The Road To Priesthood In The Brooklyn Diocese: JohnPaul Obiaeri’s Story

By Katie Engesser

Voices are raised in a joyful noise as parishioners of St. Clement Pope Church in Jamaica, Queens celebrate their African heritage. For Deacon JohnPaul Obiaeri, it’s a welcome reminder of his childhood home and his road to the priesthood.

“My coming to Brooklyn was totally providential,” Deacon JohnPaul explained.

Deacon JohnPaul’s faith was formed in Ebenator Nigeria, a small town that in English means “three homes” or “three places.” His family, including three brothers and one sister, and his community are all deeply devout. “The Catholic faith is almost 70 to 80 percent in the eastern part of Nigeria,” said Deacon JohnPaul.

“In some families in my area we have like three, four priests coming from siblings,” he added. Deacon JohnPaul followed suit; eventually becoming so inspired by his parish priests, he decided to enter the seminary.

As Deacon JohnPaul began to study philosophy and question everything around him, he started to have doubts which caused him to leave. “At some point I said, ‘this is not what I want to do,’ he explained.

Deacon JohnPaul then tried to find his way. His family, who were concerned, asked him how they could help. Deacon JohnPaul had an idea. “If you want to help me, I want to go abroad. I want to study abroad,” he said.

Happy to help however they could, his family agreed. He narrowed down his choices to three schools: Boston College, Fordham University and St. John’s University. Deacon JohnPaul had made up his mind to go Boston, and then tragedy struck. The Boston Marathon bombing caused the college to curtail the number of new foreign students, Deacon JohnPaul among them.

He then decided to go to Fordham and room with a friend in Canarsie.

“That was actually how I came to know Brooklyn,” he explained.

While he attended classes, more and more people were mistaking him for a priest. He started considering his vocation again, and as he grappled with the difficult decision, he asked God for help.

“I said ‘God, if this is what you want me to do, then make it easy for me. Make it easy in such that when I call the Diocese, that the Diocese is able to respond,” he prayed. God answered his call.

Now, Deacon JohnPaul is serving the Brooklyn Diocese, the place he calls home. As he prepares for his ordination, his doubts are gone; thanks to God, his family, and the faithful from the Diocese of Brooklyn.

“People don’t want me to be another Jesus Christ, they just want me to be a priest of Jesus Christ. And that is the most I can be. To be a priest for the people and I’m so, so excited and looking forward to getting into that position,” he said.

De Blasio Formally Jumps Into Presidential Campaign Pool

By Allyson Escobar

Mayor Bill de Blasio formally announced his campaign for president on May 16, becoming the 23rd candidate to join the Democratic field that includes such national figures as former U.S. Vice President Joe Biden and Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA).

“I’m a New Yorker, I’ve known Trump’s a bully for a long time. This is not news to me or anyone else here. And I know how to take him on,” de Blasio, 58, said in his campaign video announcing the news. In the video, he boasts about some of his accomplishments as mayor of New York such as launching the Green New Deal, starting universal free pre-K program and establishing a citywide $15 minimum wage.

“As president, I will take on the wealthy, I will take on big corporations. I will not rest until this government serves working people. It’s time we put working people first,” de Blasio said.

De Blasio is now serving his second term as mayor. He was first elected in 2013 on a platform of fighting inequality and the wage gap. He won re-election in 2017 with the slogan “Promises Made, Promises Kept,” the same slogan that President Donald Trump has used. Previously, de Blasio was the city’s public advocate. A native of New York City who grew up near Boston, he lived in Park Slope before becoming mayor.

“I have never run for anything without intending to win,” De Blasio said at a press conference last week, although he is widely seen as a long shot at best. A Quinnipiac poll in March found that 76 percent of New York voters were not in favor of him running.

“Can you like, fix the subway first,” one disgruntled New Yorker responded to his candidacy announcement.

De Blasio has some history with Pope Francis. He visited the Vatican for a papal conference on climate change in 2015, and met the pope during the pontiff’s visit to New York, the same year. The liberal mayor has long called himself “spiritual,” not religious, according to the New York Times.

A Trump tweet following the campaign announcement called De Blasio “the worst mayor in the U.S.” and a “JOKE, but if you like high taxes and crime, he’s your man.”

De Blasio said Trump he “must be stopped. I’ve beaten him before, and I will do it again.”

