Pre-party prayer: annual Mass kicks off St. Pat’s parade
By Charlie Young, contributing writer As St. Patrick Parade Days go in CNY, this was one of the better weather days in the event’s 42-year history. A little cloudy, temps in the 40’s on Salina Street, but it’s always warm and bright a stone’s throw away in the...
Love is in the details.
By Mark Ranieri, contributing writer In our readings for Palm Sunday, we see that details matter to Jesus. Jesus is precise when arranging both his entrance into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday and preparations for the Last Supper on Holy Thursday. He attends to the...Growing Up in Ordinary Time
By Lucia A. Silecchia Recently, I was in the happy company of a seven-year-old. She asked me the delightfully shocking, and shockingly delightful question, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” The question was shocking to me because it has been decades since...
Quo Vadis: Where Are You Going?
Students Grow in Faith and Learn Leadership Skills By Eileen Jevis Staff writer Oftentimes, when we think of young leaders, we imagine them leading sports teams, extracurricular events at school, shifts at their jobs or volunteer activities. But nurturing and...
Syracuse parish to host Black Catholic convocation
Contributed by Toni Giudice Black Americans have endured years of bigotry and racial intolerance in our country, in our social institutions and, at times, even our churches. Ruby Randall, Lauren-Hardee Chase and Lillie Fields will attest to that. All three of these...
Focus on what we give, not what we take
Reflection on the 5th Sunday of Lent My friends, in the Gospel on the 5th Sunday of our Lenten pilgrimage, Jesus tells Phillip and Andrew — and us — that the “grain of wheat” must die in order to bear “much fruit,” for the salvation of others and the...
‘We just don’t have a soul, we are a soul’
Homily provokes thought on AI and its faith impact By Dc. Tom Cuskey, editor One hears and reads a lot these days about AI,as in ‘artificial intelligence’, and the impact it is having — or may have in the future — on how we live. This is...
Disney’s Beauty and the Beast comes to Bishop Grimes
The magic of Disney and the bright lights of Broadway come together this month at Bishop Grimes Jr./Sr. High School in East Syracuse where “Beauty and the Beast” will be presented Friday and Saturday, March 15 and 16. The school’s spring musical offering features...
Why wait? St. Patrick gets an early start in Binghamton
Photos submitted by Maria Klawiter The calendar may have read March 2, but it felt like the 17th as the Irish community of Binghamton and Broome County celebrated their heritage in style. Binghamton’s 56th Annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade stepped off in front of St....
Syracuse parish to host Black Catholic convocation
Contributed by Toni Giudice ABOVE: Father Kareem Smith addresses the congregation during the Archdiocese of New York’s annual Black History Month Mass at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City Feb. 4, 2024. The liturgy also marked the National Day of...
Laetare Sunday: ‘the love of our heavenly Father should give us great consolation.’
Reflection on the 4th Sunday of Lent By Jackie Adams, contributing writer Our readings for the Fourth Sunday of Lent speak volumes to our world situations, our faith struggles and last but certainly not least, the love our God has for us. The reading from 2...
Quo Vadis: Where Are You Going?
Students Grow in Faith and Learn Leadership Skills Sun photos l Chuck Wainwright By Eileen Jevis Staff writer Oftentimes, when we think of young leaders, we imagine them leading sports teams, extracurricular events at school, shifts at their jobs or volunteer...
Take stock of your own temple this season of Lent.
Awaken Series: Reflection on the 3rd Sunday of Lent By Craig Rheaume Contributing writer Like millions of kids growing up in the 90s, I convinced my parents that the Columbia House “buy twelve CDs for a penny” deal was not a scam and that they should let me give it a...
Shivering shoreline! Priests, buddies take polar plunge
Fathers Ballard, Buttner honor pledge to help HOPE Appeal By Tom Maguire, Associate editor Someone announced it was a sporting event, so people sang the national anthem by the boulders leading to Oneida Lake, where the water temperature had to be in the 30s on Super...
‘We need Mary the Queen of Peace to help us’
Vigil for Peace is a multilingual petition for peace through Scripture, prayer and music By Dc. Tom Cuskey Editor Thanks to St. Valentine Day, February has the connotation as a month to celebrate love. Nowhere was that more evident than on Sunday, February 11 at St....
