The Diocese of Brooklyn welcomed three new priests after Bishop Robert Brennan celebrated his first ordination Mass in the diocese.
Pope Francis postpones a trip to Africa — because of health reasons.
The Supreme Court — edging closer to a decision over whether to overturn Roe v. Wade.
Students are dancing at a Catholic Academy in Queens — all to help a fellow classmate.
Currents News Staff
Police are searching the home of a California man charged with attempted murder after he told police he wanted to kill a Supreme Court Justice and then kill himself, he said, to give his life purpose.
He told authorities he was upset over the leak of a draft ruling overturning Roe v. Wade, the mass shooting in Uvalde, Texas, and the possibility that the court could loosen gun laws.
Authorities say 26-year-old Nicholas Roske went to Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s Maryland home with a gun, zip ties and other tools, but after seeing two Deputy Marshals outside, he called 911 on himself.
Attorney General Merrick Garland says the Justice Department will not tolerate this behavior.
“Threats of violence and actual violence against the justices of course strike at the heart of our democracy,” said AG Garland.
Senate Judiciary Chairman Dick Durbin says Congress is now ready to approve a bill extending security to the immediate family members of justices.
“What happened this week with Justice Kavanaugh is a reminder that we live in a dangerous place,” said Durbin, “and these people are vulnerable and we should protect them.”
Republicans are blasting the delay. House Democrats want to expand the Senate bill to cover clerks and staff too. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi promises action soon.
“We had hoped that we could do it today,” said Pelosi, “but we will certainly do it next week.”
This all comes as the Jan.6 hearings began Thursday and Washington gears up for a potentially volatile June. That’s when major Supreme Court decisions, large-scale protests, and more tours at the Capitol will converge in an already heightened threat environment.
Capitol Police Chief Tom Manger is ramping up security, while DC Police are activating their riot cops throughout the month. A major concern: the pending abortion ruling. Intelligence analysts warn of potential threats toward lawmakers, Supreme Court Justices, abortion providers, and religious groups. The threats are coming from both sides of the abortion debate.
“I am worried about the violence,” said Manger. “I’m worried about the lone actor coming in and doing something dangerous.”
Protests related to abortion and gun laws could bring thousands of people to Washington. Sources say capitol police are now adding overtime shifts.
“The focus is really on the protests that are going on the court,” said Manger. “The protests that are going on at the homes of the Justices. I understand that the tension could very quickly turn to, you know, to the Capitol.”
Currents News Staff
It’s a story that might make you say “Yeah Right” because no one is rowing across the ocean! But it’s true!
Two men from Ireland are planning to row 3,000 miles across the Atlantic Ocean. They’re starting in NewYork on the Hudson River and heading back home to Galway.
Before they embark on their journey, Damian Browne and Fergus Farrell joined Currents News to talk about their trek and why they’re raising money along the way.
They’re accepting donations that will go to four different charities. You can find out more and make a donation by heading to their website: projectempower.ie – just click on “donate” when you get there.
Gearing up for trouble with abortion on the docket. Capital police say a storm is coming.
While the gun control debate rages — will a reform package finally pass through the Senate?
Could the baby formula crisis have been avoided?
Brewing beer is their blood but its closing time for monks in Massachusetts.
Currents News Staff
It could be the perfect storm as protests related to abortion and gun laws might bring thousands of people to Washington. U.S. Capitol Police Chief Tom Manger says there’s threats.
“There’s, I think, a lot of vitriol,” said Chief Tom.
The Supreme Court has a month left in its term and 30 cases to rule on including the possible overturning of Roe v Wade. Homeland Security is warning this summer could be violent.
But the chaos has already begun. Just this week, a California man was arrested after he told police he wanted to kill a Supreme Court Justice and then kill himself, he said, to give his life purpose.
The suspect was upset over the leak of that draft ruling overturning Roe v. Wade, the mass shooting in Uvalde, Texas, and the possibility that the court could loosen gun laws.
Authorities say the man went to Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s home with a gun, zip ties and other tools. But after seeing two deputy U.S. Marshals outside, he called 9-1-1 on himself.
“This kind of behavior is obviously behavior that we will not tolerate,” said AG Merrick Garland. “Threats of violence and actual violence against the justices of course strike at the heart of our democracy.”
According to law enforcement, threats are coming from both sides of the abortion debate.
Currents News Staff
On Capitol Hill, cautious optimism is taking place as bipartisan negotiations on gun safety reform continue in the Senate.
“I think that we can put together a package that will get more than 10 republican votes,” said Connecticut Sen. Chris Murphy.
Lawmakers have been facing intense pressure to act in the wake of several recent mass shootings in the U.S.
At least 10 Senate Republicans need to vote with Democrats to clear the 60-vote threshold to break a filibuster – and pass legislation.
“Look, I think that is worth seriously considering providing some extra scrutiny for young purchasers, but prohibitions are, that would be very tough,” said Pennsylvania Sen. Pat Toomey.
While a deal is far from complete, sources say lawmakers are eyeing the 18 to 21 age group in terms of age limits – or looking at juvenile criminal records – to buy semiautomatic weapons.
“I think we need to have background checks to make sure criminals and folks who are court adjudicated mentally ill terrorists,” said Montana Sen. Jon Tester. “I believe they lost their second amendment rights.”
This week, some parents who lost their children in Uvalde – testified before the House and urged Congress to act.
“Somewhere out there is a mom, who is listening to our testimony, thinking I can’t even imagine their pain, not knowing that our reality will one day be hers unless we act now,” said Kimberly Rubio who lost her daughter Lexi in the Uvalde shooting.
Senate democrats are holding out hope that their Republican colleagues will join them in taking action.
