Representative John Lewis Remembered By Friends and Former Presidents in Farewell Church Service

Currents News Staff

Representative John Lewis, a passionate champion of civil rights and long-term Georgia congressman, was remembered July 30 by family, friends, and former presidents.

The 17-term congressman was remembered in a home-going service at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, Georgia.

He was honored by the youngest of friends and former presidents from both sides of the political aisle.

“John Lewis was my hero and my friend,” said 12-year-old Tybre Faw, who had met Lewis in 2018. “Let’s honor him by getting in good trouble.”

“He always thought of others, he always believed in preaching the Gospel in word and in deed, and insisting that hate and fear had to be answered with love and hope,” added former president George W. Bush.

“John Lewis was many things, but he was a man, a friend and sunshine in a storm,” said former president Bill Clinton, “a friend who would walk the stony roads that he asked you to walk.”

“Some day when we do finish that long journey towards freedom,” said former president Barack Obama, “when we do form a more perfect union, whether it’s years from now or decades or even if it takes another two centuries, John Lewis will be a founding father of that fuller, fairer, better America.”

In return, John Lewis penned his own farewell to America.

“In my life I have done all I can to demonstrate that the way of peace, the way of love and nonviolence is the more excellent way,” he wrote. “Now, it is your turn to let freedom ring.”

How Rome’s Historic ‘Talking Statues’ Helped Create a Space for Public Discourse

By Melissa Butz

It all started 500 years ago with the Pasquino, known as the first “talking statue in Rome.” The chatter began in 1501 when Cardinal Carafa, who owned the building attached to the sculpture, organized a literary competition. It quickly backfired when Romans started posting criticisms of the Curia and even the pope himself.

The statue is one of six in Rome known for “speaking” a form of political dissent where written sarcastic commentary criticizing political and religious leaders were posted near the sculptures.

“We had also other popes, for example, popes who lasted for ;too many years,’ according to the Romans,” said Roman art historian Sara Magister. “Then the prayers hung up on the Pasquino statue were, ‘Let’s hope the Holy Spirit will give us a pope who loves us, that fears God, but that doesn’t last so long.’”

Pontiffs condemned the behavior, but couldn’t stop it. Some statues were taken off the streets and enclosed in museums. The Pasquino had guards placed by it day and night. Still, the sarcastic comments continued.

Today is no different. Two notes hang by the statue.

“The first one is mainly celebrating il Pasquino as a place where the cardinals have always been criticized,” said Sara. “The other one, is asking the people to keep on doing these critics, mainly against the establishment.”

Just around the corner is the Pasquino’s closest friend, the Abate Luigi. He would often engage in banter with the Pasquino, like with other statues.

Sara said that “the Marforio asked, ‘Is it true that all of the French are thieves?’ And the Pasquino answered, ‘No, not all of them, but ‘Bonaparte,’ – which is the main part – ‘yes.’ Bonaparte is the last name of Napoleon.”

Witty conversations like these were common on statues in the most populated parts of Rome. Piazza Vidoni was chosen as Abate Luigi’s home only around 100 years ago.

Satire originally hung around Abate Luigi’s neck, until his head was likely stolen in the 1930s, making the commentary much more difficult to continue for this particular talking statue, one of six throughout the Eternal City.

Currents News full broadcast for Thurs, 7/30/20 (Catholic news)

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

Some of the top stories on this newscast:

A Queens pastor under arrest, believed to have shared explicit photos with a minor. Now the parish is trying to keep the faith.

A republican giant is the latest victim of coronavirus.

And saying a final farewell to John Lewis, a peacemaker and freedom fighter.

Queens Priest Charged With Sharing Sexually Explicit Photos With Minor

By Emily Drooby and Paula Katinas

As a Queens church grappled with the news of the arrest of its pastor on charges of sharing sexually explicit photos and texts with a minor, the FBI continued its investigation into whether there could more than one victim.

Father Francis Hughes, 65, now the former pastor of St. Pancras Church in Glendale, was arrested by the FBI on July 29. He is believed to have shared both pictures and texts with a teen after meeting him on a dating app.

FBI officials said there may be additional victims and asked anyone with information to call the agency at 1-800-CALL-FBI.

