For The Love of God and Elvis: Deacon Lives Out Faith, Pays Tribute To The King of Rock and Roll

by Jessica Easthope

When Elvis Presley’s “Amazing Grace” rings out of Corpus Christi Church in Hasbrouck Heights, New Jersey, the music has the power to bring you back in time.

So does the musician playing the guitar – with the hair, clothes and voice to match. But Deacon Anthony Liguori doesn’t impersonate Elvis, he pays tribute to him. Better known as “Deacon Elvis,” Deacon Anthony says he and the king of rock and roll were both fans of a greater King.

“Elvis became more to me, I wasn’t obsessed in the sense of some of these fans,” he tells Currents News. “:I just really, genuinely, connected with him… Elvis would be in concert and sometimes people would scream out in the audience, ‘Elvis, you’re the king!’ And he would say, ‘No, I’m not the king. Jesus Christ is the king.’”

Deacon Anthony has been an Elvis tribute artist for decades, packing up his guitar and traveling the country performing as the late entertainer in Las Vegas, Atlantic City and Nashville. He’s someone who became a fan early on in life.

“My grandmother and my great-grandmother would watch Elvis movies, with the whole guitar and the hairdo and the motorcycles and everything that went along with it,” he recalls. “I became an instant fan.”

While wearing out the grooves on his Elvis records as a kid, Deacon Anthony realized that what kept his attention was much deeper than what first caught it.

“I guess I was intrigued by everything about his life and his generosity and the way he treated other people and his gospel music as well was a big, important influence in my life,” he explains.

But in his twenties, Deacon Anthony had a nearly fatal health scare and an experience that would go on to shape the rest of his life. “I was on the forefront of paradise, of heaven,” he tells Currents News. “I could see the golden glow and the angels singing. And that’s when I met Jesus. I could feel this warmth of love coming through him. And then ultimately, he had sent me back and said it wasn’t my time.”

Today Deacon Anthony – who is a singer-songwriter himself – still performs as Elvis, and the look and music have become his tools for evangelization.

“For me, it’s Jesus, one-on-one love, compassion. That’s where my ministry takes me,” he says, “And in the end, that’s all that really matters. And maybe someday He’ll say, ‘well done.’ I don’t know, but hopefully.”

In the end, his goal will always be to be remembered as someone who helped and made a difference – not as Elvis – but as Anthony.

Lost WWII Purple Heart Medal Returns to NJ Family After 31 Years, Rekindling Memories of Veteran’s Sacrifice and Smile

For Margarita Manhardt, her Uncle George Cerrito’s memory was all she thought she had left. But after more than three decades, a lost Purple Heart medal and other mementos have reconnected her with his life story.

George Cerrito was a man full of life. He wore a suit every day, loved a good day at the racetrack, and served as a devoted usher at two New Jersey parishes. But what Manhardt remembers most was his smile.

“He couldn’t explain his feelings very well,” Manhardt said, “but you could see the joy in his face. He was a very happy, jovial guy all through his life.”

During World War II, Cerrito served as a turret gunner in General Patton’s 3rd Army.

In the Battle of Bastogne, a mortar shell hit his tank. He was shot in the head, sustaining a traumatic brain injury.

Another crew member pulled him to safety, but Cerrito returned home needing intensive therapy to walk and talk again.

“The first time I saw Uncle George after he was wounded, he couldn’t walk, he couldn’t talk. But he could laugh, and his face lit up when he saw the family,” Manhardt recalled.

One thing that kept him going was his Purple Heart, his most treasured possession.

After his death in 1993, his belongings, including the Purple Heart, were taken by a relative’s fiancée who was unknown to the family.

For decades, the medal was lost.

“We no longer had access to Grandma and Grandpa’s house, and I knew in my heart his things were gone,” Manhardt said.

Then, after 31 years, Manhardt received a life-changing call.

Cerrito’s Purple Heart and other medals had been found at a flea market in Dallas, Texas, and returned to Purple Hearts Reunited, an organization that returns lost military medals to veterans’ families.

“I almost fell out of my chair,” she said. “It was so emotional. I couldn’t believe it. Knowing what he did for us, what it cost him. This means everything.”

Manhardt doesn’t know how her uncle’s medals ended up 1,500 miles away. But now, they’re back in her hands, where she believes they belong.

“He’d be thrilled that they’re found, and that the family has them again. I can see his smile. He wouldn’t be able to talk, but the smile would be so great,” she said.

Recently, Manhardt discovered more of her uncle’s wartime items, including a blood-stained coat and shirt. With his Purple Heart home, George Cerrito’s legacy and sacrifice are safe in the family’s memory, alongside his unforgettable smile.

TONIGHT AT 7: Brooklyn, Queens Residents Show Up to Polls, Prepared to Vote on Key Social Issues

One of the most divisive election seasons in the nation’s history is ending. In New York City, voter turnout and outrage have been off the charts, and many expect the aftermath to be just as contentious.

This Election Day, Currents News is out at the polls with voters throughout the Diocese of Brooklyn, where those waiting in line are voicing their day-of concerns on what issues they believe Donald Trump and Kamala Harris need to tackle as part of their political platform.

