Month: March 2017

‘Springtime Of The Soul’ by Bishop DiMarzio

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March 29, 2017 – Excerpted from Put Out Into the Deep, Bishop DiMarzio’s column in The Tablet:

My dear brothers and sisters in the Lord,

As we have begun the season of Lent several weeks ago, I cannot help but comment on what Lent can mean for us. The word Lent comes from an old English word that means spring; therefore, it is not unreasonable to describe Lent as the springtime of the soul, a time of new birth in preparation for the great feast of the Resurrection.

St. Augustine once prayed in these words: “Lord, to cut myself off from You means to die. To return to You means to rise again. To remain with You means to live, to truly live.”

This prayer of Augustine truly can be an outline for a Lenten program. If we separate ourselves from the Lord, we truly die. That separation happens when we sin, when we neglect our spiritual life or when, for so many reasons, God does not become the center of our lives. But, to return, and Lent is a season of return, means to rise again, to begin again, to take a new opportunity to deepen our relationship with the Lord. Truly, to remain in the Lord means to really live, and that is the goal of our Lenten journey, to rise and to remain in the Lord.

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

‘Springtime Of The Soul’ by Bishop DiMarzio

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March 29, 2017 – Excerpted from Put Out Into the Deep, Bishop DiMarzio’s column in The Tablet:

My dear brothers and sisters in the Lord,

As we have begun the season of Lent several weeks ago, I cannot help but comment on what Lent can mean for us. The word Lent comes from an old English word that means spring; therefore, it is not unreasonable to describe Lent as the springtime of the soul, a time of new birth in preparation for the great feast of the Resurrection.

St. Augustine once prayed in these words: “Lord, to cut myself off from You means to die. To return to You means to rise again. To remain with You means to live, to truly live.”

This prayer of Augustine truly can be an outline for a Lenten program. If we separate ourselves from the Lord, we truly die. That separation happens when we sin, when we neglect our spiritual life or when, for so many reasons, God does not become the center of our lives. But, to return, and Lent is a season of return, means to rise again, to begin again, to take a new opportunity to deepen our relationship with the Lord. Truly, to remain in the Lord means to really live, and that is the goal of our Lenten journey, to rise and to remain in the Lord.

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

Passing of Rev. Matthew J. Pomilio

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Most Reverend Nicholas DiMarzio, Bishop of Brooklyn, regrets to inform you of the death of Reverend Matthew J. Pomilio, retired senior priest of the Diocese of Brooklyn, who was in private residence. Father Pomilio was born on June 21, 1936 in Brooklyn, was ordained to the Priesthood on June 2, 1962, and died Thursday, March 23, 2017, at Ozanam Hall of Queens Nursing Home.

Father Pomilio served the Diocese of Brooklyn as Parochial Vicar of Saint Catherine of Alexandria (Brooklyn), Saint Blaise (Brooklyn), Most Precious Blood (Long Island City), Saint Fortunata (Brooklyn), Holy Name of Jesus (Brooklyn), Saint Rosalia (Brooklyn) and Saint Rita (Brooklyn).

The arrangements are as follows:  Read more »

‘Annunciation Celebrates Mary And Jesus’ by Bishop DiMarzio

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March 22, 2017 – Excerpted from Put Out Into the Deep, Bishop DiMarzio’s column in The Tablet: 

My dear brothers and sisters in the Lord,

This week, we celebrate the Feast of the Annunciation. It is both a Marian Feast and a Feast of Jesus Christ because it is on this day that Mary virginally conceived the Lord Jesus. This feast has always been celebrated as a feast of both Christ and Mary. In fact, in the past it carried the name of the Annunciation of Christ or the Conception of Christ.

Unfortunately, many people confuse the Annunciation with the Immaculate Conception. The Immaculate Conception refers to the privilege of Mary that she was conceived without Original Sin, no sin touched her who was destined to be the Mother of God.

