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Interfaith Leaders and Chaplains Gather Outside of Notre Dame for Olympic Meeting

In an act of Olympic unity, representatives from the five major religions of the world gathered for a multi-faith meeting on Sunday, August 4.

Standing outside the Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris, the leaders and some 100 Olympic chaplains celebrated the spirit of fraternity during the most important sports event in the world.

They spoke freely, praying and reading religious texts together.

The Holy See’s envoy to the Olympics says the leaders chose Notre Dame because of its deep religious significance to Christians, and because it “speaks to all people” across the world.

Catholic News Headlines for Monday 8/5/2024

Pope Francis has approved Cardinal Sean O’Malley’s resignation from the Archdiocese of Boston and appointed Bishop Richard Henning as the new leader. Bishop Henning, who holds a degree from St. John’s University, previously served as the Bishop of Providence in Rhode Island and as an Auxiliary Bishop in Rockville Centre.

The Vatican has issued a statement in response to a wave of criticism over the Paris Olympics opening ceremony. The Holy See expressed sadness over Leonardo da Vinci’s depiction of The Last Supper featuring drag performers.

A local Eagle Scout is spearheading a summer initiative, gathering volunteers to renovate the Adoration Chapel at Our Lady of Grace Church in Gravesend. Despite hundreds of monthly visits, the chapel has seen little upkeep over the years.

Diocese of Brooklyn’s Mother Church Celebrates Patron of Pilgrimages

Bishop Robert Brennan celebrated Mass at the mother church of the Diocese of Brooklyn for the Feast of St. James.

Parishioners and those with a devotion to the patron saint of pilgrimages filled the Cathedral Basilica in downtown Brooklyn on Thursday, July 25.

Fresh off a trip to the National Eucharistic Congress in Indiana, Bishop Brennan had a special homily message.

Brushing Up On History: Father and Son Clean Headstones at Catholic Cemetery

By Jessica Easthope

A father and son are brushing up on history by brushing off the past.

Armed with brushes, scrapers, and a special cleaning solution, Zach Leonard and his 10-year-old son Lincoln have taken on an unusual summer project at Calvary Cemetery, a Catholic cemetery in the Archdiocese of St. Louis.

They’re restoring long-neglected headstones to their former glory.

“I think it’s important to resolve history,” Lincoln said. “Doesn’t mean if you don’t, it’s gonna get lost. And to know your past is very important.”

What started as a curiosity became a calling.

The Leonards came to Calvary Cemetery looking for roots, but found themselves planting seeds of remembrance.

“We found out that I had a great-grandfather, his great-great-grandfather, who was a veteran of World War I and World War II,” Zach said.

That great-grandfather was James Leonard, buried somewhere in these sprawling grounds, but finding him was just the beginning.

“We could really only make out the A-M-E-S of the James,” Zach said. “You couldn’t really see Leonard, and we were like we should clean this.”

Armed with determination and a bit of elbow grease, father and son set out to unveil other stories etched in stone.

“It’s really an incredible feeling because you’ve come there to honor someone, and it’s almost like they’re coming to life a little bit,” Zach said.

For this father and son, it’s about more than just cleaning headstones. It’s about connecting with history and each other.

“I hope that he learns that acts of kindness don’t require an organization or require donations,” Zach said. “Even if it’s something small, everything makes a difference in some way,” Lincoln said. “It can affect a lot of people.”

In a place where time stands still, two generations are ensuring that those who came before us will always shine bright.

“It’s easy to do really if you’re just willing to take the time,” Zach said.

Calvary Cemetery has been around since 1854, and spans 470 acres with over 300,000 graves.

It’s the final resting place for many notable figures, including General William Tecumseh Sherman and Dred Scott, but the Leonards are restoring every headstone, celebrity status or not.

Oklahoma Department of Education Releases Guidelines for Bible Curriculum

The State Department of Education in Oklahoma has released guidelines for teaching the Bible.

The rules were released Wednesday, July 24, requiring a physical copy of the Bible and the Ten Commandments in every classroom.

Teachers must use the text as instructional support, referencing the Bible to provide historical context or discuss literary and artistic influence.

The Oklahoma State Superintendent says he wants these guidelines in place by the first day of classes.

Some school districts in Oklahoma have already said they will not follow the order.

