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DeSales Media Group Partners with Vinea Research to Pinpoint the Needs of Catholics

Currents News Staff

In a groundbreaking study, DeSales Media Group, the parent company of Currents News, joined forces with Vinea Research to investigate “intentional discipleship.”

They examined more than 3,000 “intentional disciples”, basically Catholics across the country who take their faith seriously, to pinpoint their needs.

The researchers say some results were expected but others were surprising.

Joining us now to break down what all this information means is Dave Plisky, the Director of Product and Innovation for DeSales Media Group.

Download the entire report for free at https://desalesmedia.org/discipleship/

Catholic News Headlines for Monday 10/10/22

St. Patrick’s Cathedral was packed this morning for the annual Columbus Day Mass that precedes the parade.

Deadly explosions rocked Ukraine overnight.

We have the results of a groundbreaking study that pinpoints the needs of devout Catholics across the country.

78th Annual Columbus Day Parade Steps Off Amid Renewed Controversy

By Bill Miller and Jessica Easthope

MIDTOWN MANHATTAN — The Columbus Day Parade on Monday drew thousands of spectators to honor the famed explorer while joyfully proclaiming the contributions of Italian Immigrants to their new homeland — the United States.

The parade rolled down 5th Avenue with dozens of marching bands and floats from over 100 groups, including the Diocese of Brooklyn. Italian and U.S. flags waved beneath sunny skies and comfortable autumn temperatures. 

Still, the 78th annual event preceded another push in Albany to change the official holiday’s name to Indigenous Peoples’ Day. It also followed efforts around the U.S. to remove statues of Christopher Columbus from public spaces.

The new legislation, however, has received pushback from both gubernatorial candidates — Gov. Kathy Hochul and U.S. Rep. Lee Zeldin. Both marched in the parade, and both criticized the idea of changing the holiday.

Shortly before the parade stepped off, Angelo Vivolo, president of the Columbus Heritage Coalition, who also helps run the parade, said that the support from both candidates was a relief.

 

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“We’re very fortunate,” Vivolo said. “Gov. Hochul and Congressman Zeldin both committed that should any legislation come to their desk to nullify or to do away with Columbus Day, they would veto it. So we have confidence in that.”

Vivolo said his group resists scrapping Columbus Day or holding it concurrently with an Indigenous People’s Day. Therefore, the group promotes separate days for both.

“We think it’s a disservice, a disrespect to both communities, both cultures,” Vivolo said. “We just want it to be on a separate day.”

The day started with a Mass at St. Patrick’s Cathedral, which was concelebrated by Cardinal Timothy Dolan of the Archdiocese of New York, Bishop Robert Brennan, and Bishop Emeritus Nicholas DiMarzio, who delivered the homily. Auxiliary bishops from the archdiocese and diocese also concelebrated.

During the homily, Bishop DiMarzio recounted the struggles of Italian newcomers to the U.S. a century ago. He also drew comparisons to the plights of modern-day immigrants coming up from the border with Mexico.

Later, he remarked that many of the statues targeted for removal were commissioned by immigrants and their succeeding generations.

“Poor people gave money because they were proud of Columbus, that he discovered America,” Bishop DiMarzio said. “What did they know about what everybody else was thinking 75 years later?

“But people have rewritten history, and now they say that he discovered America and everything that came after was his fault. That one doesn’t work.”

Sponsors of the Bill to change Columbus Day, Assemblywoman Marcela Mitaynes (D-Brooklyn) and state Sen. Jessica Ramos (D-Queens) — both claim indigenous roots. They plan to push the proposal forward when the state Legislature reconvenes next year.

The legacy of Columbus is associated with colonization and western expansion that ultimately decimated native cultures.

Vivolo countered that Columbus was an “evangelist.”

 “He wanted to spread Christianity throughout the world,” Vivolo said. “That was his goal. And he did it.”

 

Homilies in Your Home: Luke 11:29-32

Monsignor Sean G. Ogle’s Homily from Monday’s Mass on 10/10/22https://www.youtube.com/embed/rH9TjnwqTOE” title=”YouTube video player” frameborder=”0″ allow=”accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture

Catholic News Headlines for Friday 10/07/22

Tonight’s your chance to pray with the Bishop of Brooklyn. A Rosary Rally led by Bishop Robert Brennan will air right here on NET-TV.

We’ll speak with the teenaged tourist who was punched in the face while visiting Central Park.

