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Currents News for Wednesday, April 17, 2019

On the newscast: The rebuilding of Notre Dame Cathedral is underway. People worldwide are pitching in to reconstruct the famous catholic landmark; Currents News Michelle Powers is on the scene in Paris where the smell of smoke is still strong and the resolve to recover is even stronger; Catholic students in Queens take action to help people far away to have fresh drinking water; There’s something new in The Tablet… and it’s about the family.

Today’s top news from the Catholic perspective anchored by Liz Faublas. Currents News airs Monday through Friday at 7:00 p.m. ET on NET-TV (netny.tv)

Catholic Students’ Lenten Fundraiser Helps Haiti

By Emily Drooby

Patricia Brintle visited St. Luke School in Whitestone to pick up a special check.

Kids at the school gave up sugary drinks for Lent to help a campaign called ‘H2O For Haiti.’ Students donated the money, they would have spent on the drinks to build a clean water well. The project is being done by Brintle’s non-profit, ‘From Here to Haiti.’

Brintle, who is the organization’s president, said, “Having something as simple as just a pop or some juice and give that so other children somewhere across the ocean can have fresh drinking water, is something that will remain with them for the rest of their lives.”

‘From Here to Haiti’ repairs Catholic churches and other buildings destroyed by the 2010 Haitian earthquake. So far, they’ve finished over 50 projects.

The students were inspired to help after seeing photos like this of kids traveling far to get fresh water.

Fourth grade student Bianca said, “It felt really good because I love being a follower of Jesus and it’s during Lent so it feels even better.”

While Fourth grade student, Piero said, “It felt really good because I get to help all the people in Haiti.”

From all of the donation envelopes given to Brintle, over 1,500 dollars was raised. Money, which will help build a fresh water well for the community of Leger. The idea for the fundraising came from Sister Katherine Burke, the Religious Education Director at St Luke. Monsignor John Tosi, the pastor of St. Luke, said this campaign is exactly what Catholic education is all about.

He explained, “They learn many things, many subjects, math, history, English whatever, but what we really want to instill in them is a Christian spirit of generosity and love, so I’m proud of them.”

Now that the money had been collected, ‘From Here to Haiti’s’ team will start working on the well right away. It should be done within a month.

Brooklyn Priest Recalls His Summers At Notre Dame Cathedral

Father Michael Perry is the Pastor Emeritus of Our Lady of Refuge in Brooklyn. Every summer for the past 27 years, he has served as the English-speaking priest for the Notre Dame Cathedral. Now, as he remembers his days serving this very special community in Paris, he equates Notre Dame to a phoenix rising from the ashes.

Bishop DiMarzio Celebrates Annual Chrism Mass

By Tim Harfmann

Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio blessed the sacred oils used to administer the Church’s sacraments. The oils sanctify the sick, baptize new Catholics, ordain priests, and anoint altars. “The oil that’s blessed will be used in every parish, in every hospital. Those receiving sacraments, those who will be coming into the Church and receive the various anointings — they will use the oil that the bishop himself consecrates,” said Father John O’Connor, Director of the Liturgy Office for the Brooklyn diocese.

With nearly 300 hands extended, almost every priest from Brooklyn and Queens joined in the blessing. “From ancient times, the bishop gathered with his presbyterate during the days of Holy Week, and we continue to do the day. We’re very blessed in Brooklyn. We might have traffic, but we’re close to each other,” said Father O’Connor. They stood shoulder-to-shoulder as the priests and deacons renewed their vows.

In his homily, Bishop DiMarzio spoke of the Church’s mission to protect minors from abuse; “We must — and we can — do better. We must make reparation for the past, as well as making sure that this type of abuse never occurs again.”

NET-TV is the place to be for Holy Week coverage. The full Holy Week television schedule is posted at netny.tv.

National Shrine Raises More Than $100,000 For Notre Dame Cathedral

The Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception is spearheading the fundraising efforts in the Nation’s Capital. Monsignor Walter Rossi, the Basilica’s Rector, talks more about the efforts.