The missionary who ‘felt called to do something more’
Father Michael Bassano has served in Chile, Thailand, Tanzania and South Sudan; next is Bolivia By Tom Maguire Associate editor He turned 75 on Dec. 22 but there is no retirement age for Maryknollers. His next ministry, in Bolivia, is somewhat of an unknown — a...
Bishop Lucia announces pastoral appointments
Bishop Douglas J. Lucia has announced the following pastoral appointments: Rev. Immanuel Agbulu, a priest of the Diocese of Lokoja, Nigeria has been appointed Parochial Vicar of St. Mary–St. Peter Church, Rome, New York, effective March 15, 2024. Rev. Bernard...
87 and going strong!
Happy birthday, Father Fred! From a Submission to the The Catholic Sun The parishioners of Most Holy Rosary Church in Syracuse recently paid tribute to their pastor, Fr. Fred Mannara, as he celebrated his 87th birthday on Tuesday, February 12! A special Happy...
Officially a ‘Cool Congregation’
Above: Youngsters from All Saints Parish painted rocks to help decorate the church’s Garden of Peace (Sun file photo) All Saints Parish, Syracuse, wins leadership and sustainability award Interfaith Power and Light Announces ‘Cool Congregations Challenge’...
Shivering shoreline! Priests, buddies take polar plunge
Above: Enduring the shock of the icy water are, from left, Andy Buttner, Father Chris Ballard, Mason Netzband, Quin Ruddy, Luke Lohr and Father James Buttner. (Tom Maguire photos) Fathers Ballard, Buttner honor pledge to help HOPE Appeal By Tom Maguire, associate...
40 Days for Life kicks off 31st campaign outside Syracuse Planned Parenthood
ABOVE: Pastor Bob Doody offers opening prayer at campaign start. By James Mostrom, contributing writer & photographer Prayer, fasting and helping others — those are the practices of Lent. They are also the pillars for the 40 Days for Life campaign that started...
‘Love Beyond Words’
Bishop Lucia reflects on the vocation of Marriage By Eileen Jevis, Staff Writer Sun photos l Chuck Wainwright On February 11, just days before Valentine’s Day, close to 100 married couples from across the diocese gathered at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception...
Women of the diocese triangulate for grace in Lenten retreats
ABOVE: Fr. Jason Hage, pastor of Mary, Mother of Our Savior Parish in Utica, has a conversation with some of the women during breakfast at the women’s retreat. Annual event is held in Syracuse, Broome County and for the first time in Utica By Fran Perritano,...
‘Here I am, Lord’
Awaken Series: Reflection on the 2nd Sunday of Lent By Jennifer Menneci, Contributing writer “Here I am, Lord” seems to be the story of my life as a parent. The Lord blessed me with three children and since then life has been a variety of “call and response”...
Diocese responds to bankruptcy settlement news report
By Dc. Tom Cuskey, editor Concern for funding of the Diocese of Syracuse’s planned $100-million bankruptcy settlement as reported by an area news outlet is premature and unnecessary according to diocesan officials. Syracuse.com reports that a government appointed...
Catholic Schools Week across the Diocese
By Dc. Tom Cuskey The recipe for Catholic Schools Week: take a large dose of enthusiasm and spread it equally among students, families, teachers and staff. Add generous amounts of fun, blend it with proven educational activities and pour in every ounce of available...
Educating the mind, strengthening the spirit
By Eileen Jevis Staff writer Holy Family celebrates Catholic Schools Week Homemade cards, crayons, snacks, toiletries and enthusiasm were the ingredients used to bring joy to the community at Holy Family School in Syracuse. Students across the diocese focused on...
Mass celebrates history, transitions at Lourdes Hospital
By Deacon Tom Picciano Contributing writer Back in 1925, several Daughters of Charity sisters arrived in Binghamton to open the 25-bed Our Lady of Lourdes Memorial Hospital. That hospital has grown into hundreds of beds over the years. It’s easy to find many in the...
Obituary: Sister Carolyn Schanz, CSJ
ALBANY — Sister Carolyn Schanz (Anitra William), 89, died on Jan. 28, 2024, at the Teresian House, in the 71st year of her religious life. She was an excellent math teacher and a charismatic administrator who was principal and superior at St. Francis de Sales, Utica,...
