Currents News for Monday, December 16, 2019

On the newscast: A new development in the campaign to honor Mother Cabrini. We now know where her statue will be located; The Judiciary Committee impeachment report released today alleges President Trump committed multiple federal crimes; Students at Saint Francis Prep in Queens have a new state of the art tool that is changing the way they learn in science class; And Supreme Court justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg makes a million-dollar gift to charity.

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Mother Cabrini Statue Will Be Placed in Battery Park

By Tim Harfmann

Lady Liberty is going to have a new neighbor.

After months of controversy, Manhattan’s Battery Park City will be home to Mother Cabrini memorial.

“It’s a good thing that it’s finally resolved, with the state’s intervention,” said Brooklyn’s Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio. “Hopefully [the statue] will be something that does give Mother Cabrini the honor that she deserves.”

Bishop DiMarzio championed the cause to honor the patroness of immigrants — known for serving the needy, opening schools and orphanages.

“The statue will be facing the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, connecting Mother Cabrini’s mission of reaching out to the immigrants with the national story of immigration symbolized in the Statue of Liberty,” said John Heyer.

Heyer is on Governor Andrew Cuomo’s Mother Cabrini Commission, co-chaired by Bishop DiMarzio and the Columbus Citizen Foundation’s Angelo Vivolo. The statue will be erected on state land.

“They will make sure the statue is taken care of in perpetuity,” said Bishop DiMarzio.

“This was the most-deserving woman, and we’re delighted the governor stepped in and had us be able to create this statue,” said Vivolo.

The commission was established in October. Now, they’re accepting proposals from artists. One idea is to have Mother Cabrini stand with children.

“Most of her work was with children, either in the orphanages or in the schools. She did other work, too, but that would be appropriate,” Bishop DiMarzio explained.

The commission plans on having the new statue erected by next October.

Catholics in the Diocese of Brooklyn are also being encouraged to voluntarily pitch-in to help rejuvenate Mother Cabrini Park in Brooklyn and set another memorial to the saint right there. Bishop DiMarzio and Governor Cuomo back the plan.

Contributions are being accepted through the Catholic Foundation for Brooklyn and Queens at cfbq.org/cabrinistatue.

Local Volunteers Shop for the Needy in New York

By Jessica Easthope and Allyson Escobar

MANHATTAN — Volunteers from the Diocese of Brooklyn joined Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York and about 300 others on Dec. 14 at Kmart Astor Place in Manhattan to buy Christmas gifts for needy families.

The event was part of Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of New York’s St. Nicholas Project, which provides coats and warm clothes during Christmastime to those in need and also supplies social services throughout the year.

On a rainy Saturday morning, volunteers packed the aisles at Kmart, filling their carts with winter clothes, toys, blanket and other basics to purchase for their assigned families for Christmas. Volunteers are each given a family profile sheet, which lists the family members’ names, wish lists and their stories, along with a maximum shopping budget.

Volunteers can shop for multiple families. All of the gifts are purchased with funds from Catholic Charities.

Anabelle Maradiaga, a senior at St. John’s Prep H.S. in Astoria, came to volunteer with a group of friends. Her assigned family lives in Lower Manhattan’s Nazareth Housing, an emergency shelter that provides services to the homeless.

“It’s meaningful to know their story, because you understand more of what they are going through — things that many of us don’t experience, and it opens our eyes and hearts,” Maradiaga said. “So it feels good to be shopping for a good cause.”

Cameron Villaruel, a graduate of St. Matthias Catholic Academy in Ridgewood, has volunteered with the St. Nicholas Project for three years in a row. His red shopping cart was filled with winter clothes for a family of six, including a newborn, who receive services from the Mercy Center in the Bronx, a Catholic Charities program that provides immigration help, adult education and other services.

“I like giving back and knowing this family will be warm and content this Christmas, and they don’t have to reach too deeply into their pockets,” said Villaruel, 20, a student at Providence College in Rhode Island. “One of their kids is now in college. It’s satisfying to know that they care about their kids and want a bright future for them.”

Cardinal Dolan spoke to reporters about the importance of Catholic Charities’ giving.

“Catholic Charities knows these families. They aren’t just numbers we help. We know their names,” Cardinal Dolan said. “We are at our best when we’re giving of ourselves for others. So if you’re looking for fulfillment, satisfaction, focus and meaning, help somebody else’s life, then you’ll find it.”

Msgr. Kevin Sullivan, executive director of Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of New York, also noted that the shopping program is not a faceless, impersonal endeavor.

