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Queens Pastor Bids Farewell to His Flock, Prepares To Lead Diocese of Palm Beach

By Katie Vasquez and Bill Miller

CORONA — Parishioners of Our Lady of Sorrows, the Diocese of Brooklyn’s largest parish, packed the 3 p.m. Mass on Feb. 15 to say goodbye to their pastor of nearly six years. 

Bishop-designate Manuel de Jesús Rodríguez will be installed as the new bishop for the Diocese of Palm Beach, Florida, on Feb. 24.  

As those balmy environs await him, the sky over the parish’s neighborhood in Queens was overcast. The thermometer hovered around 32 degrees, with snow forecast for the night. 

At the start of the Mass, a solemn tone hung over the congregation, which filled all the pews and had some people standing in the side aisles. Others found chairs set up in the foyer, and entire families sat on the sanctuary steps.  

Some people dabbed at tears, and Bishop-designate Rodríguez also briefly removed his eyeglasses to wipe his eyes. 

“This is a very tough day for me,” he said after the Mass, “because this concludes my 17 years in this diocese.” 

RELATED: From Corona, Queens to Palm Beach, Florida: Queens Catholic Academy Students Give Bishop‑Designate Rodríguez a Heartfelt Send‑Off

A native of the Dominican Republic, Bishop-designate Rodríguez came to Brooklyn in 2009 and became incardinated here two years later. He has served the diocese as a canon lawyer while handling his pastoral assignments. 

He served as parochial vicar for St. Michael Parish in Sunset Park (2009-2011); pastor of Sts. Peter and Paul Parish in Williamsburg (2011-2014); pastor of Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish in Jamaica (2014-2020); and pastor of Our Lady of Sorrows since 2020. 

He led the parish through the COVID-19 pandemic and the influx of immigrants to New York City during the crisis at the U.S. border with Mexico.  

His accomplishments include starting new food ministries to help the needy and working to ease the plights of immigrants while also respecting and praying for law enforcement. Just six days before Christmas, Pope Leo XIV named him to succeed the retiring Bishop Gerald Barbarito, 75, and formerly of Brooklyn, as the next prelate for Palm Beach. 

Despite his many accomplishments, Bishop-designate Rodríguez leaves Brooklyn with a servant’s heart.  

“I look back with joy and gratefulness and in a spirit of humbleness,” he said, “thanking the Lord for this great privilege of being part of a diocese that cares about God, but also cares about people, with love, commitment, and service.” 

Our Lady of Sorrows is the parish home to an estimated 17,000 people, making it the largest church community in the diocese. Most are of Ecuadoran heritage, reflecting the dominant population group in Corona. 

Each Sunday, the parish celebrates nine Masses — one in English and eight in Spanish, as was this farewell Mass. 

RELATED: Bishop Manuel de Jesús Rodríguez’s Appointment to Florida Diocese Continues Brooklyn-Palm Beach Catholic Legacy

The mood lightened during the homily as Bishop-designate Rodríguez’s towering frame ambled up and down the center aisle, expressing gratitude to the congregants and urging them to embrace fraternity. 

“The faith that we have been blessed with is to be transmitted and shared in a world that is, unfortunately, growing in animosity, confrontation, and violence,” he said. 

The solemn mood gave way to a celebration as representatives of parish groups added gifts to the offertory. 

To recognize the pastor’s programs for families, a couple brought their baby girl, and he blessed and kissed the child. 

Two parish youths brought a basketball and a soccer ball in recognition of the sports programs he shepherded. He lightly tossed each ball upward; then he blessed them. 

Last came parishioners carrying one of the pro-life placards used each month while praying outside one of the 14 abortion clinics in Corona, a practice fostered by Bishop-designate Rodríguez. 

Some of the people at Mass came from parishes where he previously served. 

Marlana Toledo-Gonzalez said she and her husband, Christopher Gonzalez, grew up in St. Michael’s Parish, and they have known him since they were kids.  

“He’s basically been a part of our life since I was a teenager, and I’m 28 now,” she said,  describing how Bishop-designate Rodríguez was invited to the couple’s wedding, and although he couldn’t make it, he was with the family in their times of grief. 

“He was there when my mother passed away,” Toledo-Gonzalez said. “He was there when (her husband’s) grandmother passed away. 

“We’re going to miss him, but we’re very proud of him.” 

Another St. Michael’s alum at the Mass was Matthew De Luna, who is discerning a priestly vocation while serving as Bishop-designate Rodríguez’s master of ceremonies for the past few weeks. 

De Luna also has childhood memories of the priest — one of the many Catholic clergymen who inspired his discernment. 

“He got this parish through COVID and brought them back,” De Luna said. “I would say it is even more alive than before the pandemic. There’s always something going on here, and that’s because of him. He doesn’t stop, and he loves his people.” 