Instead, on the Feast of the Annunciation we remember that the message of the Archangel Gabriel to Mary is that the Holy Spirit would overshadow her and she would give birth to a son, notwithstanding Mary’s objection that she knew not man.

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

‘Annunciation Celebrates Mary And Jesus’ by Bishop DiMarzio

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March 22, 2017 – Excerpted from Put Out Into The Deep, Bishop DiMarzio’s column in The Tablet:

My dear brothers and sisters in the Lord,

This week, we celebrate the Feast of the Annunciation. It is both a Marian Feast and a Feast of Jesus Christ because it is on this day that Mary virginally conceived the Lord Jesus. This feast has always been celebrated as a feast of both Christ and Mary. In fact, in the past it carried the name of the Annunciation of Christ or the Conception of Christ.

Unfortunately, many people confuse the Annunciation with the Immaculate Conception. The Immaculate Conception refers to the privilege of Mary that she was conceived without Original Sin, no sin touched her who was destined to be the Mother of God.

Instead, on the Feast of the Annunciation we remember that the message of the Archangel Gabriel to Mary is that the Holy Spirit would overshadow her and she would give birth to a son, notwithstanding Mary’s objection that she knew not man.

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

ARTIST PAINTS ICONIC SISTINE CHAPEL IMAGE ON BROOKLYN BUILDING AS PART OF EASTER CAMPAIGN ENCOURAGING FORGIVENESS

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UPDATE: March 20, 2017 Time lapse video of Michelangelo painting available here:https://dioceseofbrooklyn.org/billboard-videos/. Work will begin again today at 11am. Artist will come down to street level at 2pm and 5pm for media interviews. Please contact the Diocese of Brooklyn press office (numbers below) if you are interested in an interview.  

UPDATE: March 19, 2017 To accomodate a high level of media interest, Artist Mike Fusco and his team will take time from their work and come down to street level for media interviews at 2pm and 6pm today. If you are interested in an interview please have your crew there and ready at one of these times. Crews are welcome to get pictures and video of the artists working at any time throughout the day.  

UPDATE: March 18, 2017 Work on the mural has been suspended for the day due to inclement weather. Painting will resume tomorrow, March 19, at 11am.  

On Friday, March 17, the brick wall of a Brooklyn building will become an artist’s canvas as he paints a renowned scene from the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. The project is part of an Easter campaign designed to inspire forgiveness.  One of the world’s most iconic images, Michelangelo’s “The Creation of Adam” will grace 3rd Avenue in Bay Ridge at the corner of 81st Street. Artist Mike Fusco will be painting the 20.5 foot by 23-foot billboard and will be available for interviews on site. Read more »

SCHOOL CLOSINGS 3/14/17

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All Diocese of Brooklyn Schools and Academies will be closed on Tuesday, March 14, 2017, due to the Winter Storm Stella which is expected to deposit 12-20 inches of snow in the New York City area.

Issuing Office: New York City
Source: National.Weather.Service
4:18am EDT, Mon Mar 13

