BUSHWICK — The calling toward apostolic discipleship has always been the guiding principle of Israel Rodriguez’s life — even before he had any choice.
When he was 9 years old, his parents felt compelled by the words of Pope John Paul II to become missionaries, and traveled from Spain to Newark in 1988 as part of the Neocatechumenal Way.
Decades later, Rodriguez, now 43, sits at the helm of St. Brigid-St. Frances Cabrini Catholic Academy, where he has served as principal since August 2023.
Following years as missionary work — including a year of service in the Holy Land — he committed himself to family life and to giving through education. As a principal, he strives to emulate his parents’ devotion, cultivating a space where the children can both learn and form a relationship with God.
“I know that if there is a safe environment with a welcoming community, it translates into thriving academically. That’s just the way it is,” he said.
A safe learning space was not a given in Rodriguez’s young life. In the early 1990s, Newark was crime-ridden, and facing a population exodus as the middle class fled in droves because, among other problems, aggravated assault was 32% higher than a decade prior.
“There’s always a gang element in Newark, or has been in Newark. It’s a very tough city,” he said.
Upon arriving in Newark, his parents placed him in public school, which exposed him to a dangerous environment of gang violence. While there, he was systematically bullied.
Finally, when he was in the seventh grade, his parents transferred him to a Catholic school, where the atmosphere of faith provided structure, protection, and guidance.
“I went into a place where academic rigor was not the only demand. It was also the demand for discipline and respect,” Rodriguez said.
Along with his Catholic education, Rodriguez found support from the Neocatechumenal Way, which he joined when he was 13 years old.
Looking to further his faith journey, he left Newark after high school for the slopes of Colorado, where he attended Regis University and was a seminarian for the Archdiocese of Denver. In his third year, he was invited to spend a year of service in the Holy Land, living in both Galilee and Jerusalem.
After returning to Newark, Rodriguez was conflicted about what he wanted to do with his life. After more than a year of contemplation and doubt, he decided to devote himself to marriage and family.
Rodriguez met Claudia, now his wife, at a soccer game that was a fundraising event for his prior seminary. He is the oldest of 10 children, and now, the couple have seven children of their own — five of whom are students at St. Brigid-St. Frances Cabrini Catholic Academy — which further adds to his personal connection to the school.
“It’s fun. Every time he comes to my classroom, he gives me a little treat,” his daughter, Lucia, a second grader, said.
Rodriguez has taught for more than 12 years, most recently serving as a Spanish and religion teacher at Christ the King High School in Queens. The student body at St. Brigid-St. Frances Cabrini Catholic Academy is 95% Latino, and being able to speak Spanish fluently is a plus, he said.
He adds that the same structure he enjoyed at the Newark Catholic schools of his youth is what he wants to provide for the students at St. Brigid-St. Frances Cabrini Catholic Academy. His goal: to create an open environment where students can feel free to build a relationship with God.
“Have them meet Christ, because education is not going to answer serious questions in life. The education is going to give them the ‘what to do,’ the ‘how to do it,’ but not the ‘why.’ … If they don’t have the ‘why,’ it can be a very dark world,” Rodriguez said.