Bishop-designate Rodríguez’s final urging to the congregation was to stay committed to their parish — a beacon of God’s love and mercy to Corona, Queens. 

“Our commitment,” he said, “should be to keep Our Lady of Sorrows alive for many years to come, at the service of its people, and at the service of the community of the greater Corona. 

He noted that the parish just celebrated the 154th anniversary of its founding. 

“And we look forward to the next 155 years,” he said. “That is because this church is a blessing, not only for Catholics, but for everyone.”

Catholic News Headlines for Friday 2/13/26   

Students from Catholic academies across Brooklyn and Queens put their skills to the test at the Diocese of Brooklyn’s annual Math Bee.

Italian Olympic figure skater Daniel Grassl showcases his Catholic faith on the world stage with a performance inspired by the film “Conclave” and its papal themes.

Ahead of Presidents’ Day, Currents News looks back at more than a century of historic meetings between U.S. presidents and popes.

Students Compete for Awards at Annual Diocesan Math Bee

By Katie Vasquez

The champions from elementary schools across the Diocese of Brooklyn were greeted with applause as they entered the gym at Our Lady of Grace Catholic Academy for the diocese’s annual Math Bee.

Students from various Catholic academies gathered to solve challenging math equations in front of an audience of nearly 200 people.

“I just love doing it, it just makes my brain work and I like that,” said Leon Latayf, a fourth grader at St. Stanislaus Kostka Catholic Academy.

The competition tested more than math skills. Moderator Timothy Dillon, principal of Good Shepherd Catholic Academy, said the event also strengthens students’ confidence and public speaking abilities.

“I think it’s not just the math, also just the public speaking skill,” Dillon said. “It’s very difficult to do math under high pressure in front of an audience of almost 200 people. So they really do a phenomenal job just gathering that skill.”

Christian Cheng, a fifth grader at Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Academy in Queens, recruited his family to help him prepare.

“My parents were asking me questions from the math bee, and then I had to answer them,” Christian said.

He earned third place and said he enjoyed the structure of the competition.

“I like the rounds. I like the different questions they ask,” he said. “For example, round 10 is division, round eight is addition. So all different things.”

Second-place winner Benjamin Tastaca, a fifth grader at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Academy, said he did not have a specific strategy heading into the contest.

“I just winged it pretty much all. I studied a bit,” Benjamin said. “I was really nervous but now I feel proud.”

Leon Latayf ultimately took first place for St. Stanislaus Kostka Catholic Academy, though he admitted he was unsure of the outcome beforehand.

“I was nervous I was going to lose,” Leon said. “I was really nervous but it was kind of easy.”

Dillon emphasized that every student who stepped onto the stage demonstrated courage.

“It takes a tremendous amount of bravery and courage just to get up in front of all these people,” he said. “So we want to make sure the kids know that they’re all winners.”

Students said they hope to return to the stage next year for another chance to compete.

Giving Parkinson’s Disease the One-Two Punch Makes Her Day

By Paula Katinas and Jessica Easthope

Fran Vella-Marrone believes that God is in her corner. Literally. 

Vella-Marrone, a 62-year-old paralegal from Dyker Heights, has taken up boxing, not to go 12 rounds in a championship fight, but to throw swift jabs at Parkinson’s disease, an illness she has been living with for the past two years. 

Twice a week, Vella-Marrone heads to Gleason’s gym in DUMBO to put on a pair of gloves and train with former professional boxer Gary Stark Jr. to improve her strength, stamina, and coordination. 

“It’s making a difference. I can tell,” she said. “One of my symptoms is that I have stiffness in my hand and my arm on my right side, and my leg. When I work out, I feel so much better. Everything feels looser. I can move better.” 

What Vella-Marrone does isn’t traditional boxing. Instead of hitting people, she hits a punching bag. But she otherwise mimics a boxer’s movements in the ring. 

When Vella-Marrone was diagnosed in 2023, she said she relied on her Catholic faith to help her cope. She is a parishioner of St. Ephrem Church in Dyker Heights and also attends Mass at the Shrine Church of St. Bernadette. 

“I believe that everything happens for a reason,” she said. “I thought that if I had this disease, that God felt I could handle it.”  

After her doctor recommended that she take up boxing as exercise, she looked for a trainer, but Vella-Marrone, who works full-time at the Connors & Sullivan law firm in Bay Ridge, had a tough time finding one who could fit into her busy schedule. 

“Most Parkinson’s patients are older and retired. And the boxing lessons take place in the middle of the workday,” she explained. “I needed to work out nights and weekends.” 

Vella-Marrone is also busy with other activities, serving as chairperson of the Kings County Conservative Party and as a member of the Dyker Heights Civic Association and the Cathedral Club of Brooklyn. 

