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Catholics at Columbia University Working to Stop Antisemitism

By Katie Vasquez

It was an act of violence that shocked the world.

On October 7th, 2023, Hamas attacked Israel, killing thousands of people and leaving many still in captivity a year later.

It also set off a series of protests, including the violent altercations that happened at Columbia University in April.

A tent city was constructed on campus, and more than one hundred people were arrested before the students cleared out.

Father Roger Landry, the Catholic chaplain at the Ivy League, said that behavior was not a reflection of the school.

“Everything was being focused on 300 students out of 37,000 at Columbia,” Father Landry said.

The situation was terrifying for Jewish students, as an alarming increase in anti-Semitism has occurred at colleges nationwide.

Columbia University is fighting that with an Anti-Semitism Task Force, where hundreds of Jewish and Israeli students share testimony of what they have experienced.

Father Landry says they are doing their best to combat hate.

“The first response to anti-Semitism is not to be anti-Semitic. And rather than have some type of irrational phobia against our Jewish brothers and sisters, actually love them,” Father Landry said. “For us as Christians, that should be super easy. Always. Our Savior was Jewish. His mother, our Blessed Mother, was Jewish. All the apostles were Jewish. St. Mary Magdalene was Jewish. We should have no other response than incredible love for Jews.”

But the Catholic ministry at the Manhattan campus is not taking sides, instead focusing on prayer and helping their fellow students.

“We reached out to our Jewish fellow students to just make sure they knew we had their back, to ask them what concretely they would need,” Father Landry said. “We reached out to our Muslim students, especially those from Palestine, to just see how we would be able to help them.”

One year later, Father Landry says the mood has improved, but it is still difficult for many.

“It’s not the greatest environment for students who have been described as the anxious generation, constantly being reminded every time they go on campus that there might be disruptions in one form or another,” Father Landry said. “And so there are still things that are not back to normal yet. And we pray that they will come back to normal. But it’s way better.”

And just like they did last October, Catholics here will continue to lean on their faith.

“We will be praying in a special way for continued peace and harmony on campus on the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary, which is October 7th in our calendar,” Father Landry said. “We’ve been praying the rosary throughout the month of October.”

Family and Friends of Hostages Send Message to Netanyahu, Call for Their Release

Jewish people around the world are calling for the release of the hostages.

Families of the kidnapped sounded a siren for two minutes outside the residence of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday, Oct 7.

Roughly 1,200 people were killed, and 250 were taken hostage on October 7th. There are 97 people who are still being held by Hamas.

Netanyahu acknowledged them during a tribute to the fallen. The youngest of those hostages turned one while in captivity, and the oldest is 86.

Catholics Provide Aid in Gaza as War in Holy Land Rages On

Catholics are also on the ground in Gaza, providing much-needed supplies and resources to help the community there. 

John Lavenburg, National Correspondent for The Tablet and Crux, sits down with Currents News to talk about their efforts so far.

Catholics Mark One Year Anniversary With Holy Hour and Mass, Praying for Peace

By Katie Vasquez

Across New York City, houses of worship are on high alert as Monday, Oct. 7, marks one year since Hamas’ deadly attack on Israel. There is heightened security at many synagogues, while churches in the Diocese of Brooklyn pray for an end to the violence.

Catholics flocked to the Cathedral Basilica of St. James on Monday morning to answer Pope Francis’ call for a day of fasting and prayers for peace in Gaza.

Father Patrick Keating, Moderator of Curia in the diocese, celebrated a Holy Hour and Mass at the downtown Brooklyn church.

Monday also marked the Memorial of Our Lady of the Rosary, the people in the pews turned to the Blessed Mother to ask for her intercession.

“We should always intercede for and pray for intercession every single day, because, as Pope Francis said, it’s very important to pray every day because prayer is that power is basically a sword against the devil,” Mena Samwiel, a junior at Cathedral Prep.

“It is a day of prayer, and as a community, we should come together and pray as one,” said Melvin Balderas, a junior at Cathedral Prep. “Because really, it is important to remember the people who lost their lives and especially those who fought for their lives.

“I think the most important thing any Catholic can do is pray. You know, the power of prayer, Jesus tells us, can move mountains and praying the rosary is focusing on those basic prayers,” Father Keating said. “We learned as the father, the words Jesus gave us when the apostles asked, and the Lord taught us to pray.”

Pope Francis wrote a letter to Catholics in the Holy Land on Monday, Oct. 7, expressing his closeness to those suffering from the devastation. Meanwhile, the Diocese of Brooklyn and Catholics around the globe will continue their prayers for peace.

On this somber anniversary, the shepherds of the Archdiocese of New York, Cardinal Timothy Dolan, and the Diocese of Brooklyn, Bishop Robert Brennan, are joining their flock in calls for peace. In a joint statement, they said in part:

“Too often in the past, we Catholics have failed to stand with you against hatred and anti-Semitism. Shame on us for those times! We join now with religious leaders from all faiths, pledging that we will not tolerate anti-Semitism in any form.”

Numbers released by the Anti-Defamation League reveal that the U.S. is seeing the largest recorded number of anti-Semitic attacks.

