Big hearts in the Big Apple
September 28, 2022
All our daughter, Maria, wanted for her birthday was for us to go to New York to meet the community. ...
All our daughter, Maria, wanted for her birthday was for us to go to New York to meet the community. ...
Grace is from Puerto Rico and she came to America when she was 12 years old. Life was not easy; the cross followed her. She lived in darkness and fear. A few months ago she felt so much emptiness and could not find the meaning of her life, so she was tempted to end it...
When invited to a Con-solatio event—whether it’s a movie, an art show, a cookout, a concert, a talk, or even a book launch(!), I know to go. I will be there. Why? No matter how humble or grand, the event will live in me for weeks and months to follow. It will affect my heart....
I first encountered Con-solatio as a seminarian during the winter of 2016. I was sent as a part of my formation to stay and minister with them for a month in their mission in the Fort Greene section of Brooklyn, NY. It was perhaps the best single month of my seven years of seminary formation....
On the first Wednesday in February, I attended a movie night hosted by Con-solatio in Brooklyn. I have attended many of these monthly gatherings, but they have come to mean even more amidst the increased social isolation of recent years. The opportunity to enjoy a potluck dinner, followed by a screening of “Women of Slender...
I had the absolute blessing of spending my whole month-long winter holidays from college with the Con-solatio family in Brooklyn. One thing that struck me foremost was the profound unity of the community. It felt like entering into the Mystery of Heaven, getting a glimpse of what it will look like. It instantly became clear...
This month my community sister – Maria – and one of our former volunteers, Kristine, who speaks Russian and understands a little bit of Polish, visited some of our friends: Zofia and her husband Filip....
When we arrived at the shelter in downtown Brooklyn, the room was almost empty. In one corner there was a deaf woman who was playing music and expressively signing to a friend with whom she was video-chatting. Another woman silently sat with her head in her hands. A third lay rather uncomfortably across three chairs,...
Wednesday, November 3rd, was a grey, rainy night in Brooklyn. However, when Raphaelle entered the hall for the Con-solatio monthly cultural night, she said she felt immediately “wrapped in a warm atmosphere”. It was not the temperature, it was the large, diverse and cheerful community gathered in the hall....
L. is in her late 80s. She got a stroke about 2 and a half years ago which made her physical health decline a lot. Yet, each and every time we visit her, she is always in good spirits. It is not like she tries to hide, avoid or ignore facing the pain which is...