‘Prudence At The Polls’ by Bishop DiMarzio

October 26, 2016 – Excerpted from Put Out Into the Deep, Bishop DiMarzio’s column in The Tablet:

My dear brothers and sisters in the Lord,

The last two weeks we have been exploring our Catholic faith and the matter of political responsibility. We have established already that the purpose of individuals coming together and forming a government is to serve a common good. Last week we spoke of “religious freedom” as a lynchpin of any society. This week we will take up the question of social justice.

We ask ourselves where the candidates stand on how we as a people may best “make accessible to each what is needed to lead a truly human life: food, clothing, health, work, education and culture, suitable information, the right to establish a family, and so on.” (Catechism of the Catholic Church 1908)

Previously, we established that the dignity and sanctity of human life is the foundation for all other rights. Support of partial-birth abortion, which can only be described as near infanticide, is in the minds of many disqualifying for the office of President of the United States. Moreover, the Democratic Party Platform now calls for taxpayer funding of abortion. Taken together, these pose an almost insurmountable hurdle for any Catholic voter that takes his or her faith seriously.

Read the full text of the Bishop’s column on The Tablet website.

‘Church Must Be Active In Public Debate’ by Bishop DiMarzio

October 19, 2016 – Excerpted from Put Out Into the Deep, Bishop DiMarzio’s column in The Tablet:

My dear brothers and sisters in the Lord,

In many parts of the world Christians are suffering intense religious persecution. Last year, over 7,000 Christians were martyred for the faith leaving some to wonder whether we are witnessing a new genocide. Chaldean Christians in Iraq and Syria face the brunt of the violence. However, they are not alone. Those that live in places like Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Libya are also at risk. Many more Christians are facing political and economic discrimination in places like China and India.

The political climate in the United States is chaotic and dispiriting. The Presidential nominees of both major political parties seem scandal-plagued and corrupt. America deserves better but perhaps these two contenders for our nation’s highest political office are simply a reflection of the citizenry. The character of a political candidate does matter. Unfortunately, the character of both Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump has come under question which continues to obscure important policy discussions.

Read the full text of the Bishop’s column on The Tablet website.

‘Who Deserves Our Vote?’ by Bishop DiMarzio

October 12, 2016 – Excerpted from Put Out Into the Deep, Bishop DiMarzio’s column in The Tablet:

My dear brothers and sisters in the Lord,

Winston Churchill, quoting one of his obscure predecessors, remarked “Democracy is the worst form of government, except for all the others.” This year’s election certainly seems to bolster the Prime Minister’s position.

Many have commented upon and much has been written about the inadequacies of both the Republican Party and Democratic Party presidential nominees. Mr. Trump and Mrs. Clinton are polarizing political figures nationally and broadly unpopular with the members of their own respective parties.

So what must we do as Catholics and faithful citizens? In a representative democracy, voting is a fundamental responsibility. It is not simply a civic requirement, but rather a moral obligation.

Read the full text of the Bishop’s column on The Tablet website.

Passing of Rev. Robert J. Frueh

Most Reverend Nicholas DiMarzio, Bishop of Brooklyn, regrets to inform you of the death of Reverend Robert J. Frueh, retired priest of the Diocese of Brooklyn. Father Frueh was born on April 7, 1932 in Brooklyn, New York, was ordained to the Priesthood on June 1, 1963, and died Sunday, October 2, 2016, at his residence in St. Saviour’s R.C. Church.

Father Frueh served the Diocese of Brooklyn as Parochial Vicar of St. Vincent de Paul (Brooklyn), St. Pius X (Rosedale) and St. Catherine of Genoa (Brooklyn). He also served as Ecumenical Area Coordinator for Rosedale and was appointed Chaplain at Kingsboro Psychiatric Center.   Read more »

Finding the Fun in Learning – JrPreK at St. Bernard

My Name is Samantha Mendez, and I am the Jr.PreK teacher here at Saint Bernard Catholic Academy. Over the past month since school has begun we have “Set Sail” into learning. Each year I create a new theme for the classroom and this year the Jr.PreK children are sailing on a learning cruise ship. So my 29 Sailors, My Cruise Director, Mrs. Deborah, and I, the “Captain” are off to a great academic year. As for most of the children it was their first time in school, it was a large adjustment but we all pushed through and are sailing along.

In the past month, the children have had the opportunity to meet new friends and explore learning in a new way. They follow a curriculum I have designed that incorporates letters, numbers, shapes, and colors. The children recently learned about the letter S. Not only did they learn about the letter and the sound it makes, we explored the letter through food and fun. We had scrambled eggs, sausages, spaghetti, snow cones, and strawberry shortcakes. The children also came to school wearing “Silly Socks” that they made at home.

Learning isn’t always easy, but when you make learning fun the possibilities of what each child could do are endless…

-Samantha Mendez