Currents News reports secular and religious news from the Catholic perspective.
Some of the top stories on this special edition of Currents News:
Pope Francis addresses the United Nations about the pandemic and the poor.
Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg becomes the first woman and first Jewish person to lie in state at the Capitol.
President Trump’s pro-life proclamation at the National Catholic Prayer Breakfast.
By Jessica Easthope
The threat of closing is once again looming over non-essential businesses.
In recent weeks eight neighborhoods have been identified as having clusters of new COVID-19 cases, prompting the city and Health Department to take action.
“Now we have a bigger problem on our hands and the situation particularly in Southern Brooklyn is causing great concern,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio.
Mayor de Blasio took no questions during a bill signing Sept. 28 but last week he warned the city would ramp up safety enforcement if needed.
“If there are particular institutions, organizations, businesses that are not being responsive to the need to protect everyone, we’re going to be clear about the enforcement needed there,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio.
The New York City Health Department said if new COVID-19 cases continue to rise in hotspots like Williamsburg, the city could ban gatherings of more than 10 people, hand out fines and close private schools and non-essential businesses.
“We don’t want to again have to close down businesses, we don’t want to have more restrictions, there are easier ways for us to go on with our lives,” said Dr. Mitch Katz the CEO, of NYC Health + Hospitals.
Most of the problematic areas account for more than 20 percent of the city’s new cases. Gravesend, Brooklyn alone accounts for seven percent. But it’s not only an increase in cases that has city officials on high alert – there’s also a rise in hospitalizations.
On September 15 there were 26 people in New York City hospitalized with COVID-19, on Sept 26 that number shot up to 278.
One of the hotspots is Williamsburg where Gabe Haim and his twin brother Danny own The Brooklyn Barber. During the months they were closed, they lost 70 percent of their business.
“We lost a lot of our clients, people are not getting haircuts anymore because they’re not going out, everything is shut down, we don’t need to look good,” Gabe said.
Already struggling to pay their nearly $30,000 monthly rent across three locations, losing the clients that came back would be devastating.
“We’re staying open a little later just to grab some more clients, and the clients are giving us a little bit more for tips just to survive,“ said Gabe.
According to the New York City Health Department, Monday, the only action the agency has taken is an increase in safety inspections.
Currents News Staff
A good Samaritan’s heroic actions were caught on camera when he sprang into action to save a trapped truck driver from a fiery wreck.
Smooth sailing traffic on Iowa’s Interstate 80 grinded to a halt. When the crash happened, trucker Bob Smith raced in to help as smoke filled the overturned truck’s cabin.
But Bob couldn’t kick in the window.
“I didn’t have an angle where I could get a good impact with it and realized very quickly that that wasn’t going to work,” Bob said.
He was able to use a tool from his truck to smash his way in and reach the driver.
“I yelled out, ‘Can you move?’ and he said, ‘Yes,’ and I said, ‘Then you need to get out of the truck or you’re going to die,’” Bob said.
The driver – bloodied, but alive, was pulled to safety.
He was reportedly checked out at a hospital and was later released.
Tom Ferguson witnessed the near-death incident and got emotional talking about it.
“Bob was like a total superhero,” Tom said. “If Bob wasn’t there ….. I don’t know.”
More heroics were caught on camera, this time, in the Gulf of Mexico when Coast Guard rescuers rushed to save a group of boaters from an overturned vessel off Florida’s coast.
The boat reportedly capsized trapping the passengers, including a pregnant woman,in the water for nearly three hours.
Officals responded and executed a line rescue pulling them to safety one by one. One rescuer described the scene as very emotional, saying the first passenger they pulled in immediately gave them a giant hug.
Currents News Staff
A relic of St. Pope John Paul II has been stolen from a church in Spoleto, Italy.
Relics are considered sacred objects for Catholics and this one was a vial containing drops of blood from the late pope. It was placed inside a gold cross, which was on an altar in a side chapel in the cathedral.
The Archbishop of Spoleto called it a “grave act,” and in a video message, appealed to whomever took it to return it.
The theft was discovered on Sept. 23 as they were closing the church, according to the archdiocese. Italian police are investigating, including checking video footage from surveillance cameras inside the cathedral.
