First 9/11 Memorial in a House of Worship Redesigned Ahead of 25th Anniversary

by Jessica Easthope

MIDTOWN, N.Y. — Twenty-five years ago, the attacks of September 11 took thousands of lives — and through the courage of first responders and ordinary people, thousands more were saved.

The memorial at St. Francis of Assisi Church in Midtown Manhattan honors them. It was the first erected inside a house of worship, a redesign now gives it renewed purpose.

“Their bodies died but our memory of them will always live,” said pastor, Father Brian Jordan.

On Aug. 11, Father Jordan unveiled the updated memorial. At its heart is death certificate number one — FDNY Chaplain Fr. Mychal Judge.

“To hear his name spoken today was so important to me,” said longtime parishioner Linda Spartonos. “In a world of people called heroes that really don’t deserve to be called heroes — this man was truly a hero.”

Father Judge was killed by falling debris in the North Tower as the South Tower collapsed. Retired FDNY First Deputy Commissioner Joseph Pfeifer was by his side as he took his last breath.

“I was the last one to see him, but the real memory was him praying in the lobby for all of us. I never saw anybody pray so hard in their lives,” Pfeifer said.

But no falling debris nor tons of mangled steel could keep down the spirit of Father Judge. It came to retired firefighter and sculptor Dennis Burke — inspiring the art he gifted to the church, “Brotherhood 9/11.”

“It essentially took, 20 years. I started it as a, kind of a vehicle for self-healing. This is where it belongs,” Burke said.

New York State Attorney General Letitia James says a quarter of a century later — the commitment to remember never fades.

“Firefighters and police officers and individuals who basically went to save others. They made the ultimate sacrifice for us. And we should really never forget them,” James said.

The memorial is for every family who lost someone — and for every New Yorker.

Church in Colombia Mobilizes After 7.4 Magnitude Earthquake

By Currents News

An earthquake with a magnitude of 7.4 and an epicenter in San José del Palmar struck Colombia.

Only 48 hours after taking office, President Abelardo de la Espriella has been forced to declare a national disaster.

Initial reports put the death toll at around 100. Thousands have been affected, with homes, hospitals, and churches among the buildings damaged.

As rescue efforts continue, the Church in Colombia has mobilized to support victims and coordinate humanitarian aid.

In a message addressed to the entire country, the Colombian Bishops’ Conference expressed its solidarity and closeness, calling on Colombia to once again recognize itself as one family.

Cardinal Rueda Aparicio, Primate of Colombia, spoke to Vatican media about the disaster.

“In the midst of the difficulties caused by this earthquake and the crisis we are facing, we want to find common ground so we can keep moving forward together. We wish to foster and strengthen a concrete, creative and compassionate hope,” he said. “This is a moment of shared responsibility as we seek the common good, to overcome every kind of division and see one another as brothers and sisters.”

Speaking from Manizales, the archbishop stressed that although churches have also suffered damage, the Church’s priority is the people.

“It’s natural to feel afraid at a time like this, but it’s even more important to take precautions,” said Msgr. José Miguel Gómez Rodríguez. “So, everyone should follow instructions issued by the authorities in every city and town and municipality. And while doing so, pay close attention to those who are suffering the most. No one should go without help in these difficult moments.”

As Colombia faces one of its worst seismic emergencies in recent years, the Church is keeping its doors open and remaining at the side of those affected, offering shelter, support, and hope.

In the midst of the devastation, Colombia places itself under the protection of the Virgin Mary.

Rockaway Community Aims to Restore 9/11 Memorial Mosaic

By Katie Vasquez

ROCKAWAY PARK, N.Y. — Twenty-five years after the Sept. 11 attacks, a memorial mosaic in Rockaway is getting a new chance to preserve the memories of those who never came home.

Tribute Park in Rockaway is a place of comfort for Patricia Hynes-Farragher, who visits to remember her only sibling, FDNY Capt. Walter Hynes.

“That’s my brother’s star there, facing the heavens,” she said.

Hynes responded to the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001, and never made it home.

“He followed his faith because my brother would never leave anyone behind. He always sacrificed himself for others,” Hynes-Farragher said.

