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ACCEPT
Bishop Robert Brennan honored those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country with a special Memorial Day Mass.
The Brooklyn bishop celebrated the field Mass at Saint Charles Resurrection Cemetery in Farmingdale. At the start of the Mass, two red and blue wreaths were placed near the front of the altar, honoring the fallen.
During his homily, Bishop Brennan thanked the community for joining together to pray and remember those serving the country.
Similar liturgies were held at all cemeteries owned and operated by Catholic Cemeteries of Brooklyn and Queens.
ROME (CNS) – Celebrating his first Mass in Rome’s diocesan cathedral, Pope Leo XIV said communion is built primarily “on our knees,” through prayer and a constant commitment to conversion.
He reaffirmed Pope Francis’ dedication to listening, first and foremost to the Holy Spirit, as it then leads to listening to and understanding others “as our brothers and sisters.”
The pope’s remarks came during his homily at Mass at the Basilica of St. John Lateran, where he took possession of the cathedral as the bishop of Rome May 25.
The pope arrived in the late afternoon to the cheers and applause of those who turned out to welcome the U.S.-born pontiff as he stepped out of the black Volkswagen SUV in front of the basilica. He smiled and waved to those outside before being greeted by Cardinal Baldassare Reina, papal vicar for Rome, and then he walked through the basilica’s Holy Door.
At the start of the liturgy, Cardinal Reina read a profession of obedience to the pope on behalf of the diocese and then the pope sat on the raised marble chair in the basilica’s apse, taking formal possession of the “cathedra” (chair) of the bishop of Rome. He then received representatives of his flock, including clergy and laypeople.
The pope dedicated his homily to the Mass readings, putting special emphasis on the importance of listening.
The first reading from the Acts of the Apostles (15:1-2, 22-29), described Paul and Barnabas recognizing the authority of the Jerusalem church and going there to settle the question of whether Gentiles could embrace a form of Christianity that did not include observing every aspect of Mosaic law.
“This was no easy matter; it called for much patience and mutual listening,” and Peter and the apostles in Jerusalem were prepared to listen, Pope Leo said.
That dialogue “led to the right decision,” he said, because they listened to God’s voice.
“In this way, they remind us that communion is built primarily ‘on our knees,’ through prayer and constant commitment to conversion. For only in this way can each of us hear within the voice of the Spirit crying out: ‘Abba! Father!’ and then, as a result, listen to and understand others as our brothers and sisters,” he said.
“Naturally, the more we let ourselves be convinced and transformed by the Gospel – allowing the power of the Spirit to purify our heart, to make our words straightforward, our desires honest and clear, and our actions generous – the more capable we are of proclaiming its message,” the pope said.
In fact, he said, “the Gospel assures us that we are not alone in making our decisions in life. The Spirit sustains us and shows us the way to follow, ‘teaching’ us and ‘reminding’ us of all that Jesus said.”
“Pope Francis frequently encouraged us to reflect on the maternal dimension of the church and her defining qualities of tenderness, self-sacrifice and the capacity to listen,” he said.
“We hope that those qualities will be increasingly present in the people of God everywhere, including here, in our great diocesan family: in the faithful, in pastors and, first of all, in myself,” Pope Leo said.
He encouraged the Diocese of Rome’s “process of listening” to the world and its communities to respond to current challenges and “to propose sage and prophetic initiatives of evangelization and charity.”
“I would like to express my firm desire to contribute to this great ongoing process by listening to everyone as much as possible, in order to learn, understand and decide things together, as St. Augustine would say, ‘as a Christian with you and a bishop for you,'” Pope Leo said.
He asked everyone to support him “in prayer and charity, mindful of the words of St. Leo the Great: ‘All the good we do in the exercise of our ministry is the work of Christ and not our own, for we can do nothing without him.'”
He expressed his love and affection for the faithful of Rome “and my desire to share with you, on our journey together, our joys and sorrows, our struggles and hopes. I too offer you ‘the little I have and am.'”
Following the Mass, the pope appeared at the balcony of the basilica, where he briefly addressed a large crowd of people, wishing them as he did the afternoon of his election May 8, “Peace be with you.”
The Holy Year dedicated to hope, he said, encourages the faithful to be living witnesses of Christ’s hope to the world, “a world that is suffering a lot” because of war, violence and poverty.
