Latest news with #StationsoftheCross
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Yahoo
Man in custody, charged with setting off explosive device in chapel
MAHANOY CITY — A Mahanoy City man is in Schuylkill County Prison, charged with arson after police say he detonated an explosive device inside St. Teresa of Calcutta Adoration Chapel. Police arrested Kyle Kuczynski, 32, on charges of felony arson, reckless burning or exploding, possessing an explosive or incendiary material, risking a catastrophe, institutional vandalism, criminal mischief and ethnic intimidation. According to video recorded at 9:02 p.m. Tuesday, a man is seen going into the chapel, which is open 24/7, in the lower level of the parish office. He lights something and then hurries to leave. An explosion occurs moments later. Kyle Kuczynski (MAHANOY CITY PD) Kuczynski was denied bail because he is a threat to public safety, court documents show. The Rev. Kevin Gallagher, who has been pastor for 16 years, said the incident saddens him. 'He knew exactly what he was doing,' Gallagher said. Fire department tape blocks the entrance to the adoration chapel at St. Teresa of Calcutta in Mahanoy City, Wednesday, May 7, 2025. An incendiary device was detonated at 9:02 p.m. Tuesday in the adoration chapel. (MATTHEW PERSCHALL/MULTIMEDIA EDITOR) Three stained glass windows, which are from the former Saint Joseph's, were damaged by the blast, as was part of a statue of the Holy Mother. The blast knocked some of the Stations of the Cross off the wall. Other damage is also visible. A broken candle holder sits within the adoration chapel at St. Teresa of Calcutta in Mahanoy City, Wednesday, May 7, 2025. An incendiary device was detonated at 9:02 p.m. Tuesday in the adoration chapel. (MATTHEW PERSCHALL/MULTIMEDIA EDITOR) The suspect was at the chapel Monday morning and then again Tuesday before the incident, Gallagher said. Bishop responds The Most Reverend Alfred A. Schlert, the Bishop of Allentown said in a statement, 'Belief in the real presence of Jesus Christ in the Holy Eucharist is central to the Catholic use an explosive device to destroy the Blessed Sacrament is an act of darkest evil. Damage is seen on and surrounding the altar at St. Teresa of Calcutta in Mahanoy City, Wednesday, May 7, 2025. An incendiary device was detonated at 9:02 p.m. Tuesday in the adoration chapel. (MATTHEW PERSCHALL/MULTIMEDIA EDITOR) I thank God that no one was injured in the incident, and that the suspect has been taken into custody by law enforcement. At the same time, I am heartbroken that such a heinous, hateful, and evil act occurred at St. Teresa of Calcutta. This act of religious hate is an affront to the long and devout history of faith among the people of Mahanoy City. While offering forgiveness, I pray the person who perpetrated this crime will receive the help needed and the justice demanded for their actions.' Glass, flower petals and wood splinters litter the floor within the adoration chapel at St. Teresa of Calcutta in Mahanoy City, Wednesday, May 7, 2025. An incendiary device was detonated at 9:02 p.m. Tuesday in the adoration chapel. (MATTHEW PERSCHALL/MULTIMEDIA EDITOR) People react Meanwhile, the doors of the Solemn Perpetual Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament chapel, open around the clock for 43 years, are locked following Tuesday night's incident. 'It's a tragedy,' declared David Truskowsky, who was baptized in the church that is now St. Teresa of Calcutta. 'Of all the things to do, why would somebody mess with something that's sacred.' A local funeral director who's active in veterans' affairs, Truskowsky said log books at the chapel, which is next to the church named for St. Mother Teresa, show that it is refuge to the troubled and downhearted. 'I've checked the log books,' he said, 'and people have signed in at 2 a.m.' Regardless of the extent of damage, people on Centre Street Wednesday afternoon deplored the desecration of a sacred place. Jean Chupasko found the incident heartbreaking. 'It makes no sense to destroy something that is Holy,' said Chupasko, 88, a retired sales clerk. 'It's terrible.' Seniors enjoying a warm afternoon in front of the high-rise apartment in midtown were reluctant to express their feelings for the record. However, they used words like 'horrible' and 'terrible' to describe what they considered an unthinkable act. Some wondered if it was the work of a troubled person. One person said someone, perhaps the suspect, had been tossing firecrackers around town for the last week or so. At the entrance to the chapel, now cordoned off by yellow police tape, a sign on the chapel read: 'Come to me all who are weary and face life burdensome, and I will refresh you.' MT 11:28.
