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Parishioners Heading to Indianapolis For the National Eucharistic Congress Prepare For a Historic Event

By Katie Vasquez

They are getting ready for the trip of a lifetime.

This group of 25 faithful from the San Damiano Mission in Greenpoint is preparing to head to Indianapolis for the National Eucharistic Congress.

“My rosary, my Bible, my journal are all ready to go,” said Ibelin DeLeon, a parishioner at San Damiano Mission. “And I’m super excited.”

While packing started Monday, July 15, they have been spiritually preparing for the congress for months.

They have been keeping up with the four groups who have been journeying to the congress on foot.

“Just seeing the pilgrimage that started months beforehand and seeing the lines of people, the multitudes, and knowing we’re all just going to gather up there,” DeLeon said. “It speaks to the excitement that people hold in their hearts already.”

They are diving into the heart of the years-long revival campaign.

“I feel like this is really the core of our faith, the presence of Jesus in the Eucharist and being part of the Eucharistic revival,” said Angela DiLalla, a parishioner at San Damiano. “These last three years, this is a beautiful culmination of all the Catholics gathered together for this beautiful reason.”

James Keefe said the connections formed in the Diocese of Brooklyn during this time, and the ones he will make in Indianapolis, will only bring him closer to God.

“I feel like this will be a very important step to strengthening my faith and to growing a community with the whole church,” Keefe said. “It’s really good to go out and see everybody from the country coming together like this.”

The pastor of the San Damiano Mission, Father Cristiano Pinheiro, will be leading them at the congress.

He said he wants to receive as much as his parishioners.

“I’m also going there to be fed as well,” Father Pinheiro said. “Not only as a shepherd to bring the people, but I am also a disciple and a son of the church. It’s very beautiful for me to be restored in my priestly vocation as well.”

No matter how they get there, whether by plane or by car, they are all traveling for one reason.

“The sacrament of the Eucharist,” said Elmer Maldonado, a parishioner. “We’ve been under-appreciating it, or misunderstanding it. I think this is exactly what the country needs.”

Those members of the San Damiano Mission will be arriving in Indianapolis Tuesday, July 16, and Wednesday, July 17.

Their first official Congress event as a group will be the kick-off happening Wednesday evening.

Pilgrims Walk 380 Miles on Historic Journey Honoring Elizabeth Ann Seton

A common question the pilgrims often get: How many of those miles did they actually walk?

Those on the Elizabeth Ann Seton route in the East are answering that question.

This was a 1,200-mile journey, but they actually walked 380 miles.

The longest hike happened on day six, when they walked over 18 miles in Westchester County, New York, with the shortest, an almost two-mile pilgrimage in New Oxford, Pennsylvania.

They racked up some miles while in the Diocese of Brooklyn, traveling 24 miles in two days.

Catholic News Headlines for Tuesday 7/16/2024

Thousands of Catholics are expected to attend the National Eucharistic Congress at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis this week. Parishioners from the Diocese of Brooklyn spoke with Currents News about their preparation.

Among the many faithful pilgrims arriving in Indianapolis is a nun celebrating the eucharist and her 30th birthday on her journey!

Meet J.D. Vance, the Catholic man behind ‘Hillbilly Elegy,’ who is now Donald Trump’s running mate. What can we expect to hear from the senator from Ohio at the Republican National Convention?

St. John the Evangelist Parish in Mahopac, New York, has a new statue in its prayer garden dedicated to St. Gerard Majella. The statue was erected in honor of Josephine Spano of Yonkers, a mother of 16 whose devotion to the patron saint of motherhood inspired many.

Church Leaders Condemn Assassination Attempt Against Former President

By Jessica Easthope

Former President Donald Trump was officially named the GOP presidential nominee at the Republican National Convention on Monday, just 2 days after surviving an assassination attempt.

On Saturday, in a field in Butler, Pennsylvania, a shot caused chaos. President Trump was grazed by a bullet that was less than an inch from being fatal.

The Holy See united in prayer with US bishops. Church officials across the country, including Brooklyn Bishop Robert Brennan, swiftly condemned the violent act.

