Diocese of Brooklyn an ‘Example’ When it Comes to Supporting Abuse Survivors

Currents News Staff

April is Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month and here in the Diocese of Brooklyn, there are strong measures in place to provide healing and protection to survivors of abuse.

Jasmine Salazar is the Vice Chancellor and Victim Assistance Coordinator for the Diocese of Brooklyn. She joined Currents News to discuss the programs in place that protect minors as well as how the Church responds.

To contact the diocese’s toll free and confidential sexual abuse reporting line, dial: 888-634-4499.

Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio highlights Sexual Assault Awareness Month in his latest article in The Tablet. The bishop reinforces the need to protect victims of sexual abuse and prevent further cases.

You can read the full article on TheTablet.org.

Catholic News Headlines for Tuesday, April 20, 2021

Guilty on all charges — the jury reaches a verdict in the trial of former police officer Derek Chauvin over the death of George Floyd.

The Minneapolis archbishop is praying for peace as people react to the ruling.

Soldiers at the border say they are dealing with a dangerous situation — we have a reporter there covering the migrant crisis.

The NYPD is making strides reaching out to at-risk kids.

A deadly accident at this Queens intersection could bring about major change.

Using His Own Story and 1,000 Signatures, One Man Fights for Safer Queens Streets

By Emily Drooby

Utopia Parkway, a five-mile road that stretches through Queens, is filled with businesses, a major Catholic University and schools, all along the street. But it’s also known to locals as a danger.

“I usually try to avoid this street,” said local resident Dominique Giroux. “I usually only walk down it if I’m coming back…it’s just busy. There’s a lot of cars making turns without looking for pedestrians.”

Another local, Christopher Carbonell, echoed Dominique’s statement.

“A lot of speeding, especially when I drive around here looking for parking, or whatever,” said Christopher. “They would burn rubber…they have to do something about it.”

Finally, some relief is coming for walkers and bikers. Ben Turner is a big reason why. He’s collected more than 1,000 signatures to get a “complete street” study in the area. The avid biker knows the dangers this road brings all too well.

Back in 2017, he was struck by a car while riding down a side street right off the parkway. Ben recalled the accident and the injuries.

“The driver started and hit me and I flew over the windshield,” he said, “and my head hit the windshield, cracking it, and I was taken to the hospital.”

He said he’s lucky he’s here today to retell the story. Others were not.

Back in August of 2019, Currents News did a story on Madeline Sershen. The 17-year-old St. Francis Prep honor student was struck and killed on Utopia Parkway by a car. Her aunt, Rita Barravecchio has been fighting for safer streets ever since.

Now thanks to Ben, there’s some hope for the families like Rita’s who have known the pain unsafe streets can cause.

After presenting all of his findings to Queens Community Board 11, they unanimously voted to approve the study request. That means that the Dept. of Transportation (DOT) will do an assessment and come up with ways to make the parkway safer.

“They look at things,” Ben said, “like better pedestrian crossing at streets, traffic calming measures, so that drivers are moving at slower speeds.”

The DOT found that the streets they’ve redesigned with the “complete street study” have had a 20 percent reduction in injuries.

While it’s not yet clear exactly what they’ll suggest, it’s the first major step in fixing the street.

“I was so happy…” Rita said of the vote, “…any step that’s going to help prevent tragedies such as the loss of my niece is a step in the right direction.”

To people like Ben, Rita, and the thousand others who signed that petition, it’s a step that represents hope for safer streets.

NYPD’s Youth Programs Work With Local Parishes to Keep Teens Out of Trouble

By Jessica Easthope

Walking into a police officer’s world isn’t an easy thing to do, but 14-year-old Troi Douglas is up to the challenge.

“We do scenarios like domestic violence traffic stops,” Troi said, “like that, and will basically act it out, and they’ll give us feedback. Tell us what we did good with the wrong.”

Troi is an NYPD explorer. She’s part of a program for teens who live in neighborhoods that put them at-risk of getting involved in gangs, drugs and violence, but show a passion for law enforcement.

“Maybe they committed their first offense, God forbid,” said Youth Coordination Officer Chandrapaul Temal. “We kind of introduce ourselves right there, that aspect, and put ourselves right between them and the criminal justice system. We try to give them a way out. Out of the more than two dozen kids who take part in the 77th Precinct’s youth programs, 100 percent of them do not re-offend.”

