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New York State Catholic Conference ‘Encouraged’ by Governor Showing Support of School Choice Program

By Jessica Easthope and The Tablet Staff

The New York State Catholic Conference has expressed hope that private school choice could expand across the state next year after Gov. Kathy Hochul reportedly said she intends to opt in to a new federal program.

Effective on Jan. 1, 2027, the Federal Scholarship Tax Credit (FSTC) program allows anyone who pays federal taxes to claim a dollar-for-dollar credit of up to $1,700 for donations made to Scholarship Granting Organizations. However, it’s up to each governor to choose to opt in to the program.

At a private gathering of Orthodox Jewish leaders on May 7, Hochul reportedly said she intends to do so. If that intention holds, she would be the second Democratic governor — Colorado’s Jared Polis was the first — to greenlight the program.

In a May 11 statement, the NYSCC said that Hochul’s support of the program “is welcome news for hundreds of thousands of New York children and their parents, who struggle daily to afford their educational expenses.”

“Governor Hochul clearly recognizes the value of a diverse education landscape that allows parents, regardless of their income, to direct the education of their children,” the statement continued.

Emma Wallner, a spokesperson for Hochul, confirmed to The Tablet that the governor supports the program, but poured cold water on the idea that it’s a done deal.

“Governor Hochul is supportive of the federal tax credit scholarship and its potential to help New York students and schools,” Wallner said. “Our office awaits information from the federal government on the program and will thoroughly review the details of the policy for poison pills that could harm New York’s education system.”

Responding to Hochul’s comments, Bishop Robert Brennan said he was encouraged to hear that she was considering opting in.

“We are heartened to hear the news of the Governor’s intention to opt into the Federal Tax Credit,” Bishop Brennan said in a statement. “Many students and families here in Brooklyn and Queens are counting on scholarships more than ever.”

John Notaro, executive director of Futures in Education, noted that the program “could unlock tens of millions of dollars in new scholar funding each year.” Futures in Education is a nonprofit that covers tuition for approximately 3,000 students in Catholic schools and academies in the Diocese of Brooklyn.

“Now is a critical moment. Thoughtful, respectful engagement can help ensure the Governor follows through by officially opting New York into the program,” Notaro said in a May 8 statement. “We encourage you to visit nyscatholic.org and urge Governor Hochul to make New York’s opt‑in official so these dollars can benefit New York students and families.”

Senator Ted Cruz, who authored the bill, said Hochul’s openness to opting New York into the program is a “massive victory” for the state’s students.

“I was proud to author this landmark school choice bill — the largest in American history — and now millions of NY kids will benefit,” Cruz said in a statement.

Under FSTC, people can donate to Scholarship Granting Organizations (SGOs), which are nonprofit groups that award scholarships to eligible students — mostly from lower-income families — to help pay for private school.

However, if Hochul does not opt in, donors will be unable to get the new tax credit for donating to a state SGO. In that case, New York taxpayers will only receive the credit if they donate to an approved out-of-state SGO.

Proponents of Catholic education clamor for Hochul to join the program.

Deacon Kevin McCormack, superintendent of diocesan schools, has touted the positive impact FSTC could have locally. Specifically, he said funds from the program could bring vast improvements to Catholic school affordability.

“We have 1.5 million Catholics in Brooklyn and Queens,” he explained. “Let’s say we get a fraction of that. You can do the math — 100,000 people giving $1,700 is a significant amount of money.

“And that’s just the tip of the iceberg.”

Twin Brothers Make History as Valedictorian and Salutatorian at Long Island’s Chaminade High School

By Katie Vasquez

For the first time in nearly 100 years, twin brothers have earned the titles of valedictorian and salutatorian at Chaminade High School on Long Island.

As the Class of 2026 prepares for graduation, the brothers say their success came not from competition — but from supporting each other every step of the way.

John Gomes was named valedictorian and his twin brother Joseph salutatorian out of 402 graduates.

“It’s an honor. I’m very grateful for it. And the fact that we’re in this together is an additional happy thing,” he told Currents News.

“I thought that John was getting valedictorian because he’s just had pretty much the highest grades every year,” Joseph explained, “but I only really started to kind of be on par with him my junior and senior year. So it was surprising to me.”

It was a close finish, with their GPAs separated by just 0.13 points.

The brothers say their achievement was built through years of studying and rooting for each other.

“I know that there have been times where I’ve been stuck on something where I’m trying to study something, and Joseph helps me, and that really is a help,” John said.

“We still have each other to support each other. And I think that’s very important,” Joseph added.

The news of their achievement left their parents overwhelmed with pride.

“We were so excited. We were over the moon. We knew that they were both very strong students, but to hear it official — it was incredible,” parents Barbara and John Gomes told Currents News.

