Symbol of Hope: How a Blessed Mother Statue Survived Colorado Wildfire ‘Inferno’ Untouched

By Currents News Staff and Dennis Sadowski

LOUISVILLE, Colo. (CNS) — Amid the smoldering ashes of his family’s recently remodeled Louisville, Colorado, home that was destroyed by a Dec. 30 wildfire, Tom Greany found hope in a symbol of his deep Catholic faith.

A statue of Mary that he and his wife Kat had placed outside their home was left unscathed except for the soot that covered its right side.

“Bricks appeared to have fallen all around her — some probably even hit her. But she didn’t even fall over,” Greany wrote in a reflection shared with Catholic News Service by a friend, who asked to remain unidentified. He wrote about what happened just hours after the blaze raced through the suburban communities of Louisville and Superior, about 20 miles northwest of Denver.

Greany wrote that the discovery of the statue is a reminder of how their faith provides protection and can “sustain us through everything.”

The Greanys were among hundreds of families who lost their homes in the wildfire driven by winds estimated to top 100 mph. In the Greanys’ Louisville neighborhood, 50 of 55 homes were destroyed. The other five were untouched.

Authorities said 991 structures, including businesses, were destroyed and another 127 damaged. Flames from what is called the Marshall Fire swept through more than 6,000 acres, devastating entire neighborhoods before snow helped extinguish the blazes. Residents said they fled with few possessions through dense smoke that turned the sky orange.

The Archdiocese of Denver reported on its website that two parishes — St. Louis in Louisville and Sacred Heart of Mary outside Boulder — were evacuated as flames advanced, but were undamaged. The fire nearly reached Sacred Heart, seemingly blocked by a roadway.

Both parishes as well as St. Thomas Aquinas University Parish in Boulder and Immaculate Conception Parish in Lafayette, northeast of Louisville, were helping affected families.

Saying the ferociousness of the flames “shocked everyone,” Denver Archbishop Samuel J. Aquila quickly established an emergency fund Dec. 31, seeding it with $250,000. He asked that parishes throughout the archdiocese take a special collection at Masses the weekend of Jan. 8-9.

“To those affected by these fires, know that Joseph and Mary had to flee with Jesus shortly after he was born. The Holy Family is close to you and knows the anguish and loss you are feeling,” the archbishop said in a statement posted on the archdiocesan website.

Archbishop Aquila also encouraged parishes and other agencies to help those who fled — with little more than the clothes they were wearing, computers and important documents — by hosting families, opening food pantries and offering other services.

Recovery was complicated by cold weather and the onset of snow following an unusually warm and dry fall and early winter in the area located near the Rocky Mountains.

The fire in the middle of the holiday season remained under investigation. Authorities have focused on a property south of Boulder where the fire is believed to have started, Boulder County Sheriff Joe Pelle told reporters Jan. 2.

In the aftermath, the Greany family is counting on Mary to intercede for them as they seek to rebuild their lives.

“It stings to look at this — our home and all of its contents were lost,” Greany said in his reflection. “The Christmas giving we had celebrated with our sons up in smoke along with everything else they and we owned. The entire neighborhood gone in less than a day.”

“Awareness of the loss stings mightily,” he continued. “But we can only feel the loss as pain because of the extraordinary magnitude of the gifts we have been given in our lives. How richly blessed we are!

He said his family’s home was not burned to teach them a lesson, but it did give them the chance to experience God’s comfort through Mary’s intercession.

Greany is also convinced no one can take away his family’s faith and their trust that the Holy Family is “looking out for us.”

“They love us and they care,” he wrote, adding: “They pray for us. And they pray for the world in these dark times we live in.”

Donations in support of the recovery can be made to a special fund here: Marshall Fire Recovery Assistance Fund

Catholic News Headlines for Tuesday, 1/4/22

Parishioners of Saint Helena’s in Parkchester are rising from the ashes of their church – rebuilding, after a fire tore through it the day after Christmas.

Meanwhile in the city’s public schools, where nearly one million kids were expected to return to class on Monday, only 67 percent of students showed up.

It was a close call for one priest in Uruguay, as he almost won MasterChef Celebrity!

St. Helena’s Church Community Builds Up Foundation of Faith After Devastating Fire

By Jessica Easthope

Suzanne Piscitelli goes to Mass every day. She doesn’t need a big church or ornate decorations, all she needs is Christ – that’s why a small room in the back of St. Helena’s Church property is just fine.

“Father David has done everything in his power to make this a little chapel, making parishioners feel welcome and like Jesus is welcoming them to come to Mass,” said Suzanne.

Parishioners go there to worship now; the rumble of the No. 6 train muffles their prayers. Inside the main church, it’s silent except for the hum of filters and generators.

The day after Christmas, a six-alarm fire in an electrical panel ripped through the sacristy. The flames were contained – but the damage is extensive and a strong smell of smoke lingered.

Father David Powers, pastor, says the church hasn’t missed a Mass and celebrating in a room that fits 24 instead of the church that fits 1,200 is allowing people to get back to basics.