“If you or anyone you know may have been a victim of Rev. Hughes, we are asking you to contact us at 1-800-CALL-FBI. If you are a parent or guardian, please take a moment to have a discussion with your children about protecting themselves and about how they can report the type of predatory behavior that is alleged here today,” FBI Assistant Director William F. Sweeney Jr. said in a statement on July 29.

The Diocese of Brooklyn moved swiftly to remove Father Hughes from the parish and appoint a temporary administrator, Father Rev. Wladyslaw Kubrak, who is currently the parochial vicar for St. Pancras. This assignment became effective on July 29 and will remain until a further determination can be made in regard to naming a new pastor, officials said.

The diocese plans to reach out to parishioners of St. Pancras to provide pastoral care in the wake of the shattering news about their former pastor.

“Our first responsibility is to our people. Outreach will be provided to the parishioners with the hope of providing them with pastoral care, which is what we do. We will take into account the necessary safety precautions during this pandemic,” the diocese said in a statement.

As the news was sinking in at St. Pancras the day after Father Hughes’ arrest, Father Kubrak sought to calm parishioners.

“I encourage my brothers and sisters, in other words, our parishioners, to pray and to trust in God. That is exactly what it is about,” he told Currents News.

Father Kubrak explained that in the hardest times, the faithful should turn to Jesus Christ for guidance and face these difficulties head-on. He added that parishioners must “pick up their own cross and face everything that is going on.”

He also said that while he understands this situation could lead people to want to move away from the church, he hopes parishioners continue to come to St. Pancras and that his door is always open to anyone who wants to talk to him.

Father Hughes is charged with one count of receipt and distribution of child pornography, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison and a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.

His arrest was announced by Audrey Strauss, acting U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Sweeney.

“The allegations against Francis Hughes are chilling and frightening to any parent. A person who, by the nature of his profession, is presumed to be trustworthy, allegedly victimized a child. Thanks to the FBI, Hughes now faces a serious federal charge,” Strauss said in a statement.

Hughes was scheduled to appear in federal court in White Plains.

The Diocese of Brooklyn released a brief statement immediately following the news of the arrest: “The pastor has been removed from his post.”

The Diocese of Brooklyn has several protocols and systems in place to combat sexual abuse within the church and to protect victims, including a no-tolerance policy.

The diocese’s confidential reporting line connects directly to law enforcement authorities. Victims are encouraged to report a crime no matter when the alleged abuse occurred. The number is 888-634-4499.

Father Hughes served as pastor of St. Pancras for five years. He was ordained a priest on May 17, 1980, and has served at several parishes, and one preparatory school, in the diocese.

His assignments are as follows:

St. Fidelis: 1980 to 1986

Church of St. Mary, Mother of Jesus: 1986 to 1989

Church of St. Bernard: 1989 to 1990

Cathedral Preparatory School and Seminary: 1990 to 1992

Church of Immaculate Heart of Mary, Brooklyn: 1992 to 1994

Church of St. Helen, Howard Beach: 1994 to 2001

Church of Our Lady of Miracles, Brooklyn: 2001 to 2009

Church of St. Columba: 2009 to 2015

Church of St. Pancras: 2015 to 2020

Mom Credits Healing of Son’s Terminal Illness in the Womb to Intercession of Father Michael McGivney

By Jessica Easthope

Michelle Shacachle and her husband Daniel have 13 children. Her youngest, Michael, is the reason why Father Michael McGivney, the founder of the Knights of Columbus, is one step closer to becoming a saint.

“My journey with Michael has been the most beautiful, difficult journey of my life,” said Michelle.

During Michelle’s pregnancy with Michael, he was diagnosed with Hydrops, a condition that causes fluid to build up in a baby’s tissue and organs. Michelle’s doctor said Michael wouldn’t make it.

“She said, ‘He has a very severe case. There is no hope. He will die,” said Michelle.

Michelle was distraught, having lost five children over the years, she was terrified, Michael, who they were calling “Ben” at the time, would be stillborn like her first daughter, but she insisted on choosing life.

“Is it an abortion if the baby’s not going to live? And then I immediately thought, ‘No that would be an abortion. And I love this baby, and I’m going to fight for this baby,” said Michelle.

In their darkest hours Michelle and Daniel, who sells life insurance for the Knights of Columbus, turned to the order’s founder, Fr. Michael McGivney.

“Daniel said, ‘I prayed to Fr. McGivney, and I said if he heals Michael we’re naming after him, and his name will be Michael McGivney,’” Michelle explained.

