2024

Saturday marks ten years since the canonization of Pope John Paul II. The Vatican will celebrate the historic moment with a mass. We’ll take you to St. Mary Church in Long Island City, which has a special connection to Pope John Paul, thanks to his visit to Queens in 1995.

Pope Francis may visit New York City in September. The United Nations extended an invitation. While the pope has not committed, he is believed to accept the invitation to return to America for a visit.

A new A.I. priest? “Father Justin,” the latest development created to answer questions about Catholicism, is now receiving significant backlash.

Some St. Francis Prep students took their classroom outdoors this week. In honor of Earth Day, the A.P. Environmental Science students went on a field trip to the Queens Landing Boathouse and Environmental Center.

St. Teresa of Avila Parish Gears Up for Arbor Day with Tree Planting Initiative

St. Teresa of Avila Parish in Summit, New Jersey, is expanding its green footprint by planting 40 evergreen trees in its cemetery. This effort marks a significant step in the parish’s ongoing mission to introduce 500 trees across its properties.

The tree-planting program, which was initiated in 2021, aligns with the principles of “Laudato Si’,” Pope Francis’ encyclical urging Catholics to save the environment. Since its inception, the initiative has seen the planting of approximately 200 trees on the church, school, and cemetery grounds.

To see more on St. Teresa of Avila Parish’s tree-planting effort across its properties, tune into NET TV tonight at 7 p.m.

Columbia University’s Catholic Chaplain Speaks Out on Protests, Antisemitism Fight

Amid pro-Palestinian protests at Columbia University that have led to more than 100 arrests, forced classes online, and left Jewish students and faculty feeling unsafe and unwelcome, the university’s Catholic chaplain says the path forward “must first ensure that such malevolent protests, brimming with anti-Semitism, be stopped.”

Father Landry, Columbia’s Chaplain, said he has witnessed many pro-Palestinian protests that have taken place since mid-October — when Israel began its retaliation against Hamas in Gaza after the terrorist organization on Oct. 7 killed more than 1,200 people, and took more than 200 hostages.

Tens of thousands Gazans have died, and more than 1.5 million are now displaced.

Current protests at Columbia University boiled over last week, when students set up an encampment on the university’s South Lawn to oppose Israel’s military action in Gaza, and demand that the university divest from companies with ties to Israel. Ultimately, more than 100 demonstrators were arrested after the university called in police to help dispel the crowd.

Protests have continued this week. Protestors are now also there to stand in solidarity with those arrested last week. On April 23, about 150 demonstrators were arrested for defying a university order to leave.

The Tablet’s John Lavenburg joins Currents News to discuss the uprising.

Ukrainian Student Who Fled War Now Living His Dream

For as long as he can remember, high school senior David Korzyrkov has dreamed of using music to make the world a better place.

But two years ago, the sounds of war changed his life forever.

“In 4 in the morning when we start to hear bombs,” Kozyrkov said. “Hear Russian flys and my father go to my room and says war started we just need to take a bag. My father says I need to choose. I need to take my bag, or I need to take my keyboard.”

With just his keyboard and the clothes on his back, Korzyrkov traveled all the way to Philadelphia with his mom and sister.

He wanted to further his education at String Theory Schools in Center City, but he longed for what he left behind.

“When I start to think about my friends who died in Ukraine, and I watch all those friends who are right here with me, I think that God gave me something,” Korzyrkov said.

While he’s made new friends, his best friend still fights in the war.

“My father in Ukraine, he’s a military Chaplin,” Kozyrkov said. “He’s my best friend. He’s my number one. I speak with him every day.”

His number one now has a reason to celebrate with his son because Korzyrkov just got into the school of his dreams.

“I looked on the Internet and just watched the school and wow I know the school and I tried to apply and I get in,” Korzyrkov said.

This fall, he will be attending the Berklee College of Music in Boston.

“That means a lot,” Korzyrkov said. “That’s a lot of hard work what I do. My family my parents be proud of me.”

His dream is now a reality and a chance to use his music to make the world a better place.