The cleanup continues across Florida after Hurricane Ian ravaged much of the sunshine state.

When This Teenage Tourist Was Punched in the Face in Central Park, NYC Locals Immediately Helped Him

New Yorkers showed their true colors by stepping up to help a teen tourist who was attacked.

Caleb Chittom is a 17-year-old from Nashville who was on his way to Central Park with his family on Wednesday. Out of the blue, a man ran over to him and punched him in the face.

Despite the shock, the family said they were even more surprised when several good Samaritans flocked to the scene to offer help.

Man Charged with Hate Crimes Following Vandalism Arrest at Catholic Church in Flushing

By Bill Miller

FLUSHING — A 37-year-old man was charged on Wednesday with multiple hate crimes after his arrest Monday at a Catholic church where the pastor videotaped him smashing the statue of Mary with a car jack.

The suspect, Jia Wang, is allegedly shown on video driving over the sign at Mary’s Nativity-St. Ann Parish in Flushing.

The incident began at about 1:30 p.m. on Oct. 3 at the church, which is located at 46-02 Parsons Blvd. in Flushing. Father Jose Diaz, the pastor, said Wednesday that he heard a loud noise and ran outside to investigate.

At first, he thought it was an accident, but a man in a white SUV drove over the church sign, backed up, and did it again. Seeing the priest, he pointed the vehicle at him and accelerated.

Father Diaz said he escaped injury by charging up the church’s front steps. He videotaped the incident with his phone until police arrived 20 minutes later.

The pastor’s video shows a man — who had exited the SUV — dropping his pants and squatting over the demolished church sign.

“Another time, he tried to throw a water bottle at me, but I closed the door in his face,” Father Diaz said. “He’s screaming and throwing middle fingers at me — yelling, ‘F-you! F-you!’

“And then he empties his car. Everything — he just threw it all over the lawn and onto the street.”

The video also shows the man urinating on the lawn and performing a lewd act on the statue.

Next, Father Diaz said, the man took a heavy car tire jack and used it to smash the statue of Mary. According to the pastor, the damage appears to be “irreparable.”

“Then he walked around a bit, then sat down on the front steps and waited for the cops to come,” Father Diaz said. “So, yeah, that was Monday.”

Father Diaz told The Tablet his “nerves were shot” the day after the incident.

“I was exhausted,” he said. “I barely slept Monday night. I didn’t fall asleep until 2 o’clock in the morning. I had so much adrenaline running through me.”

According to police records, Wang is from Corpus Christi, Texas.

A police report stated that officers arrested Wang and took him to Queens General Hospital.

Wang’s arraignment was Wednesday. He was released from custody, without needing to post bail, on “non-monetary release condition,” according to records kept by the District Attorney’s Office for Queens County.

The records also show he was charged with 2nd-degree criminal mischief (hate crime), 2nd-degree criminal mischief, and 4th-degree criminal mischief. Other charges include 1st-degree aggravated harassment, and public lewdness.

His next court date is Dec. 5, the records show.

Wang was expected to be arraigned Wednesday afternoon. The potential charges he faces include: hate crime-criminal mischief, attempted hate crime-criminal mischief, attempted criminal interference with religious worship, reckless endangerment (property), and attempted reckless endangerment (property).

Father Diaz recounted the vandalism of his church on the same day as the funeral of  EMS Capt. Alison Russo-Elling, who was slain in a random knife attack on Sept. 29 in Astoria. Her attacker also appeared to be mentally disturbed, investigators said.

“This is a symptom,” the priest said. “What is the root cause? Is the man suffering from mental illness? I don’t know.”

Father Diaz said that while Wang appeared to be unstable, he still must be held accountable for the damage he created.

“I don’t think he was all there, obviously,” the pastor said. “But regardless of that, even if you had some type of psychotic break, you still came to the church. You destroyed the statue.”

“He knew what he was doing,” Father Diaz added.

Father Diaz urged everyone to join the conversation about how to deal with mental health in society, especially while church vandalism is on the rise.

“This is not an isolated event,” he said. “This has been happening throughout the city. But there needs to be some sort of message that this is not okay.”

Still, the pastor said he forgives the suspect.

“I feel no hate towards him,” he added. “Was I angry at the moment? Absolutely. But I do forgive him. I pray for him, and I told my people to pray for him. Why allow that to take away the peace the Lord has given me?”