by Jessica Easthope
Bridge to Life, a pro-life organization in New York City, helped one scared woman choose life for her child.
Now they’re celebrating her story and supporting her academic growth as she makes another important choice and shows her daughter what true strength looks like.
By Katie Vasquez
Less than a week after returning from a mission trip to the Dominican Republic, three members of the Vicariate of Black Catholic Concerns Youth Leadership Ambassador Program continue praying for the people they served.
“Their house is like half of a regular room,” said Christelle Couloute, a VBCC ambassador. “They would have a small kitchen, sometimes a pot, maybe not. They would have to cook outside.”
“I think when you really get to see firsthand what was going on, it really touches you,” added fellow ambassador Bryan Maitland-Jones.
Eighteen ambassadors and eight chaperones traveled to a batey, a community where workers from a sugar cane plantation live. Many of the residents are Haitian migrants who came to the Dominican Republic after being promised a better life as Haiti continues to face gang violence.
Father Dwayne Davis, executive director of the VBCC Ambassador Program, said the reality was far different.
“It seemed to me like modern-day slavery,” Father Davis said. “These people from Haiti were promised these wonderful things. And really, they come, and what they’re living in is like a little shanty town, living in shacks.”
During the mission trip, the group helped dig the foundation for a community center, installed water filters, played with children and ministered to residents.
“We did a lot of digging, we worked with the kids, but we also worked on our hearts,” Father Davis said. “I think a relationship with Jesus Christ is an experience that you can never get anywhere else.”
Several ambassadors spoke Spanish and Haitian Creole, allowing them to communicate more easily with residents.
For Christelle Couloute and Christian Lafontant, both of whom were born in Haiti before moving to New York as children, the experience was especially personal.
“That kind of broke my heart because I’m like, ‘Oh, my people, they don’t catch a break,'” Couloute said. “So that really touched me. I was just praying that God would help them.”
“It shocked me the most because that, in the realest sense, could have been my life,” said Christian Lafontent, a VBCC ambassador alumnus. “In another life, if I didn’t come to America, that was me.”
Despite the hardships they witnessed, the ambassadors said they were inspired by the faith of the people they met.
“It was good to see the people’s faith,” Father Davis said. “They had hope, they had joy.”
“I believe with God, if they walk with God, walk with Christ, that hope will come,” Maitland-Jones said. “I pray that every single day.”
The ambassadors said they will carry the lessons of the mission trip with them as they continue their faith journey.
Next year, the group plans to follow the Selma-to-Montgomery trail, tracing the path of the Civil Rights Movement.
The Diocese of Brooklyn’s Vicariate of Black Catholic Concerns Youth Leadership Ambassador Program has returned from a mission trip to the Dominican Republic where they offered support to Haitian immigrants who are struggling to build a new life there.
In Manhattan’s Upper East Side, the Legionnaires’ Disease outbreak is still spreading – we tell you about a town hall held at a Catholic church that discussed what’s being done in the City of New York to address it.
A new fundraising campaign is underway to complete restorations at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris as the landmark continues to rebuild following a fire in 2019.
Pope Leo XIV is preparing for an upcoming papal trip to France where he’ll not only visit the famed French cathedral but also stop at Lourdes and Metz.
by Katie Vasquez
Catholics from St. Thomas Aquinas Church in Brooklyn are back from the Dominic Republic, where during a mission trip they assisted Haitian migrants who are facing dire conditions.
By Jessica Easthope
A town hall meeting was held at St. Ignatius Loyola Church on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, July 7. Officials from the New York City Health Department addressed the current outbreak of Legionnaires’ Disease. There are currently 23 confirmed cases across three ZIP codes in Manhattan, Yorkville, Lenox Hill, and Carnegie Hill. There have been 17 people hospitalized.
During the town hall residents were demanding answers as city health officials promised to be extremely aggressive and transparent in their approach. They are currently looking for a source. It’s believed to be originating from a cooling tower. They are heat rejection systems that sit on top of large buildings for refrigeration and air conditioning. It’s possible improper maintenance caused contamination and Legionella bacteria is in the mist being expelled and falling onto the area, making people sick. Symptoms include high fever, chills, aches, cough, nausea and vomiting. If you’re experiencing any of these symptoms, you are encouraged to seek medical attention.
While Legionnaires’ Disease itself is not contagious, it is a form of pneumonia, so these symptoms can take anywhere from two-to-14 days after exposure to appear. The number of confirmed cases is expected to rise as more people develop symptoms. Health officials have promised to identify the source and disinfect the affected cooling towers.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON TOWN HALLS, SYMPTOMS AND CASES VISIT nyc.gov.
by Katie Vasquez and Paula Katinas
ROCKAWAY BEACH — A woman who suffered a near-fatal heart attack in St. Camillus Church during Palm Sunday Mass enjoyed a heartfelt reunion three months after the emergency with the men who helped save her life.
Dorothy Dugandzic, who has been recuperating at home from her March 29 ordeal, returned to St. Camillus Church in Rockaway Beach on June 26 to meet church organist James McCabe and firefighter Peter Haggerty and talk about the incident.