St. Matthias Catholic Academy to Close, Board of Trustees Cites Enrollment Decline and Mounting Debt

By Jessica Easthope

Lauren Murtha’s hope was her six-year-old son, Jimmy would graduate with a diploma from St. Matthias Catholic Academy, like she did and like her dad did.

But that won’t be the case, St. Matthias will close its doors in June.

“I don’t want to see it closed because, because I like this place,” said Jimmy who’s in kindergarten.

“I need a backup plan. I have to my child needs to go to school, but I don’t want to accept it yet, my son walks out of here with a genuine smile every day,” Lauren said.

Lauren like other parents, students and faculty are heartbroken over the board of trustee’s decision to close the school due to low enrollment and mounting debt.

Over the last 10 years enrollment slipped from 400 students to just over 150 and yearly deficits have reached $300,000.

“There’s been a serious decline in enrollment that has also led to deficits. And it’s become a question of how long is this sustainable,” said principal Keri-Ann Wade-Donohue.

Donohue says she and the rest of the school community are holding out hope.

“Once we get people in the building, they’re very happy with the product that they see. it’s just a matter of getting them here,” she said about the school looking to boost enrollment.

And parents are pitching in, too. They’ve started a GoFundMe to raise $1M.

“We scouted my husband and I community after community school, after school, and Saint Matthias is where we felt at home, and we’ve been here ever since. And we don’t want to see the school close,” said Francisca Pellot who has two students in the school.

But students and families are settling into the idea that they may have a new home come September.

“I was devastated at first, but now I’m kind of still sad, but it’s getting easier to hear,” said seventh grader Giovanni Pellot.

“No matter what the students have to have a place where they feel safe and they can be happy and they can learn. So if this does mean that this is the end, then we’re going to go out with a bang. We’re going to make this the best experience they’ve ever had,” Donohue said.

The superintendent’s office is committed to assisting all families with finding a seat in another local catholic academy for September.

Catholic News Headlines for Wednesday 4/24/2024

Faculty and students from St. Matthias Catholic Academy will seek a new school in September. The Ridgewood school has announced it will close in June after serving the community for 114 years. Despite the board having already voted to close its doors, there’s one final push by parents and staff to save the school.

The Catholic Chaplain at Columbia University is calling for peace after more than a week of anti-Israel protests at the school. Some of them have turned violent–and more than one hundred people have been arrested. There’s a tent city on the campus — and the Ivy League university has given students 48 hours to dismantle the encampments.

President Joe Biden has signed a bill to aid Israel and Ukraine. The $95 billion package includes air defense capabilities, artillery rounds, armored vehicles, and other weapons to shore up Ukrainian forces.

The war in Ukraine has displaced hundreds of thousands of people, but for one teen, his escape from war led to his lifelong dream.

Dorothy Day Inspires Art Collection on Her Way to Sainthood

By Jessica Easthope

Kristi Pfister’s artwork, a testament to the profound influence of Dorothy Day, portrays her as more than just a figure. She was an activist, a writer, a pioneer, and a woman of God.

“Her work is so admirable,” said Pfister. “The Catholic Worker movement cares for the needy and the poor in such a devoted, committed way, and not at all, not at all hypocritical. She really, really did the work.”

Only some of Pfister’s artwork, reflecting Day’s life and legacy, is at her home studio on Staten Island. It’s currently being shown at Manhattan College’s library and will soon be displayed at a fundraiser for the Catholic worker. Day helped found the movement that spreads the message of Christ’s love and charity—and it’s now expanding into Staten Island.

“Creating the Catholic worker, which is merging like workers’ rights with the moral tenants of the teachings of Christ, she kind of fuses that, in itself, to me is a real miracle,” said Pfister.

In 2005, Pfister—part of a muralist collective—had her first brush with Dorothy Day when she created this piece in Bedford-Stuyvesant. Since then, she has championed Day in art that has crossed multiple mediums. Her latest collection, titled Radical Action: Tracing Dorothy Day, includes mosaics, oil paintings, sheer columns, and metal.

