A look at businesses in Chinatown as they continue to struggle one year into the pandemic.
New developments on the Capitol riots investigation.
How the Middle East and Christian community are coping a decade after the Arab Spring.
Why customs and border protection are calling in reinforcements.
By Emily Drooby
A steady stream of customers come into Chinatown’s Kam Hing Bakery. The busy sight is a relief to owner Liz Yee, especially when she reflects on what it was like this time last year.
“All of Chinatown was closing down. You saw everybody close their gates and then a couple months after, you saw ‘for rent’ signs, ‘for sale’ signs.”
Kam Hing Bakery has been in Liz’s family for three generations. They shut down for eight months during the pandemic, and focused on their other spot, Tonii’s Fresh Rice Noodle.
It’s been rough. But a year later, things are finally starting to look up.
“We’re making enough to cover us right now, so for me that’s a win right now,” Liz said, adding, “Chinatown slowly is getting back to where it is, but not completely.”
This has become the norm for Chinatown. Before the pandemic there were about 312 eateries in Chinatown. That number dropped to 29 by April.
Take a quick walk down the sidewalk and it’s clear that things are getting better, but it’s still far from normal.
A recent survey done by the ground group Chinatown Partnership showed that only about 55 percent of ground floor stores in the area are back open.
The one bright spot? An outpouring of support for the community. From donations to words of encouragement, people all across the globe have gotten involved.
“The good sign is so many people wanted to help, so many supporters,” Wellington Chen, the executive director of Chinatown Partnership and Chinatown BID, told Currents News.
“It’s almost like this community came together and it’s not just people in Manhattan, Chinatown or New York City,” added Gabi Tran, who works with Welcome to Chinatown, a nonprofit started in 2020 to help the area though the pandemic.
“We receive a lot of assistance and help and donations from individuals all around the world,” she said.
However, now another ugly virus has reared its head: racism. Attacks against people of Asian descent are on the rise.
“We’ve definitely seen a lot more fear, especially within the workers,” Gabi explained.
While Wellington says Asian-Americans make up about 14 percent of New York City, he said it’s up to the rest of the city to help.
“I need the other 86 percent to speak up, to intervene safely, to distract, to de-escalate, to document.”
Another way to help the area in their journey to recovery? Tourism.
“But still you don’t have the kind of foot traffic,” explained New York City Council Member Margaret Chin, who represents the Chinatown district. “I think a lot of the restaurants are now relying on take-out and delivery which is helpful, but it’s not enough.”
By Jessica Easthope
The days leading up to Easter, the most holy day of the year, are a time of preparation and reflection. Since last Easter, our faith has endured some unprecedented changes. But this Lent, the Diocese of Brooklyn is adapting to the pandemic age.
“For everyone that’s still at home and as we’re still dealing with the pandemic, we wanted to make it the best Lent yet for people in ways that we could,” said Caitlin Sakdalan, the social media community manager for DeSales Media Group, the communication and technology arm of the Diocese of Brooklyn that operates NET-TV.
DeSales created a Lent 2021 website, dioceseofbrooklyn.
“There are different practices going on whether it’s the Archdiocese or our Diocese, church to church and so we’re really encouraging people to come to the website for information,” Caitlin said.
When we think about Lent we often see it as a time to give something up, but the website offers an explanation of fasting from a different perspective.
“Why do we fast? Because even though we have many great things, we have a God that is greater,” says Father Chris Bethge in one of the website reflection videos.
These days, one of those good things has been the devices we use to communicate when we can’t see each other. The website has Facebook filters and wallpapers to keep the day centered around faith.
“We’re all on our phones and our computers all the time now, even more so because of the pandemic. So how can we give people these daily meaningful reminders as a way to actually engage in their faith,” Caitlin asked.
Whether you’re looking for information or to get a deeper understanding, the Lent 2021 website has it and maybe even something you didn’t know you needed.
Currents News Staff
Ten years after the Arab Spring, the uprisings that inspired so much promise have fallen short of expectations. But the fight for freedom in the Arab world continues. As Pope Francis embarks on his trip to Iraq, a message of hope still resonates with the faithful there.
It’s been a decade since a humble Tunisian street vendor gave birth to a revolution – lighting himself on fire in protest of government corruption, poverty and a lack of basic human rights.
