Category: Archdiocese of New York

Dolan’s Catholic Crusade

I would not have used the word “crusade” to describe responsible Catholic leadership but it does grab one’s attention. The recent interchange between Archbishop Dolan and Maureen Dowd (and the NY Times) is not all that interesting: most with-it Catholics know and understand the archbishop to be correct in his assessment. The thesis is not original to the Archbishop. A book length exposition on anti-Catholic bias was done by Philip Jenkins in The New Anti-Catholicism: The Last Acceptable Prejudice (OUP, 2003). Jenkins explores the liberal anti-Catholic bias and the reasons why many just accept it while the same can’t be said in the Jewish and Muslim communities.

So, one can barely say that Dolan’s criticism is newsworthy. EXCEPT to say that his pointing out in a rather public way (thanks be to God!) that Dowd and the Times is in fact, anti-Catholic, and this type public engagement with the press hasn’t been done too much in since Cardinal O’Connor died in 2000. Remember, O’Connor regularly spoke to the press, especially following the 10:15 Sunday Mass at the Cathedral of Saint Patrick. His successor, Cardinal Egan, didn’t much engage the media when he was the archbishop of the Capital of the World.

Take a look at Joseph Bottom’s piece in the NY Post today.
Read Archbishop Dolan’s comments on his blog, The Gospel in the Digital Age

Al Smith dinner at 64

Al Smith.jpgLast night the 64th annual Alfred E. Smith Foundation dinner was held at NY’s Waldorf-Astoria Hotel. It is a fundraising dinner (with the pretty people in attendance). Monies donated at this dinner support a variety of NY charities concerning medical care for the poor, children and under served. The beneficiaries are all very worthy works of charity (mercy).

Admiral Michael Mullen, USN, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff was the guest speaker.

This was Archbishop Timothy Michael Dolan’s first Smith dinner since beginning his pastoral leadership of the Archdiocese of New York.

Watch the only media coverage of the dinner…

The saint who disturbed the 19th century: John Mary Vianney

Rutler & Walsh.jpgThe life we lead is based on the influences we have. For some, like Father George Rutler, John Newman and John Vianney are two such influences. George Rutler, a priest of the Archdiocese of New York and pastor of the Church of Our Saviour (NYC) gave the Terrence Cardinal Cooke Theology Lecture tonight at Saint Joseph’s Seminary. Himself a convert, author, TV personality tried to dispel the florid presentations of the saint which detach reality from the soul. John Vianney (8 May 1786 – 4 August 1859) knew himself well as a farm boy who desired to serve the Lord as a priest in love. What ought to be resisted when thinking about Vianney is sugar coating his ministry and manner of living. His was not a life akin to pouring molasses on roast beef. The saint, in Catholic theology and as reminded by Rutler, is a person who shows us that living the gospel is possible, that conversion is possible, that real, self-giving love is possible because the saint shows us Christ. And since Christianity is not speculation but fact, the fact of the saint is a testament to the reality of Christ today.

John Vianney.jpg

Saint John Vianney loved his people in substantial ways: he revealed Christ to them and allowed Christ to speak through his priestly life in ways that challenged each person to take more seriously the desires of their heart and their state of life. Vianney was direct when it came to sin and sinful ways; he was devoted to the humanity of those whom he encountered, and he responded as Christ would if someone presented himself. Vianney may have been a poor student and a man of little sophistication as judged by the world, but he was a brilliant disciple of the Lord who acted like a shepherd for the flock. Like the apostle who is known for his zeal, the martyr his patience, the virgin her purity and the confessor his intellect, Vianney is known for his love. Can we model our lives accordingly?
Nearly 125 people attended the lecture tonight.

Cardinal Terrence Cooke: 26th anniv. of death

Terrence Cooke.jpg

Twenty-six years ago today God called Terrence James
Cardinal Cooke, 62, to Himself. Under the motto of “Thy Will be Done” and at
the age of 47, he was nominated archbishop of New York, succeeding Cardinal
Spellman. The Cardinal lived his life in dedication to the Lord, often quiet
and formal. His cause for canonization was introduced in 1992 and named a
Servant of God by Pope John Paul II.

Almighty and eternal Father, we thank you
for the exemplary life and gentle kindness of your son and bishop, Terence
Cooke. If it be your gracious will, grant that the virtues of your servant may
be recognized and provide a lasting example for your people. We pray through
Our Lord Jesus Christ your son who lives and reigns with you and the Holy
Spirit, One God, for ever and ever. Amen.

To everything that gives life and love the Church says Yes!

You know, the church is the one who dreams, the church
is the one who constantly has the vision, the church is the one that’s
constantly saying ‘Yes!’ to everything that life and love and sexuality and
marriage and belief and freedom and human dignity–everything that that stands
for, the church is giving one big resounding ‘Yes!’ The church founded the
universities, the church was the patron of the arts, the scientists were all
committed Catholics. And that’s what we have to recapture: the kind of exhilarating,
freeing aspect. I mean, it wasn’t Ronald Reagan who brought down the Berlin
Wall. It was Karol Wojtyla. I didn’t make that up: Mikhail Gorbachev said
that…I guess one of the things that frustrates me pastorally is that there’s
this caricature of the church–of being this oppressive, patriarchal, medieval,
out-of-touch naysayer–where the opposite is true.


Archbishop Timothy Dolan, New
York Magazine

7 to be ordained to the Order of Deacon for Archdiocese of New York

2 signing Oath of Fidelity.jpgTonight 7 men made the Profession of Faith and the
Oath of Fidelity (which I encourage you too read) at Vespers. These 7 men will be ordained to the Order of
Deacon tomorrow here in the Saint Joseph Seminary Chapel by Bishop Dennis
Joseph Sullivan, VG, auxiliary bishop of New York: James H. Ferreira, George
LaGrutta, Steven R. Markantonis, Fredy P. Montoya, Thomas Roslak, Enrique J. Salvo,
Daniel P. Tuite.


Please keep these men in your prayers and sacrifices tomorrow
and in year ahead as they prepare for ordination as priest on 15 May 2010 for service in the Archdiocese of New York by Archbishop Timothy P. Dolan, PhD.

Our Lady of Dunwoodie, cause of our joy, pray for us.
Saint Joseph, pray for us.
Saints John Vianney, Pio of Pietrelcina, John Eudes, pray for us.

New vocation video: Ordination 2009

NY Ordination 2009.jpg… the character of the Good Shepherd is branded on your hearts.. at ordination. 

A powerful video of the 2009 priesthood ordination rites in the Archdiocese of New York is link here.

The video is bone-chillingly beautiful.
The video was produced by Grassroots Films.
Contact Father Luke Sweeney, the NY vocation director, fr. luke.sweeney @archny.org.

New Haven native priest moonlights as clothing designer

Fr Andrew O'Connor.jpgInteresting people come from the Elm City! The New Haven native who’s also a Catholic priest, Father Andrew O’Connor, of the Archdiocese of New York, designs clothes, provides jobs in two countries and continues to preach the Gospel.

Mary O’Leary’s New Haven Register article on Father O’Connor altar-ations can be read here.
Nice to see Mary Alice & Charles’ son in the media!