“The mosaics kind of represent the work, the grittiness, the hardness of that,” said Pfister. “And the columns are more, I think, represent her, the transcendence of her spiritual beliefs.”

Some of her pieces in this new exhibit show day’s iconic braid and compare her to a caryatid – like these at the Acropolis in Athens –

“They represent strength and collectivity, and they support the tablature, but they’re not burdened by their weight,” said Pfister. “And I see Dorothy day in the same way. So this sense that she’s, in a way, a caryatid.”

Pfister’s art dedicated to Day is not just a personal project, but a testament to her deep understanding and appreciation of Day’s work. She recognizes that her art can hold a greater significance, especially as Day’s cause for canonization is currently under review by the Vatican’s Congregation for the Causes of Saints.

The process is long – but each new step chips away. Pfister says she’s doing her part to bring awareness – the only way she knows how with her two hands.

A Long Island Nun, Oldest in the U.S., Celebrates 111th Birthday

A Long Island nun celebrated her 111th birthday! Sister Francis Dominici Piscatella marked the big day surrounded by family. She is a member of the Sisters of Saint Dominic in Amityville, New York.

Despite being the oldest nun in the U.S. and the third oldest in the world, she still attends Mass at her parish, Saint Aidan Church, every week.

Sister Francis has lived through 19 U.S. presidents and ten popes.

When speaking with Currents News on previous birthdays, Sister Francis cracked jokes about her age, saying, “God just doesn’t want me yet.”

Queens Students Create Solar Powered Ovens For Earth Day

By Katie Vasquez

These budding scientists at Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Academy in Forest Hills are conducting an experiment, testing out the powerful rays of the sun.

“Instead of using stuff that could destroy the earth like fossil fuels to cook, we’re using stuff that could help the earth like solar energy,” said Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Academy student, Alex Deic.

As part of their lesson on renewable energy, the 22 students constructed solar powered ovens out of objects that anyone could find at home.

“We’re using the pizza boxes that were just used for the fifth grade lunch. so reusing, recycling,” said Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Academy teacher, Ryan Duffy. “They use aluminum foil and black construction paper and things like that, things that will help absorb the heat, make it a little bit hotter. We have saran wrap also to help trap it and then the black paper should help absorb the heat a little bit faster.”

The 6th graders then head outside to put their project to the test, cooking s’mores.

And in a short amount of time, roughly 26 minutes, students were able to taste the results, scoring high marks.

But the ultimate lesson was ensuring they do their part to protect God’s creation.

“We can do extra stuff to help the planet but I feel like every day we should make small contributions to help the planet,” said Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Academy student, Abigail Langley.

“In a couple of years, we’ll look back to all that. all the bad things that happened to this environment and see how many ways we could have changed us,” said Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Academy student, Sophia Trujillo.

Catholic News Headlines for Tuesday 4/23/2024

Exciting news! The Catholic movement is making significant strides on Staten Island. A new Catholic worker initiative is set to provide crucial services to those in need. This endeavor, inspired by the visionary founder Dorothy Day, is gaining momentum through a fundraising campaign. As we delve into her art, a compelling case for her sainthood is emerging, adding to the richness of our community.

To mark Earth Day, many Catholics are making a pledge to Pope Francis. The Catholic Climate Covenant pledge asks people of faith to commit to honoring God’s creation by making small changes and sacrifices in their lives.

A Queens Catholic school is taking up Pope Francis’ warning and doing their part. They are putting their minds to the test to find new ways to use energy!

Over in Brooklyn, Catholic migration services put some “Shining Stars” in the spotlight. Every year, the non-profit honors individuals in cultural ministries for their service to the church and for preserving their traditions. Bishop Robert Brennan presented the Shining Star Awards at Brooklyn’s Gargiulo’s restaurant.

Lastly, join us in wishing a Long Island nun a special, happy 111th birthday! Sister Francis Dominici Piscatella marked the big day surrounded by family. She is a member of the Sisters of Saint Dominic in Amityville, New York.