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Currents News full broadcast for Fri, 1/22/21 (Catholic news)

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

Some of the top stories on this special edition:

Inauguration 2021 –  a day filled with tradition and tradition-busting firsts goes off without a hitch amid tight security and fears of violence.

Kamala Harris makes history – the first woman and person of color is now vice president of the United States.

New York is out of vaccines. What will the state do? Could they dip into second doses until more arrive?

St. Joseph’s Co-Cathedral celebrates a special Mass in Brooklyn, calling on the faithful to protect the sacredness of human life.

President Biden Signs Executive Orders During First Full Day in Office

Currents News Staff

 With a pile of executive orders on his desk, President Joe Biden got to work.

 “With the state of the nation today, there’s no time to waste,” President Biden said. “Get to work immediately.”

And that he did, signing several executive orders on his first day on the job, of which  many targeted former-President Trump’s policies.

“We’re going to combat climate change in a way that we haven’t done so far,” Biden said.

Biden canceled the Keystone XL pipeline. The system stretches thousands of miles through several states carrying crude oil from Canada into the U.S. He also rejoined the Paris climate agreement, which was a deal he negotiated when he was vice president.

Catholic leaders praised the move and also welcomed the new administration’s decision to scrap Trump’s travel ban on predominantly Muslim countries. New York Cardinal Timothy Dolan and Washington Auxiliary Bishop Mario Dorsonville released a statement saying in part that it:

 “…will help ensure that those fleeing persecution and seeking refuge or seeking to reunify with family in the United States will not be turned away because of what country they are from or what religion they practice.”

As far as the U.S. Mexico border wall is concerned, President Biden ordered an immediate pause on construction which was a serious blow to what Trump called “one of his major accomplishments.” There’s also now a 100-day moratorium on certain deportations.

 The administration says it’s all part of Biden’s plans for immigration reform.

Biden also wants to restore America’s economy. He’s extending bans on evictions and foreclosures for Americans affected by the coronavirus pandemic. He also rejoined the World Health Organization, making the fight against coronavirus a top priority for his administration. Such initiatives include a mask mandate for those on federal property and the launching a 100-day mask challenge.

“The issue that he wakes up every day focused on is getting the pandemic under control,” said White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki. “The issue he goes to bed every night focused on is getting the pandemic under control.”

Catholic Art Takes on New Forms During the Pandemic

By Jessica Easthope

Tony Lipari, Mindy Steffen and Jake Hart are three artists who have managed to keep hope and their careers alive the past year against all odds.

“We’ve been very productive during this time, but we can’t play out.” Tony told Currents News.

“I was very, very fortunate, it was really God’s timing,” said Mindy.

“To me it was a huge blessing,” added Jake.

Each of their industries have taken a major hit, but inside the four walls of their New York City apartments these artists have thought outside the box. They are all thriving, having found a creative niche and stronger connection with God during the pandemic.

“This gave us time where you can’t play out, and we made use of all this time for writing,” said Tony, who goes by “Rikshaw” professionally.

Tony formed a band right before New York City went on lockdown. Though the live music industry has plummeted and gigs have felt like a thing of the past, Rikshaw pushed forward.

“We would write music and send files to each other and because of this we’ve written about an album’s worth of material, so we’ve been very productive during this time, without this maybe some of that material wouldn’t exist, maybe all of it,” he said.

For a cartoonist known as Mindy Indy, keeping her head down — and her pencil to paper — has worked. In February of 2020 Mindy took on two big projects: a sci-fi comic of her own and a series of children’s books about the saints.

“As I was drawing I was listening to documentaries about the lives of the saints, and it really did help me through this difficult crazy time because we can really learn a lot from the saints and draw strength from them,” Mindy said about her project for Our Sunday Visitor.

The pandemic allowed her to reconnect with her faith and focus on her talents without the rush.

“I do feel more connection in the quietness and the slowing down, and not being able to do everything,” she said.

Like Tony and Mindy, Jake Hart also sees this crisis through a different lens.

“The pandemic actually gave me the time to sit back, think about my next move and actually make the move, so to me it was a huge blessing,” Jake said.

As a Catholic filmmaker, Jake’s art is focused on a mystical view of faith. His most recent film was shot entirely during the pandemic with his collection of vintage cameras. The footage is grainy, but now he says the vision for his career couldn’t be clearer.