“We have to condemn violence in every form,” Bishop Brennan said. “Violence that afflicts our nation in so many ways. At the same time, we have to condemn the divisions and the rhetoric that raise the level of hatred. Indeed, we are a people of differing viewpoints.”

Meanwhile, as tens of thousands of pilgrims are expected to converge on the National Eucharistic Congress in Indiana, chairman Bishop Andrew Cozzens released his own statement on the shooting, saying:

“We feel privileged to gather in prayer at a time with Our Eucharistic Lord when our country and our world need this peace which comes only from Him. We will pray for healing of all divisions in our land and an end to violence.”

The nation is reacting to an assault on the former president and our democratic process. The family of Corey Comperatore, a Christian and retired firefighter fatally wounded in the shooting, is in mourning. Comperatore was killed while shielding his wife and two daughters from the gunfire. Bishop David Zubick of the Diocese of Pittsburgh, where the shooting took place, commended his actions, saying:

“Corey Comperatore’s selfless act in the face of danger speaks to his strength of character, deep faith, and dedication to serving others,” Bishop Zubick “On behalf of the Diocese of Pittsburgh, I extend my condolences to his family and loved ones. We join in prayer that they may feel wrapped in the comfort and love of Jesus.”

Statue Dedicated to Mom Whose Prayers For St. Gerard Majella’s Intercession Led to 16 Children

A woman’s unwavering devotion to the patron saint of motherhood has led to a statue in her honor.

This image of St. Gerard Majella at the prayer garden in Saint John the Evangelist Parish in Mahopac, New York, was dedicated to Josephine Spano over the weekend.

The Yonkers resident had always dreamed of a large family, but shortly after getting married, she faced fertility issues and began praying for the intercession of St. Gerard Majella.

Thanks to her prayers, she and her husband went on to have 16 kids, 42 grandchildren, and 28 great-grandchildren, and helped countless other couples have babies of their own.

A parishioner at St. John the Evangelist heard about Josephine’s story and wanted to dedicate a statue of the saint in her honor.

One of her sons, Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano, says it’s an honor to see his mother’s legacy set in stone.

Josephine unfortunately passed away in December of last year at the age of 89, but her family says even in heaven, they feel she is still helping moms in need.

Our Lady of Mount Carmel Feast Unites Faith and Tradition With Dancing of the Giglio

By Jessica Easthope

Man Charged with Hate Crime for Vandalism at Holy Family Catholic Church

A man has been charged with criminal mischief as a hate crime for the vandalism of a statue outside Holy Family Catholic Church in Fresh Meadows on June 30, the Queens District Attorney’s Office announced on July 12.

Jamshaid Choudhry, 44, was also charged with several other related crimes for the attack, in which the head of the statue of the child Jesus was knocked off, and adjoining statues of Mary and Joseph were also desecrated.

“We will not tolerate unprovoked attacks, especially those driven by hate,” District Attorney Melinda Katz said in a statement. “Queens stands as a beacon of diversity and inclusivity, where freedom of religion and expression are celebrated as fundamental pillars of our democracy.”

Choudhry was arrested on July 11 and charged the following day. If convicted, he faces five to 15 years in prison. He is set to return to court on Aug. 1.

Holy Family pastor Father Sean Suckiel told The Tablet that the incident, which took place around 5:30 a.m. on Sunday, June 30, left the community in shock.

The statue has stood for 42 years and is considered “the outside face of Holy Family Church,” Father Suckiel told The Tablet. He noted that the statue of the Holy Family has been the backdrop for photos following baptisms, weddings, first Communions, and other occasions. The District Attorney’s Office estimated the damages to the statues at $3,000.

Father Suckiel said the head of the child Jesus was recovered and added that the church would do everything it could to repair the statue.

“If we can repair it, we’ll repair it because it’s an important statue to us,” he said.

Police investigators said images taken by a video surveillance camera showed Choudhry exiting a yellow cab parked across the street from the church, running up to the statue, taking off a shoe, then spitting and hitting the statue with the shoe.

