Episode Transcript
Speaker 1 00:00:10 Welcome back to another edition of our Dias and podcast Big City Catholics, with Bishop Robert Brennan, the Diason Bishop of Brooklyn, and myself, father Christopher, hen you the rector of St. Joseph's Co Cathedral. We'll begin this podcast as we begin all things in prayer. In the name of the Father, son, and Holy Spirit. Amen. Asking our blessed mother's intercession upon us, upon our diocese, upon all the faithful we pray, hail Mary, full of grace. The Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women and blessed is the fruit of the Jesus
Speaker 2 00:00:40 Holy merry mother of God. Pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen.
Speaker 1 00:00:45 Amen. Name of the Father, son and Holy Spirit. Amen. Bishop Easter. Greetings to you. We continue through this beautiful Easter season.
Speaker 2 00:00:52 I we celebrated three full weeks and we still have a few more to go. Another four to go.
Speaker 1 00:00:57 That's right. And I understand that you just returned from a trip from Rome, is that right?
Speaker 2 00:01:02 I was in Rome last week. I left on the night of Divine Mercy Sunday and was in Rome Monday through Friday, back here on Friday. A friend of mine, Bishop Murphy, the Bishop Orain me bishop, he was my boss in Rockville Center, was being honored by the North American College, his alma mater. And he's been very active in hi his support on the board and now on their foundation for a number of years. So he was honored by them and it was a great occasion, a good, good showing from Brooklyn and Rockville Center Diocese. And then because he worked in Rome, a great showing from people there in the different Ta Castries and, uh, from all around the country. It was great, but it was also good to be at our American seminary in Rome. One of our seminarians is studying there, pasar. It was a chance for me to connect with him mm-hmm.
Speaker 2 00:01:57 <affirmative> to check in on him, encourage and to meet with the college. But also, you know, we have two priests who are working there right now in the service of the Holy Father. So one priest is Father Patrick DUIs. He works in the, um, de cast for saints, and he's been there for a little while. And then another priest kind of just started. He had been studying there. Father Willie Kingsley is working in legislative texts. And so the two of them, in addition to their studies are, are serving the Holy Father. So we were real proud of them, but it was also a chance for me to connect with them and to see them in their environment. Sure. So it was really very, very good
Speaker 1 00:02:37 Time. Your role as Bishop is not just to shepherd the diocese and those who are here within the territory of Brooklyn and Queens, but all those who are tied to our diocese somewhat.
Speaker 2 00:02:48 Right, exactly.
Speaker 1 00:02:49 And so the dinner there at the North American College is called the Rector Dinner. It's a, a fundraising dinner for the college, and it was
Speaker 2 00:02:56 Very, very well attended. Bishop Murphy was the bishop being honored. And then, um, Patrick Kelly, the Supreme Knight for the Knights of Columbus. Oh, wow. He was also honored. So it was a terrific showing. And both Bishop Murphy and Patrick Kelly spoke very, very eloquently, and they were both very encouraging to those who were preparing for the priesthood, but also to everyone who was there. It was a, a very good event.
Speaker 1 00:03:23 Has this been your first time back to Rome since you've started your keto diet <laugh>,
Speaker 2 00:03:28 As a matter of fact? Yes, it is. So actually the last time I was in Rome was in 2019, December of 2019 for the Adina visit. That was more than four years ago. It was just before the outbreak of the pandemic. This was my first trip back. And boy, there were a lot of people there. I've never seen the city so crowded. But the other thing, um, is yeah, I I'm, I've been eating on a different diet, so there was no pasta for me. No
Speaker 1 00:03:55 Pasta at this time. No. I did a lot of things. No carbonara. No,
Speaker 2 00:03:59 No. Most of my things were, as they say <unk> Oh, that's on the grill. Yes. So I had a lot of things on the grill, but it, it worked out fine. That's fine. It worked out just fine.
Speaker 1 00:04:09 <laugh> Sorry, silly question, but I No, it's a good question. I thought I would ask
Speaker 2 00:04:13 Question. It was something that was on my mind before I got there. I'm sure. And it all worked out. I'm sure.
Speaker 1 00:04:17 I'm sure.
Speaker 2 00:04:17 So the other thing that this visit provided me was a chance to meet with some of the castries, really the castries with whom we have some interaction here because of our work in Brooklyn. I mean, after all, we are a multicultural diocese, have people from all around the world that creates great opportunities, but great pastoral needs. And it was good to connect with some people who we exchanged letters, but actually to speak face to face. So
Speaker 1 00:04:47 That was a great thing. Can you expand a little bit about that?