They prayed and begged everyone they knew to do the same. A few weeks later Michelle and Daniel went on a scheduled trip to Fatima, Portugal. Terrified the baby had died while they were away, Michelle rushed to the doctor’s when she got home. That’s when the unthinkable happened.

“I said, ‘Doctor, I was told there was no hope.’ And then she looked at me and said, ‘Oh ,you’re the woman that just came back from Fatima. Honey, with God, there’s always hope, and that’s when we changed his name that day,” Michelle recalled.

She was shocked — the Hydrops was gone. Michael McGivney Schachle was born at 31 weeks with Down’s Syndrome and a heart defect, but against all odds, he’s thriving. He’s now a healthy five-year-old.

“I see him daily, my miracle lives and breathes and smiles and says ‘Mommy,'” she Currents News. “It’s a different kind of miracle.”

Now, Fr. McGivney’s beatification ceremony has been set for October 31 in Connecticut. Because Mikey was healed, the Schachles are forever connected to Fr. McGivney.

“Fr. McGivney and I share a birthday. I have 13 children. Michael’s the youngest of 13, and Fr. McGivney was the oldest of 13. God wrote the whole story,” says Michelle.

Fr. McGivney still needs one more miracle before he can be canonized. Michelle says all it takes is prayer, because God is still writing the story.

Friends of the Poor

Joe Estevez covers the second annual Friends of the Poor 5K Walk and Run Marathon race in Carpinteria, California which raises money to provide aid to people in need in this small California town. Last year, the profits from the Poor 5K and Marathon went towards aiding those affected by the California wildfires.

Restoration of Cathedral Attacked During Syrian Civil War Completed

A badly damaged Catholic cathedral has resurrected after at least three missile attacks amid the Syrian civil war. The Maronite Cathedral of St. Elijah in Aleppo reopened July 20 following years of restoration when the church was bombed by jihadists in 2013.

The restoration was financed largely by the papal foundation Aid to the Church in Need (ACN). A report from ACN stated that Christianity was disappearing from towns and cities in parts of the Middle East.

In a video message, Thomas Heine-Geldern, executive president of ACN International, described the reopening as a miracle. Explaining that he was unable to attend the reopening due to the coronavirus pandemic, Heine-Geldern said: “it’s fantastic that it shines in the old splendor and I wish that it became again the center of the whole Christian community as it was ages before until this dreadful war.”

ACN estimates that only 30,000 Christians remain in the city, compared to a pre-war population of 180,000. Aleppo was Syria’s most populous city before the war, but now is the second largest after the capital, Damascus.

Maronite Archparch Joseph Tobij of the Maronite Catholic Archeparchy of Aleppo said the restoration and reopening of the cathedral have both symbolic and practical meaning.

“It’s a sign of hope and rebirth,” Archparch Tobij said, “not only in a material sense but for the entire community, despite the fact that the numbers of Christians continue to dwindle, due to extreme poverty linked to the sanctions imposed on the defenseless population.”

He explained that the main difficulties in the restoration process besides raising funds was the reconstruction of the original wooden roof. The archbishop said that local artisans lacked in their expertise with that particular craft, which paved the way for a group of Italian architects to complete the roof project.

“Without the help of ACN and the generosity of our benefactors, we would not have been able to pray again and spread hope in the hearts of the faithful through the reconstruction of the cathedral,” Archparch Tobij said.

For at least eight years, no liturgies or celebrations took place in the cathedral due to the aftermath of the attacks. The cathedral was originally built in 1873 on the site of a small 15th-century church. It was renovated in 1914.

“It is a way to tell the people in Aleppo, in Syria and the world, that we still exist,” Archparch Tobij said. “We still exist despite the great decline in the number of our Christians.”

Currents News full broadcast for Wed, 7/29/20 (Catholic news)

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

Some of the top stories on this newscast:

The Vatican hacked by spies from communist China. The plot uncovered by tech experts in the U.S.

At the same time, the biggest names in high-tech are in the hot seat. Congress is looking into allegations the companies are strangling their competitors.

A look inside at the magnificent restoration of the Maronite Cathedral in Aleppo.

http://netny.tv

Catholic Teen Cancer Survivor Inspires on TikTok

By Jessica Easthope

The social media platform TikTok has skyrocketed into popularity, especially among many of the world’s teenagers.

