Despite Canceled Giglio Feast, Organizers Vow to Keep Tradition Alive and Bring in New Participants

By Jessica Easthope

Unprecedented times call for tough decisions.

For the last 117 years thousands of men have carried the tradition of the Giglio Feast on their shoulders, watching their fathers and grandfathers come up through Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church and take on the task of lifting the seven-story, four-ton tower in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.

For the first time since World War II, the Giglio tower will not dance in the sky above Brooklyn, but Monsignor Jamie Gigantiello, pastor of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, knows the tradition will endure.

“We realized as much as it’s a painful decision we had to make, we had to make it,” Msgr. Jamie told Currents News.

“Next year, the feast is bigger and better than ever and we’re going to lift it through the sky,” he added.

“I would never know how close I would have stayed to the Church growing up have had I not been so drawn into the traditions we had at my parish,” explained John Perrone, a member of the Giglio Feast Committee.

Like many who participate, John was born in Williamsburg but has since moved away from the old neighborhood. Every year, the feast takes him back.

“For me, it was the highlight of my summer as a kid,” John said. “I grew more and more attracted to it and it made me the guy I am today.”

The Giglio has watched the neighborhood change from 72 feet in the air. In recent years, new people meant having to recruit new lifters.

“Everything that we did the past few years as far as recruiting and welcoming people into the tradition was really just that we wanted to share the tradition with other people,” John said.

Now, Msgr. Jamie says it’s time to make the Giglio Feast part of the Church’s evangelization efforts once again.

“The young people in the neighborhood will question, ‘Why do these people come from all over?’ and maybe they’ll say, ‘I want to be a part of that,’ or ‘I want that in my life,’” Msgr. Jamie said of the community.

Msgr. Jamie is not worries about the life of the feast, but what is a concern is what happens at Our Lady of Mount Carmel without its biggest fundraiser during a year when churches are closed?

“We rely on the profits from the feast to support the parish for the whole year,” he explained.

The feast committee is now reaching out in different ways with raffles and donations to help meet its financial goal, all while keeping the real goal in mind.

“That is our only goal to continue this tradition, to keep our parish healthy and to pass this on to the next generation,” John said.

For now the Giglio remains on the ground while the fate of this year’s feast remains up in the air.

Archbishop Gregory Hartmayer of Atlanta Installed Using Social Distancing Amid the Pandemic

By Emily Drooby

May 6 marked a historic moment at the Cathedral of Christ The King as a socially distanced installation took place in Atlanta, Georgia.

The pews sat empty while Deacon Thomas McGiveny of St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church offered prayers to both the sick and those affected by the pandemic as Archbishop Gregory Hartmayer was installed to lead the Archdiocese of Atlanta.

“Those I love, those I revere, those I have been asked to tend in His name, are not gathered around me. This Cathedral is empty,” the new archbishop observed.

There were many differences from a traditional installation Mass. Clergy stood a safe distance apart and many watched at home on the livestream.

In addition, the Apostolic Mandate – the decree from the Holy Father that appoints Archbishop Hartmayer to the seat of the Archdiocese of Atlanta – was read on a video by Apostolic Nuncio to the United States, His Excellency Archbishop Christophe Pierre.

This would normally happen inside the Cathedral, but even with all of the changes, the new leader of Atlanta’s Catholic Church was not discouraged.

Archbishop Hartmayer told the small crowd and all those listening on the livestream, “ I wish you were all here, but there will be a time when we will gather together and celebrate as a church.”

Archbishop Hartmayer is originally from Buffalo, New York. He’s been the Bishop of Savannah, Georgia since 2011 and has spent a lot of time working in schools.

He is now the seventh Archbishop of Atlanta, replacing Archbishop Wilton Gregory, who became the head of the Archdiocese of Washington D.C. last year.

Atlanta has been without a leader for a year, but National Correspondent for The Tablet and Crux, Christopher White, thinks that could be a factor in holding the ceremony amid the pandemic.

“Pope Francis, the Holy See recognizes that we don’t know how long these restrictions will last,” he explained. “I think they see it as important to go ahead and get him in place, so that he can be there to help rebuild as the diocese begins their recovery effort.”

The new archbishop will continue to meet his new clergy and staff through video conferences for the time being.

How Bishop DiMarzio Is Using a New Committee to Plan Ahead for When Churches Reopen Post-Coronavirus

By Emily Drooby

Churches across the Diocese of Brooklyn have been closed since March 20 because of the pandemic. As New York starts to look at their reopening options, Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio is also preparing.

“We want to be ready to go as soon as we get the clearance…It’s not going to be exactly the way it was when we stopped because of the need for social distancing,” explained the Bishop of Brooklyn.

He is forming an ad hoc committee to help him develop a roadmap detailing how churches will reopen. Bishop DiMarzio has tapped Joseph Esposito, the former commissioner of New York City’s Office of Emergency Management, to chair the committee

Esposito’s plan? “To get a head start and lay some ground rules on how we are going to do this.”

There are many logistics to figure out: how many people can fit at one time, how to avoid overcrowding, will masks and taking temperatures be required, what events will be allow first and how they’re going to deal with communion.

“Do we let the priest give out the host, do we let the parishioners pick up the host, do we bring it back at all, do only the priests and Eucharistic ministers receive communion?” asked Esposito. “These are the issue we have to deal with.”

Bishop DiMarzio and Esposito are seeking other members to be part of the committee, and are considering retired police officials, medical personnel and people with experience in government to join.

Safely reopening will not be an easy task. Brooklyn and Queens are two of the areas hit hardest by the pandemic.

“It’s hitting us hard,” said Bishop DiMarzio. “I know one parish, there’s 75-80 parishioners who have died. This was last week’s count, that have died. That’s a lot of people in one parish.”

Bishop DiMarzio and Esposito both has confidence the committee will be able to come up with a good and safe plan.

“We continue working on it. I think we will be ready for when the governor and elected officials say it’s good to go and open up,” said Esposito.

Bishop DiMarzio described “a sense of hope and relief” in the discussions he has held so far.

Currents News full broadcast for Tuesday, 5/5/20

On the newscast:

– Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio wants to hit the ground running once Churches get the okay to open again. He has a top-level team to help get ready.

– Crushing job losses are leaving New Yorkers with nothing to eat. One family has plans to say goodbye to the city of dreams.

– More states are reopening but that decision could be deadly. There are new coronavirus projections.

– The Knights of Columbus are everyday heroes during this pandemic and they are doing a lot in the Diocese of Brooklyn.

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.

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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.