Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens’ 24/7 Essential Workers Hotline Helps With Trauma and Grief

By Jessica Easthope

The reassuring voice on the other end of the phone, sometimes when the person calling is desperate for help — that voice can save a life.

“Not having a job or my job stopped because of the pandemic, I’m not working or whatever I’m getting isn’t enough some people are reporting suicidal ideations or even suicide attempts,” said Karina Albarracin, a social worker and therapist at Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens.

Over the last year Karina’s seen an increase in suicidal thoughts and attempts among her clients, even children.

“If we talk about children and teenagers it’s the remote learning, how it has affected many of them at such a young age having to learn time management, now they have to wake up on their own and be responsible,” she said.

Karina has had a 30 percent increase in cases. Not only has her number of clients gone up, but the pandemic has driven up the frequency of the need itself.

“I used to have clients who were okay with bi-weekly sessions, but now they have so much need that you need to see them weekly. It’s not only the amount of clients, but how often they need help,” said Karina.

She’s the person some clients see after reaching out to Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens’ 24/7 Essential Workers Hotline.

“Having their children at home, not having financial resources, not having food, domestic violence they’re experiencing because of the pressure, substance abuse has increased in not only our clients but in the community,” said Claudia Salazar, the Vice President of Behavioral Health at Catholic Charities.

The hotline has had more than 700 essential workers call in. They have put their health at risk for the sake of the community. Claudia says as the COVID-19 pandemic is hopefully nearing its end, we’re only on the brink of a mental health pandemic.

“There’s a lot of trauma that we’re going to see in the next few years because trauma doesn’t start up and shut down. It’s something that takes a long time to develop and also a long time to deal with,” said Claudia.

After getting to know her clients, Karina says she’s able to incorporate one of her strongest coping tools: faith.

“What is going to help me to be able to say, It’s going to be okay,’ that’s when we have our faith,. Being able to say, ‘Things are going to be okay and I can’t control that, but I have my faith and hope that things will get better,’” Karina said.

As essential workers themselves, the mental health professionals at Catholic Charities encourage people to use the hotline. Whether it’s one time or every day, a voice will be there.

Meet the Trailblazing Nun Appointed by Pope Francis to the Synod of Bishops

Currents News Staff

Sister María Luisa Berzosa is known as a trailblazing religious woman who participated in both the Synod dedicated to young people and the one dedicated to the Amazon.

She made headlines in May of 2019 when Pope Francis appointed her one of four women consultors to the Synod of Bishops.

“During the Synod on youth, the Pope modified the rules and used his authority to allow superiors general to vote, whether priests or not,” Sister Maria said. “That’s when it no longer made any difference to the superiors general whether I was a woman or a man, and that led us to ask ourselves: why make this distinction?”

The Spanish nun took her vows in 1965 and has dedicated her life to educating the poor and underprivileged in Spain, Argentina, and Italy. She’s also a vocal advocate for the role of women in the Church.

Sister Maria says reviving the spirit of the Second Vatican Council is one of the main focuses of Pope Francis’ pontificate.

“I’ve been hurt by the Church, but I never wanted to leave. I always wanted to stay,” Sister Maria said. “I mean, this is it: this is the Church of Jesus. Jesus and the Church are one and the same to me, not separate. The Church leads me to Jesus, and Jesus leads me back to His Church.”

Sister Maria says the Church must search for creative ways to address the challenges of our time. But above all, the Church must listen and give a voice to all people.

“I offer spiritual guidance, give spiritual exercises, I listen to people and accompany them in formation,” she said. “I’m an educator, even if this is not a school. In our groups I emphasize how our’s must be a synodal and participatory Church.”

Biden to Speak on COVID Relief Bill in First Prime Time Address

Currents News Staff

President Joe Biden will address the nation for the first time, in primetime on March 11. The White House says the speech will commemorate the long, challenging year since the coronavirus pandemic essentially shut down the country and chart the president’s plan for recovery.

“This historic legislation is about rebuilding the backbone of this country,” said President Biden on the heels of his first major legislative victory, a nearly $2 trillion dollar package designed to help millions of Americans get through the next phase of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Now, he’ll speak to the nation on “the plans to provide a clear outline of his approach,” said White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki, “level with the American people about what is required of them, but also provide a sense of hope of what is possible.”

Since taking office, the president has often reflected upon the more than 500,000 U.S. lives lost to COVID-19, leaning into the role of consoler-in-chief.

One year ago, on March 11th, 2020, former president Donald Trump addressed the nation, hours after the World Health Organization declared a global pandemic.

