On the newscast: The Holy Father has vowed the Church will “never again” cover up clergy abuse; A government shutdown looms as Trump pushes for the wall; Bishop DiMarzio’s in the Christmas spirit for “Into the Deep.”
Today’s top news from the Catholic perspective anchored by Liz Faublas. Currents News airs Monday through Friday at 7:00 p.m. EST on NET-TV (netny.tv)
By Tim Harfmann
Special vending machines called ‘Giving Machines’ don’t accept change — but they will change lives. “It said ‘help 100 children get the polio vaccine.’ I think that’s really cool,” said Sadie Lish, who used the machine. “I just bought someone a cow!” said Marilee Jacobson Moe, another donor.
They’re stocked with pictures of essentials for those in need, both in New York and in third-world countries. The effort is a collaboration between humanitarian organizations including UNICEF and Catholic Charities in the Archdiocese of New York.
Located near Lincoln Center on the corner of West 65th Street and Columbus Avenue, passerbys understood the importance of helping others this Christmas. “It makes me really think about my needs verses the things I’m paying for. I can’t believe the things that other people need that I take advantage of everyday,” said Brandy Snider, a donor visiting from California.
Prices range from two-to-two-hundred-ten dollars. The three machines in Manhattan were installed the Tuesday after Thanksgiving — known as Giving Tuesday. So far, the vending machines have raised 1.4 million dollars in goods. All you have to do is swipe your credit card, type in the item number and watch the card drop.
Similar machines are located in Utah, Arizona, London and the Philippians. The most popular items are livestock, food and eyeglasses. Marilee Jacobson Moe bought a cow for $150. “A cow can continually feed a family. It can feed a village. It will sustain a group of people,” said Jacobson Moe.
Eight-and-nine-year-olds Lucy and Giselle Fox are visiting from Virginia. They wanted to help less fortunate children this holiday season. “I kind of bad for them because they don’t have that much, so I wanted to give to them,” said Giselle. “People don’t have toys and some people do. Everyone should have toys,” said Lucy.
You can purchase items until New Years Eve and share your pictures on social media using the #LightTheWorld.
By Emily Drooby
Students at Saint Athanasius Catholic Academy have a new STEM lab to learn in.
Seventh Grade Student, Sebastian Manfredonia, said: “We can interact with the smart board with the iPads, and we have more room to work.”
The STEM lab, which stands for science, technology, engineering and math, is in a modular building adjacent to the school. It has items like robots that help students learn to code, 3D printers, and iPads.
During a ribbon cutting and blessing of the new lab, Monsignor David Cassato, the Pastor of St. Athanasius Church explained the STEM lab was possible because of generous donors.
Monsignor Cassato, said: “This was not through some grant…the money came from our own savings, we had a very big card party at El Caribe in April, we did very well at that, we had money from that and we had a very strong donation of services by Mr. Holzer.”
Especially, one local man.
Monsignor Cassato, said: “Jimmy said, ‘oh, I’ll put the electricity in’, and he did it as a donation to the school. And then there was a distance about five feet that the kids had to walk outside to the modular, and then he created this whole new space where the kids don’t go outside at all and they stay within the building.”
School officials estimate his contribution at tens of thousands of dollars.
Jimmy Holzer, the donor, said: “We try to help the neighborhood and help the people, it’s an amazing thing, it’s just amazing for us, really. We did it just because we wanted to do it, not for any recognition. That’s who we are.”
Students are grateful to the school and donors for the new, interactive place to learn.
The school’s Principal, Diane Competello, said: “The children have not stopped talking about it, and they get so involved in their own learning and that’s the key.”
David DiCerto reviews the period drama MARY QUEEN OF SCOTS, starring Saoirse Ronan and Margot Robbie.
Steven Greydanus reviews the sequel to Disney’s WRECK-IT-RALPH as RALPH BREAKS THE INTERNET!
Currents News Staff
In our team coverage from yesterday’s newscast, Currents News walks you through the Illinois Attorney General’s announcement that at least 500 priests and clergy members from the state have allegations of assault against minors against them.
Then we talk with The Tablet National Correspondent Christopher White as he breaks down just exactly what ‘credible allegations’ means.
Lastly, we join Crux Editor, John Allen, to further analyze the announcement from the top attorney in Illinois.
Currents News Staff
Sister Annie Demerjian is an eyewitness to the horrors of the Syrian war. She joins Currents News for a dramatic conversation about her firsthand experiences.
Currents News Staff
What if God tried to send you a friend request? Would you accept it?
That’s the question behind the new CBS series “God Friended Me”, a show about a preacher’s son who happens to be an atheist.
God reaches out through Facebook, sending young Miles Finer, played by Brandon Michael Hall, on an unlikely spiritual journey.
We sat down to talk with him about the show.
On the newscast: Illinois top attorney claims hundreds of the state’s priests have been accused of abuse; What exactly are “credible allegations”?; A Queens church is robbed of their musical instruments.
Today’s top news from the Catholic perspective anchored by Liz Faublas. Currents News airs Monday through Friday at 7:00 p.m. EST on NET-TV (netny.tv)
By Emily Drooby
NYPD looking for a suspect who allegedly walked into the church, in the middle of the afternoon, and stole two guitars, equaling about $4,000.
Police are on the hunt for a man who stole 4,000 dollars’ worth of guitars from Shrine Church of Saint Gerard Majella in Queens. They recently released surveillance video of the crime.
The pastor, Father Josephjude Gannon, says that on October 30th, the suspect walked through the church door, disrespected the sanctuary, and attempted to get into the locked poor box near the shrine of Saint Gerard.
Father Gannon said the suspect went into the sacristy. That’s where the suspect found the two Gibson guitars that he took.
One of those guitars held very special sentimental value to the church’s music director.
Father Gannon, said, “Her father had given it to her 30 years ago as a gift, and her father has since passed away. We can replace things but we can’t replace the reality that it was given to her by her father.”
Father Gannon says he wishes the suspect would have just asked for help. He said, “If he had rang the doorbell in the rectory, we would have helped him.”
NYPD are asking for the public’s help in identifying the suspect, call crimestoppers, at 1-800-577-tips or you can text your tips to crimes and then enter tip577.
Father Gannon explains even though this is a difficult situation, seeing people come together to help the church warms his heart.
Father Gannon, said, “People are generous, people are good. We want to be able to make this right and we want to be able to get ours back but if not, we know that, by God’s grace we will able to figure it out.”
They’ve seen donations coming in from people who have heard the story, they even have recently been talking with a woman who might donate guitars.