The report, released on Sunday, states that 10,000 attacks have occurred across the U.S. since the assault, representing a 200% spike from the year before. New York has seen 1,218 cases, making it the state with the second-highest number of recorded incidents.

Catholic News Headlines for Monday 10/7/2024

Pope Francis urges Catholics worldwide to unite in a day of prayer and fasting, hoping for peace in the war-torn Holy Land. Catholics in Brooklyn are leading the charge with holy hours and Masses. Parishioners at the Cathedral Basilica of St. James prayed for an end to the violence.

Bishop Robert Brennan and Cardinal Timothy Dolan are standing in solidarity with the Jewish community amid increased conflict and rising antisemitism worldwide. 

The conflict in the Holy Land continues, with Israel’s counter-attacks against Hamas in Palestine resulting in over 40,000 deaths and millions displaced.Following months of violent protests and rising anti-Jewish hate, Columbia University created a task force to address antisemitism and provide a platform for Jewish and Israeli students to share their stories.

Diocese of Brooklyn Shepherd on Priestly Retreat to Assisi, Attends Transitional Diaconate Ordination of Brooklyn Seminarian

Brooklyn Bishop Robert Brennan is in Assisi right now on a retreat!

The shepherd of the Brooklyn Diocese traveled with 12 other priests to the central Italian town, where they met the Bishop of Assisi, Archbishop Domenico Sorrentino, and visited the exact spot where St. Francis of Assisi received his stigmata, or Christ-like wounds!

For the next 12 days, the group will visit various other sites around Italy and Rome, and will even attend a general audience with Pope Francis!

Bishop Brennan spoke about the trip so far on his podcast, Big City Catholics.

A truly touching moment of the trip so far was when they supported one of their own at St. Peter’s Basilica! They attended a transitional diaconate ordination for 15 men on Thursday, and one of them hails from the Diocese of Brooklyn!

Deacon Paul Salazar graduated from Cathedral Prep High School and Seminary before studying at the Pontifical North American College in Rome. Congratulations to him and all of the new deacons—we will be praying for you as you continue your journey to the priesthood!

Our Lady of Hope Welcomes Back Alum into New Principal Role in Full Circle Moment

By Jessica Easthope

A lot has changed since 1991—clothing, hairstyles, and technology.

But one thing has stayed the same—Kara McCarthy can still be found walking the halls of Our Lady of Hope Catholic Academy.

“I prayed a lot, just asking God to put me where you need me to be. And ultimately, it ended up right back here,” McCarthy said.

She left, ready to take on the next chapters of her life, not knowing one chapter would bring her right back where she started—not as a student, but as the principal of her elementary school.

“Having been a product of this school and now returning, it’s part of me giving back,” McCarthy said. “My experiences here were so positive. I loved my teachers, I loved my classes, I loved everything about it.”

As principal, she wants her students to graduate with the same feelings she had—nothing but love and gratitude for their school.

“To look back with fondness, to look back with pride, saying that they’re a product of Our Lady of Hope and being able to go forward in life, making this a strong part of their foundation,” McCarthy said.

With an unshakable Catholic identity, McCarthy will be implementing more student Masses and a daily afternoon Angelus.

“The best part about being in Catholic education is that when times are tough, when you need a moment, you can come together in prayer,” McCarthy said. “Remembering those times as a student and now being able to share them, helping the students here today celebrate in the same way and honor our Lord—the reason why we are here—is vital to me.”

McCarthy said Our Lady of Hope is a multi-generational school, with former students now dropping off their children and grandchildren. She has a legacy to uphold—not just as principal, but as the little girl in those pictures.

St. Francis of Assisi: The Inspiration Behind the Name

When Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio stepped out onto the balcony of St. Peter’s Square as pope, few expected that the Jesuit would choose the name Francis for his pontificate, in honor of the saint of Assisi.

Along with this gesture, Pope Francis has also shown the values of the patron saint, such as closeness to the poor with the care of the common home.

St. Francis of Assisi was born in 1182. The son of a merchant, he renounced his inheritance to follow the austerity of Christ. He lived in strict poverty, with a simple life. The Pope has tried to apply this lifestyle to himself as well as to the universal Church.

The Pope has actually been to Assisi several times. For example, in 2016, Pope Francis was in the basilica of St. Mary of the Angels. There, he prayed at the place where the Franciscan movement began.

St. Francis is known for having made the first nativity scene in history. It was in 1223 on his return from a trip to the Holy Land. The village, Greccio, reminded him of the place where Jesus was born. Francis visited this village in 2019.

The nativity scene, which St. Francis made for the first time in this small space, in imitation of the narrow grotto of Bethlehem, speaks for itself. There is no need to multiply words here, because the scene that is placed before our eyes expresses the wisdom we need to grasp the essential.

Pope Francis not only tries to model a life of poverty like his namesake, but he also spends time with the poor often. Just last weekend, the Holy Father made an unplanned stop to have breakfast with them while in Belgium.

The Pontiff also established the World Day of the Poor in 2017, which he often commemorates with a lunch alongside hundreds of poor people in the Vatican’s Paul VI Hall.