The parents credited Chaminade for its support, community, faith, and religious backing, calling it “completely critical to the upbringing of these children.”

Chaminade Principal Robert Paul said the honor is one the school will remember for years to come: “For John and Joseph to be the first twin brothers to have this kind of achievement — as we’re coming up on our hundredth anniversary as a school — it really stands out.”

Both brothers will head to Brown University in the fall. John plans to study international public affairs, while Joseph will enter the environmental engineering program.

“We’ll probably be in different classes doing different things, but we still always have each other to go to,” Joseph said.

The Gomes brothers are excited to walk the stage together at graduation on June 7, inspiring their fellow Class of 2026 graduates.

Currents News Special: Pope Leo XIV – One Year Later

One year after the historic election of Pope Leo XIV, this special edition of Currents News looks back on the defining moments of the first American pope’s papacy — from his roots near Chicago to his global travels promoting peace, unity, and dialogue.

“Pope Leo XIV – One Year Later” features:

– From Hometown to History: A closer look at the Holy Father’s roots and how his hometown in suburban Chicago is honoring him.

– From Turkey to Africa: Highlights from his apostolic journeys, spreading a message of peace, unity and dialogue among people of all faiths.

– From Rome to Brooklyn: How Catholics locally and around the world have embraced the new pontiff—from a Mass of Thanksgiving in Brooklyn to celebrations in Rome, including the Jubilee of Youth.

– An in-studio interview with Bishop Robert Brennan of the Diocese of Brooklyn, offering his perspective on Pope Leo’s first year and its significance for the local Church.

Pope Leo XIV Marks First Anniversary of His Election With Faithful in Naples, Pompeii

By Currents News

The Holy Father is having jam-packed, one-day trip to Naples and Pompeii.

At about 9:00 a.m. in Italy, Leo XIV headed to what is known as the ‘Temple of Charity’ at the Shrine of Pompeii, where he was welcomed by a group of vulnerable people and their families.

“And to you children, youth, and young people, I recommend that you place your trust in those who lovingly care for your growth,” he told them. “And even more always throughout your life trust in Jesus, the Son of God, crucified and risen, who saves and frees us, the Friend who never abandons or rejects us.”

On October 19, 2025, the Pope canonized St. Bartolo Longo, whose life was closely linked to Pomepii. It was there that he carried out his religious and charitable mission, always promoting devotion to Our Lady of the Rosary.

“When Saint Bartolo first arrived in the Valley of Pompeii, he found a land afflicted by great poverty, inhabited by only a few very poor farmers, plagued by malaria and by bandits,” Pope Leo XIV explained. “Yet he was able to see the face of Christ in everyone: in the great and the small alike, and especially in orphans and the children of prisoners, whom he made feel, through his tenderness, the beating of God’s heart.”

On the day marking the first anniversary of his election as pontiff, he greeted the faithful present amid cheers and applause. Afterwards, the pontiff went on to celebrate Holy Mass in the square named after Saint Bartolo Longo.

Catholic News Headlines for Thursday 5/7/26

Pope Leo XIV met with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio at the Vatican where they discussed politics, humanitarian issues, and the future of relations between the United States and the Holy See.

In Bushwick, Brooklyn, a mural depicting the first American pope and the Terminator is raising questions – and prompting reflection – on the state of environmentalism worldwide.

As Teacher Appreciation Week continues in the Diocese of Brooklyn, an educator was honored for their commitment to Catholic education.

Bishop Robert Brennan Celebrates Leaders of Tomorrow in the Diocese of Brooklyn at Vicariate Office of Black Catholic Concerns’ Youth Leadership Program’s Gala

By Currents News

Recently, Bishop Robert Brennan celebrated the leaders of tomorrow: the Brooklyn shepherd attended the annual gala for the Vicariate Office of Black Catholic Concerns’ Youth Leadership Program.

The program was established more than 15 years ago to encourage young Black faithful in the diocese to serve as role models in their parishes and communities.

In a message online, Bishop Brennan praised the young leaders, saying their service and commitment is a gift to the Diocese of Brooklyn.

Bay Ridge Catholic Academy Teacher Honored by New York State Senate

By Currents News

Teresa Hennigan, a fourth-grade teacher at Bay Ridge Catholic Academy, received special recognition from the New York State Senate on May 7 while the Brooklyn school was celebrating Teacher Appreciation Week.

She was presented with the “Educators Inspiring a Generation” award for her 18 years of teaching, which includes many years serving schools within the Diocese of Brooklyn.

In addition to her success in the classroom, Mrs. Hennigan regularly volunteers to organize school assemblies and community-building events that enhance school spirit and student engagement.

She has also contributed to the cultural and creative life of the school by directing several performances for students in grades K through four.