His sacrifice sparked demonstrations that quickly spread across the Arab world: toppling governments in Tunisia, Libya, Egypt and Yemen, and triggering deadly civil wars that led to a global humanitarian crisis that’s still playing out today.
“They called for bread, freedom and social justice,” said Steven Cook, an expert on the region and senior fellow with the Council on Foreign Relations.
“If you think about those three things, what people were asking for was for dignity,” Steven said. “And living in these societies where there is corruption, crony capitalism, an arrogance of power, police brutality… these are things people essentially wanted to throw off and build a more just and open society.”
Widespread unemployment, especially among young people, pushed activists to rally in the streets and to use social media to spread the word of their discontent.
“It was interesting to see how activists and protesters used social media,” Steven said.
He also went on to say that “It’s important to recognize social media was not the beginning and the end of it: these governments had the ability to shut down the internet. Activists then subsequently organized in some old fashioned ways through the mosque, through word of mouth, through neighborhoods and continued to turn out big crowds in what are now very famous public squares.
But 10 years in, unfulfilled promises and voids in leadership have taken their toll.
“None of them, save perhaps Tunisia, really did make a transition to a more open and democratic society,” Steven explained. “The results have been either civil wars or authoritarianism.”
And the rise of terrorist groups, like ISIS, who brutally seized power in parts of Iraq, Libya and Syria, where Edward Clancy with Aid to the Church in Need says the aftermath has been devastating.
“Syria has had essentially 10 years of civil war that has come from the Arab Spring, so it’s hard to say that many good things have come,” he told Currents News, “And the same could be said of Yemen —Yemen is really a disaster. It’s an economic and political disaster..people are starving. There’s a lot of problems, and a lot of violence.”
In Iraq, violent extremists smashed centuries of priceless artifacts that bear witness to a history of cohesion among Muslims and Christians. It was all in an attempt to destroy Iraq’s Christian identity.
“Islam and Christianity have existed side by side in Iraq and in the region for many generations. One of the terrible things that ISIS did or does is try to remove or expunge all remnants of history or cultural significance of people or their opponents,” said Edward.
But the faithful of Qaraqosh in the Nineveh Plains – the heart of Iraq’s dwindling Christian community – could not be extinguished. Their beloved cathedral was restored after it was nearly wiped out by ISIS, with help from Aid to the Church in Need.
“The cathedral was rebuilt. and now, it’s the pride and joy of the Nineveh Plains,” said Edward. “It stands as a point of particular contact in the community but also as a source of pride and resistance that the people say when there’s a church, they know they can remain.”
As Pope Francis spreads his message of unity, hope and tolerance in Iraq, the significance of his visit has the world watching.
“You can’t help but think that the pope’s visit will shine a light on the tenets of christianity,” said Edward.
“It’s extraordinary that the pontiff is going to Iraq,” added Steven. “It’s an important visit not just for Iraqi christians, but for all Iraqis of good will who would like to pull their country back from the brink of collapse.”
Currents News Staff
Continuing our coverage of Pope Francis’ upcoming trip to Iraq: this upcoming historic visit holds a lot of meaning to Christians in the region who have faced persecution.
Steven Cook is a senior fellow with the Council on Foreign Relations and an expert on the region. He joined Currents News to discuss the impact and message that the Holy Father’s visit will bring during a tumultuous time.
By Emily Drooby
Every day after school, Danny Mantia is on the basketball court. Passing, shooting and perfecting his craft, he has a natural talent that runs in the family: His dad was his coach for years.
“I started playing basketball when I was probably six years old at my dad’s games,” he told Currents News.
Basketball, for the last 11 years it has been Danny’s passion.
“I play after school and then go home and watch basketball on TV, so a pretty big part of my life,” he explained.
To Danny, it’s not just a game. The court is where he faces off not only against opponents, but life.
“That’s been Danny all along, he just figures it out,” explained his mother, Mary Beth.
Life has thrown a lot his way, and he’s taken it in stride.
“Before his birth, while he was in utero, they noticed that something was wrong,” said Mary Beth.
Danny’s mom says doctors discovered he had what at the time they called “Proximal Focal Femoral Dysplasia,” a rare disease that affects the growth of the thigh bone. Doctors suggested removing his leg.
