The Mary Louis Academy’s New Middle School Champions Foundresses in Queens

By Jessica Easthope

Just a little over a month into the school year and the birthplace of history is the lesson of the day. But the sixth graders sitting in class are making history of their own, they’re the first to attend The Mary Louis Academy (TMLA) Middle School.

“They give me the support and the courage that I need to maybe even make my own club or business or anything. So I feel like that’s just very important, especially as a girl in an all-girls school,” said Ava Ponce.

“To have access to so many different things, to have access to clubs, to have good teachers, it’s nice to have that privilege,” Aisha Ndiay told Currents News.

The middle school represents the start of a new chapter for the all-girls college preparatory school that boasts early access to New York State Regents exams, a rich alumnae network, and several annual ivy league acceptances.

“Mary Louis is a magical place, anyone that comes through our doors, I think, can tell you that,” said the school’s assistant principal Ellie Siwicki.

Siwicki says 375 years after the Sisters of St. Joseph were founded ,each of the middle school’s 43 students is a foundress in her own right. They’re paving the way for a younger generation to enter into a competitive and empowering academic and service-minded environment.

“We’re kind of creating a new path forward,” said Siwicki. “I think that the sisters are proud of us.“

And in addition to all that, the girls are having fun.

“I’m actually excited every day to go to school, I want to leave early,” Ava told Currents News. “I want to be able to learn new things. And I’m never scared to go into school because I know I just belong here.”

“In my class, everyone’s like a big family,” said Aisha. “I feel like I can grow myself as a student at TMLA and like when I get older, I can give that to the world.”

The Mary Louis Academy Middle School is a long way from celebrating 375 years but nonetheless, they say the future is bright.

Pilgrimage Through Brooklyn Catholic Churches Inspires Book Project, Deeper Connections

By Jessica Easthope and Paula Katinas

WINDSOR TERRACE — Two friends who made a pact to visit every Catholic Church in Brooklyn completed their mission two years and 109 churches later on Oct. 5, and said they came away from their journey with a stronger faith and a more profound love of humanity.

When Roseanne Seminara and Mary Whelehan walked into Holy Name of Jesus Church in Windsor Terrace for the 11 a.m. Mass, they were on the last leg of a journey that began on May 7, 2023, when they visited their first church, Good Shepherd in Sheepshead Bay.

The longtime friends plan to write a book about their travels, documenting the beauty of the churches and sharing their impressions of the people they met along the way.

“We hope to finish the book this winter and find a publisher. It’s just been such an adventure that we want to share,” said Seminara, founder of Park Slope Midwives, a practice specializing in obstetric care.

The women brought notebooks to each church and wrote their impressions so that the memories would remain fresh.

Whelehan, who recently retired from her position as the administrative assistant for Park Slope Midwives, said she and Seminara still have to work out the book’s structure.

“I think that’s going to be another journey, with each of us putting our thoughts down and then trying to make it one,” she explained. “Maybe some chapters will be written by both of us, and for some chapters, both of us might do it separately.”

In one sense, the Mass at Holy Name provided a bookend for the women because it is Seminara’s home parish. The church where they paid the first of their visits — Good Shepherd — is Whelehan’s parish.

In between their first and last stops, Seminara and Whelehan crisscrossed the borough, attending Masses, sharing coffee with parishioners, and marveling at the architecture and history of the churches.

“The buildings were gorgeous,” Seminara said. “I tell everyone, don’t bother going to Europe to see beautiful cathedrals. We have them right here in Brooklyn.”

Whelehan agreed. “Some of the churches are just stunning, and if I didn’t take this journey, I would never know,” she said.

But the beauty of the buildings wasn’t the most memorable part of the pilgrimage. “I think the people made the church more than the church,” Seminara explained. “They really opened their arms to us. And the people at some churches asked us to join their church.”

Whelehan recalled that the friendliness of the people strengthened her own faith.

“It’s wonderful to leave your environment and get to see how faith-filled people are in other places. It’s very inspiring,” she said.

