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BISHOP ROBERT BRENNAN LIGHTS CHRISTMAS TREE AND BLESSES NATIVITY SCENE IN GRAND ARMY PLAZA
The Most Reverend Robert J. Brennan, Bishop of Brooklyn, joined DeSales Media at the official Diocesan Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony and blessing of the Nativity Scene, in front of the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Arch located at Grand Army Plaza in Brooklyn this evening.
“We are going to push back the darkness in the light of this glorious Christmas tree so that all of Brooklyn can see what we are celebrating, that Brooklyn can see our joy, Brooklyn can see our love, Brooklyn can see our unity. And there, in the center of it all – God came to live among us, to bring us peace, to draw us together, to help us along the way,” said Bishop Brennan.
The 28-foot Norway Spruce tree is decorated with 16,000 multi-colored LED lights to represent the diversity of the Diocese of Brooklyn, often referred to as the “Diocese of Immigrants.” The event featured a Christmas musical presentation as well.
Christine Persichette, the anchor of Currents News on NET-TV, served as the Mistress of Ceremonies.
THOUSANDS OF CATHOLICS MAKE ANNUAL PILGRIMAGE TO HONOR OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE
The Diocese of Brooklyn celebrated the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe today with two Spanish masses at the Co-Cathedral of St. Joseph, located at 856 Pacific Street in the Prospect Heights section of Brooklyn. About 3,000 pilgrims filled the pews to pray to Our Lady as they were serenaded by Mexican mariachis singing cultural and liturgical songs. The Mass for Queens Catholics took place at 9:30 a.m. and at 1:30 p.m. for Brooklyn Catholics.
During his homily in Spanish, the Most Reverend Robert Brennan, the Bishop of Brooklyn, told the faithful that Mary tells us, like she told Juan Diego in an apparition, not to fear, not to be afraid, for God is always with us, but especially during the difficult times. He also preached to a huge audience of young people, asking them to listen for God’s call as He may ask them to serve the Church as priests or religious.
The annual lighting of the torches followed the Mass on the steps of the Co-Cathedral. Bishop Brennan lit the torches carried by representatives from 44 parishes. After the torch lighting, the pilgrims marched the streets of Queens and Brooklyn to their respective parishes.
The group of pilgrims represents, in its vast majority, the Mexican Catholic population of Brooklyn and Queens. An estimated 175,000 Mexicans live in Brooklyn and Queens.
Mass for the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe at the Co-Cathedral of St. Joseph.The Mariachis at the Mass celebrating the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe added to the festivities of the celebration.Thousands of the faithful of Brooklyn and Queens participated in two Masses at the Co-Cathedral of St. Joseph in honor of Our Lady of Guadalupe.Bishop Brennan lighting one of the 44 torches carried throughout Brooklyn and Queens in honor of Our Lady of Guadalupe.A floral shrine dedicated to Our Lady of Guadalupe.Bishop Robert Brennan outside the Co-Cathedral of St. Joseph greeting the marchers as they embark on their torch journey in honor of Our Lady of Guadalupe.Following the Mass and the lighting of the torches, the faithful begin their journey back to their home parishes.
Most Reverend Robert J. Brennan, Bishop of Brooklyn, regrets to inform you of the death of Reverend Christopher T. Cashman, a priest of the Diocese of Brooklyn ministering as Pastor of Saint Mary Star of the Sea, Brooklyn. Father Cashman, was born on March 15, 1958, was ordained to the priesthood on June 3, 1989, and died Friday, December 9, 2022.
Father Cashman served the Diocese of Brooklyn as Pastor of Saint Mary Star of the Sea (Brooklyn), Saint Aloysius (Ridgewood), and Parochial Vicar of Saint Bernadette (Brooklyn), Saint Sebastian (Woodside), Good Shepherd (Brooklyn), and Our Lady of Sorrows (Corona).
