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Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens Launches Emergency Response Amid Government Shutdown

By Currents News

Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens has launched an emergency response for those affected by the government shutdown.

The organization is offering food, mental health support, and case management as benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program — or SNAP — are set to expire Saturday, Nov. 1.

All 60 CCBQ food pantry locations in Brooklyn and Queens are open to anyone affected, no appointment required.

To find one near you, visit ccbq.org/service/food-pantry-network. You can also call 718-722-6001 for more information.

St. Ephrem Catholic Academy Celebrates All Saints’ Day

By Currents News

Students at St. Ephrem Catholic Academy celebrated All Saints Day early.

The 1st graders from the Dyker Heights school turned into the holy men and women on Wednesday as they dressed up as a saint of their choice and taught their fellow classmates and parishioners about them.

The church also prayed the Litany of Saints, calling on these holy men and women for their intercession.

Queens Priest Explains Halloween’s Catholic Roots

By Jenna MacDermant

Dozens of kids will be pounding the pavement for candy, shouting “Happy Halloween!” But the holiday most known for scary witches and frightening monsters is actually a Catholic holiday.

“Halloween was started as a way of complimenting All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day,” said Father James Cunningham, a Halloween expert who wears costumes every year to hand out candy to the kids of Belle Harbor, Queens.

He says to understand how Halloween came to be, you first need to look at All Saints’ Day.

“All Saints’ Day was mentioned by St. Ephrem in 373 the first time, but then didn’t become a feast of the Church until the 8th century,” he said.

It was Pope Gregory III who encouraged priests to celebrate the holy day of obligation after he consecrated a chapel to all martyrs.

The feast following it, All Souls’ Day, wouldn’t begin until nearly three centuries later.

“All Souls’ Day was added so we could remember the faithfully departed,” he continued.

With the Church celebrating the souls of those in heaven and in purgatory, one group posed a question.

“Irish pagans who experienced conversion in their lives said, ‘If we’re going to celebrate the saints and we’re going to celebrate all the souls—why not pray for the souls in hell?’ ” Father James said.

Thus, All Hallows Eve was born.

So among the trick-or-treaters and the Halloween fun, Father James reminds Catholics to remember their faith.

“It’s really a time for us to be inspired, you know? Learn more about the saints! And pray for those who have passed,” he said.

Diocese of Brooklyn Embraces Halloween Festivities

By Currents News

The Diocese of Brooklyn is getting into the spooky spirit as kids across both boroughs put on their costumes to celebrate Halloween.

At St. Joseph the Worker Catholic Academy, kids showed off their costumes to parents, neighbors, and fellow trick-or-treaters during their annual Halloween parade. Students walked around the school, dressed as everything from cartoon characters to monsters, and brightened up their Brooklyn blocks on a windy Halloween day.

How You Can Join the Diocese of Brooklyn in Helping Those Impacted by Hurricane Melissa

By Currents News

In the Diocese of Brooklyn, efforts are underway to help those impacted by Hurricane Melissa with a special secondary collection at Mass.

If you’d like to help, you can also write a check to:

The Compostela Fund of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn

and mail it to

Diocesan Finance Office

310 Prospect Park West

Brooklyn, NY 11215

Long Island Man Honors Mother’s Legacy Through Anne V. Graziani Non-Profit

By Katie Vasquez

Rob Graziani roams the halls of Stony Brook Cancer Center, but he’s not a patient: he’s here to bring joy to others along with first-time volunteer Patrick Carroll. 

“It’s definitely acts of service to help people who need help,” said Graziani. 

“It just makes me feel my heart’s full, just makes me feel happy to come here,” Carroll told Currents News, “and you know, see all the kids and put a smile on their face.”

Rob was adopted from a Saint Mother Teresa inspired orphanage in India at just 13 weeks old.

“The humbleness and quietness and power that Mother Teresa did, I think that was very much like my mother,” Graziani recalled.

His mother, Anne, lost her battle with breast cancer in 2016.

He remembers just a week before her death, how she lit up after going to a New York Mets baseball game. 

“She lost all her hair. She got a Mets hat, and she had a Mets zippie right. We’re coming down the elevator and this guy goes, ‘ma’am, you look official.’ And she actually got, like, the biggest smile on her face,” said Graziani. 

