FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 3, 2022

MEDIA CONTACTS:

Adriana Rodriguez
646-241-9805
arodriguez@desalesmedia.org

John Quaglione 
718-576-9180
jquaglione@desalesmedia.org

BISHOP ROBERT BRENNAN TO BLESS ST. AUGUSTINE CHURCH
FOLLOWING LAST WEEKEND’S DESECRATION

The Most Reverend Robert J. Brennan, Bishop of Brooklyn, will bless St. Augustine Church following last weekend’s desecration and burglary of the church’s tabernacle. The blessing is part of a Penitential Rite of Reparation that will take place during the 5 pm Mass on Saturday, June 4, 2022, at St. Augustine Roman Catholic Church, located at 116 6th Avenue in the Park Slope section of Brooklyn.

“A horrendous crime has been committed in our church, and that affects the entire community of the parish,” said Bishop Robert Brennan. “In the commission of this crime, the Holy Eucharist, the body of Christ, was strewn all over the altar. That is a grave and hateful act of sacrilege as the Eucharist is central to our life as Catholics. The ritual I ask the community to join me in prayer is for the reparation of the wrong that has been done to them,” continued Bishop Brennan.

The brazen theft was discovered in the afternoon of Saturday, May 28, 2022. The burglar cut through a metal protective casing and made off with the tabernacle, which dates back to when the church was built in the late 1800s. This holy sacramental receptacle is irreplaceable due to its historical and artistic value. The angels which flanked the tabernacle were decapitated and destroyed.

At the start of the Penitential Rite of Reparation, the altar of the church will already be stripped bare. After entering, Bishop Brennan will bless the water and sprinkle the altar, the congregants, and the walls of the desecrated church as a sign of purification. The altar will then be dressed as the offertory of the Mass takes place. Parishioners will vest the altar and light the candles as they prepare for the liturgy of the Eucharist. The Holy Mass will then be celebrated and the desecrated church is restored to divine service.

“The restoration of the church building to its sacred dignity renews the resolve of the local church in Brooklyn and Queens to grow in holiness and in witness to the presence of our Risen Lord in the world today,” said Bishop Brennan.

Members of the media are invited to attend and should respond to confirm.

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The Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn is announcing the New York City Police Department is investigating a brazen crime of disrespect and hate, which desecrated the most Holy Eucharist and the altar at St. Augustine Catholic Church, located at 116 6th Avenue in the Park Slope section of Brooklyn.

The burglar cut through a metal protective casing and made off with the Tabernacle, which dates back to when the church was built in the late 1800s. This holy sacramental receptacle is irreplaceable due to its historical and artistic value. The angels which flanked the Tabernacle were decapitated and destroyed, and the Holy Eucharist housed inside the Tabernacle was thrown all over the altar.

“This is devastating, as the Tabernacle is the central focus of our church outside of worship, holding the Body of Christ, the Eucharist, which is delivered to the sick and homebound,” said Father Frank Tumino, pastor of St. Augustine. “To know that a burglar entered the most sacred space of our beautiful Church and took great pains to cut into a security system is a heinous act of disrespect,” continued Tumino.

The burglary is suspected to have taken place on Friday, May 27, and was discovered by the pastor on Saturday, May 28. A safe in the sacristy was also cut open, but nothing was inside. Photos of the damage, as well as the video of the original Tabernacle, are attached.

Anyone who may have information that can help police with their investigation is asked to call the NYPD at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477).

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VIDEO: https://vimeo.com/714923634
Credit: DeSales Media Group

 

BISHOP BRENNAN CELEBRATES FIRST EASTER VIGIL AS
BISHOP OF BROOKLYN

         “We are announcing the greatest news of all time. Jesus Christ is Risen,” proclaimed the Most Reverend Robert Brennan, who celebrated the Great Easter Vigil tonight, his first as Bishop of Brooklyn, at the Co-Cathedral of St. Joseph, located at 856 Pacific Street, in the Prospect Heights section of Brooklyn.