Catholic Baker Creates Pastries of Both Presidential Candidates

by Katie Vasquez

Most bakeries offer you flavor choices like vanilla or chocolate, but Circo’s Pastry shop gives you the choice between Democrat or Republican.

It’s “a fun way to finish off this election, keep it light,” explains Circo’s Pastry Shop co-owner, Anthony Pierdipino.

His Bushwick bakery is folding politics into their pastries by selling sweet treats bearing the faces of both presidential candidates Kamala Harris and Donald Trump.

But unlike the two candidates, there’s no difference between the two cookies.

“Both taste exactly the same,” he tells Currents News. “There’s no difference. It’s a shortbread cookie, crunchy, glazed with a little bit of vanilla icing and the edible picture on top.”

Pierdipino only made a few dozen initially but the sweet treat has taken off, selling close to 500.

“I started it as a joke, to be honest with you,” he admits. “I brought them out to the store and a couple guys said ‘let me get some of those’ and started making a big deal about it. I was like, ‘Wow, people really like these.”

One longtime customer, Manuel Montanez, bought one to show off his patriotism.

“It’s pride,” he says. “Pride in the country, that’s it. Pride in whoever I think offers me the most,” he adds.

Fellow patron Jonathan Evans says the cookies are a good reminder.

“At one point I didn’t want to vote,” he admits. “So now I’m voting now, too. I think everybody should do it.”

As it turns out, it’s not just Brooklynites buying these cookies. Pierdipino says he’s getting orders from as far away as California.

“We go nationwide from all over the states and you have people, people from left and right. It’s quite interesting,” he adds.

The Catholic baker hopes the cookies encourage people not only to head to the ballot box in November, but to vote their conscience come Election Day.

“We’re electing a lawmaker and the presidential position is very important. Let’s not forget about our God in our laws that we live by,” says Pierdipino. “Whoever wins or loses, it’s definitely in God’s hands.”

The shop has orders continuing, even after the polls close.

If you would like to buy your own cookies, you can visit the shop at 312 Knickerbocker Avenue in Bushwick, Brooklyn.

You can also order online at https://circospastryshop.com/.

Catholic News Headlines for Monday 11/4/2024

Despite facing pressure to abort and now battling for her son’s medical care, Yami Johnson remains unwavering in her support for her special needs child.

Bishop Robert Brennan celebrated All Souls Day Mass at Mount St. Mary Cemetery in Queens, one of several field masses across the Diocese of Brooklyn.

Election Day is tomorrow and the Catholic co-owner of Circo’s Pastry Shop in Brooklyn is encouraging customers to vote with cookies in the likenesses of Donald Trump and Kamala Harris.

As Currents News nears the end of our nine-day novena, we mark day eight with a prayer to guide voters’ consciences.

In Brooklyn, Circo’s Bakery Catholic Baker Creates Presidential Cookies for Election Day

by Currents News

Polls are closed for voting today but the co-owner of Circo’s – one of Brooklyn’s most popular bakeries – is getting the vote out with pastries. The shop has created cookies with the faces of presidential candidates Kamala Harris and Donald Trump on them. Anthony Pierdipino, a Catholic baker, hopes the cookies encourage voters to head to the ballot box and vote their conscience tomorrow on Election Day.

Mom of Child With Down Syndrome Struggles With Insurance Needs

By Jessica Easthope

Six-year-old Noah Jacob’s communication is limited, but his eyes say it all. Noah is a model who’s appeared in national campaigns for big brands like Target, boosting visibility and inclusivity for the special needs community.

Currents News reported on Noah earlier this year: his mom, Yami Johnson, fought to give Noah life. Ever since, it’s been a battle to keep him healthy.

Noah has been wearing glasses since he was three months old as his down syndrome diagnosis comes with progressive vision loss. “I just noticed after having three children prior to Noah, that he wasn’t really looking at us,” she tells Currents News of how she discovered his health need. “He had a lazy eye, he had blurry vision, he has astigmatism,” she adds. “He sees the eye doctor about every three months and the prescription has changed every time since he was three months old.”

Yami says his eyes still stand out – even behind his glasses – but their struggle to get her health insurance plan to cover his vision needs feels like this is yet another way in which families and mothers who choose to bring a baby with special needs into the world are left unsupported.

She says her insurance plan through Medicaid Fidelis covers new lenses and frames for Noah every two years. But in two years he goes through eight new prescriptions and the rest of the cost falls on her.

“Sometimes before the month is over, he’s lost the glasses,” she explains. “I’ve had those incidents at school on the bus where they don’t know if he got on the bus with the glasses at the school. You have to say to yourself, well, what’s more important, you know, putting food on the table or keeping the lights on or paying almost $300 for a pair of glasses.”

Noah’s eyesight affects his quality of life in school, at home, and on set. Yami says that’s where her insurance coverage falls flat: “They actually haven’t realized that our babies are special and they do require more coverage.”

After Noah’s diagnosis when Yami was still pregnant she was pressured to abort him. She advocated for him and his life then, and continues to do so now.

