Young people around the globe are getting excited for World Youth Day With Pope Francis.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul delivered her state of the state address today from Albany.
Remember the miracle on the Hudson? It was nearly 14 years ago when that plane landed in the Hudson River.
By Gina Christian
(OSV News) — Buffalo Bills football player Damar Hamlin has united the nation and the world in prayer, supporters said at a Jan. 9 community vigil held in the injured NFL player’s hometown of McKees Rocks, Pennsylvania.
“We live in a world where it’s becoming godless,” said Tre Tipton, CEO of a Pittsburgh-based mental health coaching firm and a former wide receiver for the University of Pittsburgh. “Damar got the whole world to pray. God allowed Damar to get the whole world to pray.”
Hamlin, a safety for the Buffalo Bills, collapsed Jan. 2 after tackling Cincinnati Bengals receiver Tee Higgins during a routine play. According to a statement by the Buffalo Bills, the 24-year-old safety suffered a cardiac arrest following the hit.
Medics worked for 10 minutes to restore Hamlin’s heartbeat as Bills team and staff members knelt in a tight prayer circle around him. Hamlin was admitted to the University of Cincinnati (UC) Medical Center, initially sedated and on a ventilator.
Over the next seven days, a national outpouring of prayer and support was rewarded by Hamlin’s steady return to consciousness — one that saw him posting social media messages of gratitude and “cyber-cheering” his Bills teammates as they defeated the New England Patriots Jan. 8.
The following day, UC Medical Center doctors released Hamlin to the Buffalo General Medical Center/Gates Vascular Institute in Buffalo, New York, where according to an official statement he is listed in stable condition and “continues to make significant progress in his recovery.”
Hamlin’s remarkable rebound shows “prayer works,” said Brian Cook, director of communications and marketing at Central Catholic High School in Pittsburgh, from which Hamlin graduated in 2016.
Cook, along with Central Catholic president and Christian Brother Mike Andrejko, joined dozens at an afternoon vigil hosted by the Sto-Rox Junior/Senior High School in McKees Rocks, where several speakers stressed the importance of prayer.
Noting Hamlin’s ongoing commitment to the Central Catholic community — where he regularly returns to provide athletic mentorship — Cook said that “Damar has been filled with the grace of God.”
Earlier in the week, Central Catholic students, faculty, staff and administrators had gathered for a “healing service” at the school “to pray that Our Lord … would heal Damar and keep him safe,” said Cook.
Those intercessions resounded across the country, as NFL teams and players put out calls on social media to “pray for Damar.” On its Twitter feed, the NFL uploaded collages of player tweets urging prayer, including one by Hamlin’s teammate, Bills tight end Dawson Knox, who said, “Prayer is real, and it’s powerful. Constantly praying for Damar and his family.”
T-shirts with the plea have been issued, with proceeds for some benefiting Hamlin’s charity, the Chasing M’s Foundation.
Prior to their Jan. 7 game, players from the Tennessee Titans and the Jacksonville Jaguars knelt on the field to pray for Hamlin.
Hamlin, who frequently references his faith in his social media posts, tweeted on Jan. 7 that “the love is felt, & extremely real. No matter race or religion everybody coming together in prayer!”
Speaking at the Jan. 9 prayer vigil, Hamlin’s uncle Dorian Glenn — who expressed the family’s gratitude “for all the prayers that have been sent” — said his nephew’s recovery was “definitely, definitely thanks to God.”
“I think the lesson that I took from all of this is that we really got to see the power of prayer in full effect, and how coming together in love brought the nation together to pray for this young man,” said Glenn.
As Hamlin journeys through his recovery, the Central Catholic community will “do everything we can to lift up Damar and his family in prayer,” said Cook.
“Say it with me,” he exhorted vigil attendees. “Prayer works.”
The Diocese of Brooklyn will soon have a new priest.
Samuel Mwiwawi was ordained a transitional deacon at St. Bernard of Clairvaux in Brooklyn on Saturday.
Hundreds gathered for the future father who for the last year and a half has been ministering to Catholics young and old to bring Christ into their lives.
He even learned sign language so he can converse with the parish’s deaf community.
Bishop Robert Brennan ordained Deacon Samuel, and said he hopes the deacon’s devotion inspires others.
Dr. Milton López Norori, Geriatra y Gerontólogo Un sector de nuestra sociedad que generalmente es olvidado o a quien no se le da la importancia adecuada, es el del adulto mayor, quienes también en esta etapa de su vida pueden llegar a sufrir una crisis de identidad. Y quienes necesitan de mucho apoyo no sólo físico, sino emocional y espiritual. Acompáñanos en este episodio tan especial.
Janeth Chávez, Directora de Magnifica En este programa nuestra invitada nos comparte su historia de conversión, sobre la naturaleza y la identidad de la mujer, misma que encontró y fortaleció a través de su apostolado. Además,increíbles recursos para que puedas seguir creciendo en tu fe y propósito.
Police are investigating after two vandals destroyed a nativity scene outside of a Queens church.
More than seven thousand nurses at two major private hospitals in New York City went on strike today.
President Joe Biden visited the U.S. Mexico border for the first time as commander in chief.
President Joe Biden is facing criticism after his first presidential visit to the U.S. border with Mexico.
He met with local officials and border patrol agents in El Paso, Texas. Biden also toured a migrant center, but didn’t see or meet with any migrants.
