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Bishop Brennan Celebrates Mass of Hope and Healing at St. Pancras Church in Glendale

By Katie Vasquez

A procession of priests and bishops walk into St. Pancras church in Glendale, offering hope to victim-survivors of sexual abuse, and the people who support them. 

“Religious are playing an important part in that healing and vigilance and, to see so many parishioners, people, standing up to be together with each other,” said Brooklyn Bishop Robert Brennan.

Bishop Robert Brennan celebrated the annual mass of hope and healing, the liturgy a request from survivors to help them heal from the scourge of abuse, and possibly gain back trust in the church.  

With readings in both English and Spanish, everything about this mass is planned by victim survivors, for victim-survivors. Anthony Hughes was comforted by the sight of all the clergy here to show their support. 

“A lot more God related. It’s like God was here with us this evening. I actually felt that, and I appreciate it,” said Anthony Hughes, a victim-survivor. 

When he was 13, Anthony was abused by a priest.

“When I was growing up, we were extremely poor, and he came into our life like he was our lord and savior, but he had other intentions, obviously. So here I am today, and I’m a much better person, and I forgive him,” said Hughes. 

The abuse he faced, led Anthony to question his beliefs. 

“I did lose faith. I lost faith last year. I have not gone to mass a lot in the last year,” said Hughes. 

But with the support of the church, Anthony holds on hope that recovery is possible

“I believe people can get that. you have to believe, you have to put yourself with good people. I think that’s the real big benefit of being around great people and having a strong support team,” said Hughes. 

Bishop Brennan assures all victim-survivors, the Diocese of Brooklyn is committed to ending abuse.

“We need always to be vigilant, and you see it in many areas in life where when people get removed from an experience, the guard starts to go down and we become complacent and we can never be complacent, never,” said Bishop Robert Brennan.

The Mass of Hope and Healing is just one way the Diocese of Brooklyn is trying to combat abuse and help victim-survivors. Some other ways include creating the Office of Victim Assistance to help individuals who come forward with allegations of abuse. The office provides supportive initial counseling, therapy referrals and pastoral resources for victim-survivors.

Every employee of the Brooklyn Diocese, including students, undergoes mandatory background checks and training, designed to spot the signs of abuse and how to stop it. And of course, as we’ve mentioned, the yearly Mass of Hope and Healing, where the faithful come together and pray.

There’s also a confidential diocesan line to report abuse. Reports are automatically sent to law enforcement and there isn’t any church involvement to ensure compliance. That number is 888- 634-4499. If you know anything, please give it a call.

Thanks to Cochlear Implants, Deaf Performers Put Musical Talents on Display for Pope Francis

by Currents News

Pope Francis’ general audience on October 23 came with a soundtrack as a unique orchestra played Queen’s “We are the Champions” towards the end of the pontiff’s talk in St. Peter’s Square. 

The catch to this tune? The young musicians, members of the Graeme Clark Orchestra, are actually deaf but able to play with the help of cochlear implants.

The small electronic device that is surgically implanted inside the ear to assist users with their hearing capabilities.

The music group was named in honor of the inventor of the cochlear implant, professor Graeme Clark.

The Spanish group of 12 performers was established in 2019 to provide musical development opportunities to young people with severe or profound deafness.

They say meeting and playing for the pope has been a highlight of their visit to Rome.

“It has been a very special experience and quite unique above all,” one musician told Currents News. “I am very excited about it.”

“We want to show people that a deaf person with a cochlear implant can do whatever he wants in his life if he doesn’t put up those barriers that people put in front of the public,” explained another member of the group. 

Catholics of Brooklyn and Queens Pray Novena As They Prepare to Hit the Polls on Election Day

by Currents News

Currents News is continuing its nine-day novena leading up to Election Day. Different priests from around the Diocese of Brooklyn are joining us in prayer and helping Catholics get better prepared to vote their conscience on November 5. 

On Day 3, Monsignor Steven Aguggia, the pastor of St. Pancras Church in Glendale, Queens, leads us in prayer:

“God of light,

give us the freedom to walk in

the footprints of your son, Jesus.

Let our light shine out for all to see

by turning to those who call for our help.

heal our wounds, heal our community.

Amen.”

New York, Los Angeles Archbishops Set World Series Wager As Yankees Take on the Dodgers

By Currents News

Baseball fans across New York City are closely watching the Yankees take on the Los Angeles Dodgers in the baseball World Series. 

Now, the archbishops of both cities have a friendly wager on the game: New York’s Cardinal Timothy Dolan and L.A’s Archbishop José Gómez have a bet going.

If the Yankees win the World Series, L.A. will send some famous Randy’s Donuts to the Big Apple. But if the Yankees lose, New York will send bagels to the City of Angels. 

Both bishops will also donate to charities as part of the wager–New York is playing for John Cardinal O’Connor School, which brings a Catholic education to kids with learning differences.

Meanwhile, Los Angeles is playing for the Catholic Education Foundation of L.A. 

If you want to join in on the fun, go to baseballunites.com, where you can read about the charities and even put your own two cents into the pot.