The attack was the second time in 15 months that Holy Family Church has been the target of vandals. Teenagers destroyed a statue of an angel outside the church in an attack on March 23, 2023

Leaders of the Eucharistic Congress Plan for a Safe Event, Hire Nationally Recognized Security Firm

The National Eucharistic Congress kicks off on Wednesday, and organizers say the more than 50,000 people planning to attend the event should feel safe inside Lucas Oil Stadium.

Bishop Andrew Cozzens, the chairman of the board of the congress, said they have been planning for a safe and secure event for years.

The congress has retained a nationally recognized security firm that is working with local, state, and federal law enforcement and intelligence agencies.

Around 200 pilgrims from the Diocese of Brooklyn are currently packing their bags for the congress.

Catholic News Headlines for Monday 7/15/2024

World leaders are uniting in condemnation following the assassination attempt on former President Trump, calling for unity and peace.

Following the attack on the former president, Bishop Cozzens is taking proactive steps to ensure the safety of all attendees at the upcoming National Eucharistic Congress in Indianapolis, providing reassurance in the wake of recent events.

Excitement is building as members of the Currents News team head to Indianapolis for the National Eucharistic Congress. We will have complete coverage of the highly anticipated celebration

Thousands gathered to witness the 72-foot-tall Giglio tower dance, hoisted up into the air by 120 lifters! See all the sights and sounds from the festive weekend in Williamsburg.

Our Lady of Mount Carmel Feast Unites Faith and Tradition With Dancing of the Giglio

By Jessica Easthope

Stepping lightly with 4 tons on your shoulders is no easy feat, but Anthony Varuzza has been doing it for 50 years.

“It’s just something you just feel. You can’t explain it,” Varuzza said. “The way you fall in love with someone. You fall in love with the feast and the Giglio.”

But what these Giglio lifters carry is much more than weight. Carrying on this century-old tradition is up to them.

This year’s number 1 capo, Danny Vecchiano, has been part of this feast his entire life. On Sunday, he made his debut as lead conductor of an orchestra of more than 120 lifters.

“This is a lifetime worth of planning, preparation, and excitement. And here we are,” Vecchiano said. “The folks that are not only with me now but the folks that are going to come after me are going to do great things moving forward, because we were able to really get ourselves together and make this a team.”

Now for a quick history lesson by some of Giglio Sunday’s youngest.

“They started the feast in Nola, Italy, and then they brought it here to create happiness,” said Carmine Giudice, the Children’s Giglio Capo.

“It’s mostly about Italian and God,” said Sofia DiCanio, a Children’s Giglio Lifter. “And the Giglio, a lot of people lift it, and it’s really hard to lift, so a lot of the older men lift it.”

Ahead of the festivities and lifts of the 72-foot Giglio and the boat of St. Paulinus, who the feast is in honor of, there was the annual mass.

Monsignor Jamie Gigantiello, pastor of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, echoed a theme of family and getting back to your roots, of not just heritage but devotion.

“Getting back to our roots is not just remembering, but really taking what we have learned from our parents and grandparents, what our faith teaches us, and putting that into action and trying our best to live it every day,” Msgr. Gigantiello said.

Christine Vitale, another lifelong feast-goer, said every year the tradition gets richer.

“I’m almost 50. I’ve been coming my whole life. That’s the big thing about this feast,” Vitale said. “No matter where everybody moved to when we moved out of Brooklyn, we always come back for the feast.”

There are many new faces at this year’s Our Lady of Mount Carmel Feast, including the Giglio itself. The entire facade of the Giglio was rebuilt and replaced for the first time since 2018.

“It gives us a little bit of a modern twist but still keeps tradition very, very strong.”

Then, what many wait all day for: the so-called double lift, when the Giglio and boat dance in unison. For just a moment, the front lifters on each structure join hands, symbolizing St. Paulinus’ return to Nola, Italy.

A lot has changed in 137 years, but what hasn’t is that the Giglio is at home in Brooklyn.

If you missed Giglio Sunday, you can still see a Giglio lift.

The tower will dance under the stars on Wednesday, July 17th, at 7:30 PM. There will also be an old-timer’s lift on Sunday, July 21st, at 2 PM.