Chauvin’s Guilty Verdict Is ‘Justice Served’ Say Parishioners and Clergy in Diocese of Brooklyn

By Emily Drooby

In the Diocese of Brooklyn, there’s an overwhelming sense of justice being served when it comes to the guilty verdict of Derek Chauvin and the murder of George Floyd.

“I prayed and I think God’s justice was really at work in what we saw yesterday,” said Father Alonzo Cox. He’s the Coordinator of the Vicariate For Black Catholic Concerns in the Diocese of Brooklyn and pastor of St. Martin de Porres parish.

Paulitiana St. Hileire works with Father Cox at the Bedford-Stuyvesant parish.

“I am so elated about the verdict. I think justice is served,” said Paulitiana.”I am so happy about this verdict, but this doesn’t bring George Floyd back to us.”

Father Cox called the verdict a first step in being able to live in peace and harmony. He also called it a first step in rebuilding trust.

“Being able to trust those who are called to protect us,” the pastor said. “We are called to trust our law enforcement officials and we lost that trust a year ago when George Floyd was murdered. But now I think that trust can be restored.”

Father Cox adds that there’s still work to be done.

That sentiment was reiterated by Bishop Shelton Fabre, the chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishop’s Ad Hoc Committee Against Racism.

“Human life is precious, that racism is an attack against human life,” Bishop Fabre said. “It reminds us of the work we must do, continue to do, as disciples of Jesus Christ.”

Protecting human life by fighting racism. That’s what Father Daniel Kingsley spoke about with Currents News as well. Father Kingsley is the administrator of St. Clare Parish in Rosedale. After the video of Floyd’s death was released, parishioners at the Queens church held a rally against the sin of racism.

Father Kingsley called fighting against racism, a pro-life issue.

“God, as you read in Genesis, breathed his life into our first parents and pronounced them good,” Father Kingsley said. “My black brother, my brown brother, my Asian sister, are all charity, are all respect, they’re all dignity. Because it’s not something that I’ve gifted to them, but it’s been gifted by the creator.”

Father Cox says if anyone is interested in getting involved in the fight against racism here in the Diocese of Brooklyn, they can reach out to him by contacting his parish.

After Almost 30 Years, Two Siblings Find Each Other After Entering New York’s Adoption Registry

Jessica Easthope

Siblings Monica Schuss and John Tomanelli are always baking. It’s one of the many things they love to do together. But they don’t have any family recipes, so they’re creating their own family traditions. That’s because after they were adopted as children, they finally found each other in a time span that seemed like a lifetime.

“He’s 53 and I’m 60,” said Monica. “We only met two years ago, so you’re talking about 58 for me and 51 for him. That’s a lot of time to catch up on.”

Monica is seven years older than her brother John — a brother she didn’t know she had growing up as an adopted, only-child in Richmond Hill, Queens.

“I never had a birth certificate,” Monica said. “It was incredibly difficult to find anything from that name, especially back then. There was nowhere to go.”

John grew up farther east on Long Island. He was also adopted into a family with older parents like Monica’s.

“I grew up kind of shy with a lot of anxiety and my world was very small,” John said. “I lived very cautiously because I was alone.”

They were both living with a void — a missing ingredient. When they got older, they registered with the New York State Adoption Registry. John registered in 1991 and Monica did in 1998. But decades passed with no word. They both married and had children, but the feeling of wondering if a sibling was out there never went away.

Then in March of 2019, they got letters with each other’s name and address. Monica rushed to find her long lost brother on social media.

“I wrote ‘Hi John, did you get the letter?’ that’s all I wrote because I figured if it was him, he would know,” she said.

They met and instantly felt complete.

“We were like, this far apart, and we just hugged and we didn’t let go and it was incredible,” Monica said. “Just this warm feeling of love when we never even met, but we knew, it was just instantly knowing.”

All those years, Monica and John held tight to their faith even when they felt they had nothing else.

“I always believed because I was a good person and always been good to others and done the right thing and lived the right way, that this was the miracle I got back,” Monica said.

John put his faith into action as well.

“I’ve asked God to just put me where I should be and if I do the right things, one day I’ll be rewarded,” John said. “And this was my reward —meeting Monica.”

At the beginning of the pandemic they knew they couldn’t be apart, so John moved in with Monica and her children and pets in Ozone Park.

As their family blended, they knew what happened to them wasn’t an accident — there were just too many signs.

“The first day we spoke was our mother’s birthday,” the two siblings said. “That day, I got the letter with her name on it. It was also the day our biological aunt acknowledged she was our aunt. We have the same birthday. Her son is one day later. Our adoptive mothers passed away the same year.”

They prayed they’d find each other for so long. Now their wish is to help others like them.

“If you don’t give up and just keep the faith, you will be blessed,” Monica said. “It happened to us and it can happen to other people too. We want to help others feel what we feel.”

Now, there are no more questions — they have each other and it’s all the proof they need.

Catholic News Headlines for Wednesday, 4/21/21

Clergy in the Diocese of Brooklyn react to the guilty verdict of Derek Chauvin for the death of George Floyd – saying justice was served but more work needs to be done.

