By Jessica Easthope

The Bridge to Life, a pro-life organization dedicated to supporting women facing unplanned pregnancies, recently hosted its first-ever Client Appreciation Day.

Mothers who chose life for their babies were welcomed with open arms, provided with essential supplies, and celebrated for their decision.

Tracy Tang, a former client and now a volunteer, reflected on her own journey.

Two years ago, she found herself grappling with an unplanned pregnancy and wasn’t sure if she was ready to become a mother. But after connecting with The Bridge to Life, she made the life-changing decision to keep her baby.

“They assured me everything would be okay. Francesca would call me regularly to see how I was doing,” said Tang, now married and expecting her second child. “It’s like family.”

During the event, moms received gift cards, supplies, food assistance, and clothing.

The joy was evident, as many walked away with extra items on top of what they regularly receive from the organization.

Francesca Yellico, The Bridge to Life’s Executive Director, emphasized that their mission goes beyond material support.

“We want them to know they’re valued, and that they’re not alone. We walk with them throughout their pregnancy and beyond.”

A highlight of the day was a fun activity called “Diaper Pong,” where moms won packs of diapers from EveryLife, a pro-life diaper company.

Earlier this year, EveryLife made headlines by offering lifetime supplies of diapers to expectant mothers near a Planned Parenthood mobile clinic.

The Bridge to Life continues its partnership with Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens, and plans to expand its collaboration with EveryLife to further support women and families in need.

The streets of Williamsburg were filled with celebration as Italian Americans gathered to honor Our Lady of the Rosary of Pompeii. 

The procession began at St. Francis of Paola Church and continued to Our Lady of Mount Carmel, where parishioners carried a statue of the 19th-century Marian image.

Led by Brooklyn’s Bishop Emeritus Nicholas DiMarzio, the march was accompanied by prayers and music. An Italian entertainer added to the atmosphere, singing classical songs with the crowd.

The event culminated with an Italian-language Mass celebrated by Bishop DiMarzio at Our Lady of Mount Carmel, marking a special day for the Italian-American Catholic community.

By Jessica Easthope

Incarnation Catholic Academy in Queens Village is undergoing a major transformation under its new principal, Ivan Green. 

With a background in nuclear medicine, Green has set out to reshape the school’s learning environment, converting unused classrooms into a library, a hydroponics lab, and a state-of-the-art STEM lab for middle schoolers.

As the first Black male principal in the Diocese of Brooklyn, Green carries the weight of high expectations. 

“There’s a lot more in terms of expectations of you, especially from the minority kids who look to you for support,” Green said. “Despite the challenges, he remains focused on providing students with every opportunity to succeed.”

Green’s unique career path, from studying how to use radioactive materials to diagnose and treat diseases, to now leading a school, reflects his commitment to turning potential waste into something valuable. 

“I want the kids to apply creativity and science principles not just in STEM, but across all areas of their lives,” he said.

Beyond academics, Green emphasizes the importance of faith. 

“You can’t achieve or acquire anything unless it’s through God,” he said, reinforcing his Christ-centered philosophy in the classroom.

For Green, the relationship between students and their principal is a two-way street. 

“I need them because I need to see them excel,” he said, calling their success his latest experiment.

As students dive into new learning experiences, Green remains committed to providing the resources they need to thrive, no matter their background or geographical location.

Polish pride was on full display at the Co-Cathedral of St. Joseph on Sunday, Oct. 20, where dozens of faithful from across Brooklyn and Queens gathered for a special Mass celebrating Polish heritage.

The Mass, a reflection of the deep cultural roots of the Polish-American community, was led by Polish Archbishop Adrian Galbas.

In his homily, Archbishop Galbas spoke to the Polish-American faithful about the importance of embracing their heritage, while Brooklyn Bishop Robert Brennan, who co-celebrated the Mass, encouraged young attendees to hold onto both their culture and their faith.

At the conclusion of the Mass, the young Polish congregants expressed their gratitude by presenting the bishops with flowers.

PROSPECT HEIGHTS — At the Diocese of Brooklyn’s annual Mass for World Mission Sunday on Oct. 20, Father Thomas Ahern spoke of how the late Bishop Thomas Daily (1927-2017) would rush to join the missionary field in remote areas of Peru, where he often traveled in a dilapidated Volkswagen Beetle, or on horseback. 

“[Bishop Daly] often told the priests of the diocese these were the happiest years of his priesthood,” said Father Ahern, the diocese’s director of the Propagation of the Faith Office. “Why? Because the people were thirsting for Christ.” 

World Mission Sunday, created in 1926 at the direction of Pope Pius XI to help the global mission of the Church, is an annual observance held on the third Sunday in October. It includes a mandatory second collection in parishes worldwide to help the Pontifical Mission Societies.

The theme of this World Mission Sunday is “Go and invite everyone to the banquet,” based on the parable of the wedding banquet in Matthew 28:19, where Jesus issued the Great Commission — “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations.” 

Father Ahern, who celebrated the diocese’s Mass in the Co-Cathedral of St. Joseph, said everyone evangelized comes to the banquet of God’s love. The money, he added, helps missionaries “create an atmosphere where people can come to the banquet.” 

“The goal is to come to know and love Christ, in the Eucharist, in the scriptures,” said Father Ahern, pastor of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish in South Ozone Park, Queens. 

According to information from the Propagation of the Faith Office, the diocese raised about $180,080 in last year’s World Mission Sunday Collection for the Pontifical Mission Societies. This year’s numbers have not yet been finalized. 

Vital to last year’s total were St. Sebastian Catholic Academy in Woodside, Queens, and St. Bernadette Catholic Academy in Dyker Heights, Brooklyn, each raising more than $12,000 for the pontifical mission, according to Father Ahern.

Specifically, the schools’ donations funded the Missionary Childhood Association, one of the three groups that comprise the pontifical mission. Following Mass, students from both academies received framed “high donor” awards.

Among them was Jeremy Amare, a seventh grader at St. Sebastian Catholic Academy.

“I didn’t know much about mission before,” he said. “We have to help raise money for the poor people, that’s it.”

While St. Sebastian and St. Bernadette perennially lead the way in raising mission funds, St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Academy in Woodhaven received the Banner Award for donating at least $1,000 in 2023.

In Father Ahern’s homily, he conveyed the importance of donations by describing the meaningful work of missionaries worldwide. He noted missionaries travel to some of the world’s most dangerous places to evangelize people yearning to know God. 

Father Ahern spoke from personal experience, as he mentioned that he often visits with missionaries from Nigeria and Kenya, where “the churches are packed.” 

“They can’t build them quick enough,” he said, noting that priests from those countries become missionaries to people in the United States. 

Father Ahern also explained that parishioners in these locations also collect money for the pontifical mission, even though they live in impoverished areas and difficult situations. He recalled asking one African missionary why the poor parishioners donated, to which the missionary replied that the people insisted on doing so.

“They said, ‘We want to receive a blessing for giving, even though we don’t have anything. We want to help those who have even less than we do,’ ” according to Father Ahern. “That’s a beautiful sentiment.”

That attitude, he added, shows “the Church is alive.”

“So,” Father Ahern concluded, “World Mission Sunday reminds us not only of its needs but also its vibrancy in other parts of the world.”