Big City Catholics Podcast

In this episode of Big City Catholics, Bishop Brennan co-hosts with Lucero Manzanares, Associate Director for Youth and Young Adult Ministry, as they welcome Kiana Carrington, President of Young Catholic Professionals (YCP) Brooklyn, to discuss the successful launch of the chapter and the growing desire among young adults for authentic Catholic community, integrating faith into their careers, and discovering a place to call home in the Church.

In this episode of Big City Catholics, Bishop Brennan and Father Heanue welcome four members of the Diocese of Brooklyn's 2025 priest ordination class. Each priest shares the joys and graces that have shaped their early ministry, offering an inspiring glimpse into what it means to serve the Church today.

In this episode of Big City Catholics, Father James Kuroly and Father Joseph Zwosta join Bishop Brennan and Father Heanue to discuss the encyclical by Pope Leo XIV, Magnifica Humanitas: Safeguarding the Human Person in the Time of Artificial Intelligence. They unpack how the Church grounds its response to AI not in fear or rejection, but in the timeless principle of human dignity. Topics include AI in education, warfare, surveillance, tech addiction among youth, and the dangers of mistaking efficiency for goodness, or information for truth.

In this episode of Big City Catholics, Bishop Brennan and Father Heanue explore the Church's pastoral response to assisted suicide legislation and the call to accompany the dying with compassion and dignity. They also discuss Pentecost, Trinity Sunday, Corpus Christi, as well as the upcoming consecration of the United States to the Sacred Heart, focusing on themes of love, mercy, healing, and renewal through the Holy Spirit.

In this episode of Big City Catholics, Bishop Brennan sits down to talk about the brand-new Young Catholic Professionals (YCP) Brooklyn chapter and how young adults are connecting faith with professional life through mentorship, community, networking, and authentic Catholic fellowship. Lucero Manzanares (Associate Director for Youth and Young Adult Ministry), Steven Mezzacappa (YCP Regional Chapter Manager), and Vanessa Garcia (YCP Brooklyn's founding chapter leader) join him to give insight on the journey behind Brooklyn's newest Catholic community and what's coming next for our diverse diocese.

In this episode of Big City Catholics, Bishop Brennan and Father John Hwang reflect on Pope Leo XIV's first year as Pope, highlighting his defining themes of peace, care for the poor, and social justice, all rooted in his missionary experience and Augustinian spirituality. Bishop Brennan encourages listeners to embrace Pope Leo's call to allow Christ to convert our hearts.

In this episode of Big City Catholics, Bishop Brennan and Father Heanue reflect on Pope Leo’s call for peace—“War No More”—linking pro-life values to the dignity of every human life. They also examine the rising acceptance of political violence among young adults, while offering hope in the Church’s role—through Catholic education and young adult ministry—in forming a generation rooted in faith, respect, and true peace.