Currents News Staff
It’s considered one of the highest honors.
“I have the high honor to welcome Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg to lie in state in the Capitol of the United States,” said Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, “she does so on the catafalque built for Abraham Lincoln. May she rest in peace.”
The justice, wife, mother, and international icon becomes the first woman and first Jewish person to lie in state at the U.S. Capitol.
“As a lawyer, she won equality for women and men not in one swift victory, but brick by brick, case by case, through meticulous careful lawyering,” said Rabbi Lauren Holtzblatt.
Only 38 people – including Ginsburg – have received this honor since the practice began in 1852. Ginsburg died Sept.18 at the age of 87 after serving on the Supreme Court for 27 years.
Family, friends and dignitaries paid their final respects. Ginsburg’s personal trainer did three push ups in her honor.
President Donald Trump paid his respects on Sept. 24 by visiting the Supreme Court. He plans to announce his nominee to replace Ginsburg on Saturday, Sept. 26.
But while a new justice will eventually take her seat, no one can take Ginsburg’s place in history.
Currents News reports secular and religious news from the Catholic perspective.
Some of the top stories on this newscast:
The Archbishop of Louisville is pleading for justice and peace after the Breonna Taylor decision.
The former leader of the Archdiocese of Newark, New Jersey, Archbishop Emeritus John Myers, has gone to be with the Heavenly Father.
Lawmakers on both sides come to the defense of possible nominee to the Supreme Court Catholic Judge Amy Coney Barrett.
A Catholic community is sending a life line to hundreds of displaced refugees from the Greek island of Lesbos.
Currents News Staff
Recovery through faith is the theme of a new book and movie that just came out. Who’s the author and producer? One of the Wahlberg brothers, but not actors Mark or Donnie.
Instead, their brother Jim tells his own personal – and sometimes brutal – story of addiction in the book “The Big Hustle: A Boston Street Kid’s Story of Addiction and Redemption” and the film he wrote and directed, “What About the Kids?”
Both forms of entertainment shed light on how, with God, all healing is possible. Jim Wahlberg joins Currents News to share his story and how he’s inspiring others around the world.
By Melissa Enaje and Emily Drooby
WINDSOR TERRACE — After a controversial grand jury decision surrounding the death of Breonna Taylor, Archbishop Joseph Kurtz of Louisville, Ky., pleaded for peace and the rejection of violence and called for unity to work for racial justice.
“Whatever our reaction to decisions by the grand jury and the Attorney General’s Office, we must now come together to work for racial justice. There is no question that our nation’s original sin of racism continues to destroy and harm the lives of persons of color and that racism extends through so many systems of our society … educational, economic, religious, housing, criminal justice, voting, and employment.
“Our Church stands ready to work with civic, community, educational, business, and non-profit partners to address these issues.
“I join with people of faith and goodwill to plead for peace and the rejection of violence as citizens exercise their first amendment right to protest. Let us all join in prayers for Breonna Taylor’s family and friends and for justice, peace, and healing in our community.”
The archbishop released his statement after the Sept. 23 announcement of the grand jury’s decision to indict one of the Louisville officers involved in Taylor’s death.
Taylor, 26, was shot to death on March 13 by Louisville Metro Police when officers entered her home while serving a warrant. Taylor’s boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, fired a shot at the officers, who then returned fire, according to evidence presented to the grand jury.
Former police officer Brett Hankinson was charged with three counts of first-degree “wanton endangerment” for firing three shots into an apartment near Taylor’s. Hankinson was fired from the Louisville police in June. None of the shots fired by Hankinson were those which struck Taylor, according to a Sept. 23 press conference with Kentucky’s Attorney General Daniel Cameron. Hankinson faces up to five years on each of three counts if convicted, the attorney general said.
The other two officers were not indicted. It was determined that because Walker fired a shot at them, they were justified in returning fire.
The archbishop has lamented the “senseless violence” that has swarmed his city since the protests that began after the killing of George Floyd. Protesters broke three windows in his cathedral rectory, Cathedral of the Assumption.
In a May 29 letter to Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer, Archbishop Kurtz expressed his support of peaceful protests “that give voice to the pain of the community and to the desire for truth and justice to be served.”
