Big City Catholics Podcast

In this episode of Big City Catholics, Bishop Robert J. Brennan and Father Christopher Heanue are joined by Rev. Thomas W. Ahern, pastor of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in South Ozone Park and the new Director of the Propagation of the Faith, to discuss the importance of World Mission Sunday.

In this episode, Bishop Robert J. Brennan and Deacon Kevin McCormack, the Superintendent of Catholic School Support Services for Brooklyn and Queens, have a touching conversation about loss, grief, and faith at challenging times. Next, they discuss Saint Giovanni Calabria, canonized Oct 9, 2022, who had dedicated his life to the plight of the poor and the ill before his death in 1954.

In this episode of Big City Catholics, Bishop Robert J. Brennan and Father Christopher Heanue are joined by Msgr. James Shea, president of the University of Mary located in Bismarck, North Dakota and author of From Christendom to Apostolic Mission: Pastoral Strategies for an Apostolic Age.

In this episode of Big City Catholics, Bishop Robert J. Brennan is visited by Deacon Kevin McCormack, our new Superintendent of Catholic School Support Services for Brooklyn and Queens.

In this episode, Bishop Robert J. Brennan and Father Christopher Heanue are joined by Sr. Maryann Seton Lopiccolo, the Episcopal Delegate for Religious in the Diocese of Brooklyn, a position she has held since 1998. They discuss how Sr. Maryann first discovered her calling to religious life and how the religious communities working in our diocese have changed. They reflect on the importance of Religious Life and coming together with your community to celebrate significant times.

Back from their short break, in today’s podcast, Bishop Robert Brennan and Father Christopher Heanue discuss what they did during the short hiatus from the Big City Podcast. Next, they discuss the celebration of the Feast Day of Mother Teresa of Calcutta, with this year marking the 25th anniversary of her death. Bishop Brennan recounts the time he heard her speak at the Cathedral of St. Agnes in Rockville Center. One of the lines she spoke that really stayed with him, “Let no one in this place ever feel unloved, unwanted, or uncared for.”

Bishop Robert Brennan and Father Christopher Heanue discuss the upcoming reading of the Letter to the Hebrews, focusing on the phrase, “Cloud of Witnesses.” Whether referring to the figures of faith in the Old Testament or the canonized saints, we can draw great inspiration. Also discussed, various other saints (and blessed) observed in the month of August such as St. John Vianney, Blessed Michael McGivney, St. Maximilian Kolbe, and St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross.

In episode eight of Big City Catholics, Bishop Robert Brennan and Fr. Christopher Heanue are joined by Msgr. Strynkowski to reflect on the history of St. James and what that means for the faithful of today who have received the wonderful gift of parish life from those who came before us.