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.

What Will the Economy Look Like Post-COVID-19? Fox Business’ Elizabeth MacDonald Says Expect a Shift

Currents News Staff

With all U.S. states now partially reopened, the big question now is how to get the American economy running at full-steam once again, and how to do it safely.

The Federal Reserve is sounding the alarm over permanent damage to the U.S. economy because of coronavirus-related lockdowns.

More than 38 million American jobs have disappeared in just a matter of weeks. Will they come back, or are many gone forever?

This crisis may have pointed out a glaring weakness in the United States: the lack of an American manufacturing base.

Joining Currents News to talk more about what she calls the “Great Suppression” is Elizabeth MacDonald, host of Fox Business Network’s “The Evening Edit,” seen weeknights at 6 p.m.

Elizabeth has been looking to entrepreneurs as the *key group* to lead the country out of this financial crisis. She offers her insight on what they’ll be able to accomplish during these times.

Maryknoll Religious Community Works Towards Healing After Losing Nuns and Priests to COVID-19

Currents News Staff

Religious communities have been hard hit by the coronavirus, especially the Maryknoll community in Westchester County, New York, where three nuns and ten priests have died.

The Maryknoll community lives incredible lives of faith as missionaries who have done so much good in the world, and every night they join Americans in honoring those now on the frontline by ringing their church bells at 7 p.m.

Father Raymond Finch, the Superior General of Fathers and Brothers at Maryknoll, shares what it’s been like to see religious nuns and priests who survived so much in their lives, only to pass from the coronavirus.

Archdiocese of New York Announces ‘Faith Forward’ Plan to Reopen Area Churches

By Christopher White, National Correspondent

NEW YORK — Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York and Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio of Brooklyn are making plans for Catholics to return to Mass and the sacraments in a way that cares for both the “souls and bodies of our people.”

During a joint press conference on May 21, held at the Church of Our Savior in Manhattan, the leaders of the two dioceses said that religious gatherings are “essential services for the wellbeing of people.”

The New York cardinal applauded area Catholics for their “constant allegiance to the very wise restrictions of our respected healthcare professionals and elected officials,” but said it was time to make plans for a gradual return to an adjusted normal.

The current “NY Forward” program managed by Governor Andrew Cuomo, which outlines the necessary steps for re-opening the state, does not outline a process for how houses of worship can reopen their doors. In response, the archdiocese has proposed a five-phased plan, titled “Faith Forward,” which outlines various stages to precede the eventual full resumption of Masses and sacraments.

Bishop DiMarzio said that the Diocese of Brooklyn will be releasing a similar plan in coming days, which is being overseen by Joe Esposito, the former Emergency Management commissioner for the City of New York and a parishioner in the diocese.

Phase One of the Archdiocese of New York’s plan begins with the opening of churches for private prayer and confessions, followed by a phase allowing for baptisms and marriages limited to 10 attendees. Phase Three will allow for the distribution of communion outside of Mass, followed by a phase allowing for daily masses and funeral masses with limited attendance, and the eventual final phase will include the celebration of Sunday Mass with supervised protocols.

Cardinal Dolan said that he anticipates a one- to two-week period of time in between each stage.

Among the specific plans outlined for returning to services are the regular sanitation and disinfecting of churches, a ban on physical contact, spaced seating for individuals, couples, and families, the emptying of Holy Water and baptismal fonts, the installation of hand sanitizers at church entrances, and the temporary cessation of all non-essential gatherings, such as coffee hours or children’s groups.

Attendance at each individual Mass will be limited to no more than 25 percent of a church’s capacity. The archdiocese noted that the proposed plan follows the latest guidance from the Centers for Disease and Control (CDC), while “at the same time, respects our traditions.”

Meanwhile, the obligation to attend Sunday Mass is suspended until further notice and those who are feeling sick are asked not to attend services.

During the May 21 press conference, Bishop DiMarzio said that Church leaders have been “prudent and careful not to begin services when it would be imprudent” and could negatively affect the health of those who attended the services.

Both Cardinal Dolan and Bishop DiMarzio said that the re-opening will look different “region by region, parish by parish,” noting that parishes in upstate New York counties of the Archdiocese of New York will be better suited to re-open at a faster pace than many of the urban parishes.