Speaker 2 00:04:49 Well, one for example was with the Secretary of State. We wanna make sure that we are always working in communion with the Holy Father in terms of, um, serving the pastoral needs of people who've come from China. Sure. But it, it's even wider than that. You know, they, they maintain, um, relationships with different states all around the world. They were able to help us there. I know I went with Bishop Maa to the congregation for clergy because the congregation for clergy oversees, uh, the work of the seminaries and with the implementation of the new ppf, that means the program for priestly formation. Earlier in the year, we spoke a little bit about some of those changes, but we're going to see some real changes in not the content of how we prepare priest, but in the methodology. So the Holy Sea Pope Francis has introduced different stages of formation and one of the biggest changes, what we call a prop duty year, a year before beginning serious philosophical study of intense human and spiritual formation, but also of getting to know the local church. So we were talking with the congregation for clergy about some of the ways we are going to be approaching that here in New York, Brooklyn, and Rockville Center. Sure. So, um, there were very practical kinds of conversations
Speaker 1 00:06:12 And important ones in that important
Speaker 2 00:06:14 Ones with life of church here. Yeah,
Speaker 1 00:06:16 Exactly. I'm glad. And and it sounds like it all in all, it was a, a full week.
Speaker 2 00:06:20 It was a full week. It was a full week, and it was a spiritual week. I never saw so many people waiting to get into St. Peter's Basilica, but I went one morning very early. So I had the chance to pray at the tomb of the late Pope Bennett, because That's right. That's the major change there since
Speaker 1 00:06:36 Sure. Since your last visit,
Speaker 2 00:06:37 Since I last visited. Uh, but again, when was able to pray inside the Basilica, it's easier to do that early in the morning for sure. And then I joined with Focus Fellowship of Catholic University students were doing some work with them. If you remember, I was at the SEEK conference there, annual conference in Jan, January. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>. They had a group there, and we had the chance to con celebrate mass at St. Paul outside the walls. Oh, great. And it's an American Cardinal who's the arch priest, uh, Cardinal Harvey. He did a wonderful job connecting the life and the ministry of St. Paul to that missionary thrust that really has to motivate us all in their case with the focused missionaries, the work they do on college campuses, but the missionary zeal that we all need to have. It was, it was really very moving that experience. What
Speaker 1 00:07:25 A blessed week. It seems, you know, I mean, they're, to support your, your friend and the Bishop Emeritus of Rockville Center, Bishop Murphy, but also to do so much on behalf of the diocese and, uh, on behalf of the, the Universal Church as a, it was
Speaker 2 00:07:38 A, it was a good, good opportunity. And like I said, also very spiritual journey.
Speaker 1 00:07:42 We're entering into a blessed season. I mean, we are already in this holy season of Easter, but around the corner now, I'm sure that what may have already started for you in your calendar, but this is the season of confirmations. No,
Speaker 2 00:07:55 Exactly. For me, in a sense, my going away, that one week kind of stalled me getting out there. So now it's going to be packed, which is great. I'm excited about that. I had one of my earlier confirmations for this season last Sunday over in Bay Ridge. I have to say, I was competing getting there with the, uh, Brooklyn Half Marathon. Oh, wow. Um, oh my, it was the story of the road to Emmaus. I said, I felt like the disciples on the road to Emmaus. I had to go seven miles out from Bay Ridge to come back the other seven miles to Bay Ridge. But it was great. And, and then since then, we've had a few confirmations, and it's just almost steadily now, um, every day. But again, it gets me now to parishes Sure. That I haven't been to yet. We've deliberately chose some of the parishes that I haven't gotten to yet.
Speaker 2 00:08:40 So it's getting me into those parishes. It's a great opportunity to interact with our young people, to encourage them. I mean, I always say it takes a lot of courage and generosity to do what they're doing, to stand up, to say, this is what I believe. Sure. And this is how I want to live my life, and then to accept this gift of the Holy Spirit. So I wanna encourage them on that. And it's a great moment when you go to a parish for confirmation. And, and in a sense, there's something about the experience for the whole of the parish. Yes. You know, it's the, the children being confirmed, the teens, I should say, probably being confirmed and their families. But it's a chance for the parish to celebrate its work, its work in sacramental preparation in catechesis. The whole parish takes a moment to give thanks on a daylight confirmation
Speaker 1 00:09:29 Throughout our diocese. There's such a wide variety of the different cultures that are represented. And you see, I'm sure you see different cultures present, but you also see some parishes with 200 teenagers being confirmed, others with a, a handful fewer, it's not an, an an implication of one parishes doing more than the other, but it's just, there's just some where they're located, where they're Yeah. Where they are. And
Speaker 2 00:09:50 You know what, they're all great. It's nice to have the differences. They're all great. While we do confirmations throughout the year, there's something special about the Easter season because in our weekday readings and our Sunday readings, we're focusing in on the acts of the apostles. Yeah. Really, the story of the acts of the apostles is the gospel, you might say, of the risen Christ. Or you could say the Gospel of the Holy Spirit. It really tells the story of the coming of the Holy Spirit upon the apostles and how that equipped them boldly to proclaim Jesus Christ. Sure. And so, um, it's a terrific time of the year in terms of our prayer and meditation to focus in on the acts of the apostles, but to connect that with the work of the Holy Spirit here in Queens and in Brooklyn in the year 2023.
