Celebrating Community
At the end of October, hired decorators, musicians, lighting specialists, and workmen spent a week preparing the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church. They assembled a full-size piano inside the church, draped green ivy down the choir loft, and filled the aisles and main altar with warm-toned fall leaves and branches. From the outside, a man hired to do […]
The news this summer has been rampant with violence in the form of terrorist attacks, police shootings and ambush attacks on police officers. These hot topics have undoubtedly led to a great deal of nationwide tension. We asked several local clergy members to weigh in on the situation. Monsignor Joseph Nugent, pastor of both St. Agnes and St. Paul’s […]
Every time I go to Mass at St. Stephen’s Church, I usually find my eyes tearing up midway through the service. There are a number of reasons for this kind of emotional eruption. The interior’s cathedral height and warm, ivory brightness creates an all too familiar homecoming not just to God, but to its mostly Italian parishioners who have been […]
Noted poet, playwright, author and Carroll Gardens’ native, Vito Gentile, returned to Sacred Hearts/St. Stephen Church on Sunday, December 6th to share poems, including those from his book, Fifty Poems About Christmas, and excerpts from his memoir, Little Christmas. Gentile, who grew up on 4th Place, attended school at St. Mary Star of the Sea and worshipped at both St. […]
With the city abuzz with excitement over Pope Francis’ long anticipated visit to NYC on September 24 -25, a number of locals were fortunate enough to participate in the various planned events. Upon his arrival at JFK Airport, the Pope was greeted by a group of Catholic school children. SHSS parishioner, 5 year old Maria Teresa Heyer, while lifted […]
Two local parishes ventured outside their church buildings and celebrated outdoor Masses in honor of the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary on Saturday, August 15. The parish of Sacred Hearts of Jesus & Mary/St. Stephen held a noontime Mass in front of the church on Summit Street which was closed to traffic. The altar was set […]
Wave of Vandalism Hits Local Churches Several local churches were hit with unrelated acts of vandalism in recent weeks. On the evening of June 8, before the start of a weeklong novena, a man attacked the statue of St. Michael the Archangel inside Sacred Hearts/St. Stephen Church on Summit and Hicks Streets. Father Cletus Forson, Parochial Vicar at SHSS, had […]
Saint Agnes Church (1913) in Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn is embarking on a crowdfunding campaign to rebuild its antique concert grand piano. When this gorgeous instrument is restored, the church will launch a community concert series in its majestic German inspired neo-Gothic style church designed by Brooklyn ecclesiastical architect, Thomas Francis Houghton (1842-1913). Located at the corner of Sackett and Hoyt […]