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Christian Music Superstars Matt Maher, Sarah Kroger Unite In Support of Catholic Education in the Diocese of Brooklyn

By Currents News and Paula Katinas

PROSPECT HEIGHTS — Two Christian music superstars who have performed in venues across the U.S. are bringing their talents to the Co-Cathedral of St. Joseph for a special Christmas concert to benefit Catholic school children in the Diocese of Brooklyn. 

Matt Maher and Sarah Kroger will bring their 24-city “Cathedrals” tour to the co-cathedral on Dec. 9, with proceeds benefiting Futures in Education, the nonprofit organization that provides scholarships and other financial aid to enable low-income parents to send their children to Catholic schools in the diocese. 

“It’s incredibly overwhelming and such a privilege to be a part of such a beautiful thing,” Kroger said of the idea of helping others through the concert. “And this is a perfect way to do that, to actually have our worship not just be songs, which is beautiful, but actually let it take root in the community and make a difference.  

“I’m so excited to be a part of that.”  

Alverlis, a singer who has performed at many events in the diocese, including the Eucharistic Revival in 2024, will be the special guest at the concert. 

The concert, called “Cathedrals: An Advent Night of Worship,” is part of a national tour by Maher and Kroger, where the Nashville-based singer-songwriters, who are both Catholic, perform in cathedrals all over the country. The tour is in its second year.  

The goal, they said, is to raise awareness of the beauty of cathedrals and the importance of preserving them. 

RELATED: Bishop’s Humanitarian Dinner Honors Builders, Raises Record $2.3M for Catholic Charities 

In addition to Brooklyn, the tour stops include Boston, Chicago, Detroit, St. Petersburg, and Sioux City. 

Maher, whose songs include “Lord, I Need You,” “Because He Lives” and “Counting My Blessings,” said the Dec. 9 show will be a “grab bag” of Christmas songs and other tunes. 

“I think that we’re trying to be mindful of the season of Advent and have a night of worship, of songs that, I think, focus a little bit more on the anticipation of Christmas,” he said, adding, “up in Brooklyn, it’s such a magical time of year as the holidays are approaching.” 

Kroger, whose most popular songs include “Glory Be,” “No Filter,” and Take, Eat, Drink,” said she looks forward to performing in the co-cathedral.  

“To be in a space like the cathedral is historic,” she explained. “It connects you to a history in a way that I think other venues maybe don’t.” 

John Notaro, executive director of Futures in Education, said he is grateful that the concert will benefit the organization. “When we heard the news, we were very excited,” he said.  

Whatever monies the concert raises will be put to beneficial use, said Notaro, who plans to attend. 

“There’s always a need to fulfill this work that we’re doing to provide tuition assistance to our families,” he said. “Knowing that there’ll be more students that we can help and make a real impact on their lives is just something that we’re so grateful to have the chance to do.”

HOW TO GO

To purchase tickets for “Cathedrals: An Advent Night of Worship,” visit Matt Maher’s website at: https://www.mattmahermusic.com/cathedrals/

Police Cadet Honored at Holy Cross Cemetery 55 Years After His Death

By Katie Vasquez and Bill Miller

EAST FLATBUSH — Every day of his 25-year career in the New York City Police Department, Gilbert Eaton thought about his lifelong friend growing up in Bay Ridge — Patrick Canavan.

On Sept. 7, 1970, Canavan was but three weeks shy of graduating from New York City’s Police Academy, and two weeks from being the best man at Eaton’s wedding.

“But that didn’t happen,” said Eaton, who retired as an NYPD lieutenant in 1998. “My last time seeing Pat was at a Memorial Day weekend barbecue. I was working at the telephone company. I had to work at midnight, so I left the barbecue early. Little did I know that was the last time I was going to see him.”

Canavan, also known to family and friends as “Pat” or “Paddy,” was 21 early on Sept. 7, 1970, when he came upon 20 guys brawling on 3rd Avenue near 88th Street in Bay Ridge. Canavan “waded” into the crowd to break up the fight, according to a report by The New York Times. One of the brawlers stabbed him in the stomach with a 12‐inch knife. He died an hour later at the hospital.

