Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] Speaker A: Foreign.
Welcome back to a new edition of our diocesan podcast, Big City Catholics, with Bishop Robert Brennan, the diocesan Bishop of Brooklyn, serving in Brooklyn and Queens, and myself, Father Christopher Henry, here at St. Joan of Arc Parish in Northern Queens. Bishop, great to be back together again with you today. We have a lot to talk about and we begin in prayer. I'll ask our Blessed Mother's intercession upon us, upon this podcast, all those who listen to it, and certainly the intentions that we hold in our hearts. The Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
[00:00:41] Speaker B: Amen.
[00:00:42] Speaker A: Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
[00:00:49] Speaker B: Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen.
[00:00:54] Speaker A: Name of the Father, Son, Holy Spirit. Amen. Bishop, we're recording this at the beginning of the week. We had a chance to be together yesterday, the third Sunday of Lent. We ended the day together, really a long day, a beautiful day, but we ended it at St. Bartholomew parish, which is in Elmhurst, East Elmhurst, a neighboring parish of mine here at St. Joan of Arc for what was really just a beautiful evening called Project Andrew. Do you want to talk a little bit about that?
[00:01:21] Speaker B: Do a thing, A couple of things. First of all, Project Andrew, this particular session, Project Andrew, was really a reschedule. We were supposed to be together for this back in January on the weekend after the March for Life. And as many people remember, that particular weekend, the forecast for snow was brutal. And sure enough, we had a heavy snowfall on Sunday. So I'm glad we rescheduled it. And as we record today, I'm down at a meeting in Washington for the USCCP. And you're in New York at 70 degrees. I'm in Washington at 80 degrees. Wow, what a change.
[00:01:56] Speaker A: I know.
It is beautiful. It is.
[00:01:59] Speaker B: By the time this airs, it'll be a little more seasonal. But still, I think the worst is behind us. I hope and pray.
[00:02:04] Speaker A: Please God, Please God.
[00:02:06] Speaker B: We rescheduled for this weekend and it turns out that the weekend bookend a week focused on vocations. On this past Sunday, we had the Project Andrew at St. Bartholomew. And on the coming weekend, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, we will have our annual vocations retreat, the Bishop's retreat, which is really intended for more serious discerners and people. Thank God, thank God for your prayers and the work that you're doing. We actually have a waiting list for that retreat because we only can get so many rooms at the seminary on that given weekend. And there really is an Interest I'm noticing when I go around for confirmation, young fellows are more interested in talking about it, not saying they're going into the seminary, but raising it as a possibility. We've had some young women from our diocese entering into religious communities from around the diocese. We've had some interesting stories in the tablets over the past couple of years telling some of their stories. So these two weekends are focused on diocesan priesthood. Project Andrew was simply Mass. We had five o' clock Mass and then those who were invited to take part in Project Andrew came down. We had dinner together and a couple of priests shared their stories and the story of being called. They had a chance to ask questions of the priest, things about what do you do during the day? And. And then they had. And also questions about how do you try to figure out where God is calling you in your life.
So that's the idea behind Project Andrew. It follows after the Apostle Andrew.
[00:03:43] Speaker A: The story of that is really beautiful, isn't it? We all think of St. Peter as certainly the first pope and the succession of the apostles, Peter, on this rock I will build my church. But if it weren't for Andrew, his brother, who said to him, Peter, come and introducing him to Jesus. And that's the idea behind Project Andrew. It's for a group of young men
[00:04:04] Speaker B: and the one that we've been waiting for, come and see him. So it's named after him. You were one of the people who told the stories. This is a nice chance for us to reflect on our call and how hearing the voice of the Lord.