When asked to pick their favorite churches, aside from their home churches, Seminara and Whelehan pointed to places where parishioners stirred their hearts.

For Seminara, it was St. Laurence Church in East New York. I really loved St. Laurence and the people there. We went back, actually, and visited them again,” she said.

Whelehan had fond memories of Holy Cross Church in Flatbush, where her mother served as the parish secretary for many years.

“It was so great to go there again all these years later,” she said.

Visiting all 109 churches in Brooklyn is not an easy feat, especially considering that for much of the project, both women had full-time jobs. “We had to coordinate our schedules,” Whelehan explained. “Sometimes, we would go to a church during the week. Sometimes, we went on Sundays.”

Seminara and Whelehan have known each other for 42 years. They met through their husbands, who were both members of the FDNY and served in the same firehouse, Ladder 111 in Bedford-Stuyvesant. The women both said the journey has brought them closer. “Roseanne and I were always close, but now we’re like sisters,” Whelehan explained.

Another FDNY friend, the late Msgr. John Delendick, an FDNY chaplain, inspired the church visiting project. Over dinner in a cafe a few blocks from Holy Name of Jesus Church, the spring of 2023, Msgr. Delendick informed Seminara about the Church of St. Edward-St. Michael in Fort Greene, which was about to be demolished.

“I wanted to visit the church before it got torn down, but we got there too late. There was nothing left,” Seminara recalled. “That’s when I got the idea to visit all of the churches. This is our history, and it’s important.”

Now that they have visited all of Brooklyn’s churches, do the two friends plan to go to all of the churches in the Queens part of the Diocese of Brooklyn?

“It’s certainly a thought,” Whelehan said.

With NYC Columbus Day Parade Canceled, Debate Over Christopher Columbus Statues Takes Center Stage

By Currents News

The 2025 Columbus Day parade, traditionally held along Manhattan’s Fifth Avenue, was canceled on Oct. 13 due to a state of emergency declared by New York Governor Kathy Hochul.

High winds forced the cancellation, with no plans to reschedule, leaving last year’s festivities as a memory for participants. The decision also reignited ongoing controversies surrounding the explorer Christopher Columbus and his statues.

Across the country, numerous Columbus memorials have been removed in recent years, prompting questions about the future of such monuments. However, the iconic Columbus Circle statue in New York City remains secure, protected by state and national preservation laws.

Before resigning, former state Governor Andrew Cuomo insisted the statue stay, citing its significance to the Italian-American community amid a history of discrimination.

Tensions flared as a 2020 tweet from city mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani resurfaced, showing him gesturing offensively at a Columbus statue in Astoria, Queens with the caption “Take it down now.”

Italian-American leaders, including Angelo Vivolo, president of the Columbus Heritage Coalition, have called the gesture disrespectful. He urges people to learn more about the Italian-American icon.

Vivolo has also applied for landmark status for the Astoria statue, awaiting further steps in the process.

St. Sebastian Parish Holds Annual Rosary Rally in Queens Despite Rain

By Currents News

Rain couldn’t deter parishioners at St. Sebastian in Woodside from taking to the streets in prayer.

Children from the Queens parish’s religious education program and Junior Legion of Mary led a rosary rally alongside their pastor, Father Patrick West, eagerly expressing their faith despite the gloomy weather.

The annual event, held in October around the Feast Day of Our Lady of the Rosary, provides parishioners the opportunity to live their faith out loud and share it with passersby who may wish to join.

Father West emphasized the public rally’s role in fostering open expressions of devotion within the community.

Catholic News Headlines for Tuesday 10/14/2025

After he was killed in a random New York City subway attack, Nicola Tanzi was remembered at his Brooklyn church for his quiet generosity, kindness, and deep faith.

Catholics around the world celebrated the feast day of St. Carlo Acutis Oct. 12, and there is now an official shrine to the first millennial saint in Queens.

