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Pope Francis Prays for Victims of Devastating Explosion in Beirut

Currents News Staff and Carol Glatz

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — After a massive fire triggered a deadly explosion in Beirut, Pope Francis called for prayers and a united effort to help Lebanon overcome “this serious crisis.”

“Let us pray for the victims and their family members, and let us pray for Lebanon so that with the effort of everyone in society — political and religious — it may face this tragic and painful moment and, with the help of the international community, overcome the serious crisis it is experiencing,” the pontiff said Aug. 5 at the end of his general audience.

The morning after a devastating explosion rocked the city’s port area Aug. 4, at least 100 people were reported dead, more than 4,000 others were injured, and more than 100 people were missing. Rescue workers continued to search for survivors under the rubble.

Lebanese President Michel Aoun said the blast was caused by thousands of tons of ammonium nitrate stored in a warehouse that had caught fire.

The shock waves from the explosion flattened nearby structures, shattered glass and shook buildings throughout the city in the tiny Mediterranean nation already devastated by the coronavirus and its worst financial crisis since the 1975-1990 civil war.

A recent report by the U.N. World Food Program said almost 50% of Lebanese citizens – along with 63 percent of Palestinian refugees and 75 percent of Syrian refugees in the country – were worried they could find enough food.

Grammy-Nominated Musician Ayiesha Woods to Release New Faith-Inspired Song, ‘Family’

Currents News Staff

Grammy-nominated musician Ayiesha Woods is releasing a new song called Family as part of her new project “Full Circle,” to be released in September 2020.

“’Family’ is a theme song, a global theme song of celebration, and celebration of one of humankind’s greatest treasures, through it all — through the ups and downs, through the good times and the bad times alike,” she told Currents News.

Although the theme seems especially fitting during the coronavirus pandemic, as many families come out of an extended lockdown period, it was actually hurricane Irma, which hit the southeast United States in 2017, that first inspired the song.

“For that whole week almost, we were hunkered down and spending a whole lot of time together, as a family, and that’s actually when I wrote the song, ‘Family,’” she explained.

It wasn’t a solo project however. Ayiesha co-wrote the song with her husband, a real testament to the ideals it embodies.

“He’s big on family. I’m big on family,” she said. “We both come from very strong families, thank God for that, and family is the absolute greatest representation of God’s kingdom.”

Ayiesha says “Full Circle” is sure to challenge fans in their faith. She says they can expect to be inspired and encouraged. Most importantly, she says they can definitely expect to dance.

The album, with its refreshing beats and message of unity, camaraderie, faith and love, is what the artist calls “an authentic, unapologetic Ayiesha Woods experience.”

Currents News full broadcast for Tues, 8/4/20 (Catholic news)

Currents News reports secular and religious news from the Catholic perspective.

Some of the top stories on this newscast:

The storm slamming the east coast has New York City seeing the worst winds since Superstorm Sandy.

The Big Apple’s top doctor is calling it quits after a fight with the mayor.

The world is watching Pope Benedict’s health closely. Tonight, there’s a promising update.

Catholic Mom With Multiple Sclerosis Pens Book ‘Some Days We…’ to Help Son Understand Her Diagnosis

By Jessica Easthope

Julie Stamm loves reading her new book “Some Days We…” with her four-year-old son, Jack. Just like the dedication page says, everything in her life is for him.

Jack is Julie’s motivation and her muse. After Jack was born, Julie’s multiple sclerosis wasn’t just about her anymore. She wanted Jack to understand that some days would be harder than others.

“I’ve told him from when he was born that mom has MS, she’s a little different, but now he’s old enough to get what MS means and I wanted him to have a way to visualize it in a book and everything I found was a little depressing and too complicated for a 4-year-old to understand,” Julie said.

The book follows a boy named Wyatt and his mom Anne who, like Julie, has MS. Every page is a true story of a day when Julie’s MS was debilitating, but the book is about how Jack saw her hardest days: to him, they were some of the best.

