How Catholic Students Learn Confidence Through Comedy

By Emily Drooby

Cristo Rey Brooklyn High School student Kaelyn Bishop would tell you, “I’m very shy and like I don’t speak in front of big crowds.”

But now, she’s standing up to practice stand-up as part of the school’s comedy club run by the non-profit “Stand Up! Girls.”

Kaelyn joined the group to grow, and after 8 weeks of classes, she did.

“It has helped me open up more,” she explained. “It has helped me speak up more. Like, I am not as afraid to speak up to the crowds as I was before.”

That’s the goal of Stand Up! Girls: teaching young women from underserved communities the communications skills they need to succeed in life and at work, especially in male-dominated offices.

The organization was inspired by president Holly Weiss’s experience as a woman in the legal field.

“You see huge changes,” she said. “I mean, just during the show, very very scared the day before the show, and they’re prepping. Then they get up and do it, and it’s this supercharged confidence. Like, ‘I just did something I never thought I could do, and I did it well.”

“It has been so amazing to see them come out of their shell or just foster what was already there,” said teacher Katie Brennan. “And just having them in the classroom as well, I have seen so much growth, just believing in themselves and knowing what they’re capable of.”

Founded in 2018, the club is offered for free at Cristo Rey and several other New York City schools. Students learn from and work with a professional comedian.

At Cristo Rey, students practice with Dara Jemmott, where all of their hard work leads up to their final performance.

“I have had teachers come up and say, ‘I can’t believe that that student got up there and did that, because I can’t get them to speak in my class,” Dara said.

This course is teaching comedy, but most importantly, confidence.

To learn more about Stand Up! Girls visit their website: www.standupgirlsnyc.org

Presidential Candidates Talk Catholic Issues, Professions of Faith

Currents News Staff

Looking at the Feb. 25 Democratic debate from a Catholic lens, is Saint John’s University’s political professor, Brian Browne.

The topic of racial injustice came up often among the presidential candidates in South Carolina, and the U.S. bishops have long fought against racism. In their videos on faithful citizenship, they highlighted bringing justice to victims of racism.

Another big topic, gun control, was also covered during the debate. The U.S. bishops have spoken out on the issue as well.

After the shooting in Dayton, Ohio last August, they said in a statement, “The conference has long advocated for responsible gun laws and increased resources for addressing the root causes of violence. We also call upon the President and cCongress to set aside political interests and find ways to better protect innocent life.”

Senator Bernie Sanders, in particular, was targeted for his votes on gun rights.

Among the candidates, there were actually a few professions of faith.

According to the Pew Research Center, 78 percent of adults in South Carolina are Christian.

Brown offers his view on whether these were just a bid for election, or actual shows of faith.

A recent poll by EWTN showed who Catholics would vote for if the general election were to happen today, with the highest percentages given to Biden and Sanders.

Brown shares his take on if either candidate can win South Carolina and, looking forward, Super Tuesday.

Pope’s Ash Wednesday Message to Coronavirus Victims

Currents News Staff

As a precaution amid the coronavirus epidemic, the Holy Father’s Ash Wednesday General Audience was held outside in St. Peter’s Square.

The pontiff’s ride around the square in the popemobile was faster than usual. However, that didn’t stop a group of pilgrims from Mexico from giving Pope Francis an enthusiastic message:

“We pray for you. We pray for you, Holy Father. We pray for you.”

Although the popemobile didn’t make any stops, before beginning his catechesis, Pope Francis greeted a little girl.

In the square, there were several people wearing face masks as a preventive measure against the coronavirus. Pope Francis directed a message to the sick during his catechesis.

“I want to express, once more, my closeness to the sick infected by the coronavirus, as well as to medical workers caring for them, civil authorities and everyone working to treat the sick and contain the spread,” he said.

In his catechesis, Pope Francis reflected on the beginning of Lent. He alluded to Jesus’s 40 days and 40 nights in the desert. He explained Lent is a time to practice silence in one’s heart.

“When I was a little boy, there was no television. However, it was customary to not listen to the radio during Lent. It’s the desert. Lent is the time to renounce, to disconnect from our cell phones and connect to the Gospel,” he explained. “It is the time to renounce empty words and gossip.”

During Lent, the Holy Father asked Christians to practice charity and to not let themselves fall into verbal violence.

