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41 Arrives in Washington One Last Time

Currents News Staff

The nation paused Monday for the first of what will be several days of public services and memorials, all to honor a President who gave a lifetime of service to his country.

“That spirit of service and giving back was ingrained and I think that has carried through the generations,” said Mary Kate Cary, a former speechwriter for George H.W. Bush.

Former Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff under President George H.W. Bush, General Colin Powell, said “I think that the service he gave to America will not be matched anytime soon. And the experience he brought to the office will not be matched anytime soon.”

President George Herbert Walker Bush died at his home in Houston Friday at the age of 94, surrounded by family and friends.

“My own personal view is that people shouldn’t mourn the life of George H.W. Bush. We’re celebrating a life that was so well lived,” said Neil Bush, President Bush’s son.

After a brief ceremony at Ellington Field, members of President Bush’s family, including his son, President George W. Bush, and his service dog, Sully, who spent Sunday night next to the President’s casket, all boarded a Presidential 747, renamed “Special Air Mission 41”, landing in Washington for the last time.

President Bush will lie in state in the Capitol Rotunda on Monday night through Wednesday morning.

Wednesday has been declared a national day of mourning, and all current and former U.S. Presidents are expected to attend a funeral service at the National Cathedral.

President George H.W. Bush will be interred Thursday at his Presidential Library in College Station, next to his wife, Barbara and daughter, Robin.

Statues Destroyed Outside Williamsburg Church

By Tim Harfmann

Broken pieces are what’s left after two statues were destroyed outside Our Lady of Consolation Church in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. The shattered, sacred statues were discovered before Sunday Masses on December 2nd.

“Our pastor discovered our statues were broken, and we started to find out what happened,” said Father Andrzej Wasko. He ministers at the Williamsburg church.

The NYPD is looking for the person caught on surveillance video. The individual urinated on the statues before pushing them off their platforms, shattering to the ground. The suspect is described as a 30-year-old male with brown hair, around six-feet-tall and 190 lbs. He was last seen wearing beige pants and a dark pea coat. Police are investigating the incident as a hate crime.

Williamsburg residents were outraged. “What was he thinking? That shouldn’t be tolerated at any time in this day in age,” said Daniel Rivera. “It’s very disrespectful and it’s terrible. He may not be a churchgoer, but it’s totally disrespectful,” said Joan Chew.

The Williamsburg neighborhood is known for its nightlife. “It seems to be happening now more often than before. Although not too frequent, but it’s growing,” said Rivera. “Most of the people have been friendly, so I don’t think it’s a problem in the neighborhood. I can’t imagine what causes this vandalism to be honest,” said Chew.

This is the latest incident at Our Lady of Consolation Church, located on Metropolitan Avenue between Bedford Avenue and Berry Street. Surveillance video from December 2016 showed men climbing the platform outside the church, knocking religious statues to the ground and destroying them.

Despite the hateful act, Father Wasko had compassion. “Forgive and prayer? Yes, sure. I hope there will be no more, not again. No more,” said the Brooklyn priest.

Anyone with information is encouraged to call CRIMESTOPPER at 800-577-TIPS or text their tip to CRIMES, then enter TIP577.

Female Inmates Make Rosaries For World Youth Day

Currents News Staff

Zuleima is from Venezuela. For more than two years she has been living in this Rehabilitation Center “Cecilia Orillac de Chiari” in Panama.

Along with 59 other inmates, she participates in this workshop to make rosaries that will be distributed to WYD participants.

“Being here is feeling like we’re not deprived of our freedom.” “I am an Adventist, but I believe in one God. This workshop is a way of distracting us. We are proud because this is going to be a part of a worldwide event,” said Zuleima Coromoto.

Her brother was recently murdered in Venezuela. Zuleima hopes to be able to bring the rest of her family to Panama as soon as she has served her sentence.

This workshop helps her to feel useful, a perspective her companions also share. For example, Johana says this helps her so she doesn’t feel discarded by society. She is eagerly waiting to end her prison sentence and embrace her three children.

“I would say to my children that every little thing we are doing here is from the heart. Each one of us puts the best of ourselves in each rosary. We put so much love and care into each one,” said Johana Rodríguez.

All the participants of this workshop share the heartbreaking sensation of having failed in parts of their life. However, they encourage and support each other.

“It’s something that helps us to move on, to have hope, a light in the dark.” “Here we support each other to achieve that positive goal and to be good people who can reach out for what we lost,” said Ana Yancy Hurtado.

“This unites and helps us a lot. There are moments, when we are praying, that we feel the Holy Spirit in our hearts and we cry. We tell each other our experiences. This is important, so others realize that everything here is not bad. If we made a mistake, we have been able to move forward, and see that what happened to us is in the past,” added Rodríguez.

The Rehabilitation Center where these women are confined also offers them an opportunity to study at the University of Panama. All of them have difficult pasts, but here they are offered opportunities to look to the future with hope.

Pope Joins “Candles For Peace In Syria”

Currents News Staff

The Pope has joined the global campaign “Candles for peace in Syria.”

“I would like to make my own gesture for the hope of peace for the children of Syria, of beloved Syria, tormented by an eight-year war. Therefore, as I join the Aid to the Church in Need’s initiative, I will light a candle, along with many children who will do the same. There are Syrian children and many in the world who are now lighting their candles,” said Francis.

The Pope asked the thousands of visitors to pray with him for peace in Syria and for the Christians who are still living in the country.

“Let us pray and help Christians to remain in Syria and the Middle East as witnesses of mercy, forgiveness, and reconciliation,” said Francis.

The “Candles for Peace in Syria” campaign started just a few days ago in parishes and schools in Syria.

In cities affected by the war like Homs, Aleppo, and Damascus, victims of the conflict decorated candles and lit them as a plea for peace in their country.

Now, candles are being lit all over the world. Each meant to be a reminder of the tragic situation and to help raise awareness.

The candle Pope Francis lit has a history. It was prepared by Sr. Annie Demerjian together with a Syrian artist living in Damascus. The candle depicts the faces of around 40 children from Aleppo.

Sr. Annie is the one of the protagonists of this campaign started by the pontifical foundation Aid to the Church in Need (ACN).

This organization encourages everyone to join the pope by lighting a candle for Syrians, and also to pray and look for ways to help those in Syria during the Christmas season.

With the proceeds from this campaign they hope to support the families who have not left Syria, so that Christianity does not disappear from this country. Before the war they were 10 percent of the population, and now they are only three percent.