“They’re my worst days in my mind and then I sat down with him and asked him, ‘How do you feel about this,’ and they were his favorite days. So it’s good to get the perspective and listen to your children because those days and the guilt I have associated with them were great adventures for him,” said Julie.

Since her diagnosis in 2007, Julie has had her ups and downs.

“On hot days when I get hot I lose vision in my right eye and if I don’t see my feet, I can’t move them. So if I’m wearing a mask and I’m walking down the stairs, I need to see my feet to get to that next stair,” she explained.

You wouldn’t know it from looking at her, which is why “Some Days We…” highlights that you can’t always see a disability. The book is now being used to help families just like Julie’s.

“I’m getting parents who didn’t tell their children they had MS and they’re using it as a tool, and that’s probably my favorite so far,” Julie said.

One source of positivity throughout Julie’s battle with MS has been her faith, especially her friendship with Father Joseph Fonti, her family priest.

“Father Fonti, every happy moment he’s a part of, he guides us and he’s always there to be supportive,” said Julie.

“Some Days We…” was released in February on Amazon and in Barnes and Noble and Target. The COVID-19 pandemic put a lot of Julie’s promotion of the book on hold, but Julie says the book’s message is needed now more than ever.

“Some days we have to not go out because there’s a global pandemic, and some days we have to wear a mask and we’re slowly seeing everyone has something they need to adjust to,” Julie said.

As Jack will shyly say, he can’t read yet. But now, thanks to Julie, he understands.

Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI’s Health Condition Normal for His Age, Says Vatican

By Emily Drooby and Elise Ann Allen

After rumors in the German press Aug. 3 suggested Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI was suffering from a facial infection, the Vatican has confirmed the retired pontiff is sick but insisted his condition is normal for someone his age.

Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni confirmed that the retired pope is ill, telling journalists Aug. 3 that according to reports from Benedict’s personal secretary, German Archbishop Georg Gänswein, “the health conditions of the pope emeritus are not of particular concern, except for those of a 93-year-old who is going through the most acute phase of a painful, but not serious, illness.”

Aides to the retired pontiff told journalists that Benedict’s infection is an “inflammation of the trigeminal nerve,” meaning he has what Americans would refer to as shingles. According to the Mayo Clinic in the United States, experts estimate “that half the people age 80 and older will have shingles” at some point.

Pope Emeritus Benedict’s aides also said that “the pain has passed,” and that Benedict is “slowly healing…but he’s absolutely not in a serious condition.”

Speaking to Crux, Doctor Bruno Casaregola, who has not treated the retired pope but who serves as medical director at Rome’s Salvator Mundi hospital, said that theoretically shingles can be life-threatening for an elderly person by triggering encephalitis, but that would require “a strong underlying immunodeficiency” which there is no basis to believe Benedict has.

Casaregola said the condition can cause chronic pain and potentially result in reduced functionality in the affected area, but those outcomes can be prevented with aggressive treatment.

Tropical Storm Isaias Slams Into East Coast

Currents News Staff

As Tropical Storm Isaias rockets up the Northeast, millions are under tropical storm warnings, including those located on the east coast, such as Washington, New York City and Boston.

Governor Phil Murphy of New Jersey held onto hope.

 “We’re hoping for the best and preparing for the worst,” he said in a press conference.

The storm is expected to bring strong wind gusts of more than 60 mph for major Northeast metro areas. Forecasted winds in New York City could be the strongest the city has seen since Superstorm Sandy in 2012.

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio spoke about the tropical storm conditions in his press conference and asked for residents to take it seriously.

“Heavy rain and high winds, threat of tornadoes now,” he said.

Tornadoes are a huge concern. In the morning Aug. 4,  at least 20 were reported between North Carolina and New Jersey. North Carolina’s Bertie County Sheriff John Holley said it was bad.

