During COVID-19, the Knights of Columbus Are Facing Another Type of Challenge

Currents News Staff

COVID-19 The Knights of Columbus have always had a reputation for helping when people are in need, and the organization has really stepped up during the COVID-19 crisis.

Among the initiatives they’ve put in place, one huge help has been food drives.

During this pandemic, Supreme Knight Carl Anderson has issued a challenge to the knights, encouraging them to do five different activities during this time.

The knights are also helping dioceses get through this crisis financially, and are doing all this while aiming to stay safe physically and spiritually themselves during this crisis.

Joining Currents News to share what else the organization is up to and how someone in the community who needs the help of the Knights can receive assistance is the Knights of Columbus Vice President of Planning, Andrew Walther.

Catholic Teacher Modifies Her Online Classroom to Help Students With Special Needs

By Jessica Easthope

This year for teachers across the country, the day dedicated to their hard work and passion is bittersweet.

“You don’t get the homemade cards and the sweet little trinkets they bring in for you, and you don’t get to have that bonding time in person,” said Shannon Wallace, a first grade teacher at St. Andrew Avellino Catholic Academy in Flushing, Queens.

Early on into digital learning, Shannon realized she has to switch things up.

“We still meet as a whole group like we were in the beginning, but now what I actually do is I meet with small groups every day,” Shannon explained.

This has allowed her to celebrate the small victories and see how involved parents are getting in their kids’ educations.

“They’re so dedicated to their child’s education,” Shannon said of her students’ parents. “But they get to see me as their teacher, and a little more of my teaching style.”

This is especially true for the students in Shannon’s class who have Individualized Education Programs or IEPs, like Michael DeIeso.

“There’s a virus going on and no one can be at school,” Michael explained.

Michael’s mom, Elizabeth DeIeso, has seen how much it takes to successfully learn online.

“I’ve talked to other parents, and they are now understanding what their kids’ struggles are,” Elizabeth said.

Elizabeth – who is also a teacher at Michael’s school – has realized how much patience she has for her class and how her kids’ teachers show them that same consideration and understanding.

“Kids have been saying, ‘I miss my teacher.’ I’m getting choked up, ‘because my teacher has more patience for me,’” Elizabeth said of the students at St. Andrew’s.

Being home with Michael, Elizabeth has seen his IEP in play, she’s even been able to use some of his speech therapy techniques.

For both Shannon and Elizabeth teaching is their calling, whether they’re in a classroom or not. It’s strengthened their faith in God and in Catholic education.

“I say, Let’s pray together,’ and tell that I’m thinking of them and God is thinking of them,” Shannon said.

“It’s important to have hope,” Elizabeth said. “Without hope, we would be lost.”

Currents News full broadcast for Monday, 5/4/20

On the newscast:

– The final journey of a beloved Brooklyn pastor. The body of Father Jorge Ortiz-Garay is going home to Mexico City.

– The Diocese of Brooklyn is fighting to keep those affected by the pandemic fed while a Queens Church is making sure families’ souls are fed too.

– The pandemic’s impact on Catholic academies and parish schools in the Diocese of Brooklyn. Plans for the future are revealed.

– An exclusive report from Rome as Italy moves into a new phase of living.

Watch weeknights at 7:00 pm EST on NET-TV in the New York City area on Spectrum, Optimum, and Fios. Subscribe to our YouTube channel to receive notifications about new content.

Father Jorge Ortiz-Garay Begins the Journey to His Final Resting Place in Mexico

By Emily Drooby

Fr. Jorge Ortiz-Garay was the beloved pastor of St. Brigid Church in Bushwick, Brooklyn, and Diocesan Coordinator of the Ministry to Mexican immigrants.

He passed away on March 27, 2020, from the coronavirus.

At 49-years-old, he’s believed to be the first Catholic priest in the U.S. to lose his life to the virus.

“Father Jorge passed away and here we are, starting the process of getting him home to his final resting place,” Vincent LeVien, director of External Affairs for DeSales Media Group, the parent company of Currents News, said May 3.

LeVien formed the DeSales Emergency Task Force to help organizations in need during the coronavirus pandemic.

He says that his team worked for weeks to send the body of Brooklyn priest, Fr. Jorge Ortiz-Garay, back to his homeland of Mexico.

“Thanks to Monsignor Kieran Harrington and Bishop DiMarzio, we literally worked every night and day to run through all of the bureaucracy to make sure Fr. Jorge could be home time,” LeVien explained.