“Our volunteers shop for real people. It’s not just buying coats or jackets at the store, it’s about buying this coat for Jasmine, or this pair of socks for Robert,” Msgr. Sullivan said. “That’s the real beauty of today, because we treat each person as an individual made in God’s image and likeness.”

Finding Hope in the New Year Through Faith

Currents News Staff

2019 has been a challenging year for people of faith.

Incidents of hate, violence and political differences are just some of the headlines of the past year that is giving everyone pause.

Just last week in Jersey City, N.J., there was a shooting rampage that is being called an act of terrorism and hate directed at Jewish people and police. With problems such as these facing society, people of faith have cause for concern.

Two friends and faith leaders join Currents News to discuss how we can navigate these difficult moments and find hope as we move into the new year: Rabbi Brad Hirschfield, president of the National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership, and Monsignor Guy Massie, senior pastor of Sacred Hearts – St. Stephen Church in Brooklyn.

‘Miracle of Christmas’ Depicts Mary and Joseph’s Love Story

By Emily Drooby and Wandy Felicita Ortiz

PROSPECT HEIGHTS — This Christmas season, artists in New York are using song, dance and storytelling to tell an old love story in a new way.

Centered around the relationship between the Virgin Mary and St. Joseph, “The Miracle of Christmas” is a musical recounting the events that the two saints experienced leading up to the birth of Christ.

The show, which is in its third year, is being produced by the Preachers of Christ and Mary, a community of religious laywomen who are originally from Colombia and who now serve the Diocese of Brooklyn. Their goal is to evangelize through the arts.

“The Miracle of Christmas” will have two performances on Dec. 21 at the Queens Theatre in Corona.

During a rehearsal on Dec. 7 at St. Teresa of Avila Church, Prospect Heights, Mother Maria Amador, P.C.M., the show’s director, described the show as a way to “make the Gospel more visible and human … God is invisible, but through the arts we can make God who is invisible, visible.”

The show’s new original script, songs and choreography portray how the holy couple’s love for each other allowed them to face the obstacles that ultimately led them to the Christ child.

“I think it’s really important to be telling this story right now,” said actress Hannah Duran, who was raised Catholic and plays the Virgin Mary. “It’s a message about love and acceptance.”

The message of love can be seen in the meticulous planning of the production’s moves, sights and sounds.

“The harmonies are different and more rich. There are more details in the songs,” said cast member Melissa Bijur, a former cantor at St. Joseph’s Co-Cathedral, Prospect Heights, who plays St. Anne, mother of the Virgin Mary.

“I think that during this show, there are many things that people can relate to. In the first scene, people are feeling darkness,” she said. “We enter a transition to a place of light and hope. And I can relate to that, reflecting on myself.”

Andrew Clarke, who played St. Joseph at age 13 for another production, said the new show reflects his own faith journey. “It’s been like a homecoming for me,” he said. “It affirms for me sometimes, God’s plan for your life — that you may not always see what that vision is, but you have to trust and believe.”

Cast members come from all around the world, including from Finland, Greece, India and Spain.

“We have a very international cast,” Mother Maria said. “People from different nations, trying to say that salvation is for everyone.”

The Preachers of Christ and Mary create props, costumes and set design by hand for the show, relying on the generosity of donors.

If you are interested in attending the show or making a donation, you can send an email to Mother Maria at [email protected].

Tickets can be purchased by clicking here.

Faith and the Force: Rabbi Celebrates 54 Years in the NYPD

By Emily Drooby

With a handshake and a smile, Rabbi Alvin Kass focuses on what he does best: serving the NYPD and God.

The chaplain is the longest serving member of the police department in uniform today, but it was a job he never expected to have.

“I had never been in a police station in my life,” Rabbi Kass explained. “I never knew any policemen.”

He was called to interview in 1966, and was set apart from the other applicants by the most unlikely of things: bringing a gym bag filled with handball equipment to the interview. It’s a move that ultimately made the Chief of Detectives pick him.

“He thought that a rabbi who played handball would be the right fit for the NYPD,” Rabbi Kass said.

On December 16, the now three-star chief chaplain marked 54 years on the force.

“In that healing each other, I believe we are carrying out God’s plan,” he said.

Rabbi Kass has spent his time helping to heal and protect those who keep New York City safe, dealing with the good times and with tragic times, like September 11, 2001.

Serving alongside the officers who risked it all, he pushed through his own grief to care for them.

“God gave people free will, and people abuse that free will and do some terrible things. ButGod gave us the ability to respond to these abuses through the strength of human love,” he said.

