NBA Hall of Famer Leads Basketball Clinic at Queens Parish

By Tim Harfmann

Saint Kevin Church in Flushing, Queens, wanted young players to learn about basketball from one of the best. So, they brought in Bernard King — an NBA Hall of Famer.

“I was very grateful. It was a very fun experience,” said Amaya Hernandez, a fifth grader.

“You get to meet someone that’s really good at something, and then you get to learn skills and stuff,” said second grader Thomas Sullivan.

The New York Knicks great hosted a clinic for nearly 50 children on January 11.

The six-foot-seven forward spent 14 stellar seasons in the NBA. Now, he’s giving an assist to the next generation of hoop stars.

“It’s very important to have kids understand that they can enjoy themselves playing the game of basketball; but it’s also equally important to have other individuals help young people,” said King, a four-time NBA All-Star.

The Brooklyn native taught the kids the basics of dribbling, using the backboard and the give-and-go.

Hernandez is only in the fifth grade, but has sights on playing professionally.

“It was a little nerve-racking at first, but overall I got used to it,” she said.

Hernandez could reach her goal by following King’s advice both in and out of bounds.

“The lessons you learn in basketball are the lessons that you need in life. Part of that is commitment, conditioning, listen to mentors,” said King, who averaged 22 points-per-game and five rebounds-per-game in his career.

“If you learn from that advice, you’ll get better,” Hernandez added.

Fundamentals for a slam dunk to success.

Sheen Center Showcases Works of Art by Bolivian Youth

By Jessica Easthope

The gallery at the Sheen Center for Thought and Culture filled up quickly with people who stood, awestruck that the art they were looking at was created by children.

Some pieces depicted stunning landscapes, others colorful animals. Some were even pictures of how these young people see themselves.

The paintings weren’t made in an elementary school art class, but in a small building with the mountains of La Paz, Bolivia in the background.

“Every time we gather together and make art together, we’re building community, talking about what’s going on, we’re growing,” explained Robert Aitchison, curator of the exhibit entitled “Arte Fogata.”

An artist himself, in 2015 he started Arte Fogata as a workshop for children living in La Paz and a surrounding town, designed to help them reach their untapped creative potential.

“Creativity can enhance the self-esteem of a child. It’s amazing,” he said. “Kids who come alive when they have a room full of art supplies and they can explore their imagination.”

Curators said one could never guess by looking at the bright colors and cheerful images, just how hard the lives of these children really are.

“They’ve been through a lot of challenging situations, homelessness, abandonment, neglect, abuse so they’re carrying a lot within themselves,” explained Robert.

But despite the darkness these children have experienced, their art reflects the wonder of their imaginations.

“It’s not just a nice activity but it really gives them a sense of hope and purpose and meaning which is really important,” said Father Frank Sabatte, senior curator at the Sheen Center))

the exhibit will be at the gallery at the sheen center until February 1. All of the pieces in the gallery are for sale for $225. The proceeds will go toward funding this summer’s Arte Fogata program.

Currents News for Friday, January 10, 2020

On the newscast: A big change for a Catholic school with a big mission. They’re on the move. The reason why is a familiar New York story; More and more people are joining the March For Life around the country. Expect record numbers this year; As Australia burns, a mass for rain will be celebrated Sunday; And a 6-year old Catholic kid has won the biggest fight of his young life.

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.

U.S.-Iran Tensions Continue With Sanctions, New Details on Ukraine Plane Crash

Currents News Staff

In the back and forth between the U.S. and Iran the U.S. is striking back, this time, with economic sanctions.

“We will continue to apply economic sanctions until Iran stops its terrorist activities and commit that it will never have nuclear weapons,” said Steven Mnuchin, Treasury Secretary.

The sanctions come as a result of the Iranian attack on U.S. and allied troops in Iraq, in retaliation for a U.S. strike that killed Qasem Soleimani.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo continues to defend the rationale behind the attack against the Iranian general.

“We had specific information on an imminent threat,” said Secretary of State Mike Pompeo,” and those threats included attacks on U.S. embassies. period, full stop.”

But some members of Congress are still questioning whether the attack was truly imminent.