“Thank you for walking together,” he said, “Let us all walk together.”
The pope then got in an open popemobile and headed to the patriarchal Basilica of St. Mary Major where he venerated the “Salus Populi Romani,” (“Salvation of the Roman People”), a Marian icon in a side chapel.
After the prayers and final blessing, he stood and prayed at the tomb of his predecessor, Pope Francis, upon which lay a single white rose.
Pope Leo then spoke to the people gathered outside the basilica, thanking them “from my heart” for their presence to be with their new bishop, “united as members of the Diocese of Rome.”
Before going to St. John Lateran for the Mass, Pope Leo also met with Rome’s mayor, Roberto Gualtieri, in a brief ceremony at the bottom of the steps below city hall.
Pope Leo said he felt the “serious but enthusiastic responsibility of serving all members” of the Diocese of Rome, “having at heart, above all, the faith of the people of God and, therefore, the common good of society.”
“We are partners, each in its own institutional setting,” he said. And yet, as he was about to take possession of the city’s cathedral, “Today I can say for you and with you, I am Roman,” which was met with great applause.
Also May 25, the pope led a crowd in St. Peter’s Square in praying the “Regina Coeli” at noon.
Speaking from the window of the Apostolic Palace, the pope said, “Let us resolve to bring (the Lord’s) love everywhere, never forgetting that each of our sisters and brothers is a dwelling place of God and that his presence is manifested above all in the little ones, in the poor and the suffering, who ask us to be thoughtful and compassionate Christians.”
Pope Leo XIV appeared at the window of the Apostolic Palace for the first time on May 26 to recite the Regina Coeli prayer. Until now, his previous two Regina Coeli prayers had been held in different locations at the Vatican.
The first was on the central corridor of St. Peter’s Basilica on May 11, since the palace was still sealed due to the “sede vacante,” the period of time in the Catholic Church when the pope’s office is unoccupied, typically after his death or resignation, until a new Holy Father is elected.
In fact, Pope Leo removed the seals of the palace immediately following the celebration of his first papal Regina Coeli.
The second was in St. Peter’s Square on May 18, following the Mass marking the start of his pontificate.
During the May 26 Regina Coeli, Pope Leo XIV once again remembered his predecessor, and marked the tenth anniversary of one of the key documents of Pope Francis’ pontificate.
“Ten years ago, Pope Francis the Encyclical Letter “Laudato Si’,” devoted to care for our common home,” he told the crowd gathered in the square. “It has had an extraordinary impact, inspiring countless initiatives and teaching everyone to listen to the twofold cry of the Earth and of the poor.”
The pope also reminded the crowd that the day before, May 24, was The Day of Prayer for the Church in China. It was instituted for Chinese Catholics by Pope Benedict XVI, and is held every May 24, on the feast of Mary Help of Christians.
Pope Leo XIV made history as the first American elected to the papacy, and Currents News was there in St. Peter’s Square as the world welcomed the new Holy Father.
Born in Chicago and shaped by years as a missionary in Peru, Pope Leo XIV brings global experience and a pastoral spirit to the role.
Bishop Robert Brennan and parishioners of the Diocese of Brooklyn gathered for a special Mass, celebrating the inauguration of Pope Leo XIV and expressing hope for a more united Church.
New York’s Catholic station, NET-TV, is premiering a half-hour special about the new Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV, airing this Thursday, May 22, 2025, at 7 p.m. on Currents News.
The special takes an in-depth look at the first American pope, his historic election and reaction from Catholics around the world.
Bishop Robert Brennan celebrated a special Mass of Thanksgiving for Pope Leo XIV in the Diocese of Brooklyn.
At the Vatican, the new pontiff celebrated his Inaugural Mass with a focus on unity.
In Brooklyn, a St. Francis College graduate with cerebral palsy made it her mission to walk across the stage to receive her diploma. Currents News was there.
A Texas deli owner is honoring his former childhood classmate – the current pope – with a special sandwich.
Pope Leo XIV delivered the following homily in St. Peter’s Square during the Mass of Inauguration of the Petrine Ministry May 18, 2025. The homily was delivered originally in Italian.