[00:04:15] Speaker A: Thanks, Bishop. I appreciate this opportunity. It was such a great joy to be able to share my vocation story, at least a portion of it yesterday at the Project Andrew and to hear yours as well. And we'll hear yours later in the podcast. But I think we share similar traits in that there were priests in our life, in our childhood, in our youth, and that inspired us. For me, it was my home pastor, Father Don Barron, who recently passed away in his 90s. We recently celebrated his funeral Mass. You were there in celebrant and I was able to concelebrate and as a young person, as a public school kid, I was at Mass every Sunday and at religious Ed during the week. But that was the extent of my involvement in the parish. I wasn't an altar server, I wasn't in a youth group and it was just simply greeting Father Barron after Mass. I remember even if my parents parked on the other side of the church and I always wanted to go out the main door. So I could shake his hand. I wanted to greet him. And when he would come to our classroom in religious ed and just visit us, remember him being just a very happy, a smiling priest. Later, as a young person as well, I would encounter Father Kalis in my home parish, who would later become my high school rector when I joined Cathedral Prep High School Seminary. At the time, Monsignor Calise was the rector of that high school. And although I joined the high school for the fact that it would be a small environment, a good Catholic environment, especially after grammar school and middle school, being in public school, going into a Catholic environment for me was important, and for my parents it was an important reality.
I wasn't going into the school because I wanted to be a priest again. I still wasn't an altar server. I was just at Mass on Sunday, still shaking the hands of the priests at the end of Mass. That was the extent of it. But meeting now, getting to meet Father Cooney, another priest, Father Morano. Great priests that just lived their priesthood with joy and excitement. And then as a junior, and I think this part of the story rings true with many, especially I think they've even done studies on this, the role of eucharistic adoration in a call to the priesthood. I was on retreat. It was part of our school retreat. Junior year, we were at Huntington Seminary. And that was when the seminary was still active as a seminary. And I signed up for 2am Adoration. We had nocturnal adoration as a class. And I just remember kneeling there in prayer and saying to the Lord, I keep hearing these priests tell me, I'm supposed to ask you what I'm supposed to do. I'm supposed to ask you what am I supposed to do? And I've been told to do that. I've been told to do that. But now I'm just. I'm going to do it with this kind of a sense of maturity and prayerfulness. Lord God, whatever it is that you think I should do, what is it that you think I'm called to? And I believe that's the moment. And I believe that was the moment where I, Bishop, I fell in love with Huntington. The building itself, the grounds, the beauty, the peacefulness, the prayerfulness. There were five of us in Cathedral Prep in that year that started to support one another and think about this and really take it seriously. And just beautifully, my senior year, five of us went on to the college seminary. And through time and discernment, three of us were ordained. And so that was really a beautiful gift. But interestingly, and I'LL just wrap this up in just a moment. Is that I entered the college seminary and continued to develop and pray about this vocation. Obviously it started to develop. It wasn't just, oh, I want to live in Huntington, this beautiful place. And that the sense of irony also plays a role in people's. God's humor plays a role in people's vocation story. Because I desired to study in Huntington, to live there and experience and enjoy it. And when I was the senior year of college seminary, I was asked to continue my studies in Rome. And when I was experienced my seminary formation, Rome, and I was coming home from Rome to finish my seminary education instead of going to Huntington, I was asked to finish my studies in Philadelphia, St. Charles Borromeo. And so I never actually spent a night. I never actually spent any of my formation in Huntington, the place where it all started. But regardless, it still was such a joy. And I told the young men yesterday, they often. We would often say, we heard those commercials years ago, join the army, see the world. And I believe, you know, it was join the seminary, see the world. It was over the course of my seminary experience to the ability to go to different mission experiences in China and especially living in Rome and visiting parts of Europe, being the Church universal, visiting Latin America. It was just an experience, a great experience. And long story short, Here we are 10 years later after ordination. Every day an adventure, every day an experience of God's love and mercy and then just being able to hopefully be that priest. That's my prayer, to be that priest. That is a joyful example, a priest that enjoys what he does and can be that smiling presence pointing our young people now to even consider the priesthood. I'm sure we would both agree that. I know that when I was joining the seminary, older priests would say to me, oh, it's definitely harder now to join the seminary than it was when I was a young person. And, and I would say after 10 years or the beginning of my formation, my journey, even in those 20 years, it's even harder now, I think, with the distractions and the noise and the. And society. And yet, yet we had 40 kids at that event yesterday. And yet you have a sold out bishop's retreat and very.
[00:10:12] Speaker B: And very serious young men. They were listening carefully and had good questions. It was a good exchange. It was a great exchange.
[00:10:20] Speaker A: It was a good exchange. And Bishop, your story.