In recent years, the NYPD has grown its community policing. Because of the Explorer program, Troi has been able to stay out of trouble and keep her eye on the prize.

“I know the consequences,” she said, “and mostly I don’t want to get involved because I want to, one day, be a part of the law enforcement. So I really have to control my behavior.”

The 77th Precinct is expanding its outreach and introducing the programs to community leaders in Crown Heights like Father Frank Black, the pastor of St. Matthew’s Church.

“I think this is a very hopeful sign,” said Father Black. “Maybe a sign of policing in the future where it’s not just necessarily the punishment, but it’s working with other people to make the community better as a whole.”

As for the NYPD’s Neighborhood Coordination Officers, getting to follow-up on the people they serve and protect is the most rewarding part. Saskya Rodriguez sees her job as a Neighborhood Coordination Officer through the lens of a mom and as a Catholic.

“You really get to connect with people,” Saskya said, “especially when you see kids who have to witness a lot of this crisis. Sometimes it means a lot to them to know they have more guidance.”

The officers say they don’t always know what’s best for every kid, but they know that somehow they can help make a difference.

Archbishop Joseph Naumann Labels Abortion Pill Policy Change ‘Dangerous’

By Erin DeGregorio and Currents News Staff

WINDSOR TERRACE — The chairman of the USCCB’s Committee on Pro-Life Activities described a recent FDA decision to stop enforcing the “in-person dispensing requirement” for the abortion pill as “dangerous.”

In an April 19 interview with Currents News, Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann of Kansas City, Kansas, expressed concerns with the FDA’s decision, saying women will be put at risk due to reduced medical precautions.

“This whole idea of trying to do this through the mail, without any kind of medical supervision, is very, very dangerous to women,” Archbishop Naumann said. “There are certain things that they can’t really check for themselves like how far along the pregnancy is — because that has a significant impact on safety — [and] also if there’s an Rh incompatibility with the child.”

“These are things that doctors need to check for the health of the women.”

On April 12, Dr. Janet Woodcock, acting commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), announced the agency will no longer be enforcing the “in-person dispensing requirement” for the chemical abortion drug mifepristone during the remainder of the COVID-19 public health emergency. Medication abortion is currently approved for use up to 10 weeks of gestational age.

The FDA will temporarily allow clinics to distribute the drug via telemedicine, directly by mail, or through a mail-order pharmacy. After a woman has a virtual visit with a doctor through telemedicine, the abortion pill can be prescribed remotely and mailed to women who could then terminate their pregnancy at home.

Though 19 states have policies that restrict telemedicine for medication abortion — which will remain in effect — health experts hope this rule change for the other states will become permanent and expand access to abortion care.

With that in mind, Archbishop Naumann believes the Catholic community has to be present to surround these women with love and support.

“We have to ramp up our efforts to surround women with the support that they need to do what’s really in their heart, which is to choose life for their child,” he said. “Women are hurt, oftentimes physically, emotionally, and certainly spiritually by every abortion.”

“It’s a very difficult process for the woman, and to undergo this alone is unconscionable,” Archbishop Naumann added, “but it exposes [how] the abortion industry really doesn’t care about the health of women.”

The in-person dispensing requirement was originally put in place by public health officials over twenty years ago, under President Bill Clinton, as a necessary precondition to ensure that pregnant women do not have contraindications that would make abortion pills even more unsafe and possibly deadly for the woman.

According to Danco Laboratories, over 2.75 million women in the United States have used Mifeprex, the brand name for mifepristone, between its FDA approval in 2000 and 2016.

Catholic News Headlines for Monday, April 19, 2021

Help for those who lost loved ones to COVID-19.

The abortion pill is available by mail but a leading archbishop says women’s lives are at risk.

Answering the call — young men attend Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio’s vocations retreat.

Putting faith into action — Sister Mary Stephen is changing lives one kid at a time.

http://netny.tv

91-Year-Old Nun Continues to Run a New York Catholic School Throughout the Pandemic

By Emily Drooby

For almost 10,000 mornings, Sister Mary Stephen Healey has greeted the students at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel School in Elmsford, New York.

After serving as their principal for 55 years, nothing can stop her from being there for her students, not even a pandemic.

Throughout the 2020-2021 school year and amid the threat of COVID-19, the 91-year-old still walked these halls daily because it’s the place she knew she needed to be.

