Currents News reports secular and religious news from the Catholic perspective.
Some of the top stories on this newscast:
A pandemic can’t stop prayer. A strong showing of Catholic faith in very challenging times.
Rededicated after being defaced – the men of Cathedral Prep showing their love for Mary is stronger than ever.
The Vatican is taking new action tonight to protect children.
By Jessica Easthope
Faith and devotion are alive in the Brooklyn Diocese. For the 133rd year, Our Lady of Mount Carmel was processed through the streets of South Williamsburg.
Though her feast day is usually celebrated with the Giglio Festival, the pandemic kept the iconic seven-story statue on the ground this year. But people of the parish and across the diocese still made sure Our Lady of Mount Carmel was honored.
“We weren’t sure this was even a possibility so this is honestly a blessing for all of us to be here with our families and loved ones and take our Mother out into the street,” said John Perrone, a member of the Giglio Feast committee.
This is the first time in decades John hasn’t lifted the Giglio. but he says his faith and gratitude to Our Lady is stronger than ever: it’s reflected in his dedication to the procession.
“To us this is a very important element of it all, the most important,” John said.
Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio said Mass before the historic procession. He says though the pandemic has changed the way we worship, it hasn’t changed why.
“The festivities only point to one thing: we’re happy. We’re happy that this is the annual Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, our Heavenly Mother who gives so many graces to the people who honor her. The essential thing is we honor the Mother of God, and that’s what this feast is about,” said Bishop DiMarzio.
The annual Giglio Feast helps sustain Our Lady of Mount Carmel parish financially all year. This year, the street in front of the church wasn’t lined with dozens of vendors and people like years past, but Monsignor Jamie Gigantiello said the church found other ways to raise money.
“They’re donating all their proceeds today to the parish, it’s the two staples of the feast, zeppoles and sausage and peppers, they’re making all that donation it will all come back to the church,” said Msgr. Jamie.
Msgr. Jamie says he has no doubt the tradition’s deep roots in the neighborhood and in the lives of those who participate will continue to grow.
“People have such a great devotion and they want to come and honor our Blessed Mother,” he said. “We know next year is going to be a big year.”
By Emily Drooby
It was a special moment outside of Cathedral Preparatory School and Seminary during the prayer service and rededication of a 100-year-old statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary, now restored after it was desecrated by spray paint almost a week ago.
“Well, we pass it every morning and Mary is our mother and she’s our guidance sometimes, pretty much all of the time. She guides us to do good and to better ourselves,” said Christopher Santagata, a student at the school.
The rededication was done on the feast day of Our Lady of Mount Carmel.
Cathedral Prep’s students, teachers and staff put summer break on hold to pray outdoors at the school in Elmhurst, Queens.
“Although I was upset, I knew that something good will always come out of evil,” explained student Patrick Rubi. “I knew that Father Kuroly was going to do something and it would be cleaned eventually, and that Our Lady would not remain dirty.”
Father James Kuroly, the school’s rector and president says he’s grateful to Catholic Cemeteries, the group responsible for quickly cleaning and restoring the Blessed Mother’s monument.
On July 10, the statue was vandalized and the word “idol” was written in thick black spray paint down the front. The incident is being investigated by the NYPD as criminal mischief.
But Thursday wasn’t about anger towards this suspect. Instead, it was a celebration of the school’s resilience and their faith
“What a beautiful site it is that we are able to have a day where we are able to stand with in intercession with the students, faculty, and with members of the Elmhurst community to really show that our faith and our love does not waver, it only gets stronger,” Fr. Kuroly told Currents News.
By Melissa Butz and Carol Glatz
VATICAN CITY (CNS) — The Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith released a 17-page document offering a step-by-step guide for how bishops, religious superiors and canon lawyers are supposed to handle accusations of alleged abuse by clerics against minors.
While nothing in the text is new, nor does it reflect any change to current church law, the handbook is meant to present clear and precise directions, procedures as well as attitudes church leaders should have toward victims, the accused, civil authorities and the media.
Cardinal Luis Ladaria, prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, said the handbook, called the “Vademecum,” was the result of numerous requests by bishops and superiors of men’s and women’s religious orders “to have at their disposal a tool that could help them in the delicate task of correctly conducting cases regarding deacons, priests and bishops when they are accused of the sexual abuse of minors.”
“The course of justice cannot alone exhaust the church’s response, but it is necessary in order to come to the truth of the facts,” Cardinal Ladaria said in a statement published by the Vatican July 16.