LeVien said U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer, Mayor Bill de Blasio, Governor Andrew Cuomo, U.S. Customs and Delta Airlines all played a role in making this happen.

“If we got one thing wrong today, cargo, the flight, the manifest, the coffin, the logistics, Father Jorge doesn’t get home,” said LeVien.

Fr. Jorge put his own health at risk to minister to his parishioners when the virus started to spread.

“A lot of people stayed in because they had to stay in, he chose to go out and help people because he knew those people needed the help, because without him they had nothing, they had no food, they had no supplies,” said LeVien.

On Sunday, Currents News was there as Father Jorge began his journey to his final resting place.

It started with a blessing by Kieran E. Harrington, vicar for communications for the Diocese of Brooklyn, in front of the Scotto and Heyer Funeral Home.

“And that’s why this is important today, yes to give him respect for all of the work he did…but ultimately also for the consolation of his mom and his dad, his siblings, his nieces and nephews who need to be able to have him present to have closure,” explained the funeral home’s director, John Heyer.

The hearse was then escorted to JFK Airport and out onto the tarmac where even the capital came out to pay his respects.

There was a solemn moment for many as the casket was loaded onto the plane, and a final goodbye was said to Fr. Jorge Ortiz-Garay.

His body is bound for Mexico City, but his legacy will forever live on in the Brooklyn Diocese.

Italy Residents Face Mixed Emotions as Phase Two of Lockdown Lift Begins

By Melissa Butz

After 55 days of lockdown, Italy’s long-awaited “phase two” of reopening has begun, marked by obligatory masks, open parks, restaurant take-out and of course, social distancing.

Masks and gloves are Italy’s “new normal” as it enters into phase two, allowing four million people to return to work.

Public transportation has changed, as the metro has certain areas blocked off and buses are allowed only half the normal number of riders.

Restaurants are now open for take-out service for the first time in two months.

Italians, deprived of their morning ritual for so long, drink their morning espresso in the street.

While happy to serve, restaurant owners say they feel abandoned.

“I’m angry, upset and demoralized,” one told Currents News. “We weren’t told how to sanitize, what to do, what products to use, both for us and our clients. We don’t know anything. We have been left in the dark.

Athletes, on the other hand, are overjoyed as parks have reopened. Young and old alike now pass alongside those who cut the overgrown grass

“It’s a sense of freedom!” explained one park-goer.

But freedom doesn’t mean tranquility in the face of the coronavirus, or agreement with this new phase.

“I’m honestly more worried than I was before the lockdown,” one Rome resident admitted. “I hope it will be better.”

“With all these people out, maybe we haven’t understood it’s like phase one, but with a few differences,” said another.

During the lockdown, tourism dropped 68 percent in Europe and 96 percent in Italy.

It’s estimated that from July to September 2020, no travel bans will cost 25 million tourists, making Italy’s financial situation even tighter.

It should get slightly better as shopping, museums and exhibits reopen May 18 and restaurants and hair salons on June 1.

While it’s not how Italy was before the lockdown, it’s a slow and steady step in the right direction.

How the Sacred Heart Institute Is Helping Priests Find Spiritual Strength During the Virus Crisis

Currents News Staff

We have seen priests around the country embrace new forms of evangelization because of the coronavirus.

Online masses, drive through confessions and videos for catechesis are just some of the ways that they’re on the frontlines in their own way.

Giving priests the spiritual strength to face the coronavirus pandemic head-on is the goal of “A Shepherd’s Care,” a program by the Sacred Heart Institute which provides videos for the clergy during these times.

The program offers advice to priests on how to communicate digitally, and even hosted a virtual retreat during Holy Week with Brooklyn’s own Monsignor Thomas Caserta.

The director of the Sacred Heart Institute, Father lachlan Cameron, joins Currents News to discuss how the program is helping priests in their ministry.

Unemployed NYC Family Doesn’t Have Enough Money Left to Move to State Where There Is Work

By Jessica Easthope

Unemployment in the United States is the highest it’s been since the Great Depression. Tens of millions of people have lost their jobs. In New York City, those who are undocumented are unable to collect unemployment benefits and are fighting to survive.

“It’s been hard for her especially with money because the owners want their money now and they don’t want to wait and sometimes food runs out and she doesn’t know what to give us,” Marlene Sanchez, translating for her mother Viridiana, told Currents News.

Viridiana and her husband have been unemployed for months. They’re struggling to pay rent and provide for their three children.

