Catholic New York

Pope’s Message as Relevant Today as When He Visited Us

Can it really be five years since Pope Francis was among us New Yorkers in person at St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Madison Square Garden, Central Park, the United Nations, the National Sept. 11 Memorial … more

By John Woods | 9/23/20

With Parade Season Stalled, A Modest Proposal

Traditionally, Labor Day is a dividing line of sorts in New York, with the lazy days of summer on one side and the opening of schools and parish programs such as religious education on the other. … more

By John Woods | 9/9/20

Lebanon Seeks ‘Some Glimpse of Hope’

In the three weeks since the devastating explosion in Beirut, Lebanon, which leveled entire sections of the city, officials of the Catholic Near East Welfare Association (CNEWA) here in their … more

By John Woods | 8/26/20

Meeting the Gospel’s Radical Call With Joy

The four young women who took a step forward to the novitiate of the Franciscan Sisters of the Renewal at an investiture ceremony Aug. 2 are seeking “an ever-deepening relationship with God” as … more

By John Woods | 8/12/20

Safely Ushering in Faithful at Holy Cross in the Bronx

As churches across the archdiocese reopened to the public for Masses last month, it’s no secret that parishioners did not flock back in their pre-coronavirus numbers in the initial Sundays. Even if … more

By John Woods | 7/29/20

The New Normal at 1011

Last week marked a return to 1011, as the New York Catholic Center, the archdiocesan headquarters at 1011 First Ave. in Manhattan is known to just about everyone who works here. I had not been on the … more

By JOHN WOODS | 7/15/20

When Ordination Plans Go Awry, Priesthood Remains

Father Luis M. Silva Cervantes had it all planned. May 23 was marked on a countdown app on his phone for months. After his transitional diaconate ordination, he started to make a list of guests for … more

By JOHN WOODS | 6/17/20

To the Class of 2020

This one is for the Class of 2020, especially those graduating from the 44 Catholic high schools in the Archdiocese of New York. You might notice that the members of the Class of 2020 across the … more

By JOHN WOODS | 6/3/20

Priest’s Devotion to Rosary Proves Good Way to Rally Faithful

Father Jeffrey Pomeisl’s devotion to the Rosary goes back a long way. He remembers praying decades of Hail Marys on car trips with his parents and six brothers as a youth. During his … more

By JOHN WOODS | 5/20/20

‘Your Cathedral’ Remains Exactly That

At Fifth Avenue, between 50th and 51st streets, and right across the street from Rockefeller Center, St. Patrick’s Cathedral could hardly occupy a place more at the center of New York City’s … more

By JOHN WOODS | 5/6/20

Stretching Within Limits, and Finding New Ways to Serve

We’ve devoted a lot of time, energy and pages over the past few issues trying to show Catholic New Yorkers how the Archdiocese of New York is adjusting and coping, often in the face of … more

By JOHN WOODS | 4/22/20

Push From Virus Spurs Telehealth Remedy at Astor Services

After reporting in the last issue about how archdiocesan Catholic Charities was initiating steps to meet the needs of the wide swath of New Yorkers it assists, particularly in the changed society all … more

By JOHN WOODS | 4/8/20

As the Coronavirus Hits, Catholic Charities Readies for the Surge

One of the unwritten rules I have always tried to observe as a Catholic journalist is shying away from asking priests for interviews on Sundays, for obvious reasons. We are living in different times … more

By John Woods | 3/25/20

Her Best Advice Is to ‘Start With Jesus’

Last week, I had a phone interview with Julianne Stanz shortly before she led a professional enrichment day for 150 people at St. Joseph’s Seminary, Dunwoodie, on “How to Reach the … more

By JOHN WOODS | 3/11/20

Close-Knit Parish Community

In the mid-1990s, a gifted Newsday reporter named Bob Keeler won a Pulitzer Prize for an in-depth series of articles about St. Brigid’s parish in the Diocese of Rockville Centre. Back then, I … more

By JOHN WOODS | 2/28/20

She Seeks More ‘Points of Encounter’ for Adult Faith Formation

Elizabeth Guevara de Gonzalez, who was recently named director of the archdiocesan Office of Adult Faith Formation, is seeking to continue expanding awareness of her office and its programs among … more

By JOHN WOODS | 2/12/20

Veterans and First-timers Find Common Cause at the March for Life

You never know who you are going to encounter when you start making your way into a crowd, especially when it’s as big as the one in Washington, D.C., last Friday, Jan. 24, for the 47th annual … more

By JOHN WOODS | 1/29/20

Another Bicentennial Blessing, This One for Catholic Schools

Last issue, this space featured a report about a Mass at St. Paul the Apostle Church in Manhattan marking the bicentennial of the birth of Father Isaac Hecker, C.S.P., the founder of the Paulist … more

By JOHN WOODS | 1/15/20

Father Hecker’s Bicentennial Offers Timeless Prescription for Faith

It was a birthday party for the ages, as the Paulist Fathers celebrated the bicentennial of the birth of their founder, Servant of God Father Isaac Hecker, C.S.P. Father Eric Andrews, C.S.P., … more

By JOHN WOODS | 12/31/19

The Christmas Season’s ‘Opening Pitch’

The annual Cardinal’s Christmas Luncheon heralds the season in New York. More so than the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade or the lighting of the Christmas tree in Rockefeller Center, the … more

By JOHN WOODS | 12/18/19