Bonus: The Needs of the Church with Fr. Joseph Gibino

QUICK SUMMARY

What does it really mean for the Church to walk together — and what do Catholics in Brooklyn actually say they need? Fr. Joseph Gibino, pastor, vicar, deacon director, and co-director of Brooklyn’s Synod on Synodality, pulls back the curtain on what the faithful are really asking for, and why the answer might surprise you. From family prayer to sacramental living to the radical act of listening without an agenda, this conversation is a hopeful, grounded look at where the Church is headed.

IN THIS BONUS EPISODE, WE EXPLORE

• “The synod was never about divisive political issues — it was about how we journey together as the Body of Christ.” (00:05:30)
• The three things Catholics in Brooklyn said they needed most — and how they mirror what the English-speaking world was saying (00:02:30)
• Why Fr. Joe says “listen” and “silent” share the same letters — and what that means for the Church (00:11:00)
• How family catechesis could be the key to reinvigorating the institutional Church (00:16:00)
• The simple prayer Fr. Joe says every morning before his feet hit the floor (00:37:30)
• Why today’s teenagers love service — and what that tells us about where the Spirit is moving (00:44:30)
• Fr. John Gribowich on why we’re in a “liminal” moment in Church history — and Fr. Joe’s stunning response (00:57:00)
• “The Eucharist is not a reward for good behavior.” What it really is — and why that changes everything (00:59:30)

ABOUT FR. JOE GIBINO

Fr. Joseph Gibino is pastor of St. Charles Borromeo Parish in Brooklyn Heights and administrator of St. James Cathedral. He serves the Diocese of Brooklyn as Vicar for Evangelization and Catechesis, Director of the Permanent Diaconate Program, and co-directed the Diocese’s Synod on Synodality alongside Sister Mary Ann Seton LoPiccolo. He is also adjunct faculty at St. Joseph’s Seminary and — by his own description — the diocese’s chief “party planner” and wildfire put-outer.

RESOURCES MENTIONED

• Synod on Synodality – Vatican Overview
• Diocese of Brooklyn
• Jubilee of Hope 2025 – Vatican
• Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe — referenced in the context of Latino Catholic communities shaping Brooklyn’s pastoral identity
• Ignatian Examen (Nightly Examination of Conscience) — recommended by Fr. Joe as a nightly practice
• Neocatechumenal Way / ecclesial movements are mentioned as models for family faith formation
• Knights of Columbus — highlighted for their service work during the pandemic and with immigrant communities in Brooklyn

Start Praying as a Family — Where to Begin

Fr. Joe offers this simple on-ramp for families who feel disconnected from faith at home:

• Start with gratitude, not religion: “What are we thankful for today?”
• Try an Advent giving jar — brainstorm 30 simple acts of generosity as a family before December 1st
• Don’t underestimate small acts: donating a meal’s worth of money to a food bank, buying tube socks for a homeless shelter
• Evaluate at Christmas: How did we do?

The Three Things Brooklyn Catholics Said They Need

1. Better adult faith formation — people don’t feel equipped to share their faith
2. More support for youth and young adult faith formation
3. Greater collaboration and consultation with the clergy

MEMORABLE QUOTE

“The fruit of good listening is the Holy Spirit — because until we drown out all the other voices, how can we hear the authentic voice of the Spirit?” — Fr. Joe Gibino (00:13:00)

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Religion to Reality is an initiative of DeSales Media, dedicated to helping people bridge the gap between religious practice and lived spiritual reality.