By Jessica Easthope
What do Pope Leo XIV and the Terminator have in common?
One local New York City artist sees them both as action heroes saving the environment. And in Bushwick, a mural by him is turning heads and changing opinions.
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Catholic News Headlines for Wednesday 5/6/26
A religious sister from Queens has been helping homeless people since the pandemic. Now the ministry she established has expanded, and volunteers are assisting families that are down on their luck.
As he prepares to mark his first full year as pontiff, Pope Leo XIV is also getting ready to visit Pompeii. His visit will be the first by a pope in 11 years.
In Manhattan, a feature film made by a Jesuit priest is in its final round of edits. We introduce you to the Jesuit Brother from Brooklyn who has made telling the greatest story ever told his personal mission.
Diocese of Brooklyn Honors Religious Brothers and Sisters for Decades of Service
By Currents News
Men and women religious from across Brooklyn and Queens joined together in song and prayer on Sunday, May 3, to honor the sisters and brothers celebrating Jubilee anniversaries this year.
Bishop Robert Brennan, who celebrated the Mass, thanked the religious for their decades of service to the diocese and their continued life of faithful missions.
Twenty-seven jubilarians were able to attend, marking milestones ranging from 25 to 80 years of service.
Dinner and live music followed the Mass.
In Queens, College Point Street Outreach Run by Religious Sister Supports Families in Need
By Katie Vasquez
About six years ago, Sister Ruth Lautt had an idea to help the less fortunate in College Point.
With the blessing of St. Fidelis pastor Father John Francis, the church’s street outreach ministry was born.
“He called me the next day and he said, ‘This is of God. Go ahead,’” said Sister Ruth Lautt, founder and director of St. Fidelis Street Outreach.
“People see this and then they realize, ‘Oh my goodness, we need more help actually here in College Point,’” Father Francis said.
Since then, the outreach has helped hundreds of people by providing food, clothing and other necessities. Volunteers have also assisted individuals experiencing homelessness in finding sustainable housing.
“Whenever you do this ministry, God rewards it immediately and direct — it never fails,” Sister Lautt said.
Among the volunteers is 16-year-old Maribel Perez, who said her Catholic faith inspired her to serve.
“We’re called to help the homeless,” Perez said. “So as Catholics, we should always help the homeless, the less fortunate, to honor God and follow in Jesus’ footsteps.”
What began as a desire to give back has grown into a larger service project for Perez. She assembled 100 drawstring bags filled with hygiene products, each containing eight essential items, along with 51 smaller cases of supplies.
Sister Lautt and Father Francis say the outreach reflects the legacy of the church’s namesake, St. Fidelis.
“Two outstanding qualities he had — one was his love for the poor, and the second, of course, defending the faith,” Father Francis said. “So I see that spirit here actually in College Point.”
“God is faithful to us,” Sister Lautt added. “So we’re faithful to the ministry he’s called us to.”
The bags, filled with everyday essentials, offer more than supplies — they offer encouragement.
“It gives them a little hope in a bag,” Perez said. “Hopefully I inspire other people to do the same, to give back to the less fortunate. I feel very lucky to help them.”
While the outreach takes place once a month, organizers say its impact continues well beyond each event, creating a path forward for those in need.
To learn more, head to https://stfidelischurch.org/ministries/street-outreach.
Currents News to Air ‘Pope Leo XIV – One Year Later’ Special on Friday, May 8
NET-TV will be airing special edition of Currents News premiering at 7 p.m. EST on Friday, May 8, 2026. “Pope Leo – One Year Later” takes an in-depth look at the historic first year of the first American pope.
From his groundbreaking election to his global outreach, this special newscast traces the defining moments of Pope Leo XIV’s papacy, examining his leadership, his message and the impact felt both in Rome and in the Diocese of Brooklyn.
The half-hour special on the 267th successor of Saint Peter includes:
– 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.