“Today, insults are used as natural as ‘Good morning.’ We’re submerged in empty words of publicity and subliminal messages,” Pope Francis said. “We are used to hearing everything about everyone. We run the risk of being submerged in a reality that damages the heart.”

Pope Francis also spoke of the need to care for the people around us. He invited Christians to fast from superficial things and instead contemplate the essential parts of life.

Annual Catholic Appeal in the Brooklyn Diocese

Currents News Staff

The Annual Catholic Appeal begins Feb. 27 and runs through June.

Joining Currents News to highlight where the funds go, how to donate and this year’s important goals is Monsignor Jamie Gigantiello, Director of the Office of Parish Giving and Vicar for Development for the Brooklyn Diocese.

Currents News full broadcast for Tues, 2/25/20

On the newscast: An urgent warning tonight from CDC officials saying the American public should brace for an outbreak of the Coronavirus; A preview of tonight’s Presidential Democratic debate- front runner Senator Bernie Sanders will most likely come under fire from the other candidates, We’re celebrating Black History Month with a tour of a hidden gem right here in Brooklyn; Plus a World War II hero finally getting a long-overdue honor.

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.

Brooklyn’s Role in Freeing America’s Slaves

By Emily Drooby

Weeksville, Brooklyn was one of the first communities for free black Americans in the nation.

Now, this almost 200-year-old neighborhood is preserved for all to experience – at Weeksville Heritage Center in Crown Heights.

The historic houses have been basically untouched by time.

“It’s a piece of history that’s still alive, that’s still there. It’s tangible, you can see it, you can touch it,” explained Anita Warren, deputy director of the Weeksville Heritage Center.

The original Weeksville community was established in 1838, 11 years after slavery was abolished in New York State.

“John Lefferts of the Lefferts family dies, and his heirs find out that he is land-rich but cash-poor, so they begin a process of starting to sell parcels of land to make money,” said Rob Fields, the center’s executive director.

Some sold to James Weeks, who helped create Weeksville. It was a safe haven for freed black Americans — created during a time when slavery was still legal in many areas – and slave catchers were still a threat.

This safety fostered success: the neighborhood produced influential members of society, like the first black female doctor in New York.

The community thrived too: it had a school, its own newspaper and three Christian churches.

“Weeksville represents black people trying to live out the American dream, trying to be self-sufficient, trying to be entrepreneurial,” explained Fields.

The Weeksville Heritage Center now protects this important history and teaches it to others, conducting tours on Saturdays during Black History Month and creating more opportunities to introduce the world to this hidden historical gem.

Around the World, Coronavirus Pushes Mass Online, Cancels Ash Wednesday

Currents News Staff

Catholic churches around the globe are taking major precautions amid concerns for the coronavirus.

In Hong Kong, churches are celebrating Masses online and Ash Wednesday services have been suspended.

In Italy, several dioceses have cancelled Ash Wednesday services and suspended public Masses, where more than 150 reported cases have been reported, mostly in the northern region.

A top Vatican archbishop is from that area and, according to one report, his siblings have been quarantined.

Public events in Italy, such as the Venice Carnival, have also been suspended.

Churches are also enforcing measures including no physical greeting during the sign of peace, shorter funeral services, weddings celebrated only with close relatives and removal of Holy Water from fonts. Parish dining rooms will also have food in to-go containers.

Masses and Ash Wednesday services have not been cancelled in the Brooklyn Diocese, though Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio has suspended distribution of the Precious Blood over concerns for both the coronavirus and the flu.

If the epidemic continues around the world, Holy Week may be impacted.

Coronavirus Expected to Spread to the U.S.

Currents News Staff

“Prepare for the expectation that this is going to be bad.” Those words came Feb. 25 from the CDC’s director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases.

The coronavirus began its spread in China and has moved to other countries. U.S. government health officials are worried.

“Given the high-risk environment that the Diamond Princess cruise ship passengers came from, I would not be surprised if we have additional cases,” said Nancy Knight, director of the Division of Global Health Protection at the CDC.

Hundreds onboard the Diamond Princess cruise ship were infected and then quarantined in Japan, but were recently given the okay to disembark and return to their home countries.

Meanwhile, earlier Feb. 25, President Donald Trump said the coronavirus crisis was under control in the U.S. But behind the scenes, he’s reportedly frustrated at how his administration is handling the outbreak.

That morning, on a state visit to India, Trump expressed confidence to reporters that the situation here is okay, even as other countries are hit hard.

