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ACCEPT
On the morning of Dec. 4, at the request of Pope Francis, 33 asylum seekers flew into Rome from the Greek island of Lesbos, alongside Holy See representatives and those from the Sant‘Egidio lay community.
The refugees from Moria camp were warmly welcomed to Italy by members of the Vatican’s Office of Papal Charities at Rome’s Fiumicino airport.
Later this month, another 10 asylum seekers will join them. They will be hosted by the Holy See as part of the Humanitarian Corridors project by Sant‘Egidio.
“Finally, after a complicated process, we are happy to welcome you to Italy,” Andrea Riccardi, founder of Sant’Egidio, told them.
“This sign is calling us to finally wake up. There are 15,000 people who live in disastrous conditions and we are fine. Almoner means sharing myself with others – my favorite things and my personal space,” said Cardinal Konrad Krajewski, almoner of the Office of Papal Charities.
The initiative originally began with Pope Francis in April 2016, soon after he was elected pope. He traveled to the Moria camp in Lesbos and brought three Syrian families back on his plane with him. Soon after, nine more people followed.
As a continuation, in May 2019, the papal almoner and founder of Sant’Egidio traveled to Lesbos to visit the migrant reception facilities, at the request of the Holy Father.
“The pope holds Lesbos in his heart because he was there,”explained Andrea. “I went to talk to him after I visited Lesbos and he asked me, ‘Years after my visit, what happened?’ I told him the situation and he said, ‘Let’s give them at least one small sign of peace. Let them come here.’”
Cardinal Krajewski and Andrea went back this week to bring these 33 back to Italy.
There are Afghan families, a lady from Cameroon and one from Togo. All have lived in the camp for at least one or two years.
Now, drawing from the frontline of the migrant crisis, the Vatican and Sant’Egidio are giving them the opportunity to “restart life.”
NEW YORK — Pope Francis has accepted the immediate resignation of Bishop Richard Malone of Buffalo, N.Y. on Wednesday morning. The announcement comes two months after the Vatican asked Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio to conduct a fact-finding mission into the Diocese of Buffalo, which has been roiled with claims that Bishop Malone has mishandled numerous abuse cases. The resignation was announced in Washington, D.C., by Archbishop Christophe Pierre, apostolic nuncio to the United States.
Archbishop Pierre also announced that Albany, N.Y, Bishop Edward Scharfenberger, a native of Brooklyn who grew up in Queens, has been named apostolic administrator of the Diocese of Buffalo until a permanent successor is named.
In a letter to the faithful after the announcement of his resignation, Bishop Malone said:
“Inevitably, some will surmise that my decision is the result of the recently-completed apostolic visitation, carried out by Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio at the behest of the Holy See. While I was made aware of the general conclusions of the report, which were a factor in my discernment, my decision to retire early was made freely and voluntarily. I have come to this decision with honest reflection and a deep and abiding commitment to doing what I believe is in the best interests of the Church throughout Western New York.”
Bishop DiMarzio made three trips to Buffalo in October for his visitation and interviewed more than 80 diocesan officials, clergy and laypeople in the diocese. He submitted a report to the Vatican at the beginning of November.
“It was conducted with urgency as the Holy See directed that this visitation be thorough with the foremost consideration being the good of the people of the Diocese of Buffalo,” Bishop DiMarzio said in a statement Wednesday morning.
“What I found are many deeply devoted Catholics who love their church…I pray this moment of suffering and pain will lead to a birth of new faith. With the appointment of the Most Reverend Edward Scharfenberger, bishop of Albany, to oversee the Buffalo Diocese, I am confident that Buffalo Catholics are in good hands.”
In a news conference on Wednesday, Bishop Scharfenberger said that he has known since the beginning of November that he was being considered for the role. “I received a call from the apostolic nuncio, Archbishop Pierre, that I was being considered as a possible appointee as apostolic administrator, and that he would take that to the Holy Father,” said Bishop Scharfenberger.
Bishop Scharfenberger, who was ordained as a priest of the Diocese of Brooklyn in 1973, said, “I am honored to serve as apostolic administrator of the Diocese of Buffalo during these challenging times, and I am humbled by the task put before me. I ask for your prayers as we begin this journey together, and I look forward to getting to know the people of this great diocese.”