An Asian woman is attacked for speaking her native language – now a suspect is under arrest.

Hundreds of National Guardsmen head to the border as one governor declares an emergency.

Two siblings find each other decades after they were adopted by different families.

http://netny.tv

Diocese of Brooklyn an ‘Example’ When it Comes to Supporting Abuse Survivors

Currents News Staff

April is Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month and here in the Diocese of Brooklyn, there are strong measures in place to provide healing and protection to survivors of abuse.

Jasmine Salazar is the Vice Chancellor and Victim Assistance Coordinator for the Diocese of Brooklyn. She joined Currents News to discuss the programs in place that protect minors as well as how the Church responds.

To contact the diocese’s toll free and confidential sexual abuse reporting line, dial: 888-634-4499.

Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio highlights Sexual Assault Awareness Month in his latest article in The Tablet. The bishop reinforces the need to protect victims of sexual abuse and prevent further cases.

You can read the full article on TheTablet.org.

Catholic News Headlines for Tuesday, April 20, 2021

Guilty on all charges — the jury reaches a verdict in the trial of former police officer Derek Chauvin over the death of George Floyd.

The Minneapolis archbishop is praying for peace as people react to the ruling.

Soldiers at the border say they are dealing with a dangerous situation — we have a reporter there covering the migrant crisis.

The NYPD is making strides reaching out to at-risk kids.

A deadly accident at this Queens intersection could bring about major change.

Using His Own Story and 1,000 Signatures, One Man Fights for Safer Queens Streets

By Emily Drooby

Utopia Parkway, a five-mile road that stretches through Queens, is filled with businesses, a major Catholic University and schools, all along the street. But it’s also known to locals as a danger.

“I usually try to avoid this street,” said local resident Dominique Giroux. “I usually only walk down it if I’m coming back…it’s just busy. There’s a lot of cars making turns without looking for pedestrians.”

Another local, Christopher Carbonell, echoed Dominique’s statement.

“A lot of speeding, especially when I drive around here looking for parking, or whatever,” said Christopher. “They would burn rubber…they have to do something about it.”

Finally, some relief is coming for walkers and bikers. Ben Turner is a big reason why. He’s collected more than 1,000 signatures to get a “complete street” study in the area. The avid biker knows the dangers this road brings all too well.

Back in 2017, he was struck by a car while riding down a side street right off the parkway. Ben recalled the accident and the injuries.

“The driver started and hit me and I flew over the windshield,” he said, “and my head hit the windshield, cracking it, and I was taken to the hospital.”

He said he’s lucky he’s here today to retell the story. Others were not.

Back in August of 2019, Currents News did a story on Madeline Sershen. The 17-year-old St. Francis Prep honor student was struck and killed on Utopia Parkway by a car. Her aunt, Rita Barravecchio has been fighting for safer streets ever since.

Now thanks to Ben, there’s some hope for the families like Rita’s who have known the pain unsafe streets can cause.

After presenting all of his findings to Queens Community Board 11, they unanimously voted to approve the study request. That means that the Dept. of Transportation (DOT) will do an assessment and come up with ways to make the parkway safer.

“They look at things,” Ben said, “like better pedestrian crossing at streets, traffic calming measures, so that drivers are moving at slower speeds.”

The DOT found that the streets they’ve redesigned with the “complete street study” have had a 20 percent reduction in injuries.

While it’s not yet clear exactly what they’ll suggest, it’s the first major step in fixing the street.

“I was so happy…” Rita said of the vote, “…any step that’s going to help prevent tragedies such as the loss of my niece is a step in the right direction.”

To people like Ben, Rita, and the thousand others who signed that petition, it’s a step that represents hope for safer streets.

NYPD’s Youth Programs Work With Local Parishes to Keep Teens Out of Trouble

By Jessica Easthope

Walking into a police officer’s world isn’t an easy thing to do, but 14-year-old Troi Douglas is up to the challenge.

“We do scenarios like domestic violence traffic stops,” Troi said, “like that, and will basically act it out, and they’ll give us feedback. Tell us what we did good with the wrong.”

Troi is an NYPD explorer. She’s part of a program for teens who live in neighborhoods that put them at-risk of getting involved in gangs, drugs and violence, but show a passion for law enforcement.

“Maybe they committed their first offense, God forbid,” said Youth Coordination Officer Chandrapaul Temal. “We kind of introduce ourselves right there, that aspect, and put ourselves right between them and the criminal justice system. We try to give them a way out. Out of the more than two dozen kids who take part in the 77th Precinct’s youth programs, 100 percent of them do not re-offend.”

In recent years, the NYPD has grown its community policing. Because of the Explorer program, Troi has been able to stay out of trouble and keep her eye on the prize.

“I know the consequences,” she said, “and mostly I don’t want to get involved because I want to, one day, be a part of the law enforcement. So I really have to control my behavior.”

The 77th Precinct is expanding its outreach and introducing the programs to community leaders in Crown Heights like Father Frank Black, the pastor of St. Matthew’s Church.

“I think this is a very hopeful sign,” said Father Black. “Maybe a sign of policing in the future where it’s not just necessarily the punishment, but it’s working with other people to make the community better as a whole.”