“Putting the films together in a collection, putting together the website and a story about why I wanted to share these films and without that time during the pandemic, I don’t think that would have happened,” said Jake who started his own company “Blood and Water Films” during the pandemic.

These artists couldn’t be more different. But what they have in common is trusting God’s plan. Though they’re not thankful for the pandemic, they’ve been able to focus on the good: the time it’s given them to create.

St. Agnes Academic High School in Queens to Close at End of 2021 School Year

By Emily Drooby

On Jan. 13, St. Agnes Academic High School announced it will be closing at the end of this school year.

“It’s hard to process everything because I was looking forward to my senior year so much, we all were,” said Rose Troiano, a junior at the school.

Principal Susan Nicoletti explained that a decline in enrollment and financial pressure from the pandemic are to blame.

“Due to the fact that we were small to begin with, it really had a greater impact on us. Of course, the pandemic didn’t help,” she told Currents News. “There are tutions that have to be paid and parents who lost their job, and we do serve a community that is needy.”

At least 50 percent of their students rely on financial aid.

Earlier in 2020 alumni stepped up to help, raising $60,000 for tuition costs. The strong support is not surprising to Robin Loesch, who graduated from the all-girls school in 2008.

“During high school, St. Agnes meant the world to me,” she said.

Growing up, Robin was in foster care. She called the school a family she could always count on.

“The academics were just wonderful and I want every young woman to have the experience that my classmates and I had,” Robin said.

Within hours of the announced closure, she and other alumnae flocked to Facebook, asking what could be done to reverse the decision.

But the ongoing financial pressure was just too much on both the school and on the Sisters of St. Dominic of Amityville who own and operate the school.

Sister Peggy McVetty, OP, prioress of the Sisters of St. Dominic of Amityville, wrote the “decision to end 112 years of excellent education had been most difficult.” The high school had been co-educational for 40 years before becoming an all-girls institution in 1949.

“The financial realities during the past several years have made it impossible to sustain the school,” the letter continued. “The unprecedented economic projections and ramifications of the pandemic have only complicated the previously existing difficulties.”

Now, the attention is on helping students with this transition. Faculty have figured out a way to give juniors a choice between transferring to a new school for their senior year or graduating early, giving students a chance to finish their last two required classes on breaks and in June.

“I am leaning towards graduating early, it was a tough choice,” Emily Diaz, a junior at the school, told Currents News.

It’s a tough choice but one Emily was grateful she could make.

For students without the option of graduating, families attended virtual meetings to voice questions and concerns to the Leadership Council of the Sisters and St. Agnes’ administration. The school also stated it’s trying to develop a plan that would allow current juniors to accelerate their studies and earn a St. Agnes diploma by August, if they so desire.

St. Agnes Principal Susan Nicoletti sent a letter to the students who had applied for the fall — encouraging them to reach out to The Mary Louis Academy, the only all-girls high school remaining in Queens, as well as other Catholic high schools.

Currents News full broadcast for Thurs, 1/21/21 (Catholic news)

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

Some of the top stories on this newscast:

Mask mandates and more – President Joe Biden signs a slew of executive orders in his first full day in the office, promising to beat back a deadly pandemic. But will he protect the rights of the unborn? Word is safeguards could fall by the wayside, and that has Catholic leaders concerned.

It’s been a big part of the Queens Catholic community for years, but now St. Agnes Academic High School is shutting down. You’ll hear from school faculty and alumni.

The community in Kamala Harris’ ancestral home in India is celebrating their native daughter’s historic achievement.

Vatican Vaccinates Homeless, Fulfilling Pope Francis’ Christmas Request

Currents News Staff

About 25 homeless people have received the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine at the Vatican. It was in done the Paul VI hall where Vatican employees, starting with the Swiss Guard, were also vaccinated.

Polish Cardinal Konrad Krajewski, the papal almoner, was in charge of organizing the procedure.

This was the first group of homeless people to receive the vaccine. The Vatican explained that others will be coming to the makeshift hospital in the next few days to be vaccinated, fulfilling the Holy Father’s Christmas request.