By Jessica Easthope
JAMAICA — Vandals struck twice at St. Nicholas of Tolentine Church on the night of Jan. 5, ransacking the creche.
The criminal mischief was discovered the night before the Feast of Epiphany after two people smashed through plexiglass and tore down the decorations on a nativity outside the church in Jamaica. They returned later and desecrated statues.
On Sunday, hundreds filled the pews for Mass at St. Nicholas Of Tolentine Church for an Epiphany celebration to present gifts to Jesus, closing out the Christmas season.
Parishioners walked out of Mass and past what they say was a shocking scene.
“I’m horrified, it’s blasphemy, it’s a shame that anyone would think to make damage,” one parishioner said. “I’m horrified. I really am, it’s sad.”
“It’s vicious people are so ready to destroy what is blessed and holy, as a Catholic to see this destroyed,” another said. “I had no idea people felt this against Catholics.”
Father Thomas Joseph, associate pastor of St Nicholas of Tolentine, was still in disbelief days after the incident. “We don’t know why these people are losing their faith and doing this kind of action against our church,” he said.
The church’s surveillance system captured the crime. Thursday night, just before 8 p.m., two men can be seen approaching the nativity on a scooter.
One person tears down the lights and kicks the plexiglass door. They ride off and return two hours late for more.
They tear down the rest of the lights and go into the nativity, breaking the wooden statues of Mary and Jesus off their bases.
In Mass, parishioners prayed for the suspects, saying forgiveness is not a question because it’s what Jesus would have done.
“They need to maybe have more faith, come to the church and learn more about Jesus and love and forgiveness,” said parishioner Rafael Rodriguez.
“We have to clear our hearts and our minds, and we have to forgive and move on. You know, God forgives everyone,” added fellow parishioner Lisette Wolf.
Father Joseph said the nativity scene is planned to come down this week. It will now have to be completely rebuilt before next Christmas.
The church informed the NYPD of the vandalism and is cooperating with the investigation. So far, no arrests have been made.
Pilgrims can now pray at Pope emeritus Benedict XVI’s tomb.
On Sunday, the Vatican opened the Crypt of the Popes for pilgrims to visit.
To access the Crypt, pilgrims enter St. Peter’s Basilica and go to the central point—the Altar of Confession, which covers the remains of St. Peter. This altar is covered by Bernini’s majestic “baldacchino.”
Then, pilgrims head down a flight of stairs to reach the Crypt of the Popes, where the Pope emeritus and several of his predecessors are buried.
By Cindy Wooden
VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Telling parents and godparents to teach their little ones to pray from the time they are small, Pope Francis baptized 13 babies in the Sistine Chapel as their older brothers and sisters looked on — or got away and ran around.
With his knee apparently improving, Pope Francis walked with a cane from his seat to a lectern to give his homily standing — something he has not done at a public Mass for months — and rolled up his sleeves and stood at the font as he poured water over the heads of the infants, children of Vatican employees.
The annual baptism Mass in the Sistine Chapel is celebrated on the feast of the Baptism of the Lord, which the Vatican and Italy celebrated Jan. 8 this year.
Pope Francis began his homily by thanking the parents for deciding to have their children baptized and asking them to remind the children throughout their lives of the date of their baptism since “it is like a birthday because baptism is a rebirth to the Christian life.”
“May they remember and thank God for this grace of having become Christians,” he said.
Baptism is the beginning of a journey, he said, and it is up to parents and godparents to support the children as they take their steps along the way.
The first task, he said, is to teach the children to pray from the time they are very small, starting with showing them how to make the sign of the cross and how hold their hands in prayer.
“Prayer will be what gives them strength throughout their lives — in good times to thank God and in the difficult times to find strength,” the pope said. “It’s the first thing you must teach: how to pray.”
They also should teach children to pray to Mary, who “is the mother, our mother,” the pope said. “They say that when someone is mad at the Lord or has distanced himself from him, Mary is always nearby to show the path to return.”
As he does every year, Pope Francis also reassured the parents, telling them not to worry if the babies cry during Mass or need to be fed or fuss because they are too hot or too cold. “Make them comfortable; everyone should be comfortable,” he said.
Later, reciting the Angelus at midday with visitors in St. Peter’s Square, Pope Francis focused on the meaning of the feast of the Baptism of the Lord, and he quoted the late Pope Benedict XVI in doing so.
In his homily on the feast day in 2008, Pope Francis said, “Benedict XVI affirmed that ‘God desired to save us by going to the bottom of this abyss himself so that every person, even those who have fallen so low that they can no longer perceive heaven, may find God’s hand to cling to and rise from the darkness to see again the light for which he or she was made.'”
Pope Francis told the crowd in the square, “The Lord is always there, not ready to punish us, but with his hand outstretched to help us rise up.”
Too often, the pope said, people think that God administers justice like human beings do: “those who do wrong pay, and in this way compensate for the wrong they have done.”
But, he said, “God’s justice, as the Scripture teaches, is much greater: it does not have as its end the condemnation of the guilty, but their salvation and rebirth, making them righteous.”
God’s justice, he said, “comes from love, from the depths of compassion and mercy that are the very heart of God, the father who is moved when we are oppressed by evil and fall under the weight of sins and fragility.”
Jesus came into the world “to take on his own shoulders the sin of the world and to descend into the waters of the abyss, death, so as to rescue us from drowning,” the pope said.