[00:10:22] Speaker B: My own, yeah, my own story. It's not terribly exciting because I can't remember a time that I didn't want to be a priest. I Can't say that I always wanted to be a priest. I knew at the time, whatever. No, it's more that I can keep pointing to different points in my life where I said that the idea at least was there. I remember a fascination with, believe it or not, not really articulated, but this fascination with the Eucharist from the time I received my first Communion. I remember I started serving Mass in fourth grade and being fascinated by what the priest was doing. And one missionary priest talking about his own experience while giving a mission talk. And I was watching the priest. I'm thinking, I could do that. And then I looked, I said, yeah, I would be happy doing that. So those were all the moments. But I think the thing that clinched it for me was the example of the priest I knew in my home parish of Our Lady Perpetual Help in Lindenhurst. It was a large parish, and in those days, we had the fortune of a number of priests. It was a big house and very different priest. They were all very different styles. There weren't one mind in any way. This was in the 70s and the 80s, when they were all different movements and ideas going around. But two things that stood out. They all loved God, loving what they were doing. They loved being priests, and they loved being priests because they loved God. Now it just came out over and over again. And the other thing is, I got to see that they were good to each other. They love serving God's people. And I think that really clinched it. I was an altar server. I worked in the rectory. I worked in the sacristy, working in the sacrasy. I felt connected to the Mass again in a very clear way. And I would see people coming in, just meet with the priest, whether to arrange for a wedding or maybe just seeking some hope. I would see how that would happen. I would see the people's reaction, the difference it made coming to be with the priest. I saw their zeal about going on sick calls. And we shared experiences, you and I, with remembering a particular priest that we both shared in common for his zeal. Monsignor McDonald. I remember when he died, I spoke about how I'm sure he's in heaven, not because he thought he was perfect or he was perfect, but because he. He was so confident. He so believed that God gives us what we need through the sacraments and through the church. And he was so confident of it. And seeing that, the way he took a sickle so seriously, that this can bring somebody close to God to heaven. You'd say yourself, wow, they really believe and they really live it and it's worth any sacrifice if that's what you can do. And if you could do all of that just to save one soul, it would be worth it and hearing that kind of inspiration. But again, all of the priests, they loved being around the people they served. They were good preachers. They loved talking about God, they loved bringing God to others, served funerals. And I saw the difference it made during a funeral, one thing after another. And so that really encouraged me. I did not want to go to the college seminary. There was a seminary like Cathedral. There was the St. Pius High School seminary. One was distance, but the other was I wasn't ready to go into an all boys school. A distance away, still connected to family and all of that. I went to St. John the Baptist, very happy there, St. John's I wanted a university experience. I didn't go to Douglaston, which was not only a seminary residence, but an actual college at the time. I always knew I wanted to be priest. I went to daily Mass in high school, in college. And you're right about Eucharistic adoration. I used to work Monday nights at the parish. There was a miraculous medal novena followed by adoration. It was just a short thing. It was, it was very short.
But in a time that there wasn't much of Eucharistic adoration, it was part of my life. And once a year the school around Thanksgiving would have a day of adoration. And also my parish had the 40 hours still. And we didn't have the experience of adoration that we have right now. But it was something that was built in to the different parts of my life. So I think there's something there, but that draws you to something else that draws you to appreciate participation at the Mass. And it's so good to see a lot of our young people, young men and women who are so committed to going to miss, not just on Sundays, but even during the week. I'm sure you're seeing some of that now up in Jackson Heights with the these youth groups that are just exploding. And it's really centered around the life of the parish.
[00:15:06] Speaker A: I have to say I'm very proud that here at St. Joan of Arc there's one young man who has taken an application for the seminary. There's certainly the seeds are planted in other young men here.
And yesterday Sunday, just before we went to this event, one of the altar servers, a girl in high school, came up to me, she's a senior in high school, and she said, can we talk for a minute? Sure. She Said, I just want to let you know I've been thinking about this for some time. I'd like you to help me with begin a discernment to religious life. So I was like, this is the, you know, this is like such a great thing to hear. And so we're beginning that conversation and going to get her some information. I spoke to her about the different communities that are at least local, but also to start thinking about the charisms that she feels called to. And that was a great question. Yesterday one of the young men asked how did you know you wanted to be a diocesan priest and not a religious. And I think your answer mine is I didn't really know any of them to be honest. And that's the truth. But the reality is that after years of living diocesan priesthood, all of the charisms that make up religious life, whether they be Salesians dealing with the youth or the purists and the youth, whether they be the Franciscans with the poor or the Dominicans in an order of preaching and scriptural, whether they be a Jesuit's more academic, the diocesan priest brings it all together.
