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Brooklyn’s Auxiliary Bishop Receives Prestigious Honor

By Emily Drooby

On May 23, among a sea of St. Francis College graduates, was a bishop.

Brooklyn’s Auxiliary Bishop Octavio Cisneros was invited the school’s graduation to give the invocation, and also to receive an honorary degree.

He was thrilled to receive a Doctorate of Humane Letters, and also to share the stage with so many successful young people.

“Everybody is enjoying, and I know that it means a lot for them,” Bishop Cisneros said.

“It means a lot for all of us in the Diocese of Brooklyn. They’re the future, it’s the future of the Church, it’s the future of our city and our country. Men and women who are educated but who, also have in their hearts the love of God, faith.”

When he was just a teen, Bishop Cisneros arrived in the United States through Operation Peter Pan, a Catholic humanitarian effort that brought thousands of unaccompanied minors to the country from Cuba.

He thrived in the U.S. earning a Masters degree in Divinity from Immaculate Conception Seminary in Huntington, Long Island. He was ordained to the priesthood in 1971, eventually growing into an influential Catholic leader.

Bishop Cisneros was thrilled to see students from all over the world graduating from St. Francis, “to share with others who are from Brooklyn and Queens, the immigrants, those who have come to this country to obtain a better life for themselves, who want to get ahead, who want to educate.”

He was also happy to share the moment with students like Amal Hawari, a DACA recipient from Venezuela and the graduating student who delivered the ceremony’s welcome address.

“Today we should realize that regardless of how much the odds are against, us nothing is unachievable and we all get to write our own history,” Hawari said to the crowd.

Hawari and many other students credit St. Francis College for their success, including Co-Valedictorian Arianna Sartzetaki.

“I have had a really great support system especially at St. Francis, through various faculty and administrators that really pushed me to be where I am today,” she said.

Now, over three hundred graduates will ready to take on the world with their new degrees.

Vatican Hosts Conference On The Right To Life

Currents News Staff

As the debate for the right to life is continuing around the world, the Vatican is voicing its opinion with a conference called ‘Yes to Life!’

On May 23 the Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life held the two-day conference, inviting speakers from around the world to speak on the right to life.

Conference topics including palliative care, prenatal hospice, abortion and euthanasia.

Two of the event speakers were Byron Calhoun, a specialist in Maternal and Fetal Medicine, and Mary Carroll Sullivan, the Chief Health Care Ethicist at the Archdiocese of Boston.

They especially spoke of the current, vocal abortion debate in the United States.

“If you look scientifically, life actually does begin scientifically at conception,” said Calhoun. “Perhaps that’s the biggest discussion that we can come to, at this point, in the scientific facts, not just the emotion on both sides.”

“When we look at this rash of legislation, you just have to ask yourself, ‘who is pushing this’ and why we’re being told that it’s a good thing for women,” said Sullivan.

“I’m here to say, as a nurse, it’s not been done and not been done for a reason,” she explained. “It strikes me that there’s so much potential danger to a woman to have to kill and then remove a baby that is full term. That is something that I won’t get too graphic here.”

The speakers did not only express a desire to protect mothers and children, but those who could have their life ended with euthanasia.

“We have examples in some countries where euthanasia is used for children and also for adults. Laws have been made in a quasi-legal manner,” said Giuseppe Noia, Founder and President of Il Cuore in una Goccia, or The Heart In A Drop, an Italian organization established in defense protection of maternal and fetal health.

“The result of this is a reversion backward. Management of the final phase of life is often done with the approximation and unimportance,” he said in regards to the practice of abortion.

The conference presented the Catholic Church’s belief to uphold the dignity of life by expressing the importance of those children born with serious illnesses. They desire that every person in his or her dignity has an opportunity to grow in love, in reciprocal care and in unity with others.

It was not only the ethical, faith aspects of safeguarding life that were brought up, but scientific facts presented evidence backing up each of the points presented, which is much more credible when enacting laws around the world.

Catholic High School Bans Girls From Wearing Skirts

Currents News Staff

Young women at Cathedral Catholic High School in San Diego area are no longer allowed to wear skirts on campus, and most of the students aren’t exactly head over heels with the ban.

It’s a call to decency or an immodest proposal, depending on who you ask.

“I think that the ban is very sexist,” said Cathedral student Lana Owad.

One student, Mimi Cleary, says the dress code ban is definitely coming from the adults.

“No one wants the skirts going, like literally no one wants the skirts gone,” said Cleary. “I think only the principal and teachers want the skirts gone.”

In a letter sent to parents and students, Cathedral says the dress code exists to foster a faith-based environment where students are focused on learning and not outward appearances, adding that they’ve issued thousands of hours of detention related to the lengths of girls’ skirts.

“We’ve had to have a tailor in the past because of the restriction of it, we spend money on that,” said student Riley Staal. “We spent money on buying different skirts because because they ban other styles.”

Students also say their families have spent enough on uniforms, and they should be able to present themselves how they feel comfortable.

“Everyone should just keep their eyes to themselves,” says Owad. “They don’t have to be looking down at our skirts. That’s not our issue. I think guys get to wear pants girls, get to wear skirts. It shouldn’t be banned.”

Doctor Vince

Joe Estevez talks with world-renowned neurologist, Dr. Vincent Fortanasce, a devout Catholic and member of the Knights of Malta. Dr. Vince discusses the need for awareness of God’s teaching in the medical field, and why more doctors need to understand a patient’s spiritual and psychological suffering in addition to their medical issues.

