Palm Sunday Procession in Brooklyn Kicks Off Holy Week 2026 in the Diocese of Brooklyn

By Katie Vasquez and Paula Katinas

PROSPECT HEIGHTS — Led by Bishop Robert Brennan, more than 100 Catholics on March 29 walked a half mile from St. Teresa of Avila Church to the Co-Cathedral of St. Joseph for the Palm Sunday procession.

This year marked a change in the procession’s starting point. The faithful began their journey at St. Teresa of Avila on Classon Avenue instead of Grand Army Plaza, as they had in past years. The Co-Cathedral and St. Teresa of Avila are part of the same parish.

The decision to begin the journey at St. Teresa of Avila was a deliberate one, said Father Patrick Keating, rector of the Co-Cathedral of St. Joseph.

“One of the options in the general instruction of the Roman Missal speaks of gathering in one church and processing to another,” Father Keating Told the Tablet, noting that because the parish has two churches it was important to include them both in the celebration of Palm Sunday.

But while the route changed, the destination was the same — the Co-Cathedral of St. Joseph on Pacific Street, where the faithful, with palms in hand, attended a Spanish language Mass celebrated by Bishop Brennan.

As she waited at St. Teresa of Avila, Ailyn Cruz said she was looking forward to the procession “and walking together, all of us in faith.”

Cruz said this year’s Palm Sunday was different from years past, not just because of the change in the procession route. “I’ve been praying more this year,” she said.

Before setting off on the procession, the faithful raised their palms so that Bishop Brennan could bless them.

With their palms blessed, the faithful, many of whom were Spanish-speaking parishioners, then followed Bishop Brennan out of the church to begin the procession.

As they walked the streets, they chanted “Viva Cristo Rey!” and sang hymns.

“We are witnesses to our faith, walking with Jesus because he walked the way before us and lives the way with us,” Bishop Brennan told The Tablet.

Palm Sunday commemorates Jesus Christ’s triumphant entrance into Jerusalem and the palms the faithful held aloft symbolized peace and victory.

The day also marks the beginning of Holy Week, which includes the Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Holy Thursday, the Way of the Cross Procession across the Brooklyn Bridge on Good Friday, the Easter Vigil on Holy Saturday, and culminates on Easter Sunday, celebrating the resurrection of the risen Lord.

For Rosalinda Rosario, a parishioner of the co-cathedral, the Palm Sunday procession was the chance to send a message of love to the public.

“The faith that I have, I hope everyone encounters,” she said.

At several points during the procession, onlookers stopped walking, gazed at the participants, and smiled. Some took pictures of the procession.

“When they see the procession, they know that Jesus is alive,” Rosario said. “He is resurrected and they should have faith.”

Renovation at St. Boniface to Bring New Life to Parish Community

By Katie Vasquez

Just to the left of the sanctuary of the Oratory Church of St. Boniface, an unfinished space is beginning to take shape as a future hub for parish life.

Though still in its early stages, the raw concrete area is filled with promise, according to administrative vicar Father Anthony Andreassi.

“It’s been hopeful and exciting,” Andreassi said, recalling a Dec. 8 visit from Bishop Robert Brennan and members of his staff. “It’s still obviously raw — it’s just concrete — but envisioning how things are going to start to lay out and look.”

For longtime parishioner Mary Maloney, the project represents more than construction — it’s about restoring a sense of community.

“After Mass, we used to go there and have coffee and all of that,” Maloney said. “We can’t do all that. We have it on the sidewalk, and so you miss out on a lot of things.”

The renovation also addresses a challenge caused by nearby development. Three stained-glass windows in the downtown Brooklyn church have been left dark due to new construction. Andreassi said the redesign will incorporate lighting solutions.

“The space will actually get a little natural light, but not any direct light,” he said. “So it’s going to still need artificial light to support it.”

Residential tenants moved into the building’s upper floors over the summer, allowing church leaders to now focus their attention on completing the space intended for parishioners. Plans include an event area, a garden, and a campus ministry.

“At this point, we’re fully finished with the design of the ground floor, about to finish the design of maybe the next three floors,” Andreassi said.

Maloney said she is hopeful the final result will meet the community’s expectations.

“I hope they give us something good,” she said.

Andreassi said he is optimistic the parish will begin using the new space by the end of the year or in early 2027.

Brooklyn Jesuit Prep Students Celebrate High School Acceptances

By Currents News

Eighth graders from Brooklyn Jesuit Prep marked a major milestone with a high school signing night at the Penn Club.

All 30 students in the Class of 2026 committed to college preparatory schools, celebrating their next step with family, friends, and school pride.

Brooklyn Catholic Academy Students Pitch Their Own Podcasts During Digital Media Lesson

By Currents News

Students at Bay Ridge Catholic Academy got a hands-on lesson in digital media, pitching their own podcast ideas and learning what it takes to create a show. Led by DeSales Media’s Dave Plisky and Principal Paul Morisi, the session gave students a chance to record a mock podcast — and sparked ideas for launching one of their own.

Bishop Robert Brennan Reads to Students During Diocesan Read-Aloud

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.

Remembering Bishop William Murphy of the Diocese of Rockville Centre, Long Island

By Currents News

Bishop William Murphy, bishop emeritus of the Diocese of Rockville Centre, died March 26 at the age of 85.

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.

March 31 on Currents News: Pulse of the Parish, Sacred Heart of Jesus

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.

Catholic News Headlines for Friday 3/27/26

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.

Diocese of Brooklyn Students Pray Nearly 200,000 Hail Marys During Eucharistic Rallies

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.

TONIGHT AT 7: Student-Led Rosary Rallies Sweep Brooklyn and Queens During Lent

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.