“He is Risen from the dead, He lives.  He didn’t just rise to make an appearance 2000 years ago, He lives. He lives now forever and we will be with Him one day. We will die with Him, we die with Him in baptism, but by dying with Him in baptism we know that we will rise with Him. This is the greatest news ever and today we celebrate it with tremendous joy,” preached Bishop Brennan.

The Easter Vigil begins in the dark outside the Church. That is where the Paschal candle is lit and that light is shared with all inside the church, which dramatically lights up to symbolize the Risen Lord.

“We come because we need to be reminded every once in a while, and we go forth from here ready to announce, to bring the news to the world by the way we live our lives with joy, with hope and with confidence, because Jesus is Risen, because our lives have meaning and direction, because we are meant to live forever,” added Bishop Brennan.

Bishop Brennan baptized five new Catholics, who now begin their new life in the Church. Six people were also confirmed during the Easter Vigil.

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Video courtesy of DeSales Media: https://vimeo.com/700128379

:00  Ceremony begins outside

:41  Sharing the light inside the Church

1:31 NATS “Que Viva Jesus Resuscitado”

1:42 Quote 1 – We are announcing … He is Risen from the dead

2:19 Quote 2 – We come because ….

2:50 Baptisms

BISHOP BRENNAN BLESSES EASTER FOOD BASKETS THIS HOLY SATURDAY

         The Most Reverend Robert Brennan, Bishop of Brooklyn, this morning joined the Polish community of Holy Cross Roman Catholic Church in Maspeth for the annual blessing of their Easter food baskets.  Bishop Brennan was joined by Auxiliary Bishop Witold Mroziewski.

“This blessing of the Easter baskets, and of all the foods, is so beautiful because it connects the family and the Church. It’s beautiful to see so many of you gathered as families, to see different generations of people here, coming together to the Church to ask for God’s blessing,” said Bishop Robert Brennan.

“We remember the works completed during this time of Lent. We thank God for the graces we have received through the season of prayer, fasting, and works of mercy.  Today connects us with the Joy of Easter when we will celebrate that Jesus Christ is risen from the dead,” continued Bishop Brennan.

This morning’s prayer service was attended by more than 300 people. Two children from the parish presented Bishop Brennan with an Easter food basket in appreciation of his visit. Holy Cross Roman Catholic Church is located at 61-21 56^th Road in Queens.

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Vimeo link: https://vimeo.com/700054948

Photos attached.
The photos and video are courtesy of DeSales Media.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 14, 2022

MEDIA CONTACTS:

Adriana Rodriguez
646-241-9805
arodriguez@desalesmedia.org

John Quaglione 
718-576-9180
jquaglione@desalesmedia.org

BISHOP BRENNAN TO MARK FIRST EASTER TRIDUUM AS BISHOP OF THE DIOCESE OF BROOKLYN

            The Most Reverend Robert Brennan will mark his first Easter Triduum as the Bishop of Brooklyn with a number of Masses, prayer services and processions beginning tonight, Holy Thursday, April 14, 2022, and continuing through Easter Sunday, April 17, 2022.

Members of the media are invited to attend any of the following:

Thursday, April 14, 2022,

7:00 P.M. The Mass of the Lord’s Supper and the Washing of the Feet

Co-Cathedral of St. Joseph, 856 Pacific Street, Brooklyn

*This Mass will be live-streamed at: https://netny.tv/watch-now/

Good Friday, April 15, 2022

10:00 A.M. – The Way of the Cross Good Friday Procession

Starting at the Cathedral Basilica of St. James and continuing over the Brooklyn Bridge

3:00 P.M. – The Liturgy of the Lord’s Passion

Cathedral Basilica of St. James, 250 Cathedral Place, Downtown Brooklyn

Saturday, April 16, 2022

10:00 A.M. Blessing of Easter Food Baskets with the Polish community

Bishop Brennan will be joined by Auxiliary Bishop Witold Mroziewski

Holy Cross Roman Catholic Church, 61-21 56^th Road, Queens

7:30 P.M. The Great Easter Vigil

The Co-Cathedral of St. Joseph, 856 Pacific Street, Brooklyn

*This Mass will be live-streamed at: https://netny.tv/watch-now/

Sunday, April 17, 2022

11:00 A.M. Easter Sunday Mass

Cathedral Basilica of St. James, 250 Cathedral Place, Brooklyn

*This Mass will be live-streamed at: https://netny.tv/watch-now/

*Arrangements can be made through the press office for media coverage of Easter Sunday Masses at parishes throughout Brooklyn and Queens.

