The Catholic Telemedia Network (CTN) today hosted international bestselling and award-winning novelist Liza Wiemer, author of “The Assignment” at several Catholic academies in Queens including St. Elizabeth, Divine Mercy, and Our Lady of the Snows.

The book “The Assignment” is based on an actual 2017 event involving two teenagers in Oswego, New York. The students refused a controversial assignment to participate in debating the pros and cons of Hitler’s Final Solution.

Ms. Wiemer led the seventh and eighth-grade students in an important lesson on speaking up against all forms of hatred, bigotry, and injustice. She discussed how her novel helps connect the history of the Holocaust with society today. Ms. Wiemer also talked about the impact of popular culture and social media on all forms of hatred.

Ms. Wiemer’s tour throughout the Diocese of Brooklyn included visits to 10 Catholic schools and academies in Brooklyn and Queens. Each student received a copy of the book.

Catholic Telemedia Network is a service of DeSales Media, which provides technology and communications for the Diocese of Brooklyn and beyond. CTN is collaborating with The New York Education Initiative with the support of The Jewish Education Project.

VIMEO: https://vimeo.com/946741224

Photos attached are from St. Elizabeth and Divine Mercy Catholic Academy.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 2, 2024

The Diocese of Brooklyn’s Office of the Superintendent – Catholic School Support Services today announced three Catholic academies, two in Brooklyn and one in Queens, will permanently close at the end of this current school year. The decision to close each of these schools was based on unsustainable trends in enrollment and finances over the last five years.

 The following Catholic academies will not reopen in September:

St. Matthias Catholic Academy in Ridgewood, Queens

Salve Regina Catholic Academy in East New York, Brooklyn

St. Catherine of Genoa ~ St. Therese of Lisieux in Flatbush, Brooklyn

“The difficult decisions to close these schools were reached after a thorough review of the pattern of student enrollment and the financial condition of each academy,” said Deacon Kevin McCormack, Superintendent of Schools. “These three schools, in the midst of this most difficult time, will focus on celebrating their students and preparing them for the next chapter of their education.”

To help students and families affected by these closures transition to nearby Catholic academies, the Diocesan Schools Office has created the following informational website: https://catholicschoolsbq.org/schooltransitioninformation/.

The website provides information regarding upcoming open houses at neighboring schools, information regarding transferring Futures in Education scholarship assistance, and provides contact information to answer questions and address concerns.

All activities and events will continue as planned through the end of this school year. The schools will officially close on August 31, 2024.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 25, 2024

More than 700 people are expected to attend the 2024 Annual Futures in Education Scholarship Fund Dinner, the foundation’s premiere fundraiser, on Tuesday, April 30, 2024, starting at 6:00 pm, with the awards presentation at 7:00 pm, at Cipriani Wall Street, 55 Wall Street in Lower Manhattan.

David Ushery, NBC 4 New York anchor, will serve as the Master of Ceremonies. This year, Futures in Education will honor Salvatore LaRocca, President of Global Partnerships for the NBA, and Donald Gelestino, President and CEO of Champion Elevator Company.

Bishop Robert Brennan will take part in the awards ceremony which includes special recognition of 50 elementary Catholic school teachers throughout the Diocese of Brooklyn. The Xaverian High School Jazz Band will perform during the cocktail hour and dinner.

“The success of this fundraising event is critical to supporting students and families who want a Catholic education but cannot afford the tuition,” said John Notaro, Executive Director of Futures in Education.  “All proceeds raised will directly benefit thousands of students in our schools as we prepare them today to be the leaders of tomorrow.”

This year, Futures in Education has awarded $7.2 million in scholarships to 4,400 students.  Futures in Education was founded in 1989.

