Deacon Answers His Vocation Despite Cancer Diagnosis

by Katie Vasquez

At the 9am Mass, Deacon Hector Rodriguez stands at the altar assisting the pastor of Most Precious Blood church, Father Saša Ilijić.

It’s a position he’s held since 2013 when he was officially ordained in the Diocese of Brooklyn.

“Since then, you know, my life has been dedicated to the lord,” said Deacon Hector Rodriguez.

He first learned about diaconate courses from a friend in 2008 and decided to pursue this calling. But right as he began his studies, he got devastating news from doctors.

“They found out that I had cancer, colon cancer, almost in the fourth stage,” said Rodriguez.

While in seminary, his classmates prayed for him and he leaned on his faith during treatment.

“I was doing the rosary. and that helped me, you know, a lot because I am very faithful to our lady of mercy, the metal, you know, and my faith, you know in God, that’s what helped me to go through all this pain, because chemo is very hard and difficult and painful,” said Rodriguez.

In fact he says as brutal as chemo was, he never missed a class.

“That’s what filled my heart. I felt happy. you know, when god is with me. God is with me. I’m not afraid of anything,” said Rodriguez.

Deacon Hector was declared cancer-free not long after his ordination.

Now he serves the Astoria church in many capacities, from teaching order of Christian initiation for adults, or OCIA, classes to children with autism, to helping couples looking for an annulment.

And just as the lord guided him through chemo, Deacon Hector believes God guides him in his ministry.

“I always depend on God. Without God and nothing, you know, that is for me, my strength. guiding me with patience, mercy, to deal with other people. And that’s how I will continue. and I’m very, very happy,” said Rodriguez.

Catholic News Headlines for Wednesday 1/15/2025

Since the wildfires started in Los Angeles one week ago, more than 12,000 people have lost their homes, including one man who says that although his house is in ruins, his faith tells him all is not lost.

Israel and Hamas have reportedly reached a deal that will halt the 15 months of fighting in the Gaza strip.The Catholic Medical Association has filed a lawsuit against the Biden administration because of an abortion directive, saying the federal government has acted unlawfully.

Daughter With Down Syndrome Brings Joy, Love to Comedian’s Family

By Jessica Easthope

Stand-up comedian Keith Alberstadt makes people laugh and smile for a living. These days, he gets that joy back tenfold at home.

“The negative messaging and the jokes and whatever, I’m going to use my platform to give people the other view, the positive messaging of what it’s like having somebody with Down Syndrome in your life,” he tells Currents News.

Keith and his wife Leslie live in Bloomfield, New Jersey with their three kids: four- year-old Eleanor, three- year-old Eileen and one- year-old Joseph. When Leslie was 20 weeks pregnant with Eileen, she got a terrifying call.

“There was just doom and gloom. She still said the term ‘termination’ twice in that phone call. The phone call was less than five minutes. It’s just… it was sad,” Leslie recalls.

Before Eileen was born, her Down Syndrome diagnosis left Keith and Leslie with a lot of questions.

“One thing that I learned ever since the diagnosis was, how much to trust God,” he says.

“God knows what he’s doing, and she’s so perfect with Down Syndrome,” adds Leslie.

Just shy of four months old, Eileen had heart surgery. But today she’s thriving and competing with Keith for funniest member of the family. He says he’s happy to take second place.

“Once we had a daughter with Down Syndrome, we became advocates. And it became something that I wanted to talk about on stage,” he explains.

“Here there’s this seed planted, and with Keith’s comedy, if you meet Eileen and then you get a prenatal diagnosis later on, you’re gonna think of Eileen,” Leslie says of her husband’s work.

As Eileen grows so does Leslie and Keith’s advocacy, not only for their daughter but for every child whose life has been undervalued.

“Let’s give the parents resources earlier,” Leslie suggests, offering a different perspective: “Congratulations, I hear your child has Down Syndrome. Congratulations,”

That way, when Keith steps on stage he knows Down Syndrome has made his heart and his platform larger, and that’s no joke.

Catholic News Headlines for Tuesday 1/14/2025

With less than two weeks until the 2025 March for Life, thousands are preparing to converge on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., to fight for the end of abortion.

We’ll introduce you to a New Jersey couple who, despite a challenging prenatal diagnosis, decided to choose life for their beautiful baby girl.

Parishioners in the Diocese of Brooklyn will be making their way to the annual march, but if you can’t go in person, there are still ways you can make your voice and prayers heard during the uphill battle for life in New York.

TONIGHT AT 7: Catholic Comedian Makes Stand Up Move for Life

By Currents News

Ahead of the March for Life, Current News will introduce you to people who chose it. For some, it’s not always the common choice.

According to the National Institutes of Health, nearly 85% of people with a prenatal diagnosis of Down Syndrome will get an abortion.

But that wasn’t the case for Keith and Leslie Alberstadt in Bloomfield, New Jersey.

Catholic News Headlines for Monday 1/13/2025

Bishop Robert Brennan celebrated the Jubilee Year with nearly 300 young people from 11 parishes at the Cathedral Basilica of St. James.

Over half a million pilgrims have visited the Vatican since the Jubilee Year began, with more expected.

Starting next week, St. Peter’s Square will host nearly forty Jubilee celebrations, offering something for everyone with a rich, centuries-old tradition.

