Episode Transcript
Speaker 1 00:00:10 Welcome back to another addition of big city Catholics, our podcast with Bishop Robert Brennan, the Dias and Bishop of Brooklyn, myself, father Christopher HEU. We're happy to that. You've joined us on this beautiful summer days that we we're having here in New York city before we begin. I think it'd be smart to begin with a prayer, certainly asking our blessed mother for her intercession as we pray and the name of the father, the son, and the holy spirit. Amen. Hail Mary full of grace. The Lord is with th blessed art thou amongst women and blessed. It is the fruit of the wound. Jesus
Speaker 2 00:00:40 Only Mary mother of God. Pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen. I don't even the father, the holy spirit. Amen.
Speaker 1 00:00:48 These have been some beautiful days Bishop.
Speaker 2 00:00:50 They have they've been hot. <laugh> right. Actually I spent last weekend back in Ohio while the weather in Ohio was very similar to the weather in New York, you can almost predict today's weather in, um, central Ohio was tomorrow's weather here in New York. Uh, the way the jet stream flows it, they were for good things. I was there to do a wedding that I had committed to doing. I was invited to offer mass for the Dublin Irish festival, which is a huge celebration. First time they've had it since 2019, you know, then I just got to visit with some of the people with whom I worked when I was there. So, um, it was just a, a real nice time, but you know what, as nice as it was to go back to Columbus, it's really nice to come back home here. That's
Speaker 1 00:01:37 Great to
Speaker 2 00:01:38 That's Brooklyn and Queens. It's
Speaker 1 00:01:39 Home. Yeah,
Speaker 2 00:01:40 It's home. This is home is home. So I also enjoyed a nice 10 hour drive. I took the car this time. I, I didn't trust the, the airlines and the current situation, but also I wanted to have the car available and you know what I do in the car. I often I pray, but I also listen to audio books. Oh, cool. That makes the time go by. But it also helps me to, uh, devour more than I ordinarily get the chance to do for sure. Yeah. And Monsignor OAL had given me a book on Brooklyn, I'll have to remember the name of it. Each chapter tells its own little story you might say, and it takes you through the history, but what a fascinating book. So I had a li a chance to take in some of the Brooklyn culture as I'm driving along. I 80.
Speaker 1 00:02:27 Very nice. Very nice. And then, you know, if you do any more of these long drives, you can re-listen to big city Catholic podcasts. <laugh>, you know, <laugh>
Speaker 2 00:02:36 You go? What an idea.
Speaker 1 00:02:37 <laugh>. So, uh, so today, um, B and I want to just have a little conversation of the recent saints, the saints of the day.
Speaker 2 00:02:47 Yeah. In the month of August, we, we, we have some real rich celebrations coming up. And one of the things that can set the pace for us is this Sunday's second reading. You know, we're reading right now from the letter to the Hebrews last week, we heard about what faith is, the confident assurance of things hope for, and the conviction of what is yet to be seen. But then we heard the, the letter describes all the different figures of faith through the old Testament. And then he says, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, that's right. Let us cast off every encumbrance of sin and persevere in running the race ahead of us with our eyes fixed on Jesus. I love that image of the cloud of witnesses. Yeah. You know, so the letter is talking about the figures of the biblical history, but we think certainly about the canonized saints, the communion of saints, and really also the people who've loved us along the way.
Speaker 1 00:03:48 Sure, sure. Yeah. It's the truth. It's uh, when you think of the saints that we're celebrating recently in August, these are saints that are tried and true. They're certainly saints who have lived extraordinary lives.
