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Couple Celebrates 75 Years of Marriage: ‘We Used to Argue Every Morning and Make Up Every Night’

There’s a big celebration happening in Rhode Island that’s been three-quarters of a century in the making.

Robert and Ann Gorman are marking a lifetime of love with their diamond anniversary, celebrating 75 years together.

“I’m a very lucky guy,” Robert said. “I agree to that,” Ann responded. 

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, just 0.1 percent of all marriages last 70 years.

The couple first met in the 1940s, after Robert returned from World War II, while working at a mill.

They were married at Our Lady of Mount Carmel on Federal Hill, two years later.

Catholic News Headlines for Wednesday 04/26/2023

 

With the rise of unprovoked attacks in the city, many are wondering how to protect themselves.

There is growing speculation about a critical counteroffensive in Ukraine against Russian forces.

More than 2,000 migrants crossed the Rio Grande near Brownsville, Texas between Monday, and Tuesday evening.

 

This Ukrainian Refugee Lived Under the Coney Island Boardwalk for Weeks Upon Arriving in the U.S.

From crashing missiles in a war-torn country to waves crashing in Coney Island, it’s a complicated future for Ukrainians arriving in New York City.

Hundreds of thousands who fled to safety in America are now caught in an immigration limbo.

Stanislav Holotiuk is one of them. He left his job and family behind in Kyiv as Russian bombs ravaged the city. Now he’s struggling to survive thousands of miles away from the war zone.

Catholic News Headlines for Tuesday 04/25/2023

 

Catholic Charities are helping some Ukrainian refugees who never met their sponsors.

The number of migrants crossing the border into California is on the rise.

President Joe Biden officially launched his re-election bid for 2024 this morning.

A Boston family got a long-lost heirloom back thanks to an Italian teen.

Digging Into The Weeds of Illegal Pot Shops; ‘It’s Not Same Old Plant’

New York state lawmakers are trying to figure out what to do about an onslaught of illicit pot vendors.

The talks are part of the state budget, as lawmakers in Albany hope to figure out a final deal on Gov. Kathy Hochul’s proposed $227 billion spending plan by Friday. 

Some 1,500 black market shops are operating in New York City’s five boroughs. 

Just last week, the state senate established a panel devoted to hashing out issues involving illegal weed.

David Gerber, founder of Sober at Home, an online counseling company that helps people suffering from addiction, joins Currents News to take a deep dive into the issue of these illegal weed shops across the city.

World War II Heirloom Finds Returned to Owners Eight Decades Later

A teenager in Italy stumbled across a piece of history in his local forest when he found a bracelet belonging to a soldier during World War II.

Gabriel Pavolttoni, 19, was metal detecting in the woods near his home in Pisa, Italy, when he heard the noise every metal detector user waits for. 

“So I pull it out from the ground. I put it in my hand, and I saw, okay, this is a bracelet,” Pavolttoni said. “I was, like, interested in seeing who was this person.”

Pavolttoni had found a silver bracelet with a world war two soldier’s name engraved on the front, the date, 1943, and another name on the back. 

“I saw Lt. Ernest Holtzclaw,” Pavolttoni said. “I found his grave in Boston.”

Pavolttoni knew he wanted to return it to the family of Captain Ernest Holtzclaw, a member of the U.S. Army’s 34th Infantry Division. 

The bracelet was probably left behind when the U.S. fought against Italy’s dictator Benito Mussolini during World War II, in 1943.

His determination led him to the owner of the jewelry and getting the long lost heirloom home.

In the years between 1942 and 1945, approximately 16 million Americans served in World War II, around the time the bracelet was lost. 

Nun Older: At 110, Sister Francis Inspires Her Family, Friends, Fellow Nuns

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AMITYVILLE — Sister Francis Dominici Piscatella says, “I’m nobody special. I’m no better than anybody else.”

While her modesty is becoming, she is incorrect.

Sister Francis, a member of the Sisters of St. Dominic of Amityville, is indeed special. At 110 years of age, she has the distinction of being the oldest nun in the U.S. She is also the second oldest ecclesiastical person in the world.

Woodrow Wilson was in the White House when Sister Francis was born on April 20, 1913. She has lived through 19 U.S. presidents, two world wars, 10 popes, and the Internet Age.

On April 20, 2023 — her 110th birthday — a party was held for her at the sisters’ motherhouse in Amityville. A large contingent of her family, more than 20 in number, came to the party to help her celebrate her big day.