On a clear day, visitors to Tribute Park can look toward where the World Trade Center once stood.

For Hynes-Farragher’s husband, retired FDNY firefighter Thomas Farragher, the park is also a place of healing.

“We had a funeral. We had closure. But there were so many people that had nothing,” Farragher said.

At the center of the park is a mosaic that holds a physical piece of 9/11 history.

Hynes-Farragher and Farragher are part of a community effort to restore the mosaic, along with Rockaway artist and St. Francis de Sales parishioner Patrick Clark.

“When 9/11 happened, we were all involved, like family. And a number of them were from our parish, you know, St. Francis de Sales, but also the other parishes in Rockaway. So it was a very personal experience. And being an artist, my first reaction was, what can I do?” Clark said.

St. Camillus parishioners Thomas and Patricia were among several family members involved in creating the mosaic. They helped dust off stone fragments that had been collected from Ground Zero.

“It was emotional because we knew what those pieces meant. It meant the life of the people who were in the building that day,” Patricia said.

Thomas described the experience of handling the fragments as spiritual.

“It was like a spiritual experience touching anything from there, because they were connected to this site now, you know, to this tragedy. And this loss,” he said.

When the mosaic was completed in 2005, Clark said the community was excited to see the finished project.

“When it was done, it was super exciting because it met all of our expectations,” he said.

But the memorial was badly damaged by Hurricane Sandy in 2012 and has been covered by a tarp ever since.

The city Parks Department nearly removed the mosaic until community members pushed back.

“We were saying, no, sorry, this is not, you know, this is a community park. We created it. It’s very important to the 9/11 families and to the community,” Clark said.

Now, the plan is to restore the 9/11 memorial mosaic and make it stronger than ever.

The restored mosaic will use gold-plated material designed to stand the test of time.

And just as Rockaway rebuilt after Hurricane Sandy, the memorial will rise again, preserving a piece of history and the memories of those who never came home.

“Even though it’s 25 years later, it hurts the same as it did that day,” Hynes-Farragher said.

If you would like to help in the fundraising effort, click here.

13-Year-Old Aspiring Priest Wins Cardinal Tobin Award for Vocations

by Jessica Easthope

WESTFIELD, N.J. — Step by step, 13-year-old Dominic Auricchio is carving out a life of service.

At St. Helen Church in Westfield, New Jersey, he is an altar server and buddy for the parish’s inclusive Masses for people of all ages with disabilities. One day, he wants to be up on the altar celebrating Mass himself.

“I was thinking I’ll join the Marines when I’m 18 and leave when I’m 23 so that I can become a priest,” Auricchio said.

Recently, Auricchio detailed his desire to be a priest in a video and essay that won him the Cardinal Joseph Tobin Award for Priestly Vocations.

How a 13-year-old became so sure of his calling? The path wasn’t always smooth.

“My last seizure was March 3rd I think,” Auricchio said.

“Dominic had five seizures very close together, and one of his last one that he had, we were in the hospital for seven days,” his mother, Maria, said.

A slew of health issues brought on a boost in Auricchio’s prayer life. A few years ago, after discovering a large mass in his brain, a vision of the Blessed Mother sent any doubt running.

“She told me, that everything would be fine,” he said.

“A week later, I get a phone call from the doctor saying that they came back and the mass was shrinking and there was no reason to move forward with the surgery. It was literally like 7 to 8 days later,” Maria Auricchio said.

Dominic’s mom Maria and his pastor, Monsignor Thomas Nydegger, both say there’s something divine at work in the young boy.

For now, he’s playing it by ear, but with the support of his family and parish community, the possibilities are endless.

“Something’s happening and why not a miracle? Why not call it that?” Monsignor Nydegger said.

“God told me to be a priest, and that was it. And he has never changed his mind,” Monsignor Nydegger. “And honestly, I would be honored to be the mother of a priest,” Maria Auricchio said.

A talented ice hockey player, Dominic Auricchio’s goal is to be a regular kid with extraordinary faith.

It’s a dream he won’t let slip away.