“This is a complex path that leads into a dense forest of norms and procedures before which ordinaries and superiors sometimes find themselves lacking the certainty how to proceed,” he said.
Cardinal Ladaria said the handbook was “designated as version 1.0” and will be subject to future updates.
It will be adapted to any eventual developments of canon law as well as to “respond to new challenges that experience will offer to the juridical treatment of the cases in question,” he said.
He also said it will be updated in the future with considerations from dioceses and church institutions whose “qualified contribution will help to correct, integrate, specify and clarify those points that, as is only natural, require deeper reflection.”
Some of the more notable clarifications of current norms and procedures include:
— Information about alleged abuse does not have to come as a formal complaint to an ordinary. The church leader can learn about it from a third party, anonymous sources and even through social media. “It is not advisable to dismiss the matter” outright, it said, no matter how dubious or uncertain the claim.
— In the case of an accusation being made during confession, the priest must respect the sacramental seal, however he “should seek to convince the penitent to make that information known by other means, in order to enable the appropriate authorities to take action.”
— Upon learning of an allegation, the ordinary “ought” to begin a preliminary investigation and gather and safeguard evidence. Even if the report is determined to be unfounded, the accusation, all documentation and an explanation for the ordinary’s decision should be kept and a note about the decision should be sent to the doctrinal congregation.
— “Even in cases where there is no explicit legal obligation to do so, the ecclesiastical authorities should make a report to the competent civil authorities if this is considered necessary to protect the person involved or other minors from the danger of further criminal acts.”
— In situations not involving a minor, but that are “cases of improper and imprudent conduct,” it said, “should it prove necessary to protect the common good and to avoid scandal, the ordinary or hierarch is competent to take other administrative provisions with regard to the person accused, for example, restrictions on his ministry, or to impose the penal remedies” in order to prevent further delicts.
— The ordinary or his delegate is responsible for the preliminary investigation, which is not a trial, but a phase to collect information, and any “eventual omission of this duty could constitute a delict subject to a canonical procedure” in conformity with canon law and Pope Francis’ document on accountability, “As a Loving Mother.”
— Church authorities were urged to seek help from the doctrinal office or experts at any point in the proceedings.
— During the investigative phase, “a decision to be avoided is that of simply transferring the accused cleric from his office, region or religious house, with the idea that distancing him from the place of the alleged crime or alleged victims constitutes a sufficient solution of the case.” Other precautionary measures, which the document refers to, should be considered.
— If the church receives “a legitimate executive order requiring the surrender of documents regarding cases, or order (for) the judicial seizure of such documents, the ordinary or hierarch must cooperate with the civil authorities.”
— When it comes to whether the bishop or superior must inform civil authorities upon receiving an allegation and opening its own investigation, it said leaders should consider the “respect for the laws of the state” and “respect for the desire of the alleged victim, provided that this is not contrary to civil legislation.” Alleged victims should be encouraged to exercise their duties and rights as civilians in regard to state authorities.
— While the “secret of office” was to be respected by church personnel, “it must be remembered, however, that an obligation of silence about the allegations cannot be imposed on the one reporting the matter, on a person who claims to have been harmed, and on witnesses.”
— Accusers were also to be kept informed of the proceedings if they so desired.
In an effort to help those responsible for handling abuse allegations and to collect testimonials of credibility with regard to the complainants and the alleged victims, the congregation included a form to be filled out, listing what it considers “useful data that those carrying out the preliminary investigation will want to compile and have at hand.”
In an interview with Vatican News July 16, Archbishop Giacomo Morandi, secretary of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, said it is “the first time the procedure is described in an organized way — from the first report of a possible crime to the definitive conclusion of the cause — uniting the existing norms and the praxis of the congregation.”
He also affirmed that the guidelines ensure that anonymous complaints of abuse, which were often disregarded, are taken more seriously now and that ignoring a complaint “because it is not signed would be wrong.”
“It has become clear that a peremptory attitude in one sense or another is not conducive to the search for truth and justice,” he said. “How can a complaint which, even if anonymous, contains certain evidence (i.e. photos, films, messages, audio), or at least concrete and plausible clues of the commission of a crime, be thrown out?”
Archbishop Morandi said that while some crimes are recent, the congregation is “still witnessing reports emerge of old cases, sometimes many years later.”