Diocese of Brooklyn Schools Accepting New Students for the New School Year

Registration has opened for schools around the Diocese of Brooklyn.

The superintendent’s office has started posting online just some of the dozens of Catholic academies that have already started accepting students for the 2024-2025 school year.

Last year, nearly 18,000 students received a Catholic education.

If you want to send your children to Catholic school, just visit catholicschoolsbq.org or call 718-965-7380 for more information.

Catholic News Headlines for Friday 7/26/2024

Holy Family Church in Fresh Meadows, Queens, is repairing statues vandalized last month after a man was charged with a hate crime.

New, controversial guidelines are requiring Bibles and Ten Commandments in every classroom across Oklahoma.

As summer winds down, enrollment is now open for the 2024 school year at Catholic academies in the Diocese of Brooklyn.

A St. Louis father and son duo spend their summer cleaning headstones at a local Catholic cemetery.

Queens Church Restores Statue After Vandalism, Suspect Faces Hate Crime Charges

FRESH MEADOWS — The Holy Family Parish community can begin to heal, now that their statue of the Child Jesus, left decapitated in a hate crime last month, has been repaired. Remnants of the damage to the statue, which sits just feet away from the church’s doors, can now barely be seen.

Michael Nicholas, a restorationist with Cave Company, the supplier of ecclesiastical products and services organization that performed the repair, said the Child Jesus statue, positioned between those of Mother Mary and Joseph, is now reinforced with an aluminum rod, making it stronger than before.

“I can’t explain the feeling that we’re able to come and do repairs, especially when it comes to vandalism, which is so senseless,” Nicholas said. “It makes me feel good that I’m able to actually come and do these repairs.”

He said it took less than three hours for the head of the statue to be refitted onto its body, adding that it brought him joy knowing that he could play a part in bringing the church congregation back to life.

Restoration included fitting the aluminum rod inside the statue’s head, with material specifically chosen so it would not rust. It was then screwed into the body of the statue, and resin was used to fill in the cracks along where the head was removed.

The statue of Jesus was first built by Cave Company over 40 years ago, according to third-generation company owner Gregory Cave. He explained that it was originally made of resin fiberglass, which made for a seamless fix. After sanding down and spray painting the statue, little evidence of the vandalism attack remains.

While he was there, Nicholas also restored a destroyed finger of the statue of Jesus, even though that was not believed to have been damaged in the vandalism attack. In total, the repair cost approximately $3,000, he said.

“I got chills. His head is back on. We can come here, and we can feel a little bit more peace,” said Holy Family parishioner Carolann Foley.

Foley, the president of the 107th Precinct Community Council, has been a parishioner at Holy Family for about 30 years. She was at the church the morning after the statue was attacked, and seeing it repaired now brings tears to her eyes.

A man has been charged with criminal mischief as a hate crime for the attack, which took place in the early hours of June 30. Jamshaid Choudhry, 44, was arrested on July 11 and charged the following day. He faces five to 15 years if convicted and is set to return to court on Aug. 1.

“Let’s hope that it’ll go somewhere so that people learn that they just can’t do this. This is disgraceful,” Foley said.

According to the Queens District Attorney, police investigators say that video surveillance footage captured the vandal’s attack. It showed him exiting a yellow cab parked across the street, coming up to the church, taking off his shoe, and hitting the statue with it.

“Thank God the police caught him,” said Holy Family’s pastor, Father Sean Suckiel.

Father Suckiel “hopes justice will be served” and that Choudhry is convicted for the attack. His parishioners share this sentiment.

“We definitely forgive him. We know that he is a broken man, and hopefully this will be a life-changing experience for him in a good way,” he added.

Vatican Diplomat Cardinal Parolin Conveys Pope’s Commitment to Peace in Meeting with Zelenskyy

The Vatican’s Secretary of State recently met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv, on Tuesday, July 23, and conveyed the Pope’s pleas for peace.

During the morning meeting, Zelenskyy thanked Cardinal Pietro Parolin for visiting the capitol, saying it was a “good signal from the Vatican.”

The Cardinal reaffirmed the Holy Father’s solidarity and his commitment to peace.

During his six-day visit, Cardinal Parolin closed one of the most popular pilgrimages for Ukrainian Catholics and visited a children’s hospital that was attacked earlier in the month.