A press release from the Diocese of Albany highlighted that “In his five and a half years as Bishop of Albany, Bishop Scharfenberger has been a national leader in responding to the clergy abuse crisis. He published a list of offenders in the diocese four years ago, was among the first bishops in the country to call for an independent lay-led investigation of the scandal involving former Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, revamped the diocesan review board, and established a predominantly lay task force on sexual abuse last year to make recommendations to the diocese on its response to survivors and its internal policies.”
In a video message published on the Diocese of Albany Facebook page, the Bishop Scharfenberger announced that his “family just got a little bit bigger,” and that he plans to visit the Diocese of Buffalo, which covers eight counties in western New York state, weekly. “I will be doing a lot of listening and learning,” he said.
Bishop Scharfenberger has led the Diocese of Albany since 2014. Before that, he was the pastor of St. Matthias Church in Ridgewood, Queens, for 11 years. He also served as judicial vicar for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn from 1993 to 2002. Bishop Scharfenberger has a degree in Canon Law from the Catholic University of America, and a law degree from Fordham University. He was admitted to the New York State Bar in 1991.
Bishop Malone faced accusations that he knowingly covered up for priests credibly accused of abuse. One of those priests, retired Father Norbert F. Orsolits acknowledged in 2018 that he had molested “probably dozens” of teenage boys in the 1970s and 1980s. Those revelations sparked scrutiny of Bishop Malone. He resisted numerous calls from clergy, seminarians and lay leaders in the diocese to step down.
Last month, Bishop Malone was in Rome with fellow prelates from New York state for their regularly scheduled “ad limina” meetings with Pope Francis and the Roman curia. While he was in Rome, Bishop Malone was the principal celebrant of a Mass at the Basilica of Saint Paul’s Outside the Walls, where he quoted from Pope Francis’ catechesis on Christian hope, saying, “In these times that appear dark, in which we sometimes feel disoriented by the evil and violence that surround us, by the distress of so many of our brothers and sisters, we need hope.”
Following his return from Rome, Bishop Malone issued a statement, saying that Pope Francis is aware of the difficult situation that he and the diocese are facing.
“He was very understanding and kind,” Bishop Malone wrote, referring to a private conversation he had with the pope.
Last year, the Diocese of Buffalo attracted national attention when Bishop Malone’s former executive assistant, Siobhan O’Connor, leaked hundreds of pages of diocesan records allegedly showing that Bishop Malone had allowed accused priests to continue to minister and that he has actively engaged in a cover-up.
In September, Father Ryszard Biernat, Bishop Malone’s priest secretary, leaked secret recordings in which the bishop voiced concerns that one of those scandals could force him to resign.
Father Biernat himself faces allegations that he engaged in a longtime relationship with Matthew Bojanowski, a former diocesan seminarian. Despite the publication of correspondence between Father Biernat and Bojanowski that appears to be romantic in nature, Bishop Malone has said he has no reason to believe the relationship wasn’t platonic.
In an interview with a local Buffalo station earlier this year, Bishop Malone said the diocese is facing 138 abuse lawsuits since a “look back” window in New York state took effect in August that lifts the statute of limitations on abuse cases against a public institution for one year. He said his advisers estimate that 250 to 275 lawsuits will be filed and that the diocese is in “very serious discernment” over whether to file for bankruptcy.
Bishop Malone is now the third U.S. bishop to step down during the last year after abuse-related allegations were made. In the first two cases, the pope accepted their ordinary resignation, which they had previously submitted when they turned 75 years old. The first was Bishop Michael Bransfield of West Virginia, who is accused of both financial and sexual misconduct, and the second was Cardinal Donald Wuerl of Washington, who resigned after scrutiny of his handling of abuse cases while he was bishop of Pittsburgh in the 1980s. Bishop Malone is 73 and was not required to present his resignation until 2021.
Bishop Malone served as an auxiliary bishop in Boston under Cardinal Bernard Law from 2001 to 2004 and was then named bishop of Portland, Maine, a post he held until his appointment to Buffalo in 2012.
One man is helping bring people back to the Church for the Christmas season: Tim Glemkowski.
He is the author of “Made for Mission,” a book that gives churches a practical approach to evangelization by addressing many of the real problems facing pastors today.
Tim joins Currents News from Denver, Colorado to share tips that pastors can use now to help revitalize evangelization and face obstacles that arise when it comes to bringing people into the pews.
On the newscast: Reaction in the Brooklyn Diocese to the Pope’s call for nativity scenes in public and in private spaces; President Trump and French President Macron clash at the NATO summit; On the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, a Brooklyn family’s urgent plea to make subways accessible for all; And could the Smart TV you just bought on Black Friday be spying on you? The FBI warning you need to hear.