“Well I guess I have a lot of those moments where I really believe that I’m in the right place at the right time,” Sister Mary said.

It was a nerve-wracking sight for the students that love her.

“I mean I was kind of worried for her,” said long-time student Joshua Arnoby Moronta. “I didn’t want anything bad to happen.”

The nun’s dedication doesn’t come as a surprise to those who know her, like superintendent of schools for the Archdiocese of New York, Michael Deegan.

He described her as a “…compassionate devoted woman, who frankly puts the needs of the children before the needs of anyone else, including herself.”

Compassion. It’s a word Sister Mary knows well. She spent 71 years with the congregation of the Religious of the Divine Compassion.

Currents News spoke with students and teachers and they all gave her glowing reviews.

But Sister Mary doesn’t realize how inspirational she is. Humble and self-effacing, she never talks about herself or her accomplishments. Instead, she praises her teachers and muses over how to help her students deal with the pandemic.

“So many people tell you, children are so resilient,” Sister Mary said. “Yes, they are resilient. But I can tell you, from the lowest grade up, these children are very much affected by what has happened.”

Her presence and strength through this storm have created stability for these kids. One student said they hope to keep her for a long time.

When asked how much longer she thinks she would stay at the school, Sister Mary left it all to God’s plan.

“Only God knows that,” she said. “I can’t predict that. I think I’ll know and I think He will help me.”

Our Lady of Sorrows Parishioners Start Applications for Funeral Reimbursements Under New FEMA Plan

By Jessica Easthope

Jennifer Perez is in nursing school hoping to become one of the people who helped her dad, Gabriel, in the final days of his battle with COVID-19.

“It just feels like it’s not real,” Jennifer said. “I still believe I’ll still see him walking around. But he’s gone, so it’s been really tough to be honest.”

After Gabriel’s death on March 22, Jennifer and her family were devastated. Financially, her dad’s death was taking an unimaginable toll: costing $12,000 for his cremation.

“We just put whatever we had together to give him a proper goodbye,” Jennifer said. “It was a lot. Some friends were helping us with money.”

When FEMA’s COVID-19 Funeral Reimbursement plan rolled out, they started gathering receipts, contracts and Gabriel’s death certificate.

“Getting all the paperwork is like reliving the situation again,” Jennifer said. “It makes it more real that he’s gone.”

But Jennifer is not alone.

“Whether it happened recently or a year ago, you still have to look for their name, see the time of death, the cause of death, where and everything,” said Katherin Matute, the FEMA case manager at Our Lady of Sorrows Church in Corona, Queens. “You’re basically reliving that moment.”

The church had at least 100 parishioners die of COVID-19. Katherin is only 17-years-old but the church pastor, Father Manuel de Jesus Rodriguez, is trusting her with a big responsibility.

“Katherin is perfectly bilingual. She’s a perfect fit for this. She’s very personable, a great communicator,” Father Manuel said. “I’m sure the parishioners will be very comfortable working with her because she’s compassionate and patient.”

Though the parish bookkeeper and Father Manuel will be overseeing Katherin’s work, she says now is her time to prove herself.

“Age does put some pressure on me because you want to make sure you’re doing everything right,” Katherin said. “I’m glad that he trusted me with such a big case. It’s helping me grow and learn from it.”

More than one-million people called the FEMA hotline on the first day it opened. The agency has already received tens of thousands of applications. Father Manuel says he was expecting cases from his parish to come flooding in, but his parishioners are skeptical.

“We try to convince them,” he said. “They don’t think they will meet the requirements or that they will be able to prove or come up with certain evidence of the COVID status of the loved one who passed away.”

Jennifer’s dad’s death certificate listed COVID-19, but the church is now working with Elmhurst Hospital to help parishioners change any inaccurate death certificates before they apply to FEMA.

For more information on how you can be reimbursed for funeral expenses, call the COVID-19 funeral assistance line Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Eastern Time or visit FEMA’s website at fema.gov.

COVID-19 Funeral Assistance Line Number
844-684-6333 | TTY: 800-462-7585

Hours of Operation:
Monday – Friday
9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Eastern Time

Saying He Missed People, Pope Francis Returns to Window for Sunday Prayer

By Carol Glatz and Currents News Staff

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Greeting visitors in St. Peter’s Square after nearly a month of tight restrictions due to the pandemic, Pope Francis said he was happy to see people allowed to gather and be present for Sunday noonday prayer.