RELATED: NYPD’s ‘Italian Sherlock Holmes’ Honored With Headstone Nearly a Century Later

On Oct. 16, Eaton and Canavan’s family gathered at the would-be cop’s grave in Holy Cross Cemetery for a memorial service marking the 55th anniversary of his death.

The event was organized by Louis DeMarco, a retired police officer who was a classmate of Canavan at the academy.

Also attending was a cadre of NYPD cadets clad in the same police academy uniform worn by Canavan. The young men and women stood at stoic attention during remarks by Canavan’s brother, Bob, and former chief Tommy Dale, who was also in the same academy class.

Making a special appearance was an NYPD bomb-squad dog named Paddy, along with his handler, now-retired NYPD Detective Andrew Eaton, Gilbert Eaton’s son.

The black Labrador retriever, named after Canavan, has worked at U.N. General Assemblies, U.S. Opens, home games for the Mets and Yankees, and the recent mass shooting at the offices of the National Football League in Midtown Manhattan.

Gilbert Eaton said he often talked about Canavan when his son was a child.

“He always remembered that,” Eaton said. “When he got the bomb dog, he comes to me and he says, ‘Well, I’m going to name him Paddy, after Paddy Canavan.’ I thought that was great.”

Eaton said Canavan “never left me.”

“I thought of Paddy every day of the week I was on the job,” Eaton said after the ceremony. “And Pat would’ve been a great cop, as was demonstrated with what he did, intervening in the fight that cost him his life.”

The NYPD brass felt the same way and posthumously awarded Canavan the department’s Medal of Honor.

Bob Canavan, a public schools advocate in Philadelphia, recalled growing up as Pat’s older brother in Bay Ridge. At that time, the family belonged to St. Anselm Parish.

“We were both living with our parents at the time,” he said. “So, when we got the news, it came in the middle of the night, and it was a terrible, terrible experience.

“Certainly, my parents took it very [hard], but the Church was something that meant a lot to them. They prayed frequently and thought of Pat when they went to Mass.”

TONIGHT AT 7: Fallen NYPD Officer Remembered More Than 50 Years Later in Brooklyn

By Katie Vasquez

Decades after his heroic death, family, friends, and fellow officers gathered at Holy Cross Cemetery to honor Patrolman Pat Canavan — an off-duty NYPD officer killed while trying to stop a street fight in Bay Ridge. His legacy continues to inspire new generations of police officers and families of the NYPD.

Thousands Join Eucharistic Procession Through Midtown Manhattan

By Currents News and Jessica Meditz

MIDTOWN MANHATTAN — The heart of Manhattan came to a reverent pause on Oct. 14 as 5,000 people participated in the Napa Institute’s annual Eucharistic Procession — believed to be the largest of its kind in New York City. 

Drawing participants from across the country, the event brought clergy, religious, and lay faithful into the streets to bear public witness to the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist. 

The afternoon, which began at St. Patrick’s Cathedral, included opening talks from Cardinal Giorgio Marengo, Apostolic Prefect of Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, and Father Ambrose Criste, a Norbertine priest from St. Michael’s Abbey in Orange County, California, followed by Mass at St. Patrick’s celebrated by Cardinal Seán O’Malley, archbishop emeritus of Boston. Catholic actors Jonathan Roumie and David Henrie were also in attendance, and Cardinal Timothy Dolan, the archbishop of New York, made closing remarks. 

Among the priests who concelebrated Mass and helped organize the event was Father Sean Suckiel, pastor of Holy Family in Fresh Meadows and American Martyrs in Bayside. He said watching the Blessed Sacrament move through the city’s bustling streets carries a deep message. 

“In a city that never stops, Jesus is coming into the chaos. He’s entering the noise of New York City,” Father Suckiel said. “What’s happening here is also happening in our own lives — Jesus wants to come into our hearts and souls to give us that peace and comfort.” 

Founded more than 15 years ago, the Napa Institute’s annual Eucharistic Procession aims to unite and uplift people in a public celebration of faith. 