Dear brother cardinals, brother bishops and priests, distinguished authorities and members of the diplomatic corps, brothers and sisters — I greet all of you with a heart full of gratitude at the beginning of the ministry that has been entrusted to me. St. Augustine wrote: “Lord, you have made us for yourself, and our heart is restless until it rests in you” (Confessions, I: 1,1).
In these days, we have experienced intense emotions. The death of Pope Francis filled our hearts with sadness. In those difficult hours, we felt like the crowds that the Gospel says were “like sheep without a shepherd” (Mt 9:36). Yet on Easter Sunday, we received his final blessing and, in the light of the resurrection, we experienced the days that followed in the certainty that the Lord never abandons his people, but gathers them when they are scattered and guards them “as a shepherd guards his flock” (Jer 31:10).
In this spirit of faith, the College of Cardinals met for the conclave. Coming from different backgrounds and experiences, we placed in God’s hands our desire to elect the new Successor of Peter, the bishop of Rome, a shepherd capable of preserving the rich heritage of the Christian faith and, at the same time, looking to the future, in order to confront the questions, concerns and challenges of today’s world. Accompanied by your prayers, we could feel the working of the Holy Spirit, who was able to bring us into harmony, like musical instruments, so that our heartstrings could vibrate in a single melody.
I was chosen, without any merit of my own, and now, with fear and trembling, I come to you as a brother, who desires to be the servant of your faith and your joy, walking with you on the path of God’s love, for he wants us all to be united in one family. Love and unity: these are the two dimensions of the mission entrusted to Peter by Jesus.
We see this in today’s Gospel, which takes us to the Sea of Galilee, where Jesus began the mission he received from the Father: to be a “fisher” of humanity in order to draw it up from the waters of evil and death. Walking along the shore, he had called Peter and the other first disciples to be, like him, “fishers of men.” Now, after the resurrection, it is up to them to carry on this mission, to cast their nets again and again, to bring the hope of the Gospel into the “waters” of the world, to sail the seas of life so that all may experience God’s embrace.
How can Peter carry out this task? The Gospel tells us that it is possible only because his own life was touched by the infinite and unconditional love of God, even in the hour of his failure and denial. For this reason, when Jesus addresses Peter, the Gospel uses the Greek verb agapáo, which refers to the love that God has for us, to the offering of himself without reserve and without calculation. Whereas the verb used in Peter’s response describes the love of friendship that we have for one another.
Consequently, when Jesus asks Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” (Jn 21:16), he is referring to the love of the Father. It is as if Jesus said to him, “Only if you have known and experienced this love of God, which never fails, will you be able to feed my lambs. Only in the love of God the Father will you be able to love your brothers and sisters with that same ‘more,’ that is, by offering your life for your brothers and sisters.”
Peter is thus entrusted with the task of “loving more” and giving his life for the flock. The ministry of Peter is distinguished precisely by this self-sacrificing love, because the Church of Rome presides in charity and its true authority is the charity of Christ. It is never a question of capturing others by force, by religious propaganda or by means of power. Instead, it is always and only a question of loving as Jesus did.
The Apostle Peter himself tells us that Jesus “is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, and has become the cornerstone” (Acts 4:11). Moreover, if the rock is Christ, Peter must shepherd the flock without ever yielding to the temptation to be an autocrat, lording it over those entrusted to him (cf. 1 Pet 5:3). On the contrary, he is called to serve the faith of his brothers and sisters, and to walk alongside them, for all of us are “living stones” (1 Pet 2:5), called through our baptism to build God’s house in fraternal communion, in the harmony of the Spirit, in the coexistence of diversity. In the words of St. Augustine: “The Church consists of all those who are in harmony with their brothers and sisters and who love their neighbor” (Serm. 359,9).
Brothers and sisters, I would like that our first great desire be for a united Church, a sign of unity and communion, which becomes a leaven for a reconciled world. In this our time, we still see too much discord, too many wounds caused by hatred, violence, prejudice, the fear of difference, and an economic paradigm that exploits the Earth’s resources and marginalizes the poorest. For our part, we want to be a small leaven of unity, communion and fraternity within the world. We want to say to the world, with humility and joy: Look to Christ! Come closer to him! Welcome his word that enlightens and consoles! Listen to his offer of love and become his one family: in the one Christ, we are one. This is the path to follow together, among ourselves but also with our sister Christian churches, with those who follow other religious paths, with those who are searching for God, with all women and men of good will, in order to build a new world where peace reigns!
