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ACCEPT
At Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Academy, South Ozone Park, Queens, students in Mrs. Keaney’s seventh grade classroom are raising money to sponsor underprivileged children on the other side of the world.
The fundraising project is called ‘The Lourdes Mission.’ Our Lady of Perpetual Help is partnering with members of the Koinonia John the Baptist religious community, who are on the ground in South Africa handing off the donations.
Their goal: collect funds to help children receive food, a mattress so they’re not forced to sleep on mud floors and a school uniform – the students can’t attend government-run institutions without one.
“What we like to do is buy and sell snacks, and we give 25 percent to the school and then use the other percent to buy new snacks,” explained Christopher Perez, a seventh grader at the school.
Each grade in the Catholic academy sponsors a child in need. Twenty photos of the students they sponsor line the hallways and classrooms.
Principal Frances DeLuca said the photos help the students connect with who they’re praying for: other students, just like them.
“As all children of God, we’re responsible to love each other the way our Lord loved us,” she said.
“A lot of kids don’t really have the basic necessities or privileges that other kids in more developed countries get, so I think it’s very important to help them,” said Marco Goncalves, an eighth grader at the school.
One of the students the school sponsors is a 17-year-old girl. Both of her parents died, and she now lives with her six siblings at their grandmother’s house.
Besides monetary needs, the Queens students are feeding spiritual needs, too.
“They can believe in God, and that they have hope. And to give faith that it will get better soon,” said Christopher.
“The Catholic faith teaches us to always help the poor and always help needy, so I think that’s a very big part of it,” Marco added.
Their principal said at a young age, her students are learning God’s work.
On the newscast: The crisis in Syria is deepening at this hour. The White House is taking action to end the invasion, as the threat of a wider war grows; The Catholics refused to remain silent and now their activism is paying off– as plans shape up to honor Mother Cabrini; The church that was badly damaged in a series of vandalism attacks is on the road back; And a story of Christian hope after a tragedy.
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Laura Eng, a Brooklyn resident and one of many Catholics outraged over the Mother Cabrini statue controversy, turned her anger into action and emailed the city’s ‘She Built NYC’ campaign when the results of the poll were announced.
The city’s response: Mother Cabrini would be considered in the future.
“I feel slighted, definitely feel miffed; and I want her to get her due. She’s due this honor,” said Laura.
She was one of many in Brooklyn and Queens who voiced their frustrations against the snub. Mother Cabrini overwhelming received the top spot.
The Catholic activism throughout the Brooklyn Diocese ultimately caught the attention of New York’s politicians.
Governor Andrew Cuomo showed his support for the first time before the city’s Columbus Day Parade on October 14.
“Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio has said this is an affront, and the Brooklyn Diocese wants to build a memorial to Mother Cabrini. They are right! We should applaud their courage and their activism,” Cuomo said the night before the parade.
Brooklyn Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio said the support is due to those who spoke up, wrote letters and refused to stay silent.
“I think I’m encouraged today. Again, if we didn’t speak up and we didn’t try to do this, nothing would’ve happened. So, sometimes you have to make a little bit of noise so that people pay attention to you.”
An Italian-American Catholic himself, Cuomo pledged his backing for a memorial to the saint after the parade, saying, “We are also pleased to announce we are going to build a statute to Mother Cabrini.”
“We’re very happy about that, so it’s a good thing,” said Bishop DiMarzio. “We encourage that that happens; and we’ll work with him to put it in a proper and have the proper statue.”
But speaking exclusively to Fox 5 News after the parade, Mayor Bill de Blasio took jabs at the governor.
“I think it’s a manufactured controversy. It’s very sad that some people have chosen to do this,” said de Blasio.
“If this is a city initiative, it should be reflective of the desires of the people. And the people have spoken! They voted! It’s not manufactured,” said Laura.
Currents News reached out to City Hall October 15 for additional comment, and received a written statement from city spokesperson Jane Meyer.
“We applaud the governor for joining us in our commitment to erect statues of women who have made an impact on New York City and look forward to having a statue of Mother Cabrini here,” Meyer wrote.
