By Currents News
Many Catholics currently in the Eternal City hope the red hats pick a pope with the same qualities as his predecessor.
Tens of thousands have visited Pope Francis’ tomb since he was buried at the Basilica of St Mary Major on Saturday.
By Currents News
While the pope is the leader of the universal Church, he is also the bishop of Rome. In early Church history, popes were elected locally by the clergy and people of Rome, with cardinals playing a minor role.
That changed in 1049 with Pope Leo IX, who elevated cardinals from liturgical assistants to counselors. He broadened their ranks by selecting bishops, priests, and religious leaders from across the Christian world. To legitimize their roles in Rome, he assigned them a church, deaconry, or diocese tied to the city—an honor still upheld today when new cardinals receive a titular church along with their red hat.
In the 11th century, Pope Nicholas II reformed the election process, declaring that only cardinals could choose the next pope. Though the conclave has evolved over time, cardinals have remained central to the selection of Saint Peter’s successor.
By Currents News
In what will be the largest conclave in history, 133 cardinals will take part in the proceedings—13 more than a previously held limit Pope Paul VI informally set in 1975.
Among those 133, Pope Francis created 108 of those red hats, roughly 80 percent of the voting body.
The highest age group of cardinals were born in the 1950s, with 51 of them in the voting body. Forty eight of them were born in the ’40s, 27 in the ’60s, and six in the ’70s. The youngest in the College of Cardinals was born in 1980, making him 45 years old.
As for the year that has seen the most cardinals, 13 men were born in 1947.
When it comes to appointing a new pope, Catholic cardinals weren’t always the ones who did so. Currents News takes a look at how they became key collaborators in the future of the Church.
The Diocese of Brooklyn continues to honor the life and legacy of the late Pope Francis with a special youth Mass in his memory.
A man who smashed a statue of Baby Jesus at a Queens church was recently indicted on multiple charges.
By Currents News
While Catholics wait to see who the Princes of the Catholic Church pick to be the next successor of Saint Peter, the student conclave at Saint Joseph’s Catholic Academy in Astoria, Queens have the results of their own voting.
On Tuesday April 29 the students from the Queens school learned about the cardinals that experts say are most likely to become the next pope — and cast their ballots.
Coming in first place with the most votes is Cardinal Luis Tagle of the Philippines, second is Cardinal Pietro Parolin, and coming in third is Cardinal Peter Erdo.
By Currents News
We are now one week away from the next papal conclave, but before the cardinals cast their ballots for the next leader of the universal Church, they are asking for your prayers.
In a statement, the red hats expressed a need to be supported by all the faithful, adding that prayer is “the true force that in the Church promotes the unity of all the members of the one Body of Christ.”
The cardinals acknowledged the enormity of the task ahead of them and said during the conclave they needed to make themselves “humble instruments” of the Heavenly Father and the Holy Spirit.
The Pontifical Mission Societies in the U.S.A. is giving you an opportunity to pray for the next pope.
Each person who signs up for the campaign will be assigned an elector in the upcoming conclave and given his name, birthplace, and birthday.
If you want to offer your spiritual help to the next Holy Father, just go to pontificalmissions.org/pray-for-the-next-pope/.
By Currents News
It was an evening to support Catholic education as Futures in Education held its biggest fundraiser on Tuesday.
The annual gala at Cipriani Wall Street kicked off with performances from students of St Stanislaus Kostka Catholic Academy and Bay Ridge Catholic Academy.
The dinner, emceed by Currents News’ own Christine Persichetti, raises money for Futures in Education, which helps three thousand students attend Catholic schools across Brooklyn and Queens.
This year’s honoree and board chair of Our Lady of Hope Catholic Academy, Ignazio Artale, says a Catholic education is invaluable to young people of faith.
The number of nuns in Catholic schools is dwindling nationwide, but one sister in the Diocese of Brooklyn hopes her presence in the classroom can serve as a teachable moment for young people considering religious life.
We are one week away from the next papal conclave. But before the cardinals cast their ballots for the next leader of the universal Church, they’re asking for your prayers.
The Gaza parish Pope Francis would call every day is now calling on God – they’re praying for the repose of the Holy Father’s soul in the same loving way that he once prayed for them.
By Katie Vasquez
Sister Gladys Anyanwu gets a warm welcome from her students at St Francis of Assisi Catholic academy.
They say the nun brings a different atmosphere to the Prospect Lefferts Gardens classroom.
“It’s different because. because all the others don’t talk about Jesus, but she does,” said 2nd grader, Yahni Mathieu.
“I like my religion teacher because she teaches me everything about Jesus,” said 1st grader, Tailita Glean.
In 1920, this would have been a common sight when 92 percent of Catholic school teachers were clergy or members of a religious order.
Now nuns like Sister Anyanwu only make up 1.5 percent of Catholic school faculty.
As she walks the halls in her traditional habit, she feels that she’s making a lasting impression on these young minds.
“They come to me and say, sister. I like your dress. you look beautiful,” said Sister Anyanwu.
The religious sister spent a lot of time working with children in her native Nigeria and picked it back up when she arrived in the US.
“When your superior asks you to walk in a certain place, you have to obey because that is the voice of God speaking,” said Sister Anyanwu.
The principal of the Brooklyn school, Lorraine Pierre, believes the nun’s experience in formation offers a lesson that lay teachers can’t offer.
“If we had more sisters, it would probably go a long way,” said Sister Anyanwu, “I think it brings an element of, because we want to build a Catholic identity.”
Whether she’s offering positive reinforcement in the classroom or teaching these students about the bible. Sister Anyanwu feels this is right where she belongs.
“It’s something I love doing. I love to teach,” said Sister Anyanwu.
“It’s not just teaching, but ministering God’s presence, you know, in the people we see here.”
Ultimately, she hopes her presence will serve as an inspiration, so more young girls will follow their vocation like she did.
By Currents News
The Pontifical Mission Societies in the U.S.A. is giving you an opportunity to pray for the next pope.
Each person who signs up for the campaign will be assigned an elector in the upcoming conclave and given his name, birthplace, and birthday.
If you want to offer your spiritual help to the next Holy Father, just go to pontificalmissions.org/pray-for-the-next-pope/.