Dugandzic’s life was saved because McCabe and Haggerty used an automated external defibrillator (AED) to revive her after her heart stopped. Now, she said, she is sharing her story to raise awareness of the importance of having AEDs in churches.
“I think every building should have one,” she added.
RELATED: Following Outpouring of Support, St. Camillus to Remain Open
Dugandzic has no memory of her medical emergency because she lost consciousness and didn’t wake up until she was in the hospital.
“I don’t remember coming in here. I don’t remember sitting down. I don’t remember being worked on,” she said. “So, I’ve been looking for answers.”
During the reunion, Dugandzic was told about the heroics of McCabe and Haggerty after she collapsed in her church pew and fell to the floor just as the opening procession for Palm Sunday Mass was underway.
The two men said they felt the hand of God in the events that unfolded that day, especially since neither was supposed to be at St. Camillus Church.
McCabe, who is an organist for several churches, was not scheduled to be behind the keyboard at St. Camillus Church on Palm Sunday. And Haggerty, who is a parishioner at St. Francis de Sales Church, would normally not be at St. Camillus Church, but attended that day because he was accompanying his parents to Palm Sunday Mass.
In addition, McCabe, who ran out to his car to grab the AED, wasn’t even supposed to have the device. The Catholic Youth Organization (CYO) coach noted that having an AED on hand is part of his job when coaching kids, but he was supposed to return it to the CYO at the end of the season and had not yet done so.
Add to that the fact that St. Camillus Church had been slated to close in December 2025 but was given a reprieve by the Diocese of Brooklyn and allowed to remain open.
“I keep replaying the chain of events and the divine intervention that took place because it’s just unbelievable, McCabe said. “There are so many things that had to line up.”
“Everybody was very lucky that day,” Haggerty added.
Because Dugandzic has no memory of what happened to her, she had McCabe and Haggerty fill her in during their reunion.
Haggerty recalled that the church was crowded that morning and that he was standing in the back when he realized that there was a commotion on the left side of the church.
RELATED: St. Camillus Parishioners Reunite to Celebrate Queens Community’s ‘Social Center’
When he looked closer, he saw that a woman had fainted and was being placed on the floor. Haggerty, who was off duty from the FDNY, immediately began administering CPR but could not detect a pulse.
“She didn’t have a heart rate when I checked,” he said.
At the same time, McCabe was playing the opening hymn, “All Glory Laud and Honor,” on the organ when an usher ran over to him to tell him to stop. He looked over, saw the commotion, and ran over to where Haggerty was trying to assist Dugandzic.
When Haggerty asked if the church had an AED, McCabe remembered that he had one in the trunk of his car.
“I ran out, got the AED, and handed the pads to Pete,” he recalled. “Once you have the pads on, it tells you that it’s analyzing the heart rhythm and then it’ll tell you, ‘Shock Advised’ or ‘No Shock Advised.’ And it said, ‘Shock Advised.’
“I just looked at Pete, and I’m like, ‘All right, we’re going to do this.’ ”
The AED started Dugandzic’s heart just as an ambulance was arriving.
Meanwhile, several parishioners were standing nearby and praying the rosary.
After Dugandzic was taken away by the ambulance, the Palm Sunday Mass continued, Haggerty returned to the back of the church, and McCabe returned to the organ.
The two men checked on Dugandzic through her family and were relieved to learn that she had survived.
“I still can’t believe the magnitude of what happened,” Dugandzic said. “Everyone’s telling me I got a second chance at life and there must be one more mission that God wants me to do.”
By Jessica Easthope
The NYPD is investigating an incident of criminal mischief at St. Fortunata Church in East New York. On Monday, July 6, a man was seen on surveillance video etching threats onto the church doors and damaging a statue of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
Staff say they fear the man, who appeared to have a sharp metal object, will return when the church is open.
“I guess what upset me most though was the threat kind of thing, I said is it a real threat or is it a disturbed person? Is it somebody who was abused maybe, is it a direct threat,” asked Sister Loretta Florio, the pastoral associate at St. Fortunata Church.
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“It’s obvious he had a weapon because we saw him scraping we don’t know if it was a knife but that’s what it looked like,” said Maria Jorge the bookkeeper at St. Fortunata. “And what if he comes back? We don’t know this is something very scary because we have to open the church for the people but we hope that he doesn’t show up.”
“Worried about him, his own well being, whether he will return yes we worry about that also,” said Sr. Florio.
“We know that it’s hate against the Catholic Church we feel sad and at the same time scared,” Jorge said.
by Currents News
Imagine a fisherman at the time of Jesus on the Sea of Galilea; he would use the Nassa, an ancient fishing technique that uses a structure that’s submerged into the water with a small trap.
Believe it or not, there’s one at the Vatican. But what is this massive net doing on the door to Saint Peter’s Basilica?
Stefano Giampaolo, the Head of the Vatican Gardening Service, says, “It’s a decoration set up for the feast of Saints Peter and Paul. The “Nassa del Pescatore” is, in fact, a fish trap- a traditional fishing tool that was used in the past and is still used today- and it serves as a reminder of Saint Peter, who was, after all, a fisherman.”