Speaker 2 00:04:00 Exactly. You know, we know that there are many saints who did live very average lives. Yeah. We go through this process of canonization really to set out some markers of people who can help to inspire us. So they inspire us in different ways. Sometimes they inspire us by the ordinariness of their lives. Yeah, of course. The greatest of all and, and, and a great celebration in this month of August is that of our blessed mother of Mary. So on the 15th, Monday, the 15th, we celebrate the feast of the assumption of Mary body and soul into heaven. Yeah. Um, that's always a glorious feast and it's important for us because we talk about imitating the saints, learning from the saints. But one of the key things is to recognize the goal. We keep our eyes fixed on Jesus. And that our goal is to be like marrying in heaven with Jesus forever. That we, we, every Sunday we profess, I believe in the resurrection of the body and life ever lasting. Well, actually I should say that in the rosary, we say the apostles creed, creed. Yes. In the rosary, we say the apostles creed. And we say, I believe in the resurrection of the body. So what is true of Mary now has something of a destiny for us. We try to live our lives in such a way, because we wanna share that glory
Speaker 1 00:05:24 That's for sure. Yeah. And the, the, you know, sitting here with, with, with you now, Bishop, um, I remember, um, Bishop Daley's line, always speaking had great love, great love of our blessed mother. And he's would say that Mary was like the moon. She reflected the light of her son. She reflected the sun. How true, what a blessing it is to be able to have these occasional feast stays these celebrities for our blessed mother throughout the year. Right. Um, the one which we're celebrating and you're gonna be at the beach on, on Monday for mass is
Speaker 2 00:05:58 I am, I'll be in breezy point. There there's a, a lot of parishes have customs. A lot of the waterfront parishes have customs of mass by the water. Um, I think there's an Irish,
Speaker 1 00:06:09 It's certainly custom
Speaker 2 00:06:10 The, the, of, of the waters being blessed on the assumption and that you have to get yourself into the salt water.
Speaker 1 00:06:17 Yes. Yeah.
Speaker 2 00:06:17 On the feast of the assumption, you know what my theory is on that,
Speaker 1 00:06:21 <laugh> tell us
Speaker 2 00:06:23 That in Ireland, um, I've dipped my toes in the water in Ireland. I think the whole beach season is August 15th. <laugh> it takes that long in the summer for the water to warm up. And then the next day it starts to cool
Speaker 1 00:06:37 Off again, <laugh> they, I was in Ireland for, uh, the assumption, the Fe of the assumption. And we went, there's also, I guess, for those who can't make it to the beach, the blessing of Wells. So you go to the well water and, and you receive the, the water from the well, and, uh, the blessed water from the well, but you're right about the beach season. There's not very long beach season.
Speaker 2 00:06:57 No,
Speaker 1 00:06:59 <laugh> now, um, in reflecting on our blessed mother, she is also a common thread of so many saints, you know, that's right. So many saints have start with a great devotion to our blessed mother. And from that helps to change and convert their whole lives.
Speaker 2 00:07:16 That's right. That's right. You know, two of the Saint, so we, um, honor, uh, really remind us of the, uh, inspire us as priest. So we earlier in the month we celebrated St. John Murray Viani so his devotion to the blessed mother mm-hmm <affirmative> on Saturday, we, the 13th, we celebrate blessed Michael McGivney. Yes. The founder of the Knights of Columbus, important to note a parish priest from Connecticut. That's amazing. And that's gotta be a source of great inspiration to all of us as priest.
Speaker 1 00:07:52 Yeah. I certainly the story of John Viani is an absolutely inspiring one of, of his, uh, road to the priesthood, his, uh, journeying through obstacles. You know, when, when you meet a seminarian who, who doesn't enjoy the academic world of, of seminary, you think, well, I often think of, of St. John BII, not that he didn't enjoy it, he wasn't as talented academically, but he made up for his gifts with his great love, uh, for the salvation of souls. That's right. Um, you know, over the, the, the building in the entrance of Douglaston is the great command. The Salano arms Supreme LX, the salvation of souls is
Speaker 2 00:08:33 The, that was the motto of Archbishop Malloy. And it's the last cannon in the book of 10
Speaker 1 00:08:38 And law. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And so, uh, John V teaches us as, as we pray through his intercession and, uh, of what it means to be a great, have a great love the, of the good shepherd
Speaker 2 00:08:50 And what made him great. You know, it wasn't that as you note, he wasn't the doctor of the church. It wasn't, uh, his, his, uh, studies and his writings, Noah, was he a builder? It wasn't that he built cathedrals and things like that. He did the things that we as priests do in very quiet ways. He did it faithfully and zealously celebrating the sacrament of reconciliation, being available for confessions, praying before the Eucharist and calling others to a greater love of Jesus in the Eucharist. Um, setting a, a tone of reverence in the church. He just, by being there, being, sitting before the blessed sacrament, he became a very powerful witness simply by living his faith and doing those simply priestly duties. And I think, I always think on this day, uh, on the feast of John Ney of all the priests that I know, and now as a Bishop and in my third diocese, in which I've served, I'm getting to know a lot of priest. And I think of the holiness of so many of our priest and their dedication. I mean, you know, it's the unsung heroes, um, their dedication just going day after day, being available to people, bringing the love and the mercy of God.
