Three Decades of Service in Rural India

By Melissa Butz

Sister Crescensia Sun is a missionary sister who works in healthcare in India.

The Sisters of Our Lady of the Mission provide everything from midwifery services to malaria treatment to anti-venom medicine for snake bite victims.

“I worked in another place in Bihar in North India, where we have a snake-bite clinic in this place,” she explained. “Many people are bitten by snakes. all types of snakes such as cobras, vipers, russel’s viper and krait to name a few. As you know, Hindus worship snakes, so they cannot kill them, even when they become victims of snakebites.”

The clinics where Sr. Crescencia and her fellow sisters work are in villages with no medical care. The entire congregation cares for more than 98,000 patients.

“People in the villages are poor,” she said. “They cannot afford to pay for medicines and costly injections like anti-venom. We are not in a position also to get free to medicine, because we don’t have enough funds.”

“One thing that kept me going was the sense of compassion that was growing in me, as I see and heard the cry of people in the village who have nowhere to go,” she said.

Along with the medical demands, another problem is illiteracy.

The sisters run a mother-child clinic, which now has 800 mothers involved. They educate the women so they can feel empowered and eventually work small jobs, but most importantly so they can care for their health and that of their children.

“From the government side, we did not get much help, except the regular immunizations and some vitamins for the prenatal mothers, and also Vitamin A for the children,” she said.

Sr. Crescencia described how this makes matters worse, especially since in her area 99 percent of the population has malaria and are resistant to treatment.

She has been caring for patients for over 30 years. While in India, she looks to Mother Teresa for constant inspiration, putting love into each caring action she makes daily.

Young & Old Line Up for the ‘Blessing of Throats’

By Emily Drooby

Protection for your throat by a blessing performed between two candles is a tradition that can be traced back to the eighth century.

During the Feast of Saint Blaise, the practice was passed down to the younger generation.

On February 3 at Saint Francis of Assisi – Saint Blaise Church in Prospect Lefferts Gardens, Brooklyn, hundreds of children from the parish school learned about and took part in the practice.

Why is honoring the saint important? “Because it’s a feast day and we have to do what is according to the Feast Day of St. Blaise,” explained Davon, a student at the school. “That was one of the miracles that he did, that healed a boy.”

The blessing of the throats is a tradition tied to an old story of St. Blaise saving the life of a young child.

“He had a fish bone stuck in his throat and apparently he was going to die and so Blaise apparently healed him,” explained Monsignor Paul Jervis of St. Francis of Assisi – St. Blaise.

Blaise, who was persecuted and killed for his Christian beliefs in the year 316, became known as the patron saint of throat illnesses among other things.

Now people like Valerie Kasden come every year on his feast day for healing.

“I came because I am having some throat issues and my sister said, ‘You really need to go and get that blessing.’ So here I am for it,” she said.

It was her first time receiving the blessing. Her whole family struggles with throat problems. “My sister who goes all the time and gets this blessing, she’s the only one in the family who has not had it,” Valerie explained.

Many younger patrons were also being introduced to St. Blaise for the first time while hearing the saint’s story during Msgr. Jervis’s homily and being blessed.

Countdown to Caucus: Young Catholic Voters Still Undecided in Iowa

By Michelle Powers

Adyson McKinney spends her day to day working for Elizabeth Warren as the president of the Saint Ambrose College Democrats in Iowa.

For Adyson, a walk through the heart of campus is the slowest part of her day. She’s balancing schoolwork and a dream job working for Warren’s campaign. In her spare time, it’s crunch time: she spends it influencing her classmates to get out and vote.

“After classes I will go over to the office, I’ll pick up a couple of door knocking packets, I’ll go talk to people out in the community,” she explained.

Now, the Iowa Caucus is just hours away.

“I’m very tired and I’m probably going to sleep for like a whole week afterwards, but I would trade it for the world. It’s great,” she said.

According to Adyson, the 2020 prospects have pinpointed her peers as the key to victory in a crowded caucus. Small margins might mean the difference between going on to New Hampshire, or getting out of the race.

But Iowa history dictates that looking to young people might not be the best strategy.

For political science professor Dr. Bill Parsons, it’s much more complicated than that. Caucusing isn’t exactly easy.

“It’s not as if the entire student body drops everything to go to one of these events,” he explained. “A primary is quick, a caucus isn’t.”

College students don’t exactly have a lot of time, so candidates are coming to them.

With no clear frontrunner, they keep stopping by, making pitches directly to students.

The campus at St. Ambrose is a unique one: it’s one of the few Catholic campuses in the state.

Although students may be enthused, many are torn, noted the university’s campus minister, Fr. Thom Henne. “I can see that kind of wrestling match going on in their hearts and in their minds. They don’t fit, neatly, a category” he said.