The arrangements are as follows:
WAKE:Saint Mary Star of the Sea 467 Court Street
Brooklyn, New York 11231
Tel: (718) 625-2270 Tuesday, December 13, 2022 3:00 PM to 8:00 PM
FUNERAL:Saint Mary Star of the Sea 467 Court Street
Brooklyn, New York 11231
Tel: (718) 625-2270 Wednesday, December 14, 2022 11:00 AM
BURIAL:St. John Cemetery Middle Village, New York
Father Cashman 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 to his brother William Cashman, 283 Avenue C, Apartment #5G, New York, New York 10009.
Reverend Monsignor Steven J. Aguggia, J.C.L. Chancellor
Most Reverend Robert J. Brennan, Bishop of Brooklyn, regrets to inform you of the death of Reverend Monsignor Michael J. Cantley, a retired priest of the Diocese of Brooklyn. Monsignor Cantley was born on February 8, 1929, was ordained to the priesthood on June 4, 1955, and died on Monday, November 28, 2022.
Monsignor Cantley served the Diocese of Brooklyn as Pastor of the Parish of Saint Anastasia (Douglaston) and was also Administrator of Saint John Vianney (Flushing). He also served as Parochial Vicar of the Parishes of Saint Michael (Brooklyn), Saint Benedict Joseph Labre (Richmond Hill), Blessed Sacrament (Jackson Heights). Monsignor Cantley was also a faculty member at the Immaculate Conception Seminary and at Saint John’s University.
On May 16, 1986, Monsignor Cantley was named Prelate of Honor to His Holiness.
The funeral arrangements are as follows:
WAKE: ImmaculateConceptionCenter 7200 Douglaston Parkway Douglaston, New York 11362 – Tel: (718) 229-8001 Saturday, December 3, 2022 9:00 AM – 9:45 AM
FUNERAL: Immaculate Conception Center 7200 Douglaston Parkway Douglaston, New York 11362 – Tel: (718) 229-8001 Saturday, December 3, 2022 10:00 AM
BURIAL: Saint Charles Cemetery Farmingdale, New York
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 his niece, Ms. Catherine Clock, 7 Bohack Court, Sayville, New York 11782.
Reverend Monsignor Steven J. Aguggia, J.C.L. Chancellor
DIOCESE OF BROOKLYN TO HOST ANNUAL MASS OF HOPE AND HEALING
The Diocese of Brooklyn will host the annual Mass of Hope & Healing tomorrow, Thursday, October 13, at 7:00 p.m. at Resurrection-Ascension Roman Catholic Church, located at 85-25 61st Road in Rego Park, Queens. The Most Reverend Robert Brennan, Bishop of Brooklyn, will be the Main Celebrant and Homilist at the Mass.
This sixth Mass of Hope & Healing is an opportunity to come together as a Diocese and pray for Victim-Survivors of sexual abuse and all those impacted by sexual abuse. This will mark Bishop Brennan’s first Mass of Hope and Healing and the first since 2019, due to the Coronavirus pandemic.
The Mass will be broadcast live on the Diocesan cable channel NET-TV available on Verizon Fios Channel 548, Spectrum Channel 97, or Channel 30 on Optimum. The Mass can also be watched online at https://netny.tv/.
Members of the media are welcomed and are encouraged to respond via e-mail to confirm their attendance.
BROOKLYN’S BISHOP LAUNCHES A NEW PODCAST BIG CITY CATHOLICS
A big city Catholic since he was a boy, Brooklyn’s new Bishop Robert Brennan now hosts a new weekly podcast titled ” Big City Catholics,” where he talks to the faithful through this modern and popular form of communication.
Raised on Long Island to a father who was a New York City police officer, he often spent time in Brooklyn and Queens, never thinking one day he would be the Bishop of Brooklyn. Now back home in New York, following a brief tenure as Bishop of Columbus, Bishop Brennan’s podcast shares stories of his travels throughout the diocese and the pastoral joys of his episcopal ministry in the “big city.” Co-host Father Christopher Heanue joins Bishop Brennan as they explore questions of faith that impact the everyday lives of parents, friends, and professionals living in the big city with all its challenges.