Meanwhile, Iranians say sanctions will not bring them to the table.

“Either you want to have a dialogue, or either you want to apply sanctions,” said Majid Takht-Ravanchi, Iranian Ambassador to the United Nations.

To add to the escalating tensions, new details have emerged on the plane crash in Iran that killed 176 people aboard a Ukrainian plane.

“We do believe that it’s likely that plane was shot down by an Iranian missile. When we get the results of that investigation, I am confident we, and the world will take appropriate actions in response,” said Pompeo.

Iran denies the claims and says they are inviting international partners, including the U.S., into the investigation.

Facing Gentrification, Jesuit High School Prepares for Brooklyn Move

By Emily Drooby

At the end of the school year, Brooklyn Jesuit Prep — a middle school that serves low-income students — is moving from its current location in gentrifying Crown Heights.

The move is their way of adapting to changes happening around them and the rising prices of the New York City housing market.

“Moving to East Flatbush presents opportunities to us in terms of the neighborhood being able to serve a population that we want to be able to serve, that is not a population in a gentrified neighborhood,” explained Father Mario Powell, S.J., the president of Brooklyn Jesuit Prep.

“The gentrification of this neighborhood means that the families that we want to serve, which are families that earn below 24,000 dollars a year, increasingly can’t afford to live in this immediate vicinity,” he said.

To respond to the change, the school will move to vacant floor space at the church of St. Vincent Ferrer in East Flatbush

Gregory Arte, the principal, said it’s closer to the neighborhoods where many of their students live.

“Our kids are coming from farther and farther. Some of our kids make very long trips to get here, so that change in the neighborhood. We want to move closer,” said Arte.

Brooklyn Jesuit Prep caters to students from low-income families as part of the nationwide network of Nativity schools.

“I like how much they support us and especially the teachers, they never stop helping you,” explained Pilar Sims, an eighth-grader and the student body president. “They know you need help. They’ll kinda push it out of you.”

The move will also give the school an opportunity to design the building and classrooms to fit their needs. “To be able to go in and make each individual classroom, not only just have a clean look to it, a uniformed look to it, but a true Brooklyn Jesuit Prep look to each individual classroom,” is something they’re excited about, said Fr. Powell.

The move will happen at the end of the 2019-2020 school year.

Brooklyn Priest Remembered as ‘Faithful Servant’ Laid to Rest

By Tim Harfmann

Family, friends and parishioners gathered at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, to say their final farewells to Father Joseph Gancila, who died Jan. 6. He was 50 years old.

Ordained in 2001, Fr. Gancila was a parish priest who also worked with diocesan officials on combating abuse.

“He was teaching people how to keep themselves safe and their children safe,” explained MaryEllen Quinn, Safe Environment Coordinator for the Diocese of Brooklyn. “It meant a lot to him.”

Brooklyn Auxiliary Bishops James Massa and Octavio Cisneros presided over the Thursday morning funeral Mass, alongside dozens of priests and deacons.

One of them, Father Christopher Bethge, grew up where Fr. Gancila first began his ministry.

“He made me want to be an altar server,” Fr. Bethge recalled. “Seeing him live out his priesthood every day and to do it with joy, never angry, never saying no, always saying yes to the people need. It was a life I thought was heroic.”

“Any way they asked him to do that, he did joyfully,” Fr. Bethge added, “so any way they ask me, I’m going to try and do the same.”

It’s something Fr. Gancila’s sister, Linda, says was instilled in her brother as a child.

“He was always an altar server, really such a faithful guy and not just in church, but in the way he lives and his ministries,” she said. “I’ve never known a life without him.”

As the casket left the church, it was a standing ovation for a faithful servant.

For Parishioners of Church Destroyed in Puerto Rico Earthquake, Faith Remains Unshaken

Currents News Staff

A 6.4 earthquake knocked down Immaculate Conception Church in Guayanilla, Puerto Rico on Jan. 6.

On Thursday, church members spent the day recovering religious items used during services.

Father Melvin Diaz Aponte walked through the ruins of his parish — a classroom with its wall crumbling to the ground.