Speaker 1 00:10:18 And that's the, the same inspiration then that brought Michael McGivney. It was an, exactly an inspiration to care for, for families,
Speaker 2 00:10:29 Uh, for an immigrant community, for an immigrant, for families, community, calling people to a higher sense of living re reminding these were Irish immigrants and reminding the men that they were called to more, that they were called to more. I mean, it's so easy to get to, to, to set your sites kind of low and to give in to the prevailing culture and just say, well, this is who I am, and this is where, where I am. And he always called people to more and again, simple dedication, his being available to the sick, caring for the widows. And the often, because it was a high mortality rate, um, reaching out to those who had gotten themselves into some kind of trouble and then forming that fraternal order, the Knights of Columbus to one, to, to remind men that we are called to more than what might just be available on the surface. And secondly, so that we can support and help one another.
Speaker 1 00:11:30 Yeah. And the Knight of Columbus continue that, that mission, uh, that mandate really to care for the orphan to care for families in need a great, uh, fraternal organization within our church. You know, sadly I think so many of those, uh, holy name societies and stuff like that have kind of fallen, uh, down by the wayside or, or at least have in certain diocese struggle to continue. But the Knight of Columbus here in, in Brooklyn is very, very strong presence,
Speaker 2 00:12:00 Very, very strong. And, you know, they see themselves too reaching out now to the newer immigrant communities and really also becoming more international. So they have councils in Latin America, in Poland. That's right. Um, all around, you know, the other thing on a, on a greater level, the Supreme council, they're great promoters, first of all of the dignity of human life and great promoters of vocations.
Speaker 1 00:12:26 That's right.
Speaker 2 00:12:27 I remember. And this was before they started doing, um, they, they give the money to seminarians to help seminarians along the way, but before they were even doing that, I was in the seminary. And I just remember my own council. I joined when I was 20 years old, my brother was 18 and he wanted to join as soon as he was 18. And really he wanted to join because he, they had an active softball team. Hmm. And there was a whole bunch of the guys that we've worked together around, like some of us at the church, some in the school, in, in town, they were, was strong in the Knight of Columbus, young men, strong in the nights. And a lot of it was around that softball. But my council, when I went into the seminary, they were just so helpful. So encouraging, you know, I was still in college when I joined.
Speaker 2 00:13:15 Sure. And, and then at the time of my ordination, I'll, I'll never forget, um, everything they did for me. And then as a priest in parish and every parish I've been, the Knight were always a, a great right hand, whether it be in my first parish, when I kind of inherited the youth program, the Knight of Columbus were the ones who really helped pull it all together. When I was in long beach as a pastor, the cab cologne, the Spanish group, speaking, um, Knight of Columbus, boy, they helped they with all kinds of projects around. And then they did a lot for family development. So it's just time after time after time, the nights step up to just kind of see what, what the needs are. So celebrating father, Michael McGivney is great because we celebrate him as a parish priest. And that's a great inspiration to all of us, but we also recognize what he did for family life.
Speaker 1 00:14:09 Yeah. And what it, what it continues to do, how, you know, see, this is how the, the life of an incredible witness, you know, the cloud of witnesses as we went back to that second reading this Sunday, how that, that ripple effect continues years and years after, you know, I, I, I often think of, uh, this is really a year ago was my first transition from one parish to another. And I I'm sure in, you know, you've had diocese of transition and into diocese into diocese, but you hope, my hope is that after my first six years in my first assignment, and I know the people of, of holy child appreciated my, my work and I truly loved them. And I think they, they loved me, me, my hope is that the good that was done there continues to bear fruit there. And that it's, that the ripple effect continues. You know, that it's not a, a cultish personality. Oh, we love father Chris. And we'll just want to go to his mass, but the seed of, of faith that's, you know, planted bears, good fruit, and it's shown in the saints, it's shown in the lives of the saints.
