September 21, 2016 – Excerpted from Put Out Into the Deep, Bishop DiMarzio’s column in The Tablet:

My dear brothers and sisters in the Lord,

For almost 20 years, the month from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15 has been called Hispanic Heritage Month. Almost 55 million Americans are from an Hispanic-speaking background who come from all of the countries of Latin America and even Spain.

It is important that people maintain their heritage, especially in the United States that allows what we call the “hyphenated-American.” Americans are not homogenized people; we are people with deep roots in our own culture which give us the wings necessary to participate in the rich culture of the United States of America. No one should ever forget their origins, because this helps us to be grounded, giving us a sense of strength and unity so that we can participate in the larger society.

In our own diocese here in Brooklyn and Queens, we are greatly blessed to have a large Hispanic population with 32 percent attending Spanish-language Masses. The word “Hispanic” is a term coined in the United Sates which covers those who speak Spanish. Some prefer the word “Latino” which refers to many, especially to those from Mexico. Whatever term we use, however, it is most important that we show respect for the many cultures that contribute to the American mosaic.

Read the full text of the Bishop’s column on The Tablet website.

September 14, 2016 – Excerpted from Put Out Into the Deep, Bishop DiMarzio’s column in The Tablet: 

My dear brothers and sisters in the Lord,

This Sunday we will celebrate Catechetical Sunday. This year’s theme is “Prayer, the Faith Prayed.”

Catechetical Sunday is always celebrated at the beginning of the academic year because this is when our programs of catechesis begin in earnest. Several years ago, the Bishops of the United States published the National Catechetical Directory, which set out several tasks or goals for what catechesis should produce.

First, catechesis must promote knowledge of the faith. It goes without saying that unless we know our faith, we will not be able to live out our faith. Second, catechesis must promote knowledge of the meaning of the liturgy and the sacraments. This is because our faith as Catholics is tied to the sacramental system, which allows us to live our faith in worship.

Read the full text of the Bishop’s column on The Tablet website.

August 31, 2016 – Excerpted from Put Out Into the Deep, Bishop DiMarzio’s column in The Tablet:

My dear brothers and sisters in the Lord,

As Labor Day approaches, our thoughts turn not only to a long holiday weekend, but also to the true meaning of Labor Day. It is a day to celebrate the gift of human labor and genius.

St. John Paul II, in his encyclical, “On Human Work” (Laborem Exercens), made it clear that work is the key to the social question. Human labor is an essential key to understanding our social responsibilities. Work is vital to the functioning of our families and helps us build community according to our God-given dignity. Specifically, he wrote, “….man’s life is built up every day from work, from work it derives its specific dignity.”

We cannot forget the historical origin of Labor Day when a coalition of church and union leaders found a way to celebrate the triumph of dignified labor practices in our country. Work, indeed, is key to understanding the social fabric of our society today.

Read the full text of the Bishop’s column on The Tablet website.

August 24, 2016 – Excerpted from Put Out Into the Deep, Bishop DiMarzio’s column in The Tablet:

My dear brothers and sisters in the Lord,

On Aug. 27, the Feast of St. Monica, mother of St. Augustine, will be celebrated. Monica is a great example of a mother who never lost confidence in the possibility of conversion for her son.

Born a Christian, Monica was married to Augustine’s father, a non-Christian who later converted and who died early in life. She was left with the care of Augustine who had not been baptized. In the fourth century, it was the custom that young men became catechumens, and infant baptism was not the rule.

Augustine was a slave to his passions. He fathered a child and flirted with the Manichean heresy. Yet, Monica never lost faith in her son. Her only recourse were tears and prayers, as she never stopped praying for his conversion. Truly, at a time unexpected to her, Augustine was baptized at Easter of 387.

Read the full text of the Bishop’s column on The Tablet website.

August 17, 2016 – Excerpted from Put Out Into the Deep, Bishop DiMarzio’s column in The Tablet:

My dear brothers and sisters in the Lord,

I read an interesting article on icons some years ago. It is important to understand these images that come from the Eastern tradition and contain in themselves its whole theology. For example, the clothing of Jesus and Mary shows the colors red and blue, but they are reversed in that Jesus usually has a red tunic and a blue mantle while Our Lady usually has a blue dress and a red mantle. Why, you might ask? Red symbolizes divinity, while blue is a symbol of humanity. In this way, it can be said that Jesus is God made man, while Our Lady instead is a human creature who has been in a certain sense divinized.

As another example, while Jesus is represented with His feet uncovered, placed directly on the earth, Our Lady wears shoes placed lightly on her feet. This expresses the concept that Jesus is the Word of God incarnate, true man like us in all things except sin, while Our Lady is a human creature through and through because by supernatural grace and her faithful response to grace she is raised above the earth.

Truly, icons are wonderful works of art. Some have called them “windows into heaven” because they so clearly express spiritual and theological truths and become schools of Christian learning.

Read the full text of the Bishop’s column on The Tablet website.

July 20, 2016 – Excerpted from Put Out Into the Deep, Bishop DiMarzio’s column in The Tablet:

My dear brothers and sisters in the Lord,

Last week, under the leadership of the communication office of the Diocese of Brooklyn, a solidarity rally was held at Grand Army Plaza in Park Slope, where we brought together the community, especially the New York City Police Department and our African-American members, in an effort to pray together for peace and calm in the present situation.

The ecumenical ceremony brought together representatives of the major religions: Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Buddhist, Sikh and Islamic. Prayer in times of crisis is always important, not only as we petition God for peace and calm, but also as we come to better understand our own feelings and motivations so that we can act with the calm and peace necessary for a peaceful society.

Read the full text of the Bishop’s column on The Tablet website.

July 13, 2016 – Excerpted from Put Out Into the Deep, Bishop DiMarzio’s column in The Tablet:

My dear brothers and sisters in the Lord,

On July 16, we celebrate the Feast of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel. Personally, I have a very special devotion to Our Lady of Mt. Carmel and the feast is also so much a part of the life of our diocese, especially at the parish of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel in Williamsburg. It has been my tradition to celebrate one of the Feast Day Masses and join in one of the two processions on that day through the neighborhood.

Several years ago while walking in the procession, I noticed two young people carrying a small child walking in front of me. It was a very warm day and, in fact, the tar from the streets stuck to my shoes. These two tattooed people wearing short shorts and sleeveless shirts were walking barefoot. My curiosity got the best of me and I asked them simply, “Why are you walking without shoes on this hot day?” Without hesitation the woman responded, “I am doing this for my grandmother.”

Read the full text of the Bishop’s column on The Tablet website.

June 29, 2016 – Excerpted from Put Out Into the Deep, Bishop DiMarzio’s column in The Tablet:

My dear brothers and sisters in the Lord,

Since 2012, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has declared a two-week period called “The Fortnight for Freedom.” This year, it takes place from June 21 to July 4, our national Independence Day.

During this time, the Bishops have asked the Church to pray, to educate themselves and to take action to defend religious freedom in our country and abroad. The theme for 2016, “Witnesses to Freedom,” focuses on the men and women of faith in our country and throughout the world who have borne witness to the authentic freedom of religion, especially when they are motivated by the love of Christ Himself.

This two-week period is a time when we can reflect on the true meaning of freedom. The First Amendment of the Constitution of the United States of America protects the right for the free exercise of religion: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof…” The unfortunate interpretations of the separation of Church and State recently have been that the State must be protected from religion. The fact is, it is vice versa: religion must be protected from the intrusion of the State. Truly, this is a Constitutional right that we have in our great Nation, which is known for its attention to religious freedom.

Read the full text of the Bishop’s column on The Tablet website.