MTA Memorial ‘Travels Far’ Honors NYC Transit Employees Lost to COVID-19

By Emily Drooby

Mathew Thankachan’s father, Thankachan Mathai, was taken from him 10 months ago – a victim of COVID-19.

“I feel, like, a flood of emotions, and sadness,” he told Currents News. His dad is one of 136 Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) employees lost to the virus, memorialized in an eight minute video. Matthew saw it in person for the first time.

For many, the MTA is just part of their commute, but for Matthew’s father, it was much more.

“He just got this job right as his son was born, so God gave him two good things at the same time,” he explained.

Twenty years on the job, he was a cleaner at a station in Queens when he passed.

“My dad was always very grateful for this job,” said Matthew, “and this memorial, it’s like the MTA is grateful for him.”

Now Matthew is grateful for his Catholic faith, this memorial, and for family moments like the ones depicted in photos.

“At heart he was a family man, so that’s why we picked that photo,” Matthew explained of the memorial video called “Travels Far.”

So many faces lost to the pandemic: heroes – transit workers who risked everything to keep the city running.

“It was so important to us to honor these frontline workers, who came in when other people were able to stay home and they came in to make sure we could get police officers where they needed to be, healthcare workers where they needed to be,” said Monica Murray, Chief Administrative Officer for NYC Transit.

Their fellow employees still do that, every single day.

In mid-January, just days after the MTA’s 70,000 employees became eligible to get vaccinated, shots were already going into transit workers arms, with both agency and union top officials urging their employees to get vaccinated.

The MTA also working on its own not-yet-released vaccination plan.

As for these 136 families, the MTA is providing them with liaisons – point people to help with anything from grief counseling to collecting life insurance.

“Seeing this video helped me to know that I’m not alone,” said Matthew.

Just like family, the MTA is proving that their lines run deep.

Fr. John Cush Puts Catholic Theology in Lay Terms With New How-To Book

Currents News Staff

Do you want answers about all things faith, theology and the Church? Well, now there’s a book for the average lay person wanting to dig deeper.

“The How to Book of Catholic Theology: Everything You Need to Know But No One Ever Taught You,” written by Father John Cush.

The Brooklyn native and Academic Dean at the Pontifical North American College says understanding theology is like falling in love with someone, and joins Currents News to discuss what this analogy means for him and his new book.

Biden Administration Faces Challenges With Foreign Policy and COVID Relief

Currents News Staff

President Joe Biden delivered his first foreign policy address Feb.4 at the State Department.

Meanwhile, new jobless numbers out Thursday show many Americans are still struggling in the pandemic as lawmakers work to finalize a stimulus bill.

“We will repair our alliances, engage with the world once again,” said President Biden during his remarks. “We must meet the new moment accelerating global challenges, from the pandemic to the climate crisis, to nuclear proliferation.”

As his administration begins to lay out their agenda for addressing relations with both allies and adversaries, the White House is also emphasizing the need for economic relief at home

“Every action we take in our conduct abroad, we must take with American working families in mind,” Biden said.

As families across the country continue to struggle amid the unemployment crisis, unemployed mother of three Veronica Bedico feeds her family by using government assistance.

“I am a real person who had a real job, and now I need help so I can provide for my children,” she told Currents News.

To help families like hers, the Biden administration is proposing a nearly $2 trillion dollar COVID-relief bill aimed in part at expanding unemployment benefits and food assistance.

The Democratic-led Senate is scheduled to vote on a budget resolution that will allow them to write and pass a package with a simple majority, without needing a single Republican vote.

“There’s no doubt that some families are still struggling, this isn’t finished. But our economy does not require another multi-trillion dollar non-targeted band-aid,” said Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell.

At National Prayer Breakfast, President Biden Calls for Unity, Confronts ‘Political Extremism’

Currents News Staff

The pandemic moved the annual National Prayer Breakfast to an online event for the first time in its 69-year history. On Feb. 4, President Joe Biden addressed the lives lost to COVID-19, food disparities, racial justice and appealed for unity among Americans.

“We know this time is different,” Biden said. “Over 400,000 of our fellow Americans have lost their lives to a deadly virus. Millions are out of work. We see long lines for food at food banks that stretch for miles. We hear the call for racial justice some 400 years in the making and we know the dream and more important the reality of justice for all cannot be deferred any longer. We see the existential threat of climate crisis that poses to our planet and everywhere we turn with more severe floods, stronger hurricanes and more intense wildfires.”

The nation’s second Catholic president also addressed the Jan. 6 Capitol riot as an “assault on our democracy” and referenced the “political extremism” that propelled the siege.