Meet the Artist Behind Cardinal Dolan’s New Portrait

By Emily Drooby

Artist, Richard Hearns’ pieces fill the walls of The Sheen Center for Thought & Culture. While all of them are beautiful, one commands the room: the new official portrait of Cardinal Timothy Dolan.

Hearns and Cardinal Dolan met through mutual friends.

“We have a very long [old], family connection,” Hearns explained.

Hearns grew up Catholic. His godmother, Sister Rosario Delaney, happened to have been Cardinal Dolan’s grade school principal at Holy Infant Catholic School in Missouri.

A Hearns family friend, Sister Bosco Daly, became a connection as well. She was once one of Cardinal Dolan’s teachers

“It was fascinating to me that we both had this very positive influence from these same two women all our lives, so that’s really the bridge that connects myself and the Cardinal,” said Hearns.

Now, another bridge connects the two: the art work.

Over the years, Hearns and Cardinal Dolan have met both in New York City and in Ireland where Hearns lives. The idea for the portrait came from these get-togethers.

Hearns is primarily an abstract painter. Painting a portrait became a challenge, one he was thrilled to take on.

“I went to great lengths, I poured over books, I talked to anybody I knew who was involved in portraiture, I visited Museums in Ireland, in the states, in Rome,” he said.

Now, his hard work has paid off.

“That painting was in my studio for over three years and nobody really got to see it, so now to have other people engage with the painting, from the Archdiocese from the greater New York area, I can’t put it into words really, it means a great deal to me,” Hearns said.

The portrait and other pieces from his still life collection are on display at the Sheen Center for all to enjoy. They will remain through May 22, which is when the painting will be moved to Cardinal Dolan’s home, which is not open to the public.

More video of Richard Hearns and his other projects can be found on Vimeo at https://vimeo.com/user17200100

Pueri Cantores Choirs

Pueri Cantores Choirs are among the most famous children’s choirs and are the second biggest Catholic choir in the whole world. They have performed all over the globe, from St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York to the Vatican. Joe Estevez interviews two of their Los Angeles choirs.

Currents News for Wednesday, May 15, 2019

On the newscast: Alabama is on the verge of the strongest law in America to protect the unborn, possibly setting the stage for a new Supreme Court battle over abortion; The Pope Room is part of a bright new addition at JFK Airport, recalling the golden age of jet travel; Two men are in danger more than 800 feet above ground before they were rescued; It’s a joyride from the Pope as his passengers drive around Saint Peter’s Square.

Watch weeknights at 7:00 pm EST on NET-TV in the New York City area on Spectrum, Optimum, and Fios. Subscribe to our YouTube channel to receive notifications about new content.

Couple Graduates With Masters In Theology As Husband Prepares For Life As A Deacon

By Emily Drooby

One couple within the Diocese of Brooklyn is living out a little known truth: the married couple that studies together, stays together.

Juliette and Hugo Morel both recently graduated with their Masters in Theology from St. Joseph’s Seminary, having tackled the difficult course load the way they do everything: as a team.

In May, Hugo will be ordained as a permanent deacon in the Diocese of Brooklyn, meaning that he will become a clergy member who is allowed to be married, and can perform sacraments like weddings and baptisms. As a deacon he can also proclaim the Gospel and preach at Mass, among other ministries.

The road to his ordination and their masters degrees has not been smooth. The couple has faced plenty of struggles, like his commute and a language barrier.

“I rely on her a lot, without her I wouldn’t be able to do it. Thank God for her,” said Hugo of his wife.

“It was hard. The beginning we thought it was going to be in Spanish, and I said ‘okay, in Spanish, I can handle. It’s going to be hard, but I can handle.’ But then when we found out it was in English, it was like, ‘I don’t know, maybe,’” Juliette said.

The couple had some important help to get through it all, praying often throughout the process.

“God helped me, sent me angels around me and helped me to accomplish that,” said Juliette.

For years, the Morels kept their faith on a back burner. The family rediscovered it after being hit hard by the 2008 recession. Now faith is the cornerstone of their lives.

“Without my faith, I could not do nothing. Because when I have a problem, I know I can overcome that because God is with me. It’s our lives, it’s what we are going to pass to our kids, we don’t want money, but we want them to love God,” said Juliette.

The Morels are proof that with a partner by your side, and faith, you can accomplish anything.

New Alabama Abortion Law Could Head To High Court

Currents News Staff

Alabama’s new bill bans abortion at every stage of pregnancy.

