Press Releases

STATEMENT FROM BISHOP DIMARZIO ON THE IRCP

Posted on

I am announcing a significant new step in the ongoing effort of the Diocese of Brooklyn to address the wounds of those sexually abused by members of the clergy. It is called the Independent Reconciliation and Compensation Program (IRCP). It is one more way our diocese, which serves Brooklyn and Queens, can acknowledge the harm that was done by those who were priests or deacons and show our solidarity with survivors.  Our Program is modeled after the program recently launched by the Archdiocese of New York. Compensation decisions will be made by Kenneth R. Feinberg who administered numerous high-profile compensation programs, including the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund, the compensation fund for the victims of the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, served as a mediator for sexual abuse cases for Penn State University and administered many other corporate and charitable independent compensation programs. Mr. Feinberg will have total independence in his decisions.

Throughout my time as a diocesan bishop, first in Camden and then in Brooklyn and Queens, I have met with more than 50 survivors.  It is difficult to hear about the pain caused by the criminal behavior of members of the clergy.  I am well aware that no amount of money will ever heal the scars of abuse, but this program is a concrete expression of our contrition and our desire to make amends. We hope it will help with the healing process and bring survivors some element of healing.

Read more »

STATEMENT ON MIDDLE VILLAGE PREPARATORY CHARTER SCHOOL AND CHRIST THE KING HIGH SCHOOL

Posted on

The Diocese of Brooklyn supports the parents and students of Middle Village Preparatory Charter School (MVP). The diocese wants the school to remain open and its students to continue to thrive. We hope to resolve the ongoing dispute that threatens the school’s future.

We would like parents, students and the public at large to understand the nature of this dispute. Read more »

10 Men To Be Ordained As Priests In The Diocese Of Brooklyn

Posted on

On Saturday, June 3, at 11 a.m., Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio will ordain 10 men to the priesthood for the Diocese of Brooklyn. Once again this year, the diocese ranks among the top in the country in the number of new priests. The ordination Mass will take place at the Co-Cathedral of St. Joseph, 856 Pacific Street in Brooklyn.

The new priests, who come from all over the world, will add to the rich cultural diversity of the diocese. Three were born in Brooklyn, two in Poland, two in Nigeria, one in South Korea, one in Cameroon, and one in Italy. The men range in age from 26 to 42. The group is the third largest to join a diocese or Archdiocese in the United States in 2017. The Diocese of Patterson will ordain the biggest class of 13 priests while the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis will ordain 11.

The priests join the Diocese of Brooklyn with degrees ranging from Theology and Divinity to Latin, Philosophy, and Literature. They bring with them experience ranging from social work to mapmaking to rock music. In discerning God’s call to serve the Church, the men found inspiration in prayer, pilgrimage, family, and pastoral role models.

“There is no greater joy for a bishop than to ordain a man to the priesthood of Jesus Christ,” said Bishop DiMarzio. “This Saturday, we in Brooklyn and Queens will be fortunate to have ten more men who will perpetuate the great Sacrifice of Christ on Calvary. In a world that rejects sacrifice and embraces self indulgence, I am grateful for the courage of these men who offer their own lives for the sake of the proclamation of the Gospel.”

The Diocese of Brooklyn, the eighth largest diocese in the United States and the only entirely urban diocese in the Nation, serves the boroughs of Brooklyn and Queens. The combined population of the boroughs stands at 4.8 million residents, of which more than 1.5 million identify themselves as Catholics.

The diocesan network New Evangelization Television (NET TV) will provide live coverage of the ordination ceremony, which will also be streamed live on www.netny.tv. NET TV is a cable network featuring news and information with a Catholic point of view, and is available in the New York area on Time Warner Cable, Channel 97; Cablevision, Channel 30; Verizon FiOS, Ch. 48; and nationally on Verizon FiOS On Demand.

Both Pacific Street and Dean Street, between Underhill Street and Vanderbilt Avenue, will be closed to traffic from 12 a.m. on Saturday through the end of the event.

For photos and full bios, please visit this week’s Tablet.

STATEMENT ON CHRIST THE KING CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL AND MIDDLE VILLAGE PREPARATORY CHARTER SCHOOL

Posted on

Dear Parents and Students,

I am writing to clear up some misinformation that was disseminated by the administrations of Christ The King Catholic High School and Middle Village Preparatory Charter School. Letters sent home to students and parents indicated that the Diocese of Brooklyn is ordering the closure of Middle Village Prep. This is a misrepresentation of the truth and we at the diocese feel it is our obligation to clarify the facts.

The Diocese of Brooklyn believes in education, both parochial and public. Multiple charter schools currently utilize or share space in Catholic high school and parish buildings throughout the Diocese with the full support of the Church. We wish to see all of these schools, including Middle Village Prep, continue to thrive. But the power to keep Middle Village Prep open lies with Christ the King High School.

In recent years Christ the King has refused to re-affirm and honor its long-standing covenant with the Diocese of Brooklyn—a covenant that is honored by all other Catholic regional high schools in the Diocese. This covenant requires that these high schools operate in consultation with the Diocese when conducting enterprises unrelated to their function as Catholic schools.