… BLIZZARD WARNING IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO MIDNIGHT EDT TUESDAY NIGHT… THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN UPTON HAS ISSUED A BLIZZARD WARNING, WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO MIDNIGHT EDT TUESDAY NIGHT. THE BLIZZARD WATCH IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT. * LOCATIONS… METROPOLITAN NEW YORK CITY AND NEW JERSEY, WESTERN LONG ISLAND, SOUTHERN WESTCHESTER, SOUTHERN FAIRFIELD, SOUTHERN NEW HAVEN, NORTHERN MIDDLESEX, AND NORTHERN NEW LONDON COUNTIES. * HAZARD TYPES… HEAVY SNOW AND BLIZZARD CONDITIONS. SNOW MAY MIX WITH OR CHANGE TO SLEET AND RAIN ACROSS SOUTHERN AND EASTERN COASTAL AREAS LATE TUESDAY MORNING INTO TUESDAY AFTERNOON. * SNOW ACCUMULATIONS… 12 TO 20 INCHES… HIGHEST AMOUNTS TO THE NORTH AND WEST. * SNOWFALL RATES… 2 TO 4 INCHES PER HOUR EARLY TUESDAY MORNING INTO EARLY TUESDAY AFTERNOON. * TIMING… LATE TONIGHT INTO TUESDAY EVENING. * IMPACTS… DANGEROUS TRAVEL DUE TO WHITEOUT CONDITIONS AT TIMES. SEVERAL ROADS MAY BECOME IMPASSABLE. POWER OUTAGES POSSIBLE. DAMAGING WIND GUSTS POSSIBLE ACROSS LONG ISLAND AND COASTAL CONNECTICUT. * WINDS… NORTHEAST 25 TO 35 MPH WITH GUSTS 40 TO 55 MPH ON TUESDAY. HIGHEST WINDS ACROSS COASTAL AREAS. * TEMPERATURES… IN THE UPPER 20S. * VISIBILITIES… ONE QUARTER MILE OR LESS AT TIMES. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS… A BLIZZARD WARNING MEANS SEVERE WINTER WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED OR OCCURRING. FALLING AND BLOWING SNOW WITH STRONG WINDS AND POOR VISIBILITIES ARE LIKELY. THIS WILL LEAD TO WHITEOUT CONDITIONS… MAKING TRAVEL EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. DO NOT TRAVEL. IF YOU MUST TRAVEL… HAVE A WINTER SURVIVAL KIT WITH YOU. IF YOU GET STRANDED… STAY WITH YOUR VEHICLE.

 

Passing of Msgr. Patrick F. O’Toole

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Most Reverend Nicholas DiMarzio, Bishop of Brooklyn, regrets to inform you of the death of Reverend Monsignor Patrick F. O’Toole, retired senior priest of the Diocese of Brooklyn, who was in private residence in Florida. Monsignor O’Toole was born on January 15, 1937 in Galway, Ireland, was ordained to the Priesthood on June 19, 1960, and died Wednesday, March 8, 2017, at NYU Medical Center.

Monsignor O’Toole served the Diocese of Brooklyn as Pastor of Saint Cecilia (Brooklyn), Saint Patrick (Brooklyn), Saint Ann (Brooklyn), and as Parochial Vicar of Saint Kevin (Flushing) and Saint Saviour (Brooklyn). On May 16, 1986, he was named Prelate of Honor to His Holiness.

The arrangements are as follows: Read more »

‘Ensuring The Future Of The Diocese’ by Bishop DiMarzio

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March 8, 2017 – Excerpted from Put Out Into the Deep, Bishop DiMarzio’s column in The Tablet:

My dear brothers and sisters in the Lord,

On behalf of the people who are served throughout our Diocese in Brooklyn and Queens, we begin the 2017 Annual Catholic Appeal, “Live in Faith – Give in Love,” by thanking those who generously responded to the 2016 Annual Catholic Appeal and the Generations of Faith capital campaign.

While the Generations of Faith capital campaign is helping to strengthen our parishes, provide for our senior priests and secure the future of the Church through our diocesan youth ministry initiative, the Annual Catholic Appeal continues to support the vital diocesan ministries that serve the people of Brooklyn and Queens on a day-to-day basis. If it were not for the commitment of parishioners throughout the Diocese to the Annual Catholic Appeal each year, the responsibility to provide the basic services and ministries of the Diocese of Brooklyn would be impossible.

The 2017 Annual Catholic Appeal, “Live in Faith – Give in Love,” reminds us that the work of the Church is shared by all believers in response to the gifts of faith and love. By supporting the works of the Diocese and the mission of the Church through a commitment to the Annual Catholic Appeal, you will inspire others in your parish and our diocese to join us as we answer God’s call to love and to serve our neighbors. Those who are without shelter, malnourished, those without access to Catholic education, men discerning the priesthood and those who are ill and dying – all depend upon our generosity.

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