As the statue controversy swirls, Catholics in the Brooklyn Diocese are remaining resilient.
Russia is now joining Syrian government troops near the Syria-Turkey border as Turkey continues military strikes in the region.
Moscow continues to expand its influence there following President Trump’s highly criticized decision to withdraw U.S. troops from the area last week. “Turkey, Syria — let them take care of it,” said Trump.
The Kurdish-led fighters in northern Syria were a key U.S. ally in the fight against ISIS.
With the U.S. departure, the Kurds have turned to Russia and the Syrian regime of Bashar al-Assad for help.
“We knew it was going to happen when the United States pulled forces out of northern Syria that the only winners were going to be Russia, Iran and the barbaric Assad regime,” said Democratic Representative Anthony Brown, Vice Chair of the House Armed Services Committee.
Fear and heartbreak consuming the once relatively peaceful part of Syria as the humanitarian crisis grows amidst another looming crisis: of 10,000-plus ISIS prisoners held throughout northern Syria, some have already escaped amidst the fighting.
Turkey is still pushing further into Syria despite international pressure, claiming factions there as threats to their nation.
The White House announced sanctions against Turkey, and that Vice President Pence is planning a trip there.
“The United States of America wants Turkey to stop the invasion, to implement an immediate cease fire and to begin to negotiate with Kurdish forces in Syria to bring an end to the violence,” said Pence.
There is no word on when Pence will visit, or if Turkey is ready to discuss a ceasefire.
With his eyes full of tears, Cardinal Siguitas Tamkéavichus, recalled his time in a gulag in Siberia.
His crime was sharing with journalists of the western world the “Chronicles of the Church in Lithuania,” a written series documenting real cases of Christian persecution. He served a 10-year sentence for reporting on the Soviet Union’s practices in Lithuania.
“The hardest moment of my time in prison was the interrogation. It would last up to seven hours. It was terribly exhausting,” Cardinal Tamkéavichus said.
“A beautiful thing that happened was when one of the inmates, after being interrogated, found the faith and asked me to baptize him. I baptized him in prison,” he explained.
Cardinal Tamkéavichus never lost faith, even in the midst of the forced labor to which he was subjected.
Instead, his experience was quite the opposite. He looked for ways to celebrate Mass while he was forced to work in a laundry room from sunrise to sunset.
He even found a way to make a rosary with the little he had, finding in faith the strength he needed to survive the suffering.
“I prayed everyday. I made a rosary out of balls of bread and prayed all the mysteries with it everyday. When I could, I tried to say Mass,” he said.
In 2018, Pope Francis saw the soviet prisons for himself. As archbishop of Kaunas, Lithuania at the time, Tamkéavichus accompanied him on this visit.
Just a year later, the Holy Father named him cardinal, a decision that for Cardinal Tamkéavichus is not only for him, but for all Lithuanians.
“With this appointment I think Pope Francis wanted to recognize the Way of the Cross walked by all Lithuanians,” he said.
Cardinal Tamkéavichus is living proof of resistance, through faith, to religious intolerance.
As such, he assures his desire to be a witness for those who suffer persecution simply for being Christian.
Leading up to the 2020 presidential election, the Democratic debate on October 15 will be the biggest primary debate ever.
Twelve candidates will take the stage at a crucial moment where Joe Biden is no longer the sole front-runner and Elizabeth Warren is already under fire as a top contender.
Bernie Sanders is still recovering from a heart attack.
While there are many issues sure to take center-stage — among them Trump, impeachment, health care, climate change and gun control — candidates at the debate are highly unlikely to express support for the lives of unborn children.
Abortion is a settled matter for all the Democrats who will be on stage, who support Roe v. Wade.
Wendi Enright, the New York State Coordinator of Democrats for Life, joins Currents News to discuss the moral and political conflict within the Democratic party’s support for abortion, and how Democratic Catholic voters can appeal to others in choosing life.