In 2017 he started the Anne V. Graziani fund in her honor to help patients with cancer. 

“What we do is provide live entertainment or stream entertainment for cancer patients while they’re actively in treatments,” said Graziani. 

The support os for patients like Payton McDaniel who is receiving treatment for leukemia at the Long Island hospital. 

The 12-year-old got to throw out the first pitch at a recent Long Island Ducks game and get a tour of Yankee Stadium through the foundation. 

He believes these opportunities help him through the tough days. 

“It just gave me a little light into my life, you know? It was very special,” said McDaniel. 

And Rob Graziani hopes it all makes his mom proud from heaven. 

“I feel like it’s like passing it forward. It’s always made me feel like I was granted a gift to always pay it forward,” said Graziani.

He is looking at expanding the non profit further to help more patients battling cancer.

If you would like to learn more about the organization, or donate to their cause, just visit their website, http://www.avgfund.org.

Catholic News Headlines for Friday 10/31/2025

A Queens priest explains Halloween’s Catholic roots, tracing it back to All Saints’ and All Souls’ Days — reminding Catholics to honor the saints and pray for the departed.

First graders at St. Ephrem Catholic Academy in Brooklyn dressed as their favorite saints, teaching classmates about them ahead of All Saints’ Day.

The Diocese of Brooklyn’s annual Red Mass brought together judges and lawyers to pray for wisdom and guidance as they begin the new judicial year.

Inspired by his late mother, a Long Island resident founded a nonprofit to bring joy to those battling cancer.

Holy Cross High School Unveils New Arts, Technology, and Athletics Center

By Jessica Easthope and Paula Katinas

FLUSHING — Ermione Balis, a junior at Holy Cross High School, has been dancing since she began taking lessons at the tender age of 2. While she loves it, especially tap, she has never been able to practice, rehearse, or dance in her school. 

But soon, she will soon get the chance. 

Holy Cross High School is putting the finishing touches on a new $8 million building that will house a dance studio, computer lab, robotics lab, fitness room, and other amenities in preparation for an opening in January — in time for the start of the spring semester. 

The two-story, 11,000-square-foot building, to be called the Arts, Technology and Athletics Center, is the first significant construction project at Holy Cross in its 70-year history, said school President Mark Mongelluzzo. 

“This is a game changer for us,” he said.  

The school hosted a ribbon-cutting on Oct. 23 in anticipation of the January grand opening. The school is awaiting the issuance of a Certificate of Occupancy from the New York City Department of Buildings — the final step before the doors can open. 

RELATED: Hoops Homecoming for New Holy Cross High School Coach

For students like Ermione, the new center is a dream come true. On Oct. 28, she was one of a small group of students who previewed the new center. She said she was impressed by the dance studio with its ballet barre, floor-to-ceiling mirrors, and softer flooring. 

“This is probably one of the biggest studios that I’ve used when I’m dancing,” Ermione said. “I mean, this is really big, and the floors are perfect.  

“I’m so grateful for the opportunity of dancing in the school.” 

The Arts, Technology, and Athletics Center, located next to the current school building, features several rooms, including a fitness room, dance studio (which will also serve as a performance space), robotics lab, computer science lab, and a boardroom. There is also a green roof with a rooftop patio. 

Construction began in July of 2024. 

The building will have “something for everyone,” Mongelluzzo said, adding that each one of the school’s 620 students should be able to find an area of interest. 

“It’s exciting times … and it’s our way that we’re responding, with this building, with our Arts, Technology and Athletics Center, to the demands of a 21st century education,” Mongelluzzo said. 

RELATED: A Cooking Club For All Seasons at Holy Cross High School

Ashton Jean, a junior and member of the track team, has his eye on the fitness room, a 1,200-square-foot space featuring an assortment of gym equipment and floor-to-ceiling windows that offer a view of the practice field. 

“This is a massive step, because I never really went to the weight room before last year, said Ashton, who specializes in the 400-meter race. “I’ll get more opportunities and hopefully better results.”  

While Ermione is excited for herself and other dance students, she is equally excited for her entire school to see the new building open. 

“I think this is a wonderful opportunity for the school. It will definitely expand the horizons of students coming in,” she said. “There are new and exciting things happening in the school. This new building [is] just going to be one of the many things that’s going to make Holy Cross flourish,” she said.