Category: Bulletin

Bulletin

Summary of Christmas Giving Appeals

| St. Charles Borromeo

We sponsor opportunities for us to give in different ways this Christmas season. It’s a busy time of year, so below is a brief summary of our Christmas giving appeals. More details about many of the programs are available below on the website.

  • Toys for Individual Children
    • If you would like to buy toys for a particular child, we will have the names of individual children and what they really want.
    • Email [email protected] to obtain name of child and his/her wish list.
    • Respond by December 8, 2020.
  • Catholic Charities Toy Drive
    • New toys and baby items will be collected will be brought together in a “toy store” for parents to choose which toys they think best for their children. 
    • Bring unwrapped toys in the rear of church (by Wed., Dec. 9), or bring to Custom House on Sat., Dec. 12
    • Respond by December 12, 2020.
  • Volunteer Your Time with Catholic Charities
    • Two ways to participate: (1) Collect from churches and Investors Bank locations during the week of Dec 14; and/or
      (2) Help distribute the toys on Dec. 17/18 (Queens) and Dec. 22 (Brooklyn)
    • (1) Email or call rectory to help with toy collection; (2) Sign up online to help with toy distribution
    • Please respond as soon as possible.
  • Gift Cards for St. Vincent Scholars
    • Gift cards for young people who are cycling out of foster care and likely not receiving any gifts for Christmas this year, and foster children who do not have access to school supplies and learning tools required for remote schooling.
    • Donate online at https://stcharlesbklyn.weshareonline.org/ws/opportunities/StVincentsGiftCards or place a check in the collection box (see details below).
    • Respond by December 13, 2020.
  • Christmas Flower Memorials
  • Christmas Gift to Parish
    • We will ask for your support of our annual Christmas donation that goes to support the activities of St. Charles, and St. Charles only. A particular focus this year will be the increased costs due to the pandemic. The parish has been scrupulous in fulfilling our safety responsibilities during the pandemic, but this has been very costly and will continue longer than anticipated.
    • Donate online at https://stcharlesbklyn.weshareonline.org/ParishChristmasGift or via envelope enclosed with the pastor’s Christmas letter.
    • Respond by December 25, 2020.
  • Christmas Gift to Catholic Charities
    • Churches across our diocese take up a collection for Catholic Charities on Christmas Day. Catholic Charities has been vitally important for so many of our neighbors, particularly during the hardships of this year. We encourage you to contribute generously.
    • Donate online at https://stcharlesbklyn.weshareonline.org/CatholicCharitiesChristmasGift or place a check in the collection box.
Bulletin

Christ the King – Homily (Fr. Smith)

| St. Charles Borromeo

Today we celebrate the Solemnity of Christ the King. It is the last Sunday of the church year, and we begin Advent next week. We will also switch gospels from Matthew to Mark. Mark will have much to offer us, but Matthew was particularly pertinent for this year. St. Matthew was a pastor of a new parish at the dawn of the church. We are a well-established one which will need to rebuild after COVID, but the challenges are strikingly similar. 

Matthew has shown us the importance of forgiveness, the practicality of the Beatitudes and need for a Church structure. These issues were urgent then and now. Today’s message may not seem as immediate, but you may find a longer look worthwhile. 

Continue reading “Christ the King – Homily (Fr. Smith)” →
Bulletin

Missionary Collection Next Sunday

| St. Charles Borromeo

Due to the pandemic, the visiting missionaries were not able to make their traditional in-person appeals this year. To support the missionary groups, which desperately need our help, Bishop DiMarzio has requested each parish take up a second collection on November 8. The proceeds will go to the 42 missionary groups supported by the Brooklyn Diocese.

Bulletin

National Black Catholic History Month Events

| St. Charles Borromeo

November is National Black Catholic History Month. Ordinarily, we would have had a celebration commemorating National Black Catholic History Month here in the Diocese of Brooklyn, but because of the current restrictions we are unable to do so this year.

Instead, we invite you to join the upcoming online events hosted by the US Catholic Bishops. The series will focus on the soon to be Black Saints of our Church. It is entitled, “Celebrating the Cloud of Witnesses: Race, Resilience and Renewal”. It will take place over 3 Saturday afternoons, November 7, 14, and 21. The last Saturday will conclude with Mass celebrated by Archbishop Wilton Gregory of Washington DC (who was appointed to be cardinal by Pope Francis last weekend). For more details and to register, please visit https://www.eventbrite.com/e/cloud-of-witnesses-grant-funding-by-nbcc-daniel-rudd-fund-tickets-122107178859.

Bulletin

Early Voting in NY Has Begun

| St. Charles Borromeo

As Fr. Bill mentioned at the end of Sunday Mass, the Church does not direct Catholics to vote for particular candidates. Instead, we are invited to weigh all of the issues:

It falls to faith-filled Catholics in their own conscience to bring Catholic social teaching in its entirety to bear on their voting choices, to ask deeply and without partisanship or self-interest what opportunities to advance the common good are available in 2020, and which candidate will best advance the common good through her actions.

Below is a link to the Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship teaching document on political responsibility issued by the US Conference of Catholic Bishops,
https://www.usccb.org/offices/justice-peace-human-development/forming-consciences-faithful-citizenship. Continue reading “Early Voting in NY Has Begun” →