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Notre Dame Fire Finally Extinguished

Currents News Staff

Nine hours after it started, the fire that engulfed the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris is finally out.

The world watched in horror as one of the most recognized buildings on the planet, and one of the most important to the Catholic faith, burned for hours on end – flames shooting into the sky and smoke billowing over the city.

“Everybody crying. It’s very sad because it’s a symbol of Paris and symbol of France. A symbol of freedom, a symbol of fraternity,” said Arash Derambarsh, the City Councillor of Courbevoie, France.

Gasps could be heard from onlookers as its iconic spire toppled.

One witness said, “it was so horrific. we heard the tower fall and it was the worst sound and people screamed. It’s so sad. Everyone’s so sad.”

Around 400 firefighters battled the blaze at the more than 800-year-old church. While the spire and the oak wood roof were destroyed, the two bell towers and the front facade were saved.

Also saved were some of the most precious religious artifacts, including the holy crown that many believe is from the crown of thorns Jesus Christ wore at his crucifixion.

French President Emmanuel Macron has vowed that they would rebuild Notre Dame, and will be launching an international fundraiser.

That message of hope is what rang out louder than the flames.

“This goes beyond Paris. People are reacting worldwide. And the young people behind me show the power faith, the power of a message of peace,” Michel Christian Alain Aupetit, the Archbishop of Paris.

Currents News for Monday, April 15, 2019

On the newscast: A massive fire destroys parts of the world-famous Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris; Today is Reconciliation Monday in the Brooklyn Diocese. It provides Catholics an opportunity to confess their sins and prepare for Easter; Brooklyn’s Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio celebrated mass in remembrance of the Lord’s Passion and led the faithful in procession; A Currents News exclusive look at the history behind the Pope’s Way of the Cross at the Roman Colisseum.

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)

Notre Dame Inferno: “The Cathedral Has Found A Way To Come Back”

Currents News Staff

Notre Dame is one of the top Catholic cathedrals in the world. It’s famous towers and that spire that fell in the flames is easily recognizable by Catholics all over the world.

The church has survived numerous wars and countless setbacks.

Crux Editor John Allen joins Currents News to discuss how has this massive cathedral has shaped the universal church.

Blessed Sacrament Catholic Academy Album Slated For September Release

By Emily Drooby

Students leaving the classroom, for a ‘major’ field trip, to a recording studio. The ‘key’ to the trip, they’re not just visiting the studio, they’re actually recording.

Third, fourth, and fifth, grade choral students at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Academy have practiced for this ‘dynamic’ moment, for months. Students Jasmine and Amy say, all their hard work is finally paying off.

Amy explained, “It feels really exciting. I feel like I’m just going to do my best.”

While Jasmine said, “Kind of nervous, but I am excited to sing all the songs with my classmates.”

The idea came from the school’s choral director, Julien Hucq.

Hucq said, “It’s very exciting very, very exciting to work in professional conditions with great musicians in a fantastic recording studio. For the kids, I think it’s an amazing, unique experience to be working in this beautiful environment, they won’t forget that.”

The idea, struck a ‘chord’ with the school’s principal, Marylou Celmer, who helped turn the idea into reality.

Celmer said, “But, the most important part is we want to give these students something besides academics, you have to give them some kind of enrichment, because if you don’t give them enrichment, you’re failing them.”

Their recording six songs; “What A Wonderful World,” “Brighten the Corner Where You Are,” “Count On Me,” “Agua Es,” “Dios Esta Aquí” and “Prayer Of Saint Francis.” The students recorded on Monday, but there’s still a ton of post-production work to do. They hope to have their album done by September.

Paris In Flames: Leaders React To Notre Dame Cathedral Fire

ROME (Crux) – A massive fire engulfed Notre Dame, Paris’ famed cathedral, Monday evening Paris time, with firefighters struggling to control the flames and the mayor of the city going to Twitter to ask people to stay away from the area.

Mayor Ann Hidalgo also said that the city was working on the spot “in close connection” with the archdiocese of Paris. A dramatic video, live-streamed on social media, showed the cathedral’s main spire collapse from the blaze.

It was not immediately clear what caused the fire, but local media are citing police sources calling it an accident, “potentially linked” to the renovation works.

The cathedral, known among many things for being the stage for Victor Hugo’s famous novel The Hunchback of Notre-Dame, was undergoing a nearly $7 million renovation project, with some sections under scaffolding, while bronze statues were removed last week for works. The last time the building had gone through a major overhaul was between 1844 and 1864, partially thanks to Hugo’s novel, that had depicted its decay.

