Open Doors International Releases Latest Report on Christian Persecution

By Currents News

According to the 2025 world watch list by the organization Open Doors International, the top five countries where Christians face persecution for their faith are:

North Korea
Somalia
Yemen
Libya
Sudan

It is similar to the 2024 list but Yemen rose from the fifth to the third spot, Libya decreased from third to fourth, and Sudan was added to the top five. Here to talk more about this report and what it means for Christians around the globe is the national correspondent for The Tablet and Crux, John Lavenburg.

St. Ephrem Catholic Academy Raises Funds for California Wildfire Victims

By Jessica Easthope

They may be far away, but students here at St. Ephrem Catholic Academy are sending more than prayers to Los Angeles, and making their own efforts towards supporting community recovery initiatives.

There wasn’t a uniform in sight Jan. 17 as students and faculty at the Dyker Heights, Brooklyn school prayed for those who lost everything in the deadly Los Angeles area fires.

The students donated two dollars each to “dress down,” and the school’s principal Michael Phillips is hoping to send around $400 to California.

“I kept watching videos of everybody that was losing their belongings, losing their livelihood, their childhood homes, some even perishing and losing their lives. And I said, ‘we have to do something,’” he explains. “We have to show our students that our community transcends more than just the Dyker Heights, Bay Ridge, Bensonhurst area, that it also transcends 3000 miles away.”

They’re not just dressing down, but students’ families have also donated clothing, shoes, and canned food in an effort to do their part from the East Coast.

Among the students collecting dress down money from their classmates were the Riches siblings, Thomas and Abigail, whose father is an FDNY captain.

“Hopefully, the firefighters at least help [fix] the destruction that was caused by what happened. And I’m hoping everyone’s okay,” Thomas tells Currents News. “I hope California is fine. The wildfires are gone, and everyone gets a home eventually.”

“I hope that all the wildfires are gone because all the firefighters are working a lot and I feel bad,” adds Abigail.

St. Ephrem will be making their donation through Catholic Charities Brooklyn & Queens. They expect to drop off the money and donations in the following week, where it will soon make its way to California.

Catholic News Headlines for Thursday 1/16/2025

After a delay due to what Israel called a “last minute crisis,” officials say the ceasefire deal for the war in Gaza is back on and expected to take effect on Jan. 19.

There’s new data out concerning Christian persecution: Open Doors International has released its report on countries where Christians face the most danger.

The Tablet’s “Keep Christ in Christmas” art contest awards ceremony was this week, and we’re letting you know whose masterpieces were top of the class.

The Tablet’s ‘Keep Christ in Christmas’ Art Contest Winners Awarded by Knights of Columbus

By Currents News

On Jan. 15 The Tablet showed their support for the young Picassos of the Diocese of Brooklyn, announcing the winners of the 2024 “Keep Christ in Christmas” art contest.

The paper held an awards ceremony at the Archbishop John Hughes Council of the Knights of Columbus to celebrate the students whose artwork best showcased how they kept Christ in Christmas.

There were 17 winners and honorable mentions picked from around 200 entries and representing each grade from one to 12. They spoke to Currents News about the inspiration behind their art and entering the contest.

NYPD Holy Name Society Prepares to Celebrate Jubilee Year in Rome

By Currents News

Members of the New York City Police Department’s Holy Name society met at St. Vincent Ferrer Church on the Upper East Side of Manhattan on the evening of Jan. 15 to discuss the details of their pilgrimage to Rome this February for the Holy Year of faith and fellowship.

Part of the agenda for the 44 members of the NYPD – along with some family and three priests from the Diocese of Brooklyn and the Archdiocese of New York – will be meeting with the Swiss Guard and attending Mass at the Vatican.

Many who are preparing for the trip are excited to celebrate their faith while in the Eternal City.

“People have an opportunity to go through the Holy Doors, not only can they pray for themselves, but they can also pray for two people who have passed per day per door so it can be members of family and what not, so really it’s a tremendous opportunity,” Monsignor Robert Romano, Assistant Chief Chaplain of the NYPD, tells Currents News. “I think that’s the exciting part is you know when you get cops to exercise their faith, it’s always a great thing. As a chaplain, that’s what we try to do. And, it pays off. “

“I’ll be praying for my members, my immediate family, but also my family and friends that have passed in recent years,” explains Lt. Steven Jerome, Commanding Officer of the NYPD Chaplains Unit. “I’ll use that opportunity to pray for them. Life you know, you realize as you get older, is so short and we got to really appreciate the time that we have here. And something like this gives us an opportunity to think and reflect.”

“I’m sure that there’ll be plenty of blessings that I’ll receive for being there during the Jubilee,” says Maria Dziergowski, an NYPD widow who will also be taking the trip to Rome. “It’s very inspiring to be with so many heroes, with the NYPD.”

The group will be going to Rome from Feb. 6 to 11, which coincides with the Jubilee of the Armed Forces, Police and Security Personnel.

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.