As for the NYPD’s Neighborhood Coordination Officers, getting to follow-up on the people they serve and protect is the most rewarding part. Saskya Rodriguez sees her job as a Neighborhood Coordination Officer through the lens of a mom and as a Catholic.

“You really get to connect with people,” Saskya said, “especially when you see kids who have to witness a lot of this crisis. Sometimes it means a lot to them to know they have more guidance.”

The officers say they don’t always know what’s best for every kid, but they know that somehow they can help make a difference.

Archbishop Joseph Naumann Labels Abortion Pill Policy Change ‘Dangerous’

By Erin DeGregorio and Currents News Staff

WINDSOR TERRACE — The chairman of the USCCB’s Committee on Pro-Life Activities described a recent FDA decision to stop enforcing the “in-person dispensing requirement” for the abortion pill as “dangerous.”

In an April 19 interview with Currents News, Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann of Kansas City, Kansas, expressed concerns with the FDA’s decision, saying women will be put at risk due to reduced medical precautions.

“This whole idea of trying to do this through the mail, without any kind of medical supervision, is very, very dangerous to women,” Archbishop Naumann said. “There are certain things that they can’t really check for themselves like how far along the pregnancy is — because that has a significant impact on safety — [and] also if there’s an Rh incompatibility with the child.”

“These are things that doctors need to check for the health of the women.”

On April 12, Dr. Janet Woodcock, acting commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), announced the agency will no longer be enforcing the “in-person dispensing requirement” for the chemical abortion drug mifepristone during the remainder of the COVID-19 public health emergency. Medication abortion is currently approved for use up to 10 weeks of gestational age.

The FDA will temporarily allow clinics to distribute the drug via telemedicine, directly by mail, or through a mail-order pharmacy. After a woman has a virtual visit with a doctor through telemedicine, the abortion pill can be prescribed remotely and mailed to women who could then terminate their pregnancy at home.

Though 19 states have policies that restrict telemedicine for medication abortion — which will remain in effect — health experts hope this rule change for the other states will become permanent and expand access to abortion care.

With that in mind, Archbishop Naumann believes the Catholic community has to be present to surround these women with love and support.

“We have to ramp up our efforts to surround women with the support that they need to do what’s really in their heart, which is to choose life for their child,” he said. “Women are hurt, oftentimes physically, emotionally, and certainly spiritually by every abortion.”

“It’s a very difficult process for the woman, and to undergo this alone is unconscionable,” Archbishop Naumann added, “but it exposes [how] the abortion industry really doesn’t care about the health of women.”

The in-person dispensing requirement was originally put in place by public health officials over twenty years ago, under President Bill Clinton, as a necessary precondition to ensure that pregnant women do not have contraindications that would make abortion pills even more unsafe and possibly deadly for the woman.

According to Danco Laboratories, over 2.75 million women in the United States have used Mifeprex, the brand name for mifepristone, between its FDA approval in 2000 and 2016.

Catholic News Headlines for Monday, April 19, 2021

Help for those who lost loved ones to COVID-19.

The abortion pill is available by mail but a leading archbishop says women’s lives are at risk.

Answering the call — young men attend Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio’s vocations retreat.

Putting faith into action — Sister Mary Stephen is changing lives one kid at a time.

http://netny.tv

91-Year-Old Nun Continues to Run a New York Catholic School Throughout the Pandemic

By Emily Drooby

For almost 10,000 mornings, Sister Mary Stephen Healey has greeted the students at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel School in Elmsford, New York.

After serving as their principal for 55 years, nothing can stop her from being there for her students, not even a pandemic.

Throughout the 2020-2021 school year and amid the threat of COVID-19, the 91-year-old still walked these halls daily because it’s the place she knew she needed to be.

“Well I guess I have a lot of those moments where I really believe that I’m in the right place at the right time,” Sister Mary said.

It was a nerve-wracking sight for the students that love her.

“I mean I was kind of worried for her,” said long-time student Joshua Arnoby Moronta. “I didn’t want anything bad to happen.”

The nun’s dedication doesn’t come as a surprise to those who know her, like superintendent of schools for the Archdiocese of New York, Michael Deegan.

He described her as a “…compassionate devoted woman, who frankly puts the needs of the children before the needs of anyone else, including herself.”

Compassion. It’s a word Sister Mary knows well. She spent 71 years with the congregation of the Religious of the Divine Compassion.

Currents News spoke with students and teachers and they all gave her glowing reviews.

But Sister Mary doesn’t realize how inspirational she is. Humble and self-effacing, she never talks about herself or her accomplishments. Instead, she praises her teachers and muses over how to help her students deal with the pandemic.

“So many people tell you, children are so resilient,” Sister Mary said. “Yes, they are resilient. But I can tell you, from the lowest grade up, these children are very much affected by what has happened.”

Her presence and strength through this storm have created stability for these kids. One student said they hope to keep her for a long time.

When asked how much longer she thinks she would stay at the school, Sister Mary left it all to God’s plan.

“Only God knows that,” she said. “I can’t predict that. I think I’ll know and I think He will help me.”