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Abilene woman marks Jubilee Year at the Vatican, sees Pope Francis in his final days
ABILENE, Texas (KTAB/KRBC) – Abilene resident Rochelle Johnson grew up in the country with a strong Catholic faith. 'I'm a cradle Catholic, and my parents were Catholic, and our life centered around the church. We were raised out on a farm, and there were many things that we didn't do because we were raised out of our country. But we went to church every Sunday. Where I was raised, we were out so far in the country that sometimes we didn't have a priest, and we were a mission church. So even with that, the community gathered at church, and we said the rosary, or we said the Stations of the Cross. It's very important to me,' added Johnson. What is a conclave? What to know about the secretive process to elect the next pope While she knew she wanted to visit Rome one day, it was her son, Garrett Johnson, who visited last spring and saw Saint Peter's Square and the Vatican. He called her during his 2024 vacation to plan a trip for Easter 2025. 'He called from there and said, 'Mom, you need to come here next year.' It's a Jubilee year in the church, once every 50 years. He said, 'I want to bring you here next year for Easter, so that we can celebrate Easter at the Vatican.' So, we called his brother and made it a family trip,' shared Johnson. Leaving the Tuesday before Easter, Johnson said her family celebrated Holy Thursday at Saint Peter's Basilica, Good Friday at a different church, and Easter Sunday at the Vatican. Although Pope Francis was not present at Mass due to health complications, Johnson shared that after Mass, no one left. Crowds waited at St. Peter's Square, and all of a sudden, Pope Francis came out of a window and blessed the crowd. Another priest read Pope Francis' Easter message, but then Pope Francis decided to greet the crowd even closer. 'We didn't think that we would see him at all. So, the fact that he came out in the window was something. But then to come down in the popemobile, we were able to get right up on the fence, on the one on one of the lanes that he came by. So, my son took a selfie of us with the pope,' explained Johnson. Tributes pour in for Pope Francis The next morning, news spread quickly that Pope Francis had died, and Johnson immediately noticed a change. 'Monday, I got a text. One of my sons and his wife were staying in a different Airbnb than we were. They texted and said the pope passed away. I was like, you're kidding. So, I opened up the link that they had sent me, which was a news link in Rome, and read it. We had some other tours planned in the Vatican. We had done a lot of stuff at the Vatican prior to Easter, but we had some other stuff planned in the week, and that was all canceled because of the preparations for the funeral and so forth,' explained Johnson. Pope Francis dies at 88 While Johnson said that there were some things she disagreed with the Pope, she understood why he is often referred to as the people's Pope. She shared that the experience was very emotional, from visiting the Vatican to climbing the sacred stairs, and seeing all the different churches in Rome with her sons and their wives. 'He had a lot of love and concern for those who are less fortunate than us. I think that's very important. Certainly, a tenant of the church, the corporate works of mercy that were taught to visit the poor, to visit the sick, and to visit those in prison. He had a lot of good things to teach us,' explained Johnson. Now, back in Abilene, Johnson stresses this is an experience that was once in a lifetime — looking forward to sharing stories with family, friends, and members of her church. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
26-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
St. Teresa of Calcutta church upholds legacy of Mother Teresa