Speaker 2 00:10:41 Yeah. It's the same Holy Spirit and the, the same Holy Spirit inspires the same bold witness. And it's just that the needs, the world in which that same gospel is being proclaimed is very, very different. Absolutely. And that's the gift of the Holy Spirit. Isn't that amazing that the Holy Spirit has worked to equip people in so many different ages? Right. Yeah. Whether it be in the Apostolic times when the church was a band of 12 disciples and a number of, uh, men and women who followed Jesus Sure. To the message being spread throughout the world, but in every age, the Holy Spirit a accompanies the church to proclaim the gospel, the same gospel, but to answer the needs of every generation.
Speaker 1 00:11:27 And now the challenge is still present, as you mentioned. You know, the teenagers are, they're not our future. They're our present and our future. They play a role in our, in our faith's mission today. That's right. In their schools and in within their friend groups
Speaker 2 00:11:43 And, and among the families and inspire us, you know, and you can't help but think of some of the great teenage saints. One of my favorites was always St. Agnes was in the Cathedral of St. Agnes in r the Center. Sure. But I personally have a great devotion to St. Agnes, and there's a teenager who stood up to the forces of the mighty Roman empire. Mm-hmm. <affirmative> mm-hmm. <affirmative> and poor witness to Christ, and then to the modern days where now you have a great and growing devotion to blessed Carlo Acutus. That's right. A young man whose passion was video games and soccer, but who always had this tremendous love for the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. And here it is, this young, blessed saint is leading, um, many, many people of all ages to appreciate the presence of Jesus in the Eucharist.
Speaker 1 00:12:36 All of us need to be challenged, but I think in a particular way, and I think you'd agree that our teenagers, they desire that challenge and they want to step up to the challenge. Right. They're, they're ready. And,
Speaker 2 00:12:47 And in a world that is so fleeting, I, people in general, but I think our young people are looking to stand for something not to go with the wind. That's right. You know, I always say this, one of my laments is that far too many young people are not engaged in the life of the church. All right. But the flip side of that is those who are engaged are very deeply engaged. That's engaged. True. Yeah. In fact, um, I come from some experiences, and I'm starting to see it here in Brooklyn as I go around, of young people who really see themselves in a missionary vein as missionaries. Uh, taking on that, that sense of missionary zeal. Unfortunately too few. But those who are, are very deeply engaged and everything we can do to encourage those who are willing to be engaged, that's going to bear its fruit for absolutely a long time to come.
Speaker 1 00:13:45 And, and, and that ties in beautifully to this Sunday's gospel. The readings this Sunday, especially the gospel, is the gospel of the good shepherd. And we often relate that gospel with the call for prayer for vocations to the That's right. Rest of religious life, that young men and women be challenged, be encouraged, be supported to consider, uh, vocation to the priesthood a religious life.
Speaker 2 00:14:08 Precisely, precisely. We pray for vocations in general. I used to think when we would pray for vocations to marriage, we were still like kind of taking the attention off of priesthood religious life. But you know what? We really do need to pray for matrimony. That's a vocation that needs support and encouragement for young people. That's right. Today, that's right, that's right. On this good Shepherd Sunday, we definitely focus in on priesthood and religious life. Yeah. That young people particularly will hear the caller of the good shepherd to follow in his steps as a shepherd. This is a Sunday too, to give thanks to the priest of our diocese who strive in their daily lives to imitate Christ, the good shepherd to represent Christ, the good shepherd in his care for their people. So thanks. One of the things I love, I've experienced it everywhere I went, is people really do love their priests, and they express that to me all the time. Thanks for that. We as priests, we really appreciate that love and that encouragement. And this is a Sunday where we can take a moment to offer that appreciation, but also to encourage a new generation of priests and religious to come forward.
Speaker 1 00:15:23 Amen. You know, we support the work of our Dias and vocation director of Father Christopher Beci, but at the same time as he'd be the first to announce every priest, all families, we're all in this role of vocation directors. We're all there to help promote and support young men and women to consider that call to the priesthood or religious life.