Students who spoke with Currents News identified immigration, health care, climate change and LGBT right as concerns important to them — all social issues the catholic church feels strongly about

“Voting is a gift from God,” explained Fr. Henne.

For Catholics — like citizens — it’s both a responsibility and a duty.

Ryan Sandness, a student who was born and raised in Illinois, newly realized what really weighs on the shoulders of his friends in the same circumstances.

“One thousand New Yorkers are the equivalent of Iowa voter,” he explained.

For instance, the success of Bernie Sanders in 2016 — that brought him to a near tie with Hillary Clinton — was largely based on his young supporters.

“There will be caucus sites where there will be, like, fifty people could show up,” said Dr. Parsons. “There will be others where there will be a thousand.”

The young vote may have the biggest impact in the smallest precincts. One thing Adyson realized: if she can convince her friends to caucus, she can double the population and effectively carry the caucus.

Turnout is expected to be pretty big this year.

“Inform yourself,” urged Fr. Henne, “and take this to prayer and make the best vote that you possibly can according to your conscience.”

Many believe it will rival Iowa’s 2008 record, which saw unprecedented numbers of first-timers who showed up to propel Barack Obama to victory.

How the Iowa Caucus Works, and Why it Matters

Currents News Staff

During the caucuses, people eager to help pick the Democratic nominee for president will gather at various sites.

Voters will physically walk to areas designated for supporters of each candidate, and stand in those areas to indicate their preference. This is the first vote.

Once everyone has settled, they are counted, and each candidate’s percentage of the vote is calculated. The math will vary depending on the size of the caucus. In larger ones, if any candidate gets less than 15 percent of the overall crowd, he or she is declared “unviable” and effectively knocked out of the running for that caucus. However, the people who chose that candidate can still be in play.

Each caucus goer will then receive a card on which they will list their first choice. If that candidate has been pushed out, then those voters can flip the card over and make their second choice. This frequently comes amid a good deal of discussion, wrangling and talk with people and the other groups.

In the final vote, those people whose candidates are unviable can move their support to a viable candidate, or they can combine with others like them to create another viable candidate.

If your candidate is viable from the start, meaning he or she has at least 15 percent of the overall vote, the voters who selected that candidate cannot change. They are stuck with their first choice.

If your candidate is unviable, you do not have to rely on them. You can simply go away if you want to. In any event, after the final vote, everyone will be counted again.

The cards will be collected to create a physical record of how many people stood for each candidate on each vote. Then through a series of mathematical calculations, all those people at all those caucuses all over the state will be turned into a delegate count.

Some candidates will get more delegates than everyone else, and will likely declare him or herself the winner of the Iowa caucuses.

Catholic Teen Is a Piano Prodigy and Composer

By Emily Drooby

A flute, clarinet, violin, and cello seamlessly blending together to create a beautiful blizzard of sounds in a composition called “Almighty Blizzard.”

The piece came from the mind of 14-year-old Julian Raheb, a composer and a piano prodigy.

Julian’s composition had its world premiere at a Regina Opera Company performance on Sunday February 2, held at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Academy in Sunset Park, Brooklyn.

It was the Catholic teen’s sixth composition to premier with the company, the first being at only 12-years-old.

“It feels great to express myself through music and creating my own style that nobody else has done” the artist explained.

“What he’s accomplished at this point is beyond what I ever would have thought, it’s phenomenal,” said his father, Jeffrey Raheb.

“Julian has been with us for a while, so we watched him grown up. His music is evolving, and it’s changing, and its absolutely beautiful music,” said Elena Jannicelli, the vice president of the Regina Opera Company.

This is the Regina Opera’s fiftieth season.

Julian started composing in fourth grade, and has trained in the prestigious New York Philharmonic’s Very Young Composers Program.

Inspired by Bach, he puts his own spin on his compositions. Going forward, Julian will continue to perform and compose music.

Currents News for Friday, January 31, 2020

On the newscast: President Trump’s impeachment trial might soon be over. We’re waiting to hear about his fate; And Mar-a-Lago is on lockdown after a security breach at the President’s Florida home – just hours before he’s set to arrive; The Iowa Caucus is pretty priceless to the Hawkeye State; We have an exclusive report about how locals cash in on politics; Plus, how a printing press in the heart of Vatican City has thrived for centuries.

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.

Catholic School Students ‘Escape the Hate’

By Jessica Easthope

Unlike many other elementary schools, students at Sacred Heart Catholic Academy in Glendale say cyberbullying isn’t a big problem.

“Some of my friends deal with it at public school but I think here we take care of it well there’s none of that going on here which I’m proud to say,” said student Olivia Gorski.

