FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 31, 2020

MEDIA CONTACTS:

Adriana Rodriguez
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John Quaglione 
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***PHOTO RELEASE***

 

DIOCESE OF BROOKLYN HIGHLIGHTS CATHOLIC SCHOOLS WEEK CELEBRATION IN GREENPOINT

St. Stanislaus Kostka Catholic Academy in Greenpoint, Brooklyn this week welcomed Diocese of Brooklyn’s Auxiliary Bishop Witold Mroziewski for a special visit as part of their Catholic Schools Week events.

Bishop Mroziewski began his visit with Mass for the students and faculty and proceeded to attend an exceptional school assembly. The talented students of St. Stanislaus Kostka Catholic Academy sang a variety of songs, playing Chopin on the piano and dancing the traditional Polish Polonaise.  Following the Assembly, Bishop Mroziewski toured the school and spoke to the students in each class.

Catholic Schools Week, started in 1974, is a national celebration dedicated to highlighting the success of Catholic education throughout the United States. This year, the theme of Catholic Schools Week is: “Learn. Serve. Lead. Succeed.”

St. Stanislaus Kostka Catholic Academy is located at 12 Newel Street in Brooklyn.

 

PHOTOS ATTACHED are of Bishop Witold Mroziewski attending the student assembly at St. Stanislaus Kostka Catholic Academy during his recent Catholic Schools Week visit.

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 30, 2020

MEDIA CONTACTS:

Adriana Rodriguez
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John Quaglione 
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***PHOTO RELEASE***

BISHOP JAMES MASSA JOINS ST. MARK’S CATHOLIC ACADEMY IN CELEBRATING CATHOLIC SCHOOLS WEEK

            The Diocese of Brooklyn is highlighting an event marking Catholic Schools Week held at St. Mark’s Catholic Academy which began with a Mass celebrated by Auxiliary Bishop James Massa, the Diocesan Vicar for Education.

 

The Mass was followed by the “Great Read,” a 15-year tradition at St. Mark’s, which featured a number of guest readers, including Bishop Massa who read Everyday Angels by Mark Kimball Moulton.

 

Catholic Schools Week, started in 1974, is a national celebration dedicated to highlighting the success of Catholic education throughout the United States. This year, the theme of Catholic Schools Week is: “Learn. Serve. Lead. Succeed.”

 

St. Mark’s Catholic Academy is located in the Sheepshead Bay section of Brooklyn.

 

PHOTO ATTACHED – Bishop Massa speaking with St. Mark’s Catholic Academy students in the classroom during his visit.

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 29, 2020

MEDIA CONTACTS:

Adriana Rodriguez
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John Quaglione 
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SPECIAL ASSEMBLY TO CELEBRATE  CATHOLIC SCHOOLS WEEK IN QUEENS

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 16, 2020

MEDIA CONTACTS:

Adriana Rodriguez
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arodriguez@desalesmedia.org

John Quaglione 
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jquaglione@desalesmedia.org

Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio Urges Support for Victims of Earthquakes in Puerto Rico

 

The Most Reverend Nicholas DiMarzio, Bishop of Brooklyn, is announcing his request for a special voluntary collection this weekend, January 18 and 19, at parishes throughout the Diocese of Brooklyn and Queens for victims of the recent earthquakes in Puerto Rico.

 

“We have all seen the painful images of the devastation caused by the multiple earthquakes in Puerto Rico. Our hearts and prayers go out to all those affected by this terrible natural disaster. We also must remember that Puerto Rico continues to recover from the devastating effects caused by Hurricanes Irma and Maria in September 2017, which affected the infrastructure, health services, education, energy and telecommunications networks on the island,” said The Most Reverend Nicholas DiMarzio, Bishop of Brooklyn.

 

“I ask the Lord to extend His blessings upon our brothers and sisters in Puerto Rico during this difficult time. I also thank the faithful people of Brooklyn and Queens for their continued compassion,” concluded Bishop DiMarzio.

