Brooklyn Diocese Mourns Loss of First Hispanic Pastor

A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated for Msgr. Perfecto Vazquez, a retired priest of the Diocese of Brooklyn, at St. Teresa Church, Woodside, Nov. 13.

He died Nov. 9 at Elmhurst General Hospital after suffering a stroke. He would have been 86 in December.

Msgr. Vazquez was the first priest of Hispanic heritage to be appointed a pastor in the Diocese of Brooklyn.

A native of the Galicia region of northwest Spain, he discerned his call to religious life at a young age. He attended the Benedictine Abbey of Samos, Spain, and studied theology at the Monastery of Samos.

He was ordained a Benedictine priest on July 29, 1956 in Lugo, Spain.

In 1962, he came to the Brooklyn Diocese to study for his master’s degree in math at St. John’s University, Jamaica. At the time, he was assisting at St. Agnes, Carroll Gardens.

After graduation, he was a teacher and administrator at Colegio San Benito, Puerto Rico, but returned three times to assist at St. Agnes, before finally relocating to Brooklyn and becoming a full-time assistant at St. Agnes in 1970.

He was incardinated into the Brooklyn Diocese on Jan. 20, 1975, and was named a monsignor in 1982.

He was appointed pastor of Visitation B.V.M., Red Hook, on May 25, 1975, and became the diocese’s first Hispanic pastor. He served at Visitation for 11 years.

He then served as pastor at St. Agnes, 1986-93, and Guardian Angel, Brighton Beach, 1993-08.

As a senior active priest, he served as spiritual director of the diocesan Cursillo Movement, led pilgrimages and lived in residence at St. Teresa parish, Woodside.

Bishop Alfonso Cabezas, C.M., was the main celebrant at the funeral Mass.

Special concelebrants included Msgrs. Denis Herron, who preached the homily, and Steven Ferrari, and Fathers Thomas Pettei and John Harrington.

More than 50 other priests concelebrated Mass for the standing-room-only congregation.

Eyes on Heaven

Msgr. Herron, who once lived with Msgr. Vazquez, described him as someone “who had his eyes on Heaven and his feet on the ground.”

“I was always impressed by his energy,” said Msgr. Herron. “He reminded me of the energizer bunny. He never stopped, always moving, always active. I don’t think he ever really retired.

“He knew who he was. He was a pastor, who delighted in his sheep. He knew how his sheep acted and reacted.

“I often asked what would give him that energy. I think it had to do with his purity of heart. You begin to come to the energy of God by that pure heart that never stops loving.

Humble and Joyful

“He was humble and joyful, not joy without the cross, but joy through the cross.”

Msgr. Herron said that he loved listening to all of Msgr. Vazquez’s stories. “He had stories and he would go and on and on, and he would get happier as he went on. But everyone enjoyed the stories even if you didn’t understand a word he said.”

Bishop Cabezas described Msgr. Vazquez as “a great guy.”

“That’s why we all are here this morning – to wish him a Happy Resurrection,” said the Vincentian prelate.

Msgr. Vazquez is survived by his brother Manuel of Whitestone.

Burial was in St. John’s Cemetery, Middle Village.

USCCB Meeting Tuesday Wrap

Cardinal Daniel DiNardo began Tuesday’s meeting assuring concerned bishops that he would bring their voices on sex abuse to the Vatican’s February meeting.

Many stood to speak out, urging brother bishops that they need to do something, anything.

“I came from a diocese that was damaged, gravely damaged, for 16 years and beyond by the predatory behavior of the diocesan bishop. So this is very personal for me, I know what happened. So we really have to give clear response,” said Bishop Kevin Vann, Diocese of Orange.

Bishop Thomas Paprocki received spontaneous applause. “We do have a responsibility to take care of our sheep. Our Holy Father has called us to accompany our sheep, our people are crying out for some action,” said Paprocki.

The bishops agreed they would move forward with discussions about a third party reporting system, a special commission for complaints against bishops and standards of accountability for bishops involved in the sex abuse crisis – all items that were slotted to be voted upon.

The bishops also agreed that they will consider asking the Vatican to release all of the documents related to ex Cardinal Theodore McCarrick.

Dr. Francesco Cesareo, the head of the national review board, praised the progress made since 2002. But at the same time cited a lack of transparency and accountability that is hurting the Catholic faithful.