Two women who visited more than a hundred Catholic churches in Brooklyn are on a new mission to write a book about the beauty and diversity of faith in the Diocese of Brooklyn.

Sacred Heart of Jesus Church in Queens Named Diocesan Shrine of Saint Carlo Acutis

By Alexandra Moyen

BAYSIDE — Fourteen-year-old Logan Juntereal is a parishioner at St. Nicholas of Tolentine in Jamaica, but made the trip to celebrate Mass at the Sacred Heart of Jesus in Bayside to celebrate the establishment of the Diocesan Shrine of Saint Carlo Acutis in the parish.

He shared his excitement for the day and expressed his admiration for St. Carlo Acutis, who he called a modern-day embodiment of what it means to be a “true person” faithful to the Catholic church.

“We, as the next generation, can look up to him as an example of how we should lead in this new world,” Juntereal said. “This world is becoming kind of evil, and we can look up to him and know how to be a better follower of Christ and a true Christian for each and every one of us.”

On Oct. 12, the feast day of St. Carlo Acutis, Msgr. Thomas Machalski, pastor of Sacred Heart, read aloud the official decree during a Mass concelebrated with Bishop Robert Brennan, the main celebrant. The decree formally recognizes Sacred Heart as a diocesan shrine, describing it as a “sacred place for pilgrimages, prayer — especially for the youth — the spread of the faith, acts of charity, and evangelization.” It also affirms that “all necessary Church laws have been followed to make this designation.”

During his homily, Bishop Brennan likened the life of St. Carlo Acutis to the biblical story of the 10 lepers, where Jesus heals 10 men, but only one — a Samaritan — returns to thank him. Jesus praises the man’s faith and notes that he alone came back to give thanks.

“His piety led to something else,” Bishop Brennan said during his homily. “The piety led him to initiative, the piety he had brought about the desire for true happiness for himself and for the true good of other people.”

Like the Samaritan, St. Carlo Acutis was transformed by his encounter with Jesus Christ.

“Carlo recognized the grace of God in his life and became a missionary,” Bishop Brennan told The Tablet. “For him, the encounter with Jesus was a powerful thing, not just a passing thing.”

Bishop Brennan noted that while the decree officially recognizes the parish as a shrine to St. Carlo Acutis, young people have already been making pilgrimages to the parish.

“It’s a beautiful thing, it’s edifying to see so many people who are drawn here because of their devotion to St. Carlo,” Bishop Brennan said. “It’s great to see faith being lived out and faith being so joyful.”

This growing devotion was evident even before the shrine’s official designation.

Ahead of the canonization of St. Carlo Acutis, Sacred Heart of Jesus was one of four parishes to open its doors during an informal pilgrimage on Sept. 6, for the faithful to honor the soon-to-be-saint. Other parishes included are St. Pancras Church in Glendale, St. Patrick Church in Bay Ridge, and the Shrine Church of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel in Williamsburg.

Msgr. Machalski pointed out that people have been making their pilgrimage to Sacred Heart of Jesus to venerate the parish’s first-class relic of St. Carlo, which contains a lining of his heart, gifted to the parish by then-Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio. He said because of the excitement surrounding St. Carlo Acutis, he already knows what is to come.

“I’ve had people … traveling here from all over the country,” Msgr. Machalski said. “I even had a couple fly from Florida in the morning and fly back in the afternoon to come and pray before the relic.”

The path to Sacred Heart of Jesus becoming a shrine began in 2021, when Msgr. Machalski read an article about a Polish bishop who was sending a relic of St. Carlo to various parishes. Moved by the Holy Spirit, he contacted Bishop DiMarzio and asked him to request a relic from Italy.

“Bishop DiMarzio [emailed] back within 10 minutes and said, ‘Tom, what a great idea. I’m on it,’ and then I didn’t hear anything,” Msgr. Machalski said. “Then, in July, his secretary called me and said, ‘The relics arriving on July 14. Bishop wants you at the chancery the day it arrives.’ And the rest is history.”