“I always say that you never get a ‘congratulations’ with a down syndrome diagnosis, you never get that,” she tells Currents News. “And it’s hard because you don’t really feel like you have the support. They kind of remind you that you should have just made a different choice because then it wouldn’t be this hard.”

Both Yami and Noah do the best they can to be models not just for him, but for every child with special needs .

“I was happy to see that during his last shoot with Target they allowed the glasses. The stylist fought for that, and we were able to get him to shoot, so I’m looking forward to his new ad that’s coming up with his glasses,” she says.

There have been plenty of times when Yami was forced to choose, and she continues to choose Noah every day.

Courting the Catholic Vote: A Divided Electorate Ahead of Election Day

With Election Day approaching, both presidential candidates are vying for the Catholic vote—a key voting bloc that may once again be split.

Surveys indicate that Catholic voters are divided, with issues such as abortion and immigration weighing heavily on their minds.

In past elections, Catholic support has fluctuated between parties.

According to Pew Research Center, a majority of Catholic voters backed former President Donald Trump in 2016, but shifted to President Joe Biden in 2020.

This year, Pew polling shows Trump leading Vice President Kamala Harris among Catholic voters by a margin of 52% to 47%.

Catholic Artists Find Inspiration in Medieval Prayer for New Silk Scarf Collection

By Jessica Easthope

NEW YORK — Nearly 800 years after it was written, Adoro Te Devote, a medieval prayer by St. Thomas Aquinas, continues to inspire.

The prayer recently touched the hearts of two artists, leading to the creation of a new silk scarf design for Litany NYC, a Catholic-inspired brand.

The scarf, created by painter Erin McAtee, weaves together symbolism and spirituality.

“Working on this scarf drew me into a deeper prayer,” McAtee said. “With an image that connected deeply to my personal and embodied experience.”

McAtee and Litany’s co-founder, Veronica Marrinan, have been friends for years.

Their shared faith and creative vision prompted them to collaborate professionally last summer.

McAtee, also the executive director of the nonprofit artist collective Arthouse2B, found that working with Marrinan brought new dimensions to her artistic process.

“Artists often work alone, but it’s such a gift to work with a friend who understands the spiritual significance of what I’m sharing,” McAtee said.

The Adoro Te scarf features a mother pelican, a traditional symbol of sacrifice in Christian art, feeding her young—a symbol paired with a Eucharist at the center.

McAtee added phrases from her prayer journal to enrich the design further.

“This experience of meditating on the pelican through hands-on creation, using watercolor and drawing, was incredibly healing,” she shared.

For Marrinan, the design stands out for its blend of art and overt spirituality.

“I wanted this piece to feel special and look like an artwork, which it is,” she said.

The scarf debuted on Litany NYC’s website in August, selling over a dozen in just a month.

It’s part of a larger cultural movement among Catholic women who are seeking distinctive ways to express their faith, including veiling during Mass.

Litany NYC’s designs reflect the artists’ belief in God’s transformative power.

“It’s about how the scarf and the inspiration behind it can deepen the wearer’s relationship with God,” McAtee added.

For a closer look at Litany’s designs, visit their website at litanynyc.com.

Mass of Thanksgiving Offered in Memory of Queens Organ Donor

By Katie Vasquez

From a young age, the Perellis’ knew their son AJ was special.

“AJ was the life of the party always,” said AJ’s mother, Christine Perelli. “He knew he wanted to be in the creative arts from a very young age.”

“AJ had courage to just go out and take the bull by the horns, I admired that about him,” said AJ’s father Anthony Perelli.

The Queens man was a dancer, actor and performer, taking him across the world as far as China, which was concerning for his mother.

“I said, ‘you know, AJ, if something happens to you overseas what do you want to do?’ he said ‘don’t worry mom I’m an organ donor,” said Christine Perelli. “I’m registered.”

But the Perellis’ never expected to see AJ’s wish fulfilled.

On October 10th, 2013 their son was involved in an accident, he died 6 days later

“I always said a parent should never bury their child, and when it happened to me, I couldn’t believe I was saying it to myself,” said Anthony Perelli. “You want the world to stop, because yours has.”

AJ’s final act was to give the gift of life to others, donating his heart, kidneys, liver pancreas and corneas.

“He’s gone, but he lives on in other people. It was wonderful to see people he saved,” said Anthony Perelli. “You meet people who are genuinely thankful and crying that their lives were saved, and that’s a big deal.”

His parents created a non-profit in his memory called “The AJ project,” which looks to bring awareness to the need to register as an organ donor.

The Catholic couple also hosted a Mass of Thanksgiving at their home parish, St. Rita in Long Island City, to honor and bless all those touched by organ donation.

“This mass is not only for people who are, on the waiting list or who have received or who donate,” said Christine Perelli. “It’s for people who have been on the sidelines.”

“We’re called to go out and share our faith,” said Anthony Perelli. “So what better way to ask people, let’s come together and pray for those who we love and who we miss.”

In that way the Perellis’ say their son’s memory lives on.

“I saw the hero in my son,” said Anthony Perelli. “That’s when I realized what a hero he was.”

“I always was the proud mom, and this is allowing me to continue being that proud mom,” said Christine Perelli. “He’s on stage still. He’s still on stage.”