MAHANOY CITY — On Palm Sunday, the streets resounded with the sound of cracking whips and the sobbing of mourners as Christ staggered under the weight of his cross. For the 36th year, Active Christian Teens in Our Neighborhood, or ACTION, held its annual live Stations of the Cross. 'We wanted to show our community how much he sacrificed for us,' said Debbie Walker, ACTION director. 'It was a beautiful start to Holy Week.' Walker, who has been with the ACTION youth group for 40 years, said the participation of 35 people in the annual ritual is reflective of the deep-rooted faith of the community. With the exception of several years during the COVID-19 pandemic, the live Stations of the Cross has been held every year since 1982. Most of the participants were students in eighth grade and high school, as well as some youngsters who portrayed the children of Jerusalem. ACTION youth group is associated with St. Teresa of Calcutta Catholic Church, named for Saint Mother Teresa. * Victor Hanley, a senior at Mahanoy Area High School, portrayed Jesus in a live Stations of the Cross on Palm Sunday in Mahanoy City. (SUBMITTED) * Sienna Napoli played Mary, Mother of Jesus, in a live Stations of the Cross on Palm Sunday in Mahanoy City. (SUBMITTED) * Saint Teresa of Calcutta Catholic Church in Mahanoy City, pictured Friday, April 25, 2025. (MATTHEW PERSCHALL/MULTIMEDIA EDITOR) * Plants adorn the altar at Saint Teresa of Calcutta in Mahanoy City, Friday, April 25, 2025. (MATTHEW PERSCHALL/MULTIMEDIA EDITOR) * The main aisle leads to the altar at Saint Teresa of Calcutta in Mahanoy City, Friday, April 25, 2025. (MATTHEW PERSCHALL/MULTIMEDIA EDITOR) Show Caption 1 of 5 Victor Hanley, a senior at Mahanoy Area High School, portrayed Jesus in a live Stations of the Cross on Palm Sunday in Mahanoy City. (SUBMITTED) Expand A Saint's Visit On June 17, 1995, Mother Teresa concluded her visit to the United States in Mahanoy City, where a branch of her Missionaries of Charity had been established at then-St. Joseph's Church. In a town whose churches were founded by immigrant coal miners from Europe, throngs of people reached out to touch Mother Teresa as she walked down the church's aisle with her hands folded in prayer. A frail, stooped figure, she spoke out against abortion and in support of adoptions after an hourlong Mass celebrated by Bishop Thomas J. Welsh of the Allentown Catholic Diocese and priests from a five-county area. 'Families that pray together stay together,' said the 84-year-old Nobel Peace Prize winner, who spoke for 15 minutes inside the church and another 15 minutes to a crowd of faithful outside. Saint Teresa of Calcutta church will celebrate the 30th anniversary of Mother Teresa's visit on June 30. The Missionaries of Charity, Mother Teresa's order, still has a convent in Mahanoy City. Fr. Kevin Gallagher came to Mahanoy City 16 years ago as the founding pastor, when St. Teresa of Calcutta was formed with the merger of six parishes. He has kept treasures from the previous parishes to preserve their continuity. 'The heritage and the faith of the people is phenomenal,' Gallagher said. 'This town has spawned so many vocations.' The Sorrowful Way As the Palm Sunday procession made its way up Catawissa Street to Saint Teresa's, Debbie Walker thought of the Via Dolorosa, the path Jesus followed on his way to crucifixion. 'It was very much like Jesus' walk to Calvary,' recalls Walker. 'We were right there with him.' As Jesus, Victor Hanley, a senior at Mahanoy Area High School, carried the cross. Sienna Napoli, a junior at Mahanoy Area, played Mary, watching in agony as her son endured his fate at the hands of Roman guards. The ACTION presentation of the live Stations of the Cross was dedicated to Carlos Acutis, the late 15-year-old Italian boy who was to be canonized on Sunday, April 27. It was postponed due to the death of Pope Francis. The event was also dedicated to the memory of John Usalis, a former Republican Herald reporter, who wrote extensively about religious affairs. 'The live stations deepen their understanding of faith,' said Walker, office manager at St. Patrick Catholic Church, Pottsville. 'They are feeling the pain of the fall, the nails and the sadness of Jesus' mother Mary.'
