Messages from the PPC

Parish Pastoral Council Statement on Inequity

| St. Charles Borromeo

The following Parish Pastoral Council statement was announced at today’s Online Community Mass:

Transcript:
Thanks Donna. Good Afternoon. I’m Francis Chin, one of the parish trustees, and I am speaking today on behalf of the Parish Pastoral Council. We would like to take this moment to reflect together on what is going on in our country today.

Today at Pentecost, we celebrate God, the Holy Spirit – the breath of life and the founding of the Church, a community commissioned to spread the Good News of God’s love, to serve God’s people everywhere, speaking to them in every language.

So let us say this plainly. George Floyd’s killing was unjustified. Breonna Taylor’s killing was unjustified. The 100,000 Americans killed by COVID-19 were unjustified. They were denied their breath of life because of racial, social, and economic inequality. They were denied their breath of life because there are those who believe that to enrich and advance themselves, others must suffer. The daily bad news cycle of demeaning words and anonymous deaths has made us numb to the fact that this is wrong.

We believe that to love God we must love each other as ourselves.  We call upon all of us to raise our voices to build up a more just society that serves everyone with dignity, rather than one that oppresses and tears people down.

Let us value each other more than we value our accounts. Let us redouble our efforts to care for each other and to be concerned for our world.

This Pentecost, let us speak each other’s language.

In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Events

Next Book Discussion Starts on Thursday

| Mike McGowan

Join us on Thursday at 7:10 PM as we start the discussion of a new book, The Guardians of Mercy by Terence Ward. Revealing how art can play a role in conversion, the author examines Caravaggio’s The Seven Acts of Mercy. The discussion will be led by Fr. John Gribowich, who wrote his master’s thesis on Caravaggio.

Below is the discussion schedule:

  • June 4th – Introduction to Caravaggio
  • June 11th – Part 1, “In Exile” and Part 2, “The Seven Acts of Mercy,” Feeding the Hungry (pages 1-44)
  • June 18th – Part 2, “The Seven Acts of Mercy,” Sheltering the Homeless and Clothing the Naked (pages 45-86)
  • June 25th – Part 2, “The Seven Acts of Mercy,” Visiting the Prisoners and Water to the Thirsty (pages 87-119)
  • July 2nd – Part 2, “The Seven Acts of Mercy,” Burying the Dead and Healing the Sick (pages 119-156)
  • July 9th – Part 3, “The Reward” and Epilogue (pages 157-183)

The book is available in print and e-book formats. Amazon has it for sale at this link. Fr. John will provide an introduction to Caravaggio at this Thursday’s session, so don’t worry if your copy doesn’t arrive in time.

If you would like to plan ahead, we’ll be reading Field Hospital: The Church’s Engagement With a Wounded World by William T. Cavanaugh once we finish The Guardians of Mercy. Field Hospital is inspired by the pastoral vision of Pope Francis, and has chapters entitled: “Are Corporation People? The Corporate Form and the Body of Christ” and “Actually, You Can’t Be Anything You Want (and It’s a Good Thing Too).” A serious, but fun, read! Continue reading “Next Book Discussion Starts on Thursday” →

Videos

St. Charles at Home #10: Hidden Glory of Creation

| Mike McGowan

This week, Fr. John Gribowich and Phil Murray discuss several topics raised during last Sunday’s homily: Franz Jägerstätter and the movie A Hidden Life; C.S. Lewis’s The Weight of Glory; Pope Francis’ Laudato si’.

St. Charles at Home episodes feature conversation between the prior Sunday’s homilist and parishioners to provide us with more connection to the parish during the week. The videos are available on our YouTube channel and our website.

Messages from Parishioners

Walking Before We Fly (Pt. I) – Joe Genova

| St. Charles Borromeo

I was struck by the sharpness and zeal of what last week’s readings say about what Christians will face. As we end the Easter season and prepare to reenter Ordinary Time, I’d like to reflect on fostering spiritual growth and strength based upon my experience raising two sons here in Brooklyn Heights and in St. Charles Borromeo parish. Today, in what I have boldly called Part I, I want to talk about faith formation—the groundwork that creates Christians strong enough to face fires. Part II will be based on Laudato Si, Pope Francis’ encyclical on the environment. Continue reading “Walking Before We Fly (Pt. I) – Joe Genova” →

Events

Online Community Mass – Pentecost Sunday 5/31 11:15 AM EDT

| St. Charles Borromeo

View the mass for Pentecost Sunday here:

Please join us for our Online Community Mass for Pentecost Sunday on May 31 at 11:15 AM EDT. We congratulate Msgr. LoPinto and his seminary classmates on the 50th anniversary of their ordination to the priesthood.  We will properly celebrate this in the Fall when we are able to reunite with each other. Ad multos annos!

Instructions to view the Mass are available here.

 

Messages from the Pastor

Pentecost Sunday – First Reading Commentary

| St. Charles Borromeo

Why the geese?
Wild geese were the ancient Celtic symbol for the Holy Spirit .
(click here for more info)
(Photo by Bahram Bayat on Unsplash)

Acts 2:1–11

The celebration of Feast of Pentecost brings together the literary brilliance of St. Luke and the ancient wisdom of Israel. The last element perhaps of more contemporary relevance than we might immediately think.

Luke understood himself to be writing a work of history. He did not follow the same conventions as a modern historian but his were clear and, once understood, could give a deep insight into the people and situations of the day. Luke’s work is in two parts: the “Gospel” and the “Acts.” The coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, at the beginning of Acts, is the hinge. Luke, like a good historian of his day, would be very careful to have many links between the two works and indeed between the beginning of Acts and further sections. Continue reading “Pentecost Sunday – First Reading Commentary” →

Events, Survey

Church Open for Private Prayer on 6/2 and 6/4; Input Needed for Upcoming Schedule

| Mike McGowan

The church building will be open for private prayer during the week in accordance with Phase 1 of the diocesan plan. The Reopening Committee welcomes your input as we develop our upcoming schedule.

Private Prayer Schedule

Next week, the church will be open for private prayer on Tuesday, June 2 and Thursday, June 4 from 12 PM to 2 PM. We will follow the same protocols as announced last week, e.g. masks must be worn within the church and entry will be limited to ten people at a time. Please see last week’s post for more details.

The daily prayer schedule may be adjusted for the following weeks based upon your input. Please let us know what days and times you would like the church to be open for private prayer by clicking here to completing the survey by Tuesday, June 2 at 12 PM.

Public Mass Schedule

We would also welcome your feedback as we develop our weekday public Mass schedule. We will resume a weekday public Mass when the diocese determines that it is safe to do so as part of the second phase of the church reopening (Sunday Mass will resume in a later phase). At the outset, we anticipate a public Mass will be said on only one or two days a week  Please let us know your preferred days and times for a public weekday Mass by completing the second survey by Tuesday, June 2 at 12 PM.

Volunteers Still Needed

Thank you for everyone who helped out this past week. We are still seeking volunteers to help facilitate the private prayer hours by ensuring that we adhere to no more than 10 people at a time in the church and that visitors use hand sanitizer and wear masks, and wiping down pews after use. If you are able to assist, please let us know which days and which times you would be available.

Once we are allowed to resume public Masses, we will need more ushers and greeters given the enhanced health and safety protocols. We will not be able to resume public Masses until the Diocese of Brooklyn determines it is safe to do so. However, we want to ensure that we are prepared when that day comes.

If you are interested in serving either during private prayer hours or once public Masses resume, please email Jane Olson, [email protected].