BROOKLYN DIOCESE WELCOMES POPE FRANCIS WITH LARGEST PAINTED BILLBOARD IN NYC

DeSales Media Group, the communications and technology arm of the Diocese of Brooklyn, will welcome Pope Francis to the New York metropolitan area with a 225-foot tall billboard in the middle of the Big Apple.

Earlier this week, from sunrise to sunset, a team started hand painting a welcoming message at one of New York’s busiest intersections, the corner of Eighth Avenue and 34th Street in Manhattan. The corner is conveniently located outside Pennsylvania Station and the iconic Madison Square Garden arena, which will host the Holy Father’s September 25th Mass. The billboard will generate more than 700,000 impressions each week and will be visible throughout September.
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‘Summer As Re-Creation Time’ by Bishop DiMarzio

August 19, 2015 – Excerpted from Put Out Into the Deep, Bishop DiMarzio’s column in The Tablet:

My dear brothers and sisters in the Lord,

Summer vacations are times when we can truly recreate. Not in the sense of physical enjoyment but rather in the sense of re-creation from which the word comes. Yes, summer is a time when we need to re-create the image of God that has been placed in us from our Baptism. We need time and distance upon occasion in order to take stock and rededicate ourselves to our life’s calling. Vacations are times away from our daily work where we can reflect on its true meaning, recharge our batteries, if you will, and return to our life’s work renewed with vim and vigor.

My hope is that this summer is giving you the opportunity to re-create yourself again. Do not forget to put yourselves in God’s presence. God is always present to us, but we sometimes forget that God surrounds us at all times in our lives. Vacation-time gives us that extra bit of leisure when we can contemplate the beauty of nature wherever we find it. It is the reflection of the Creator’s love for us. Those extra moments, minutes and hours of free time should be dedicated to some spiritual development and progress. Although most of the time we must find the presence of God in our busy daily lives, vacations offer us the unique opportunity to experience God’s presence at a time when we are usually close to family and friends enjoying well-deserved rest.

Read the full text of the Bishops column on The Tablet website.

‘Mary, Our Model for Living’ by Bishop DiMarzio

August 12, 2015 – Excerpted from Put Out Into the Deep, Bishop DiMarzio’s column in The Tablet:

My dear brothers and sisters in the Lord,

I read an interesting article on icons recently. It is important to understand these images that come from the Eastern tradition and which contain in themselves its whole theology. For example, the clothing of Jesus and Mary shows the colors red and blue, but they are reversed in that Jesus usually has a red tunic and a blue mantle while Our Lady usually has a blue dress and a red mantle. Why, you might ask? Red symbolizes divinity, while blue is a symbol of humanity. In this way, it can be said that Jesus is God made man, while Our Lady instead is a human creature who has been in a certain sense divinized.

As another example, while Jesus is represented with His feet uncovered, placed directly on the earth, Our Lady wears shoes placed lightly on her feet. This expresses the concept that Jesus is the Word of God incarnate, true man like us in all things except sin, while Our Lady is a human creature through and through because by supernatural grace and her faithful response to grace she is raised above the earth.

Truly, icons are wonderful works of art. Some have called them “windows into heaven” because they so clearly express spiritual and theological truths and become schools of Christian learning.

Read the full text of the Bishop’s column on The Tablet website.

‘A Tranquil Invitation’ by Bishop DiMarzio

August 5, 2015 – Excerpted from Put Out Into the Deep, Bishop DiMarzio’s column in The Tablet:

My dear brothers and sisters in the Lord,

Last January, when I visited the Holy Land and stayed at the Neocatecumenal Center overlooking the Sea of Galilee, I had the unique occasion to witness a sudden storm which came seemingly out of nowhere and produced large waves on a normally tranquil lake. It truly looked like a sea at that time.

There is a Gospel scene which describes exactly what I experienced on the Sea of Galilee. Jesus’ disciples were in a boat a long way from shore, and going against the wind, tossed by the waves. They were not able to make it back to shore. But Jesus comes to them walking on the water and says, “Do not be afraid. I am Jesus. Do not be afraid.” And Peter, impetuous as he was, sees Jesus coming on the water and starts to walk on the water himself.

When he realized what he was doing, Peter starts to sink and cries, “Lord, save me!” And the Lord offered His hand and allows Peter to get back into the boat.

Read the full text of the Bishop’s column on The Tablet website.

Partners in Mission Enrollment Management Conference

The Office of the Superintendent ~ Catholic School Support Services, in collaboration with Partners in Mission and Elisa Viesta & Co., will host a conference focused on Marketing Recruitment, and Retention for Catholic schools and academies within the Diocese of Brooklyn.

The purpose of the conference is to further advance the mission of Catholic education with solutions to address the marketing challenges you face in your schools and academies. Pastors, principals, board directors, marketing committees, and all those involved in the enrollment process in a Catholic school or academy within the Diocese of Brooklyn are welcome to attend.

Conference Details are as follows:

Partners in Mission Enrollment Management Conference

Immaculate Conception Center

7200 Douglaston Parkway

Douglaston, New York 11362

Thursday, Nov 5 from 8:30 AM to 3:00 PM

Friday, Nov. 6 from 8:30 AM to 3:00 PM

Saturday, Nov. 7 from 8:30 AM to 12:30 PM.

Breakfast will be provided all three days. Lunch will be provided Thursday and Friday.

Registration Information

Deadline: October 26.

Fee: $10 if received on or before September 30, $15 if received on or after October 1, 2015.

Note: New conference material will be presented each day. Attendance for all three days is strongly recommended and the fee does not change in the case of partial attendance.

Registration is by mail.

Download the Registration Form (PDF)

 

Questions?

Contact Elisa Viesta at info@elisaviesta.com or 646.761.7229