacrifice Himself for us as, like a master, as a father figure. it’s just inspirational and we’re able to look at Him and be able to kind of give ourselves to others in the same way He did to us,” said Bell, who is parishioner at Mary’s Nativity-St. Ann Church in Flushing, Queens.

There was quiet prayer as people walked more than a mile behind the cross, allowing the faithful to focus on the reason for the Easter season.

“Well, how about silence? Silence is good on Good Friday. Que viva la cruz de Cristo. We adore thee, Oh Christ. and we praise thee because by thy holy cross thou hast redeemed the world,” said Cardinal Timothy Dolan of the Archdiocese of New York. 

“When you take the time out of your day to focus on Christ, these things, whether it be small or big like this, you take that, you run the risk of getting closer to. That’s a beautiful risk because then you change for the better,” said Guzman. 

Good Friday is the only day that the Catholic Church doesn’t celebrate Mass, because Catholics believe it is a day of mourning rather than joy. There are still services held, including a reading of the Gospel, veneration of the cross and distribution of Holy Communion, but the eucharist is never consecrated on Good Friday.

Showering Moms With Love: Annual Baby Shower Brings Hope to Expectant Mothers

By Currents News

A charitable organization is showering expectant mothers with love: the Don Bosco Columbiettes, the ladies auxiliary of the Knights of Columbus, hosted their 14th annual baby shower, Wednesday April 16.

They collected toys, shoes, diapers, toiletries, a few car seats, and baby clothes, some of which were crocheted by generous donors.

The donations will be sent to the Bridge to Life in College Point, Queens, a non-profit organization helping mothers with life-affirming services for more than 30 years.

Queens Church Holds Live Reenactment of Christ’s Passion

By Currents News

In the Diocese of Brooklyn a Queens parish was living out the Passion of Christ.

An English and Spanish reenactment started in the pews of St. Joseph’s Church before heading out to the streets of Astoria.

A choir was leading the way as one parishioner, playing the part of Jesus, carried a cross and acted out Christ’s road to Calvary.

Others portrayed the other important roles in the biblical story, like Mary and the women who wept at His crucifixion.

After Jesus was “nailed” to the cross during the reenactment, the parishioners returned inside to pray.

Catholic News Headlines for Friday 4/18/2025

On Good Friday the Diocese of Brooklyn is walking the Way of the Cross as parishioners partake in a solemn procession across the Brooklyn Bridge.

Students in Rome are reflecting on Christ’s crucifixion through Catholic history as they view relics that can be linked back to Jesus’s road to Calvary.

Faithful at a Queens church are reenacting the Passion of the Christ through New York City streets as living testament to His sacrifice.

Holy Thursday: A Night of Humility, Service, and Sacred Tradition

By Currents News

Before remembering Christ’s Crucifixion on Good Friday, Catholics recalled Jesus’ Last Supper with his disciples on Holy Thursday.

Bishop Robert Brennan washed the feet of 12 People, just like the Son of God, a show of love and humility for both clergy and laity.

The Mass also remembers when Jesus changed Bread and Wine into His own Body and Blood, something Catholics celebrate at every Mass throughout the year.

TONIGHT AT 7: Hundreds to Walk Way of the Cross in NYC

By Currents News

It’s a solemn day for Catholics around the world as people of faith remember Jesus’ sacrifice for us this Good Friday.

The Diocese of Brooklyn is walking with Christ on this day, processing across the Brooklyn Bridge to commemorate His final steps to crucifixion.

A Look Back at the Diocese of Brooklyn’s 2025 Lenten Pilgrimage

By Currents News

Before we celebrate the Resurrection at Currents News, here’s one last look at the Diocese of Brooklyn’s Lenten Pilgrimage.

From prayer to Eucharistic Adoration, from Masses and reflections to youth-focused Holy Hours, here’s how parishioners of all ages across Brooklyn and Queens prepared themselves for the Easter Triduum.

Lenten Pilgrimage Comes to a Close in the Diocese of Brooklyn

By Currents News

A Tenebrae Service held at St. Charles Borromeo Church in Brooklyn Heights on Wednesday, April 16, marking the last stop on the Diocese of Brooklyn’s Lenten Pilgrimage.

It was the 37th church visited by pilgrims during this Holy Season of Lent – a stop just as important as their first on Ash Wednesday, when Bishop Robert Brennan celebrated Mass at the Cathedral Basilica of St. James.

“It’s amazing. It’s the best. It’s the best time. The pilgrimage is just, it’s so spiritually renewing,” parishioner Madeline Flood said. 

Bishop Brennan led the pilgrims on most of the stops and welcomed them all, both new and returning.

On day three he was at Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Astoria, Queens.

“There’s just so much devotion, so much faith. People are really longing to be closer to Jesus Christ, and that’s such an inspiration,” Bishop Brennan said. 

Many pilgrims were inspired by Michele Guerrier a St. Therese of Lisieux parishioner who made it her mission to hit every stop on the pilgrimage.

“This diocese has the most beautiful churches,” Guerrier explained. “We tend to stay in our parish home and don’t realize what we have out there.”

Together the pilgrims grew in faith and fellowship, no matter their church, their borough, or their age.

Students from St. Joseph’s Catholic Academy in Astoria led the packed parish in praying the Rosary during the 18th stop of the pilgrimage.

“It was a blessing because I love to pray all the time. I pray before I go to bed, and I feel like it brings me closer to God,” Olivia Buscio, a 4th grader at the school, said.

Catholic News Headlines for Thursday 4/17/2025

Bishop Robert Brennan joins parishioners in the Diocese of Brooklyn as they close out their Lenten Pilgrimage journey.

Although the diocesan pilgrimage has come to a close, there are still ways Catholics in Brooklyn and Queens can become pilgrims of hope during the Jubilee Year – Currents News shares how.

The White House has confirmed that U.S. Vice President JD Vance is scheduled to travel to the Vatican during Easter, but will he be able to meet with Pope Francis?

Pope Francis Declares ‘God’s Architect’ Venerable

By Currents News

Ahead of Easter, Pope Francis brought the man famously known as God’s Architect one step closer to sainthood-

The pontiff declared Antoni Gaudí Venerable on Monday.

The Spanish architect’s most iconic work is the Basilica of the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona-
which is still under construction more than 140 years later.

Gaudí will now need two miracles attributed to his intercession to be canonized.