Catholic New York

A pullout section inside this issue contains stories and photos as well as myriad short profiles of men and women religious serving in the Archdiocese of New York who are marking significant … more

By JOHN WOODS | 11/6/19

A Bigger ‘C’ Than Cancer

I have known George Morton for a good long time, more than two decades. He’s among the many people I’ve had the pleasure to know because our mutual work on behalf of the Church intersects here … more

By JOHN WOODS | 10/23/19

St. Pope John Paul II, the First Time

There I was last Saturday morning covering the annual Forum for Catechesis and Youth Ministry at Cardinal Spellman High School in the Bronx as I have many … more

By JOHN WOODS | 10/9/19

His Love of Flying and Coast Guard’s Mission Are Great Match

U.S. Coast Guard Lt. Daniel Blaich said he began “running through a lot of scenarios in his head” as soon as he learned he would be on a team responding to the Golden Ray cargo ship that capsized … more

By JOHN WOODS | 9/25/19

Another Course for Alfred E. Smith Foundation’s Charity

It’s not often I find myself in a beautiful Central Park West apartment with terrace views overlooking the trees and ball fields across the street. But there’s a first time for everything, and … more

By JOHN WOODS | 9/11/19

Mother Cabrini Got the Votes, But They Didn’t Count

At the risk of sounding like I’m piling on, consider this my firm note of disapproval for New York City’s big-footed decision against erecting a statue honoring St. Frances Xavier Cabrini, the … more

By JOHN WOODS | 8/28/19

Becoming Cultural Mystics

One of the things I like to do when I’m away from the office is read. Perhaps that’s not a shocking revelation given my professional background. The piles of books in the home office my wife and … more

By JOHN WOODS | 8/14/19

Prizing Life, and Being Honored, Too

Cardinal Dolan and a team of others spoke at a Manhattan press conference in February to reaffirm the archdiocese’s long-standing commitment to assisting pregnant women and their children. “I … more

By JOHN WOODS | 7/31/19

National Conference Takes a Shine to Archdiocese’s Energy Efficiency

While Martin Susz enjoyed last month’s conference on “Laudato Si’ and the U.S. Catholic Church” at Creighton University, he returned home from Omaha, Neb., with some extra affirmation for the … more

By JOHN WOODS | 7/17/19

Bright Spot This Summer After Press Awards

On the next page of this issue, you can see the honors Catholic New York received in the latest Catholic Press Association Awards competition. We brought home 13 awards from last month’s Catholic … more

By JOHN WOODS | 7/3/19

Father Grohe: A 50-Year Blessing for Esopus Church

Donald Hoban has long been a daily communicant at the 8 a.m. daily Mass Father Eugene Grohe, C.Ss.R., offers every day but Monday at Sacred Heart Church in Esopus. He likes to assist the priest by … more

By JOHN WOODS | 6/19/19

Her Journey to Catholicism Was Holy Spirit’s Work

Angela Valles’ journey to the Catholic Church was a long time coming, and she attributes her decision to the Holy Spirit, who worked quickly and powerfully in her life. She grew up as the … more

By JOHN WOODS | 6/5/19

‘Christ-Centered’ Priests Are Signs of Hope

You might notice this issue has a different format than usual. It actually consists of three component sections. The main section, pages 1 to 24, follows an eight-page wrap-around section on the six … more

By JOHN WOODS | 5/22/19

A Founder Who Set the Standard High

Over the past week, I’ve spent a lot of time remembering Anne M. Buckley, the editor in chief of Catholic New York from 1991 to 2000 and one of the founders of CNY, who died April 23. She … more

By JOHN WOODS | 5/8/19

A Speaker Who Ate From the CRS Rice Bowl

Most Catholics in the United States are probably familiar with the CRS Rice Bowl program, which is a practical way to support Catholic Relief Services’ efforts toward development and relief … more

By JOHN WOODS | 4/25/19

Kaitlyn’s Faith Continues to Inspire

This is a resurrection story. It is about Kaitlyn Bernhardt, a teenage girl from Brooklyn, who became sick with a severe form of bone cancer, just before she was about to enter Bishop Kearney High … more

By JOHN WOODS | 4/11/19

Prayer Comes First at Holy Hour for Life

Lent is a good time to recharge your spiritual batteries. In my case, I didn’t have to go far to accomplish that two Fridays ago. All it took was an eight-block walk down First Avenue from our … more

By JOHN WOODS | 3/27/19

And the Children Shall Lead Us

Catholic school kids in the archdiocese are practicing the virtue of daily prayer during the 40-day season of Lent that began Ash Wednesday, March 6. They’re seeking to amplify their prayers by … more

By JOHN WOODS | 3/19/19

These Catechists Were in Good Company

Through the years, I’ve covered my share of Catechetical Forums, the gatherings held each October in two locations in the archdiocese. There are a few reasons I like to go. For one, catechists are … more

By JOHN WOODS | 2/27/19

RHA’s Fallout in New York

The fallout continues here in the Archdiocese of New York over the Reproductive Health Act (RHA) ingloriously … more

By JOHN WOODS | 2/13/19