Author: St. Charles Borromeo

Scriptual Commentary

3rd Sunday of Advent – Rejoicing Heartily in the Lord

| St. Charles Borromeo

Our Lady of Guadalupe on the Tilma of Saint Juan Diego
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Fr. Smith’s Commentary on the First Reading
Third Sunday of Advent
Isaiah 61:1–2A, 10–11
December 13, 2020

Our passage today is again from the third person to use the name Isaiah. The author chose his name very well as he combines the interests and concerns of both of his predecessors.

First Isaiah began his ministry in 742 BC, the year King Uzziah died. This is significant. Uzziah had reigned for 40 years and had greatly increased the GDP of his kingdom. But he did so by favoring and elite and creating prosperity for some by taking the properties of those not connected to the powerful. This was compounded by his successors who made alliances with Assyria requiring the Judeans to pay vast sums in protection money which the rich managed to avoid further impoverishing the peasants. It is clear why in the very first chapter of Isaiah God says to the people:  

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Homilies, Videos

2nd Sunday of Advent – Fr. Smith Homily

| St. Charles Borromeo

When I first became interested in community organizing, I went to East New York to visit the 
Nehemiah Houses. East New York was once described as the place where civilization went to die. All I knew about the
Nehemiah Houses was that they were designed not so much for the residents of the community as with them. I did not know what to expect but I found lovely one family bungalows with meticulously kept lawns. Modest and unassuming but they radiated pride of ownership. When I returned to my rectory in Bed-Sty I looked out my window to an apartment house financed by Jackie Robinson and designed by professional architects from the finest materials a few decades before the
Nehemiah Houses. They had by then deteriorated to the point that I had to ask for a guard to bring me in and out when I went on communion calls. I could not understand the difference but, as we see today, John the Baptist could have explained it to me. 

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Events, Videos

Community Mass – 2nd Sunday of Advent

| St. Charles Borromeo

Please join us for Mass for the 2nd Sunday of Advent – Sunday, December 6.

  • 9:00 AM EST Sunday Morning Mass celebrated at the Church – not streamed.
  • 11:15 AM EST Community Mass celebrated at the Church and also streamed online and available for playback. Instructions to view the Mass are available here. You can also watch the video via YouTube Live in the window above.

Today’s readings and hymns are available to download here:

December-6Download

Homilies, Videos

1st Sunday of Advent – Homily (Msgr. LoPinto)

| St. Charles Borromeo

Permission to podcast/stream the music in this service obtained from ONE LICENSE with license #A-730437.

We come today to the first Sunday of Advent, the beginning of a new liturgical year.

It had been certainly all of our hopes that when we came to this point, the pandemic would be gone and we would all be in a much happier mood. But the reality is that, unfortunately, we seem to be in the midst of a second wave. And so we need to be cautious. We need to be watchful. And so fitting that the words of the scripture today are calling us in that direction to be watchful, to watch.

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Events, Videos

Community Mass – 1st Sunday of Advent

| St. Charles Borromeo

Please join us for Mass for the 1st Sunday of Advent – Sunday, November 29. Cycle B of the liturgical readings begins today.

  • 9:00 AM EST Sunday Morning Mass celebrated at the Church – not streamed.
  • 11:15 AM EST Community Mass celebrated at the Church and also streamed online and available for playback. Instructions to view the Mass are available here. You can also watch the video via YouTube Live in the window above.

Today’s readings and hymns are available to download here:

November-29Download
Bulletin

Christ the King – Homily (Fr. Smith)

| St. Charles Borromeo

Today we celebrate the Solemnity of Christ the King. It is the last Sunday of the church year, and we begin Advent next week. We will also switch gospels from Matthew to Mark. Mark will have much to offer us, but Matthew was particularly pertinent for this year. St. Matthew was a pastor of a new parish at the dawn of the church. We are a well-established one which will need to rebuild after COVID, but the challenges are strikingly similar. 

Matthew has shown us the importance of forgiveness, the practicality of the Beatitudes and need for a Church structure. These issues were urgent then and now. Today’s message may not seem as immediate, but you may find a longer look worthwhile. 

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Events, Videos

Community Mass – Christ the King 11/22/2020

| St. Charles Borromeo

Please join us for Mass for the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe – Sunday, November 22.

  • 9 AM EST public Morning Mass celebrated at the Church (not streamed)
  • 11:15 AM EST Community Mass celebrated at the Church and also streamed online. Instructions to view the Mass are available here. You can also watch the video via YouTube Live in the window above.
  • Today’s readings and hymns are available to download here:
    November 22.
  • Hymnals, bulletins, and other handouts will not be available at the church. Please download on your phone or tablet, or bring your own missal.
  • Please follow the instructions of the ushers, and observe all of the health precautions so that we can continue to worship together safely.
  • Support our Parish – Please contribute to our General Collection online here.
  • Help us support Catholic Charities Food Pantries in Brooklyn and Queens online
  • Annual Catholic Appeal – Contribute online here. Select “St. Charles Borromeo R.C. Church – Brooklyn” as the parish.