No matter how difficult it is, Rabbi Kass gets the job done – a job he doesn’t plan on giving up anytime soon.

“I’m not retiring,” he assured.

For Rabbi Kass, it’s been 54 years filled with tragedy, happiness, laughs, tears, but most importantly, faith.

Pope Francis Celebrates Simbang-Gabi with Filipino Community

Currents News Staff

Pope Francis celebrated Mass with the Filipino community, one of the biggest in Rome. St. Peter’s Basilica was completely full.

For the Filipino community, the celebration was especially significant, as it was the Simbang-Gabi (Mass of the night). It is a devotion to prepare for Christmas during the nine days leading up to it.

The pope recognized the community’s efforts in their work. He told them that, having left their homeland, they have a mission to look for a better future.

“May your faith be leaven in the parish communities you belong to today. I encourage you to multiply the opportunities for encounter to share your cultural and spiritual richness, while at the same time letting yourselves be enriched by the experiences of others,” said the Holy Father.

He invited them to prepare to celebrate Christmas by being leaven for a society that often fails to experience God’s beauty and the grace of his presence.”

Before concluding, these two Filipino girls placed an offering at the image of the Virgin, while everyone sang, “Mary, Queen of the Philippines.”

Coach Inspires Players From His Wheelchair

By Tim Harfmann

Chris Frazier enjoys coaching the seventh-grade basketball team at Saint Rose of Lima, Rockaway.

But he does it differently than most. He coaches from his wheelchair.

“God gave me the knowledge. Not only did He give me the knowledge, He gave me the articulation and the wisdom to be able to pass that on,” said Frazier.

He was a six-foot-two point guard and a star player at Brooklyn College, then had plans of playing professionally overseas.

In 1987, that all changed.

Frazier was in the backseat of a car. The driver fell asleep at the wheel and hit a fire hydrant.

“It was a lot of anger for myself and a lot of disbelief that I would never walk again,” he explained.

That’s when Frazier devoted himself to coaching.

“A lot of people invested in me at the time, trying to give me aid; and when I would see young people trying to play and wanting to get better, I decided, you know what, I have all this knowledge. Let me help them.”

Today, Frazier’s making a full-court press to encourage young players on and off the court.

“It’s inspiring because some people in a wheelchair get depressed or they don’t want to do anything; but to show that he comes out, it means a lot to me,” said Elijah Ward, who plays for Frazier.

“It shows us how dedicated he is and how much we want to work hard at a win for him,” added Ward’s teammate, Michael Kelly.

That’s what Frazier is doing – inspiring his players from his wheelchair.

Currents News for Friday, December 13, 2019

On the newscast: The Jersey City mayor now says that children at a yeshiva may have been the real target of the shooters who went on a killing rampage; How Pope Francis is marking his 50th anniversary in the priesthood; The story of a rescue dog who has changed the life of a teen on the spectrum; And Operation Santa: It’s making a big difference this Christmas for children in need.

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.

Church Celebrates 100 Years of Performing Handel’s Messiah

By Emily Drooby

Three generations of the Manning family have performed Handel’s Messiah at the Concord Baptist Church of Christ in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn.

As the church is celebrating its 100-year anniversary of singing the beloved Christmas staple, Justin T. Manning is celebrating his own milestone: after watching his father perform since 1987, Justin is stepping into his place in the family tradition.

Reading from his father’s music book, he’ll be performing his first solo. It’s an emotional tribute generations in the making.

“It’s such an honor to be doing this as I’m continuing the legacy of my father, Stanley A. Manning,” Justin said. “He passed away back in 2013 due to cancer. So, it was very difficult for me to pick it up. He has very big shoes.”

Handel’s Messiah has become a holiday tradition for congregants like Joan Patterson, who has been in the production for almost 60 years.

“It’s like reading the Bible — you learn something new every year,” she explained. “It never gets old. It’s a wonderful work, and it has so much spirit and heart.”

Voilins and voices come together in harmony, vibrating through the chambers of one of Brooklyn’s oldest black congregations. The over 200 page oratorio, which takes months of practice to perfect, has become a ritual engrained in the fabric of the church.

“It’s a cantata work, a religious work,” said professor Glenn McMillan, the church’s minister of music. “And it has that most familiar work, which is the Hallelujah, and we celebrate that it brings us into the Christmas season.”

It’s a sound that signals the holidays. The show is being held at the Concord Baptist Church of Christ at 4 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 15. It is free to the public.