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.
Homemade bread, creamy chicken and paninis are made fresh every day at Holy Cross High School.
The school is changing the game when it comes to cafeteria food, ditching the mystery meat for items like steak, spinach pie and baked ziti.
“It’s really good, it’s like my grandmother made if for me at home,” said Matthew Gelpi a student at the school.
Food is made fresh daily at the school – it’s an extra effort that students can taste thanks to Corato Food Service Group.
The company was brought in two years ago by the school to provide healthy, fun and unique meal choices.
“From Greek to Italian to Asian, we really just try to see what they want but we try to keep it as balanced as possible,” explained Marco Cerbone of Corato Food Service Group.
“Every single day there’s a different type of theme or food. Sometimes we can have sushi, other days we can have straight Italian foods,” explained student Cindy Leung.
Corato Food Service Group also listens to students while creating the menus, offering different options. Even so, one thing remains consistent: the quality.
“The food is great. Like the fries, everything. Everything is really good,” said Chris Harris, a student.
Principal Edward Burns said the food is a far cry from the school lunches most people grew up with.
“Reactions are always positive which is wonderful because I think they all think back to their school experiences and maybe what their options were, and what they had for lunch choices,” he said. “And then they come back and see what we have for choices. It’s just opened a world of different opportunities.”
An extra perk at Holy Cross Catholic High School is making sure kids are happy, healthy and ready to learn.
Nativities are mostly found underneath a Christmas tree — not on a New York City sidewalk.
But one in Dyker Heights, Brooklyn is on full display.
John Minero, who makes the display by hand, said the highlight of the masterpiece is baby Jesus.
“That’s the purpose, so the focus is on that,” he said.
It’s the same message Pope Francis is reinforcing this Christmas season. He just visited the Italian town where Saint Francis of Assisi built the first nativity. The pontiff wants to see them everywhere, in public and private — like schools, hospitals and town squares.
“God loves us to the point of sharing our humanity and our life,” he explained.
In this secular city some people disagree, but not John, who creates smaller nativity scenes, or presepios, in his basement.
John makes most of his presepio sets by screwing pieces of cork together, but he’s also made nativity scenes from old picture frames, parts of a tree, and even a glass water bottle.
For him, regardless of how they’re made, Christ remains the focal point.
“That’s what counts, you know, for religious people especially,” John added.
Over at Saint Athanasius Church in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, bigger seems better. A life-size nativity draws hundreds traveling along Bay Parkway.
“This is, what I would say, a tool of evangelization because it makes people stop. It makes people think, and it makes people reflect on the true meaning of Christmas,” said Monsignor David Cassato, pastor of St. Athanasius.
The true meaning of Christmas is also on display at Brooklyn’s Grand Army Plaza.
The mastermind behind the crèche and Christmas tree, Mark Steele, says for the most part, passersby enjoy having the religious symbols in a public space.
“Once you start seeing the trees arrive and all these installations going, you know it’s just around the corner,” said Mark, noting that a crèche is the only reason for the season.
On the newscast: The Bishops of New Jersey and Pennsylvania are back from their Ad Limina visit with the Pope. One of their requests: release the findings of Theodore McCarrick’s sexual abuse investigation; The Pope’s message to Christians around the world about the importance of public nativity scenes; We’ll take you inside the Sistine Chapel for a history-making musical performance; And decking the halls — it’s Christmas at the White House.
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.
A contingent of U.S. bishops spent their Thanksgiving Day with Pope Francis.
A group picture showed the bishops from New Jersey and Pennsylvania with the Holy Father. The meeting was the highlight of their ad limina visit to the Vatican, when they shared detailed reports on the life of the Church in their dioceses.
The term “ad limina” means the bishops are making a pilgrimage as the successors of the Apostles.
“When you take a look at the story of the acts of the Apostles, it wasn’t always easy. But there was always a direction of where the Holy Spirit was guiding them. And I think that we’re at a similar moment in the history of the Church, too,” said Bishop David Zubik of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
The bishops’ meeting with the Holy Father lasted more than two hours. In that time a major topic — the clerical sexual abuse crisis — was discussed.
American bishops asked for the release of the report on the Vatican’s investigation into ex-cardinal Theodore McCarrick
He had served in New Jersey and in Washington as archbishop, and was laicized last year for alleged abuse in the 1980s.