“And my husband and I were like, what? I mean this is a perfectly normal leg, it just needed some fixing,” said Mary Beth.
They chose to fight — Danny’s first face-off.
Four surgeries and more to come: straightening the bone, making an ACL, removing hardware and two lengthening surgeries, leading to three painful months of slowly stretching the bone.
“Just the whole having to rehab aspect of it,” is a challenge for Danny, “because I’ll be playing and I’ll have to take eight months off to rehab my leg and that can be difficult sometimes.”
It’s eight months to recover, nine more to regain his strength.
“He’s actually a pretty amazing kid. Just going through the surgeries that he’s gone through he has never complained. And this kid, you know this kid wakes up in pain almost every day, and the pain to him is just normal,” Mary Beth explained.
His leg has been stretched five inches, and he has two inches left.
It would be easy for the 17-year-old to lace up his shoes, to stop playing, to give up — but he doesn’t.
“God picked the right child,” said Mary Beth
Instead the point guard works harder and uses a lifted shoe, refusing to lose a step.
His coach, Bill Haskell, knows what it’s like to work hard for the love of the game. Born without a right hand, he played high school and college basketball.
“You know I just followed the game and studied it, and worked so hard at it,” he told Currents News.
After retiring from a long college coaching career, Bill decided to come to Saratoga Central Catholic School.
“When I retired I had in mind that I would love to become a high school basketball coach, where I could maybe inspire some kids,” he said.
Little did he know he would be inspired too. “It’s very encouraging that somebody would love the game that much to work that hard to be able to play,” he said.
A stimulus bill passes the House of Representatives but Catholic bishops are finding problems with it.
What’s next for the investigation into sexual harassment allegations against New York’s Governor.
The measures in place to protect the Holy Father and his trip to Iraq as COVID-19 ravages the country.
By Jessica Easthope
One year into the pandemic, food insecurity is still at an all-time-high in Brooklyn. According to North Brooklyn Angels, 20 percent of the borough is food insecure, a need that won’t disappear with the COVID vaccine.
“A lot of these people have a personal connection with us, so if they weren’t comfortable going out to one of these other outlets they would feel more comfortable receiving items from people they genuinely know,” said Colleen Chasteau, an organizer and member of St. Matthew Group of Hope.
With money raised on GoFundMe, the volunteers partnered with Key Food to purchase and distribute a week’s worth of groceries and essentials to more than 70 people. Colleen says it’s part of their Lenten promise.
“To give for the greater good is how we’re tying Lent into this, We’re all Catholics here, and it’s really important to our faith for us to give to those less fortunate than us,” she said.
Instead of giving something up, Father Frank Black , the pastor of St. Matthew’s, says the volunteers are giving more of themselves.
“Our Lenten sacrifice is to empty ourselves so we can fill ourselves with god’s love, but there’s also another way to do it by putting our love into practice,” said Fr. Frank.
St. Matthew Group of Hope’s operation is a community effort. They gathered the names of parishioners who they know need help, and were given more names by NYPD officers from the 77th precinct.
“The neighborhood police have been trying to do the same thing, because it’s all about what we’re supposed to be doing: working together as God’s people to make the world a better place,” Fr. Frank explained.
Grateful to have help during a difficult time, Rachel Green asked her neighbor Millie to come with her to get her groceries. She had plans to put the Pillars of Lent into practice in her own way.
“She’s a very close friend of mine and I plan to share the food with her,” Rachel said.
Volunteers say you can see just how thankful recipients are, and even after a year of struggle they’re still looking out for one another.
“To see folks come out not only for the food but to recommend other people and give names of other folks that are struggling and even give us names of people who want to help us distribute,” is something Kevin Adamar, another member of Group of Hope, has experienced.
Group of Hope was able to provide the groceries with just $2,500. They plan to hold another giveaway as soon as they raise enough.
If you’d like to contribute to Group of Hope’s efforts, head to gofundme.com/f/group-of-
Currents News Staff
Millions of Americans rely on unemployment benefits to pay for food and rent.
“I am a real person who had a real job,” said unemployed mother Veronica Bedico. “And now I need help, so that I can provide for my children.”
That money will start running out in less than two weeks if Congress doesn’t act fast. Now the pressure is on the senate to pass President Joe Biden’s $1.9 trillion COVID relief plan.
