By Currents News
By Currents News
By Currents News
Bishop Robert Brennan visited Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Academy in Forest Hills, reading to second graders as part of a new initiative, the Great Diocesan Read-Aloud.
The annual initiative, held during National Reading Month, brings guest readers into Catholic schools across Brooklyn and Queens to inspire students and deepen their faith.
By Currents News
Born in 1940 in West Roxbury, Massachusetts, Murphy was ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Boston in 1964 at St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City.
He served as an assistant pastor and teacher in Boston for more than a decade before spending 13 years in Rome as undersecretary of a pontifical commission.
Upon returning to Boston, he held several roles, including secretary for community relations and director of the Office of Social Justice.
In 2001, he was appointed the fourth bishop of Rockville Centre, serving the Long Island diocese faithfully for 15 years until his retirement in 2016.
Funeral arrangements have not yet been announced as of March 27, 2026.
The Tablet and Currents News offer our prayers:
Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him. May his soul and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.
By Christine Persichette
From what looks like chaos is coming a sense of calm at Sacred Heart of Jesus Church in Bayside, Queens.
Sister Kathleen Masterson, the pastoral associate at the church, is transforming the parish hall into a sacred space – with a little help from her friends.
Hundreds of students from Catholic schools across Brooklyn and Queens came together for Eucharistic rallies, marking one of the largest youth-led prayer efforts in the city.
Bishop Robert Brennan read to students at Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Academy in Queens as part of an initiative called the Great Diocesan Read-Aloud.
Students at Bay Ridge Catholic Academy pitched their own podcast ideas during a visit from a DeSales Media digital leader.
The Oratory Church of St. Boniface in Brooklyn is moving forward with new plans to enhance its space as nearby construction continues.
By Jessica Easthope
Bead by bead, they prayed. One by one, their hearts were touched by the true presence.
“I always knew Christ as my best friend and as my Savior,” said Valentina Quinones, a sixth-grader at St. Elizabeth Catholic Academy. “It makes me happy to see other schools come and other children know who Jesus is.”
Quinones and her fellow middle schoolers at St. Elizabeth joined students from eight other schools Friday, March 27, for the Diocese of Brooklyn’s ninth and final Eucharistic rally of the school year. It was the largest by far — 740 students saying the rosary, 53 Hail Marys each. That equals 39,220 Hail Marys in a single day. Seventh-grader Marco Villacres from St. Helen Catholic Academy said they can do better.
“It just shows our faith is getting stronger to God,” Villacres said. “It’s never enough. It’s just what we need to do as Catholics.”
Almost every school in the Diocese of Brooklyn participated in Eucharistic rallies this year, totaling close to 200,000 Hail Marys, give or take.
“We started crunching the numbers a few weeks ago when we realized, wow, that’s a lot of Hail Marys,” said John O’Brien, associate superintendent of schools for the Diocese of Brooklyn. “To have so many of their peers praying together in this type of setting, in this type of liturgy. It’s a really unique experience. And the kids really come through.”
Pastor of St. Helen Church, Fr. Francis Colamaria, said this kind of prayer effort is sure to make an impact.
“All I can say is wow,” Colamaria said. “I’m blown away. I’ve never experienced anything like this in my childhood in Catholic schools. And this is a great blessing. Unprecedented. And I look forward to having more of these.”
Prayers by the hundreds of thousands was never the goal. It’s what these young Catholics can do when they pray together — and what God can do in them.
By Jessica Easthope
The power of prayer is on full display across the Diocese of Brooklyn this Lent, as students from Catholic schools in Brooklyn and Queens lead rosary rallies in one of the largest youth-led prayer efforts in the city.
From large school gatherings to moments of quiet reflection, these rallies are bringing young people closer to Christ — and showing the lasting impact of faith beyond the numbers.
By Currents News
Construction may have darkened parts of the Oratory Church of St. Boniface, but parish leaders are turning the challenge into an opportunity.
After ongoing building work blocked stained glass windows, the church is now moving forward with plans to transform its lower levels into a new space for fellowship, ministry, and community events.
By John Alexander and Currents News
Future Van Goghs, Rembrandts, and Picassos from across the Diocese of Brooklyn are encouraged to submit their work for The Tablet’s annual “Christ is Risen” art contest for a chance to win cash prizes.
Young artists can showcase their talents by creating artwork celebrating Christ’s resurrection. It’s a joyful way for students to celebrate the blessed event by creating images that reflect the true meaning of Easter.
For more than 20 years, The Tablet has partnered with the Archbishop John Hughes Knights of Columbus Council No. 481 on the Easter art contest, in which hundreds of Catholic school students from across Brooklyn and Queens participate. Their handmade works will be submitted to The Tablet, whose staff members will judge the faith-based creations.
Former Archbishop John Hughes Council Grand Knight Vincent DiBenedetto said the art contest is a powerful way to reinforce faith.
“Easter commemorates the resurrection of Jesus Christ,” he said. “The belief that Christ has risen is central to our faith and celebrated with joy and reverence. Our Catholic school students help to remind us of the significance of Easter.”
The art contest began when The Tablet’s Editor Emeritus Ed Wilkinson formed a camaraderie with then-Grand Marshal of the Knights Camillo Casano, who generously donated awards and cash prizes to students who created faith-based artwork inspired by Scripture.
Twice a year, young student artists at Catholic academies, schools, and parishes are invited to create their own interpretations of the themes “Keep Christ in Christmas” and “Christ is Risen,” focusing on the spirits of those seasons.
RELATED: 2025 ‘Christ Is Risen’ Art Contest Celebrates Student Artists
“The contest is a fantastic opportunity to evangelize to Catholic school students,” said Michael Gray, editor of The Tablet. “It is the continuation of a time-honored tradition of The Tablet recognizing our Catholic school students within the Diocese of Brooklyn.”
Father Guy Sbordone, the chaplain for the John Hughes Council of the Knights, attended last year’s art contest and helped motivate the students to follow their faith. “Did you read the Bible? Did you watch an Easter movie?” he asked. “It all gives you the inspiration to create such beautiful art.”
SUBMIT ARTWORK: thetablet.org/christ-is-risen-easter-art-contest-2026/
Students from several diocesan schools celebrated a significant achievement at last year’s awards ceremony as talented young artists from St. Saviour High School, Monsignor McClancy Memorial High School, St. Bernard Catholic Academy, Blessed Sacrament Catholic Academy, St. Stanislaus-Kostka Catholic Academy of Queens, St. Peter Catholic Academy, St. Francis de Sales Catholic Academy, St. Saviour Catholic Academy and Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Academy, took home the top prizes.
The students use their artistic gifts to create art that celebrates the glory of Christ’s resurrection. Some dappled their canvases with paint; some used charcoal, and others demonstrated their skills through elaborate sketches and other forms of traditional art.
All entries will be judged based on adherence to the theme (Christ Is Risen), originality of the works, and demonstration of artistic ability.