But these middle schoolers are clued in to the horrors others face, which is why they’re learning new ways to get in front of the problem.

“It’s in the front of my mind now every time I post I say will I show my grandma this and if I would I post it and if I wouldn’t I don’t,” said student Avinash Singh.

Sacred Heart rounded out Catholic Schools Week with a unique exercise designed to teach kids how to navigate the realities of cyberbullying – an escape room.

Christina Sama-Bommarito , a school psychologist at the Mary Louis Academy, came to Sacred Heart to conduct her own version of the now popular “escape the room” experience.

Students broke off into small groups and frantically decoded paragraphs and deciphered codes.

They weren’t racing to unlock themselves out of a room but instead looking to beat the clock to discover the key to being kind online, a lesson Sama-Bommarito says is more important now than ever before.

“How we behave and how we act really does have a major impact on the people around us and I think that’s crucial and important too especially with digital media,” said Sama-Bommarito.

Although the activity is teaching students how to become better virtual versions of themselves, staff says the end goal is something very real.

“They should be presenting themselves online the way they are in person and if they take that message away from these two days then we consider that a big win for the school,” said Theresia Stalzer, the Resource Coordinator for Sacred Heart Catholic Academy.

A Helping ‘Hand’: Brooklyn Auxiliary Bishops Give Out Class Rings

By Emily Drooby

On Friday, two of Brooklyn’s Auxiliary Bishops gave out 8^th grade class rings to students at Our Lady Queen of Martyrs Catholic Academy in Forest Hills, Queens.

The rings were blessed by Auxiliary Bishop Witold Mroziewski. The students were called up one-by-one and presented with the mementos by both Bishop Witold and Auxiliary Bishop Paul Sanchez.

A bittersweet milestone they won’t soon forget. The rings are a way for students to always keep a piece of both their school and God with them.

Auxiliary Bishop Sanchez explained, “The ring is a reminder of the education they received here. It’s also a reminder of the faith, foundation that we have nourished in their heart together with their families.”

Victoria Borg has been a student at Our Lady Queen of Martyrs Catholic Academy for 11 years.

She said, “It’s like my second home so it was really nice to get this as a reminder for when I graduate to high school.”

Our Lady Queen of Martyrs says their students will go on to do great things and continue their catholic education. Some have already received scholarships to top high schools like Xavier, Archbishop Molloy, and The Mary Louis Academy.

Countdown to Caucus: How a T-Shirt Salesman is Cashing in on the Caucus

By Michelle Powers

From the epicenter of the so-called middle of nowhere, hosting the caucus means big business for both Des Moines and Mike Draper, the owner of a t-shirt shop that’s attracting all the potential leaders of the free world.

“It’s nice to get the attention,” says Draper.

Political merch is everywhere and on everything in his story Raygun, and compared to a regular January, sales are through the roof.

Raygun is seeing a 30-40 percent spike in business, thanks to shirts inspired by the likes of Bernie, Pete, and Elizabeth – and those who have bit the dust.

Local city offices estimate that the 2020 caucus will generate nearly 11.3 million for the city in just this week, leaving many wondering if its fair Iowa has this first in the nation privileged process.

“Don’t take the caucus away, it’s all we have,” Draper says.

Like many other Iowan businessowners, the caucus has been Draper’s bread and butter.

After college this UPenn grad began selling t-shirts on the streets of New York, until he got a brighter and warmer idea.

So he headed back to the flyover state, except for that once every four years, when it’s the biggest pit stop for all things political.

“It’s nice to talk to people who come in about politics,” said employee Katie Minnehan.

That is, if you agree with them. But Draper says Raygun isn’t really about agreeing, as much as it is about having a good laugh.

If the votes were based on sales, right now he says Elizabeth would be taking home the win. But just weeks ago, Kamala was leading the way.

“I guess you can’t base everything on t-shirts,” Draper says.

U.S. Sanctions Salvadoran Military Officials Over Jesuit Massacre

Currents News Staff

Justice is being imposed on men responsible for the massacre of six Jesuit priests.

It was one the most glaring and brazen human rights crimes of the 20th century.

Before dawn in November 1989 an elite battalion of El Salvador’s military dragged the priests out of their beds and killed them, execution style.

A housekeeper and her daughter were also shot to death.

Now the State Department is barring 13 former military officials in El Salvador from ever entering this country.

The brutal violence occurred at the height of the Salvadoran civil war.

The State Department found the military officers were central to the planning and execution of a plot to kill the Jesuits for their outspoken defense of human rights.

Here to talk about the massacre and its impact on the church is the National Correspondent for The Tablet and Crux, Christopher White.