“We go big on unemployment benefits,” said Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown, “on opening schools and putting shots in people’s arms and money in people’s pockets.”
But there are bumps in the road.
The senate parliamentarian ruled the proposal in the House measure to raise the federal minimum wage to $15 dollars an hour must be removed in the senate version.
Progressives are pushing back.
“It is essential that we deliver on this promise,” said Washington Rep. Pramila Jayapal.
Senate Democrats are pressing forward without the minimum wage increase and without Republican support.
“Frankly, we’re moving ahead with a bill that probably will get no Republican votes in the senate,” said Delaware Sen. Chris Coons.
“Republicans have not been involved,” said Louisiana Sen. Bill Cassidy. “I listened to Press Secretary Jen Psaki speaking about how we have been listened to. I started laughing. That is such a joke. They made a conscious decision not to include us.”
Republicans say the bill is too big and not focused on COVID relief.
“Do we need to pay for bridges?” asks Florida Sen. Rick Scott. “Does that have anything to do with COVID? Do we need to pay for tunnels for Silicon Valley?”
Democrats must be fully united if they want to pass this package by the end of the week and get a bill on the president’s desk, before pandemic benefits expire.
The following is the full text from homilist Father Franklin Ezeorah, for the Feb. 28, 2021 Black History Month Mass:
“I like to begin by thanking your excellency Most Reverend Nicholas DiMarzio, the Catholic Bishop of Brooklyn Diocese, and the Very Reverend Father Alonzo Cox, the Vicar for the Black Catholic Concerns of the Diocese of Brooklyn, for graciously allowing me to be the homilist of this year’s Diocesan Black History celebration. This Diocese is arguably the most diverse in the US because of its openness to welcome immigrants and its diversified nature of pastoral ministration… and the credit goes to you, Bishop, and your collaborators for realizing that there is strength in diversity. We essentially embrace diversity because although we have different people globally, we have only one human race.
Today as we gather to celebrate Diocesan Black History Mass on the 2nd Sunday of Lent, I like to talk about three things.
1. The importance of the Black History celebration and the need to thank God
The Black History Month celebration is an important way of highlighting Black people’s breakthroughs as well as motivating them to keep forging ahead even in the face of daunting oppositions. Black History Month started as an annual celebration, initially proposed by the historian Carter G. Woodson and other prominent African Americans, to mark African Americans’ achievements and as a way to recognize their central role in the history of the United States. There is a Nigerian adage that says, “when a lizard falls from a high tree, it feels entitled to congratulate itself for its acrobatic skills, even if no one else does.” As African Americans, we should first and foremost thank God for granting us the tolerance and resilience in dealing with countless challenges that come our way. We also ought to congratulation ourselves for the successes of heroic black figures – whether they be inventors, educators, entertainers, or soldiers, even if no one else congratulates us. After all, “if you do not blow your trumpet, no one else will.”
Notwithstanding perceived injustice and discrimination against most African Americans in the past, many tried their level best to remain exemplary and irreprehensible. Please permit me to mention a few.
Martin Luther King Jr.: He was an African American Baptist minister and a nonviolent civil rights activist from 1955 until 1968, when he was assassinated. Despite the oppositions he faced that culminated in his death, King remained cool-headed and civil in his agitation for African Americans’ desegregation, Blacks’ right to vote, labor rights, and other basic rights.
Nelson Mandela. He was a South African anti-apartheid revolutionary political leader who served as the first black President of South Africa from 1994 to 1999. His leadership concentrated on dismantling the legacy of apartheid by tackling institutionalized racism and fostering racial reconciliation. Before becoming the President of South Africa, he spent 27 years in prison for standing up against the then oppressive government. And when leaving the prison after 27 long years, he said to himself: “As I walked out the door toward the gate that would lead to my freedom, I knew If I didn’t leave my hatred and bitterness behind, I’d still be in prison.”