Cardinal Joseph Tobin of Newark, New Jersey said the McCarrick case was one of several incidents that hurt the Church’s reputation, including the Pennsylvania grand jury report on clerical abuse and the allegation by the former Vatican ambassador to the U.S. that McCarrick’s wrongdoing wasn’t being investigated.
“Those three things just unleashed a reaction that at times was very angry, at times was very desperate, at times was almost hopeless,” Cardinal Tobin explained.
The bishops believe publishing the Vatican’s investigation on McCarrick could restore trust.
“That’s all we’ve been accused. If you read the Pennsylvania grand jury report: coverup, coverup, coverup. And this would be one way in which we can express transparency, too, that okay, we went up the chain to see where the mistakes were made,” said Bishop Lawrence Persico of Erie, Pennsylvania.
“My hope is that it’s going to be true and it’s going to be complete,” added Cardinal Tobin.
Cardinal Tobin said Pope Francis told him the report will be released, but didn’t give a time frame.
A small-town farm girl from Manitoba, Canada, and her 300-year-old violin, which was part of King Louis XVI’s orchestra, hold an amazing title in the Vatican. Musician Rosemary Siemens was the first violinist ever to play at the Sistine Chapel. As part of the “biggest honor of her life,” the Vatican gifted her a scroll with the title.
“We were in the Sistine Chapel And literally, they didn’t know if it would be allowed until the last minute and but we got, I got to play Amazing Grace,” said Rosemary.
“And it was like one of the highlights of my career. It was unbelievable. And I — a few years earlier — I was actually the first violinist to ever played this at St. Peter’s Basilica as well,” she added.
She played “Amazing Grace,” coinciding with her love for Gospel music and church hymns, which make up a majority of her music.
“It’s actually turned into a musical ministry — a kind of modern musical ministry — for me. I’ve always loved hymns and I wrote a song on my last album called, ‘Bring back the hymns,’” she said.
“It’s just been something on my heart, because I feel like a lot of churches are leaving the hymns and there’s so much history and so much beauty in them. I thought I would do my part to bring back the hymns. So I started a ‘Sunday hymn serenade.’ So people know they can come to my YouTube every Sunday and have a new hymn,” Rosemary said.
She has performed at Carnegie Hall in New York, for two U.S. Presidents and Canadian Prime Ministers, and has won “Best Country/Gospel Album of the Year.” Yet, she still has one more goal: to play for the pope.
“He was supposed to be at the event at the system but last minute couldn’t come,” she explained. “I wish that’s a dream. That’s a new dream. But hopefully one day it will happen.”
For now, she is happy making history with her Gospel music and touching lives all with a stroke of her violin.
BALTIMORE (Catholic News Service) — Bishop Frank J. Caggiano of Bridgeport, Connecticut, is the new chairman of the board of Catholic Relief Services following his appointment by Archbishop Jose H. Gomez of Los Angeles, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.
A native of Brooklyn, New York, Bishop Caggiano succeeds Maronite Bishop Gregory J. Mansour, whose three-year term has ended. Bishop Mansour heads the Eparchy of St. Maron of Brooklyn.
“It’s a great honor to lead an organization that is such a bright light for all of our brothers and sisters overseas who don’t have enough to eat or a place to sleep because of entrenched poverty,” Bishop Caggiano said in a statement released Nov. 25 by CRS.
“All of God’s children have the right to live in just and peaceful societies, and for more than 75 years CRS has worked toward making that a reality. I look forward to joining forced to build on all of the organization’s substantial achievements and to tackling the challenges that affect so many members of God’s family,” he said.
Bishop Mansour in a statement from the agency said he expects his successor to be a “hands-on leader who will roll up his sleeves and get to work while inspiring others to do the same.”
Bishop Caggiano, 60, has had a particular focus on building youth and young adults in the church. He also has directed his ministry toward troubled and marginalized people and to Catholics who no longer participate in the life of the church.
Bishop Caggiano has led the Bridgeport Diocese since September 2013 following his appointment by Pope Francis. Previously he was an auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of Brooklyn for seven years. He was ordained a priest in 1987 after a short stint as a sales representative for the Gregg Division of McGraw Hill Publishing Co.
The bishop is a member of the U.S. bishops’ Committee on Evangelization and Catechesis and chairs the Subcommittee on Catechism. In 2018 he was one of five U.S. bishops elected to represent the American church at the Vatican’s Synod of Bishops on young people, the faith and vocational discernment.
Bishop Caggiano was elected to a seat on the CRS board during the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ fall general assembly Nov. 12. His term as chairman lasts three years.