Nevertheless, he said, “when this phase of past cases emerging comes to an end, I am convinced (and we all hope so) that the phenomenon we are witnessing today can recede.”
Plans to publish the handbook were first announced at a press briefing at the end of the Vatican summit on the protection of minors in 2019.
Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, who served as moderator of the four-day summit, said at the time that the handbook would be available in “a few weeks or month or two.”
Archbishop Morandi told Vatican News that the delay in publishing the handbook was “due to extensive analysis work, not only within the congregation but also outside of it, with experts in the field, other dicasteries, and in particular with the Secretariat of State.”
The summit brought together Pope Francis and 190 church leaders — presidents of bishops’ conferences, the heads of the Eastern Catholic churches, superiors of men’s and women’s religious orders and Roman Curia officials — for four days of listening to speeches, survivors’ testimonies, discussions in small groups, a penitential liturgy and Mass.
In addition to the handful of survivors who spoke at the summit itself, dozens of survivors from around the world gathered in Rome in solidarity with one another and to speak to reporters and to individual bishops. Twelve representatives of the survivors were invited to meet with the summit’s organizing committee.
Father Lombardi told journalists that the handbook would list a set of guidelines and “will help bishops around the world clearly understand their duties and tasks” when handling cases of abuse.
– – –
The text in English can be found at http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_20200716_vademecum-casi-abuso_en.html.
The text in Spanish can be found at http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_20200716_vademecum-casi-abuso_sp.html.
– – –
Contributing to this story was Junno Arocho Esteves
Currents News Staff
A regular day at their grandparent’s pool turned tragic for the Kerr family.
Jenna’s son Graham, at just eight years old, spotted his three-year-old brother JD at the bottom of the pool. He pulled him up and called for help.
“We turned around and he was bringing us JD in his arms,” Jenna said. “JD was blue, his lips were blue, his hands were blue.”
JD’s dad Craig is a CPR certified firefighter, and never thought he’d have to perform a life-saving measure on his own child. But with his help, he brought JD back.
“You kind of, try to prepare yourself for everybody else’s emergency, never really your own until it happens,” Craig said.
JD was rushed to a children’s hospital where he was incubated. It wasn’t long after doctors took out the tube that JD told his parents what happened.
“He said he talked to a big man through a window with a bright light,” said mother Jenna Kerr. “I mean, our son saw God that day.”
Craig said, “He began to tell me, he said, ‘I sneak.’ I said ‘What?’ He said, ‘I sneaked into the pool yesterday.’ It just broke my heart at that point, because I didn’t think we’d ever know what really happened.”
Jenna and Craig were the only adults in the pool at the time. They want other families to take something away from their story.
“If it not had been for the floaties, then there’s no doubt in my mind we would’ve been able to see him try to sneak into the pool,” Craig said. “I think there needs to be an adult that is not swimming, is not occupied with anything else and is just kinda watching the yard, watching your pool.”
JD will randomly tell his mom and dad more things about that day.
“He’s told us some other things – like what he saw while he was asleep,” Jenna explained. “He said that the big bear told him to come back home to his mom and dad and go fast. That’s coming from our three year old.”
JD’s lungs are healing well. His family says he can get back to doing everything he usually does, except go to high altitudes like to the mountains, or on an airplane.
Currents News Staff
It’s always been difficult for single mothers to buy diapers for their kids.The pandemic has complicated that even further.
Cartier Kerry is only 11-years-old, and a rising sixth grader. But the little boy with the heart of gold is also the CEO of #Cartipack, which is a lemonade stand that aims to help single mothers.
“We are raising money for single mothers that are struggling,” said Cartier. ”I set out to sell lemonade, chips, candy and all types of stuff that people wanna come buy, and it’s not expensive.”
Each cup of the summertime drink — and the goodies on the side — all go to buy diapers.
“Diapers are for mothers, for people that know people that have babies,” said Cartier.
It’s an unusual business model, but one that’s working.
“There’s a shortage of pampers, of wipes in the stores because of the pandemic,” said Anthony Carey, Cartier’s father. “It couldn’t have been a better time.”
Cartier and his friends could be out playing sports or riding bikes, but instead they’re helping single mothers in the community, He started the non-profit “Kids For Change 757” about a year ago.
“There are a lot of grown-ups out there not doing what we’re doing,” said Cartier.
“As a parent, it makes me feel spectacular,” said Anthony. “Not only help older adults and all, but it’s to help children see they can make change inside of their communities, too.”