“We know now that we must confront and defeat political extremism, white supremacy and domestic terrorism,” he said.

Biden didn’t shy away from talking about his vision of faith as a force for good.

“Where do we turn? Faith,” Biden said. “For me in the darkest moments, faith provides hope and solace, provides clarity and purpose as well. It shows the way forward.”

Myanmar Cardinal Appeals for No Bloodshed, Return to Democracy

Currents News Staff

YANGON, Myanmar (CNS) — Cardinal Charles Maung Bo of Yangon has appealed to the people of Myanmar — including the army, which staged a coup Feb. 1 — to remain calm and to work for open lines of communication so democracy can prevail.

“When, in 2015, a peaceful transition to the elected government was effected by the army, that won the admiration of the world. Today, the world tries to understand what went wrong in the following years. Was there a lack of dialogue between the elected civilian authorities and the Tatmadaw?” he asked, using the official term for Myanmar’s armed forces.

He said the world was shocked and angry when it heard the military in Myanmar staged a coup and detained top political leaders, including Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi and President Win Myint.

“You all promised peace and genuine democracy,” Cardinal Bo said, addressing himself to the military. “Democracy was the streak of hope for solving the problems of this once rich country. This time millions voted for democracy. Our people believe in peaceful transfer of power.”

Noting that the military is once again promising democracy, he said that “Myanmar people are tired of empty promises,” and the military would have to back its words with actions to regain people’s trust. He suggested that they begin by freeing elected opposition leaders, writers, activists and young people. “They are not prisoners of war; they are prisoners of a democratic process. You promise democracy; start with releasing them.”

The military declared a state of emergency and said Gen. Min Aung Hlaing would be in charge of the country for one year because the government had not acted on the military’s claims of fraud in November’s elections and because it allowed for an election despite the COVID-19 pandemic. Suu Kyi’s ruling party had won a majority of the available parliamentary seats in that election. Military rule in Myanmar lasted from 1962 to 2011 before resuming again with the latest coup.

Cardinal Bo, president of Myanmar’s bishops’ conference and head of the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences, was visiting the northern state of Kachin for pastoral reasons during the coup. Catholic News Service obtained his Feb. 3 statement from Aid to the Church in Need.

Addressing himself to the people of Myanmar, Cardinal Bo told them: “I share deep fellowship with all of you in this moment as you grapple with the unexpected, shocking events that are unfolding in our country. I appeal to each one of you, stay calm, never fall victim to violence. We have shed enough blood. Let not any more blood be shed in this land.”

Speaking to Suu Kyi, the cardinal told her she had “lived for our people, sacrificed your life for our people. You will be always the voice of our people.”

“At the same time, I wish to confirm that this incident takes place due to lack of dialogue and communication and lack of acceptance of one another,” he added. “Please listen to others.”

He urged the international community not to place sanctions against his country, because they “risk collapsing the economy, throwing millions into poverty. Engaging the actors in reconciliation is the only path.”

“I believe all the stakeholders in this country wish the best for our people,” the cardinal said. “I write with prayers and hope that his great nation, this golden land of a graceful people will enter into global stage as a reconciled community of hope and peace. Let us solve all disputes through dialogue.

“Peace is possible. Peace is the only way. Democracy is the only light to that path,” he added.

Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens Braves Snow to Keep Homebound Seniors Fed During Pandemic

By Jessica Easthope

Bob Garnette has braved the pandemic, so a little — or a lot of snow — is an obstacle he’s willing to overcome.

For the last 14 years Bob’s been driving around Queens delivering food to homebound seniors for Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens home delivered meals program, but none of those years were anything like this.

“It’s been a struggle for them, they can’t get out and especially on a day like today, they really appreciate the meals,” said Bob.

9,000 meals-a-month used to be average, but when the pandemic hit, that number shot up. In December Catholic Charities delivered more than 13,000 meals to seniors in Northeast Queens. Over the course of the pandemic, it’s taken on more than 200 new clients, some of whom haven’t left their homes in nearly a year, especially not on days like this.

“Now we’ve really had to take on that role of being, sometimes, the only person they see delivering that hot meal and their point person to the outside world letting their families and case workers know how they’ve been doing and helping with whatever we can,” said Jennifer Llamosi, the program manager.

Over the years, Bob has gotten to know his clients and they’ve gotten to know him. He knows what they like and don’t like. Every senior signed up for the program gets a meal, juice, bread and milk — the basics. But the pandemic has made doing this job anything but simple.