Haitian Immigrants in Brooklyn Face Uncertainty as TPS Ends

by Christine Persichette

Surrounded by uncertainty and the possibility of deportation, Haitian immigrants in the Diocese of Brooklyn were comforted by their bishop.

Bishop Robert Brennan celebrated a Mass of solidarity and healing for people affected by the end of Temporary Protected Status for Haiti at St. Jerome Church in East Flatbush, Brooklyn.

Temporary Protected Status, known as TPS, allows people from countries experiencing crises because of wars or other dangerous conditions to legally live and work in the United States until it is safe for them to return.

But even though Haiti continues to be plagued by violence, an estimated 300,000 to 350,000 Haitian immigrants in the United States, including at least 20,000 in Brooklyn and Queens, could face deportation.

Many parishioners at St. Jerome’s who were granted TPS stayed home, fearing they could be arrested.

Bishop Brennan described the Haitian immigrants as people who came to the United States in good faith, not people who gamed the system.

He said ending TPS is a very big disappointment and called the decision morally unjust and wrong. He also said it is not in the best interest of the United States.

Homelessness in New York State Is on the Decline — Catholic Advocacy Groups Say the Data Masks a More Complicated Reality

by Jessica Easthope

MANHATTAN — New York state’s overall homeless population dropped nearly 8% last year to about 146,000 people, according to the state comptroller’s office, but advocates who work with the homeless say the figures mask a more complicated reality, including sharp increases in many regions outside New York City and growing pressure from rising costs for food, housing and health care.

The decline of more than 12,000 people was driven largely by New York City. The state still has one of the highest homeless populations in the country. More than 100,000 homeless people walk the city’s streets every day.

“Those statistics don’t apply to us here by the Penn Station area where we’ve seen an increase, not a decrease. For a variety of reasons. But we’re here to serve the people, that’s part of our charism as Franciscans, to serve the poor or the anawim. And we’ll continue to do so,” said Father Brian Jordan, pastor of St. Francis of Assisi Church in Midtown Manhattan, home to the St. Francis Breadline.

The breadline has not missed a single day of feeding New York City’s hungry since 1930. Father Jordan said the number of homeless people may be down statewide, but conditions on the street tell a different story of ongoing struggle and need. He pointed to federal cuts to Medicaid and SNAP benefits as factors drawing more people to the breadline for help.

“Due to the cuts in Medicaid and Snap, we’re seeing more people that less, come into our bread line of services coming in for for guidance. We refer them to social workers and from the city and from other nonprofit groups. Immigration counseling we provide. We have an excellent immigration attorney,” he explained.

The New York State comptroller’s report also noted a troubling rise in homeless children, who now make up nearly 32% of the state’s homeless population — more than double the national rate.

More than 300,000 New Yorkers could lose their SNAP benefits because of new work requirements and shifts in funding.

“Part of our democracy and part of, of our country is, to serve all the people and part of our Catholic social teaching is to help the people of God, to have, the have nots. So we’re taking care of the haves,” Father Jordan told Currents News. “This country has not done a good job of taking care of the have nots.”

He added that any statewide progress is quickly offset by climbing costs for food, housing and health care.

According to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics for the New York metro area and national averages, a dozen eggs that cost about $1.68 in 2016 now costs between $2.19 and $2.35. A gallon of milk has risen from roughly $3.19 to more than $4. A pound of white bread is up from $1.42 to about $1.81. Ground beef has nearly doubled, from under $4 a pound to around $6.70 to $6.80. A pound of chicken breast that cost $3.27 a decade ago now averages about $4.17.

For many families already stretched thin, those increases make it even harder to remain housed and fed.

The Vatican has also addressed the broader homelessness crisis. In a recent message to the United Nations, the Holy See’s Permanent Observer Mission urged the international community to make ending homelessness a priority. The statement said the continued presence of people without homes “should trouble the conscience of the international community.”

Housing is not merely a commodity or financial asset, the mission said, but a cornerstone of society that supports family life and enables people to fully participate in their communities.

The Holy See’s message cited Pope Leo XIV’s encyclical Magnifica Humanitas, which emphasizes that true development must place the human person at the center.