At the end of his shift, Cartier hit the shade and tallied up his sales: more than $2,000 made in just three days’ time.
Currents News Staff
Congress may not be leaving the office as planned this August. While schools across the country are working on plans on how to reopen, the House of Representatives might be delaying or skipping its August recess.
There’s a push to have talks about another economic stimulus package to help the country cope with the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
“We have to have a bill,” said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. “We will have a bill, and I hope we will have it sooner rather than later, because people really need to have it.”
Pelosi says she’s willing to stay in Washington to get another relief bill to President Trump.
“This isn’t about government or philosophy or any political difference of opinion,” she said, “this about meeting the needs of the American people at the time of a pandemic that has lost about 40 million jobs.”
Lending a financial hand to the American workforce is something that has bi-partisan backing.
“We know we can’t shut the economy down again. That cannot happen,” said Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. “We’ve learned there are consequences from being cooped up at home.”
McConnell says he wants the next stimulus package to include liability protections for businesses, restaurants and schools, with a price limit under one-trillion dollars. That’s a third of the proposal the House unveiled in May.
But, as always, it’s a question of whether Republicans and Democrats come to an agreement.
As the push for a proposal is in the early stages, Americans are attempting to cope.
“My business still hasn’t picked up,” Delena Sanders, who is currently unemployed, told Currents News.
“COVID seems to be getting worse and not better. So, at least here in the city of Atlanta, we seem to be going back to phase one,” she said.
“You know, am I going to go out and get something to eat, or am I going to buy medication, or am I going to save my funds to go to a doctor or put gas in my car?” These are decisions that people like Cara Steele are faced with as they face unemployment.
Interview with Catholic filmmaker Greg Heffernan discussing his forthcoming film about the fleeting fame of Hollywood.
Currents News reports secular and religious news from the Catholic perspective.
Some of the top stories on this newscast:
When will school bells ring again for kids in the Diocese of Brooklyn? We now have an answer.
George Floyd’s family is still seeking justice and they’re taking new action to get it.
Black Catholic history – one school believes it’s a key way to fight racism, and it could even inspire young men to become priests.
By Emily Drooby
The staff of Brooklyn Jesuit Prep are packing up the school and preparing for their move from Crown Heights to East Flatbush. But a new home is not the only change in the works for the next academic year – the school is also planning a renewed emphasis on teaching Black Catholic history.
“We have done a decent job but I want to be able to do even more,” said Father Mario Powell, president of Brooklyn Jesuit Prep. “I want to be able to bring in story tellers that know this history for us to be able to pass that down to our students.”
Fr. Powell believes the best way to help his students shape the future is by teaching them more about the past.
“It is a story of oppression and racism, but it’s also a story of triumph, it’s a story of evangelization and I think Catholics both Black and White and Brown and everything in between should learn this history and I think it’s a part of who we are as a Church,” he said.
Fr. Powell is a former history teacher and for him, kids armed with historical knowledge are better equipped to fight against the sin of racism.
“When we become ignorant of it, we allow others to weaponize our ignorance,” he said. “That is simply, not beyond being good, it’s something that we can’t afford in this day and age.”
He points out that history also reveals the inspirational stories of heroes – like Father Augustus Tolton. The former slave – ordained as America’s first Black Catholic priest in 1886 – is now on the path to sainthood, thanks to Pope Francis.
“Which you would hope would lead to more vocations,” Fr. Powell added.
For Father Dwayne Davis, the pastor of St. Thomas Aquinas Church in Flatlands and administrator at Our Lady Help of Christians, he’s a student of history himself and mentors children in the Brooklyn Diocese.
“To learn that, you too, a Black man, can actually become a priest, it’s very interesting,” said Fr. Davis. “I find in the United States sometimes when I tell people I’m a priest, they don’t understand it, because the concept of a Black priest is almost non-existent. In a church typically, you can find Black Catholic priests more often than not here in the Diocese of Brooklyn.”
The diocese has more than 450 priests in Brooklyn and Queens. Forty-four – almost 10 percent of them – are Black.
Nationwide, there are almost 36,000 priests, with only 250 being African-American, or less than one percent.
Fr. Davis thinks a big way to get those numbers to go up is for kids today to understand the groundwork laid by Black Catholic leaders like Father Tolton.
“I definitely think our young people don’t know enough about Black Catholic history, and especially Black Catholic history in the United states,” he said.