Those seeking an abortion would not be punished, but doctors performing the procedure would face 99 years in prison.

Women would only be able to get an abortion if their life is at risk, with no exception for rape or incest.

Alabama joins four other states this year that passed bills limiting abortion, and 11 other states that introduced similar legislation this year.

Alabama’s lawmakers say their bill is specifically designed to go to the Supreme Court and challenge the law of the land, Roe vs. Wade.

“This is the first time in 46 years that the makeup on the Supreme Court has changed where there’s possibly enough conservatives on there who would believe Roe vs. Wade is incorrectly decided,” said Eric Johnston, founder of the Alabama Pro-Life Coalition.

“Life is a gift of our creator, and we must do everything that we can to protect life,” said Clyde Chambliss, the state’s Republican Senator.

“Keeping that bill as simple and as focused on the message, to me, was our goal,” agreed Terri Collins, the Republican State Representative from Alabama’s 8th District.

Meanwhile, crowds have been convening in Alabama’s Capitol, waving signs and protesting the most restrictive abortion bill in the country.

Chants of “what do we do,” and “stand up fight back,” echoed throughout the Senate chambers.

“You just aborted the state of Alabama. You just raped Alabama with this bill,” Democratic State Senator Bobby Singleton said.

With similar goals being pursued across the nation, the courts have intervened in some states, stopping Kentucky’s bill from going into effect and finding previous measures from North Dakota and Iowa unconstitutional.

How Catholics Can Champion Life Amidst Pro-Abortion Legislation

By Emily Drooby

Alabama State Senator Clyde Chambliss has spoken about the bill that would protect life in his state and outlaw virtually all killings of unborn children through abortion.

If Alabama’s Governor signs the measure as expected, the law might wind up in front of the U.S. Supreme Court.

Joining us to discuss how Catholics can protect life in the face of political uncertainty is the Director of Pro-Life Activities for the New York State Catholic Conference, Kathy Gallagher.

Denver School Hero Laid To Rest With Help From Knights Of Columbus

Currents News Staff

Eighteen-year-old Kendrick Castillo was killed as he lunged toward a gunman during the shooting at his Denver area school on May 7. The shooting left eight others injured, and the Castillos without their son.

This week he was laid to rest with a celebration of life worthy of a hero. The Knights Of Columbus, which Castillo’s father is a member, contributed support to the funeral services.

The result of Castillo’s actions are still painful for his friends and family, even though his actions spared other families from grief.

The accused gunmen were both students at the school, and are now both facing charges as adults, including murder and attempted murder.

Castillo was about a foot away from one of the shooters and immediately jumped into action along with the help of two other students.

“He was a wonderful person and he was going off to college. He was doing great things, and it’s truly a shame that he had to leave us so early. It’s truly a shame that he had to make that kind of decision,” said Joshua Jones, a student who also tackled one of the shooters.

Meanwhile students are beginning to return to class to finish out the school year and make the final stretch toward graduation, a milestone Kendrick Castillo was only days away from.

Alabama Senate Passes Near-Total Abortion Ban

Currents News Staff

The Alabama Senate has passed House Bill 314, the most restrictive abortion bill in the country.

If the state’s Governor Kay Ivey signs it into law, the Alabama Human Life Protection Act would make performing an abortion a class a felony with a maximum prison sentence of 99 years.

“A life is a life. Even if its origins are in very difficult situations, that life is still precious,” said Senator Clyde Chambliss of Alabama’s 30th District.

The bill allows exceptions for deadly fetal abnormalities and the health of the pregnant woman. Senators rejected an amendment making exceptions for rape and incest.

“Keeping that bill as simple and as focused on the message, to me, was our goal,” said 8th District Representative Terri Collins.

Some supporters of this bill are focused on overturning Roe vs. Wade, the Supreme Court case that legalized abortion.

“I think this bill has too many flaws in it, and maybe it is the best thing that it goes up there and it doesn’t get affirmed, and Roe vs. Wade will still be the law of the land,” said State Senator Bobby Singleton, of Alabama’s 24th District.

Critics say this law infringes upon women’s freedom, and in some cases, health.

The Governor has six days to sign the bill.

A spokeswoman said Ivey would not comment until she reviews it. If she signs the bill, it would go into effect in six months.

Staci Fox, the President and CEO of Planned Parenthood Southeast says the organization will be going to court to “ensure abortion remains safe and legal.”