Images posted on social media showed flames and huge clouds of smoke rising above the roof of the gothic cathedral, Europe’s most visited historic monument.

President Donald Trump tweeted about the fire, saying it was “horrible to watch the massive fire at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris.”

Notre Dame is a working parish church, in addition to being one of the most iconic sights on the city’s skyline. An estimated 12 million people visit the cathedral every year, making it the most-visited monument in the city of Paris.

This is story is being updated.

Confessing Sins & Preparing for Easter on Reconciliation Monday

By Tim Harfmann

Gina Caridi is a devout Catholic. She attends daily Mass and leads other worshippers in the Rosary at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church in Astoria, Queens. But the Monday of Holy Week was special. As she prayed, Caridi prepared to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation. “This is the Sacrament that’s going to save your soul and get you into Heaven,” said Caridi.

On Reconciliation Monday, every church is open across the Brooklyn diocese, the Rockville Centre diocese and the Archdiocese of New York. Priests are available to hear penitents. “I think that outside of the Eucharist, the Confession is the most important Sacrament we have,” said Caridi, who also went to confession last month.

It’s especially important to go now, according to t Monsignor Sean Ogle, the church’s pastor. “Catholics are obligated to make, what we call, the ‘Easter Duty’ of Confession and Communion at least once a year during Lent or the season of Easter. It fits nicely into the pattern. But above and beyond that, it’s the most important time of the year for a Christian,” said Monsignor Ogle.

Lilia Forero sat anxiously outside Monsignor Ogle’s confessional. “I always ask for the Holy Spirit to illuminate me, to advise me and to try to be a better person every day,” said Forero. As she’s fulfilled her Easter Duty, she also asked her pastor for guidance. “It’s not only [about] confessing, it’s taking advice from the priest,” said Forero.

If you haven’t gone to Confession lately, Catholics like Caridi had some advice; “Spend a half hour before you go into Confession. Even if you want to write down your sins the day before, in case you forget. That’s the same thing that I do. I have to prepare.”

For anyone who didn’t make it to the confessional on Reconciliation Monday, call your parish, or check the church bulletin or website, to find out about the schedule for Confessions.

 

 

Trump: “Extend Our Regards And Hopes To Paris”

Currents News Staff

Speaking at a Tax Day roundtable in Burnsville, Minnesota, Monday President Trump commented on the Notre Dame Cathedral fire.

“I hope everything works out well, we all want to extend our regards and our hopes and God Bless You to Paris and to France what they’re going through it’s just– you’ll go back and you’ll see what’s happening, it’s a very very sad thing. I’ve never quite I mean you take a look at this this is one of the true catastrophes and hopefully they did better than they were doing when I left the plane but it was not a good situation with respect to Notre Dame Cathedral,” said President Trump.

Notre Dame Cathedral is one of the largest Catholic Churches in the world, located in the heart of Paris on the “isle de la cite.”

It was built between the years of 1163 and 1345, and is considered one of the best examples of French gothic architecture ever constructed.

Known for its flying buttresses, gargoyles, rose windows, and its world-famous organ, made with 8-thousand pipes.

Fire At Notre Dame Cathedral

PARIS (CNS) — A major blaze engulfed the iconic Notre Dame Cathedral April 15, sending pillars of flame and billowing smoke over the center of the French capital.

The fire erupted about 6:30 p.m. local time, and authorities said the cause was not certain but that it could be linked to renovation work that the cathedral was undergoing, the BBC reported.

Officials ordered an evacuation of the area around the 850-year-old cathedral that has withstood world wars and political turmoil throughout France’s history.

Le Monde, a Paris daily newspaper, reported that the fire erupted in the attic of the cathedral. Televised images showed the church’s iconic steeple was ablaze.

In 2018, the Catholic Church in the Archdiocese of Paris opened an urgent fundraising appeal to save the cathedral, which was starting to crumble.

The Associated Press reported that Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo said about an hour after the fire started that firefighters were attempting to contain a “terrible fire” at the cathedral. An AP reporter at the scene said the roof at the back behind the cathedral, behind the nave, was in flames and yellow-brown smoke and ash filled the sky.

City officials cordoned off the area around the Gothic-style church and urged people to evacuate the immediate surroundings.