Jane Matilda Bolin: She was the first black woman to serve as a judge in the United States. Inspired as a child by articles and pictures of the extrajudicial hanging of black southerners, she grew up to develop an interest in law as a way to fight injustice. She refused to be stopped from pursuing her dream even when she was prevented from entering Vassar College as it did not accept black students at the time. When she finally enrolled into Wellesley College in Massachusetts, she was surprised to discover that she was one of only two black freshmen in the college and had to live off-campus as the other students rejected them. Despite the social rejection, she continued to push forward, enrolling into Yale Law School, where she was the only black student, and one of three women and subsequently graduated in 1928. Bolin was relentless in her fight for children’s rights and education irrespective of race or religion.
Booker T. Washington: He was a renowned black educator and an outstanding example of calmness in the face of denigration or degradation. Shortly after taking over the presidency of Tuskegee Institute in Alabama, he was walking in an exclusive section of town when a wealthy white woman stopped him. Not knowing the famous Mr. Washington by sight, she asked if he would like to earn a few dollars by chopping wood for her. Because he had no pressing business at the moment, Professor Washington smiled, rolled up his sleeves, and proceeded to do the humble chore she had requested. When he was finished, he carried the logs into the house and stacked them by the fireplace. A little girl recognized him and later revealed his identity to the lady. The next morning the embarrassed woman went to see Mr. Washington in his office at the Institute and apologized profusely. “It’s perfectly all right, Madam,” he replied. “Occasionally, I enjoy a little manual labor. Besides, it’s always a delight to do something for a friend.” She shook his hand warmly and assured him that his meek and gracious attitude had endeared him and his work to her heart. Not long afterward, she showed her admiration by persuading some wealthy acquaintances to join her in donating thousands of dollars to the Tuskegee Institute.
2. The readings of today in the light of the Black History celebration
The original idea of Sacrifice is to unite humans with divinity. In other words, Sacrifice is carried out in order to improve the relationship between God and humanity. In today’s first reading, Abraham intends to offer his son Isaac to God as a sacrifice to strengthen the bond between him and God. By God asking Abraham to sacrifice his only son, one might erroneously think that God is demanding a human sacrifice. However, it is only meant to be a test of faith. God does not want an innocent boy to be killed. Instead, He wants to ban the practice of human Sacrifice in a dramatic and explicit manner because His son would go ahead and pay the price once and for all.
In the same way, in the 21st century, God is certainly not in approval of a section of His children being marginalized or maltreated because of their skin color. The fact that God wants Abraham to evade human Sacrifice is a testament to the fact God wants us today to avoid human maltreatment and think of some other sacrifices to ensure equality in the world. It is time to think real hard about reducing injustice; it is an opportunity for us to start thinking of pursuing values that make for a better Christian society. It is time for the Church to act as the moral conscience of the world to bring about lasting peace and tranquility not only in American society but in the world. The Church in the Diocese of Brooklyn is already doing well, but we need to make an extra effort (or, if you like, Sacrifice) to ensure that we continue to foster Unity and shun injustice.
The first reading today teaches us about Sacrifice and the blessings associated with it. When we look back at eminent black personalities in the past, one thing is clear. They all made tremendous sacrifices––Dr. Martin Luther King had to die for the course he believed in; Nelson Mandela had to endure imprisonment for 27 long years in order to secure the freedom of South Africans who were being segregated; Jane Bolin had to work extra hard to reform our prisons and to minimize the plight of children who were profiled in detention facilities; Jesus himself, who was arguably a black Palestinian Jew, emphasized within his inner circle the importance of sacrificing himself on the cross that we might be free.
In today’s gospel pericope, the Transfiguration of our Lord Jesus Christ paints a picture of God’s desire for inclusivity and Unity. This explains why Transfiguration’s vision depicts the union of the Law (marked by Moses’s appearance), the Prophet (manifested by Elijah’s presence), and God (depicted in the transformation of Jesus). These appearances of Moses, Elijah, and Jesus are symbolic – three men who fasted 40 days and nights; three men who spent a significant part of their lives fighting injustice and discrimination; and three men who defiled death by their mysterious endings (Moses’ grave was nowhere to be found, Deut. 34: 7, Elijah reportedly ascended into heaven, 2 kg 2: 1-13, Jesus rose from the dead on the third day and also ascended into heaven, Lk 24: 1 – 53). We, too, must learn from them and get involved in our devotion to God, in determination to fight injustice, and in our resolve to peacefully leave a good legacy to the coming generation.