The special also features an in-studio interview with Diocese of Brooklyn Bishop Robert Brennan, offering his perspective on Pope Leo XIV’s first year and its significance for the local Church.
NET-TV is a cable network featuring news and information from a Catholic perspective and is available in the New York area on Spectrum, channel 97; Optimum, channel 30; and Verizon FIOS, channel 548.
Viewers can also watch Currents News online, on YouTube, or at netny.tv/shows/currentsnews/.
TONIGHT AT 7: A Look at Brooklyn Jesuit Brother’s New Movie
By Jessica Easthope
Jesuit Brother Joe Hoover from Brooklyn had made his first movie – it’s one that’s already being called an unexpected look at faith, art, and what it really means to tell the greatest story ever told.
Called “The Allegory,” the film is in edits final edits at Xavier High School in Manhattan, and casts celebrities like Marcia Debonis and Richard Kind.
Brooklyn Jesuit Brother’s New Comedy Film ‘The Allegory’ Explores Faith, Art
By Jessica Easthope
It’s being called a funny, unexpected look at faith, art, and what it really means to tell the greatest story ever told.
A Jesuit brother from Brooklyn has created a new feature film titled “The Allegory” that is already making waves.
Brother Joe Hoover, a longtime playwright, has spent his time in a small upstairs editing room at Xavier High School in Manhattan, putting the finishing touches on his first feature film.
For him, the project is deeply personal and part of a larger mission.
“Part of this is evangelizing through the arts,” he told Currents News. “This is our great patrimony that we’ve kind of lost to some degree. How do we continue to build that up?”
“The Allegory” is a movie about a play. It features a ragtag community theater group, staging a production about the life of Christ without ever mentioning His name.
The effort is the theater group’s director’s not-so-subtle attempt to woo his Catholic love interest.
The film blends comedy, awkward moments, drama, and romance with a sweetness that stands out in today’s cinema.
“I think we could use a little lightness of a comedy that’s also not an edgy comedy,” Brother Hoover explained. “There’s a sweetness to it, screwball comedy, which I love.”
The cast features notable actors, including Marcia DeBonis and Richard Kind.
Brother Hoover himself plays a stagehand, with his creative influence felt throughout every aspect of the production.
“I couldn’t write something without a moral point of view if I tried, or without some kind of Christian [perspective], because it’s just in the blood,” he said. “Honestly, if people just laughed and laughed, smiling and enjoyed the characters, I’m pretty happy with that.”
When asked about the film’s core message, Brother Hoover prefers to let audiences discover it for themselves.
“As the writer and the producer, I don’t want to answer that for audience members, because if someone comes away and they need me to tell them what the message is, then I haven’t done the job,” he told Currents News.
“The Allegory” is currently in final edits, and Brother Hoover and his team hope to premiere the film on the festival circuit this fall.
“Who knows what comes from there,” he said. “And that’s between God and them. And it’s the audience and the Holy Spirit. Boom!”
For more information on The Allegory, visit xavietheatre.org. For upcoming release dates, private screenings, sneak peeks, and more, follow the project on social media at “The Allegory Film.”
TONIGHT AT 7: In Queens, Religious Sister’s Ministry Supports Families in Need
By Katie Vasquez
A religious sister from Queens has been helping homeless people get off the streets since the pandemic. Now the ministry she established has expanded, and volunteers are helping families that are down on their luck.
We talk to one teen that’s joined the effort to help their neighbors.
Catholic News Headlines for Monday 5/4/26
Sacred Heart Catholic Academy Community Run Raises Funds for Catholic Education in Queens
By Currents News
On May 2, a Queens parish came together to support their school.
Students from Sacred Heart Catholic Academy made a mad dash for the finish line in Forest Park as they took part in a fun-filled community event to support their school.
It included three different events: the newly added Kids Run, which featured multiple dashes with distances varying by age; a Family Walk for those looking to enjoy a stroll with loved ones; and, for the pros, a 5K.
The community raised more than $3,000 for the school.