Yahoo
21-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Mobile archbishop responds to Pope Francis' death
MOBILE, Ala. (WKRG) — Mobile Archbishop Thomas J. Rodi has released a statement regarding Pope Francis' death. Easter Sunday brings more people to church in Mobile Cardinal Kevin Farrell announced Monday that the Pope had died at 7:35 a.m. at age 88. 'With sadness and a profound sense of loss, we learned today of the death of Pope Francis. He was a remarkable leader who devoted his life to service of God and neighbor,' Rodi's statement said. 'He was constant in urging the nations of the world to strive for peace. He was a man of humility and compassion who was tireless in his concern for the weak, the poor, and the forgotten.' Archbishop Rodi continued his statement, saying even after 38 days in the hospital and being told to avoid crowds, Pope Francis spent Holy Thursday visiting Rome inmates. 'Yesterday, on Easter Sunday, we celebrated the Lord's triumph over death. We believe the Lord is risen,' the statement said. 'It is fitting that the Lord has called Pope Francis to Himself on this first day of the Easter season. With faith in the Lord's promise of eternal life, we entrust our Holy Father to the love and mercy of God. Parishioners gather for Stations of the Cross service observed on Good Friday 'May the Lord welcome Pope Francis home with those words found in the Bible: 'Well done, good and faithful servant.' (Mt 25:23).' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
USA Today
19-04-2025
- Politics
- USA Today
Immigration crackdown gives Holy Week new meaning at this New York church
Immigration crackdown gives Holy Week new meaning at this New York church Show Caption Hide Caption Deportations and revoked visas: What is Trump's immigration endgame? Legal migrants are left in limbo as millions see their status disappear from the Trump administration. NEW YORK ‒ The Rev. Juan Carlos Ruiz led a grave procession around a Brooklyn block on Good Friday. About 60 people ‒ with a mariachi group ‒ walked near the Good Shepherd Lutheran Church. That's where Ruiz serves an immigrant, mostly Latino, congregation in the Bay Ridge neighborhood. The band played somber hymns marking Good Friday, a mournful day during Holy Week. But the procession carried even more weight this year. On a gray afternoon as people got out of work, they performed the Stations of the Cross, the Christian tradition marking Jesus' persecution and death. For many in attendance, the commemoration has new meaning amid federal immigration enforcement targeting immigrant communities, including the risk of arrest at a place of worship. Student visas: Lawsuits, rallies ratchet up pressure on White House over international student visas 'Many of the people, you don't see the crosses on them,' Ruiz, a 54-year-old Mexican pastor with peppered hair, said before the procession. 'But they are really being crucified right now.' Multiple people attending the service said simply being there carries risk amid the immigration crackdown. Some were fearful for friends and family. Others mourned a new era in American immigration policy. New York City saw an influx of migrants under the Biden administration, in part due to efforts by Republican-led states. Now the Trump administration ushered in a new era of immigration raids, fewer protections from the city and the new fear that churches could be targeted by immigration officials. President Donald Trump campaigned on tough new immigration enforcement, particularly targeting violent offenders living illegally within the United States. In January, the Trump administration said it removed restrictions that once prevented agents from detaining people at places of worship. "Criminals will no longer be able to hide in America's schools and churches to avoid arrest. The Trump Administration will not tie the hands of our brave law enforcement, and instead trusts them to use common sense," reads a published Jan. 21 news release attributed to a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson. Clergy such as Ruiz, who arrived to the United States as a teen, are now shepherding their congregations through the fear of such crackdowns. 'I don't think there's ever been as important a time to be able to show our faith and values more publicly,' the Rev. Chloe Breyer, executive director of the Interfaith Center of New York, said in a phone interview after attending an immigration court hearing. 