“What we do here as Catholics, in a way, can give a soul to the city. It can help people see that there is hope and there are things that, no matter what adversity you’re facing in your life, you can overcome them,” said Mark Rohlena, president of the Napa Institute. “It’s amazing to see the reactions of people on the street when Jesus leads the way.” 

From school groups to those joining right from work, participants joined the hymns and prayer as onlookers paused. 

“Jesus is present in the Eucharist, and we wanted to share that with the people of New York,” said Kathleen Leary, a resident of Babylon, Long Island. “We wanted to share our faith today, and hopefully, inspire others.” 

Clergy Sexual Abuse Survivors Promote Diocese of Brooklyn’s Mass of Hope and Healing

By Jessica Easthope

Frank Tramontano’s silent prayer has been the same for many years, that the Catholic church continues to do more for people like him.

“Thank God for the counseling, counseling brought me a long way,” Frank said. “And I’m really grateful for it but there’s stuff I struggle with every day.”

Frank is one of many, an unknown number of survivors of clerical sexual abuse. For him, it happened nearly six decades ago – in the Diocese of Brooklyn.

“I got compensated and it was nice to get, but I’d give it up in a minute to go back and undo and see what would happen to my life,” he said. “I’d give back twice as much because I feel I missed out on being who I am.”

Frank’s road to healing hasn’t been smooth but he took a big step forward when he joined the Diocese of Brooklyn’s survivors group and attended his first mass of hope and healing.

“They had all the priests there and it was overwhelming. I mean I think I sat in a pew and just cried. It was very emotional for me,” said Frank.

Today, the group is small but tight knit. Frank looks to his fellow members for strength, one in particular is Jeff, known to his parishioners as Father Jeff Dillon.

“I came to the realization that if I wanted to be healed, I have to choose that” Fr. Jeff said. “And I’d have to choose to say this happened to me but it doesn’t have to be the authorship of my life.”

Fr. Jeff’s abuse occurred in another corner of Brooklyn, also in the 1960s. Today, the men who are both in their seventies, say they want survivors to get the recognition and respect they deserve. And for the church to offer hope and healing every day of the year.

“Certainly every Eucharist is a healing Eucharist,” Fr. Jeff said. “It’s a healing celebration, so my hope is that more and more survivors come to the mass.”

The mass of hope and healing is being celebrated this year at St. Finbar Church in Bath Beach on October 29 at 7 p.m. The diocesan survivors group collaborates with the Office for the Protection of Children and Young People on how the church can expand its outreach.

“How I’ve wanted to help has never changed,” said Frank.

“I am greater than this and so I move forward and move beyond it,” said Fr. Jeff.

The men say if their work empowers even one more survivor to come forward and begin their healing journey – the prayer has been answered.

Catholic News Headlines for Thursday 10/16/2025

Students at St. Joan of Arc Catholic Academy in Queens are combining math and music after a field trip to hear a Brooklyn Catholic choir inspired their new project.

Thousands of Catholics filled the streets of Midtown Manhattan and publicly celebrated their faith at the Napa Institute’s annual Eucharistic Procession.

Pope Leo XIV sent 5,000 doses of antibiotics to children in Gaza, providing vital aid to hospitals and pediatric centers amid the war.

The Diocese of Brooklyn is helping victim survivors of clerical sexual abuse by celebrating the annual Mass of Hope and Healing.

Catholic News Headlines for Wednesday 10/15/2025  

The Mary Louis Academy in Queens has a new middle school where students are already making history and carrying forward the mission of the Sisters of St. Joseph.

More than a 100 years ago, a small Fort Greene Brooklyn parish became the first home for Spanish-speaking Catholics in the Diocese of Brooklyn — we take a look at its history.

Mariachi music is bringing young Hispanics back to the pews at a Catholic church in Brooklyn, thanks to one deacon who saw an opportunity to get the next generation involved in parish life.

The Church That Shaped Spanish Ministry in the Diocese of Brooklyn

By Katie Vasquez and Paula Katinas

FORT GREENE — The Diocese of Brooklyn, often referred to as the “Diocese of Immigrants,” has a history spanning more than 100 years of serving the spiritual needs of Spanish-speaking Catholics — and serving them in their native language. 