The Nassa is installed every year the day before the feast of Saints Peter and Paul, on July 29th. The Vatican Garden team is in charge of its construction and placement.
“It’s a very ancient tradition,” Giampaolo says, “dating back to the late 18th and early 19th centuries, so we’ve been carrying it on for quite some time. It has this slightly egg-shaped form and is made with an iron frame that we’ve been using for centuries, you could say. It’ s very, very old, and it’s covered with aromatic plants, specifically myrtle, the Taranto variety, which covers the entire frame. Then there are these garlands, which are adorned with the plants instead of bay leaves.”
A net that could easily be ignored, but symbolizes so much more: a return to the roots of Catholicism through the first pope, Saint Peter.
By Katie Vasquez
Preparations are complete for Brooklyn’s annual Our Lady of Mount Carmel Giglio Feast, where an 80-foot handcrafted tower will be lifted by hundreds of men during the beloved Williamsburg tradition.
We got a behind-the-scenes look at the preparations for the annual Our Lady of Mount Carmel Giglio Feast in Williamsburg, where the iconic 80-foot Giglio tower now stands ready for the celebration.
The 12-day feast, which began in 1887, is one of Brooklyn’s most cherished Italian-American traditions and draws thousands of visitors each year.
The towering Giglio is built on an aluminum frame, while its elaborate façade is handcrafted using papier-mâché and Styrofoam. According to Monsignor Jamie Gigantiello, pastor of Our Lady of Mount Carmel-Annunciation Parish, many of the molds used to create the decorative elements have been in use for decades.
“These molds are 50, 60 years old. Some of them actually came from Nola in Italy,” Msgr. Gigantiello said.
The tower features statues and images of several saints, including St. Paulinus, Our Lady of Mount Carmel and Padre Pio.
“The Giglio is 80 feet high and it’s an aluminum base, but the façade is made down here,” Msgr. Gigantiello told Currents News. “I have to say this year’s Giglio is magnificent. It really is.”
Creating the tower is a months-long process led by volunteer builders. Giglio constructor James Nunziata said each year’s design begins with sketches before construction gets underway.
“I come up with a design. I stay home, I wake up early. I get my papers and pencils. I start sketching things,” Nunziata said. “We look at it, kick it around back and forth until we come up with a final plan. Then we get my crew in the room and we start building.”
The feast officially begins July 8, with one of its signature events taking place July 12, when hundreds of men will lift and carry the towering Giglio through the streets of Williamsburg.
Daniel Christopher, who will serve as this year’s Turk, said he is eager to continue a family tradition.
“Absolutely, man. Sunday is one of the best days ever,” Christopher said.
Christopher said following in his father’s footsteps makes the experience especially meaningful.
“I’m super excited. It’s something that I can continue my family tradition, and my dad was actually the Turk in this feast back in ’92, ’93,” he said. “So many years later, it’s amazing to follow those footsteps.”
By Currents Staff
A special Mass at the Lady Chapel within St. Patrick’s Cathedral celebrated the enduring legacy of Venerable Pierre Toussaint, the Haitian American philanthropist born into slavery whose life of faith and service continues to inspire Catholics across generations.
Toussaint, widely regarded as the spiritual founder of Catholic Charities of New York, dedicated his life to serving those in need despite facing discrimination and hardship. His witness to charity and humility remains a model for the faithful as his cause for canonization continues.
“He was very much aimed at education, excellence, young people who were not able to get education elsewhere,” said Brother Tyrone Davis, CFC, director of the Pierre Toussaint Scholars Program. “He also was very much involved in service to others, regardless of their race or gender or nationality or faith affiliation.”
Davis said Toussaint never allowed adversity to distract him from his mission.
“Pierre Toussaint was very, very focused on what he saw to be his calling,” Davis said. “He felt called to serve others. He remained focused on that, even at times when he contributed so much to the upliftment and the building of the Church, and people tried to humiliate him. He did not let that derail him in terms of his focus and his commitment to service.”
His commitment to education and service lives on through the Pierre Toussaint Scholars Program, which provides students with financial assistance, mentorship, spiritual formation, and leadership development.
For Anthony Berry, executive chair of the Catholic Charities of New York Junior Board, Toussaint’s example is deeply personal.
“As someone of Caribbean background, Pierre Toussaint is someone that is a model of my faith and someone that I look up to,” Berry said.
Current scholar Dayshauna Berry said Toussaint’s life reminds young people that holiness begins with serving others.
“A lot of venerables and saints have that selflessness,” she said. “But it’s good inspiration to keep going.”
Following the Mass, attendees were given special access to Toussaint’s crypt beneath the main altar of St. Patrick’s Cathedral. He remains the only layperson buried in that sacred space, a testament to the extraordinary impact of his life and legacy.
As the Church continues to advance his cause for sainthood, those gathered said Pierre Toussaint’s example of unwavering faith, generosity, and perseverance remains as relevant today as it was during his lifetime.