ST. MICHAEL’S IN FLUSHING KICKS OFF THE LUNAR NEW YEAR WITH PRAYERS AND CELEBRATION

In celebration of the Lunar New Year on Sunday, January 22, more than 400 members of the St. Michael’s Roman Catholic Church parish, located in the Flushing section of Queens, hosted a special afternoon of prayer, remembrance, and cultural activities. This year celebrates the Year of the Rabbit.

Auxiliary Bishop James Massa of the Diocese of Brooklyn led a bilingual Mass (English and Chinese) to begin the parish celebration of the Chinese New Year. At the conclusion of the Mass, there was an Ancestors Veneration Ritual.

The ceremony is a Chinese New Year’s tradition where people give thanks to their ancestors and pay tribute to their family’s past. The rituals include nine bows to God, the offering of fruits, flowers, and incense, and the exchange of New Year greetings among the faithful.

A Lunar New Year party and celebration followed the Mass in the parish hall. The featured cultural music and dancing, including the Fan Dance and the Umbrella Dance, as well as food and raffles.

Father Vincentius Do is the Pastor of St. Michael’s Roman Catholic Church in Flushing. Father Do also serve as the Chinese Apostolate for the Diocese of Brooklyn.

The photos attached are courtesy of St. Michael Roman Catholic Church/Diocese of Brooklyn.

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A Mass was held on January 22, 2023, at St. Michael’s in Flushing to mark the start of the Lunar New Year.
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At the conclusion of the Mass, there was an Ancestors Veneration Ritual.
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Bishop James Massa and Father Patrick Keating join Father Vincentius Do at the celebration of the Lunar New Year held at St. Michael’s.
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Children performing as part of the celebration held in the parish hall of St. Michael’s.
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A group photo of the performers at the celebration of Lunar New Year at St. Michael’s.

 

 

Announcement of Death – Reverend Coleman J. Costello

Most Reverend Robert J. Brennan, Bishop of Brooklyn, regrets to inform you of the death of Reverend Coleman J. Costello, a retired priest of the Diocese of Brooklyn. Father Costello, was born on September 28, 1941, was ordained to the priesthood on May 27, 1967, and died Saturday, January 21, 2023. 

Father Costello served the Diocese of Brooklyn as Parochial Vicar of Saint Saviour (Brooklyn), Saint Francis de Sales (Belle Harbor), Saint Anthony of Padua (Brooklyn), Saint Vincent de Paul (Brooklyn), and Saint Andrew Avellino (Brooklyn). He also served as part-time chaplain of Holy Cross High School (Flushing). 

The arrangements are as follows:

WAKE:        Immaculate Conception Center 7200 Douglaston Parkway Douglaston, NY 11362
Tel: (718) 229-8001
Wednesday, January 25, 2023 – 9:00 AM -10:00 AM

FUNERAL:  Immaculate Conception Center 7200 Douglaston Parkway Douglaston, NY 11362
Tel: (718) 229-8001
Wednesday, January 25, 2023 – 10:30 AM

BURIAL:    Saint John Cemetery – Middle Village, New York

Father Costello was a member of the Priests’ Purgatorial Society.

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. 

If you wish to send condolences, please mail them to Reverend Monsignor Joseph J. Bracken, 

129-16 Rockway Beach Boulevard, Belle Harbor, New York 11694. 

Reverend Monsignor Steven J. Aguggia, J.C.L. 

Chancellor 

Memorial Mass for Deacon Joseph C. Denzler

On Monday, December 12, 2022, our office sent out a notice regarding the  death of Deacon Joseph C. Denzler, a retired deacon of the Diocese of  Brooklyn who served at the Parish of Our Lady of Lourdes (Queens  Village). Deacon Denzler died Wednesday, December 7, 2022 in Texas. 

Our office has recently been informed of the following: 

A MEMORIAL MASS WILL BE CELEBRATED: 

Our Lady of Lourdes R.C. Church 
92-80 220th Street 
Queens Village, NY 11428 
Tel: (718) 479-5111 

Saturday, January 28, 2023 
10:45 AM 

All priests who plan to concelebrate, kindly notify the parish. 

Reverend Monsignor Steven J. Aguggia, J.C.L. 
Chancellor

DIOCESE OF BROOKLYN REMEMBERS DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.

The Diocese of Brooklyn Vicariate for Black Catholic Concerns hosted a community forum this morning in advance of the annual Diocesan Prayer Service, commemorating the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. at St. Kevin’s Parish, located in the Flushing section of Queens.

The morning dialogue on the issue of racism and the need to keep Dr. King’s spirit alive within our communities, schools, and churches was attended by more than 150 people. The panelists included Father Ajani Gibson of the Archdiocese of New Orleans, Deacon Kevin McCormack, Superintendent of Brooklyn and Queens Catholic Schools, and Ms. Lorraine Pierre, Principal of St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Academy located in the Crown Heights neighborhood of Brooklyn.

A midday prayer service followed at Noon in honor of the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The guest homilist was Father Ajani Gibson, a priest of the Archdiocese of New Orleans who currently serves as Administrator of St. Peter Claver Parish in New Orleans. The choir of St. Martin de Porres Parish provided the music for the service. An excerpt from “The Three Evils of Society” by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was read aloud at the service.

