St. Saviour High School Principal Gives Signs of Thanks to Graduating Seniors

By Jessica Easthope

Most students wouldn’t be happy about waking up early on a weekend to find their principal on their front lawn. But the seniors at St. Saviour High School are not just any students and Carol Timpone is not your average principal.

“They’ve worked very, very hard, they’ve done the best that they could do and now today we’re starting to give back to them,” Carol said.

She and several other teachers from the Catholic high school in Park Slope, Brooklyn, picked neighborhoods and went door-to-door to each of the 64 seniors’ homes delivering lawn signs with their graduation year which, unfortunately, is not ending how they expected.

The group of seniors have been awarded more than $16 million in college scholarships. Their Catholic education is taking each of them on a different path toward their dreams.

Carol said the signs are a thank you to the girls who have spent the last four years leading lives of service.

“Their service is beyond belief,” Carol explained. “They give back to the community in any way they can. They step up to the plate.”

For senior Molly Murtagh, her service is far from over: she’s off to West Point in the fall.

“I really liked the strong sense of community, that’s a big thing at St. Saviour and I also saw that at West Point so I wanted to keep that going,” she told Currents News. “I think it’s a really good opportunity for me to help my country and that’s what I’m meant to do.”

The sense of belonging Molly felt at St. Saviour, Carol felt too when she arrived last year on her first day as principal.

“I walked in, I said, ‘This is where I belong,’” Carol recalled.

For her, the simple gesture is a way of keeping a connection with her girls.

“Religion is really all about connection, and when we lose that connection we lose our religious purpose,” Carol said.

She’s leading by example with hope and her faith.

Cuomo Extends New York Stay at Home Orders as Other States Prepare to Reopen

Currents News Staff

It’ll be one more month at home for millions of New Yorkers. Governor Andrew Cuomo has extended restrictions until June 13 for the most populous regions of the state.

Some areas that have shown enough improvement can ease those restrictions starting May 15.

Earlier, Cuomo said five of 10 state regions met criteria to begin relaxing social distancing, including a decline in hospitalizations and coronavirus-related deaths.

“I would urge local governments to be diligent about the business compliance and about individual compliance,” he said. “And then if you see a change in those numbers, react immediately.”

Binghamton is within one of those regions, and some business owners are getting ready to open again.

“I think it’s going to be a slow start as much as everybody’s eager to get out there do every everything” explained Tom Sheredy, a partner at Blue Culture Coffee in Binghamton. “So doing it in phases, I think ,is a healthy approach.”

The CDC posted step by step guidelines to help states reopen safely after most are already, or preparing to rollback even more restrictions.

Summer camps are allowed to operate in-person in Rhode Island beginning June 29 if all goes well.

Shoppers can return to Minnesota’s Mall of America June, and the Jersey shore will reopen by Memorial Day — with limitations.

“That’s a big step,” explained Governor Phil Murphy. “We take it very seriously.. and if we have to pull the brakes we will do that.”

But the moves aren’t fast enough for some demonstrators in Michigan, who are protesting Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s stay at home order and prompting law enforcement to close the state capitol.

Wisconsin residents returned to local bars and restaurants, some immediately after the state supreme court overturned Governor Tony Evers’ stay at home order.

“You don’t have to be a science person. You don’t have to be a politician to figure out you’ve got a lot of people in a place, and you’re going to spread a disease,” said Evers.

Meanwhile, on Capitol Hill, one of the nation’s top vaccine experts, Rick Bright, gave this stark warning to a House health subcommittee:

“Without better planning, 2020 could be the darkest winter in modern history.”

Bright testified before Congress for the first time since being removed from his federal position last month, giving a bleak assessment of the Trump administration’s response to the pandemic.

“We don’t have a single point of leadership right now for this response,” he added. “And we don’t have a master plan for this response. so those two things are absolutely critical.”

At least 48 states have plans to reopen by next week.

Catholic Headlines for Thursday, 5/14/20 (Currents News full broadcast)

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

Some of the top stories on this newscast:

A living rosary comes together bead by bead and takes to the airwaves.

Pope Francis leads the Catholic world in a day of prayer and fasting, begging God to end the coronavirus pandemic.

Nonprofit volunteers are handing out thousands of meals in NYC’s struggling Chinatown.