She searched in vain until one day, when she came across Punch4Parkinson’s, a Massachusetts-based nonprofit that pairs patients with trainers in their local communities. She completed an online questionnaire and received a phone call from Ryan Roach, the founder.  

Within a short time, she was paired with Stark and climbed into the ring at Gleason’s Gym. 

Parkinson’s disease is a chronic, progressive brain disorder that causes tremors, stiffness, and slowness in movement. Its symptoms often worsen over time, but treatments can help patients manage them. 

According to the Parkinson’s Foundation, 1.1 million people in the U.S. are living with the disease. Each year, 90,000 people are diagnosed. Actor Michael J. Fox of “Back to the Future” fame went public with his battle with Parkinson’s in 1998. 

Boxing has been linked to Parkinson’s by medical experts. According to the McKnight Brain Institute at the University of Florida, doctors who treated the late, great champion Muhammad Ali provided evidence that he had Parkinson’s due to repeated blows to the head in the ring. Ali died in 2016. 

And a 2017 study of retired Filipino boxers found that 80% of them had Parkinsonism, an illness with Parkinson’s-like symptoms. 

However, many doctors, like Vella-Marrone’s, have recommended non-contact boxing for Parkinson’s patients. “You’re only in danger if you get hit in the head,” she said. “What we do is different.” 

Vella-Marrone said she plans to continue boxing for a long time.   

“Parkinson’s is something you can live with,” she said. “You have to keep moving.” 

Diocese of Brooklyn Pursuing ‘Global Resolution’ to Abuse Claims

By Tablet Staff

The Diocese of Brooklyn is pursuing a “global resolution” to resolve the approximately 1,100 remaining sex abuse cases brought against it, Bishop Robert Brennan announced in a Feb. 12 letter to the faithful.

“The impact of sexual abuse is devastating,” Bishop Brennan said. “As your Bishop, I again offer my deepest apologies to all the victim-survivors. We hope fair and comprehensive action to resolve the lawsuits stemming from the New York Child Victims Act can further the healing process.”

The diocese did not put a financial estimate on the process. In the letter, Bishop Brennan states that the diocese will cut costs and set aside “significant funds to compensate victim-survivors.”

The diocese hopes it can resolve the claims through insurance proceeds, taking advantage of assets — like rental properties and property sales — and some cost-cutting measures, according to the diocese’s legal counsel.

As has been the case with past settlements, and will remain the case for any future settlements, funds from parishioner donations and parish offerings will not be used to resolve the cases, Bishop Brennan said.

“The process of marshalling these funds entails difficult financial choices, but the diocese is committed to fairly compensating all meritorious claims,” Bishop Brennan said. “The diocese is immediately undertaking steps to amass and set aside substantial and sufficient funds to support our compensation efforts.”

CLICK THE IMAGE BELOW TO READ THE FULL LETTER FROM BISHOP BRENNAN.

Over 90% of the 1,100 remaining claims are from more than 35 years ago, with most from the 1970s and the second-most from the 1960s, according to the diocese’s legal counsel. They further added that most of the cases were filed under the New York Child Victims Act, a 2019 state law that extended the statute of limitations for a survivor of child sex abuse in criminal and civil cases.

“We will endeavor to resolve expeditiously all meritorious claims, and to avoid the time, expense, and emotional strain for victim-survivors that would be caused by individual trials,” Bishop Brennan said in the letter, adding that the diocese and its legal counsel have spoken with attorneys representing hundreds of victim-survivors to begin the process.

Jeff Anderson and Associates, which represents over 200 victim-survivors who have brought cases against the diocese said Bishop Brennan’s announcement “offers a real opportunity for resolution and progress.”

“We look forward to the opportunity to work toward a resolution and will continue litigation as necessary,” the firm said in a Feb. 12 statement.  

Since 2017, according to Bishop Brennan, the diocese has paid over 500 victim-survivors more than $100 million through its Independent Reconciliation and Compensation Program. Outside the program, the diocese has resolved about 100 more cases, according, to its legal counsel. Funding to resolve cases to date has typically come from asset sales, counsel explained.

Bishop Brennan said the diocese is “fully committed to the protection of children,” noting its adherence to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People and the diocese’s agreement with the State Attorney General to enhance prevention and investigation procedures.

“Today, after significant reforms brought about by the Charter and by rigorous and constructive study and by strengthening our processes, including through cooperation with the New York State Attorney General, our diocese is a place where children can safely learn and grow in their faith in Christ,” Bishop Brennan said.

For the current global resolution process, Bishop Brennan said the diocese, its legal counsel, and attorneys representing hundreds of victim-survivors have agreed to engage Judge Daniel Buckley and Paul Finn as “neutral mediators.”