The Transfiguration of Jesus Christ also carries a message concerning the importance of listening to God through the Law, the Prophet, and the Son of God. At the transfiguration encounter, the voice of God is heard through the thick cloud, saying, “This is my beloved son. Listen to him.” To this extent, when we obey the Law, including the just laws of the land, we are invariably listening to God.
The country was originally designed to pursue equality and unity. This intent for unity does not mean that we are one in terms of race, culture, color, creed, ideology, etc. It actually means that despite the diversified composition of the United States people, the country is still regarded as “one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.” That is what made America great and the world’s number one. This idea of Unity in diversity is further reinforced by the de facto motto of the United States until 1956: E pluribus unum, meaning “out of many, one.” Much like New York City, which is called the “melting pot of the nation”––a title that is regarded as a monocultural metaphor for a heterogeneous society that is becoming more homogeneous, the different elements “melting together” with a common culture. To this extent, our Unity is not a negation of our diversity; instead, it is a recognition that our diversity is our strength.
Without wishing to go into the history of the misapplication of this great ideal of our founding fathers, I think it is correct to state that Black people in America have suffered incredible levels of prejudice in the past and are still suffering. Just after the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. and faced by such prejudice, a black priest from Rockford, Illinois, Fr. Herman Porter, convened the first meeting of the Black Catholic Clergy Caucus in Detroit, attracting 58 black priests and religious, and drafting a statement that inaugurated a national Black Catholic Movement intending to condemn the then Catholic Church in the U.S. perceived to be a racist institution.”
Progress is being made today, no doubt. Before the Transfiguration or transformation brought about by the Black Catholic Movement and the Civil Rights Movement, African-American heritage was such a social disability in the U. S. that White shopkeepers would slap a Black customer’s change on the counter to keep from touching his/her hands. In some restaurants, Blacks’ dishes or glasses would be broken immediately after they had finished eating. If a Black swam in a public pool, it would immediately be closed, drained, and disinfected. Even in some of our Catholic parishes, Black parishioners had to wait until all the White parishioners had received the Eucharist before presenting themselves at the altar for Communion. The issue, however, is not only a matter of race, it is a question of all people in our society who are “different” from us. Our modern society ostracizes some on account of their beliefs, personalities, and status; some are stigmatized simply because they are alcoholics or drug addicts or homeless, migrant workers, and asylum seekers. Such attitudes are unchristian. They have no place among Jesus’ disciples.
Nevertheless, in the face of mounting oppositions, we have continued to forge ahead. This was essentially the rationale behind the nonviolent movement and struggle of Martin Luther King Jr. That movement he initiated and died for accomplished some purpose in improving race relations in America, but we are not out of the woods yet. Just around this time last year, we witnessed the horrendous death of Breonna Taylor and, shortly before summer, the death of George Floyd. Our new President described the incident that led to George Floyd’s death as “a knee on the neck of justice.”
3. Some recommendations for the Church and Black people
Through some of our outstanding leaders, the Church has contributed in no small measure in elevating African Americans’ status in this Diocese. I like to highlight the achievements and contributions of one of the priests of the Diocese, the venerable Msgr. Bernard Quinn. Msgr. Quinn, who was ordained to the Diocese of Brooklyn sought the permission of the then Bishop Charles Edward McDonnell to begin an “Apostolate to Blacks” because of his perceived negligence of African Americans in the Diocese. Although he met with resistance from the Bishop who sent him instead to work as a Chaplain in the military that was actively involved in the First World War, he remained resolute and committed to this course that ultimately saw to the opening and dedication of St. Peter Claver Church on February 26, 1922 (which is 99 years ago and I thank the Bishop for the graciously allowing me to serve in that great Church).
Msgr. Quinn was a good example of resilience in the face of opposition as he remained undaunted in his resolve to improve the relationship of the Church with African Americans and improve their quality of life. That is the role of the Church and Msgr. Quinn stopped at nothing in accomplishing this task, including founding an orphanage for the numerous Black children who became orphans during the Great Depression, despite the relentless pushbacks and attacks from the Ku Klux Klan.
