Author: St. Charles Borromeo

Homilies, Videos

Corpus Christi – Homily (Fr. Gribowich)

| St. Charles Borromeo

Permission to podcast/stream the music in this service obtained from ONE LICENSE with license #A-730437.

Transcript:

Good morning, everyone, and welcome to the rectory of St. Charles Borromeo, especially to our brothers and sisters at St. Augustine and St. Francis Xavier. As many you may know by now, I was appointed the administrator to these two great parishes in Park Slope, and so until we actually are able to meet in person, perhaps it’s a great opportunity for all of us to get to know each other virtually by logging on to the Zoom here that we have at St. Charles Borromeo where I live. It’s interesting too, for those who may be unfamiliar with Zoom, you’ll quickly find out that your favorite button on there being Mute, so when there’s things going on where you are – they’re making a lot of noise, make sure you Mute yourself. And if you’re the type of person who maybe just rolled out of bed,  then the Video button also is another great button to turn that off. So the Mute and the Video buttons are important buttons to get comfortable with as we go through this age of having Zoom masses. Continue reading “Corpus Christi – Homily (Fr. Gribowich)” →

Events

Online Community Mass – Corpus Christi – 6/14 11:15 am EDT

| St. Charles Borromeo

Please join us for our Online Community Mass for Corpus Christi – Sunday, June 14 at 11:15 AM EDT.

Instructions to view the Mass are available here.

 

Messages from Parishioners

Called to Act – Lauren Lee Pettiette Schewel

| St. Charles Borromeo

Next week, I will be able to wish my Daddy a “Happy Father’s Day.”  At the same time, in Minneapolis, a young six-year-old girl named Gianna will not.  Gianna’s father was George Floyd, the Black man cruelly, callously murdered by white cops just a few weeks ago.  I have been struck by the action that has risen in the wake of his death—the discussions, the protests, the riots, the call for change.  As Gianna observed, her “Daddy changed the world.”  And we should all pray that her observation rings true.

When I watched the video of George Floyd’s death, I saw the humanity taken away from him.  He called out for “Mama”; he called out for “water”; he called out for breath.  He called out for the gifts that God grants us as His people—but still, George Floyd died from the oppressive power of the law in this country.  I pray to God every time I see the video replay that He will bless George with a different outcome—that this father will be able to get up and see his children.  Instead, Gianna and her siblings—and all of us—must relive what happened for the rest of our lives.  We are forced to see what white complacency, fragility, supremacy, and inaction do to Black people. Continue reading “Called to Act – Lauren Lee Pettiette Schewel” →

Messages from the Pastor

Fr. Smith on Romans: Surest Way to End with God is to Begin with Him

| St. Charles Borromeo

Paul Writing His Epistles, attr. Valentin de Boulogne, 17th century, Museum of Fine Arts (Houston)

Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ
June 14, 2020

It has been my custom to examine the first reading of the Mass in some detail for our emails and website. This is usually from the Old Testament. The passages are unknown to many Catholics and the wisdom contained in them can be quite a revelation. For most of the year the second reading is from St Paul. It is surprising that he too is often unknown and even when acknowledged usually misunderstood. From next week to mid-September we will be reading the Letter of Paul to the Romans and I have decided make this a summer project.

It is in some ways a very good choice to look at Paul through Romans. It is the most comprehensive letter: it covers the most topics. These topics are among the major issues of our faith. He also speaks in calm and disciplined manner and does not go off on tangents. This letter is so critical that some theologians have called all subsequent theology footnotes on Romans. By the end of the summer, I hope you will understand why. Continue reading “Fr. Smith on Romans: Surest Way to End with God is to Begin with Him” →

Messages from Parishioners

Reflections from Our Confirmation Class

| St. Charles Borromeo

Photo by Olivia Snow on Unsplash

The Confirmation Class of 2020 has continued their preparation for the sacrament throughout the lockdown. Today we are sharing some of their reflections on how being unable to participate in the Mass has affected them:

Although we are not able to attend Mass during these times, which makes me feel disconnected from God and my faith, I feel very close to my family and I am spreading my love through them.
– Nicholas N. Continue reading “Reflections from Our Confirmation Class” →