 

The money collected will be sent by the Diocese of Brooklyn for distribution and direct assistance to the Archdiocese of San Juan in Puerto Rico. If someone wishes to write a check for the collection, it should be made payable to the Compostela Fund. For those who wish to mail a donation, it can be sent to: Compostela Fund c/o Diocesan Finance Office, 310 Prospect Park West, Brooklyn, NY 11215. Please write Puerto Rico in the check’s memo section.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 15, 2020

MEDIA CONTACTS:

Adriana Rodriguez
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John Quaglione 
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“CURRENTS NEWS”, BROADCAST ON NEW YORK’S CATHOLIC STATION, TO LAUNCH SERIES EXPOSING THE EVIL OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING

 

Currents News, which airs weeknights on New York’s Catholic station NET TV, will launch a special series on human trafficking tomorrow, Thursday, January 16, titled “Human Trafficking Exposed” during the news program. The five-part series will examine the silent epidemic unfolding in every corner of the United States and across the globe, which Pope Francis has dubbed modern-day slavery.

 

The series includes in-depth reporting from the streets of New York, a major epicenter for human trafficking predators. The series will include exclusive interviews with mothers, daughters, and some of society’s most vulnerable victims exploited and abused for profit. Law enforcement experts, Catholic and other religious organizations, and survivors will reveal shocking truths and how they are combatting the crisis.

 

The schedule for the “Human Trafficking Exposed” series is as follows:

 

January 16: Part 1 – The Scope of the Crisis

January 23: Part 2 – Survivors Speak

January 30: Part 3 – The Online Threat

February 6: Part 4 – A Global Crisis

February 13: Part 5 – Getting Your Voice Back

 

Currents News airs weeknights at 7 pm EST on NET-TV in the New York City area on Spectrum (Channel 97), Optimum (Channel 30), and FIOS (Channel 48). Viewers can also tune in online at www.currentsny.tv. Currents News is produced by the DeSales Media Group.

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 14, 2020

MEDIA CONTACTS:

Adriana Rodriguez
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BROOKLYN CATHOLIC CHURCH ALTAR DESECRATED DURING MASS

 

Brooklyn – The Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn is releasing the video of a heinous act of religious intolerance which occurred this past weekend, on Sunday, January 12, 2020, during the 9:30 a.m. Mass at St. Anthony of Padua, located at 862 Manhattan Avenue in the Greenpoint section of Brooklyn.

 

The attached video shows a man walking onto the church altar as Father Jossy Vattothu is celebrating the Mass. The perpetrator poured juice on the altar, desecrating the altar and interrupting the Mass. He also tossed some juice at the priest, staining his garments. The NYPD’s 94th Precinct responded quickly and the suspect, who was detained by church attendees, was arrested.

 

“During my years as a priest, nothing like this has ever happened. At first, as he approached the altar, I thought he had something to tell me. It is a miracle that the bread and wine were not damaged, and I was able to continue the Mass, consecrating the bread and wine into the body and blood of Jesus Christ,” said Father Jossy Vattothu.

 

“It’s really egregious that somebody would do that at the most sacred part of the Catholic Mass, which is the consecration. I think right now, people are scared given the current environment of anti-Semitic and anti-Catholic incidents. People are afraid to go to their house of worship,” said Monsignor Anthony Hernandez, Chancellor of the Diocese of Brooklyn.

 

“I pray for this person and do not know what was going through his mind. I am grateful for the parishioners who were so caring and consoled me after Mass.  I would urge Catholics who attend mass to sit closer to the altar so that we as a faith community can be more together and make the priest feel more comfortable,” continued Father Vattothu.

 

Father Jossy Vattothu recently celebrated his 10th year as a priest. He is a priest of the religious order of the Carmelites of Mary Immaculate assigned to the Diocese of Brooklyn.

 

The video can be found at https://vimeo.com/384574133/4df786a9d7