“There’s nothing there,” Holley said. “You can look across the field, you can actually see the frame of a mobile home. You can look across the field and see vehicles are turned over, vehicles are piled up on top of each other. It’s just very sad.”

On Maryland’s eastern shore, a suspected tornado caused widespread damage and another tornado touched down near Ocean City, N.J.

Tornado warnings were also issued for the Philadelphia and New York metro area.

“That is such a rarity here in New York City,” Mayor de Blasio said. “It is something to worry about.”

Father and Son With Disabilities Who Walked the Camino de Santiago Hope to Meet Pope Francis

Currents News Staff

Álvaro has an intellectual disability, but that did not stop him from walking the Camino de Santiago after it reopened after the pandemic.

He did it with his father, Ildefonso, and his friend Paco. They traveled the entire Iberian Peninsula by car and stopped at Sarria, 62 miles before the end.

They say it was quite an experience. The three walked, prayed and made plans for the future: to invite the Holy Father to lunch.

“What are you going to say to Pope Francis? What will he do?”  Álvaro was asked. “To have lunch. Where?”

“At my house,” he responded.

The father and son shared their adventure on social media, and their videos were a resounding media success. In fact, they took the opportunity to launch a fundraising campaign for a charitable organization in their city of Malaga.

In the last stage of the Camino, their nerves began to rise to the surface.

“Well we are finishing it,” Ildefonso told viewers in a video. “We only have a little bit left…Just over a mile left.”

Then, they were there. 

They could not embrace the image of the Apostle Santiago, as is tradition. Anti-Covid-19 measures greatly limited the capacity of the cathedral. However, the setback was taken with sportsmanship.

“We are now going to take a shower and do another part of the pilgrimage, which is filling ourselves with octopus,” said Ildefonso:. “Are you going to eat a lot of octopus?” he asked his son in a video. 

“Yes!” said Álvaro.

The Camino de Santiago was a deep faith experience for them. For Ildefonso, it gave him the opportunity to share the joy of his son and get to know him better.

For Álvaro, doing the Camino de Santiago was a dream to fulfill. Now it’s time to go for the next one: to meet the pope.

They have already done so, at least, in writing. 

Pope Francis himself wrote a letter to Álvaro a few days after he finished his pilgrimage. In it, he thanked the teenager for the joy and hope he spread through his trip. He said Álvaro has shown us that one should not be afraid as God does not abandon people.

Father Fabio Salerno Is Named Pope Francis’ New Personal Secretary

Currents News Staff

Pope Francis has chosen a new personal secretary, Father Fabio Salerno, who works in the Vatican Secretariat of State’s Section for Relations With States. Fr. Salerno will replace Monsignor Yoannis Lahzi Gaid.

Born in Catanzaro, Italy, in April, 1979, and ordained to the priesthood in 2011, Fr. Salerno has served as secretary of the apostolic nunciature in Indonesia and at the Holy See’s Permanent Mission to the Council of Europe in Strasbourg.

Fr. Salerno will replace Monsignor Yoannis Lahzi Gaid, who has been one of the pope’s personal secretaries since April, 2014, and who will continue his work as a member of the Higher Committee of Human Fraternity. Fr. Salerno will work with Uruguayan priest, Gonzalo Aemilius, whom the pontiff named as his personal secretary in January, 2020.

Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni explained that this latest appointment is “a normal turnover of roles,” in accordance with the Holy Father’s view that the role of secretary should be temporary. 

Porziuncola in Assisi Reminds Faithful About Power of Forgiveness, Especially in Month of August

Currents News Staff

Four years ago, the pope made a quick but emotional and profoundly meaningful visit to the Porziuncola in Assisi. He participated in the 800th anniversary celebration of the “Pardon of Assisi.” From there, he reminded the faithful that the path of mercy can truly renew the Church and the world.