“For me, what hurts more is knowing people are in pain because of what this church means to them,” he said.

“My heart dropped to my feet because I never imagined something like this would happen,” said parishioner Julia Irrizarry, who attends Mass once a week and needed to see the destruction for herself. “it was surprising to look at the extent of the damage and hurt all of us.”

A 6.4 earthquake knocked down Immaculate Conception Church in Guayanilla, Puerto Rico on Jan. 6.

On Thursday, church members spent the day recovering religious items used during services.

Father Melvin Diaz Aponte walked through the ruins of his parish — a classroom with its wall crumbling to the ground.

“For me, what hurts more is knowing people are in pain because of what this church means to them,” he said.

Since 1841, it has been the space where Catholics have celebrated their faith, but now parishioners don’t know if they’ll be able to gather in their church again.

They’re aiming to rebuild their church in the same spot, but for now they’ve grabbed whatever they could.

As the community regroups, they will be holding their services out on a blocked off street for the next couple of weeks, until they can move into a temporary space.

No matter where they have to pray, they know that their faith will get them through.

Currents News for Thursday, January 9, 2020

On the newscast: An exciting day in the diocese as Catholic Charities of Brooklyn and Queens breaks ground for new affordable housing for seniors; Pope Francis says he’s worried tensions between the U.S. and Iran could do more damage in the Middle East; And Washington now believes it was an Iranian missile that took down a Ukrainian plane killing all on board; Plus, the mom who wouldn’t give up – winning a million dollar battle that may save her baby’s life.

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.

‘Building Faith’: Catholic Charities Breaks Ground on Affordable Housing

By Emily Drooby

Lack of affordable housing a New York City complaint as common as late subway trains, but on Jan. 9 Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens dug into the problem by breaking ground on what will soon become 135 affordable apartments for low-income seniors.

The future eight-story building – called the Loreto Apartments – will have 24 hours security, a fitness room and will be considered a green building, meaning it’ll be environmentally responsible.

It’s being built on the spot where Our Lady of Loreto Church once stood, taken down because it was in terrible need of repair.

This project is part of an effort born in Rome, where Catholics and Buddhists work together for the common good, explained Brooklyn Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio.

“Well today’s kinda the success story of this inter-religious commitment to do something for the elderly poor,” he said.

Buddhists helped pitch and support the plan, and then came to the groundbreaking

“It’s a great joy to be able to stand here and say the tradition of Loreto is going to continue. It will be senior housing, it will be a community center and it will again provide those very needed services just like the parish did,” explained Monsignor Alfred LoPinto, CEO of Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens.

With this major step, Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens will offer even more affordable housing to those in need. They’re already one of the largest providers in the nation with over 4,300 units.

“We are anxious to continue,” said Msgr. Lopinto, who noted that the new building will fill a serious void: over 200,000 seniors in New York City are in need of affordable housing.

Members of the community are anxious, too.

“Every day we are seeing people evicted from their homes, the rents continue to rise to levels they cannot afford,” explained Rafael Espinal, a Brooklyn Democrat on the New York City Council.

“It makes me feel good and I hope I get one of them,” said one Brooklyn resident.

Pope Francis Focuses on U.S., Iran and Protecting the Vulnerable With World Diplomats

By Melissa N. Butz

The U.S.- Iran crisis and protecting young people from abuse were the biggest themes for Pope Francis’s highly anticipated speech to the world’s diplomats.

The Holy Father got straight to business in his address to the ambassadors, saying so far 2020 has been plagued with confrontation that could engulf much of the Middle East.

Pope Francis said that keeping the flame of dialogue alive is important to create an environment where peace could flourish.

The other major issue he tackled was ensuring children and vulnerable people are protected from clerical abuse.

The pontiff expanded on his call for “an all-out” battle, with a new emphasis on education.

Pope Francis said education should not be limited to schools, but extend to churches and social communities, so that group efforts can assist families in their primary role as educators.

This is one of the Holy Father’s most important speeches every year, giving him the chance to highlight the issues that mean most to him.

He also talked about care for our common home, helping the poor, welcoming migrants, and ending the scourge of human exploitation