Month: November 2022

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News Briefs

Arrest made in vandalism of Cardinal Dolan’s residence at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in NYC

November 10, 2022 Catholic News Agency 0
St. Patrick’s Cathedral, New York / John Bilous/Shutterstock

Boston, Mass., Nov 10, 2022 / 17:00 pm (CNA).

An arrest has been made in a two-day-long vandalism spree in October that included an attack on Cardinal Timothy Dolan’s residence at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City.

Juan Velez was arrested by the New York Police Department’s Warrant Squad, police said Wednesday. In that announcement, police said Velez is being charged with 15 incidents of criminal mischief that occurred in Manhattan. 

Three of those incidents were attacks on churches, one of which was on St. Patrick’s Cathedral, police said. 

A video of the attack on St. Patrick’s Cathedral that circulated in the media shows a man approach the historic church and throw an object at its glass doors. He then can be seen fleeing the scene. 

On Nov. 2, police said they identified the attacker as Velez. In that announcement, police said that Velez threw a wrench at the cathedral and broke a window around noon in the October attack. 

According to ny1.com, authorities said the wrench hit the residence of Cardinal Dolan, the archbishop of New York. His residence is a part of the cathedral, the outlet reported. The outlet reported that Dolan was not home during the time of the attack, and no injuries occurred, according to police.

Police said that the next day, Oct. 29, Velez “caused damage” to All Saints Episcopal Church and the “Archdiocese of New York.” It’s unclear what building in the archdiocese was attacked. However, ny1.com reported that the Archdiocese of New York on First Avenue had an unknown object thrown at it by Velez, which damaged a glass door.

The archdiocese has administrative offices on First Avenue, according to its website.

“We are grateful for the hard work of the NYPD for the serious way they responded to this disturbing incident,” Joseph Zwilling, director of communications for the Archdiocese of New York, told CNA.

According to ny1.com, authorities claim that Velez ripped a flag and damaged the front doors at the Episcopal church on East 60th Street.

Police said Nov. 3 that Velez was wanted for “criminal mischief hate crime pattern.” In that announcement, police said that Velez broke windows, doors, and flags at different churches.

Police arrested Juan Velez in connection with the Oct. 28, 2022, vandalism at St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York City, and vandalism at other places of worship. Credit: NYPD Crime Stoppers
Police arrested Juan Velez in connection with the Oct. 28, 2022, vandalism at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City, and vandalism at other places of worship. Credit: NYPD Crime Stoppers

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News Briefs

Benedict XVI tells Ukrainian archbishop: ‘I continue to pray for peace’

November 10, 2022 Catholic News Agency 1
Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk with Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, Nov. 9, 2022 / Rome’s Secretariat of the Major Archbishop of the Greek Catholic Church

Rome Newsroom, Nov 10, 2022 / 02:53 am (CNA).

The leader of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church met with Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI in the Mater Ecclesiae monastery Nov. 9 and asked him to keep praying for Ukraine. 

The pope emeritus told Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk that he “keeps praying for Ukraine.” 

The last meeting between the two dates back to February 2019. During that meeting, Benedict proved to be incredibly informed of the events in Ukraine and stressed that he always prayed for peace in Ukraine.

Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk with Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI and Arcbbishop Georg Gänswein, Nov. 9, 2022. Rome's Secretariat of the Major Archbishop of the Greek Catholic Church
Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk with Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI and Arcbbishop Georg Gänswein, Nov. 9, 2022. Rome’s Secretariat of the Major Archbishop of the Greek Catholic Church

In their meeting on Nov. 9, Shevchuk spoke about the war in Ukraine, presented the humanitarian situation to the pope emeritus, reiterated that the war in Ukraine is ideological and colonial, and compared it to the Nazi regime.

He also thanked Benedict XVI for his letter at the beginning of the war.

Benedict stressed that he was following the situation in Ukraine closely, expressed his great sorrow for the suffering of the Ukrainian people, and said that he always prayed for peace to come.

Shevchuk replied that “only the power of prayer keeps the Ukrainian people alive,” so he asked to continue praying for Ukraine.

Benedict XVI appointed Sviatoslav Shevchuk bishop on January 14, 2009, assigning him as an auxiliary to the eparchy of Santa Maria del Patrocinio in Buenos Aires, where he met Pope Francis. Benedict XVI also confirmed the election of Sviatoslav Shevchuk as head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church on March 25, 2011. There is, therefore, a strong link between the two.

The Major Archbishop of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church is in Rome for a week of meetings at the Vatican. It is the first time he has left Ukraine since the Russian aggression on February 24. 

On Monday, he met Pope Francis, to whom he brought a fragment of a mine that destroyed a Greek-Catholic church in the city of Irpin. On November 12, he will meet with Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican’s secretary of state. On the 14th, he will meet ambassadors accredited to the Holy See.

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