Faith, friends, and fun: three reasons families race to Jackson Heights every year for summer camp.
And there’s one woman to thank for that.
A religion teacher at Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Academy doesn’t stop working when school lets out in June.
She continues to put her faith into action by organizing the church’s day camp. This is her story in our new Currents News series, Pulse of the Parish.
This is the official song of the film, “El cielo no puede esperar,” which means “Heaven can’t wait.” It is a film directed by José María Zavala about the life of Blessed Carlo Acutis.
The young composer and singer, Luis Mas, wrote the song. The music video was filmed in the studio and parish of the Diocese of Getafe, Spain. It features both content from the film and real images from Acutis’ childhood. For Mas, the project meant bringing together his professional career and personal life.
“From the start, I liked the idea of the song and thought that it was something the audience could take home with them. They don’t just see the movie and then it’s over. They also have the song at the end. I’ve listened to it many times now, and there are moments where it really becomes personal,” said Mas.
The uplifting song brings music to the biographical film about Acutis, the young Italian boy who died at the age of 15, only three days after being diagnosed with leukemia. Since then, his peaceful way of facing death has become an example to many around the world.
“We worked to make this song very sincere, honest and simple. In the end, those are the values that Carlo Acutis showed throughout his life,” he said.
Known as “the influencer of the Eucharist,” Carlo Acutis used social media to do good. He dedicated himself to spreading the Gospel on digital platforms, hoping to reach a younger audience. Many have already begun to consider him “the patron saint of the internet.”
“I think he’s a person who knew how to value the good things in life. Many times we choose to focus on the bad and end up complaining all day long. But if you emphasize the good, in the end you say, ‘he’s doing the same thing as the other guy, but he is living it to the fullest,’” he added.
The film is now in its final stages of editing and is expected to be released in 2023.
Monsignor Sean G. Ogle’s Homily from Tuesday’s Mass on 11/15/22
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops is gathering this week for the fall assembly in Baltimore.
The alleged St Patrick’s Cathedral vandal is back on the streets.
New York City is dumping millions of dollars into keeping the streets clean.
We’ll introduce you to the woman behind the day camp at our lady of Fatima Church in Jackson Heights.
The bishops are back and their agenda is stacked.
Everything from abortion to the war in Ukraine will be discussed this week. But who will guide the bishops in these matters moving forward? It’s an election year for them too. The conference will choose a new president and second in command, plus they’ll vote for the new leaders of six committees.
With midterm madness still all around the United States, the bishops are set to discuss how to help Catholics vote with their conscience. Do they need to make some revisions to their faithful citizenship document? That’s a big question this year.
Another big question, how should the church respond to the overturning of Roe v. Wade? The bishops will brainstorm ways they can further help mothers, babies and families.
The bishops will also hear the cases for three American women and possible new saints. They’ll decide if their causes for sainthood should continue.
Lastly, 2022 is the 20th anniversary of the USCCB’s adoption of the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People. The bishops will spend a lot of time praying and reflecting on the American Church’s response to clergy sex abuse.
BALTIMORE — Last year’s United States Conference of Catholic Bishops fall meeting was marked by a discussion on pro-abortion politicians receiving Communion. There’s nothing on this year’s agenda that will garner the same attention, but there are plenty of action items that will impact the future of the U.S. Catholic Church.
At the top of the list for the meeting, which is taking place from Nov. 14-17, is the election of a new USCCB president and vice president on Nov. 15.
There will also be updates on the synod, National Eucharistic Revival, pro-life issues in light of the Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision this past summer, and immigration amid the ongoing crisis at the southern border.
The election of a new USCCB president and vice president come with the conclusion of three-year terms served by Archbishop José Gomez of Los Angeles as president and Archbishop Allen Vigneron of Detroit as his vice president. Normally, the vice president steps into the lead role at the end of the term, but it appears Archbishop Vigneron will step aside as he isn’t a listed nominee.
There are 10 candidates for the role. Many of them are well-known, and some have leadership positions within the USCCB and its committees. The candidates are as follows:
The new USCCB president will be chosen by a simple majority vote. The vice president will be elected from the remaining nine candidates, also by a simple majority. They will serve three-year terms that will begin at the conclusion of the week’s general assembly.
Archbishop Gomez will give his final presidential address on the first day of the meeting.
Another vote on the agenda is whether to advance the causes for sainthood for three American women — Cora Evans, Michelle Duppong, and Mother Margaret Mary Healy Murphy.
Also on the agenda is a discussion on the USCCB voting guide for Catholics, “Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship.” The discussion will come just after the midterm elections, where issues central to the church — abortion and immigration among them — seemed to play a major part in the way people voted. The discussion will culminate in a vote on how best to reissue or redevelop the document, which hasn’t been changed since 2019.
Archbishop Lori, as the USCCB pro-life chair, will provide the update on pro-life issues in the post-Roe U.S., where abortion law is left to the states.
Auxiliary Bishop Mario Dorsonville, the outgoing USCCB Committee on Migration chair, will present on immigration. The Fiscal Year 2022 — Oct. 2021-Sept. 2022 — saw records set in terms of the number of migrants who arrived at the U.S.-Mexico border. Bishop Dorsonville and the committee have been outspoken on the need for immigration reform from Congress.
Another agenda item is an update on the Russia-Ukraine war from Archbishop Borys Gudziak of the Archeparchy of Philadelphia, who is president of the Ukrainian Catholic University in Lviv, Ukraine.
Bishop Flores will provide the synod update as the global initiative moves into the continental phase. And Bishop Andrew Cozzens, chair of the USCCB Committee on Evangelization, will provide an update on the National Eucharistic Revival, with the National Eucharistic Congress less than two years away.
There will also be chairmen-elect chosen for six USCCB committees — Canonical Affairs and Church Governance; Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs; Evangelization and Catechesis; International Justice and Peace; Protection of Children and Young People; and Religious Liberty.
Each elected bishop will serve one year as chairman-elect before taking over the committee they’re elected to at the conclusion of next year’s fall meeting.
A crucial victory in Nevada has led to Democrats retaining control of the Senate for the next two years. Now all eyes are on who will gain control of the House, which is still up for grabs.
Now on Currents News, a special salute.
The heroes of our nation- putting civilians first – serving our country and protecting our rights. They thought their job was done. But now veterans are being recruited for yet another mission.
It’s what kept him going after the war. He traded Army boots for running shoes and never stopped. A Vietnam soldier’s 43rd marathon.
Taking warriors to Lourdes – the Knights of Columbus are sponsoring a pilgrimage like no other.
Police have arrested a man who they believe threw a wrench at the residence of Cardinal Timothy Dolan on the grounds of St. Patrick’s Cathedral.
A different kind of girl code is happening at Visitation Academy in Bay Ridge.
Currents News is saluting those who have served as we prepare for Veterans Day on Friday.
Brian Browne, a political science professor at St John’s University, joins Currents News to dig deeper into the midterm election results.