New Baby Cafés Open in Queens to Assist Families

By Katie Vasquez and Alexandra Moyen

JAMAICA — To Leoniza Nazareno, a new Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens initiative to provide weekly breastfeeding support and resources for mothers in Queens is an important step toward helping an underserved community.

“I struggled with breastfeeding, especially with my firstborn, and at the time, I was looking for support, and I couldn’t find it anywhere in the community,” said Nazareno, director of Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens WIC Program. “If I’m lucky enough to be able to provide that kind of support in the community, that’s what I’m going to do.”

On Aug. 4, Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens and Northwell Health Long Island Jewish Forest Hills celebrated the grand opening of their Baby Café in Jamaica.

For mothers, the space combines peer support with guidance from a Northwell Health board-certified lactation consultant who can help with pumping, weaning, returning to work, and write referrals to other Catholic Charities programs.

The Baby Café, which is free, offers weekly sessions every Wednesday from 10 a.m. to noon. Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens opened a second Baby Café in Woodside on Aug. 5, which is open the same hours as the other on Wednesdays and Fridays.

“Here in Jamaica, it’s an underserved community,” Nazareno said. “So that’s why we wanted to get more programs here, and at the same time in Woodside as well.”

A 2025 report from the New York State Department of Health found that disparities in breastfeeding exist across the state, noting that “[non-Hispanic] black women have the lowest prevalence of breastfeeding.”

In addition to disparities by race/ethnicity, breastfeeding measures also differ in New York by socioeconomic status, insurance type, where someone lives, and birth hospital, among other factors, the report states.

Lorraine Chambers Lewis, president of Northwell Health Long Island Jewish Forest Hills, said the program addresses a need close to her heart.

“When you talk about certain ZIP codes that have shorter lifespans, it’s doing programs like this, just having healthcare close to home,” Lewis said. “That makes it really important for people to be able to have longer lives, and it starts at birth.”

Before the ribbon-cutting, the cafe was awarded two citations from the offices of New York State Senator Leroy Comrie and Assemblywoman Alicia Hyndman.

As Jeysel Sanchez rocked her baby, Madison Plata, to sleep, she reflected on the time she brought her child to the Catholic Charities Jamaica and Queens WIC office before the grand opening, when her child was just three weeks old.

“With their help, it makes me feel like a better mom,” Sanchez said. “Because with my first baby, I couldn’t breastfeed, and now I can with my second one.”

New Stained Glass Windows Bring Hope to St. Edmund Church After Devastating Fire

By Katie Vasquez

BREEZY POINT — As sunlight begins to filter once again through newly crafted stained glass at St. Edmund Church in Queens, parishioners are witnessing more than the restoration of a building — they are seeing a symbol of their community’s renewal.

The finishing touches are being placed on a new Blessed Mother window created by Rockaway artist Patrick Clark, one of the final pieces in the restoration of the church after a fire ripped through the building the day before Easter in 2025. The blaze destroyed about half of the church’s stained glass windows, most of which have now been replaced.

Perched above the church entrance, the Blessed Mother window will once again welcome worshippers as they enter and leave the sanctuary, restoring a familiar image that held deep meaning for generations of parishioners.

“That window meant a lot to the ladies in the Rosary Society and to people because, as you were walking into the church or walking out of the church, that was what you saw,” said Father Michael Gelfant, pastor of Blessed Trinity Parish.

For Clark, owner of Sunlites Stained Glass, the project represents both an artistic and spiritual calling.

“The windows at Saint Edmund’s are traditional stained glass,” Clark said. “Most windows in churches are traditional stained glass and made with lead in the same manner that stained glass windows have been made for a thousand years since the inception of the great cathedrals.”

Working on a church in his own community has made the commission especially meaningful.

“It’s like to be able to do something in my own home area, in my own diocese and in my own neighborhood. It’s the best,” Clark said.

Throughout the church’s 13-month restoration, Gelfant said preserving quality craftsmanship was a priority, even when sourcing materials became difficult.

“At some point there were things that we just could not get, and the material coming in is not quality,” he said. “It looks shiny and gold, but it’s really not quality.”

That commitment extended beyond the stained glass. Gelfant said all of the sanctuary furniture was handcrafted in Brooklyn, while the new pews came from Pennsylvania. The Stations of the Cross found new life after being repurposed from a church that closed in the Archdiocese of New York.