“I don’t think the location is as important as the people who come, ‘where there are two or more gathered in my name I am present’ and that’s really what this is all about,” said Father Powers.

“You don’t have to be in church to pray or have God present, He’s with us all the time,” Suzanne said.

As the church community recovers, Father Powers says it’s a chance to make the building and foundation of faith even stronger.

“Something like this motivates you to say how can we make things better and it does encourage one to evaluate their priorities and say I want to have a more intense relationship with the Lord,” he said.

Father Powers estimates the cost of the damage reaches into the hundreds of thousands with the church having to pay for whatever insurance doesn’t cover. He’s hoping to be celebrating Mass at the main altar again in March.

Catholic News Headlines for Monday, 1/3/22

One school in the Diocese of Brooklyn is tackling “pandemic burnout” in a holistic way.

NYC’S new mayor doesn’t believe we can continue to shut the city down every time a new variant comes up.

On the first Sunday of the new year, Pope Francis welcomed pilgrims to Saint Peters Square.

Diocese of Brooklyn School’s New Wellness Center Tackles ‘Pandemic Burnout’ With Holistic Approach

By Jessica Easthope

For third graders at Immaculate Conception Catholic Academy in Astoria, Queens – it’s their first time seeing and touching a yoga mat. In their brand new wellness center they’re going to soon learn how a yoga mat can keep them healthy.

The 30-thousand-dollar facility, paid for by the Diocese of Brooklyn and donations, will be for more than just yoga. The school is rolling out programs on faith formation, healthy cooking, nutrition and even had one on dental hygiene.

“She came and she was talking about how you should brush your teeth two times a day for two minutes,” said 8-year-old Ian Klingman.

Over the last nearly two years, studies have shown kids are feeling the effects of the pandemic. Hospitals have seen more mental health emergencies among kids.

The American Academy of Pediatrics found emergency room visits for children in a mental health crisis rose by 24 percent for kids ages five to 11 and 31 percent for kids ages 12 to 17.

“Using this room for relaxation, bringing in kids to relieve stress, a lot of kids are under a lot of stress and we can offer these kids activities to help relieve that stress,” said principal Brother Joseph Rocco.

The best part – it’s not just for students, teachers and even parents can participate in wellness programs too.

“If we want our children to be well educated and well informed we need the parents to be part of that and there are many issues parents would like to have knowledge and clarification on so they can help their children,” said Brother Joseph.

Their feet can’t reach the floor, but Brother Joseph says knowing how to be healthy is the first step to reaching their full potential.

“I like how we get to learn new stuff and important things to keep you healthy and make your parents happy,” Ian said.

The center was created to be a place where kids can find their center and stay well – mind, body and spirit.

Currents News Special Edition: The Eighth Bishop of Brooklyn

He’s the newly installed eighth Bishop of Brooklyn and it’s a homecoming for Bishop Robert J. Brennan.

Where the bishop attended primary school, his call to the priesthood and his journey back to the big apple.

From lighting the tree at Grand Army plaza, to enjoying a dazzling Christmas concert at the new Emmaus Center, we’re taking a look at Bishop Brennan’s first days in Brooklyn and Queens.

Catholic News Headlines for Thursday, 12/23/21

Two COVID pills are now available to the public. One from Pfizer and the other from Merck, are meant to be taken by sick people at home, before they reach the point of hospitalization.

One priest in the Philippines stood his ground to deliver Mass at the Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish, saying “even if there’s a typhoon, faith continues.”

As you get ready for your holiday celebrations, it’s always important to remember the real reason for the season. And the Vatican is reminding you, in more than 100 different ways.

The ‘Reason for the Season’ Comes to Life Through the Vatican’s 100 Art Displays of the Nativity

Currents News Staff

This year’s Nativity display in the Vatican comes from Peru, and is capturing the attention of pilgrims traveling to Rome from around the word. But it’s not the only Nativity display in St. Peter’s Square.

There are more than a hundred others under its colonnade as part of a special exhibit organized by the Pontifical Council for Promoting New Evangelization: 100 Nativity Scenes in the Vatican. The exhibit shows unique Nativity displays from 15 countries, such as Indonesia, Kazakhstan, and Venezuela. Each one represents a different culture and a distinct way of celebrating Christmas.

“These 15 countries wanted to represent the Nativity as it is done in their culture, in their own tradition,” said Father Ivan Ricupero from the Pontifical Council for Promoting New Evangelization. “They are Nativity displays of varying natures, made from different materials, very particular and some are very precious.”

They come in all shapes and sizes: from occupying the front of a bus, to fitting inside a coffee pot. The Vatican firefighters submitted a Nativity scene inside of a fire extinguisher, while another is made entirely of dark chocolate.

There is even a section dedicated to Nativity displays made by children.

“When someone asks us and we tell them that these are not all made from, let’s say professionals or by artists, they are truly shocked and amazed, by the beauty and by the message they manage to convey,” said Father Ivan.

