STATEMENT BY BISHOP NICHOLAS DIMARZIO ON NEW ZEALAND ATTACKS

STATEMENT BY BISHOP NICHOLAS DIMARZIO ON NEW ZEALAND ATTACKS

“I strongly denounce the horrific attacks at the two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, which were aimed at immigrants and people of faith. On behalf of all Catholics within the Diocese of Brooklyn, I offer my prayers for those who have perished and who have been injured in these mass shootings.  This is an unsettling reminder that the right to religious freedom is under attack throughout the world in nations that allow their citizens to worship the God they believe in,” said The Most Reverend Nicholas DiMarzio, Bishop of Brooklyn.

Passing of Most Reverend René A. Valero

OFFICE OF THE CHANCELLOR

DIOCESE OF BROOKLYN

310 Prospect Park West, Brooklyn, New York 11215 ● 718.399.5990 ● FAX: 718.399-5934 E-mail: curia@diobrook.org

Most Reverend Nicholas DiMarzio, Bishop of Brooklyn, regrets to inform you of the death of Most Reverend René A. Valero, Titular Bishop of Vicus Turris and Retired Auxiliary Bishop of the Diocese of Brooklyn. Bishop Valero was born on August 15, 1930 in New York City, was ordained to the Priesthood on June 2, 1956, was ordained a Bishop on November 24, 1980 and died Sunday, March 10, 2019, at the Long Island Jewish Medical Center.

Bishop Valero served the Diocese of Brooklyn as Pastor of Blessed Sacrament (Jackson Heights), as well as Parochial Vicar of Saint Agatha (Brooklyn) and Saint Michael-Saint Edward (Brooklyn).

Bishop Valero held numerous curial positions in the Diocese of Brooklyn, including serving as Vicar for Aging Concerns, Chair of the Racism Committee, Regional Bishop of Queens, Vicar for Immigration and Refugees, Coordinator of the Spanish Apostolate, Director of the Family Division of Catholic Charities and as a member of both the College of Consultors and the Diocesan Personnel Board.

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The arrangements are as follows:

WAKE:

Immaculate Conception Center

7200 Douglaston Parkway

Douglaston, New York 11362

Tel: (718) 229-8001

Monday, March 18, 2019

2:00 PM – 5:00 PM & 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM

AND

Blessed Sacrament R. C. Church

34-43 93rd Street
Jackson Heights, New York 11372

Tel: (718) 639-3888

Tuesday, March 19, 2019

2:00 PM – 5:00 PM

VIGIL MASS:

Blessed Sacrament R. C. Church

34-43 93rd Street
Jackson Heights, New York 11372

Tel: (718) 639-3888

Tuesday, March 19, 2019

7:30 PM

 

FUNERAL MASS:

Immaculate Conception Center

7200 Douglaston Parkway

Douglaston, New York 11362

Tel: (718) 229-8001

Wednesday, March 20, 2019

10:30 AM

BURIAL:

Bishops Crypt at Immaculate Conception Center

 

Bishop Valero was a member of the Priests’ Purgatorial Society. All priests are invited to concelebratethe Liturgy. Please bring your diocesan vestments.

If you wish to send condolences, please mail to Mr. & Mrs. Gerard Purtell, Family of Bishop René A. Valero, c/o Bishop Mugavero Residence, 7200 Douglaston Pkwy., Douglaston, New York 11362.

Please pray for the repose of his soul and for the consolation of his family and friends. May he rest in the peace of Christ, the Risen Lord.

Reverend Monsignor Anthony Hernandez, J.C.L.

Chancellor and Moderator of the Curia

DIOCESE OF BROOKLYN RESPONDS TO SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE SKIT ATTACKING CATHOLIC CHURCH  

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 11, 2019

MEDIA CONTACTS:

Adriana Rodriguez
718-517-3143
arodriguez@desalesmedia.org

John Quaglione 
718-517-3112
jquaglione@desalesmedia.org

 

DIOCESE OF BROOKLYN RESPONDS TO SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE
SKIT ATTACKING CATHOLIC CHURCH

The Diocese of Brooklyn is demanding an immediate public apology from “Saturday Night Live” and NBC after Saturday night’s disgraceful and offensive skit in which cast member Pete Davidson, during the Weekend Update segment, said: “If you support the Catholic Church, isn’t that the same thing as being an R. Kelly fan?” The statement clearly shocked the studio audience as gasps could be heard off camera.

 

Apparently, the only acceptable bias these days is against the Catholic Church. The faithful of our Church are disgusted by the harassment by those in news and entertainment, and this sketch offends millions. The mockery of this difficult time in the Church’s history serves no purpose.

 

The clergy sex abuse crisis is shameful, and no one should ever get a laugh at the expense of the victims who have suffered irreparably. The Diocese of Brooklyn strives every day to ensure that sexual abuse by clergy never happens again.

 

For nearly two decades, the Diocese of Brooklyn has taken this crisis seriously and instituted widespread changes mandated by the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People.

 

Those changes include a zero-tolerance policy in which any clergy member credibly accused of sexual abuse of a minor is permanently removed from ministry. Since 2002, the Diocese of Brooklyn has shared all of its files and allegations against clergy with the District Attorneys of Brooklyn and Queens. In 2004, Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio instituted a reporting line that sends reports directly to law enforcement authorities.