“The virus will not have a chance against us. No nation is more prepared or more resilient than the United States,” he said.

It‘s a night many look back on as a turning point.

Thursday night, Biden will look forward and highlight the benefits of his newly passed and newly signed economic relief plan.

“What I’m gonna talk about tonight is the impact on the virus and how we’re gonna end this pandemic, and I’m gonna talk out all the elements of the bill beginning on Friday, Saturday and through the week,” he explained.

He’s pushing back on Republican criticism that not all of it was necessary. Not a single congressional Republican voted for the bill.

Catholic News Headlines for Wednesday, 3/10/21

The House approves the COVID relief bill, now headed to the president’s desk.

You’ll meet the religious sisters making it their mission that everyone has enough to eat.

A Queens Catholic school named best in the borough for the third year in a row shares their secret to success.

What Pope Francis is now saying to Christians that have emigrated from Iraq.

Surge of Migrants at Southern Border Approaching Emergency Levels for the Biden Administration

Currents News Staff

In a tent city near the U.S.-Mexico border, Lijia Giselle Amador Zavala waits with her two children. She says she left Honduras nine months ago to seek asylum in the United States.

Lijia says she jumped the border two times illegally because of desperation to find work and both times she was sent back to Mexico. Now she says she’ll wait for a legal way to cross.

The anticipation spreading through this tent city in Tijuana, Mexico speaks to the hope these migrants have that the Biden administration will be more receptive to their plights. But the increasing surge of migrants on the southern border is reaching emergency levels for the administration.

U.S. authorities have arrested and encountered more than 100,000 migrants in the four weeks before March 3 – the highest levels for that same time period in at least five years.

New data shows there are more than 3,400 unaccompanied children in the custody of Customs and Border Protection and federal immigration officials are scrambling to make room.

Temporary processing site for migrants was opened just over a month ago and a Homeland Security official says the facility is “significantly overcrowded” mostly with children.

Republicans and some Democrats say the Biden administration isn’t moving fast enough to keep the migration crisis under control.

“They are completely unprepared for what is going on at the border now and they’re going to be even more unprepared for what will be happening in the coming months,” said Texas Gov. Greg Abbott.

The Biden Administration says the majority of migrants are being turned away at the border and refuse to describe the situation as a crisis.

“Look, I don’t think we need to sit here and put new labels on what we have already conveyed is challenging,” said White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki. “What we have conveyed is a top priority for the president.”

St. John’s Bread & Life’s Religious Sisters Bring Power and Faith to Ending Hunger

By Jessica Easthope

Anyone who visits St. John’s Bread & Life can tell it’s a well-oiled machine. It feeds 25,000 people every year and sustains 21 other food pantries. But what you can’t tell by just looking – is the machine is powered by nuns.

“When you belong to a religious community if you put the word out that you need help, people show up,” said Sister Caroline Tweedy, the executive director of St. John’s Bread & Life.

The organization that’s been a Brooklyn staple has been around since 1982 and has an upper management staff made up of mostly women.

“We get to share who we are, we look at a problem collectively and we get to address it collectively and we bring a woman’s intuition to what we do,” Sr. Caroline said.

Sister Caroline and associate executive director Sister Marie Sorenson take a hands on approach to ending hunger, something they say comes naturally for sisters.

“I think that’s one of the highlights of women religious, we jump in and we do the work that needs to be done,” Sister Marie said.

It’s Catholic Sisters Week – and St. John’s Bread & Life asked communities of sisters to help support its mission. In just days enough money was raised to feed the people who rely on the pantry for three months, and they’re not stopping there, some have even joined the volunteer staff. Sister Melissa Camardo blends in.

“It’s run by so many talented, committed, passionate women and it’s a really great example to all of us to get involved and use the skills we have to the best of our ability,” said Sister Melissa.

Sister Melissa isn’t afraid to get her hands dirty, because, after all, ending hunger in a borough where 20 percent of its residents are food insecure is heavy lifting.

“What I can do right now to make a difference is simple small acts of bagging groceries with great love and to really pray for the people who need food and use my own hands and heart to respond to that,” she said.

The sisters say what puts St. John’s Bread & Life a cut above the rest is its powerful women and their ability to work together.

“Women know things can’t get done alone, that the power is in working together, achieving a goal, sharing resources, sharing talents,” Sr. Marie said.

During the most challenging of times, the machine doesn’t stop because these sisters won’t let it – it’s all part of their power.