The beautiful words and prayers of our Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio on the occasion of the official opening of the Canonical inquiry into the Cause of Canonization of Msgr. Quinn leaves much to be desired. The Bishop addressed the following prayer to God on that occasion:
“Almighty God blessed the Diocese of Brooklyn by sending Father Quinn to minister among us. That ministry did not end upon his death but has continued to grow and take root in the hearts and souls of the faithful and clergy of this Church in New York, which has continually ministered to the poor and oppressed. I am delighted to be given the privilege to preside at the cause of Canonization for this priest who was a courageous and tireless proponent of the equality of all people.”
Thank you, Bishop, for those beautiful words, and that is essentially what we are called to do as a Church.
Today, we are experiencing a staggering loss of lives due to the current coronavirus pandemic in which people of color are disproportionately affected. We all know the reason why that is. Now, that is not the Church’s fault, but the Church in the Diocese of Brooklyn can mirror the example of Msgr. Quinn in trying to step in and address the problems affecting our numerous worshippers and members of the body of Christ.
As Abraham was willing to sacrifice his only son Isaac and God was willing to sacrifice His only Son Jesus, are we willing to sacrifice our wealth for works of charity (something that the Annual Catholic Appeal evidently does for us)? Are we ready to embrace the Sacrifice of practicing works of mercy? The courage of Abraham and Jesus should teach us to confront the difficult challenges of our lives as a Church and as people of color, believing that God will provide the grace to do that, just as he provided Abraham with a ram for Sacrifice.
This country, from day one, was set up for success. Much like the Unity of the Three Godhead, the binding up of many diversified people as the United States of America speaks to the country’s greatness. However, Unity is a work in progress, which is why we still have work to do. Our Holy Father, Pope Francis, in his homily during the Vespers on the Solemnity of the Conversion of St. Paul in 2015, describes Unity in the following light: “Unity grows along the way; it never stands still. Unity happens when we walk together.” Together we have to continuously nurture this UNITY in order to have it fresh in our minds. We cannot forget that we had struggled with Unity during the civil war, or when the Blacks faced segregation, or in the recent time through police brutality. In the past, the Church played a role in uniting the country, even if in a little way. We praise the Church’s efforts in bringing about Unity, but we must frown against the use of the Church for furthering divisions.
Given that the Church is theandrical, that is, the Church has both the divine and human elements, we must guard against allowing our human dimensions to override our spiritual qualities. There is no doubt that in touch with her divine dimension, the Church has often promoted unity, justice, love, peace, equity, and all other universal Christian virtues that promote wellbeing in our human society. We cannot afford to allow the human dimension of the Church members to lead us to fan the embers of vices that make for disunity like racism, inequality, hate, injustice, and so on.
Therefore, our Black History Month celebration reminds us that the struggle is still on, but we shall overcome it. The second reading today assures us that no one can be against us if God is for us. However, in anticipation of our success, what are we doing in the meantime to bring about a better tomorrow for ourselves, for our kids, for our Church, for our society, for our environment, and our world? It, therefore, calls for action on the part of the Church and its members. All hands must be on deck to stamp out the ugly trend of racism and disunity and promote Unity and peace for all. The contributions we make to foster Unity can be incremental or massive, but we have to keep doing something. We cannot sit down with virtually folded arms waiting for things to get better. Against this backdrop, Martin Luther King Jr once advised, ‘If you cannot fly then run; if you cannot run then walk; If you cannot walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward (and I add physically and spiritually).’ We, too, must keep moving. We must contribute to the society in which we live. That is how God’s kingdom flourishes. We must do our part and allow God to do His.
According to Thomas Jefferson, the third President of the United States and an American Founding Father as well as the principal author of the Declaration of Independence (1776), (he said) “Wisdom is knowing what to do next. Skill is knowing how to do it. Virtue is doing it.” With our wisdom as a Church, let us get to work. We have to figure out what to do next in order to evade injustice tomorrow, in order to be the moral conscience of our society, and in order to ensure a peaceful and loving society. As a Church, we have to imbibe some skills that will get us there, one of which is the vicariate for the Black Catholic Concerns as well as the annual Catholic Appeal that helps the most vulnerable among us. We have to develop the virtue that will set our work into motion until we achieve the aim of forging a peaceful and successful society.
What is important is to be serious in our collective commitment to addressing systemic racism in America for more peaceful coexistence of children of the same Heavenly Father.
May God help us as we try. Amen!
Happy Black History celebration.