[00:16:39] Speaker B: I never would have imagined growing up the things that I would have been involved in as a priest, whether it be health care, chaplaincy. I used to do the first Saturday Mass at the prisons in Nassau. I had chances to be immediate look at what we're doing right now. But at the heart of it all is parish life. But and also when you think now all these movements, the different groups and movements and I even learning Spanish was opened a brand new window to me. Just so much riches and so much life. But at the heart of it all certainly is the parish life. And it's where people who are involved in all these things come together every week to celebrate being God's family and to encounter him in word and in the Eucharist. And it is, it's a great thing to be a priest, to be part of that network that tie that family. And the classic line, the priest as the physician of the soul and the bearer of the mysteries of God.
[00:17:42] Speaker A: One of the questions was that what do you like to do during your free time? And there's a show I watch called Frasier. I like Frasier. It's the smartest show on tv. I guess that was their first.
[00:17:51] Speaker B: Did you watch the newest season? That season, right. Yeah, it was only I kind of like the reincarnation when he goes back to Boston. Yes.
[00:17:59] Speaker A: For me I'm more of the classic. I've re rewatch it just as play it on the background, as I'm doing other things. But there is an episode where Freddy, Frazier's son, comes to visit, and Frasier wants to take him to see Microsoft or something. And there's a softball opening, and Frasier is forced to learn how to play softball. And someone in the office says, oh, your dad's great at softball, even though Frasier's awful at it.
And Frasier's really conflicted with this, and he wants to show Freddy that he's perfect. His daddy's perfect. And the point of the whole episode is, when did you first learn that your dad isn't perfect? And so Frazier admits to Freddie, Freddie, I'm really not a good baseball player. I'm not a good softball player. I'm not. And Freddie said, oh, okay. He said, you must be shocked to know that I'm not perfect. And he said, no, I've known you weren't perfect for years. I've seen you run, dad. I've seen you run. And then he said, when did you learn that Grandpa wasn't perfect? Well, he couldn't do math in his head. And Mr. Crane comes in. You couldn't do math in your head. I just thought of this yesterday. Because we see our priests and we. We certainly idolize them. They're great in so many ways that I look at Father Baron, I look at Father Kalis, Father Morano, Father McDonald, and Senior MacDonald, and yet we recognize that we're in our humanity, that God uses us as imperfect beings to bring other people to Christ. And I think it weighs heavily on a young person to think I have to be perfect to be a priest. I have to be perfect. And the reality is there's no perfect priest. The only perfect priest is Jesus Christ. And I think what we're calling our young people to do is strive for.
Strive for that. Strive for holiness, Strive for perfection. Certainly, the bar is held high for us, but it's not an impossible task. And I think that was something that I was thinking about after our talk. History. Because the guys who hang around the altar servers, they know.
They know Father who comes in at
[00:20:01] Speaker B: the last man for Mass.
[00:20:05] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:20:06] Speaker B: So listen, we're wrapping up. We're coming in on St. Patrick's weekend. I joke about that. St. Patrick's Day, I say marches for the St. Patrick's month. You could go the whole month in Lent and go through a whole month of celebration into celebration.
[00:20:21] Speaker A: Every weekend there's a parade in our diet. Exactly, exactly.
[00:20:26] Speaker B: You forget it's Lent. But we are going to be celebrating St. Patrick's Day on Tuesday. And I'm looking forward to it. I always enjoy the celebration, especially being back here in New York and living in the city itself. I feel a greater part of it. I'm looking forward to Archbishop Hicks celebrating his first St. Patrick's Day Mass, the patronal feast for the Archdiocese of New York. To being out there on the parade and celebrating a great day. I just hope more moderate weather holds out till next week. But it's not just that day alone. I myself, I'll be going to dinner on Saturday for the Sligo Association.
[00:21:06] Speaker A: Congratulations.