Speaker 2 00:15:15 It, you know, uh, St Paul says it, right. I planted Apollo watered, but God gives the growth. That's right. The other thing is you see, in father McGivney that urban experience, that's so familiar to us here in Brooklyn and in Queens. So, you know, in the new Haven area, we, in an industrial age when immigrants were trying to get by and working in hard jobs, um, you know, he, he kind of paved the way for big city Catholics. That's right. And so we pick up that mantle today in, in Brooklyn and Queens and his message of seeking the Lord and witnessing to the gospel in the big city is a great example for us, um, today.
Speaker 1 00:16:04 Absolutely. Yeah. And seeking the Lord in, even in the midst of, of trials and, uh, and difficulties. And so that's another aspect of the lives of the saints too, that we're celebrating. Um, this month are saints who stepped up proverbially, but truly, well actually literally stepped up a max million cold bay who stepped in, in place of, of a family, of a man who was set to be executed, uh, the saints of, of, of whom we celebrate even this past week of, uh, Theresa Benedicta of the cross, Edith Stein, um, saints who have suffered greatly
Speaker 2 00:16:45 And, and who witness the horrendous effect of dehumanizing of people, of, of awful violence. You, you think of what they must have witnessed in the growth of Nazi in Germany, um, you know, maxilla col bay famous for stepping in, but let's keep in mind the fact that he was in prison himself to begin with. Sure.
Speaker 2 00:17:12 Right. So he was suffering the effects of this, uh, dehumanizing regime. Yeah. And the bias largely antisemitic, but not solely. He stepped in then for somebody who was to be executed, you didn't know the story, someone escaped. And I think the idea was that for anyone who escaped 10 would be killed executed, um, a man was chosen, was begging for his life because of his family. He said, I I'm free from those attachments. Please take me. And remarkably, they did remarkably. They did actually twice world youth, there was a little harder because it was a huge crowd of people, but I've been to Auschwitz now, I think three times. But the first time I went three years before world youth day, I went with Bishop andjay from Rockville center. We went actually into the cell
Speaker 2 00:18:08 Where he was incarcerated until as he, as he died, as, as he starved to death. There's a, it's interesting to see it's a Jewish Memorial and appropriately. So they keep a Paschal candle. I forget if it was lip, but they keep a Paschal candle in his cell, which I give tremendous. Thanks. Um, to the authorities who chose to do that as a testimony to his faith and the heroism sure. That he exhibited, you know, when you go through Auschwitz, it's just, I never wanted to go. I never wanted to go. But then when you're there, it, it was just so overwhelming, you know, um, some of the sites and the memorials and, you know, people seeing the people's luggage, people who thought they were just going for a short time, again, the brutal, brutal, um, in humanity of its breathtaking. And, um, you can't help but be moved by it. So max and col bay is always a great, a great fan. I'm sorry. I'm always a great fan of max, me and col bay. And, you know, you spoke before about his love about the saints love for the blessed mother, and he too exhibited that, that love for, for marrying you
Speaker 1 00:19:30 Think, you know, the, uh, Maximilian col bay, other saints, certainly the saints who have suffered greatly martyrs and suffered for the, the, the church. And I think even, uh, the prayers of the church on those days, particularly the prefaces, you know, you are glorified when your saints are praised for their very sufferings or, but wonders of your might. Yeah. And your mercy Lord, you give Arter to their faith, to their endurance, you grand firm resolve and in their struggle, the victory is yours. And, uh, you think of these, the heroism of these men and women, these incredible lives. And what I thought of just recently in praying that for the, the saints of, in preparation for max million Colby and there Benedicta of the crosses is that there's such great suffering in the world today. There is such war in, in Ukraine and, and in the conflicts in Ukraine, in Russia, and in conflicts all over the world. And you wonder, you wonder, cuz you know, I know you have to know with eyes of faith that the Lord is raising others up right now,