While the strands of hair will remain permanently at Sacred Heart of Jesus for public veneration, the relic of his heart is available to travel to other parishes across the diocese upon request.

The presence of these two relics, along with a formal petition submitted by Msgr. Machalski, the parish’s active promotion of devotion to St. Carlo, and a diocesan examination of the parish’s ministry, all contributed to the final decision to designate the church as a shrine.

At the conclusion of the Mass, parishioners were invited to venerate the relic of St. Carlo’s hair before leaving. Then, in a gesture of gratitude, Msgr. Machalski presented Bishop Brennan with a vestment he had purchased in Rome during the canonization. The vestment features an image of St. Carlo Acutis.

“When I asked for the vestment,” Msgr. Machalski said, “they said it was the one and only vestment that they had with him on it, and I took that as a sign that it belonged with the bishop.”

Pope Leo XIV Calls on Israelis, Palestinians To Continue Towards ‘Just and Lasting Peace’ Following Peace Deal

By Carol Glatz and Currents News

VATICAN CITY (CNS) – With the start of the first phase of a peace deal between Israel and Gaza, Pope Leo XIV prayed for a just and lasting peace that respects all people.

“We ask God, who is the true peace of humanity, to heal all wounds and to help us with his grace to accomplish what now seems humanly impossible: to remember that the other is not an enemy, but a brother or sister to be seen, forgiven and offered the hope of reconciliation,” he said Oct. 12.

Before praying the Angelus after Mass in St. Peter’s Square as part of the Jubilee of Marian Spirituality, the pope highlighted the new peace deal, saying “the agreement to begin the peace process has given a spark of hope in the Holy Land.”

Led by U.S. President Donald J. Trump, the first phase of the agreement was approved by Israel and Hamas. The plan includes a ceasefire, the exchange of hostages and prisoners, and humanitarian aid for Gaza.

The Israeli military said it began the ceasefire in the Palestinian territory Oct. 10 and is withdrawing from parts of the Gaza Strip. There are expected to be more negotiations to handle the details of the next phases of the peace deal.

Pope Leo said, “I encourage the parties involved to continue courageously on the path they have chosen, toward a just and lasting peace that respects the legitimate aspirations of the Israeli and Palestinian peoples.”

“Two years of conflict have caused death and destruction throughout the land, especially in the hearts of those who have brutally lost their children, parents, friends and possessions,” he said. “With the entire church, I am close to your immense pain.”

“The gentle touch of the Lord is directed especially toward you today, in the certainty that even amidst the deepest darkness, he always remains with us: ‘Dilexi te, I have loved you,'” the pope said, referring to his first major document, which was released Oct. 9.

Pope Leo then expressed his sorrow concerning “the recent violent attacks that struck several cities and civilian infrastructure in Ukraine, causing the death of innocent people, including children, and leaving many families without electricity and heating.”

The AFP news agency reported that Russia launched drone and missile attacks across Ukraine Oct. 11, killing at least five people, damaging some energy infrastructure and cutting power to parts of the southern Odesa region.

Brooklyn Church Mourns Parishioner Killed by a Stranger

By Katie Vasquez and Jessica Meditz

BENSONHURST — A Diocese of Brooklyn parishioner remembered for his quiet generosity and deep faith was senselessly killed in a random attack after what those who knew him say began as an act of kindness.

Nicola Tanzi, 64, of Bensonhurst, was beaten near the entrance of the Jay Street–MetroTech subway station on the afternoon of Oct. 7, according to an NYPD report.

Officers found him unconscious and unresponsive with trauma throughout his body. He was taken to New York-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.

The next day, police arrested 25-year-old David Mazariegos, charging him with two counts of murder, one count of robbery, and one count of grand larceny.

The fatal assault began moments after Tanzi held a door open for the suspect, The New York Post reported — a simple gesture of courtesy that friends say perfectly reflected who he was.