Currents News Staff
If the amount of crime in New York City’s transit system isn’t troubling enough, new reports show rents have risen almost 32 percent from last year.
If you’re looking for a place to rent in Manhattan – the average asking price right now is around $3,900 a month.
That means, if you’re going by the 40 times rent rule that landlords normally require, you’d have to make close to $160,000 a year!
Looking at Brooklyn, prices aren’t as high. The median rent is a little more than $3,000, but that still means you’d have to make more than $100,000.
MANHATTAN RENT- $3,925 A MONTH
INCOME- $157,000 PER YEAR
BROOKLYN RENT- $3,048 A MONTH
INCOME- $106,000 PER YEAR
Currents News Staff
It was a special anniversary for the parish at Our Lady of Cenacle Church in Richmond Hill, Queens. Brooklyn Bishop Robert Brennan joined parishioners on Pentecost Sunday to celebrate their 100th anniversary. He highlighted the parish’s culturally rich and diverse community – calling it a testament of the Holy Spirit.
The Queens church has been serving the Jamaica-Queens neighborhood since 1922 and was originally carved out of the neighboring church – Holy Child Jesus Catholic Church.
To top off the festivities, the 1972 graduating class from Our Lady of the Cenacle’s former school celebrated their 50th anniversary – many of whom continue to play active roles in the church.
Most Reverend Bishop Robert J. Brennan’s Homily from Thursday’s Mass on 6/9/22.
By Currents News Staff and Carol Zimmermann
WASHINGTON (CNS) — A man threatening to kill Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh was arrested near the justice’s Maryland home June 8, carrying a gun, a knife and zip ties.
The threat against the 57-year-old justice, who has been on the court since 2018, was first reported by The Washington Post and confirmed by a Supreme Court spokesperson.
Officers with the Montgomery County Police Department in Maryland arrested Nicholas John Roske, a 26-year-old from California who is said to have arrived by taxi just after 1 a.m. outside Kavanaugh’s home in Chevy Chase, a Washington suburb.
A criminal complaint and affidavit filed in federal court in Maryland said Roske had a Glock 17 pistol, ammunition, a knife, zip ties, pepper spray, duct tape and other items and told police he planned to break into Kavanaugh’s house and kill him and then planned to kill himself.
The Associated Press reported that Roske was upset by a leaked draft opinion suggesting the Supreme Court could overturn Roe v. Wade, the court’s 1973 decision which legalized abortion nationwide, in its highly anticipated ruling in an abortion case from Mississippi.
He also said he was upset about the school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, and thought Kavanaugh would vote to loosen gun control laws. The gun control comment is likely in reference to a current challenge awaiting a Supreme Court decision over New York’s permit requirement for carrying concealed guns.
Two U.S. Marshals — part of the security provided to the justices since the leak of the draft opinion in May — spotted Roske, but he was not apprehended until he called 911 saying he was having suicidal thoughts and planned to kill Kavanaugh, AP reported.
“This kind of behavior is obviously behavior we will not tolerate,” Attorney General Merrick Garland told reporters June 8. “Threats of violence and actual violence against the justices of course strike at the heart of our democracy and we will do everything we can to prevent them and to hold people who do them accountable.”
Protests at the Supreme Court and near homes at some of the court’s conservative justices started taking place after the May 2 leak of the opinion in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, a case about Mississippi’s ban on abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy with the potential to also overturn Roe.
The draft opinion, written by Justice Samuel Alito, said Roe “was egregiously wrong from the start” and that “Roe and Casey must be overruled.” Casey v. Planned Parenthood is the 1992 decision that affirmed Roe.
Following initial protests about the draft, Garland announced May 18 that he was increasing security at the homes of all of the justices. A security fence also surrounds the Supreme Court building and nearby streets have been closed.
Alito’s draft opinion said the court’s 1973 Roe decision had exceptionally weak reasoning “and the decision has had damaging consequences.”
“Far from bringing about a national settlement of the abortion issue, Roe and Casey have enflamed debate and deepened division,” he added.
Politico’s report on the draft said Alito’s opinion was supported by Justices Clarence Thomas, Neil Gorsuch, Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett and that Justices Stephen Breyer, Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan were working on dissents. It was not clear how Chief Justice John Roberts planned to vote.
A Homeland Security Department report said the draft opinion has unleashed a wave of threats against officials and others and increased the likelihood of extremist violence.
When President Donald Trump nominated Kavanaugh in July 2018 to fill the seat of retiring Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy, many praised the judge’s qualifications and were pleased that the president had fulfilled his campaign promise to nominate a pro-life judge to the Supreme Court.
But the choice angered many Americans who felt Kavanaugh’s vote as a justice could potentially reverse Roe v. Wade.
Kavanaugh, who is Catholic, spoke about putting his faith in action during Senate confirmation hearings. He said he regularly served meals with Catholic Charities’ St. Maria’s Meals program in Washington and that talking to the people there helped him to understand their situation.
He also spoke about coaching his daughter’s CYO basketball team, and the players came in uniform to one of the hearings to show their support.
Protests about his nomination began the night he was announced as a potential replacement for Kennedy and continued until his October swearing in, intensifying during Senate confirmation hearings, particularly the hearing concerning Christine Blasey Ford’s allegations of a sexual assault by Kavanaugh when they were in high school, which he denied.
The Jesuits’ America magazine published an online editorial that fall saying that although it “previously endorsed the nomination of Judge Kavanaugh on the basis of his legal credentials,” it said his nomination should be withdrawn “in the best interests of the country.”
Other Catholic organizations urged support for Kavanaugh, including the Supreme Council of the Knights of Columbus and CatholicVote.