Archbishop Wilton Gregory is condemning the “murderous attack” on Georgia jogger Ahmaud Arbery as the “virus of racism.”

The bishop of Saint Petersburg shares what protocols are being followed now that churches are back open in Florida.

Rethink Food Feeds Chinatown as Pandemic Pummels Business

By Jessica Easthope

The silence is deafening in Manhattan’s Chinatown. A few months ago, its streets were bustling. Now, an endless row of closed metal gates is the reality for the people who live and work there.

Chinatown was one of the first communities to shutter back in February. Now, three months later, the situation is dire.

Numbers reported by the Wall Street Journal show only 15 percent of Chinatown’s roughly 270 restaurants are still open. In all of New York City, 94 percent of Chinese restaurants are closed.

“People in our neighborhood are so worried. I’m very worried. I’m very concerned,” said Father Vincentius Do, the pastor of St. Agatha’s, a Catholic Church in Sunset Park, Brooklyn, a predominantly East Asian neighborhood.

Winston Chiu, the Chief Strategy Officer of Rethink Food NYC is also worried.

“A lot of mom and pop shops are closed, so it became a food desert,” said Wintson.

Winston is doing everything he can to end the stigma and hunger Asian communities like Chinatown and Flushing are facing.

“In addition to the virus coming and affecting the people we’ve seen people not come to our restaurants, one of our main concerns is that Chinatown will not be able to survive the pandemic,” Winston said.

He and other volunteers went door-to-door May 14 in Knickerbocker Village in the heart of Chinatown, bringing meals to the hundreds of residents who signed up with their door sticker system.

Winston said the food being handed out isn’t something generic you’d find at a pantry or soup kitchen.

“A peanut butter and jelly sandwich in Chinatown might not make sense, but something with chicken and rice might be a more equitable resource for them,” Winston said.

Rethink Food has been handing out nearly 9,000 meals across the city, daily. Every meal means one less person goes hungry until this community gets back on its feet, whenever that day comes.

“The Asian shops and restaurants, they closed a little earlier than the others,” said Fr. Vincentius. “I don’t see them opening up any time soon”

As States Reopen Amid Pandemic, Head of St. Petersburg Diocese Shares What Parishioners Can Expect

Currents News Staff

In the Diocese of St. Petersburg, Florida, Catholics are starting a new normal.

On May 11 churches celebrated public Mass as the state entered its first phase of re-opening.

But the services aren’t the same as they were before the pandemic.

The diocese is taking the public’s health very seriously – not all of its parishes have been opened.

Churches in many places around the country including New York City – the epicenter of the crisis- remain closed.

In the meantime, the Diocese of St. Petersburg may be looked to as a guide.

Bishop Gregory Parkes, head of the diocese, joins Currents News to detail some of the precautions that are in place for reopening, and what advice he would give to dioceses who may follow suit.

Our Lady Queen of Martyrs Keeps Living Rosary Tradition Alive During Pandemic, Moving It Online

By Emily Drooby

The world has shut down in the face of the coronavirus pandemic, but people are still holding on tight to their faith.

Our Lady Queen of Martyrs Church in Forest Hills, Queens, has proven that by finding a way to keep a wonderful tradition alive.

Twice a year, the church holds a living rosary to honor the Blessed Virgin Mary.

“They would go outside on the front of the church and line up like a rosary bead, and each person would say a Hail Mary or an Our Father,” explained Dennis Portelli, the Director of Pastoral Care for the church.

With social distancing restrictions in place this year, the church knew the living rosary would not be possible.

“The reason why we do it is, is one to get people to participate in their faith and two to be an example for other people,” Dennis said.

Since they strive to be a strong example of faith, the church leaders knew they needed to come up with another plan.

So, they filmed a virtual living rosary with about 50 parishioners and clergy.

They released the video in May, a significant choice because it’s the month during which Pope Francis asked Catholics to make a special effort to pray the rosary.

It’s a way to unite with believers around the world, asking for Mary’s intercession in stopping the pandemic.

With the video, the long-standing church tradition has taken on a new role, Father Antonin Kocurek, the church’s Parochial Vicar explained.

“We are connected and we can see each other, and we can feel through our prayers that we are somehow together like God’s family,” he said.