“I ask everyone – government leaders, businesses, international organizations – to foster cooperation and not competition, and to seek a solution for everyone: vaccines for all, especially for the most vulnerable and needy of all regions of the planet. Before all others: the most vulnerable and disadvantaged,” he said.

Throughout the pandemic, the pontiff has often called to not abandon people with less resources to fight the coronavirus.

Currents News full broadcast for Wed, 1/20/21 (Catholic news)

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

Some of the top stories on this newscast:

Sworn in during an inauguration unlike any other and a country in crisis – President Biden is pledging peace.

Say hello to the first woman to become Vice President and first African American, and first South Asian American. How Kamala Harris’ ancestors in India are following her success thousands of miles away.

No time wasted – executive orders are out – what do policy changes mean for Catholics as the new president signals a break from Trump?

Plus, take off for the Trump team – 45 leaves the White House behind – but not without a last word and a letter to 46. 

An Inauguration Day Like No Other: Joe Biden Takes Oath of Office

Currents News Staff

Joe Biden became the 46th president of the United States. Using his family’s 1893 Bible, the nation’s second Catholic president took the oath of office from Catholic U.S. Supreme Chief Justice John Roberts.

It was a scaled down inauguration, with a small crowd and big security. Instead of the usual throng of thousands of onlookers, a field of American flags filled the National Mall with 25,000 National Guard Troops working to keep things safe, exactly two weeks after protesters stormed the Capitol.

Biden used his inaugural address to deliver a message of unity. He also spoke about the pandemic, domestic terrorism and racism, but said politics doesn’t have to be a raging fire: unity is the path forward.

“Today, on this January day, my whole soul is in this: bringing America together, uniting our people, uniting our nation. And I ask every American to join me in this cause,” he said. “As the Bible says, we may endure for a night- but joy cometh in morning. We will get through this together.” 

The new president began his day practicing what he preaches by attending a church service with members of the GOP. Biden invited Senator Mitch McConnell and others to join him for a private Mass at the Cathedral of st. Matthew the Apostle.

But while the incoming president was making his way to church, the outgoing president, Donald Trump, was leaving the White House for the last time as 45th president. Trump skipped the inauguration, but did have some gracious words for his successor.

“I wish the new administration great luck and great success. I think they’ll have great success,” he said. 

And President Biden, wasting no time, got right to work to sign several executive orders.

“This is a great nation, we’re good people. Over the centuries through storm and strife, peace and war, we’ve come so far. But we still have far to go. We’ll press forward with speed and urgency for we have much to do in this winter of peril and significant possibilities.”

Hidden History at Kalustyan’s: NYC Specialty Food Store a Site of Former Presidential Inauguration

By Emily Drooby

A stroll down the aisles at Kalustyan’s in Manhattan, is also a stroll through history.

“It’s a great feeling to just be a part of something besides the history of Kalustyan’s, to know there is a bigger piece to it,” said Dona Abramson, the shop’s manager of operations.

Here in this building, which now is home to a spice store, a vice president became president.

“It’s around 2 a.m. that he takes the oath of office in his own home,” explained Lily Wong, the assistant curator of the New York Historical Society.

Back in 1881, President James Garfield was shot. He held on for months, but died in September. That is when his Vice President, Chester Arthur, needed to step in immediately.

“There was an urgency to it, right? The cabinet wanted the vice president to be sworn in as president as quickly as possible,” Lily told Currents ews.

He was sworn in, right in the parlor of his home at 123 Lexington Avenue in Manhattan.

It’s a discreet piece of America’s story, noted only by a hard to read plaque.

“The plaque is a little hard to read, but the plaque has been there for a long time. So people do come in and say, ‘Oh, you know I just heard,’ either because they saw or they were reading history.”

George Washington is the only other president to be inaugurated in New York City.

“The building that he was inaugurated in was demolished in the early 1800’s but there is a building now, Federal Hall in New York City, that was rebuilt later,” Dona explained.

Pieces from Washington’s inauguration are on display at the New York Historical Society’s “Meet the Presidents” exhibit.

“So, we have a piece of the railing from the balcony, right behind where Washington stood when he took his oath of office, and we also have the Bible which he swore the oath on,” Lily said.

Of the two, President Arthur’s building is the only one still standing. Even though he only lasted one term, the legacy of his inauguration has really “spiced up” history on this relatively quiet city block.