After years of unsuccessful efforts to work in cooperation with Christ the King High School, the Diocese of Brooklyn was left with no other recourse but to file a lawsuit. In March of 2017, and after several years of litigation, the Supreme Court ruled that use of the premises for the operation of a charter school is a breach of Christ the King’s agreement with the Diocese. The court ordered Christ the King to discontinue the use of the premises for a charter school without the permission of the Diocese, effective at the end of the current academic year.

The diocese has made it clear to Christ the King that it will permit use of the property for a charter school, hence allowing Middle Village Prep to remain open. The diocese’s sole requirement is that Christ the King adhere to the same conditions accepted by all other Catholic regional high schools and parishes in the diocese.

It is the Diocese of Brooklyn’s fervent hope and prayer that Christ the King will forever continue to serve the young men and women of the Diocese and that the property will continue to serve the most worthy cause of education.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Bishop James Massa
Diocese of Brooklyn

Newark Archbishop Joseph William Cardinal Tobin to Address Federal Immigration Policy at Brooklyn’s World Communications Day Conference

Posted on

“A person unbound by Christian charity would say that you really have to believe in inflicting cruelty on innocent people to choose to support the policies [on immigration] we’ve seen in recent months while possessing the power to change the law.” – Joseph William Cardinal Tobin, Archbishop of Newark

On Wednesday, May 17, beginning at 9:30 a.m., the Diocese of Brooklyn will hold its 26th Annual World Communications Day Catholic Media Conference. The conference will be held at BRIC House, 647 Fulton Street, Brooklyn, NY, 11217. Read more »

Bishop Thomas V. Daily Dies at 89

Posted on

“Bishop Daily was a man who personified the Second Vatican Council’s call for a preferential option for the poor. He ministered to indigenous people amidst poverty in Peru, women in crisis pregnancies, as well as new and often poor immigrants living in Brooklyn. He never acted out of malice or to further his own self-interest. At heart he was a missionary. I suspect he wished he could have remained in the missions his entire life.”  -Most Reverend Nicholas DiMarzio, Bishop of Brooklyn


MOST REVEREND THOMAS V. DAILY, BISHOP EMERITUS OF BROOKLYN, HAS DIED AT 89 YEARS OLD 

The Most Reverend Thomas Vose Daily, Bishop Emeritus of Brooklyn died overnight at the Immaculate Conception Center’s Bishop Mugavero Residence in Douglaston, Queens. Bishop Daily, served as Bishop of Brooklyn from 1990 until his retirement in 2003.

Bishop Daily was installed as the sixth bishop of the Diocese of Brooklyn, in 1990 and served during a time of racial tension and financial hardship. In his later years, Bishop Daily suffered declining health. Read more »

DIOCESE OF BROOKLYN TO SPONSOR BILINGUAL MASS OF HOPE AND HEALING WITH SURVIVORS OF SEXUAL ABUSE

Posted on

On Wednesday, April 26 at 7:00 PM, the Diocese of Brooklyn, in partnership with survivors of sexual abuse by members of the clergy, will hold the third annual Mass of Hope and Healing. The bilingual Mass at St. Anselm Church, 356 82nd Street, Brooklyn is offered for all those affected by sexual abuse. The Most Reverend Nicholas DiMarzio, Bishop of Brooklyn, will be the main celebrant.

Read more »

BISHOP DIMARZIO TO BLESS HOLY OILS AT CHRISM MASS

Posted on

On Tuesday, April 11, 2017, at 7:30 p.m., the Most Reverend Nicholas DiMarzio, Bishop of Brooklyn, will celebrate the annual Mass of the Chrism at the Co-Cathedral of St. Joseph, 856 Pacific Street, Brooklyn, NY. During the Mass, the bishop will bless the oils used for sacramental anointing. He will also lead more than 370 priests and deacons in renewing their promises of service to the Church. The clergy will enter the church in procession at 6:45 p.m.

Read more »

ARTIST PAINTS ICONIC SISTINE CHAPEL IMAGE ON BROOKLYN BUILDING AS PART OF EASTER CAMPAIGN ENCOURAGING FORGIVENESS

Posted on

UPDATE: March 20, 2017 Time lapse video of Michelangelo painting available here:https://dioceseofbrooklyn.org/billboard-videos/. Work will begin again today at 11am. Artist will come down to street level at 2pm and 5pm for media interviews. Please contact the Diocese of Brooklyn press office (numbers below) if you are interested in an interview.  

UPDATE: March 19, 2017 To accomodate a high level of media interest, Artist Mike Fusco and his team will take time from their work and come down to street level for media interviews at 2pm and 6pm today. If you are interested in an interview please have your crew there and ready at one of these times. Crews are welcome to get pictures and video of the artists working at any time throughout the day.  

UPDATE: March 18, 2017 Work on the mural has been suspended for the day due to inclement weather. Painting will resume tomorrow, March 19, at 11am.  

On Friday, March 17, the brick wall of a Brooklyn building will become an artist’s canvas as he paints a renowned scene from the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. The project is part of an Easter campaign designed to inspire forgiveness.  One of the world’s most iconic images, Michelangelo’s “The Creation of Adam” will grace 3rd Avenue in Bay Ridge at the corner of 81st Street. Artist Mike Fusco will be painting the 20.5 foot by 23-foot billboard and will be available for interviews on site. Read more »