[00:21:08] Speaker B: 99 years ago, my grandfather came from Ireland, landed here in New York and made a life for himself. Two of his brothers, his sister, followed, and a couple of his brothers and sisters stayed behind and they maintained close ties. My grandfather didn't go back until just a couple of years before he died. Makes me think of how treacherous that trip over was. I always say he did that, and not because his life here would be easy. He met my grandmother, they married and raised a family. He did it with an eye toward the next generation, toward his my mother, his children, my mother, her brother and her sister. And really now to the grandchildren, to us that we might have opportunities. And I'll always be grateful for that. Yes, one of the guests of honor for the Sligo association, but it's really my grandfather who is the honoree who came 100 years ago. That'll be fun to connect with the Sligo crowd.
[00:22:05] Speaker A: I think that'll be great. I'm looking forward to joining you, too. And we have a Mayo Society event that same night. And like we said, each and every weekend there's some sort of a parade. Last weekend was the Rockaway Parade. Then towards the end of the month, I wasn't there.
[00:22:18] Speaker B: And it didn't rain.
[00:22:19] Speaker A: And it didn't rain. I know your record is being grand
[00:22:25] Speaker B: marshals and honored guests usually brings rain.
I had a wonderful interview with Tressa Goodwin Smith, who is the host of Ireland Calls radio show, and that's on the global Irish Radio. It was very interesting, Father Henry, because she did some homework. And so she was asking me questions about the St. Bridget Day. Ms. Oh, and yes. And I mentioned you by name and the apostolate. And she said, how did you come up with that idea? And I told her how I came up with that idea.
I said it was yours.
Thank you. And she was asking about how the significance of St Brigid, the significance of my Irish roots and connection with the family. I got a chance to say hello to the folks back on the other side of the Atlantic. So it was really a nice entree, you might say, into these days that are coming.
[00:23:19] Speaker A: It certainly is. We're having a small St. Patrick's Day celebration here at St. Joan of Arc. The parish was historically pretty Irish and. Yeah. And there's still some of the Irish that are that remain. And my mother and father are coming and mom has been baking some Irish soda bread for our celebration. But it's a very diverse community. So corned beef and cabbage, but we'll also probably have empanadas and other other cuisines.
[00:23:47] Speaker B: Beautiful story of diversity of culture.
[00:23:50] Speaker A: I'm looking forward to it, Bishop, and I'm also very excited to be present on Tuesday at St. Patrick's Cathedral to can celebrate and to march. My father is being honored by the county of Galway by being the grand marshal of the counties marching in the parade. In other words, we're marching with the county as usual. But he'll wear a sash and he's very honored. My siblings will of course all be there and we'll be marching down fifth Avenue with my dad. So there's no dinner dance or anything like that, but it's just simply a title of honor for the county as we march. So I wish you a great St. Patrick's Day, Bishop, and a great celebration on Saturday and the same to you.
[00:24:28] Speaker B: And of course we go into the fourth Sunday of Lent this weekend. We hear the account of the man born blind who encountered Jesus and Jesus restored his sight and he was able to see, but he could see deep into the heart. He could see who Jesus was and he teaches us to see. And we pray for those preparing for the Easter sacraments this week. This is the second scrutiny. The days are coming when we'll be getting close to the vigil and welcoming new members into our Catholic family.
[00:25:01] Speaker A: Very exciting times. We've got a lot going on. I really appreciate Bishop sharing your vocation story on this platform. And just to share the good news of a sold out vocation retreat, young men that are considering taking that time sharing the good news of our upcoming feast days, St. Joseph's as well, of course, and St. Patrick praying for all that. All these men and women who are preparing for the sacrament. So a lot happening and we just ask you, Bishop, if you would end with a prayer and a blessing During Lent.
[00:25:32] Speaker B: I like to use the prayer of St Francis before the crucifix of San Damiano, but it's a beautiful prayer asking for God's help in discernment in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
[00:25:42] Speaker A: Amen.
[00:25:43] Speaker B: Almost high and glorious God, enlighten the darkness of my heart. Give me right faith, certain hope, perfect love and deep humility. O Lord, give me sense and discernment in order to carry out your true and holy will. Amen.
God bless you today and always. In the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
[00:26:04] Speaker A: Amen. Thank you, Bishop. And thanks, one and all, for joining us. Pray for vocations to the priesthood, religious life, a blessed St. Patrick, St. Joseph Day, and with hope that you'll join us again next week. God bless.