‘The Assignment’: Author Liza Wiemer Teaches Queens Catholic School Students to Speak Out Against Injustice

By Currents News

International bestselling novelist Liza Wiemer stopped at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Academy in South Ozone Park on Thursday, May 7.

During her visit, she demonstrated to the students the negative effects of judging someone with just a look.The academy is one of many schools she has visited in the Diocese of Brooklyn to talk about her book, “The Assignment.”

It’s a story based on a real-life event where students refused to take part in a debate about Hitler’s Final Solution.

Wiemer says she hopes to reach each school throughout Brooklyn and Queens so every student can learn how to fight hate.

Bushwick Mural of Pope Leo and the Terminator Carries a Catholic Climate Message

By Jessica Easthope and Jessica Meditz

Just steps from the Morgan Avenue subway station in Bushwick, you can dance the night away at a trendy nightclub, buy and sell vintage clothing, and enjoy artisan pizzas and craft cocktails. 

In that same corner of the neighborhood is a deeper message about climate change, technology, and the Church’s call to care for creation for all to take in. A mural of Pope Leo XIV, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and the chrome skull of the Terminator stretches across the side of Bake Shop on Flushing Avenue and Bogart Street. 

The mural was painted in December 2025 by the coffee shop’s owner, Massimo LoBuglio, a Catholic artist who also goes by the name Delphinoto. LoBuglio said it was inspired by Pope Leo’s first major address on climate change, given at the Mariapolis Center in Castel Gandolfo last October, a part of a Vatican climate conference, which he attended to display an exhibition of his paintings.  

RELATED: ‘Inspired’ By Pope Francis, Catholics Vow To Continue Environmental Ministry

“[Pope Leo] was introduced by Arnold Schwarzenegger, and he said, ‘We need to terminate pollution,’ and Pope Leo gave this really powerful, inspiring speech,” LoBuglio said. “I wanted to continue that spirit and honor Pope Francis and his ‘Laudato si’ ’ encyclical, and his message to bring the Church to the streets.” 

A post on X by user @isladeluca helped amplify conversations surrounding a Bushwick mural featuring Pope Leo XIV and the Terminator online, drawing hundreds of thousands of views.

The mural recently gained widespread attention online after an X user by the handle @isladeluca posted a tweet that said, “coffee shop by my house inexplicably has a mural of pope leo xiv and the terminator on their wall.”  

It was followed by a quote tweet with a photo of the art, which now has over 673,000 views and dozens of responses from users intrigued by the unexpected pairing of the pope and the Terminator in Bushwick. 

LoBuglio said the strong public reaction did not entirely surprise him. 

“I noticed something while I was painting,” he said. “People kept stopping me and asking what it was. The reactions were really strong — shock, curiosity, all sorts of emotions.” 

One of those reactions came from Nitsa Chery, a school counselor who works nearby and regularly visits Bake Shop. 

“When I first saw it, I thought, ‘Why Arnold Schwarzenegger? Why the Terminator?’ ” Chery said. “It was random, but interesting. Now that I know the connection, I think it’s cool.” 

“I try my best to be more environmentally minded,” she continued. “As a Catholic, the idea is that we love the Earth, and we’re supposed to take care of it.” 

This is not the first time LoBuglio has brought papal imagery to the public in New York City. 

In 2021, he painted a mural of Pope Francis at his Little Cupcake Bakeshop location in Lower Manhattan to highlight food insecurity and environmental sustainability. The new Pope Leo mural is a continuation of “Art for Laudato si’,” LoBuglio’s ongoing series inspired by Pope Francis’ 2015 environmental encyclical. 

LoBuglio said he also tries to live out the message of Laudato Si’ through his businesses. 

At Bake Shop, which serves fully vegetarian and vegan food, he said the cafe works to reduce waste through composting and limiting single-use products. Similar environmental initiatives are also incorporated throughout his four Little Cupcake Bakeshop locations across the city. 

“I wanted to use art to raise awareness, make people more curious about what the Church teaches on the environment,” he said. “A lot of people are surprised to hear the Church is really behind this. Anything that brings it into public awareness is beneficial for everyone.” 

The imagery of the Terminator also reflects Pope Leo’s growing focus on artificial intelligence and ethics, themes expected to be explored in his upcoming encyclical. 

“The Terminator was prophetic in a way,” LoBuglio said. “Forty years ago, it imagined the rise of machines, and now machines are part of every aspect of our lives. I’m inspired by Pope Leo’s call to not lose sight that we’re humans, we need to look eye to eye and interact and live outside the digital realm.” 

And on a busy Bushwick street corner, the mural continues to stop passersby in their tracks — prompting questions, conversations, and interpretations. 

“I think there’s always a deep spiritual longing among people,” he said.