Pope Francis Will Meet Children From War-Torn Countries Hospitalized at Bambino Gesù

More than 6,000 people greeted Pope Francis at the “pope’s hospital” in 2019. Doctors, nurses, staff, and children filled the hall. The Pope encouraged them to get closer to him. With the children all around him, he asked a tough question.

“Why does a child suffer?” Pope Francis asked. “No, there is no answer. There’s only serving the suffering child and looking for the Father of everything to do something.”

There have been many special moments like this one when some children brought the Pope a bouquet of flowers or when a little girl gave him a drawing. And this Saturday’s meeting will have its own touching encounters.

Around 3,000 people from the hospital will meet with Pope Francis to mark the 100th anniversary of the hospital being donated to the Vatican.

The Pope will be presented with a basket filled with notes written by children and young people hospitalized in the different branches of the Bambino Gesù.

The front rows of the Paul VI Audience Hall will be reserved for about 200 children and their parents. Among them will be patients from countries at war, such as Ukraine and Gaza.

All of them have been admitted to the hospital to receive the medical treatment they were unable to get in their home countries.

“We welcome everyone regardless of religion or wealth,” Said Tiziano Onesti, President Bambino Gesù Pediatric Hospital. “We provide healthcare for all children in a special way but here the door is always open for everyone. And we consider that the Bambino Gesù carries out a whole international activity that is very important, which then concretely expresses the mission of the Church in this sense.”

The Bambino Gesù was the first pediatric hospital founded in Italy. Today, about 300 patients have been admitted on a humanitarian basis.

Lenten Pilgrimage: St. Patrick’s Academy Students Attend Mass and Stations of the Cross

The latest stop for Bishop Robert Brennan and the other pilgrims included listening to the young singers at St. Patrick’s in Bay Ridge on Wednesday, March 13.

The students attended a Mass and Stations of the Cross. Afterwards pilgrims were invited to pray in front of the Blessed Sacrament.

To see all the stops the pilgrims will make, download the Lenten Pilgrimage app. Simply search “Lenten Pilgrimage” on the Apple App Store or Google Play Store.

If you can’t be there in person, the app allows you to join the prayer community from the palm of your hand.

Catholic News Headlines for Thursday 3/14/2024

Vice President Kamala Harris toured an abortion clinic in Minnesota.

After 11 years as pontiff, Pope Francis is telling his own story in an autobiography.

A music group from the Co-Cathedral of St. Joseph will be putting on a concert this Friday and Saturday.

Book Adopts Easter Bunny as Symbol of Hope in Risen Lord

With Easter just over two weeks away, we’ll take a look at a timely new children’s book on store shelves now.

The author of “The Story of The First Easter Bunny,” Anthony Destefano, joined Currents News to talk about how his book turns the secular symbol of the easter bunny into a sacred one.

Meet the Perpetual Pilgrims Preparing for Journey

Catholics across the country are gearing up for the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage and the perpetual pilgrims, who will be trekking the entire duration of the routes.

Currents News had the privilege of speaking with three of the 24 young pilgrims, each with unique stories and motivations, who are embarking on a journey of thousands of miles across the country to attend the Eucharistic Congress in Indianapolis this July.

They will be split into groups of six and start at four different points. Along the way, they will stop at local parishes and holy sites.

For the group beginning in the north, one of those stops will be the National Shrine of Our Lady of Champion.

The Marian Shrine recently renovated its Apparition Chapel, which included a new wooden altar. Green Bay Bishop David Ricken conducted a Rite of Dedication of that altar a little over a week ago.

To learn more about the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage or the Congress in Indianapolis, visit their website at eucharisticrevival.org.

Despite Closure, Visitation Legacy Lives On At Fontbonne’s Middle School Program

by Katie Vasquez

Fontbonne Hall academy’s mission has always been to help young women become the leaders of tomorrow, but now they are opening their doors to a new generation of girls.

The school is welcoming the students from Visitation Academy, a Bay Ridge catholic school that recently announced they will be closing at the end of the school year.

“We thought to ourselves, we need to do something here. This is a moment for us to make sure that all girl education, single sex education to the greatest extent possible, continues to thrive in Brooklyn,” said Fontbonne Hall Academy principal, Rocco Gentile.

Fontbonne is creating a new middle school program that will be starting in September,

and among those enrolling in the new classes will be around 31, 6th, 7th and 8th graders from Visitation.

The director of admissions at Fontbonne, Megan McCombs, says that since the program’s announcement she’s been flooded with calls.

“It sent shockwaves through the community. My phone was ringing off the hook with people interested in coming to find out and being a part of this program that we were taking on,” said McCombs.

The Bay Ridge high school says the new program will remember the work of the Visitation sisters.

“Those values will remain the same and we share those values. We are wholly devoted really to honoring the legacy of Visitation,” said Gentile.

They are not only keeping the same curriculum, but some of the faculty, and families will be charged around the same tuition.

“Keep the girls together if they wish, with their teachers. and currently, right now we are giving the priority to current Visitation students before we open up registration to outside students,” said McCombs.