Over 45,000 people have already visited the exhibit, which aims to be a source of hope at Christmas during another year marked by the pandemic.

“This is just a small way of helping to sustain, accompany, and maybe why not even revive, the faith of many brothers and sisters who in the face of the difficulties we are experiencing have a wavering faith,” said Father Ivan.

Each display has its own story and is a unique testament to the spirit of the season, adding over one hundred reasons that Christmas in the Vatican is like nowhere else.

NYC Officials Say City Will Not Shut Down as Pfizer and Merck COVID-19 Pills Get FDA Approval

By Jessica Easthope

Endless lines at testing sites have people fed up and the trend isn’t just at New York’s CityMD – it’s national.

President Joe Biden, in an interview with ABC News, again responding to suggestions that his administration failed to anticipate the need for more tests.

“No I don’t think it’s a failure, I think you could argue that we should’ve known a year ago, six months ago, two months ago,” he said.

But in the new year people could be able to treat COVID-19 at home – two pills now have the green light from the FDA: Pfizer and Merck.

“I’ve purchased several million already. I think it’ll be a matter of weeks to a month to get the pills,” President Biden said.

Both pills are recommended to treat mild to moderate symptoms of COVID-19 at home but Merck only narrowly passed through FDA approval. Data shows it cuts the risk of hospitalization by 30 percent among high risk adults – lower than earlier testing that showed that number could be up to 50 percent.

As for Pfizer, the Biden administration is indicating that 250,000 treatment courses will be available starting in January, the first of 10 million courses purchased.

And in South Africa where the Omicron variant was first detected, one of the country’s top researchers says they’ve passed the peak of their Omicron outbreak and are now seeing a rapid decline me in cases.

In the U.S., Dr. Anthony Fauci also pointed to new data on the severity of Omicron.

“It appears that in the context of South Africa there is a decrease in the severity compared to delta,” Dr. Fauci said.

Fauci says more research is needed to know if that could end up being the case in the U.S. but here in New York City officials are keeping up confidence. Mayor Bill de Blasio reminded New Yorkers about the severity of the issue.

“I want to be really clear with everyone, it’s going to be a tough few weeks, but it will only be a few weeks. Omicron has come on real fast but it will be over soon. I am adamant and I’ve had this conversation with Mayor-Elect Adams and I know he feels the same way, we are not shutting down, we are not falling back, we are going to fight our way through this,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio.

Mayor de Blasio says Monday starts the most aggressive vaccine mandate for private sector employees in the country. He says that is what will see the city through this rampant spike.

FDA Authorizes First Pill to Treat COVID

Currents News Staff

Big news coming from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Wednesday, Dec. 23 with the authorization of the first antiviral pill for COVID patients.

Omicron has taken over the past two weeks, and now accounts for 90-percent of new cases in several regions of the U.S. The FDA granted Pfizer’s new antiviral pill – Paxlovid – emergency use authorization.

“Folks that took paxlovid early, within three days of symptom onset, had a 90% reduction in hospitalization or death compared to those that took the placebo,” said Professor of Medicine and Surgery at George Washington University, Dr. Jonathan Reiner. “So this is a very, very potent agent.”

One problem? The highly-effective treatment has to be administered within the first five days of symptoms, making hard-to-come-by tests all the more important, even as retailers like Walgreens and CVS limit the number of tests customers can buy at once in the face of sky-high demand.

Meanwhile, the now-dominant, highly contagious Omicron variant – first detected in the U.S. just weeks ago – is helping drive new COVID-19 case numbers back up to levels last seen three months ago in the midst of the Delta surge.

New infections are jumping more than 20 percent over last week with nearly 70,000 people hospitalized with the virus.

“I’m pretty worried that the surge that we’re going to see in the coming weeks is going to be worse than the surge that we saw last winter said Emergency Medicine Physician Dr. Richina Bicette-Mccain.

COVID deaths are rising 11 percent over last week as the CDC reports COVID-19 was the third leading cause of death in 2020 and life expectancy dropped by nearly two years.

Despite the spike in cases, holiday travelers do not seem deterred, with the TSA screening around 2 million or more people a day for the past six days.

The CDC director is reminding holiday travelers to stay safe.

“How safe your holiday is is about how safe you are in the time leading up to the holiday,” said Director Of The US Centers For Disease Control And Prevention, Dr. Rochelle Walensky.

As Israel considers rolling out a fourth dose of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine for medical workers, the immunocompromised and people over 60, U.S. health officials say, they will follow the science.

“Right now we feel confident if you have a booster that you have a high level of protection against overall infection,” said U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy, “particularly against hospitalization and death, the most severe outcomes of COVID.”

Meanwhile – after the United Kingdom reduced the required isolation period for vaccinated people who test negative twice for COVID from 10 days to seven, new debate arose over whether the U.S. should follow suit.

“We’re actively examining those data now,” said Dr. Rochelle, “and doing some modeling analyses to assess that. And we anticipate that we’ll have some updates soon.”