“For more than two thousand years, the Catholic Church has shared the message of Jesus Christ in every corner of the world and by all means possible. But we know there are people who either haven’t heard or truly do not understand the love and compassion God has for each of us. I pray that this podcast will both reaffirm the faith of listeners and engage those who have stood on the sidelines. May our new audience come to understand and know the power of God,” said Bishop Robert Brennan.
“For me, it is an honor to be asked to participate with Bishop Brennan in this great endeavor. In every role we have, Christ has a special purpose in mind for us, and so we explore what it is that Jesus Christ is calling us to do today,” said Father Christopher Heanue, Rector of the Co-Cathedral of St Joseph.
The latest podcast features Monsignor James P. Shea, author of the ground-breaking book, From Christendom to Apostolic Mission. Monsignor Shea has been the sixth president of the University of Mary in Bismarck, North Dakota, since 2009.
Big City Catholics is available on popular podcast platforms, including Apple, Spotify, and YouTube, or on the Diocese of Brooklyn website, podcast.dioceseofbrooklyn.org.
Attached photos: Courtesy: DeSales Media
Bishop Brennan recording in the podcast room
Bishop Brennan with headphonesBishop Brennan – Brooklyn Bridge
4-year-old Robert Brennan at Unisphere 1966 World’s Fair grounds (B&W)
Bishop Brennan – Unisphere in Flushing Meadows Corona Park
Bishop Brennan – Unisphere in Flushing Meadows Corona Park (B&W)
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ABOUT BISHOP BRENNAN:
On November 30, 2021, Bishop Robert Brennan was installed as the Eighth Bishop of the Diocese of Brooklyn, serving the people of Brooklyn and Queens. Born in the Bronx and raised in Lindenhurst, Long Island, Bishop Brennan attended St. John’s University, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in mathematics and computer science. He then studied for the priesthood at the Seminary of the Immaculate Conception in Huntington, New York.
Bishop Brennan was ordained a priest of the Diocese of Rockville Centre on May 27, 1989. He was later ordained as an Auxiliary Bishop of Rockville Centre on July 25, 2012. On January 31, 2019, Pope Francis announced his selection of Bishop Brennan as the 12th Bishop of the Diocese of Columbus, Ohio. He was installed as the Bishop of Columbus on March 29, 2019.
On a national level, Bishop Brennan serves on the Pro-Life committee of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.
ABOUT FATHER HEANUE:
Father Christopher Ryan Heanue is the Rector of the Co-Cathedral of St. Joseph located in the Prospect Heights section of Brooklyn.
He was ordained a priest by Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio on June 27, 2015. Father Heanue was raised in Blessed Virgin Mary Help of Christians parish in the Woodside section of Queens, also known as St. Mary’s Winfield.
He is a graduate of Cathedral Prep, spent one year at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, and completed his studies at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in Pennsylvania. He earned his Bachelor’s degree in Philosophy with a minor in business from St. John’s University and was awarded a Master of Divinity from St. Charles Borromeo Seminary. Father Heanue was awarded a Master’s in Business Administration from St. John’s University in May 2021.
In January 2018, Bishop Emeritus Nicholas DiMarzio named him the leader of the Irish Apostolate of the Diocese of Brooklyn.
Diocese of Brooklyn Announces Former NYPD Detective Appointed to Key Roles in the Office of Child Protection
The Most Reverend Robert Brennan, Bishop of Brooklyn, has announced the selection of Elizabeth Harris, a retired New York City Police Department Detective, to fill two critical roles in the Diocese of Brooklyn’s Office of Protection of Children and Young People – Victim Assistance Coordinator and 1722 Supervisor.
“Detective Harris brings a unique breadth of experience that will further enhance our efforts to protect the faithful with the strong safe environment protocols we already have in place. I am grateful she is now sharing her expertise with the Diocese to assist us in this most important mission,” said Bishop Robert Brennan.