“Your response to this crisis has been incomplete,” said Cesareo. “It is shameful that the sin of abuse was hidden and allowed to fester until uncovered by the secular world.”

Casereo went on to recommend a full review of all diocesan files dating back to 1950 and urged bishops to have those findings go public.

In an exclusive interview with Currents News Bishop Christopher Coyne, the head of the USCCB Committee on Communication, expressed a similar view.

“The only way you cure cancer and cancerous sin – which was the sin of abuse of children and the fact that it was covered up and still is being covered up in some instances – needs to be removed completely. Otherwise the cancer is going to keep spreading,” said Coyne.

Bishop Coyne was the former spokesman for the Archdiocese of Boston during the 2002 sex abuse crisis.

Survivors Speak Out At USCCB Meeting

By Michelle Powers

Clutching pictures of themselves at the age they were first abused, survivors walked in silence. A protest against the Church, they say, didn’t speak up for them.

“I now have will finally have an answer to the question I’ve wait my whole life to see, does canon law outweigh federal law?,” said Shaun Dougherty. He finally came forward about his abuse during Pennsylvania’s recent attorneys general investigation. He had hoped change was coming to the church with new rules governing bishops. But he was disappointed.

“At the insistence of the Holy See we will not be voting on the two action items in our documentation regarding the abuse crisis,” said Cardinal DiNardo. He said the Holy See is insisting the Bishops wait to vote until after the Pope’s February meeting focused on sexual abuse.

Cardinal Blaise Cupich stood up and recommended the bishops still vote, even if it’s non-binding. “We can benefit from the discussions that happen in February and, in fact, may find some new insights we have not thought of. But we need to act soon, without delay,” said Cupich. Cardinal Cupich also suggested that the U-S Bishops hold a special meeting in March to begin immediately enacting new protocols following the Vatican’s February summit.

The Bishops also officially heard from several survivors during their day of prayer and reflection Monday. Luis Torres is from the Diocese of Brooklyn and has found hope in the dioceses’ efforts since the Dallas Charter, enacted in 2002. “Abuse of a child is the closest that you can get to murder and still possibly have a breathing body before you,” said Torres. “The Diocese of Brooklyn particularly through its VAC, Victim Assistance Coordinator, has demonstrated to me its willingness to share in my journey and its commitment to restoring faith, where once I only knew betrayal,” he added.

Tokyo’s Archbishop Isao Kikuchi Offers Encouragement

In the midst of the abuse crisis, Tokyo’s Archbishop Isao Kikuchi is encouraging the clergy to honestly admit wrongdoing.

Speaking exclusively with Currents News, he’s telling the laity to turn to the gospels. In addition to bearing witness to Christ, Archbishop Kikuchi said Catholics can demonstrate their faith through charitable works and deeds.

USCCB Conference Tuesday Analysis

National Correspondent for The Tablet & Crux, Chris White, joins Currents News to breakdown the latest developments at the USCCB meeting.

1 Corinthians

Jenn Gotzon Chandler and husband Jim Chandler are both celebrated actors. The pair give new meaning to the term “power couple” as they take on an industry famous for tearing marriages apart. Liz Faublas discovers how their undying love and deep faith helped them bring their marriage (and each other) back from the brink of despair.

U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ General Meeting Begins

By Michelle Powers

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ General Meeting began as it usually does, in prayer.

Bishops were solemn and serious, closing their eyes, asking God for wisdom in navigating what is being called the greatest test the American Catholic Church has ever faced, the current sex abuse crisis.

The priests come from all of the nation’s 196 Catholic dioceses and they thought they were arriving in Baltimore to vote on a code of conduct for bishops and a proposed lay investigative board to help put an end to clerical abuse, but that quickly changed with a last minute announcement.

“I need to open our time together with an important announcement,” Cardinal Daniel DiNardo, the head of the USCCB began, “at the insistence of the Holy See we will not be voting on the two action items in our documentation regarding the abuse crisis, that is the standards of accountability for bishops and the special commission for receiving complaints against bishops.

Cardinal DiNardo said the Holy See informed him of the request late Sunday afternoon. The Vatican is insisting that the US bishops wait to vote until after the Pope’s February meeting focused of sex abuse.