“I have two younger siblings as well,” Marlene said. “The smallest one is three, and he doesn’t understand when there’s no food and there’s nothing left to give him.”

The family, who attends Basilica of Regina Pacis in Bensonhurst, doesn’t know where to turn.

“We were planning to move in two weeks to move to Minnesota, but we need to have a certain amount of money to go. So, now we’ve moved it to September. Over there they’re still giving out jobs, and and the rent is less over there. They would be doing farm work,” Marlene said.

More than one million New Yorkers have filed for unemployment since the pandemic began. Though many qualify, the Department of Labor has been flooded with applications and some have been denied. That’s where the New York State Bar Association is stepping in.

“In these dark and desperate times the New York State Bar Association is fulfilling one of the highest obligations of the legal profession which is provide legal assistance for those people who cannot afford an attorney,” said Hank Greenberg, the President of the New York State Bar Association.

Greenberg says someone whose claim has been denied has a better chance of getting it appealed if they’re represented by an attorney. He says the more than 1,500 lawyers who have completed online training to help people for free are offering much more than legal advice.

“For many people who are suffering the opportunity to speak to a thoughtful and sensitive person to willing to listen to their concerns and help them through a difficult and vitally important legal issue is very valuable,” Greenberg explained.

People like Viridiana and her family have been finding that comfort in the Catholic-run food pantries and soup kitchens in her community and their faith.

“From this experience her faith has been growing stronger,” Marlene said of her mother. “We didn’t pray together as a family and now we’ve been praying every day.”

Josh Gallo

Firefighters are amazing cooks, right?! Josh Gallo joins Msgr Jamie in his kitchen to defend the reputation of firefighters’ everywhere with his delicious oregano chicken and polenta!

Pop-Up Pantry in Elmhurst Offers More Than Food Thanks to Catholic Charities and St. Bartholomew’s

By Jessica Easthope

Food is the most basic of necessities, yet during the coronavirus pandemic, so many don’t have enough.

Luis Espinoza has been unemployed for more than two months, which is why he came May 1 to Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens’ pop-up food distribution at Saint Bartholomew’s Church in Elmhurst, Queens. He says he’s been missing stability, but he’s also been missing something else.

“We don’t work right now, so we needed some food for my kids,” he explained. “We come every Sunday here to church, but now church is closed, so it’s been hard too.”

Like Luis, thousands of others in the hardest hit communities like Elmhurst feel that same spiritual need as well as a desperate and growing need to provide for their families.

“We will run out of food today,” Richard Slizeski, Senior Vice President for Mission of Catholic Charities of Brooklyn and Queens told Currents News. “We packed for 1,200 bags. There’s probably easily 700 more people in line after that, so the need is great.”

Catholic Charities and St. Bartholomew’s worked shoulder to shoulder to feed the body and nourish the soul.

“Today we’re doing the exposition of the Blessed Sacrament,” Father Rick Beuther, the church’s pastor, explained. “We’ve given out 2,000 rosaries to people online, and it’s a reminder that while we need to be socially distant, Jesus is not socially distant to his people.”

Fr. Rick says so far, more than 60 of his parishioners have died from coronavirus, a loss he’s taking especially hard.

He also got sick himself.

“I myself had the virus,” he said. “Thank God it wasn’t too serious, just loss of taste and smell, and lots of extra sleep.”

Catholic Charities filled and gave away 1,200 bags of food Friday. Every few minutes, hundreds of people would make it in and out with days worth of food.

It’s a service designed to help those in need turn a corner.

“Feeding the hungry is something at our core in terms of feeding the human dignity of every person.” Richard explained.

In addition to food and comfort, people were also given information on where to find help. Lists of additional food pantries and where to get mental health services were handed out to everyone in line.

Currents News full broadcast for Friday, 5/1/20

On the newscast:

– Crime is up underground despite record low ridership on New York CIty’s subways. MTA workers are speaking out, saying it’s the ‘Wild West’ down there and they’re left to fend for themselves.

– Catholic education around the country is facing a crisis. How will out-of-work parents pay tuition? The Diocese of Brooklyn has some answers.

– There just may be a silver lining to this pandemic. Families are gathering around the dinner table again.

– The doctor is in! We’re asking him about a coronavirus vaccine and what to do if it’s produced using tissues from abortions.

Watch weeknights at 7:00 pm EST on NET-TV in the New York City area on Spectrum, Optimum, and Fios. Subscribe to our YouTube channel to receive notifications about new content.