“As we reflect on his dedication to bringing witness to God’s love for all of us. Each of us is created in the image and likeness of God, and Dr. King wanted to live in a world respectful of the dignity of every human being. Let us ask God in His goodness to help root out the evils of racism and hatred within our society and create a community of acceptance and unity,” said the Most Reverend Robert Brennan, Bishop of Brooklyn.

“Racism is not just a sin, not just this separation of folks here on Earth. It’s a denial of what God has done and has done since the beginning. It is a denial of the very thing that God set in the heart of human beings when he created us,” said Father Ajani Gibson.

“Adversarial dualism, it’s me versus you, it’s us versus them, it’s the distinction that you’re not me and I’m not you as soon as I meet you.  When I put you in a category like that, or you put me in a category like that, we are in a situation of separation, alienation, and discrimination, and what that allows me to do is treat you differently,” said Deacon Kevin McCormack.

The photos and video are courtesy of DeSales Media.

VIMEO link: https://vimeo.com/789859749

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The Diocese of Brooklyn’s Vicariate of Black Catholic Concerns sponsored a community forum to discuss racism, as well as a prayer service in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

 

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Bishop Robert Brennan with some of the members of the clergy who attended the prayer service honoring Dr. King.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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The choir of St. Martin de Porres Parish provided inspiring music for the service.
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Bishop Robert Brennan takes a photo with the students in attendance at the Dr. King prayer service at St. Kevin’s.

BISHOP BRENNAN ORDAINS A NEW DEACON WITH SPECIAL DEVOTION TO THE DEAF COMMUNITY

The Most Reverend Robert Brennan, Bishop of Brooklyn, ordained Mr. Samuel M. Mwiwawi to the transitional diaconate this past Saturday, January 7, 2023, at St. Bernard of Clairvaux Roman Catholic Church serving the Bergen Beach/Mill Basin area of Brooklyn.

Deacon Samuel M. Mwiwawi studied in Kenya and Uganda, attending St. Mary’s Junior Seminary and Kawanda Secondary.  He studied Philosophy and Theology at Christ the King Major Seminary in Kenya and later joined the Dominican Missionary Formation. Samuel then attended the Pope John XXIII National Seminary in Weston, Massachusetts, for one year, and began his service to the Diocese of Brooklyn in October 2018.

“Deacon Samuel’s love for sign language and the deaf community helps to foster a spirit of worship, that access to God who loves us so much. You proclaim the Good News, you lift the burdens, and you set people free. In the parish ministries, the school and religious education, in service to the elderly and to the deaf, it is Christ who you bring, not just social action,” said Bishop Brennan in his remarks addressing Samuel.

Monsignor Joseph Grimaldi vested Deacon Samuel for the first time during the Mass of Ordination, attended by hundreds of people. A reception followed in the school gym.

Upon ordination, permanent deacons may preach and administer the sacraments of baptism and marriage. Transitional deacons are granted these same faculties but continue their studies in anticipation of ordination to the priesthood. Deacon Samuel will be ordained a priest of the Diocese of Brooklyn in June.

The photos attached are courtesy of DeSales Media.

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Bishop Brennan presented the Holy Bible to Samuel M. Mwiwawi upon his ordination to the transitional diaconate.
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Monsignor Joseph Grimaldi, Bishop Robert Brennan and Deacon Samuel with members of the faculty of Pope John Paul XXIII outside the St. Bernard of Clairvaux Roman Catholic Church.
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Bishop Robert Brennan and Deacon Samuel Mwiwawi following the ordination.

***Photo/Video Update***Mass Offered to Honor Pope Benedict VXI

THE DIOCESE OF BROOKLYN OFFERS MASS TODAY TO HONOR THE
LIFE OF POPE BENEDICT XVI

            The Diocese of Brooklyn celebrated a Mass in honor of the late Pope Benedict XVI, today, Thursday, January 5, 2023, at 12 p.m. at the Cathedral Basilica of St. James, located at 250 Cathedral Place in Downtown Brooklyn.

Auxiliary Bishop Neil Tiedemann was the main celebrant of the Mass, which was concelebrated by about 20 priests of the diocese. Five deacons were also on hand, along with students from nearly all of the Catholic high schools in the diocese.

“Today, we believe that the promise that Jesus makes to us, the souls of the just, are in his hands. Benedict is with Him. We are told that we are children of God, but what we shall be we don’t know. But we will see God as He is, and we will become like Him. You and I will become like Him, but we pray this morning our brother Benedict, our shepherd, sees God as He is,” preached Bishop Tiedemann. (SOT in the video below)

The video and photos below are courtesy of DeSales Media.

Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/786708357

 

Pope Benedict Photo
Pope Benedict Photo

 

Mass St James altar
Mass St James altar

 

Homily
Homily

 

Congregation at Mass
Congregation at Mass

 

Auxiliary Bishop Neil Tiedemann at altar
Auxiliary Bishop Neil Tiedemann at altar

 

View from choir loft
View from the choir loft

 

 

 

 

 

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