By Currents News
By Currents News
By Currents News
Irish pride filled the streets of Bay Ridge as the neighborhood hosted its 33rd annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade along Third Avenue. Kevin Abels, pastor of multiple Bay Ridge parishes, led the march as grand marshal, joined by Catholic schools, local organizations, dancers, and bagpipers celebrating Irish heritage and faith.
By Currents News
Two people were killed after an Air Canada plane collided with a fire truck at LaGuardia Airport late Sunday night.
The aircraft had clearance to land while the vehicle was also authorized to cross the tarmac, leading to the collision. More than 40 passengers were hospitalized, and the airport was temporarily shut down.
The National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration are investigating the cause of the crash.
By Paula Katinas and Jessica Easthope
A vandal hit St. Rita Church in Long Island City again, spray painting a statue of St. Francis of Assisi, completely covering the face, and writing the word “pagan” on the sidewalk on the morning of March 21, the pastor said.
Father Felix Sanchez told The Tablet that the vandalism was discovered by parishioners who arrived at the church for the regularly scheduled 8 a.m. Mass.
The vandal also spray painted an arrow leading from the word “pagan” and up the pedestal of the statue. Half of St. Francis of Assisi’s body is covered in blue paint.
The incident shocked and saddened parishioners, Father Sanchez said. “We do not feel particularly afraid. But I don’t know why people think they can vandalize a Catholic church and nothing happens to them,” he added.
St. Rita Church is equipped with security cameras, which captured images of a man who appears to be in his 20s committing the act of vandalism, according to Father Sanchez, who said the video recorded the incident as having taken place at 6:30 a.m.
The face of the vandal cannot be clearly seen in the video, Father Sanchez added.
The statue of St. Francis of Assisi is popular with parishioners. “It’s where we do our blessing of the animals every year,” Father Sanchez said.
The March 21 incident marked the third time in two years that St. Rita Church has been targeted.
On Feb. 9, 2024, a vandal threw a construction cone at a statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary outside the church, missing the statue but smashing a 60-year-old stained-glass window, police said. A prayer group was inside the church at the time, but no one was injured.
And earlier this month, a man entered the church while parishioners were serving coffee at the entrance, took a coffee, and then walked over to a statue of St. Jude and punched it, Father Sanchez said.
The vandalized statue of St. Francis of Assisi will be cleaned, Father Sanchez said. But he expressed frustration at his church being repeatedly targeted. “We are tired of this. It has to stop,” he said.
A statue outside St. Rita Church in Queens was defaced with spray paint, they say it is one of several acts of sacrilege in recent years.
Two people were killed after an Air Canada plane collided with a fire truck while landing at LaGuardia Airport.
Monsignor McClancy Memorial High School is making history by bringing one of the first all-girls flag football teams to Queens.
Sacred Hearts and St. Stephen Church in Brooklyn hosted a mozzarella-making class and pasta dinner to celebrate the feast of St. Joseph.
By Katie Vasquez
EAST ELMHURST, N.Y. — It’s a game fueled by passion and determination, and it’s quickly gaining popularity nationwide.
“The sport in general is the fastest-growing sport right now in the country,” said Jonathan Hili, head coach of the varsity girls flag football team at Monsignor McClancy High School. “You’re going to see it in the Olympics. And especially among girls, at the collegiate level, there’s over 50 schools right now sponsoring it.”
Flag football has arrived at Monsignor McClancy High School, one of the first programs in Queens and one of the only all-girls teams in the borough. Seventy-six students expressed interest, but only 24 made the final roster, including senior Ruth Madariaga.
“I really like how it’s fast-paced,” Madariaga said. “With offense and defense, you can be on both sides of the play, and you can still really make an impact.”
The sport is considered safer than traditional football because it eliminates contact. Still, that doesn’t mean players like junior twins Summer and Violet Durante plan to take it easy on opponents.
“I feel like we both wanted to do it, and we always do well together in sports,” one of the sisters said. “We grew up playing sports together since kindergarten, so it was a no-brainer for us to try out together.”
“I think it’s been going pretty good,” the other added. “I’m excited to learn more about it and play with my sister. Maybe we could be like double danger.”
Sophomore Alicia Campos said the team hopes to inspire other young athletes.
“I really think it’s good to motivate young female athletes to play new sports,” Campos said. “We are doing great over here. A lot of girls are phenomenal, and women’s sports are rising. I do believe there’s a bunch of great females out there.”
Meanwhile, their coach is cheering them on, hoping some players will take their talents to the collegiate level and make McClancy even prouder.
By Jessica Easthope
A vandal hit St. Rita Church in Long Island City, spray painting a statue of St. Francis of Assisi, completely covering the face, and writing the word “pagan” on the sidewalk.
The incident marks the third time in two years that the Queens has been a target of vandalism.
By Katie Vasquez
McClancy Memorial High School in Elmhurst, Queens has expanded its flag football offerings: a new all-girls team has been taking to the field.
By Katie Vasquez
JACKSON HEIGHTS, Queens — Students at St. Joan of Arc School received a special lesson from their pastor, Father Christopher Heanue, about a figure he deeply admires: Father Felix Varela.
Varela, a Cuban priest, helped Irish immigrants in Manhattan during the 19th century, a time when many lived in extreme poverty and faced widespread disease, including cholera.
“It means a lot to me as an Irish son of Irish immigrants, the way in which Father Varela worked to care for the immigrant,” Heanue said. “The way in which he dedicated his life for the recently arrived Irish immigrant, fighting for their rights.”
Varela’s ability to connect with his congregation was strengthened by his language skills. He mastered English as well as Irish Gaelic, allowing him to better communicate with those he served.
“I’ve heard Gaelic and it is not an easy language,” Heanue said. “So, for him to be able to learn some of those words just to be able to better assist is pretty impressive.”
Despite his legacy, there has been little movement in Varela’s cause for canonization, which requires verified miracles attributed to his intercession.
“If people don’t know who he is, then they’re not praying to him or through his intercession,” Heanue said.
That is why Heanue is working to educate his parish and students about the late philosopher and writer.
“I felt like it was really good. I liked the lesson. I liked learning about him,” said Aubrey Sweat, a seventh grader. “I think he was a really good person.”
Students said Varela’s work remains relevant today as immigration continues to shape New York City.
“It relates a lot to today because there’s a lot of immigrants coming to New York, and a lot of bad things are happening, and there could be people who could stand up for them,” said seventh grader Logan Cordero.
“He helped the Irish, even though he was Spanish,” said Adriana Gonzalez. “But nowadays it’s kind of the opposite, and I think that there should be more people like him.”
Heanue said he hopes students will continue learning about Venerable Father Varela and, more importantly, ask for his intercession.