“Our people have been remarkably accommodating,” said Cardinal Dolan, of the ban on public Masses and sacraments since the COVID-19 pandemic forced the closure of in-person Masses in mid-March.

“Since the outset of the COVID-19 crisis in the New York region, our churches have been closed to public worship,” states the official guidelines for the “Faith Forward” plan. “This was, indeed, a sad but necessary step to take for the health and safety of our parishioners and local communities. And it has worked.”

Although he would not commit to an exact start date for a return to Sunday Mass, the cardinal said that six weeks “would be good.”

“We will not preempt things,” Bishop DiMarzio added. “We will be cautious, but at the same time we will try to push as much as possible.”

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

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

Some of the top stories on this newscast:

With money being tight for some families, a Catholic education can be costly. One school is going the extra mile to make sure kids can still attend while their parents are out of work.

The March of Dimes is fighting for babies and moms so they can have the right care in the midst of this crushing pandemic.

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo is clearing the way for people to worship God together again. Churches will be open, but where?

A dramatic test-run shows how quickly the coronavirus can be spread while breaking bread. It may be awhile until you sit down at a restaurant, but you’ll want to watch the test results.

New Jersey Bishop David O’Connell is leading the charge against Congress’ move to cut aid to Catholic schools, and he’s speaking out about it.

Julie Chen Among Alumni From St. Francis Prep Stepping in to Help Students Make Tuition During COVID

By Jessica Easthope

From the outside St. Francis Prep looks like an ordinary high school, the people who have walked its halls are anything but.

“I am so proud of our alumni and what they are doing for the current population,” said Brother Leonard Conway, the President of St. Francis Prep.

Brother Conway’s job has changed dramatically over the last few months.

“The idea came about because of a number of phone calls we were receiving from parents saying they were already experiencing financial difficulty because of Coronavirus, several have lost jobs,” said Brother Leonard.

That’s when he made decision that would change lives, it did for Allison, a parent with two children at the school.

“It’s a blessing we never thought would happen,” Allison said.

After Allison’s husband contracted coronavirus in March, she found herself not knowing how she would pay the $10,000 tuition to keep her kids in the school they love so much.

“I reached out to Brother Leonard to say we might need a little time, my husband now is out of work, I have a business of 20 years that’s closed down and here we were in 5 weeks our whole world just fell apart,” Allison said.

Brother Leonard didn’t give her time, he gave her something more: he told her don’t worry about it.

“I said to Brother Leonard this phone call you made to me is life-changing and there’s no way to even thank someone for that,” Allison said.

Borne out of the need of so many Prep families came the TerrierSTAR Fund, a way to collect donations from alumni to keep children in the school, even if their parents have lost jobs or are suffering financially. Some donations came in and then one Prep graduate stepped up in a big way.

“I don’t want any kid not being able to return to Prep in the fall because of a lack of funds, that’s just not going to happen,” said Julie Chen, CBS anchor and host of Big Brother.

Julie made an offer that showed she’s never let go of the Franciscan values she learned at Prep.

“I will match every single donation, there’s no cap on this,” Julie said.

Julie said the inspiration to help started back in her Prep days.

“That Good Samaritan story that I first read about and studied when I was a sophomore at St Francis Prep has come full circle now,” Julie said. “And that will always stay with me.”

Trenton, New Jersey’s Bishop David O’Connell Says The Heroes Act Will Put Catholic Schools at Risk

Currents News Staff

A new aid package passed by the House is getting pushback from Catholic leaders. The “Heroes Act” would cut most benefits to Catholic schools.

Trenton, New Jersey’s Bishop David O’Connell has been speaking out against the bill. He wrote Catholics in his diocese about it, saying it has a lot of good things, but also some problematic areas.

Fifty-two hundred Catholics from his diocese also wrote in, state Catholic conferences mobilized around it, and the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops even helped write to Congress.

This bill isn’t expected to be passed through the Senate. Bishop O’Connell shares his insight on the bill’s pros and cons, and his thoughts on what an emergency relief fund bill might look like.