After the grand jury announcement was made, protestors filled the streets Wednesday night. More than 100 arrests were made. Two Louisville officers were shot and wounded during the demonstrations. A suspect was arrested late Wednesday and charged with 14 counts of wanton endangerment of a police officer and two counts of assault on a police officer.
By Jessica Easthope
David Clayton knows what it’s like to be in the throws of addiction.
“I was almost at the point where I didn’t know where to look, and the thought that I was reaching for more drink was frightening,” Clayton said.
But he also knows how it feels to make it out and live the life he never imagined.
“I would just be waves of despair and despondence and I had to seek distraction,” he explained. “Today, it’s the reverse.”
David’s life changed when he met David Birtwistle. Birtwistle became David Clayton’s mentor and thanks to him, in the process of getting sober, David found himself on another journey, one that was totally unexpected.
“I was an atheist, pretty sour-minded, cynical, and he said,’If you’re willing to take the actions consistent with the premise that there is a God to help, I believe you can have the life I’ve been given,’” David Clayton said.
It started with some simple exercises, praying, making lists of things he was grateful for and helping others.
“He said, ‘Try this for 30 days and if you don’t like it, we’ll return your misery with interest,’ and I said, ‘I’ll try that,’” David recalled.
David stopped drinking that day, and nearly 32 years later his faith has only grown stronger and is an essential part of his sobriety still to this day.
“It was that that made me seek out religion and Catholicism. I’m as firmly believing now as I ever was, and have those values as deeply as ever impressed upon my soul,” David said.
He’s now guiding other Catholics with his book, “The Vision for You: How to Discover the Life You Were Made For,” teaching them how to tackle recovery by finding a personal vocation.
“It is recovery for Catholics, it’s presented in Catholic language the way David did it for me,” said David Clayton. “I was freed from drinking from it. It’s directions on how to achieve your vocation in life,” David said.
His faith has driven his life’s mission.
“The best years of my life are ahead of me because through this journey, I’m getting ever closer to God,” he added.
He makes the same choice every day. Instead of turning to alcohol, he turns to God, knowing he has a plan.
By Jessica Easthope
Among the narrow aisles of stylish wigs and colorful products, Paris McKenzie shines. Everything on the shelves needs to be perfect. She has big dreams as the new owner of Paris Beauty Supplyz.
“It’s my baby, it’s my prized possession,” Paris said of her new store.
There’s no doubt the store is impressive, but it’s nothing compared to its owner. The twist is Paris is 16, and she’s never been afraid to roll up her sleeves.
“My mom owns two businesses, she’s owned a hair salon for 16 years. Since a few months after I was born, I’ve seen her run these businesses and manage her finances and I also helped assist her run these businesses,” said Paris. “You learn how to market hair products and sell things off the shelf.”
Paris’ mom Senica Thompson owns two business that sit on either side of Paris’ store on Church Avenue in Flatbush. Senica says she’s care-free because she knows her daughter can handle this responsibility.
“She said, ‘Ma, I got this.’ That’s her keyword,” Senica explained. “So when she wanted to open this I asked her, ‘Are you sure?’ and she said, ‘Ma, I got this.'”
In this store it’s easy to forget Paris is a teenager, but if you watch closely, you’ll see the signs.
She opened in August as businesses around her were drowning due to the coronavirus pandemic. For the average teenager, the store might be a major distraction from school work, but not for Paris. She’s a straight-A-student, takes classes at Hunter College and just skipped a grade.
“It actually helped me focus more on school, I didn’t want to go away from my true passion of medicine, so I said this is going to be something to focus on but take away what I’ve worked toward my whole life, it’s always been my passion to be a doctor and help others,” Paris said.
When asked how she juggles it all? Her answer is simple.
“It’s always been all Him, I really can’t do anything without God. I learned how to put my faith in God and I couldn’t do all of this without him,” said Paris.
Faith was a foundation of Paris’ upbringing.
“God is why we’re able to open a business like this when business is going down, because we trust God and I brought the kids up to trust God,” Senica said.
Paris’ trust in God will forever be a big part of her growth and success. Though she’s young, Paris knows there are some things you can’t put a price on.