BISHOP BRENNAN SPEAKS ON BROOKLYN SUBWAY ATTACK IN HOMILY DURING TONIGHT’S
BROOKLYN DIOCESE CHRISM MASS

The Most Reverend Robert Brennan, Bishop of Brooklyn, tonight celebrated the annual Diocese of Brooklyn Chrism Mass at the Co-Cathedral of St. Joseph, located in the Prospect Heights section of Brooklyn. During the Mass, the bishop consecrated the oils to be used in the coming year for sacramental anointing. He also led hundreds of priests and deacons in renewing their promises of service to the Church.

In his homily, Bishop Brennan spoke of this morning’s attack on the subway at 36^th Street in the Sunset Park section of Brooklyn.

“We were shaken to our core this morning, right here in the borough of Brooklyn, when violence hit us at home. Tonight, we pray very earnestly for those who were injured, passengers on the train, and the police who went in. We pray for their healing and restoration of their health.  We pray for all of those out there every day watching over, protecting us, in so many ways,” said Bishop Robert Brennan.

“We see that sometimes evil prevails, but we know it is not the final answer. And always, this morning, no exception, do we see that when evil prevails the goodness of people becomes even stronger. The power of Jesus risen from the dead is always, always at work, reminding it is not the final answer,” continued Bishop Brennan.

The Chrism Mass is one of the most solemn and significant liturgies of the Catholic Church. It is marked by the ceremonial blessing of the oil of catechumens, the oil of the sick, and consecration of the oil of chrism, which will be used in all churches of the Diocese of Brooklyn throughout the liturgical year. The oils are used to anoint the sick, baptize catechumens and infants, ordain priests, and anoint altars. This Mass is celebrated in dioceses around the world.

The video is courtesy of DeSales Media.

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VIDEO: https://vimeo.com/698852180

:00 Bishop Brennan Homily quote from above

1:14 B-roll of Chrism Mass

1:46 Blessing of Oils and Consecration of the Chrism

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 9, 2022

MEDIA CONTACTS:

Adriana Rodriguez
646-241-9805
arodriguez@desalesmedia.org

John Quaglione 
718-576-9180
jquaglione@desalesmedia.org

BISHOP BRENNAN LEADS PROCESSION THIS PALM SUNDAY IN BROOKLYN 

The Most Reverend Robert Brennan, Bishop of Brooklyn, began his first Holy Week as leader of the Diocese of Brooklyn with a special Palm Sunday procession which began at Noon at Grand Army Plaza in Brooklyn.

Hundreds of Catholics took part as Bishop Brennan began with an opening prayer before he blessed the palms. Then the faithful began to walk, pray, and sing down Vanderbilt Avenue, making their way to the Co-Cathedral of St. Joseph, located at 856 Pacific Street.

The procession commemorated the triumphant entrance of Jesus into Jerusalem, where those who greeted Jesus waved palms and set them on the ground along His path. Palms are recognized as a symbol of victory and peace.

“Here in Brooklyn we are commemorating that solemn entry of Jesus Christ into Jerusalem by walking with a procession down Vanderbilt Avenue. I am thrilled to be entering into Holy Week in such a dramatic way,” said Bishop Brennan.

He added, “It is important to live our faith publicly, what we believe. We are walking one with Jesus, on His road to Calvary. He came to walk with us and share our burdens to help us along the way and to guide us to the Resurrection, which we will celebrate next week.”

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VIDEO – Courtesy of DeSales Media:

https://vimeo.com/697957662