This is the missionary spirit that must animate us; not closing ourselves off in our small groups, nor feeling superior to the world. We are called to offer God’s love to everyone, in order to achieve that unity which does not cancel out differences but values the personal history of each person and the social and religious culture of every people.
Brothers and sisters, this is the hour for love! The heart of the Gospel is the love of God that makes us brothers and sisters. With my predecessor Leo XIII, we can ask ourselves today: If this criterion “were to prevail in the world, would not every conflict cease and peace return?” (Rerum Novarum, 21).
With the light and the strength of the Holy Spirit, let us build a Church founded on God’s love, a sign of unity, a missionary Church that opens its arms to the world, proclaims the Word, allows itself to be made “restless” by history, and becomes a leaven of harmony for humanity.
Together, as one people, as brothers and sisters, let us walk towards God and love one another.
Pope Leo XIV, formerly Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, smiles as he celebrates his inauguration Mass at the Vatican May 18, 2025. (Photo: OSV News/Claudia Greco, Reuters)
VATICAN CITY (CNS) — “In this our time, we still see too much discord, too many wounds caused by hatred, violence, prejudice, the fear of difference and an economic paradigm that exploits the Earth’s resources and marginalizes the poorest,” the new pope said in his homily during his inauguration Mass on May 18.
“For our part, we want to be a small leaven of unity, communion, and fraternity within the world,” he told the estimated 150,000 people gathered in and around St. Peter’s Square. “We want to say to the world, with humility and joy: Look to Christ! Come closer to him! Welcome his word that enlightens and consoles! Listen to his offer of love and become his one family: ‘In the one Christ, we are one.’”
Among the Christian leaders present was Orthodox Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople, along with other delegations from the Orthodox Churches, the Anglican Communion, the Lutheran World Federation, the World Methodist Council, the World Communion of Reformed Churches, and various evangelical and Pentecostal communities. Representatives of the Jewish community, as well as Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, Sikh, Zoroastrian, and Jain traditions, were also in attendance.
Before Mass began, Pope Leo rode through the square in the popemobile for the first time since his election on May 8, greeting the faithful as cheers of “Viva il papa!” (“Long live the pope!’) poured out from the crowd. He then entered the basilica to pray at the tomb of St. Peter, accompanied by patriarchs of the Eastern Catholic Churches.
Following the Gospel reading, three cardinals from the different orders within the College of Cardinals took part in the formal beginning of the Petrine ministry: Italian Cardinal Mario Zenari placed the woolen pallium on the pope’s shoulders, symbolizing his role as shepherd of the universal Church; Filipino Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle presented him with the fisherman’s ring, evoking St. Peter’s mission to draw people into Christ’s net; and Congolese Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo offered a prayer invoking the strength of the Holy Spirit for the new pontificate.
Representing the universal Church, 12 people — clergy, religious, and laity from around the world — then came forward to offer their obedience to the new pope.
Reflecting on the Gospel reading from St. John — in which Jesus asks St. Peter three times to tend to his sheep — Pope Leo XIV said in his homily that the ministry of Peter is rooted not in authority for its own sake, but in love that serves and unites.
“Peter is thus entrusted with the task of ‘loving more’ and giving his life for the flock,” Pope Leo XIV said. “The ministry of Peter is distinguished precisely by this self-sacrificing love, because the Church of Rome presides in charity and its true authority is the charity of Christ.”
The successor of St. Peter, he said, “must shepherd the flock without ever yielding to the temptation to be an autocrat, lording it over those entrusted to him.” Instead, “he is called to serve the faith of his brothers and sisters, and to walk alongside them.”
Pope Leo XIV also recalled the period of mourning following the death of Pope Francis, noting that the conclave that followed the late pope’s death was “a moment of grace.”
“I was chosen, without any merit of my own, and now, with fear and trembling, I come to you as a brother, who desires to be the servant of your faith and your joy, walking with you on the path of God’s love, for he wants us all to be united in one family,” he said.
“With the light and the strength of the Holy Spirit, let us build a Church founded on God’s love, a sign of unity, a missionary Church that opens its arms to the world,” he said, calling for a Church that “proclaims the word, allows itself to be made ‘restless’ by history and becomes a leaven of harmony for humanity.”