Buckley previously mediated a global settlement of sex abuse claims filed against the Archdiocese of Los Angeles and has recently been tasked with globally resolving the claims against the Archdiocese of New York. Finn, meanwhile, has mediated hundreds of sex abuse claims brought against the Archdioceses of Boston and Milwaukee, as well as the Dioceses of Rochester, Rockville Centre, and Syracuse.

“We will seek their guidance in swiftly and justly resolving the meritorious claims brought by victim-survivors against the Diocese of Brooklyn,” Bishop Brennan said.

Anyone who is a victim of sexual abuse within the diocese is encouraged to call the confidential reporting line (888-634-4499), which connects directly to law enforcement authorities.

For information on how the diocese is dealing with clergy sex abuse, visit the website of the Office of Safe Environment and “Protecting our Children” on the Diocese of Brooklyn’s website.

Catholic News Headlines for Thursday 2/12/26   

The Diocese of Brooklyn is pursuing a “global resolution” to resolve the approximately 1,100 remaining sex abuse cases brought against it.

A Brooklyn woman with Parkinson’s disease is fighting back through boxing, using faith and fitness to slow the disease and inspire others.

Bishops across the country are urging the University of Notre Dame to reconsider a leadership appointment after raising concerns about the professor’s public support for abortion.

Pope Leo XIV marks the feast of Our Lady of Lourdes by praying with the sick at the Vatican’s grotto, offering a message of hope and closeness.

Diocese of Brooklyn Announces Closures of Seven Catholic Academies

by The Tablet Staff 

PROSPECT HEIGHTS — Seven Catholic elementary schools in Brooklyn and Queens will permanently close at the end of the school year in June, the Diocese of Brooklyn announced on Feb. 11. 

Officials cited sustained enrollment declines, coupled with ongoing fiscal challenges, as the main reasons. The seven schools are: 

  • Sacred Heart Catholic Academy, Cambria Heights 
  • St. Bartholomew Catholic Academy in Elmhurst 
  • St. Nicholas of Tolentine Catholic Academy in Jamaica 
  • Incarnation Catholic Academy in Queens Village 
  • St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Academy in Woodhaven 
  • St. Elizabeth Catholic Academy in Ozone Park 
  • Our Lady of Trust Catholic Academy in Canarsie 

The diocese will assist families of students with enrollment in different Catholic schools within the diocese, officials said. The diocese will make resources available to faculty and staff members affected by the closures, they added.  

“Our responsibility is both pastoral and practical,” said Deacon Kevin McCormack, superintendent of schools for the diocese. “We will walk with our families and employees through this process, while continuing to strengthen Catholic education throughout Brooklyn and Queens.” 

To assist families in transitioning to nearby Catholic schools, the diocese’s Office of Catholic Schools has created a website, catholicschoolsbq.org/schooltransitions, with information on open houses, transferring Futures in Education scholarships, and contact information to answer questions and respond to concerns. 

According to the diocese, all seven schools have seen a significant decline in enrollment since 2019, with losses accelerating sharply between 2024 and 2025. 

As a result of the enrollment decrease, officials said the schools are collectively operating at a deficit totaling millions of dollars, creating a financially unsustainable situation. 

The decision to close the schools came after an extensive review process that included analyses of several factors, including enrollment trends, operating costs, capital repairs, and long-term sustainability, while accounting for rising insurance and pension costs, officials said.  

Despite significant efforts to stabilize enrollment and finances, officials noted that the seven schools are no longer able to operate in a pastoral and fiscally responsible manner. Here are the enrollment figures for each school: 

  • Sacred Heart Catholic Academy (134 in 2025, down 40.4% from 2019) 
  • St. Bartholomew Catholic Academy (138 in 2025, down 21.1% from 2019) 
  • St. Nicholas of Tolentine Catholic Academy (144 in 2025, down 55% from 2019) 
  • Incarnation Catholic Academy (98 in 2025, down 46.4% from 2019) 
  • St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Academy (105 in 2025, down 42.3% from 2019) 
  • St. Elizabeth Catholic Academy (157 in 2025, down 25.9% from 2019) 
  • Our Lady of Trust Catholic Academy (147 in 2025, down 36.9% from 2019) 

Calling the closures “an extraordinarily difficult moment for our school communities,” Deacon McCormack noted the decision was not an easy one. 

“These schools have served generations of families with dedication and faith,” he explained. “The decision to close them was made only after careful consideration and with great sorrow.”  

All activities and events at the seven schools will go on as planned through the rest of the school year, officials said. They added that while the closure of these schools marks the end of an important chapter, providing access to a Catholic education in Brooklyn and Queens remains a priority for the diocese.