Speaker 2 00:20:39 Living witnesses in, in a world that, you know, Pope Francis talks about the throwaway culture. It's, it's all the same thing. And that's why we need always to be consistent in, in, in seeing that the dignity of the human person always, always, um, St. Theresa Benedictor of the cross, her story is, is an interesting one. She was a, a Jewish convert to Catholicism. She was a scholar, uh, a scholar in philosophy. And it was really her studies of philosophy and that search for the truth that brought her to the church and then brought her to religious life. So Edith Stein, we, you know, the name probably she's better known by her given name. Edith Stein. Yes. Yeah. Um, than by her religious name St. Theresa Benedictor of the cross, but she, she was a great, great scholar. And I think many of her writing still need to be uncovered understood study because she gives us such tremendous insights, but she too, she was hunted down because of her Jewish origin, but also because of her Catholic faith, because of her pursuit of the truth. I, I applaud Pope Saint John Paul, the second for raising her up to the dignity of, of Saint to do again, a, a tremendous witness for somebody, the search for truth in a world that's really gone awry
Speaker 1 00:22:15 Who also, uh, suffered and died in, in Auschwitz. Right. Um, incredible examples of, of faith, incredible examples of, uh, of inspiration too, for us all. And either Stein. One of the, one of the, in her path to conversion was, uh, also being inspired by the writings of St there Avala. And so, uh, the co cathedral here of St. Joseph is sort of yolked with, uh, our neighboring parish and which now we work together, collaborate together St. Teresa Avala. So it's, it's interesting as I've, again, my previous parish was holy child Jesus. So, you know, what's our feast day, it's Christmas, basically everything is related to Jesus. But when you're, when you're assigned to unique names, unique saints, you begin to see, uh, as I develop my understanding of, of the life of St. Teresa Avala, you see how many other people are tied to her St. Teresa, Avala had a great devotion to St. Joseph. So it's kind of, kind of cool to see the, the links that, that exist between them. But again, back to the first, they all are tied, uh, back to a love of our blessed mother and, um, and, and therefore a love of Jesus. So, uh, it's a beautiful circle
Speaker 2 00:23:33 Of relationship. It certainly is. So we look forward to celebrating, um, the feast of the assumption, this coming Monday, the 15th of August, and we have other saints in this month of August, but I, I think, uh, we're going to have to wait until next week, but at the end of the month, we have, um, St. Augustine and St. Monica and a great story of the influence of a mother that's right. And her prayers on her for her son and this story of great conversion. So I think we could let that be a little bit of a tease.
Speaker 1 00:24:04 I look forward to, to picking that up with you. Yeah. Next week, it'll be wonderful to talk about even family life and the power of prayer or the power of in intercessory prayer, and for moms and grandmoms and, and parents in general, who are concerned about the wellbeing and the life that their children are living. And so, yeah, I'm looking forward to developing that conversation with you next week.
Speaker 2 00:24:27 But in the meantime, we, uh, we still persevere as the scriptures, tell us in running the race in this big, as big city Catholics, keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus and listening closely to hear the cheering, if you will, of that cloud of witnesses, for sure. Um, have people like Mary herself, like, um, John Viani and father McGivney and Theresa Benedictor of the cross and max col bay, but also the people who love us, our, our fellow residents in this big city, the big city Catholics, as we encourage one another, yeah. To persevere with our eyes fixed on Jesus.
Speaker 1 00:25:05 Amen. Bishop, please, will you lead us in a final prayer?
Speaker 2 00:25:10 The Lord be
Speaker 1 00:25:11 With you and with your spirit,
Speaker 2 00:25:12 May the Lord bless you and keep you may his face shine upon you and be gracious to you. May he look upon you with kindness and grant you as peace and may the blessing of almighty God, the father and the son, and the holy spirit descend upon you this day and remain with you forever endeavor. Amen, man.
Speaker 1 00:25:27 Thank you, Bishop. Looking forward to picking up our conversation of the lives of the saints next week. Uh, we hope that you'll, uh, join us. Those who are listening in and tuning in. Thank you for your support of our podcast. Big city Catholics. We'll see you soon. God bless.