“The world needs forgiveness,” he said. “Too many people are caught up in resentment and harbor hatred, because they are incapable of forgiving. They ruin their own lives and the lives of those around them, rather than finding the joy and serenity of peace.”

Still relevant today, this message has its roots here, in this place. What is the pardon of Assisi? It’s the possibility of obtaining a plenary indulgence on the first two days of August. The tradition was born out of a mystical experience St. Francis of Assisi had in the year 1216.

“It’s a fact that emerges from a temptation,” said Franciscan Brother Pasquale. “St. Francis is behind the Porziuncola, near an average rosebush, when he’s tempted. How does he choose to face this temptation? After several moments of resistance, he decides to throw himself upon the rosebush, naked. However, the Lord rewards him in the moment in which he throws himself onto the rosebush and the roses lose their thorns.”

That same rosebush, without thorns, is preserved to this day.

After this event, two angels accompany St. Francis to the place of the Porziuncola. There he sees Christ and Our Lady. God asks the saint what he wants from Him. St. Francis asks for a plenary indulgence for all pilgrims who visit that chapel.

“God grants him this petition at a time when plenary indulgences can be obtained only by making long trips to the Holy Land, which not everyone could manage, and which were even dangerous,” said Brother Pasquale. “Francis didn’t understand how such an essential gift (the forgiveness of sins) could be inaccessible to some, especially the poorest.”

Then he goes to Pope Honorius III, who recognizes that it is a direct grace from God.

For centuries, indulgences could only be obtained at the papal Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels. 

Now, it can be obtained at any Franciscan church or any parish church in Assisi. To receive the “Pardon of Assisi,” a few requirements must be met: going to confession, receiving communion and praying for the pope’s intentions.

Pandemic Exposes Vulnerable Populations as Human Trafficking on the Rise

By Emily Drooby

As billions of people shuttered their doors to avoid COVID-19, another virus was growing, according to the international social service Catholic organization Caritas Internationalis.

“Human trafficking and exploitation is increasing during pandemic,” said Marta Petrosillo from Caritas Internationalis.

Tori Curbelo, who works for Lifeway Network, a Brooklyn and Queens-based group that fights human trafficking by providing housing for victims and education for the public, also spoke with Currents News on the issue. 

“Already, human trafficking victims are exploited because of vulnerabilities, and situations like the pandemic just exasperate those vulnerabilities,” she said.

Tori says the U.S. has also seen an increase in crisis trafficking situations, up 40 percent after shelter in place orders were started.

Marta says all the attention to the pandemic shifted attention from other vulnerable populations.

“All the attention to this pandemic diverted somehow, government and institutions attention on other collateral damages, especially on vulnerable people,” she said.

As Marta explains, that includes migrant workers — many of them undocumented, and children experiencing violence and forced labor, as well as victims being trafficked for sexual exploitation. 

There’s a lot of reasons for the surge, including housing, job instability and a lack of freedom and ability to get out of a bad situation because of the lockdown and travel restrictions. There’s also an increase in online child exploitation, as children and predators have been using the internet more often since lockdown.

A lack of access to resources is also to blame. Tori says not feeling supported can make victims put off getting help.

“We have to remember: accessing that help is really difficult for some people to take that step,” she said.“At any point they can change their mind and decide, ‘You know what? I’m going through a bad situation, but I don’t feel comfortable.’”

So how can we deal with this plague? Caritas is calling on governments to provide victims with access to shelters, hotlines and to put measures into place that can support workers in informal sectors.

Individuals can help too, by keeping their eyes open. 

“There will never be, of course you may know, a sign that says, ‘Human trafficking is going on here,’ but there are dynamics that should make us feel uncomfortable,” said Tori.

Signs of trouble include living with an employer, or being unable to speak with the person alone, also scripted or rehearsed answers, acting submissive or fearful and an employer holding a victim’s identity documents.

“Building relationships with people we encounter from coffee shops to the grocery store, and getting to know their names and their situations that can be mighty helpful as well,” Tori added.