On the newscast: Two Italian figures wrapped up in a lot of controversy this Columbus Day; A New York State Democrat is here to explain that at tomorrow’s debate, the candidates will avoid talking about protecting unborn children; The Bishop of El Paso, Texas is labeling the border wall a monument to hate; The Navy vet whose soul now belongs to God.
MANHATTAN — After marching in the Columbus Day Parade on Oct. 14, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced that New York state will build a statue of St. Frances Xavier Cabrini.
Cuomo’s remarks came after Italian-Americans and Catholics in the Diocese of Brooklyn have for weeks criticized the She Built NYC initiative, headed by New York City first lady Chirlane McCray, for excluding Mother Cabrini from a first round of statues even though she received the most nominations.
“We appreciate Mother Cabrini. We appreciate the Italian-American community. We appreciate Catholics” Cuomo said, “so the state will provide the funding. They don’t have to do it on their own.”
Cuomo said a state commission will work with the Diocese of Brooklyn and the Columbus Citizen Foundation to find a site for and fund the new statue.
“I’m encouraged today,” Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio said. “If we didn’t speak up, if we didn’t try to do this, nothing would happen. Sometimes, you have to make a little bit of noise, so that people pay attention to you.”
On Oct. 12 at the annual Columbus Citizens Foundation Gala in Manhattan, Cuomo pledged his “full support” for a Mother Cabrini statue.
“Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio has said that this is an affront, and the Brooklyn Diocese wants to build a memorial to Mother Cabrini. They are right,” Cuomo said. “We should applaud their courage and their activism. But, my friends, we should even do more. We should support them. Let’s join with them tonight.”
John Heyer — the pastoral associate of Sacred Hearts – St. Stephen in Carroll Gardens who has been spearheading the diocese’s effort for Mother Cabrini — said he was “ecstatic” and “overwhelmed” by the governor’s support. He said the movement is a testament to Mother Cabrini and the work she did.
“It’s great that there’s so much support behind Mother Cabrini,” Heyer said. “People are making donations constantly for a statue. They’re writing letters to the mayor on their own part. It’s as grassroots and organic as you would ever want to organize something. It’s not organized. It’s the Holy Spirit.”
Heyer said the Mother Cabrini Statue Fund, which was launched by the Catholic Foundation of Brooklyn and Queens on Oct. 6 at the diocese’s annual Italian Apostolate celebration, has already raised more than $25,000.
Mayor Bill de Blasio told Bishop DiMarzio at the Columbus Day Parade that a statue will be built. In a statement on Oct. 15, de Blasio spokeswoman Jane Meyer said the administration welcomes the governor’s support for honoring the women who built New York City.
“We applaud the governor for joining us in our commitment to erect statues of women who have made an impact on New York City and look forward to having a statue of Mother Cabrini here,” the statement said.
The statement came a day after de Blasio told Fox 5’s Lisa Evers on that he thinks the Mother Cabrini uproar is “a manufactured controversy.” He said he was saddened because the project is about recognizing women after centuries of being unrepresented in city monuments.
De Blasio said the statues of the seven women announced are just the first round and said he believes Mother Cabrini should be one of the next, saying, “She’s amazing and a historical figure of such importance to this city.”
He also told Evers that a lot of people with different motives are playing games with the cause for Mother Cabrini, including the governor.
“God bless him,” de Blasio told Evers. “But, again, a lot of people out there, for whatever agendas, playing all those games, it’s not fair to people. It’s not fair to the memory of Mother Cabrini.”
Rosemary Neri Villanella grew up in Gravesend at Sts. Simone & Jude. Her grandmother was raised by sisters in Mother Cabrini’s order at their orphanage in Dobbs Ferry, N.Y., after her parents died.
Villanella applauded the governor for supporting the case for Mother Cabrini. However, she said he still has more, referencing the Reproductive Health Act that Cuomo signed in January.
“I am delighted that he following the lead of Eric Adams, Brooklyn Borough President, who offered to have the statue funded by private funds, put up at Brooklyn Borough Hall,” Villanella said. “I just wish the governor would take the Catholic stand on abortion.”
Still, Cuomo championed the Columbus Day festivities as a symbol of unity at a time in America where he said there is “enough division.”