Many bishops were unhappy with the announcement. Cardinal Blaise Cupich stood to say, “The Holy See is taking seriously the abuse crisis in the Church, seeing it as a watershed moment not just for the Church in this country, but around the world, in putting so much emphasis on the February meeting.”

Cardinal Cupich proposed that the bishops take a non-binding vote, in order to give a sense of where they stand ahead of that February meeting. He also suggested that the bishops hold a special meeting in March, to begin immediately enacting new protocols following the Vatican summit. “We need as a conference, as brother bishops, to take up this issue for the good of the Church in this country without delay. We can benefit from the discussions that happen in February and, in fact, may find some new insights we have not thought of. But we need to act soon, without delay.”

Since what has been dubbed the “Summer of Hell,” beginning in June when now ex-Cardinal Theodore McCarrick was removed from ministry following accusations of abuse, the American Catholic Church has been engulfed with several state attorney general investigations, and even one issued by the federal government.

While Cardinal DiNardo made note that a majority of those cases occurred decades ago, he acknowledged that the pain continues each day, and this week will determine how Catholics will view their bishops. In his presidential address, DiNardo said, “Whether we will be remembered as guardians of the abused, or the abuser, will be determined by our actions beginning this week and in the months ahead.”

The bishops gathered on Monday also heard from Archbishop Christophe Pierre, the Pope’s representative to the United States, who pushed for collaboration with the laity to stop abuse. “Our Holy Father has spoken of the ills of clericalism since the first day of his pontificate. It is an illness and it must be treated as such,” Pierre said.

Currents News for Monday, November 12, 2018

On this special edition newscast: United against hate following the deadly synagogue shooting. The power of faith on display by Brooklyn Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio, Cardinal Timothy Dolan, and other religious leaders in the city; 2,500 pilgrims from the Brooklyn diocese headed to Washington D.C. for a pilgrimage honoring the blessed mother; Thirteen seminarians took a big step on their path to priesthood; A Diocese of Brooklyn student making a big difference and helping cancer patients.

Today’s top news from the Catholic perspective anchored by Liz Faublas. Currents news airs Monday through Friday at 7:00 p.m. EST on NET-TV (netny.tv)

Currents News for Friday, November 9, 2018

On the newscast: The young lives lost- We’re learning more about the victims of Wednesday’s California bar rampage; The former track coach of the shooter is speaking out about what she says happened years ago; Extending a hand to the immigrant community: Xaverian High School students talk about their new Spanish honor society; We’re hearing from the caretakers accused of starting a toddler fight club.

Today’s top news from the Catholic perspective anchored by Liz Faublas. Currents news airs Monday through Friday at 7:00 p.m. EST on NET-TV (netny.tv)

Honor Students Want to Help Immigrants

By Tim Harfmann

Sixty students were inducted into the first-ever Spanish Honor Society at Xaverian High School in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn. It’s the only chapter of its kind among nine Catholic high schools in the borough. The students want to use the honor to help immigrants.

“It helps Xaverian be more culturally enriched, culturally diverse. We learn more about, not just the Spanish language, but also the Spanish culture. And we’re going to do different volunteer projects around the Latino community to help educate ourselves,” said Vanchi Ly, a junior and member of the new society.

But while the students are learning about language and culture, the hot-button topic of immigration is on their minds.

Ly is the daughter of Vietnamese immigrants. Her father escaped the Vietnam War by boat. She understands what many immigrants face. “They’re fleeing violence, so they need to come here in the same way. They’re just looking for safety and better opportunities,” said Ly.

To be inducted, students need to have a high grade point average and excel in Spanish language class.

Tara McLaughlin is a junior and the chapter’s vice president. “I’m learning a lot more about the world and how it’s affected by our diversity. And I get to see other people’s perspective through that,” said McLaughlin.

McLaughlin’s grandparents immigrated to the United States from Ireland. She said while they had the opportunity to live the American dream, it’s hard for her to watch others struggle. “I don’t get to experience the discrimination that they face in our world today,” said McLaughlin. “By learning more about their culture, it allows me to see their perspective and the struggles that they face.”

“We just want to build a community and support, so we stand behind the Hispanic community and all the issues that they face,” said Ly.

A society looking to expand their faith and culture in order to understand other immigrants.