If you would like to contribute to rebuilding Notre Dame, you can visit the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception’s website: nationalshrine.org/support-notre-dame/.

France Taking it “One Step at a Time” After Notre Dame

The rebuilding of Notre Dame, the Catholic symbol that is famous around the world, will take time. The National Correspondent for the Tablet and Crux, Christopher White discusses those plans and safety precautions for other high profile churches.

Currents News for Tuesday, April 16, 2019

On the newscast: The focus in Paris tonight is on how the Notre Dame inferno got started. There’s some good news about the disaster; A major Holy Week ceremony begins shortly in the Brooklyn Diocese to prepare the church for the sacraments year-round; The New York measles outbreak is spreading. Cases traced to the city are cropping up elsewhere; Days after he made headlines with a major essay, Benedict XVI marks a milestone.

Today’s top news from the Catholic perspective anchored by Liz Faublas. Currents News airs Monday through Friday at 7:00 p.m. ET on NET-TV (netny.tv)

Brooklyn Diocese’s French Ministry Speak About Notre Dame Fire

By Emily Drooby

With the massive blaze at Notre-Dame finally out, the focus is now on rebuilding and recovering.

In the Brooklyn Diocese, the aftermath of the devastating fire is hitting the parish of St. Paul and St. Agnes in Cobble Hill especially hard because of their booming French population and weekly French Mass.

Father Paul Anel heads the Diocese’s French ministry, he was devastated after hearing the news.

Father Anel said, “Complete disbelief, I mean, you would never think this is such a dear building, such an old building.”

While he’s from France, Father Anel is now thousands of miles away at Divine Mercy in Williamsburg, where he’s assigned part-time.

Just one day after the fire, he prays at the foot of a statue of the Virgin Mary, to whom the Notre-Dame Cathedral is consecrated.

Father Anel said the fire, specifically the Cathedral’s fallen spire, could be a sign from God.

He explained, “The fact that the spire fell, because the spire is what points to Heaven. I think, it’s also a wake-up call for us priests and for the church, that our mission is to point to Heaven. We’re a little bit too concerned about this Earth and teaching people how to live well and how to be in harmony and at peace. God’s telling us don’t forget this is your mission, you’re about preparing people for eternity.”

He’s not alone when it comes to finding greater meaning in the fire. Father Alex Morard, the Parochial Vicar at St. Paul and St. Agnes says, to him, the fire was symbolic.

Father Morard, said, “It’s recalling me to conversion, to stick to the law, to look for deeper faith, to reconsider how I am living this relationship with the Lord, with others.

Both priests are inspired by how the world has come together to mourn and move forward.

With the focus now on the future, many here are hopeful that with strong support and fundraising, the historic landmark will eventually be restored.

Bishop DiMarzio to Celebrate Annual Chrism Mass

By Tim Harfmann

The celebration of the Chrism Mass is an annual tradition dating back centuries, and a liturgy when the Church’s holy oils are blessed. Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio will pray over three oils used in the sacraments, with nearly every priest of the Brooklyn diocese extending their hands during the ceremony. Before the Mass, the Bishop DiMarzio described what the oils are used for. “The chrism for baptism, for confirmation, for the ordinations… the sacrament of the sick, oil of the sick…. and then the oil of catechumens to bring new people into the church.”

People in attendance will bring the oils back to their parishes, where the oils will be used throughout the year to administer the sacraments. The Chrism Mass is also the time for priests and deacons to renew their vows. Bishop DiMarzio will address them during the liturgy. In this year’s homily, the bishop plans to discuss the protection of minors in the midst of the Church’s sexual abuse struggles; “How we need to deal with [the crisis], and how important it is that we are honest, transparent and try to make sense out of what happened. Although it is something that’s wrong, you make sense out of something that’s wrong by looking at the positive efforts to make it better.”

Nearly 300 priests and hundreds of laypeople are expected to fill the pews of the Co-Cathedral of St. Joseph in Prospect Heights.