“We have a mask on, we have the meal in a plastic bag, we put it on the door knob, we knock, stand six feet away, wait for the client to come out so it’s not like before when we could just walk in and put it on that client’s table,” Jennifer explained.

But the distance doesn’t break the bond. Bob’s connection to the seniors on his route comes with loss.

“I’ve known these people for a number of years so it has an effect on you,” he told Currents News. “You try not to let it wear you down but they always pop back into your head, as soon as you pass their house and they’re not there anymore, so there is some sadness.”

The feeling of loss might always be there, but so will the reward of making a difference long after the snow melts.

NYPD and Our Lady of Mount Carmel Team Up for Weekly Toy Drive in Astoria

By Emily Drooby

Months after Christmas, the holiday cheer continued in Astoria, Queens and children picked out free toys.

“I’m thankful that they’re doing this,” said Stephany Roldan, whose two sons were involved, “They get happy when I tell them, ‘Do you want to go get some toys today?’ They’re actually excited about it.”

There were choices galore, brought to Our Lady of Mount Carmel’s food pantry by the NYPD. Cindy Paulino of the 114th Precinct helped make it happen.

“The smiles on their faces really means a lot,” she told Currents News.

Thanks to a big donor facilitated by Roman Empire Logistics, her precinct collected an unprecedented number of toys in December. After multiple distributions, they still had plenty of toys left. So they teamed up with the church’s pastor, Monsignor Sean Ogle.

“These are families that don’t have a lot, it was such a happy sort of surprise Christmas for them,” he explained.

The police officers distributed the toys during the church’s new weekly food pantry, which has an impressive origin story itself.

For over 30 years there has been a popular pantry at the church they merged with, St Margaret Mary, which is also in Astoria, Queens.

However, when the need for help grew because of the pandemic, parishioners decided they wanted to help. Members of the very active Hispanic community at Our Lady of Mount Carmel opened this second pantry, finding and collecting the food themselves. They are all volunteers, helping about an extra 100 families a week.

“Just seeing them smile makes you happy because some people didn’t have Christmas because of the situation, some people don’t have jobs to buy food ,let alone presents,” said Aranza Rubi Sanchez, one of their younger volunteers.

The toys are adding a bit of joy after a year plagued by job loss, poverty and school closures.

It’s also a way to build a relationship between the youngest and the “finest” in the neighborhood.

“I think it helps them to see that we are more human than they probably think, behind uniform, and it helps them to not be afraid to talk to us and like I said, build a relationship,” said Cindy.

The toy drive at Our Lady of Mount Carmel has been going on for three weeks, and they plan to continue until all the toys are gone.

How COVID-19 Has Changed The World as We Know It

Currents News Staff

The world as we know it changed in what seemed like an instant around this time last year.

COVID-19, a new virus, completely altered everyday life, bringing some of our most enjoyable and important parts of life to a grinding halt.

Here’s a look back at how the pandemic started, and how far we’ve come since.

“We have witnessed the emergence of a previously unknown pathogen which has escalated into an unprecedented outbreak,” said Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization.

In December of 2019, pneumonia of unknown origins is first detected in Wuhan, China.

“I have today declared that the coronavirus presents a public health emergency in the United States,” said Alex Azar, U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services and Chairman of the White House Coronavirus Task Force at the time.

By February of 2020, a global public health emergency is declared, and public health officials around the world are on alert.

By this time, the virus is spreading like wildfire around the globe, as hundreds of Americans flee the epicenter of the outbreak in China.

They’re then placed under strict and unprecedented quarantine for 14 days at military bases in multiple states.

“This is the first time in more than 50 years the CDC has issued a quarantine order like this,” said Dr. Christopher Braden of the CDC at the time.

Now, the United States has already seen its first known human-to-human transmission of the virus.

“A man in his 60’s. As you heard the husband of our first confirmed case,” explained Dr. Allison Arwady of the Chicago Department of Public Health Commissioner. “He was put into isolation when public health learned that he had developed symptoms.”

By the end of February, global air travel has been restricted with the CDC sending out a warning.

“Current global circumstances suggest it’s likely this virus will cause a pandemic,” said Dr. Anne Schuchato of the CDC.

On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization officially declared a global pandemic.

“We are in a critical time period in the international spread of the virus and this action is necessary to try to prevent the spread here in the United States,” said Dr. Braden.

By mid-March, the virus brought the world to a grinding halt.

Life as we knew it had come to an end.

“We cannot be gathered together. We cannot be in close proximity to each other,” said Gov. Mike Dewine of Ohio.

Sporting events? Canceled.

“The NBA has suspended games until further notice,” said Steve Starks president of the Utah Jazz basketball team.