'What is passed as a strength in our current society is total lawlessness.' Ruiz's group turned the block, passing row houses and low-rise apartment buildings in a historically white immigrant neighborhood that is increasingly Arab, Latino and Asian. Breyer said many religious institutions have responded to the immigration crackdown. In the Bronx, the imam of a mosque took the Quran's call to shelter the stranger and has housed undocumented migrants, Breyer said. St. Edward the Martyr Episcopal Church, where Breyer serves in Manhattan's Spanish Harlem neighborhood, has a legal clinic for asylum seekers and a food pantry. Members of the activist group Jewish Voice for Peace held a Seder meal outside of the federal immigration building in Manhattan protesting the arrest and detention of Columbia student activist Mahmoud Khalil, who is Palestinian. Stations of the Cross on a Brooklyn block At Good Shepherd, a woman, who Ruiz said was soon to be baptized, led the group holding a small wooden cross with palm leaves ribboned on it. The first stop on the Stations of the Cross was near the corner of the nondescript church, which has a grayish facade and bright red doors. In Spanish, Ruiz began with the second reading, when Roman officials make Jesus take up the cross as a criminal with observers looking on, according to the Bible. The Stations of the Cross is normally 14 stations and can take hours. Ruiz cut it down to four stations, stopping at each corner of the Brooklyn block, to read gospels in Spanish and English. Ruiz, a former Catholic priest, said he shortened it so people pay attention as Jesus takes up the cross, receives help to carry the burden, and is stripped of his garments before he dies. They passed a taco truck, Starbucks and, across the street, a Chinese halal restaurant. To the side, Latino and Asian delivery workers sat on their scooters, swiping their phones for the next gig. Women in hijabs walked around the procession. The mariachi, made up of a dozen young musicians on guitars, horns and violins, played somber notes. The white robe Ruiz donned is torn at the neck. In 2018, during Trump's first term, New York City police arrested Ruiz and other clergy and city officials when they tried to prevent a local immigrant rights activist from being deported. At the time, the city was promoting its sanctuary status, even as agents detained people. Recently, Mayor Eric Adams invited Immigration and Customs Enforcement back on to the Rikers Island jail complex. Adams has also sought to loosen the city's "sanctuary" laws that have limited NYPD's cooperation with ICE, arguing the city needed to remove criminals who are migrants. Ruiz's church has been known for welcoming migrants with food, shelter and services to help start the process of people getting documented or navigating a notoriously complex legal system. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Ruiz helped arrange funerals for undocumented people whose family members died from the disease and were left in city morgues. In New York City, about 40% of the city's estimated 8.2 million people are immigrants, according to a 2023 report. Around 412,000 people in the city don't have lawful status in the country, with many living in the city for years. The church as a refuge Since 2022, more than 200,000 asylum seekers arrived to New York City, some arriving by bus as Republican states sought to overwhelm the city's sanctuary status. The city declared a state of emergency, with nonprofits, shelters, food pantries and places of worship opening their doors to help people. News and videos of arrests have weighed heavy on the congregation, Ruiz said. Two brothers of Venezuelan families that frequent the church were sent to El Salvador's Terrorism Confinement Center, Ruiz said. Their names appeared on a list of more than 200 Venezuelan men held in the notorious prison, which is how their family found them. One worked as a delivery man, Ruiz said. Both had tattoos, which the Trump administration has used to label Latino immigrants as gang members. In past years, Ruiz added, the Stations of the Cross brought people to join them as they went through the neighborhood. Ruiz and others noticed fewer people joined this year. Ruiz, whose family was once undocumented, recognizes the looks on people's faces encountering police. Or having to work clandestine jobs for low wages. "The past is very much alive for me," he said. After the procession, about two dozen people remained for the evening service. Families sat scattered in pews. To the side, workers readied fresh produce in boxes. The next day, on Holy Saturday, families lined up for meals around the church block. Contributing: Trevor Hughes, Lauren Villagran and Zachary Schermele, USA TODAY