Speaker 2 00:15:46 Now, that image of Christ, the good Shepherd, is an important one. And it's not just limited to vocations. It's really a call to all of us that Jesus, the good shepherd, is speaking to us. You know, it's interesting, if you look through the Old Testament, there's that desire for king. You know, remember in the time of Samuel, it was a desire. Send us a king, and God gives them a king. He gives him soul, he gives them David. Sure. And then basically the whole of the rest of the Old Testament is focusing in on that kingdom or the kingdoms. After the kingdoms were divided. Sure. But when the kingdom kind of goes astray, God speaks through the prophet Ezekiel. And God doesn't use the language of the king. God says, as the kings, we're leading people the wrong way. God says, forget about us <laugh>.
Speaker 2 00:16:35 I will shepherd them myself. I will send them shepherds, and I will shepherd them myself. God uses the language of a shepherd, still a leader, still one who guides Sure. But one who guides by serving God, choose. Isn't that amazing? God who deserves everything, chooses to lead us by serving, you know, like a shepherd. And then Jesus just picks right up on that image so beautifully. He, you know, he speaks about the lost sheep and the shepherd who goes seeking out the one who is lost gently picking it up. A very unusual shepherd at that. Yes.
Speaker 1 00:17:15 Yes.
Speaker 2 00:17:17 Jesus speaks of himself as the shepherd and as his sheep who hear his voice. Right. And he speaks a lot about recognizing his voice. And we'll come back to that. But he also says, I am the good shepherd who will lay down my life for my sheep. And that's exactly what Jesus did. Yeah. Now, this week, the gospel uses it interesting language, doesn't it? Jesus, instead of saying, I'm the good shepherd, he says, I am the sheep gate.
Speaker 1 00:17:44 Yes. The gate, the sheep gate.
Speaker 2 00:17:45 I am the, yeah. I, I mean, that's an interesting image. I am the sheep gate. You know, think about it. Who enters a house through the window? <laugh> who enters into the fold by climbing over the fence. <laugh> not somebody who lives there. He says, those are thieves and marauders. Okay. Maybe you forget your keys. I get that <laugh>. But the shepherd enters in and out through the sheep gate, the authentic one, the one who belongs, the one who has genuine concern for the sheep. Mm. He said, there are thieves and marras who try to climb over the sheep gate to lead the sheep astray. And then he says, but my sheep know my voice. And I think about that today. And as we're talking about our young people and we talk about the needs of the world, there are a lot of voices out there calling for our attention, aren't they? Absolutely.
Speaker 1 00:18:36 Yeah.
Speaker 2 00:18:37 And some of them are decent voices that are, you know, calling us. But they're distractions. Some of them are just outright evil. That's right. They're lies. They're telling us people of all ages, not just the young, you know, that this will make us truly happy or we need something else because, uh, our lives are lacking. But the one who speaks to us truthfully, and the one who can give us true life is Jesus himself. And so the real message of this good Shepherd Sunday is to train out years, in a sense, to attune ourselves, to listen for the voice of Jesus in this cacophony of noises. That there's a voice that's speaking and it's voice that's stronger than all the others. It's just, it takes the ear that desires to hear his voice. He doesn't force himself upon us, but he speaks to us and calls us out of ourselves.
Speaker 1 00:19:32 I think also the, the idea of the sheep gate gives us a sense of protection. You know, although yes, the voices are still there, that people will still try to climb the fence or climb through the window to lead us astray. That there's a, a source of protection a, around us because we are part of his fold. That's right. And that's a beautiful gift as well. It doesn't make us impervious to sin, uh, or to the temptation, but at least we know that there's that other, that extra added.
Speaker 2 00:20:03 And our shepherd speaks with the voice of mercy as well. So you're right. We're not immune from sin, but we try earnestly to listen for the voice of Christ. And when we do stumble, when we do fall, we can be confident that he seeks us out. He seeks us out and brings us back. It's again, but he doesn't force us. He invites us back.
Speaker 1 00:20:24 Amen. So this coming Sunday, Bishop, of course, we renew our desire to pray for vocations, especially to the priesthood and for our priests, but we also pray for all of our young people, that the Lord the good shepherd, that they may hear the voice of the good shepherd leading them to whatever their vocation in life may be, married life, single life, or, or vocations to the priesthood religious life. Bishop, perhaps you'd like to end in prayer.
Speaker 2 00:20:49 And in this time of Easter, we continue to pray. The uh, Regina Chaley, the Queen of Heaven. Queen of Heaven, rejoice hallelu, hallelujah. The Son whom you merited to bear, hallelujah, has risen as he said. Hallelujah. Pray for us to God. Hallelujah, rejoice, and be glad, Virgin Mary.
Speaker 1 00:21:06 Hallelujah.
Speaker 2 00:21:07 For the Lord is truly risen. Hallelujah. A male, mighty God bless you, the Father and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Speaker 1 00:21:13 Amen. God bless you all, and thanks for tuning into another edition of this DAAs in podcast.