Just as important as the materials, Gelfant said, was ensuring the parish community remained at the center of the rebuilding process.

“Historically, when a church is built, when it’s raised up from the ground, it should be the people of the community that raise it,” he said.

For Clark, restoring St. Edmund’s windows is part of carrying forward an art form that has inspired the faithful for centuries.

“It’s sort of a spiritual experience,” he said. “It’s very special. We appreciate being able to do something. Not too many people are participating in an art, a craft or a fabrication that has really been going on for a thousand years.”

While the sanctuary has largely been restored, work at St. Edmund Church is not yet complete. Parish leaders hope to break ground on a new community center later this year — another step in rebuilding not only the church itself, but the community it serves.

Long Island Giglio Festival Celebrates Italian Heritage, Faith and 400-Year-Old Tradition

By Katie Vasquez

A Long Island Festival is bringing a centuries-old Italian tradition to a new generation, celebrating faith, family and the heritage of immigrants who carried the custom from Brooklyn and Queens to Long Island.

The four-day festival was created four years ago for descendants of Italian immigrants who wanted to continue the tradition of the Giglio feast, which originated in Nola, Italy.

“My family comes from the town that this originated from in Nola, Italy,” said Anthony Casalino, vice president of the committee for The Massapequa Giglio Association. “So I say it’s in my sangue, it’s in my blood. And I’ve been going back to Nola, Italy for 23 years to watch and participate there.”

Casalino said the festival is a way for families to reconnect with the traditions their ancestors brought to America.

“We are all descendants of those people that lived in Williamsburg and moved out to Long Island, and we said, you want to bring those same traditions out here,” he said.

A major highlight of the celebration is the lifting of the Giglio tower, a 72.5 foot, 4 ton towering structure carried by dozens of participants while traditional music fills the streets.

The La Mancos Band from Nola, Italy performed atop the Giglio tower, bringing the sounds of the original festival to Long Island.

“For us, it’s a great honor to be here, especially because this tradition in Nola and America share the same roots,” a band member said.

The festival also honors the Catholic roots of the tradition. Italian immigrants started the celebration in honor of San Paolino, the patron saint of Nola, whose story dates back more than 1,600 years.

“Oh, I love it,” said Joseph Mingione, a Giglio lifter. “I mean, this tradition dates back to 1600 years ago, 400 A.D., and it’s honoring San Paolino. He sacrificed himself for children and women from pirates and sacrificed his own life, and it means a lot.”

For many participants, taking part in the Giglio lift is a personal connection to their ancestors and the generations who kept the tradition alive.

Casalino said he felt that connection firsthand when he returned to Nola, Italy and helped lift the Giglio there.

“I went back to Nola, Italy and actually lifted the Giglio there,” he said. “And there was a point during that lift I just became emotional because I thought about, I had family that did this back to the turn of the century, back in the 1800s.”

The festival continues to serve as a celebration of faith, culture and the enduring legacy of Italian immigrants.

For more information on the festival, click here.

Currents News ‘Feel Good Special’

We’re taking a special look at the people, stories, and milestones that have inspired faith in the Diocese of Brooklyn and beyond.

Here are some of the moments we’ll share with you:

A student at one Brooklyn Catholic academy shares her school journey – without an environment and teachers that refused to leave her behind, she wouldn’t have the success she does today.
It’s been nearly a year since the 2025 Jubilee celebration, but young people from the Diocese of Brooklyn are still talking about their time with Pope Leo XIV in Rome.
Members of the Diocese of Brooklyn’s Vicariate of Black Catholic Concerns youth leadership ambassador program went on a mission trip to the Dominican Republic where they supported Haitian immigrants who are working to build a new life.
In Queens, one Diocese of Brooklyn’s parishioner’s life was saved by fate – she survived a heart attack thanks to people in the pews, and now she’s sharing her story to advocate for more healthy and safety protocols in churches.
Recording artist Karen Olson joins us in the studio to play her tune, “Pilgrimage Prayer,” inspired by her faith, St. Francis, and her love of nature.