Could you imagine having your child baptized in the Sistine Chapel? 21 babies were blessed by Pope Francis!

Hundreds of Young People Attend Jubilee Holy Hour in the Diocese of Brooklyn

By Katie Vasquez

It was an evening of prayer and song as hundreds of youth and young adults filled the Cathedral-Basilica of St. James in Brooklyn for a holy hour to mark the start of the 2025 Jubilee.

The holy year of faith and fellowship is meant to inspire Catholics around the globe to grow their relationship with Christ, and it’s making an impact on young parishioners within the Diocese of Brooklyn.

“Jesus is present there because otherwise, I wouldn’t. I wouldn’t feel that kind of love and that kind of peace,” Mariana Juarez, a parishioner at Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary church who attended the holy hour at St. James tells Currents News. It’s “strengthening our relationship through confession, acknowledging our sins.”

Leading the night of benediction of the Blessed Sacrament in Brooklyn was Bishop Robert Brennan, who hopes that being in front of the Body of Christ will inspire these young Catholics in the coming months.

“Where we go in our need and in our desperation matters, and they’re helping to show that by their example what it means to go to the Lord,” he explains.

The Jubilee event also saw testimonies from young people about their own journey of faith.

“It was beautiful because I thought that I was the only one suffering,” Janice Umana, a parishioner at Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary church who was also at the holy hour, says. “I don’t have the faith that I should. I say I do, but deep down, I don’t.”

Now, the youth who were present feel inspired to make Jubilee year resolutions.

“Praying more than before is what I’m trying to do,” says Juarez.

The Diocese of Brooklyn prays this night will further call them to share their newly renewed faith with the world.

“It’s one thing for the bishop, for priests, for their parents to speak about their faith,” says Father James Kuroly, the director of youth and young adult ministry in the Diocese of Brooklyn. “It’s another thing when they hear somebody who is really journeying with them, who really knows what it means to to be a young person in the Church.”

“They’re like the yeast in the bread,” adds Bishop Brennan. “They’re planting something that’s catching on and and their faith and their enthusiasm spurs on, inspires a sense of hope in so many of us.”

Special Edition: Meet the New Principals

In this special edition of Currents News we’re introducing you to some new principals at schools across the Diocese of Brooklyn. Here are just a few of the faces you’ll meet:

– Danielle Madden-Buck, the new leader at St. Stanislaus Kostka Catholic Academy in Greenpoint, Brooklyn.

– Ivan Green, a former scientist turned principal at Incarnation Catholic Academy in Queens Village.

– Kara MCarthy of Our Lady of Hope Catholic Academy in Middle Village, Queens, who is a graduate of the school herself.

– Josephine Giudice, who has moved up from pre-k to principal status at St. Elizabeth Catholic Academy in Ozone Park, Queens.

Catholic News Headlines for Thursday 1/9/2025

It’s a national day of mourning as we say a final goodbye to the 39th president of the United States, Jimmy Carter.

Firefighters are working nonstop to contain wildfires spreading through the Los Angeles area that have claimed lives and destroyed Corpus Christi Church in Pacific Palisades.

The NYPD is looking for the man accused of stealing money from a church on St. John’s University’s Queens campus.

After folding in the 1990s, Holy Name’s swim team is back to making a big, award-winning splash in Brooklyn.

Holy Name Boys Swim Team Returns After Decades-Long Hiatus

by Katie Vasquez

This is the last practice of the season for these 63 male swimmers, the athletes, like Connor O’Neill, hoping to perfect their form at the pool in Erasmus Hall educational campus.

“The freestyle I’m kind of working with, backstroke too and my diving,” said Connor O’Neill, a member of Holy Name Boys Swim Team.

Connor’s grandfather and uncle were also part of this team made up of kids from Brooklyn, and sponsored by Holy Name of Jesus parish, but there was a time when Connor himself was almost unable to continue the tradition.

“We’re very fortunate that Connor’s been able to take on the helm of family members prior to him,” said Connor’s father, Sean O’Neill.

The male swimmers took a nearly 30-year hiatus.

“The boys team folded in the 90s. The season conflicts a bit with basketball and so boys in the parish at that time were interested in playing basketball. So they weren’t showing up to practice,” said Holy Name Boy swim team head coach, Alexandra Penfold.

Before Holy Name finally brought the team back in 2023, and the athletes took to the sport like a duck to water.

Just a few weeks ago, they earned medals at the Catholic Youth Organization Olympics.

“Two of our swimmers got gold in their events and a couple of our relays got silver and one of our relays got bronze,” said Penfold.

Their practice paying off as they hone their skills, and grow together.

“I’ve learned a lot about confidence and teamwork,” said Cooper Kim, a member of Holy Name Boys Swim team.

The athletes now look forward to competing at the Class A and B championships this weekend.

“I really didn’t think that we would, do very well in championships or olympics. It’s because we were a team that started, like, only a year ago. and I was very surprised at, like, the results,” said Kim.

“The crowd is like cheering you on. Every time someone is right next to you and that’s your last lap, the crowd will go crazy,” said O’Neill.

The team is hoping to grow and get better, as they look ahead to the next season.

For more information on the team, head to their website: https://holynameswimteam.weebly.com/