On Feb. 2, Catholic and cultural traditions combined during a Lunar New Year celebration. Brooklyn Bishop Robert Brennan handed out those iconic red envelopes at a Mass at St. Michael’s Church in Flushing. The liturgy was steeped in Chinese tradition, including an “ancestors veneration ceremony,” where the parish gave thanks to God and their ancestors. After the Mass, Bishop Brennan joined the parish for a reception that included traditional food and some performances.
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Bishops Condemn Immigration Crackdown as ‘Day Without Immigrants’ Shuts Businesses Nationwide
It was a slow Monday in dozens of cities around the country as businesses closed for a “Day Without Immigrants.”
The nationwide demonstration is meant to give a glimpse into what life without the new arrivals would be like as mass ICE arrests continue.
According to recent estimates, roughly 8.3 million undocumented immigrants work in the U.S. Bishops throughout the country have been speaking out against Trump’s immigration plans.
Bishop Mark Seitz, who leads the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Migration, said in a recent statement: “We urge President Trump to pivot from these enforcement-only policies to just and merciful solutions, working in good faith with members of Congress to achieve meaningful, bipartisan immigration reform that furthers the common good with an effective, orderly immigration system.”
To read more about the bishops’ response to recent migration policies, just go online to TheTablet.org.
Catholic News Headlines for Monday 2/3/2025
As recovery efforts continue in the Potomac River after the deadly midair collision of an Army helicopter and passenger jet, an artist is honoring the victims by installing crosses near the scene of the tragic crash.
More than 100 religions from the Diocese of Brooklyn came together to celebrate the World Day of Consecrated Life.
St. Patrick’s Day is next month, but parishioners in Downtown Brooklyn are already honoring St. Brigid, the patroness of Ireland.
Diocese of Brooklyn Honors St. Brigid with First-Ever Feast Day Celebration
We’re a little over a month away from St. Patrick’s Day, but over the weekend, the Diocese of Brooklyn celebrated the patroness of Ireland. Bagpipers led the way as hundreds packed the pews of the Cathedral Basilica of St. James in Downtown Brooklyn for the first-ever diocese-wide celebration of the Feast Day of St. Brigid! Among the other cultural elements included in the Mass, celebrated by Bishop Brennan, were Irish step dancers and a performance of the song St. Brigid of Ireland.
Brooklyn and Queens Youth Gather for Pro-Life Day of Service at Our Lady of Mount Carmel
Young people from across Brooklyn and Queens celebrated life on Saturday, holding a day of service to help moms in need. The kids came together for the Pro-Life Youth Day at Our Lady of Mount Carmel, where they filled up goody bags for new mothers that included onesies, baby blankets, and other essentials, plus greeting cards made personally by the kids! They also held a candle ceremony to pray for mothers everywhere.
Bishop Brennan Leads Celebration of World Day of Consecrated Life at St. Thomas More Church
More than 100 religious from around the Diocese of Brooklyn came together on Sunday to celebrate the World Day of Consecrated Life. Bishop Brennan was the main celebrant of the Mass at St. Thomas More Church, located in the center of St. John’s University. The day is meant to unite the brothers, sisters, and priests and express gratitude for answering God’s call. In honor of the 2025 Holy Year, the religious also reflected on how they can become pilgrims of hope during the Jubilee.
Bishop Robert Brennan Celebrates Presentation of the Lord Feast Day in Brooklyn
On Sunday, Brooklyn Bishop Robert Brennan celebrated what he calls a throwback to Christmas the Presentation of the Lord. The feast day which takes place forty days after the birth of Jesus marks when Mary and Joseph brought the Son of God to the Temple. In a message from Bishop Brennan on his Twitter, the shepherd of the Diocese of Brooklyn talked about how this fulfilled God’s promise of the birth of the Son of God.
Nation Mourns 67 Victims of Midair Collision Over Potomac River
As recovery efforts continue in the Potomac River, days after an Army helicopter and passenger jet collided midair, prayers for the 67 people killed onboard are pouring in from across the country. From college assemblies to church services, the victims are being remembered.
Catholic News Headlines for Friday 1/31/2025
A midair collision over the Potomac killed 67 people, including elite figure skaters. Investigators recovered black boxes as questions arise over air traffic control and the crash’s cause.
Turning to Catholic Schools Week, we learn about a military wife’s journey that takes an inspiring turn in a Brooklyn Catholic school!
St. Michael’s in Flushing rocked out as the NYPD band brought the house down with a high-energy concert to rock Catholic Schools Week!
Future pilots, doctors, and police officers? Students at St. Rose of Lima Catholic Academy dressed for their dreams and brought them to life!
U.S. Air Force Family Finds a Home at Bay Ridge Catholic Academy
By Jessica Easthope
Wearing a pink bow in her hair and a colorful sweater, Rachel Runyan looks nothing like a drill sergeant. But step into her classroom and she’ll start to sound like one. Every second counts when you run a tight ship.
“I am very focused on, like, time and order. And I’m very organized, so being in this life for 15 years, it rubs off on you in ways that you can never expect and things like that,” Rachel said.
Rachel has been a military spouse for almost 16 years, her husband Mike is a technical sergeant in the United States Air Force. They’ve lived all over the country.
“Northern California, Maryland, Southern California, and then here,” she said.
These days they live on base at Fort Hamilton and somehow, in the busiest city in the world, this family of four from southern Maryland found a home.
“We enrolled 12 days before school started, and we were just really treated like family, it’s just been a great place for my kids to learn and for me to grow as an educator. I couldn’t be more thankful to be a part of this community,” said Rachel.
“It was a little bit overwhelming. And I think once we found Bay Ridge Catholic everything felt like it kind of fell in line,” Mike said.
Bay Ridge Catholic Principal Paul Morisi says having Rachel and her children at the school has been a positive learning experience for everyone.
“What’s so beautiful about what Rachel has brought here is this experience that she’s had of traveling the country, teaching in different states with different communities so she could reach people in a different way that maybe some of our other teachers, can learn from,” he said.
Within the next year or so Rachel, Mike and their children will be somewhere new, but their time at Bay Ridge Catholic will stay with them.
“So many times this school has been a bright spot. It just feels like. It feels like magic,” said Rachel. “This is the standard that I need to look for wherever I go next.”