 

The charter also mandates sexual abuse awareness training for all clergy members, teachers, parish/academy/school employees, catechists and volunteers who work directly with children. Employees and volunteers also must agree to initial and ongoing criminal background checks and must sign a code of conduct.

 

To help victims, the Office of Victim Assistance provides referrals for therapy, support groups for survivors and an annual Healing Mass to pray for all who have been impacted by sexual abuse.  The diocese also started the Independent Reconciliation and Compensation Program as another possible mechanism for healing that may help bring closure to victim-survivors of clergy sexual abuse.

 

It is likely that no other institution has done more than the Catholic Church to combat and prevent sexual abuse. The insensitivity of the writers, producers, and the cast of SNL around this painful subject is alarming.

 

New York State Catholic Conference Statement on Recreational Marijuana Legalization

In its rush to legalize so-called “recreational” marijuana usage, we believe that our state’s elected officials are preparing to open a Pandora’s Box that will have multiple deleterious effects on individuals, families, and all of society.

While the Governor and some legislators see enhanced revenues for the state’s coffers through a new taxable marijuana industry, we are more concerned with consequences ranging from increased teenage and childhood usage, harmful effects on developing brains, addiction, natural progression to harder drug use, increased impairment-related transportation accidents and deaths, and other potential public health and safety issues.

Of particular concern regarding the movement toward legalization is the impact on children, and the normalization of usage that state approval encourages. Proponents argue that usage will be restricted to age 21 and older but, as we have seen in the alcohol and tobacco industries, producers of harmful products always find a way to market their products to children.

Studies appear to show racial and ethnic disparities in enforcement of marijuana possession, and we take this issue seriously. The state can and should take appropriate measures to ensure that skin color or zip code do not result in different outcomes for the same offense, including re-evaluating the justice of current criminal penalties for low-level possession. At the same time, we must not simply throw up our hands and legalize a harmful substance in order to declare the problem of discrimination solved.

The Catholic Church is not prohibitionist but at the same time we believe the government should not be encouraging destructive behavior, whether gambling or drug use, to raise revenue. Vice is not an appropriate economic development engine for a state that prides itself as a national progressive leader. Our state motto is Excelsior (ever upward), but policies that exploit addiction instead lead us ever downward.

We join with our state’s medical, education and law enforcement communities in urging New York State to reject marijuana legalization.

The Catholic Conference represents the Bishops of New York State in public policy matters.

Statement on Recreational Marijuana Legalization

Bishop DiMarzio’s recent column on marijuana :

Marijuana Is Very Dangerous

Diocese of Brooklyn Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio Celebrating Ash Wednesday Mass at Noon

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 6, 2019

MEDIA CONTACTS:

Adriana Rodriguez
718-517-3143
arodriguez@desalesmedia.org

John Quaglione 
718-517-3112
jquaglione@desalesmedia.org

 

***MEDIA ADVISORY***

BISHOP NICHOLAS DIMARZIO ASH WEDNESDAY PUBLIC SCHEDULE

 

The Most Reverend Nicholas DiMarzio, Bishop of Brooklyn, will be celebrating Ash Wednesday Mass and distributing ashes at 12 Noon, today, Wednesday, March 6, 2019, at St. James Cathedral Basilica located at 250 Cathedral Place, in Downtown Brooklyn.

Members of the media are invited to attend.

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BROOKLYN AND QUEENS CATHOLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS TO COMPETE IN DIOCESAN MIDDLE SCHOOL MATH BEE THIS AFTERNOON

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 5, 2019

MEDIA CONTACTS:

Adriana Rodriguez
718-517-3143
arodriguez@desalesmedia.org

John Quaglione 
718-517-3112
jquaglione@desalesmedia.org

 

BROOKLYN AND QUEENS CATHOLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS TO COMPETE IN
DIOCESAN MIDDLE SCHOOL MATH BEE THIS AFTERNOON

The Diocese of Brooklyn Press Office is announcing a Brooklyn and Queens Catholic School Math Bee taking place this afternoon, Tuesday, March 5, 2019, at 4 PM, at Immaculate Conception Catholic Academy, located at 179-14 Dalny Road in the Jamaica Estates section of Queens.

The Math Bee will feature the participation of students from Grades 6, 7 and 8, representing 55 Diocesan academies and schools. All schools competing this afternoon had an internal school math bee from which a winner was selected to compete at the Diocesan level.

The Diocese of Brooklyn will also host an Elementary Grade Math Bee in April, featuring 3rd, 4th and 5th-grade students from 54 schools. Details to be announced. Cathy Kenny of St. Frances De Sales Catholic Academy is the Diocesan Math Bee Coordinator.

Members of the media are invited to attend. To RSVP, please send an email to jquaglione@desalesmedia.org.

CATHOLIC ACADEMIES AND PARISH SCHOOLS IN THE DIOCESE OF BROOKLYN WILL BE CLOSED TOMORROW

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 3, 2019

MEDIA CONTACTS:

Adriana Rodriguez
718-517-3143
arodriguez@desalesmedia.org

John Quaglione
718-517-3112
jquaglione@desalesmedia.org

CATHOLIC ACADEMIES AND PARISH SCHOOLS IN THE DIOCESE OF BROOKLYN
WILL BE CLOSED TOMORROW

Following the decision by the New York City public schools to close on Monday, March 4, 2019, due to the impending snow storm, all academies and parish schools within the Diocese of Brooklyn will also close tomorrow.

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