“They were able to get reconnected with their church, and reconnected with something they’re familiar with that we do twice a year every year for the last 10 years,” Dennis added.

Right now, it’s a light in the dark and a beacon of hope.

Illinois Family Builds a “Hug Machine” So That Grandma Can Hug Her Babies

Currents News Staff

It’s been said love knows no bounds, and one Illinois family proves that to be true.

With a little bit of ingenuity and some plastic, an 85-year-old great-grandma can now hug her loved ones for the first time in months.

“I wanted to cry because i couldn’t believe that this was happening,” said Rose Gagnon.

She hasn’t hugged her great grandchildren in more than two months.

“I see them every day normally so this was a challenge not to be able to see them, not to be able to hug them,” said Gagnon.

So, what did it feel like to be able to hold them again?

“My heart felt like it was going to burst. it filled my heart!” she said.

Rose’s granddaughter Carly Marinaro built a ‘hug time’ machine, allowing her kids to safely wrap up in their great grandmother’s embrace.

“I was getting to the point of oh my gosh I can’t handle this I need to hug her, the kids need to hug her so it was just — so worth it!” said Marinaro.

“The frame is just PVC pipe and then the plastic is a window insulator kit for a sliding glass door so double-sided tape and duct tape,” Marinaro continued.

All you have to do is put your arms through these holes so you can spread the love without spreading the germs.

“We’re not meant to be apart like this or be isolated and it’s sad for those people that cane be around their family members i just feel for the people that cant do this. I’m just glad that we can share this type of happiness with people,” Marinaro.

Even though there may be a piece of plastic between these hugs, this family proves nothing can come between a great grandmother’s love for her babies.

Five Family Members Who Beat Coronavirus Say They Did ‘Only by the Grace of God’

Currents News Staff

The last few months have been rough on the Pierce household.

“Five members of my family had COVID, three were hospitalized,” Jackie Corbett, the daughter of a coronavirus survivor, explained.

Those three were Jackie’s mother, father and brother.

“Dad had a fever. He had a cough. Mom had pneumonia,” she explained.

Jackie’s brother, Robert, was on a ventilator for 16 days.

“His journey was pretty perilous and a few times the doctors kind of got us ready for the worst,” she said.

But as of May 12, each of Jackie’s family members can say they beat COVID-19.

“Well, I’ll tell you, it’s only by the grace of God that we have been able to be survivors,” Robert said.

“We’re very thankful for everything, very thankful,” her mom, Loraine Pierce explained. “We’re very happy to be on our way home.”

After eight weeks together at New York’s Garden Gate Healthcare Facility, Lorraine and Robert headed home, chauffeured by their survivor son.

“And it’s through faith and through family that got us through this,” added Jackie.

“I’m just so thankful,” Lorraine explained, “thankful to God for all the prayers. I know that’s what got us through it.”

“Certainly it feels absolutely wonderful to be walking and talking and having our being and being able to breathe,” added Robert, “and it’s really a blessing.”

Pregnant During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Catholic Editor Shares How She’s Preparing

Currents News Staffs

Bringing a baby into the world can be stressful for any parent at any time, let alone in the middle of a pandemic.

Besides the obvious health concerns, moms to be can be left wondering: What world am I bringing my baby into?

Pope Francis recently prayed for pregnant women who may have this question.

Here to talk about her experience is Kerry Weber, executive editor at the Jesuit “America Magazine,” who is expecting a baby girl in July.

She wrote an article for America Magazine titled “The Hope and Uncertainty of Being Pregnant During the Coronavirus Pandemic.” There are already so many fears, and worrying that your baby will be healthy and the delivery will be uneventful, is now among these concerns.

Can you or your baby catch the virus? Can your husband be with you during the delivery?

Kerry joins Currents News to share her experience.

Currents News full broadcast for Wednesday, 5/13/20

On the newscast:

– A big welcome home for a little boy. Jayden Hardowar beating the odds of a mysterious illness probably linked to Covid-19 that’s targeting children and frightening parents.

– An update from underground one week after the start of the overnight shutdown of the City’s subways. An exclusive interview with a train operator on the latest conditions.

– An emergency program that’s supposed to help small businesses is plagued with its own problems that are putting owners in a bind.

– Pregnant during a pandemic and how one Catholic editor, Kerry Weber, is handling the stress.

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