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Faith By Generation – Grandparents Pass Down Their Religion

By Katie Engesser

Carolyn O’Hare is a staple in her granddaughter’s life. She made sure her granddaughters, no matter how busy their weekend was, always went to church. She passed along her faith – a strong relationship in prayer that Pope Francis hopes all grandparents will have with their grandchildren.

“I thought that it was important, not that their family doesn’t do a good job, but to be active in their life for religion,” she said.

At the World Meeting Of Families last August, the Holy Father made a plea that families make sure grandparents not be forgotten.

“No family can grow if it forgets its roots. Children will not grow in love if they do not learn how to converse with their grandparents. So let your love sink deep roots!,” said the Holy Father.

[Related: Sharing The Faith With Your Grandchildren]

In Brooklyn, that message is being heard. Deacon Armand D’accordo is the Spiritual Director of Brooklyn’s Catholic Grandparents Association, a group that advises grandparents on how to pass on their faith.

“Basically, it’s to let the grandparents of our diocese know that they have a mission and a vocation to spread their faith to their grandchildren,” he said.

Carolyn was on hand to answer whatever questions about god the girls posed. And as a Sunday school teacher for almost fifteen years, she has plenty of answers.

“She’s always brought her work over or whenever I was there she’d be grading papers and I’d always be like ‘oh, what are you doing?’ and then that’s how it kind of started,” said her granddaughter Nina.

“I feel like if she wasn’t always pushing for me to go to church and just having her CC-D program and me working with her- I feel like I wouldn’t be as strong rooted in my faith as I am now,” she continued.

Currents News for Wednesday, November 14, 2018

On the newscast: The USCCB conference concludes – we break down the final day; The wildfires in California continue to claim lives and property; Migrants thought to be from one of the encroaching caravans scales a border wall; George Weigel shares what the secular media isn’t telling you about the abuse crisis.

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)

St. Thomas Aquinas

Founded in 1885, the parish of St. Thomas Aquinas in Flatlands Brooklyn has a long and fascinating history. Although the small, original wooden church building still stands on the property, a huge stone church was constructed here in the 1930’s. Anthony Mangano discovers the unique sacrifice made by this church during World War Two when he interviews Father Dwayne Davis and two long time parishioners, Christopher Spinelli and Tom Donohue.

U.S. Bishops Vote on Big Issues

Currents News Staff

For the first time in nearly forty years, the United States bishops have spoken as a group on race issues in the country. The new pastoral letter, called “Open Wide Our Hearts: The Enduring Call to Love,” was overwhelmingly passed, 241 votes to 3. This came with much praise from areas in the country that have dealt with racism for centuries.

“You took special time to point out Native American, African American, and Hispanic. All three have special meaning to us in the Diocese of Phoenix,” said Bishop Thomas Olmsted.

The document examines the history of racism in the United States, focusing on three groups: African Americans, Hispanics and Native Americans. It offers approaches to combat racism including starting education to Catholic schools, seminarians and even plans to require Catholic publishing companies to develop curriculum related to racism and reconciliation.

The conference also voted to advance the cause of canonization, on a local level, of Sister Thea Bowman. Sister Thea worked furiously for racial awareness and even spoke to bishops at this meeting thirty years ago.

“She challenged the bishops to provide a space at the table for collaboration and leadership for all of God’s children,” said Bishop Joseph Kopacz from the Diocese of Jackson.

After those action items were voted upon, the meeting turned back to discussions of sex abuse; in particular, ex Cardinal Theodore McCarrick. Last year McCarrick was a retired cardinal at this meeting. This year bishops called for him to be uninvited, effectively kicking him out of the U.S.C.C.B.

“For us to ignore our responsibility is gravely wrong,” explained Bishop of Forth Worth, Michael Olson.

In an exclusive interview with Currents News, the bishop explained his rationale.

“The Holy Father has removed Former Cardinal McCarrick from the college of cardinals,” said Bishop Olson, “and also directed him to live a life of prayer and penance and isolation. But this body, the U.S.C.C.B., has done nothing.”

Bishop Liam Cary, head of the Diocese of Baker, went on to suggest a comprehensive study on the coverup of abuse by bishops; similar to the John Jay report on abuse of minors.

Speaking about Cardinal McCarrick, he asked “If Archbishop McCarrick were to come to this microphone today, would he be allowed to speak? As a conference we have not ruled out his participation. But there will be no open mic for those who suffered at his hands.”

Archdiocese Uses Solar Panels to Protect Environment

By Tim Harfmann

Monsignor Peter Finn is the pastor of Blessed Sacrament Church in Staten Island, and he’s part of a new program to help protect the environment.

Monsignor had rooftop solar panels installed on the church and the parish’s catholic school as a way to promote Pope Francis’ encyclical, Laudato Si.

“The educational information will enlighten people to be more and more careful about how they use God’s resources,” said Monsignor Finn.

Blessed Sacrament is one of five parishes in Staten Island and Yonkers to have the panels installed. Nearly 1,7000 panels will generate enough electricity to supply almost half of the power needed to run the parishes. The panel installation is part of a collaboration between the Archdiocese of New York and Con Edison Solutions.

“It’s a perfect example of how we each need to do our own part in taking care of the environment. In this case, reducing the use of fossil fuels, reducing the carbon footprint, taking advantage of renewable energy,” said Marty Susz, director of energy management for the archdiocese.

“You look at what the Church represents. It’s a 2,000-year institution and they’re all about eternity. If you want to talk about eternity, you’re talking about preserving the planet for future generations,” said Michael Perna, vice president of marketing and business development for Con Edison Solutions.

There’s also a teaching moment in this conversion. Students at Blessed Sacrament’s Catholic school will learn about the project. “Kids will see that we are taking part in saving energy, and that will inspire them to try and help to save energy, too,” said Victoria Doherty-Jarvis. She’s an eighth grader at the Staten Island school.

The archdiocese looks to expand the program to other schools and even cemeteries.

USCCB Conference Wednesday Analysis

National Correspondent for The Tablet & Crux, Chris White, joins Currents News to breakdown the latest developments at the USCCB meeting.

USCCB Conference Analysis With Kevin Clarke

Kevin Clarke, Chief Correspondent for America Magazine, sits down with Currents News and talks candidly about the Vatican’s stunning request that Bishops meeting in Baltimore stop a vote on the sexual abuse crisis.

Currents News for Tuesday, November 13, 2018

On the newscast: Team coverage of the USCCB meeting in Baltimore where an abuse survivor from Brooklyn spoke up; The diocese says goodbye to a much beloved priest; The latest on the California wild fires.

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)