“I offer a warm greeting to all of you, people of Rome and pilgrims,” he said, pointing out the many flags he could see being held high.

A few hundred people, all wearing masks and socially distanced, attended the recitation of the “Regina Coeli” prayer April 18 after nearly a month of tighter controls on gatherings in an ongoing attempt to curb the spread of the coronavirus.

“Thanks be to God, we can find ourselves again in this square for the Sunday and holiday appointment,” he said, adding how much he misses greeting people in the square when he must recite the midday prayer inside the apostolic library.

“I am happy, thanks be to God! And thank you for your presence,” he said to applause.

In his main talk, Pope Francis said Jesus is a real living person whose presence always leaves the person encountering him astonished, which “goes beyond enthusiasm, beyond joy; it is another experience” that is profoundly beautiful.

He said the day’s Gospel reading of the risen Christ’s appearance to the disciples in Jerusalem, “tells us that Jesus is not a ‘ghost,’ but a living person,” who fills people with joy.

“Being Christian is not first of all a doctrine or a moral ideal; it is a living relationship with him, with the risen Lord: we look at him, we touch him, we are nourished by him and, transformed by his love, we look at, touch and nourish others as brothers and sisters,” he said.

Jesus invites his disciples to truly look at him, which involves “intention, will” and an attitude of loving care and concern, he said.

More than seeing, it is the way parents look at their child, “lovers gaze at each other, a good doctor looks at the patient carefully. … looking is a first step against indifference, against the temptation to look the other way before the difficulties and sufferings of others,” the pontiff said.

By inviting the disciples to touch him, he said, Jesus shows that a relationship with him and with one’s brothers and sisters “cannot remain at a distance” but requires a love that looks and comes close, making contact, sharing and “entering into a communion of life, a communion with him.”

And the verb, to eat, clearly expresses “our humanity,” he said, and “our need to nourish ourselves in order to live.”

When people come together to eat, it becomes “an expression of love, an expression of communion, of celebration,” which is why “the eucharistic banquet has become the emblematic sign of the Christian community. Eating together the body of Christ: this is the core of Christian life,” the pontiff said.

Despite the Pandemic, Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio’s Annual Vocation Retreat Sees Record Attendance

By Emily Drooby

Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio’s annual vocational retreat has meant everything to Mauricio Mayen.

“I was able to pray in silence, meditate a lot, hear God’s calling,” Mauricio said.

It’s helped strengthen his decision to, God willing, enter the seminary next year.

“You get to concentrate a lot, you get to pray quietly, you get to adore Christ more, you also get to listen and understand other people’s story,” Mauricio told Currents News.

Mauricio’s story? He was born before hitting the seven-month mark, very premature but despite the odds, he survived. He believes it’s because God has a path laid out for him, one that leads to the priesthood.

This is his second year at the Bishop’s Vocational Retreat. The event normally takes place in Douglaston, but moved this year to the Seminary of the Immaculate Conception in Long Island.

It’s a weekend where high school boys and those older can consider whether God may be calling them to the priesthood.

Bishop DiMarzio explained that it’s a particularly inspiring year.

“This is the largest group we have ever had in my 17 years,” the bishop said, “and we’ve done this every year. Forty-two is a lot. Usually we have 25, 30 maybe? Not 42.”

That turnout is surprising that it’s occurring during a pandemic and just months after the Vatican released data showing the growing priest shortage across the world. However, bishops in the U.S. are reporting steady enrollment over the last decade.

“It’s moments like this that give me hope,” said Father Christopher Bethge, the vocation director for the Diocese of Brooklyn.

He explains that sometimes you just need to ask young men the question: would you become a priest?

“Well bishop always reminds us, if people are not asked, they can never respond,” said Father Bethge. “So, it’s important this weekend to ask the question, and once you plant the seed, you allow God to do the rest of the work.”

Bishop DiMarzio said that seeing other people might help them discern their vocation.

“People are thinking about it,” Bishop DiMarzio said. “When they see other people, 40 other people, here with them, they recognize, well it’s not only me thinking about it, it’s other people too.”

For Mauricio, this weekend is doing just that.

“Now I come with more of a prepared mentality of what I’m looking for,” he said. “What I am supposed to do. What I have to do.”