Currents News for Wednesday, May 22, 2019

On the newscast: Fleet Week begins as New York honors America’s War Heroes. And we’ll look at Catholics who sacrificed so much for the country; Religious freedom and Chick-fil-A, coming together in Texas for a proposed new law; Americans living in the Heartland are still on alert after violent weather ripped through the region; And we’ll have the story of a champion on the ice… and in her Catholic classroom.

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.

Fleet Week: Catholic Students Honor U.S. Armed Forces

By Tim Harfmann

On the morning of Wednesday, May 22, the sound of cannons could be heard as U.S. Navy ships navigated New York City’s coastline to honor America’s heroes. It signaled the kick-off to the week-long Fleet Week celebration.

Students from Fontbonne Hall Academy, Bay Ridge lined the Brooklyn shore to show their appreciation.

“They shouldn’t have to wait for the holidays to be shown that we appreciate them,” said Tommasina Cardone, a junior at the Catholic high school who said she is inspired by U.S. troops year-round.

To honor them, Tommasina started Fontbonne’s new ‘Students For Soldiers’ club, which raises money and sends care packages to the military.

Her two older brothers are in the Army and stationed in Fort Hood, Texas. Tommasina understands what it’s like for service members far from home.

“I really feel for them, and I feel that it’s hard to be away from your family, especially being deployed or anywhere overseas,” she said.

This is a gesture that U.S. Army Veteran Christopher Lewis appreciates.

“In the military, we have a code. One of them is selfless service,” he said, “that’s what these students are actually doing. They are selfless serving, they’re not thinking about themselves.”

Isabella Chirico, also a member of ‘Students For Soldiers’,  lives near Brooklyn’s Fort Hamilton Army Base, which is a great vantage point for the parade of ships.

“I was speechless, it gave me goosebumps. I was very inspired by the amount of patriotism.”

The Catholic high school students welcomed the chance to spend time with the sailors from the Navy.

“If my time in the service means that I can pass on my knowledge, and that the future gets to learn academically and learn to support our maritime services; it’s truly a blessing,” said Navy officer Alfredo Rosario.

Having enlisted in the navy two years ago, the Bronx native serves on the U.S.S. Virginia submarine.

“For a lot of people, they don’t really know what happens when we’re out to sea,” he said,
“and for them to see the technology, it allows them to want to be interested.”

Chirico dreams of attending a military academy and joining the R.O.T.C., while Tommasina wants to be a military doctor.

“Because I feel like if I need to help anyone, it would be our military members,” said Tommasina

This is the kind of service these students look forward to in the future, as they honor the selfless sacrifice of today’s military.

Pope Francis Prays For Murdered Nun During Papal Audience

Currents News Staff

At the beginning of his Papal Audience on May 22, Pope Francis greeted a group of military men with Ukrainian flags.

During the greetings in several languages, Pope Francis lamented the 77-year-old missionary murdered in the Central African Republic, Inés Nieves Sancho.

“She was educating poor girls for decades and was brutally killed in Central Africa. It was in the very place where she taught girls how to sew. She is one more woman who has given her life for Jesus in service to the poor. Let us pray together,” he asked the crowd.

Pope Francis also recalled that on Friday, May 24, the Feast of Our Lady Help of Christians will be celebrated, a holiday particularly venerated in China.

Meanwhile, the Vatican and Beijing have begun a new diplomatic phase since September 2018 agreement. This decision has not been well received by all Catholics in the country.

“Dear faithful of China,” he prayed, “may Our Mother of Heaven help you all to be witnesses of charity and fraternity, always keeping you united in communion with the universal Church. I pray and bless you all. Let us pray together to Our Lady: Hail Mary.”

He also invited a group of children to ride with him on the popemobile, and blessed babies, responding with affection to enthusiastic pilgrims.

Pope Francis concluded his catechesis on the “Our Father” prayer. He said it is a central prayer for Christians as it reflects the relationship one ought to maintain with God.

“This is the root of Christian prayer,” Pope Francis said.  

“It is to address God as ‘Father.’ This takes courage. In order to pray we must make ourselves become small. This is so the Holy Spirit may enter us and guide us in prayer,” he explained.

Catholic War Heroes Remembered Ahead Of Memorial Day

By Emily Drooby

Previously on Currents News, we witnessed the ships of the U.S. Navy arriving in New York for Fleet Week, a tribute to America’s war heroes on Memorial Day.

Joining us is the department Commander of the Catholic War Veterans Organization, Marvin Jeffcoat, to highlight Catholics who have served the country in extraordinary ways.

Tornadoes And Floods Continue To Plague Midwest

Currents News Staff

In a part of the country that has been dealing with storm after storm this year, this latest rash of weather is hammering an already exhausted region.

Several states saw more than three inches of rain Tuesday May 22, and remain under flood warnings Wednesday.

This includes parts of Oklahoma, Kansas and Missouri, areas that are already under water.

“I’ve spent 36 years here, it’s probably as bad as a flood as I’ve ever seen,” said one local.

Harrowing videos showed people getting caught up in swift moving waters Tuesday, with rescuers  risking their lives to pull them to safety.

Officials are stressing they are not out of the woods yet.

“We’ve got a lot of rain to the northwest of us,” said Mike Clark, the Fire Department Chief of Richland, Oklahoma.