In 1916, Bishop Charles McDonnell observed that the Spanish-speaking population of New York City had been growing since the 1890s, and with it, the need to provide services to the Catholic community among them. So, he took action.  

Bishop McDonnell established Our Lady of Pilar on Cumberland Street in Fort Greene in 1916 as a mission church catering to Spanish-speaking people, according to “History of the Diocese of Brooklyn,” a comprehensive account of the diocese’s origins written by Msgr. John Kean Sharp and published by Fordham University Press in 1954. 

At the dedication Mass, Bishop McDonnell was accompanied to Our Lady of Pilar by Bishop Antonio Monestel of Honduras, a visiting priest from Mexico, whose name was not reported by Msgr. Sharp, in his book, delivered the homily. 

To serve the parishioners of the church, Bishop McDonnell reached across the Atlantic Ocean to Spain. He asked priests from a Vincentian order in Barcelona to come to Brooklyn, and they accepted his invitation.  

One of them, Father Antonio Canas, was installed as the church’s pastor. 

Bishop McDonnell then started sending priests from the diocese to Spain so that they could learn Spanish at the University of Salamanca. It set a pattern. The tradition of dispatching clergy to learn to Spanish continued for decades.  

Msgr. Kevin Noone, the former pastor of Our Lady of Angels Church in Bay Ridge, who is now retired, recalled how, as a newly ordained priest in the Diocese of Brooklyn in 1970, he attended language lessons.  

“I was ordained for two weeks, and four of my classmates and myself volunteered. We were part of the program that sent priests to Puerto Rico,” he said.  

The priests at Our Lady of Pilar looked after their flock in various ways, including hearing their confessions and offering them advice and counsel, as well as inspiring them with stirring homilies — all in Spanish.  

The only thing the clergy could not do in Spanish was celebrate Mass. All Catholic Masses were celebrated in Latin — except for homilies. It wouldn’t be until the Second Vatican Council, nearly 50 years later, that Masses could be celebrated in local tongues.   

RELATED: Pope Leo XIV Authorizes Traditional Latin Mass in St. Peter’s Square

However, the ability to confide in a priest who spoke their language was crucial for non-English speakers, said Joseph Coen, the former archivist for the diocese.  

“The Church always believed that when it comes to matters of the heart, like confessions, you have to go with the language of the person,” he said. “These are intimate things people are telling a priest, and they need to feel comfortable.”  

Meanwhile, the diocese was conducting more outreach.  

A Hispanic lay ministry was established at Assumption Church in Brooklyn Heights and, over in Red Hook, Msgr. William White, the pastor of Visitation Parish, organized a committee of Hispanic laypeople to coordinate religious activities for non-English speaking Catholics. And priests from St. Michael’s Church in Sunset Park ministered to Puerto Ricans living near the Brooklyn Navy Yard. The diocese began to see an increase in the number of Puerto Ricans after they were granted U.S. citizenship by the Jones-Shafroth Act of 1917.  

Our Lady of Pilar lasted as a stand-alone church for less than 20 years. In 1935, it was merged with St. Peter’s Church on Hicks Street in Cobble Hill, and the Vincentians began serving the newly created parish of St. Peter-Our Lady of Pilar. 

While both Our Lady of Pilar and St. Peter’s play a significant role in the diocese’s history, neither church survives today. The merged parish was absorbed into St. Paul’s Church on Court Street in 1975.  

Parishioners remained loyal to their old parish, however.  

Msgr. Noone recalled that when he served as an episcopal vicar for an area that included northern Brooklyn and would talk to folks at St. Paul’s, “there were still people who considered themselves the remnant of St Peter’s.” 

Msgr. Vincent Fullam, who served as episcopal vicar for the western part of Brooklyn and is now retired, said it’s important to remember that it’s the people in the churches — clergy and parishioners working together — that move the faith forward. 

“When you’re talking about church ministry, you have to remember that you’re dependent on the people in the parish to carry the message to others,” he said. “The priests give support, and they give education. But the people who really carry the message are those sitting up there in the pews who hear it and try to live it in their lives.”