Harris served in the NYPD for 21 years, 12 of which she worked in the Manhattan Child Abuse Squad, investigating a high volume of allegations of child sexual abuse. She specialized in interviewing sex assault victims. Before that, Harris spent four years in the NYPD’s sex offender monitoring unit. Since retiring from the NYPD, Harris worked at The Safe Center of Long Island as the Director of Forensic Services, where she worked with victims of physical and sexual abuse.
The Office of Victim Assistance provides pastoral care and assistance to those who have presented themselves to be victims of clergy sexual abuse and is committed to helping them begin the healing process. The 1722 Supervisor is responsible for the monitoring of priests who have been removed from ministry.
Harris received a Bachelor of Science Degree from the State University of New York at Oneonta, majoring in Sociology and Child and Family Studies.
“I am thrilled to bring my experience to the Diocese of Brooklyn and join their mission to advocate for victims of sexual abuse. It is impressive to witness the level of commitment by Bishop Brennan and the diocese in their work to eradicate any further abuse of children. I am so proud to be a part of this movement,” said Elizabeth Harris.
The above-referenced appointments recently took effect.
The photo attached is courtesy of the Diocese of Brooklyn.
BISHOP ROBERT BRENNAN PROCESSES WITH FDNY OVER BROOKLYN BRIDGE,
LEADS BROOKLYN FDNY MASS THIS SEPTEMBER 11TH
The Most Reverend Robert Brennan, Bishop of Brooklyn, joined members of the FDNY’s Battalion 57 in Brooklyn for a procession over the Brooklyn Bridge to the Co-Cathedral of St. Joseph. Bishop Brennan met the marchers, who were coming from Lower Manhattan, as they entered Brooklyn. The marchers carried 25 flags; 24 FDNY flags represented the 23 members of Battalion 57 who were lost at the World Trade Center and a Battalion member’s brother who also died that day, and one American flag.
The procession ended at the Co-Cathedral of St. Joseph, located at 856 Pacific Street in Brooklyn, where the 11 a.m. Mass commemorated the 21st Anniversary of the attacks of September 11, 2001. At the start of the Mass, the names of the fallen firefighters from Battalion 57 were read aloud.
In his homily, Bishop Brennan preached “That day saw the worst of humanity in those attacks, but you know what, it saw also the greatness of humanity, in the men and women who responded so courageously, and so generously, many of your companions, many of your coworkers, collaborators, colleagues, and many who were in these places before you. We saw the goodness and the bravery, the courage of people.”
Bishop Brennan continued, “Today as you marched, as you came in here with those flags standing for those firefighters, your companies, from our companies from here, the fire companies who serve us, I saw the icon, stark icon of the horrors of September 11th, 2001. But as I look beyond and I see all of you here in this church gathered in prayer, I see an icon not only of September 11th, but I see an icon of September 12th, of September 13th. I see an icon of 2002, 2003, 2021, 2022. I see the icon of people who, even in spite of some of those most horrendous things we have witnessed, still stand up and offer themselves in service to their neighbor with courage and generosity; I see you as icons of that courage and generosity; I see you as icons of those who never ever give up.”
Battalion 57 consists of several fire stations and multiple fire companies, including 4 Battalion Chiefs, Engine Companies 217, 219, 230, and 235, as well as Ladder Companies 102 and 105.
200th ANNIVERSARY MASS CELEBRATED IN BROOKLYN TODAY FOR FIRST CATHOLIC CHURCH ON LONG ISLAND
His Eminence, Timothy Cardinal Dolan, Archbishop of New York, celebrated Mass today in Brooklyn to mark the 200th Anniversary of the parish of St. James, the first Catholic Church to be built on all of Long Island. Bishop Robert Brennan of Brooklyn, and Bishop John Barres of Rockville Centre, concelebrated the 2 p.m. Mass. Hundreds of the faithful filled the pews at the Cathedral Basilica of St. James in Downtown Brooklyn.