Catholic News Headlines for Friday 10/25/2024

The Diocese of Brooklyn celebrated the annual Mass of Hope and Healing Thursday night at St Pancras Church in Glendale. The liturgy is meant to help those who have suffered from clergy sexual abuse.
Music plays through St Peter’s Square on Wednesday as the Graeme Clark Orchestra performs for the Pope. The group of young musicians are all deaf, performing with the help of cochlear implants.
A line wraps around the block at the Co-Cathedral of St Joseph in Brooklyn, as hundreds of people wait to see a special concert of Mozart’s Requiem.
Currents News is praying our way to the ballot box! Join us for Day Three of our Election Novena.

Faith and Voting: Bishop Robert Brennan on Political Engagement for Catholics

With Election Day less than two weeks away, many are preparing to vote, and Catholics are no exception. While the Catholic Church doesn’t endorse specific candidates, it offers guidance on teachings to consider before heading to the polls. Bishop Robert Brennan of Brooklyn joins Currents News to discuss how Catholics can engage in the political process with faith and conscience at the forefront.

Bishop Brennan encourages Catholics to reflect on their values, emphasizing that aligning faith with civic responsibility is central to making thoughtful voting decisions.

Catholic News Headlines for Thursday 10/24/2024

Pope Francis is calling for a renewed understanding of the devotion of the Sacred Heart with the release of the fourth encyclical of his papacy “Dilexit Nos,” or “He Loved Us.” In the document, he’s denouncing a world that is losing its heart during times of global turmoil.

Tonight is the annual Mass of Hope and Healing, which aims to reach out to survivors of clerical sex abuse. Brooklyn Bishop Robert Brennan will be celebrating the Mass at St. Pancras Church in Glendale, Queens.

Election Day is less than two weeks away–Bishop Brennan speaks with Currents News about how Catholics can vote with their conscience. We’ll also ask him about Proposition 1 which Bishop Brennan says, if passed, would be dangerous for society.

As we prepare for November 5th, we’re doing so with prayer over the course of a nine day Novena. Leading up to lining up at the polls a different priest in the Diocese of Brooklyn will lead us in prayer and ask God to guide us.

Queens Woman Credits Faith and St. Clare Church with Helping Her Overcome Stage 3 Breast Cancer

By Katie Vasquez

St. Clare Church has been a safe haven for parishioner Allison Attong-Rogers for nearly 40 years. The Rosedale parish became a source of hope when she was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer in 2016.

“I had a mastectomy, chemotherapy, radiation, and then reconstruction,” said Attong-Rogers. She was volunteering in the rectory when she got the call from her doctor after a routine mammogram. At that moment, Father Andrew Struzzieri, known as Father Andy, walked in.

“I call him my living angel,” she said. “He prayed with me and was deeply involved in my spiritual life.”

The office manager, Dianne Sealy-Soon, recalled how unusual it was for the priest to be there at that time.

“It felt like divine intervention,” said Sealy-Soon. “He was there for her during such an emotional moment.”

Father Andy passed away in 2020 after his own battle with cancer, but Attong-Rogers said his support never wavered.

“Even when I saw him struggling at Mass, his faith inspired me to keep going,” she said.

Now cancer-free, Attong-Rogers helps raise funds for the American Cancer Society and encourages others to get regular screenings.

“Ladies, get your mammogram. And men, you’re not exempt. If you feel something, go to the doctor,” she urged.

Though Father Andy is gone, she said his presence remains in her heart.

“Losing him was hard for me and the entire parish,” she said. “But St. Clare Church is truly a family, and we continue to support one another.”

Catholic Couple Credit Faith for Strengthening Their Marriage

by Katie Vasquez

Sixto and Maria Torres are in love, but they admit their marriage wasn’t always picture perfect. 

“We were having a lot of discussion, on the verge of divorce,” said Sixto Torres, a parishioner at Shrine and Parish Church of the Holy Innocents.  

The pair grew up Catholic in Ecuador but strayed from their faith as adults.

“By the time we arrived to the US, I was agnostic at that time. So in a matter of ten years i left my faith,” said Maria Torres, a parishioner at Shrine and Parish Church of the Holy Innocents.  

They married in a civil ceremony in March 2019, but soon the cracks in their relationship started to show as the pandemic hit. 

“Everything was shut down and we were pushed to do things by ourselves, in the marriage, and to start reflecting on whether we have to, whether we can continue living the way we’re living or we have to change,” said Sixto Torres. 

The couple says the lockdown was a blessing because it forced them to dig deeper and find their faith again. 

“We started having regular confession on a weekly basis, attending mass daily and, you know, started offering and sacrificing everything for God and for our marriage,” said Sixto Torres. 

And while their conversion of heart wasn’t easy,

“it’s not like you go to confession and everything, magically start changing. No, faith is not magic, but you have to be like you have to work with the graces of God. If I want to fix my life, I have to choose God. I have to follow what he has to say,” said Maria. 

Their hard work helped them recommit to God and each other, and they married at the Shrine and Parish church of the Holy Innocents in Manhattan on September 11, 2021.

“We’re in love. We are going to have arguments. but at the end of the day, when we are reflecting about it, we say, okay, we are at peace because we are we are willing to do that the will of God,” said Sixto Torres.  

Now the Torres’ are hoping to help other couples find marital bliss, recently taking part in a talk guiding partners to a more godly union. 

“You need the grace of God, to see clearly, what are the issues? What are the problems? without the help of God, you are dead, totally dead,” said Maria Torres.

Because the Torres’ understand their marriage became stronger, once they opened their hearts to God.