So it was only natural for 16-year-old Isabella Ursini to use the platform’s viral dances and funny voice-overs to document her life, even when she began to live through the unimaginable.

“They said that I might have Lymphoma and at first I didn’t even know what Lymphoma was, and I was so confused about why my parents were so upset,” said Isabella.

Belle, as she’s known to her friends and family, was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma in February, a month after her sweet sixteen. Her mom, Tracey, was living every parent’s nightmare.

“It was horrible, just an experience no one should go through,” Tracey said.

But Belle was taking her diagnosis in stride and putting everyone around her at ease.

“She made it easier on everybody because she made light of it,” said Tracey.

Belle began chemotherapy at the height of the pandemic and was pulled out of St. Joseph Hill Academy High School on Staten Island in the middle of her sophomore year. Before the world was under quarantine, Belle became an expert at it.

“I couldn’t hang out with my friends. I became neutropenic, even before coronavirus I was quarantined,” she told Currents News.

But TikTok kept Belle connected not only to her friends, but to the rest of the world. She went viral with a video of her first chemo treatment. It has 1.3 million views. Belle finished chemo and August 5 is her last radiation session. She made it through the biggest battle of her life, and inspired so many along the way.

“I’ve had people DM me and ask me, ‘What should I say to my friend who just got diagnosed?’ And ‘Oh, it’s so good to see you acting this way while you have it,’” Belle said.

As for Belle’s future it’s looking brighter than ever and now she’s headed for the next chapter.

“The first thing I thought of when I was diagnosed was woah this is going to be a good college essay, I’m going to go places with this one,” she said.

Belle is already on her way.

U.S. Cybersecurity Firm Claims Vatican Was Hacked By China Ahead of Key Talks

By Emily Drooby and Catholic News Service

China has been accused of hacking Vatican computers as well as those in the Diocese of Hong Kong and other Catholic organizations in May.

The hacking appears to be an attempt to gain an advantage in talks between the Vatican and China, due to resume as early as this week, about a fresh deal on the appointment of bishops.

U.S. data monitoring group Recorded Future and its Insikt Group used sophisticated data analysis tools to uncover the cyber espionage, reported ucanews.com.

“From early May 2020, the Vatican and the Catholic Diocese of Hong Kong were among several Catholic Church-related organizations that were targeted by RedDelta, a Chinese-state sponsored threat activity group tracked by Insikt Group,” the Recorded Future report stated.

“This series of suspected network intrusions also targeted the Hong Kong study mission to China and the Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions (PIME), Italy. These organizations have not been publicly reported as targets of Chinese threat activity groups prior to this campaign.”

A landmark provisional Vatican-China agreement was signed in September 2018, the culmination of efforts by Pope Francis and his predecessors, St. John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI, aimed at normalizing the appointment of bishops and bringing the entire Catholic Church in China into communion with Rome.

While the details of the agreement remain secret, it is widely thought that the pope has the final say over bishop candidates presented by Beijing. Ahead of the candidate’s nomination, informal talks are understood to be held between the two sides, as has happened on and off in recent decades.

Talks on a new deal have been delayed by the coronavirus pandemic. The last talks were in November 2019 before they were halted by Beijing, reports have said.

The same reports said face-to-face discussions were set to resume before the end of July in Rome, ucanews.com reported.

In a recent interview with an Italian television program, the Vatican’s lead negotiator, Archbishop Claudio Maria Celli, confirmed that the Holy See “wants to continue with this step, it wants to go forward.”

China’s alleged actions would appear to fit in with Beijing’s program of hacking the communications devices of governments, businesses, charities and individuals around the world in recent years. China has consistently – and usually vehemently – denied all accusations of computer hacking, but investigations by data experts and journalists continue to turn up evidence of Beijing’s programs.

It is the first time the Vatican has been identified as a target of Chinese hackers.

“The suspected intrusion into the Vatican would offer RedDelta insight into the negotiating position of the Holy See ahead of the deal’s September 2020 renewal,” the report said.

It added that targeting of the Hong Kong study mission and its Catholic diocese could also “provide a valuable intelligence source for both monitoring the diocese’s relations with the Vatican and its position on Hong Kong’s pro-democracy movement amidst widespread protests and the recent sweeping Hong Kong national security law.”