Tanzi worked as a security guard in Downtown Brooklyn, near the subway station where the attack occurred. Friends said he planned to retire soon and spend more time volunteering at his parish and helping others, as he often did.

Tanzi was a parishioner of St. Athanasius-St. Dominic Parish in Bensonhurst, where he also worked as an usher.

Deacon Anthony Mammoliti, pastoral associate at the parish, said Tanzi would regularly attend Mass at St. Dominic with a smile, remembered by all as someone they could count on when they needed a hand.

“He would open the doors for the ladies, and he would say, ‘Buongiorno, come stai?’ He was a little bit to himself, but once he let you in, there was nothing he wouldn’t do for you,” Mammoliti said. “Mr. Tanzi lived his faith right to the very last moment. What was his last act on this earth? An act of kindness, a symbol for all of us to emulate.

“That’s what makes this moment of his death that much more hurtful for us.”

Upon hearing about his passing, longtime parishioner Caterina Lionetti said the news brought tears to her eyes.

“I just saw him this past Sunday. He was all dressed up, and he looked so nice,” she said. “I feel so bad. We pray for him, and we say the rosary.”

Gesturing to the now-empty middle pew where Tanzi used to sit during Italian Mass, parishioner Grace Lugara recalled running into him on the street recently, where he began to speak to her in a Barese dialect. Although she could not understand most of what he was saying, his kind and warm presence was apparent, she said.

“When I heard the news, I thought, ‘Is the world coming to this? A person loses his life for what reason?’ ” she said. “It really hurt me. It saddened the whole community. Everybody’s crying about it. I’m sure God Almighty is going to have pity on him and give him eternal rest.”

Born and raised in Brooklyn, Tanzi grew up in Carroll Gardens with his parents and five brothers. His parents immigrated to Brooklyn from their native Mola di Bari, Italy, and like many from that region, began worshiping at Sacred Hearts & St. Stephen Church.

The family was part of the founding members of the parish’s congregation of Maria SS. Addolorata, dedicated to Our Lady of Sorrows.

The group, now a fixture of the parish for over 75 years, commissioned a replica of their hometown’s patron statue when they arrived in Brooklyn and continues to honor her with processions each Good Friday and on her feast day in September.

Deacon John Heyer said Tanzi remained deeply devoted to keeping the tradition alive — not only for cultural reasons, but for his faith.

“He was an ordinary guy who was always there to help, to participate. He didn’t want attention or to be a leader,” he said. “He would take on the biggest task or the smallest, quietest one. That’s really important when you’re organizing celebrations in a parish.”

Tanzi’s attacker reportedly had several prior arrests, according to reports.

Both Deacon Mammoliti and Deacon Heyer say that had he survived, Tanzi would have forgiven his assailant.

“He was the kind of person who would have tried to understand why this person was doing this, help him through it, and forgive him in the process,” Deacon Heyer said. “But forgiveness doesn’t mean forgetting justice. I think he would have wanted to see him brought to justice to make sure others aren’t victimized in the same way.”

COMING UP: Brooklyn Church Mourns Loss of Parishioner Killed by Stranger While Doing Act of Kindness

By Katie Vasquez

A Bensonhurst, Brooklyn parishioner, Nicola Tanzi, was headed home from work when he was brutally attacked and killed by a stranger.

Now parishioners at St. Dominic Church are remembering a man who they say was always kind.

Catholic News Headlines for Thursday 10/9/2025

Catholic leaders are seeing the first step towards hope for peace in the Holy Land: negotiators for Hamas and Israel reached an agreement on a path to a ceasefire.

Pope Leo XIV has released his first apostolic exhortation, and Brooklyn Bishop Robert Brennan is sharing his insights on the new document with parishioners.

Every October 9 people flock to Wisconsin to pray the rosary on the Feast of Our Lady of Champion. But Catholics in New York City don’t have to travel far to celebrate the feast day, thanks to one couple who is bringing devotion towards the Blessed Mother to the Diocese of Brooklyn in a special way.