Fontbonne says they have more than enough room for the new grades, and they can’t wait for the girls to bond together.

“We create a real sisterhood. and we’re looking to make sure that that sisterhood extends to the students that come in for a middle school program,” said Gentile.

Catholic News Headlines for Wednesday 3/13/2024

A Catholic high school in the Diocese of Brooklyn will soon open its doors to younger students.

Today is the anniversary of Pope Francis’s election.

We’ll highlight one of the stops pilgrims will make on the way to Indianapolis for the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage this summer.

With Easter just over two weeks away, we’ll take a look at a timely new children’s book on store shelves now.

Palm Sunday Preparations Underway in Diocese

By Katie Vasquez

It’s a sight that has graced Grand Army Plaza for years, dozens of Catholics taking to the streets of Prospect Heights to proclaim their faith during the Palm Sunday procession.

It’s become a staple for the Diocese of Brooklyn,and a symbol of the sacrifice yet to come.

“You know, the lord paid the ultimate price to conquer sin and death for us. He paid the ultimate price to set us free. so going and processing through the streets is what we can do, unafraid and unashamed of our witness of what the lord has done for us”, said Father Henry Torres, pastor of Mary of Nazareth Church.

Ahead of the march, Father Torres took us through the procession’s route, the faithful will travel down Vanderbilt avenue and end at the Co-Cathedral of St Joseph.

For the first time, NET-TV’s live coverage will include a host, Father Torres, to guide viewers through the feast day.

“As every year progresses, we like to think of new ways and innovative ways as to how we can bring the church and the faith closer to the viewers at home. Father Henry Torres was a great choice because he’s very charismatic and he’s able to like, you know, have people feel the true the true word,” said DeSales Media Group Production producer, Marilyn Arreaga.

Palm Sunday reenacts Jesus’ entrance into Jerusalem more than 2,000 years, the service includes a blessing of palms like the ones used to greet Jesus.

“So the palms represent eternal life, represent royalty, represent triumph. So when Jesus enters Jerusalem on the donkey, he’s entering triumphant. This is the triumphant entrance of Christ,” said Father Torres.

Father Torres believes having the procession televised will be a bridge to guide those who have moved away from their faith.

“For people that are maybe going into despair, probably feel that, you know, there’s a lack of faith because of everything that’s going on. the chaos that we have been experiencing. If anything, this can also allow people to breathe, to realize that although we may we may be living in a chaotic world, whether in our personal life, in society, in our culture, that the lord has conquered,” said Father Torres.

And help Catholics as they prepare for the bigger celebration, Christ’s death and resurrection during Easter.

Catholic News Headlines for Tuesday 3/12/2024

Dozens of Catholics will take to the streets of Brooklyn to share their faith for the big procession which will start at Grand Army Plaza on Palm Sunday.

Haiti’s prime minister has resigned after weeks of chaos in the country… where gangs have taken over.

Bishop Robert Brennan spent time with the NYPD Brooklyn and Queens Holy Name Society on Sunday.

We’ll introduce you to a nun in Minnesota, who doesn’t just use her hands for praying.

Coming to Catholicism: Catechumen Realizes Faith Was the Missing Piece in Her Life

By Jessica Easthope

Outside of St. Boniface Oratory Church in downtown Brooklyn, a sign asks, ‘Is Catholicism right for you?’

It’s a question Laura Asserfea has been asking herself her whole life.

Answering yes or no would mean sacrificing something, but through months of Order of Christian Initiation of Adults or OCIA, Laura realized that ‘something’ was peace.

“I think it’s given me a way to sort of find peace when there are challenges,” Asserfea said. “I like to pause and reflect; it’s given me more connection, humanity, and just feeling more giving toward my fellow man.”

Asserfea, raised by a single mom in Queens, went to church often. Her mom was a Eucharistic minister, but receiving her sacraments wasn’t a priority.

“She never really forced it on me,” Asserfea said. “When we would get sick, she would bring out the Bible; she taught me the saying I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

Now an attorney with a degree from Columbia Law School, when Laura got to college at NYU, she met Dave Solimano, who would become a spiritual guide on her faith journey. Although Solimano was raised Catholic, he was also exploring his commitment in college, when most stray from their faith.

“I continued to educate myself during my high school years, and in college, I really became serious about it,” Solimano said.

Solimano was diving deeper into a relationship with Christ.

“When I was confirmed, one of the things they made us promise was that we would continue our faith formation,” Solimano said. And I guess I kind of thought to myself, well, I promised this to God. I should probably do something about that.”

“He was tutoring me in calculus, and here’s this person who I think is so smart but was also so devoted, and it solidified that I wanted something more in life, that connection,” Solimano added.

Now, Laura is just weeks away from receiving her sacraments and becoming Catholic.

“I think it’s always going to be like a homecoming,” Asserfea said. “I’ve been going to church as a child; during college, I found my way back toward it, and now I’m finally home again.”

She’s still learning but has confidently explored this question, and her answer is yes.

NET TV will show all the Holy Week and Easter services, including one of the dozens of Easter Vigil Masses at which catechumens like Asserfea will be baptized.