In a statement on Oct. 14, he lauded Mother Cabrini for her work helping immigrants who came to New York City and for being the first naturalized American saint.
“We want to honor immigrants as much as we want to honor her,” Bishop DiMarzio said. “In a day when immigration has become a social policy that nobody wants to solve in our country, we need her intercession to solve this.”
There is no timeline yet on when the statue will be completed, although Cuomo said in his Oct. 14 statement that it will happen “as soon as time allows.”
As the centerpiece of the Brooklyn Diocese’s Columbus Day parade float, St. Frances Xavier Cabrini made her way up Fifth Avenue in Manhattan.
Surrounding the five-foot statue of Mother Cabrini were students from Catholic academies across Brooklyn and Queens.
“I think it’s interesting and I think it’s really fun,” said student Izabella Sepulveda, for whom riding on the float was a first-time experience.
“I feel really happy and excited because it’s my first time being in a parade,” she added.
It’s also the first time the diocese has made Mother Cabrini part of the parade.
John Heyer, director of the diocese’s Annual Catholic Appeal and special assistant to the vicar for development, helped design the 40-foot long float.
“Among the different items is the statue that we used for our Italian Apostolate day of Mother Cabrini, as well as a replica of the Mother Cabrini mural that can be found on Hicks Street in Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn,” John said.
Brooklyn Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio got onboard float outside Saint Patrick’s Cathedral, saying that on this Columbus Day, there’s great support for the patroness of immigrants.
“Today we’re rooting for Mother Cabrini to have a statue of her in New York, in a place of honor, because she was one of the courageous women that really built New York City,” Bishop DiMarizo said.
One way Mother Cabrini helped build the Big Apple was through education.
“She worked so hard for Catholic education, which is one of the things that we’re trying to promote here with the float today,” explained John.
The float was co-sponsored by the Brooklyn Diocese and Futures in Education, which awards scholarships to children in need so they too can benefit from a Catholic education.
Catholics like Fran Rutigliano, a parishioner at St. Frances Cabrini Church, walked alongside felt proud to highlight the work of Mother Cabrini.
“We always want a true Italian representing our Columbus Day parade; so she represented the true values of an Italian: giving, loving, affectionate,” said Fran.
As Turkey continues its military operation against Kurdish fighters in Syria, Pope Francis used the canonization of five saints on Oct. 13 to call on the international community for help.
The nine-year war in Syria doesn’t seem to be ending anytime soon. Turkey’s offensive against Kurdish militias in Northeast Syria has killed, wounded and displaced nearly 500,000 people in less than a week.
From St. Peter’s Square, Pope Francis pled for solutions.
“In these populations, there are also many Christian families. To all those involved, and the international community, please; I renew the appeal to engage with sincerity, honesty and transparency on the path of dialogue to find effective solutions,” Pope Francis said.
The pontiff’s words were applauded before he spoke of yet another crisis, that in Ecuador.
“I am following, with much concern, what has been happening in the past few weeks in that country. I entrust them to joint prayer and to the intercession of the new saints. I join in grieving for the dead, the wounded and those missing,” he said.
The Holy Father’s concern even carried into the synod hall as Ecuador, one of the nine countries comprising the Amazon region, was spoken about during a press briefing.
“This morning, our work began with a prayer by the pope for Ecuador. The Synod is not a place where world events do not resonate, particularly for countries who are part of the Synod,” said Paolo Ruffini the prefect of Vatican Communications
“I am in an international setting saying we are the people who are called to seek allies to protect our life,” explained José Gregorio Díaz Mirabal, president of the Coalition of Indigenous Organizations of the Amazon Basin. “What is happening in Ecuador is an example for our entire Amazon basin,” he said.
At the briefing, panel members said beginning the second week of the Amazon Synod, one topic discussed was how the Catholic Church can be a voice for the voiceless and especially speak out on international issues.
The “voiceless” include those who are persecuted, migrants and those who are homeless, particularly the victims of the attacks in Syria and the oppressed indigenous peoples of the Amazon region.