“The faith of an inspired layman, Peter Turner, who approached on behalf of a rather tiny Irish village, he approached my predecessor Bishop Connolly for the first church to be built on Long Island. You know in his eloquent simple letter to Bishop Connelly, he said, we just need a place, a place for prayer and the sacraments, to teach the faith and to bury our dead,” preached Cardinal Dolan. “We praise God I would submit mostly for the faith, the faith that has been planted, nurtured, preached and practiced here, the faith extolled by Jesus in this afternoon’s holy Gospel.”
Prior to the construction of St. James, there was no established church on Long Island, which back then was comprised of Brooklyn, Queens, Nassau, and Suffolk counties. For residents of the Village of Brooklyn to attend Mass, they had to commute by boat to Manhattan. On July 25, 1822, on the Feast of St. James, New York Bishop John Connolly traveled from St. Patrick’s Old Cathedral to bless the cornerstone of the Church designated as St. James.
“Generations have come to this community, sharing different cultures over these 200 years. The neighborhood looks quite different than its early days of 1822, much history has passed and so many changes have taken place coming and going. But you know what is constant here is the proclamation of the Gospel, the celebration of the Eucharist, and the encounter of God’s mercy. We have a lot to be thankful for today,” said Bishop Brennan.
In 1972, Bishop Francis Mugavero officially designated St. James as the Cathedral of the Diocese of Brooklyn. In 1979, Pope John Paul II visited St. James Cathedral, and in 1982, officially designated the Cathedral as a Basilica.
Cardinal Dolan entering St. JamesBishop Robert Brennan Welcomes the Faithful to the 200th Anniversary Mass at the Cathedral-Basilica of St. JamesFaithful at the Cathedral-Basilica of St. James 200th Anniversary MassBishop Robert Brennan Welcomes the Faithful to 200th Anniversary Mass of the Cathedral-Basilica of St. JamesFaithful at the Cathedral-Basilica of St. James 200th Anniversary MassCardinal Timothy Dolan at the ConsecrationAltar at the 200th Anniversary Mass of the Cathedral-Basilica of St. James
CATHOLIC TRADITION KICKS OFF IN WILLIAMSBURG TONIGHT WITH THE OUR LADY OF MOUNT CARMEL FEAST
The 135th Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel begins tonight in Brooklyn with an Opening Night Coronation Mass celebrated by the Most Reverend Robert J. Brennan, Bishop of Brooklyn, at 7 pm at Our Lady of Mount Carmel, located at 275 N 8th Street in Williamsburg.
After tonight’s Mass, a fireworks show will take place at 9 pm. The Italian American feast in Brooklyn, which dates back to 1887, will take place from July 6th – July 17th and include the following special Masses and events:
Sunday, July 10, 11:30 am Mass in honor of San Paolino
Celebrated by Msgr. Jamie J. Gigantiello, Pastor Our Lady of Mount Carmel – Annunciation Parish
Sunday, July 10, 1:30 pm Dancing of the Giglio
Wednesday, July 13, 7:30 pm Giglio Night Lift; Fireworks 9 pm
Saturday, July 16, 10 am Our Lady of Mount Carmel Feast Day English Mass Celebrated by Monsignor David Cassato
Saturday, July 16, 2 pm Our Lady of Mount Carmel Feast Day English/Italian Mass
Celebrated by Most Reverend Nicholas DiMarzio Bishop Emeritus of Brooklyn
Saturday, July 16, 3 pm Procession of the statue of Our Lady of Mount Carmel
Sunday, July 17, 3 pm Old Timers’ Giglio Sunday – Dancing of the Giglio
The Giglio is a seven-story tower structure composed of aluminum, paper-mâché, and plastic painted and decorated with Gigli (flowers) and the image of St. Paulinus. A platform at the base of the tower supports a twelve-piece brass band and singer. The entire assemblage—tower and band—is hoisted and carried by 112 dancing and marching men, the lifters. Each lift begins with the official feast song, written in Williamsburg and used since 1959, “O Giglio e Paradiso.”