Sacred Heart Catholic Academy Named ‘Best Catholic School in Queens’ for Third Year in a Row

By Emily Drooby

From going to class here in kindergarten to having his own class, Peter Stamm loved Sacred Heart Catholic Academy of Glendale so much that he’s now a teacher there.

Keeping former students close is one of the reasons the school won big in the “Best of the Boro” awards.

“The results really speak for themselves, for people to vote this much and to keep bringing their kids here, it’s a very cool thing to see,” Peter told Currents News.

For the third year in a row, they were voted the best Catholic school in Queens by the competition put together by Schneps Media.

“The ‘Bethpage Best of the Boro’ is really a program that’s all about the opinions of the public, explained Joshua Schneps, the CEO And Co-publisher of Schneps Media. “You know, we have hundreds of thousands of votes that come through each year, so you know to win is a major accomplishment,” he added.

The competition names everything from the best school, to the best local pizza.The award is voted on by the community, and the school has a strong one.

“We have an amazing set of teachers and administrators here,” Christopher Russo, a parent of a student at the school explained. “We are backed by a very strong parent base. We also have a good parish and community of Glendale that loves our school, and we have an alumni of 80 plus years that backs our school.”

This third win is a momentous one. The Chairperson of Sacred Heart-Glendale’s board of directors, Fred Haller, said they had big competition.

“We have strong schools, strong Catholic High Schools in Queens and strong grammar schools, and we are among the smallest in the entire borough,” he said.

It was also a tumultuous year for all New York City schools, forced to adapt and adjust because of the pandemic.

“In one day an entire faculty, which maybe used some technology sometimes, really adjusted, knocked it out of the park,” Fred added.

The school survived and thrived — enrollment grew this year. Most importantly, students and parents are happy.

Now, they’re enjoying the big win. Faculty tells Currents News that the recognition brings in more students, and even gets their current students noticed by better high schools and colleges.

So, the only question left to ask is: Will they be able to make it four years in a row?

Catholic News Headlines for Tuesday, 3/9/21

Catholic nursing students move to the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic by administering vaccines.

New York state is opening up eligibility for those shots to even more residents.

The coronavirus relief bill is getting closer to becoming law. Why Catholic bishops don’t want it passed as is.

A plumber from New Jersey heads down to Texas to help following those severe winter storms.

As Delegate for Religious, Sr. Maryann Seton Lopiccolo Welcomes the World to the Brooklyn Diocese

By Jessica Easthope

Sister Maryann Seton Lopiccolo feels at home in Brooklyn, that’s because she is home.

The borough native who has held the position of Episcopal Delegate for Religious for 22 years spends her days welcoming others home into the Diocese of Immigrants.

“Brooklyn has always been historically the Diocese of Immigrants. We say that all the time but I see them. I see their faces. so there’s an empowering of them by support and I’m there for them,” Sister Maryann said.

Religious from all over the world come to the Brooklyn Diocese for education, for ministry and for roots. They’re roots Sister Maryann has never taken for granted.

“I think there is a sense of welcome and I’m very conscious of that and I often say to them, ‘If I were moving to Kenya, I would want someone to make friends with me right away,” she joked.

As Episcopal Delegate, Sister Maryann oversees more than 850 religious sisters, brothers and priests in the Diocese of Brooklyn. Now with a surge of international sisters, her role has taken on new meaning.

“They come and they don’t have a provincial or a regional superior so they call me the Big Mother, they say you’re just like our mother and I say okay if that’s how I can serve you and if that’s a role that makes you comfortable I’m fine with it,” said Sister Maryann.

Sister Maryann works to find housing that makes people from across the world feel like this urban jungle is their own.

“I really work hard in finding them a place where they will be comfortable too because the cultural differences are real. They’re not good, bad or indifferent. They’re just real,” she said.

As for women being excluded, Sister Maryann says that’s never been the case in Brooklyn, especially not under Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio.

“The Bishop has been super sensitive about including women, what’s happening from our perspective that he should be more aware of that perhaps as a man he didn’t notice it or didn’t hear it,” she explained. “And there’s a side of him that’s so open to learning because he wants to serve the best he can,” Sister Maryann noted of Bishop DiMarzio’s commitment to inclusion.

She’s looked to as a leader in the Diocese of Brooklyn, the go to person. But to the people whose lives she’s touched, she’s “The Big Mother.”

How a Priest in England Escaped Death Twice After Contracting COVID

Currents News Staff

Doctors are calling him a miracle.

They say a priest in England who contracted COVID-19 actually died twice and then came back.

That priest is Father Michael Stack, the national chaplain of The Association of Catholic Nurses of England and Wales. He joins Currents News to share his recovery experience.