School? Closed.

“We have to take this action,” said Gov. Dewine. “We have to do everything we can to have an interruption.”

Movies and concerts? Canceled.

“The virus is here, present at some level but we still don’t know to what degree,” said Dr. Sara Cody of the Santa Clara County Public Health Department.

COVID-19 hit hard and fast, overwhelming hospitals and health care facilities.

#GetMePPE was trending as medical supplies to combat the virus ran short, and the nation couldn’t keep up with the demand for tests.

“it’s underlying why this crisis could get a lot worse because we can’t even get our arms around what’s happening if we don’t have testing capacity,” said New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio.

By April, the United States hit one million confirmed cases.

“The reason it’s so unprecedented? It exploded upon us,” said Dr. Anthony Fauci, Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious diseases.

With the world desperate to find a way to battle the virus, the U.S. government launched “Operation Warp Speed.”

The race to develop a vaccine was launched in May.

“When I say quickly, we’re looking to get it by the end of the year if we can, maybe before,” said former president Donald Trump.

Nearly eight months later, as the nation faced its deadliest month of the pandemic to date, with more than 77,000 deaths in December, the ultimate weapon against the virus was ready to roll out with the emergency use authorization of the first of several COVID-19 vaccines.

“It looks to be roughly 95% effective at preventing disease, including 100% effective at severe disease,” said Dr. Paul Offit, FDA vaccine advisory group member.

Just a week later, vaccine vials were shipped across America and shots started going into arms.

“I did not know that I would make history and that’s not why I did it. I wanted to do it to inspire people,” said Sandra Lindsay, the first American to receive the coronavirus vaccine outside a clinical trial.

Now, as we face the future of the pandemic and the possibility of more contagious strains, America’s top health officials say we will still face dark times, but remain optimistic that we will prevail.

“I believe by the time we get to the fall, we will be approaching a degree of normality,” said Dr. Fauci.

Currents News full broadcast for Wed, 2/3/21 (Catholic news)

Currents News reports secular and religious news from the Catholic perspective.

Some of the top stories on this newscast:

A couple feet of snow isn’t stopping Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens from doing its job. The organization is still delivering meals to homebound senior citizens.

A New York Supreme Court judge is ordering the Cuomo administration to release the total number of residents who died of COVID-19 in state regulated nursing homes.

Dreamers are hopeful that a pathway to citizenship becomes a reality as President Biden continues to alter immigration policy.

It’s still Christmas for some lucky kids – New York’s finest teaming up with one local parish in Astoria to help spread some joy.

Biden Administration Moves Ahead on COVID-19 Relief Bill, Challenging Promises of Bipartisanship

Currents News Staff

The Biden administration, now two weeks old now, has a lot at stake on Capitol Hill. Cabinet confirmations continue to move along, but there are still a number the Senate has to sign off on. Plus, there is Biden’s chief priority: a massive economic rescue bill already testing Biden’s promises of more bipartisanship.

President Biden invited top Senate Democrats to the White House to discuss his $1.9 trillion COVID economic relief plan.

“I thought I’d welcome you all home. This is our new home, for a while anyway,” he told Them.

On Feb. 1, Biden heard from a group of Senate Republicans pitching a smaller plan — and bipartisan compromise. On a call Feb. 2, he told Senate Democrats the GOP number is just too low to meet the moment.

“I don’t think the problem is that we’re going to go too big to deal with this crisis,” he said. “The problem is we’re going to go too small.”

So, with his blessing, Democrats are ready to go at it alone, and quickly.

“We will do his best, but unity doesn’t mean unanimity. And unity doesn’t mean letting the minority party block progress in the Senate,” Deomcratic Senator Chris Coons of Delaware told Currents News.

But Senate Minority Leader, Republican Mitch McConnell, says he won’t let Democrats move too fast.

“The rushed budget process that will play out this week is exactly the wrong path toward making law,” he said.

The Senate is also set to begin the impeachment trial of former president Trump next week, creating a balancing act.

“There’s an urgency to deliver relief to the American people,” said White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki. “We are confident they have the ability to walk and chew gum at the same time.”

Wednesday brought a flurry of activity on Biden’s cabinet nominees with multiple committee hearings, while newly-confirmed Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg were sworn in.

Chuck Schumer and Mitch McConnell have finally struck a power-sharing agreement to work with the Senate’s 50-50 split. Vice President Kamala Harris, of course, gives the Democrats the tie-breaking vote. The deal means Democrats can now take control of committee chairmanships at a time, helpful to moving Biden’s agenda.