“I can speak for our country and our country is under control,” he said. “But again, we do business with a lot of other countries. We take care, we work with other countries. We want other countries to be happy, healthy and well.”

There are outbreaks being reported in several parts of the world. As new cases slow in China, they’re increasing in countries like Iran, Italy and South Korea.

The doctor who heads up emergencies for the World Health Organization, Michael Ryan, is worried that if the coronavirus is not brought under control, it could engulf the globe.

“The virus may settle down into endemic pattern of transmission into a seasonal pattern of transmission, or could accelerate into a full blown global pandemic,” explained Dr. Ryan.

Local Nigerian Catholics Honor Holy Family’s Flight to Egypt

By Jessica Easthope and Melissa Enaje

EAST NEW YORK — The Nigerian Igbo community celebrated its annual remembrance of the Holy Family’s flight to Egypt with a Mass and fellowship Feb. 23 at St. Fortunata Church, East New York.

“Moving from Nigeria to here, we formed a community,” said Father Cosmas Nzeabalu, the Diocese of Brooklyn’s coordinator of ministry to Nigerians.

“We formed a body of love, and we share with each other — both those who are in sorrow and those who are in joy. It made us all feel that even though we are not in our country, we are also very comfortable because we have our brothers and sisters here with us.”

While the day was a celebration of sorts, it also served as an occasion to remember Nigerians who are being persecuted for their faith. Christians in Nigeria have been targeted by terrorist groups such as Boko Haram and by bandits seeking to extort money from the Catholic Church.

Last month, in the Diocese of Sokoto, four seminarians and the wife of a doctor were kidnapped. Seminarian Michael Nnadi, 18, and the wife of the doctor were killed. The remaining three seminarians were freed in late January.

Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah of Sokoto was the homilist at the slain seminarian’s funeral Mass. Bishop Kukah has called on Christians to “rise up and defend their faith with all the moral weapons they have.”

The African country has been in a constant fight against the Boko Haram insurgents, who in 2014, kidnapped girls from a secondary school in Chibok, northern Nigeria. On Feb.24, the bishops of Nigeria asked the faithful to wear black on Ash Wednesday, or at least black armbands, as a sign of mourning and solidarity with the victims of kidnapping and other violent crimes.

In a statement, signed by the president of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria, the faithful have been invited to join a “Day of Prayer Procession” to kick off the Lenten season. The bishops’ statement read: “May we, once again, remind all the arms of the government in Nigeria and all whose responsibility it is to protect Nigerians that without security there can be no peace, and without peace, there can be no development or national growth.”

Nigerian-born Father Kieran Udeze, parochial vicar at St. Thomas Aquinas, Flatlands, attended the Brooklyn event and spoke passionately about the injustices Christians face in his home country.

“We really understand what the Holy Family did in their life because persecution led Jesus Christ to Egypt … We are called to stand up for them, pray for them and get involved for our Christian faith,” Father Udeze said.

Where Ash Wednesday Ashes Come From

By Tim Harfmann

On Ash Wednesday, millions of Catholics around the world receive a mark on their foreheads, symbolizing the start of Lent.

But where do churches get the dust from? How is it made?

“This is our preparation,” explained Father Bryan Patterson, rector of Saint James Cathedral-Basilica in Downtown Brooklyn. “Burning the palms to create the ashes, which people will turn away from sin and evoke themselves to the Gospel.”

Parishioners donate blessed palms from the previous year’s Palm Sunday Masses.

“I asked them to bring palms, and I got a lot of palms,” Fr. Patterson said outside the cathedral-basilica, standing by a pile of palm strands and cross-shaped branches burning in the Brooklyn breeze.

According to him, there is no Vatican-approved guide on how to hold a palm-burning service. In fact, parishes aren’t required to burn their own palms. They can order ashes from religious goods suppliers.

It’s not about the mark on your forehead, but conversion towards Christ, said Fr. Patterson.

“The ashes, putting them on your head or not putting them on your head, it’s really the change of heart that affects the blessing,” he explained.

Isabel Navarro, a parishioner at St. James, agrees.

“What lent means is a time of reflection, a time of maybe reading the Bible more to understand the things that you’re doing,” she said.

It’s a reflection Fr. Patterson wants other Catholics to consider during this solemn season.

“Is God really the center of your life,” he asked, “or is God an accessory to your life?”

Now, Catholics prepare for Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection.