20 (Currents News full broadcast)

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

Some of the top stories on this newscast:

Just in time for summer. All fifty states have begun to reopen to some degree. But, New York City remains on lockdown this holiday.

Churches in the Brooklyn Diocese, however, are slowly opening their doors. Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio and Cardinal Timothy Dolan are coordinating a parish by parish plan.

A principal turned provider is going on grocery runs to keep her hard-hit students fed.

Life continues to exist online, and it won’t be moving off anytime soon. We take a look at the digital divide in New York City, where thousands go without the internet that’s meant to be at your fingertips.

And the story of a professional baseball player turned missionary. He’s got a second chance at life and he’s devoting it to God.

Plus, tis’ the season for car parades. Here’s what high school seniors are doing to celebrate their milestone year.

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Catholic Headlines for Friday, 5/22/20 (Currents News full broadcast)

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

Some of the top stories on this newscast:

President Trump is making it known that churches and houses of worship are essential to the nation. He wants them all opened immediately.

Churches in the Diocese of Brooklyn are opening again for some services beginning May 26, on a case-by-case basis.

The Brooklyn Memorial Day parade, one of America’s oldest, is off this year because of COVID-19. But remembering our war heroes is still on.

Father John Gribowich debuts his new ‘Relevant Reflections.” In just one minute, the Brooklyn priest helps you focus your minds during the pandemic.

We ask the doctor if it’s safe to go into the water this Memorial Day weekend.

Brooklyn Diocese Churches to Reopen May 26 for Private Prayer and Confession as Part of Phase 1 Plan

By Jessica Easthope

The unlocking of church doors signifies a new beginning for the faithful in the Brooklyn Diocese.

Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio and the Vicar General’s Office have laid out a multiphase plan for the diocese, hours after Cardinal Timothy Dolan announced his plan for the Archdiocese of New York on May 21.

“We know that Brooklyn and Queens have been some of the most hard hit places so it’s hard to say how quickly we’ll go, we do have the stages when the metrics tell us we can move to another stage we will,” said Bishop DiMarzio.

Unlike the Brooklyn Diocese, there was never a universal closure of churches in the archdiocese. The first phase of reopening in Brooklyn and Queens on May 26 will be for private prayer and confession. Churches will only be open for about four hours a day, and they’ll be reopening on a case-by-case basis. Some will remain closed because they’re not yet ready to begin the process.

“The safety of the faithful and the clergy are paramount in this,” said Joe Esposito, who’s heading the Diocesan Committee on Reopening Churches.

“We think our soft opening on May 26 will be a good sign for the faithful that we’re moving in the right direction,” said Joe.

Parishioners will need to adapt to the changes.

“No mask, you can’t come in, it’s as simple as that,” Joe added.

Social distancing rules will remain in effect in churches, meaning they’ll be able to accomodate significantly less people.

“If the church is at capacity because you have to allow for that social distancing, if there’s an overflow if we reach our maximum, we’ll live stream to an alternate location, like a gymnasium, a school or another part of the church,” said Joe.

Bishop DiMarzio said safety cannot be an afterthought during the reopening, emphasizing again that churches must care for parishioners, body and soul.

“We want to make sure people are very safe when people come back to church,” Bishop DiMarzio said. “We want them to come without any fear and have the proper safety precautions there.”

Veterans Speak Out After Pandemic Forces Cancelation of Brooklyn Memorial Day Parade

By Emily Drooby

Normally Raymond Aalbue would be preparing for the Brooklyn Memorial Day Parade.

It’s “something that has been part of Brooklyn for so long,” he told Currents News.

As chairman of the parade committee, he’s in charge of the beloved tradition. Started back in 1867, it’s one of the oldest Memorial Day parades in the country. It originated on Eastern Parkway, but has called Bay Ridge, Brooklyn home for over 30 years.

This would have been the parade’s 153^rd year. Raymond, who’s Catholic and a veteran, says they had to cancel because of the pandemic.

He explained, “We didn’t want to put anybody in jeopardy, we gather a crowd all along Third Avenue, people are packed together, we didn’t want to put them in harm’s way.”

So instead, the committee is in the process of trying to figure out a different way to commemorate the day.

“We are going to try to plan something for Monday, the plans haven’t been finalized yet,” explained Raymond.

They’re planning a drive-by to keep the tradition alive. However, it will be small and won’t include the public. Raymond says that shouldn’t deter people from commemorating Memorial Day on their own.

Currents News spoke with him outside of John Paul Jones Park in Bay Ridge, which is on the normal parade route. Just up the road at Coffey Square, two veterans were installing a patriotic tribute, red, white and blue bunting hung along the exterior of the Square’s fence.

“We are still doing the best we can with at least the minimum people and social distancing,” explained Frank Zapata, while working on the installation.

” I would like to think this is our small part in remembering,” added fellow vet John Cullen.

Robin Kelleher is the co-founder and CEO of Hope For the Warriors. The organization provides support to service members, veterans and their families. She was called upon to be the grand marshal for the 2020 parade.

Kelleher says that even though many people can’t leave their house right now, they can still honor those who lost their lives for the U.S.A.

“Memorial Day is now being time honored as a reflection day, because that’s all we have,” said Robin.

Adding reflecting and remembering is actually one the most important parts of the day, which Raymond agreed with.

“They just want to make sure that what they did wasn’t in vain, and that the men and women that were with them in the battle who didn’t come home, weren’t able to come home, were remembered,” he said.

The message is loud and clear. While the 2020 Brooklyn Memorial Day Parade might be cancelled for the public, remembering those who paid the ultimate sacrifice for our country is still important.

How Safe Is It to Swim in Pools and Lakes During the Coronavirus Pandemic? We Ask the Doctor

Currents News Staff

This summer, many will spend their time at beaches or pools, which brings up new questions about the spread of coronavirus.

We all know chlorine kills bacteria, but the virus is still on everyone’s minds. How safe is it to swim in a pool, or in a lake or ocean?

If we’re out in the sun, we’ll also be getting some Vitamin D. A recent study by Trinity College in Dublin found that adults who took vitamin d supplements saw a 50 percent fall in chest infections.

Could Vitamin D prevent COVID-19 infection?

And one viewer wants to know: Will smoking kill the virus?

There have been some conflicting studies on this, and some show that smokers are hospitalized less often for COVID-19.

To help Currents News answer some of these questions and debates is Dr. Robert Tiballi, an infectious disease expert with the Catholic Medical Association.

Send Currents News your questions about the coronavirus at [email protected]. And tune in on Fridays – the doctor could have an answer.

NET-TV’s New Segment, ‘Relevant Reflections,’ Is an Opportunity to Find God in the Little Moments

Currents News Staff

NET-TV’s new segment, Relevant Reflections, begins airing May 22, and you’re seeing it first on Currents News.

Even in quarantine, with some working from home and essentially home-schooling their children, they feel like they don’t have time for meditation and reflection. But, during this pandemic a moment of pause is needed — all it could take is one minute.

In just sixty seconds, Father John Gribowich of DeSales Media Group, Currents News’ parent company, will help you focus your minds during this pandemic.

He joins Currents News to offer a sneak peak into this new series of videos, and what viewers can take away in a minute’s worth of reflection.

St. Peter’s Square Opens to the Public as Italians Reemerge From World’s Strictest COVID-Lockdown

By Melissa Butz

For the first time since March 10, there was life inside St. Peter’s Square. Italians young and old, walked next to the fountains, which were once the only source of movement, as police cars still circled the area.

“We came because we want to re-begin to live in Rome and this is a great way to start,” explained Sandra, who came to visit the square. “Many museums are still closed, so although it’s sad, we’re taking advantage of this quiet time.”

The calmness of the square and the short line also inspired many Romans to go inside the basilica.”We found ourselves here, where there was hardly anyone,” added fellow visitor Adriana “It was so weird. When we saw we could go inside the basilica, we went in. As a Roman, nothing like this has ever happened.”

“I got to the square and I couldn’t believe how empty it was,” said Antonio, a Rome local. “I pass by the Vatican every day since I live nearby. It’s always been full. But when I saw there was no line to go into the basilica, I had to go inside. Seeing it empty was something else all together.”

“In a certain sense it’s like seeing Rome for the first time,” added fellow resident Eelonora. “I live here, but it’s completely different. Going into the basilica was magical though especially since it was empty.”

While many come to see the basilica, others just pass through. Italians are enjoying small freedoms like these that are returning during phase two of one of the strictest COVID-19 lockdowns in the world.

Catholic Headlines for Thursday, 5/21/20 (Currents News full broadcast)

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

Some of the top stories on this newscast:
Cardinal Timothy Dolan is announcing a big step to reopen churches in the Archdiocese of New York. And there with him, the Bishop of Brooklyn Nicholas DiMarzio is making an announcement of his own.

White flags are outside of St. Michael’s Church in Flushing, Queens, representing parishioners lost to COVID-19. Pastors in the Brooklyn Diocese are taking special steps to deal with the profound sense of loss.

The Vatican is talking directly to Israel about respecting international law and living peacefully with Palestine in the troubled Middle East.

The United States is bleeding more jobs because of the pandemic. A well-known expert has ideas about fixing the American economy.

In these hard times, working parents are facing challenges they never expected. But, there is advice for them on how to cope.

Archdiocese of New York Plans Phased Reopening, Brooklyn Diocese to Soon Follow Suit

By Jessica Easthope

The Archdiocese of New York announced plans to reopen its 288 churches in phases, a sign New York is emerging from months of isolation.

“It’s time for an appropriately gradual and staggered reopening of services,” said Cardinal Timothy Dolan.

Cardinal Dolan spoke May 22 at Our Saviour Parish in Midtown Manhattan about caring for parishioners, physically and spiritually.

“We’ve got the moral imperative everybody to protect the health of our people and the wider community. We have been doing that and we will continue to do that. We also have a duty to care for the hearts and souls of our people,” said Cardinal Dolan.

Preparations for a gradual reopening called the “Faith Forward” plan is a five-phase approach that will start with churches reopening for private prayer and confessions, followed by baptisms and marriages, Holy Communion outside of Mass, weekday and funeral Masses with limited seating and finally Sunday Mass with supervised attendance.

People like Najwa Najame have been coming to Our Saviour every day during the pandemic.

“I’ve been coming here and saying prayers and then leaving, I’ve been doing the same thing every day,” said Najwa.

Though she’s made her daily, private prayer a priority, getting back to Mass and receiving the Eucharist is what she’s missed most.

“It would be Masses all over again, I’ve missed it. We’ve had no masses and hopefully we’ll have that again,” Najwa said.

The archdiocese is hoping Masses will resume in full in around six weeks and when they do things, will be different. Only the host will be offered during communion, and no physical contact will be allowed during the sign of peace.

Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio agreed that safety is paramount, and that the Diocese of Brooklyn will follow the archdiocese’s lead.

“We have to do both, we have to care for the bodies and souls of our people,” he said. “We will move slowly and surely to get to maximize participation as quickly as we can.”

One of the biggest changes to the Mass? Churches will be limited to only 25 percent capacity and will be disinfected regularly. Hand sanitizer will be available to parishioners and everyone in church will have to sit six feet apart.

“The desire of the people including the priests to get these churches open and for us to return to Mass and the sacraments,” said Monsignor Joseph LaMorte, Vicar General for the Archdiocese of New York. “Everyone misses them very, very much.”

Pastors in the Diocese of Brooklyn Help Parishioners Cope With High Amount of Coronavirus Deaths

By Emily Drooby

White flags have been placed on the lawn outside of St. Michael’s Church in Flushing, Queens. Each one represents a member of their parish lost to the coronavirus. The display is still a work in progress, but when it’s done, there will be over 200 flags. Many of those who’ve passed away are from nearby nursing homes.

The pandemic has made death a horrifying new normal for too many.

“I am really overwhelmed by the pain,” explained the church’s pastor, Monsignor John Vesey.

He tells Currents News he has a big job facing him: helping his flock deal with the losses, all while dealing with it himself. The flags are part of his plan.

“I think by doing symbolic things like this it’s going to help all of us to be more mindful that we are one family and that we have to be more caring and loving because as you know this could be us, today or tomorrow,” Msgr. Vesey said,

Other churches in the Diocese of Brooklyn have lost parishioners to the pandemic, too.

Presentation Of The Blessed Virgin Mary Parish in Jamaica, Queens has been using candles next to the altar where they celebrate their live-streamed Masses to help remember their dead. Right now they have 14 candles, one for each member of their community that they lost.

The church’s pastor, Father Manuel De Jesús Rodríguez, says it’s a way to remember and honor those they’ve lost. They’ve also been using Whatsapp groups, a cell phone application, to reach out to and comfort their parishioners as they grieve the losses in their own family, and in their church family.

Looking ahead, Fr. Rodríguez also believes that when it’s safe to, taking part in the sacraments will help parishioners heal even further.

It’s a difficult time for clergy, too. They’ve lost their friends, their parishioners, their people. Fr. Rodríguez says personally, he’s been leaning on his faith to cope.

“When Jesus is present in ourselves as the bones that unite us together and hold us together as brothers and sisters,” he explained. “Everything becomes less painful, and everything becomes more bearable.”

From flags, to candles, to support groups to prayer, there are so many ways in which clergy are helping grieve those they’ve lost, and support those who need it.