Sister Peggy McVetty, the prioress sister of the Sisters of St. Dominic of Amityville, talked about the significance of Sister Francis’ milestone. “We have a supercentenarian with us today,” she said, explaining how rare a feat the elderly nun had accomplished. “Only 1 in 1,000 get to be a supercentenarian.”

Sister Francis was presented with a birthday cake and had to be helped out of her chair to blow out the candles. But she gamely took a big knife and cut the first piece.

Her day started off the way all of her days begin — with a Mass. Thursday’s Mass was celebrated by Msgr. Ned Ryan at the convent chapel.

Sister Francis appeared surprised at the attention she was getting. “I’m grateful to see everyone here. But I’m just a normal person. What can I say? I’m no better than anybody else,” she said.

Sister Francis, who was born Ursula Piscatella in Central Islip, Long Island, was one of seven children. Her family has always called her Lee.

She has not had an easy life. At the age of 2, she was seriously injured in an accident and had to have her left forearm amputated. “My mother made me completely independent. She never let anyone help me. Whatever a person with two hands could do, I could do. I’ve lived a normal life,” she said.

Despite tough times, she has dedicated her life to God and said it has made her happy. “I am at peace,” she added.

Sister Francis entered the convent at age 17. Even back then, she showed grit and determination. The religious community bestowed a name on her, but she didn’t like it and boldly requested a new one. So, she was given another one, Sister Francis Dominici. She liked it and it stuck.

Sister Francis earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in education. With her aptitude for numbers, she taught high school algebra and then taught math for 52 years at Molloy Catholic College (now Molloy University) in Rockville Centre. She retired at the age of 85.

Over the years, Sister Francis has encouraged numerous sisterly vocations and even served as a sponsor for nuns entering the convent.

These days, she lives in an apartment in East Williston, Long Island, with a close friend, Sister Francis Kammer, who was one of her students decades ago and who now looks after her. “She was the greatest teacher I ever had,” Sister Francis Kammer said.

“She’s an amazing person. We go to Mass every day. She’s slowed down a lot, of course. But when you have a heart filled with love, like she does, it gets you through the day,” she added.

By the way, the second oldest nun in the U.S. is Sister Evelyn Hurley, of the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth, who turned 108 on March 7.

Cynthia Grimley, Sister Francis’ great-niece, said her great-aunt is an inspiration to the entire family. “She’s someone we always looked up to. We all wanted to be like her because she was always so happy and content with life,” she said.

Sister Francis has also done something else important for her family — bringing them closer to their Catholic faith. “She’s always asking us if we went to church,” Grimley said.

The years pass so quickly that it seems like just yesterday the family gathered for Sister Francis’ 100th birthday 10 years ago. “I remember thinking at that time, ‘She’s getting older. How many more of these will we get to celebrate with her?’ ” Grimley said. “And look where we are today. She’s amazing.”

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The Battle to Ban Mifepristone Rages On

The battle over abortion continues in the United States. 

The widely-used abortion drug, Mifepristone, remains available to women in the U.S., following a ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court on Friday.

The White House responded to the high court’s ruling with President Joe Biden praising justices for keeping Mifepristone available to women as the fight over the drug continues.

Not everyone was happy with the high court’s decision. 

“The interim order by the Supreme Court is a tremendous disappointment, both for the loss of innocent pre-born life from chemical abortion, and for the danger that chemical abortion poses to women. It is wrong to allow the FDA’s greatly diminished health and safety standards for mifepristone to remain in place,” the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops said in a statement. 

As the next chapter in Mifepristone begins many are hoping the high court will step up to remove the abortion drug once and for all. 

“I also hope the Supreme Court would make the FDA do its job, the job it did not do 20 years ago and actually seriously examine this medicine,” Former U.S. Vice President Mike Pence said. 

The drug could ultimately be taken away again. 

The case is expected to go back to the fifth circuit federal appeals court.

A three-judge-panel will hold a hearing on May 17th and then issue a decision sometime later.

An appeal to the Supreme Court would need to happen within three months of the ruling.

There’s no deadline for the justices to review the case.

Catholic News Headlines for Monday 04/24/2023

 

The widely used abortion drug, Mifepristone, remains available to women in the U.S. after a ruling by the Supreme Court on Friday.

U.S. government embassy employees are out of Sudan according to the Biden administration.

Some Students at St. Saviour Catholic High School just got back from Japan.

She is the oldest nun in America  and she lives on Long Island.