At the end of Mass, the pope called for prayers for regions affected by war: Gaza, Myanmar, and Ukraine, which “finally awaits negotiations for a just and lasting peace.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was present for the Mass and was to have a private meeting with the pope later in the day, the Vatican press office said.
Immediately after Mass, Pope Leo XIV met with several government representatives, including Vance and Rubio, as well as Peruvian President Dina Boluarte. The Holy Father had spent more than 20 years in Peru as a missionary priest and bishop, and also has Peruvian citizenship.
DOWNTOWN BROOKLYN — As the auditorium filled with cheers, Jessica Huang stood from her wheelchair, steadied her walker, and took her first steps across the stage at Kings Theatre — each one a quiet triumph.
Feelings of surrealness, strength, and resilience consumed her as she took those steps on her graduation day from St. Francis College on May 16.
Huang was born with cerebral palsy. While she is able to walk on a limited basis with assistance, she mainly uses a wheelchair to get around.
With the help of her physical therapy team at Rusk Rehabilitation at NYU Langone Health, Huang surprised her family by walking across the stage at Kings Theatre to accept her diploma and shake the dean’s hand.
“I feel ready to show off all my hard work,” Huang said. “I felt that after an amazing journey in college, it would be a nice moment. I’ve been walking with assistance, to some extent, all my life. But for this presentation, I wanted to do it as secretively and as independently as possible.”
Achieving this goal is two years and 144 physical therapy sessions in the making — and it was no easy feat.
“I’ve never walked in really big crowds. There’s a lot of noise, and then letting go of my walker to get my diploma and shake people’s hands requires a lot of balance and strength,” Huang said. “It was no longer just the act of walking and picking up my feet — it involved a lot of coordination, which doesn’t come second nature to people with cerebral palsy.”
Physical therapists Cassandra Ruff (left) and Katie Knote (right) assisted Jessica Huang in achieving her goal of walking across the stage on her graduation day. (Photo: Jessica Meditz)
Tools like a robotic-assisted treadmill, aquatic therapy, and hundreds of hours of physical therapy helped Huang reach her goal, her physical therapist Katie Knote said.
Knote has supported Huang for several years through physical therapy and said that the opportunity to help her walk across the stage brings her immense joy.
“It’s been such a pleasure to see her grow up,” Knote said.
“Jessica is by far one of the most unique patients that I have in the sense that she has grown into such a strong advocate for herself and a voice for the entire community of people with disabilities,” she added. “I think she serves as a role model, not just for her peers and other patients with disabilities, but also for therapists and how we can better work with these patients to help them achieve their goals.”
A successful psychology major, graduating with a 3.93 GPA, Huang has plans to pursue a master’s degree in public health with a concentration in health policy and medicine at the CUNY School of Public Health & Health Policy. She said she feels inspired to help young adults transition from pediatric to adult healthcare, as she has.
While Huang isn’t Catholic, she said she’s thrived in the faith-based environment at St. Francis College.
“Going to a Catholic school, I felt from day one that everyone has been welcoming and compassionate,” she said. “I was not used to people running and opening the door for me.
“The other thing is that it’s a small school, so there really is a sense of community.”
Tim Cecere, president of St. Francis College, credits Huang as being one of the first to break the barrier to move through the college each day, just like every other student.
During her time as a student, she met with him regularly about ways to make the campus and curriculum more inclusive for everyone.
Cecere said that Huang symbolizes “everything that is Franciscan.”
“When Jessica is around campus … we actually see in real time, in real life, what it means to be Franciscan, what it means to achieve, what it means to overcome obstacles, what it means to always have a smile on your face, to be conscious of the way you affect others, and how you inspire others,” he said. “She’s just a genuine soul. We’re so happy to have her on campus.”
Huang said she hopes others will never underestimate those with disabilities and open their minds to learn more about their experiences.
“You can do anything you put your mind to,” she said. “It’s been an amazing journey in college, and I’m really glad to be able to be succeeding, not only physically, but educationally, and moving on to this next chapter.”
The auditorium of Kings Theatre erupted with cheers as Jessica Huang walked across the stage. (Photo: St. Francis College)