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ABOUT THE HONOREES

Salvatore LaRocca, as President of Global Partnerships for the NBA, oversees the commercial partnerships business for the NBA, WNBA, and USA Basketball. Under his direction, NBA merchandise has grown to global distribution in more than 100 countries on six continents, and sales on NBAStore.com have increased by 100 percent. Mr. LaRocca currently serves as the Chair of the Board of Trustees of LaSalle Academy, and previously served on the Board of Directors for the Sports and Fitness Industry Association and Licensing International.

Donald Gelestino, President and CEO of Champion Elevator Corporation, has been a member of the National Association of Elevator Contractors since 1996 and is a past president (2019-2020). Mr. Gelestino currently serves as a member of numerous boards including Cross County Savings Bank and The Maurer Foundation for Breast Health. He is the current Vice-President of the Rockville Centre Chamber of Commerce and serves on the Board of Directors of the State University of New York at Old Westbury.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 16, 2024

STATEMENT FROM THE DIOCESE OF BROOKLYN IN RESPONSE TO THE INVESTIGATION BY THE OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL

After an extensive investigation, with the full cooperation of diocesan leaders past and present, the Diocese of Brooklyn has entered into an agreement with the office of New York State Attorney General Letitia James that will improve on its two-decade child protection effort since the passage of the 2002 Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People (Dallas Charter) by the U.S. Bishops. As noted by the attorney general, “the Diocese and its leaders, including Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio and Bishop Robert J. Brennan, have fully cooperated with the Investigation and, both prior to and after its commencement, have voluntarily undertaken a number of important changes to the Diocese’s policies and procedures to help address the concerns that led to the Investigation and to prevent their recurrence.”

The attorney general also noted in the agreement, “the Diocese’s efforts from 2003 to the present to strengthen its policies and procedures were significant and improved the Diocese’s response to sexual abuse … the Diocese’s demonstrated initiative prior to the commencement of the Investigation to assess and improve its institutional response was an important factor in reaching this voluntary resolution.”

The diocese’s cooperation, according to the agreement, “went beyond responding to the subpoena,” being the first diocese in the state to initiate meetings and voluntarily produce documents and information to the office of the attorney general (OAG) in an attempt to have the policies for the handling of sexual abuse allegations looked at closely to ensure the best practices are in place for handling such allegations. As part of this agreement, the Diocese proposed the appointment of an independent third party to monitor its compliance with all policies and procedures, among other things.

Once the Dallas Charter was passed in June 2002, the Diocese of Brooklyn, like many dioceses around the country, was inundated with primarily decades-old sexual abuse allegations. As seen in the graph below, the number of allegations skyrocketed in 2002. Between 2002 and 2005, 121 allegations of sexual abuse were reported to the diocese.

All allegations that came to the diocese were immediately sent to the appropriate district attorney. The Diocese also worked with the NYPD Special Victims Unit on many of the cases. Facing the emergence of these claims, in 2003, soon after his installation, Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio set up an independent reporting line, one of the first in the country, so that an outside person would be involved in taking the information and reporting to law enforcement. Bishop DiMarzio also established the Diocesan Review Board (DRB). The DRB, mostly comprised of former law enforcement officers, lawyers with experience in family law and child abuse, and mental health professionals, manages child sexual abuse allegations and investigations and makes personnel recommendations to the bishop based on their findings.

The diocese worked diligently – often with decades-old information – to remove from ministry any clergy who had credible allegations. That commitment never wavered. The attorney general noted, “in most cases, the Diocese timely referred the Abuse Allegations to the DRB and hired an independent investigator to investigate the charges.  The investigations carried out for the DRB were usually thorough and entailed interviews of numerous witnesses by qualified investigators who prepared detailed written reports of their findings.”

Over time, the diocese recognized the need to improve communications internally and to the faithful. In fact, between 2003-2021, during Bishop DiMarzio’s tenure, public statements were released about the outcome of (DRB) investigations that led to the removal of 27 priests from ministry. During that time, an additional 41 communications, including alerts, were issued regarding the sex abuse crisis.

Since November 2021, when Bishop Robert Brennan was installed as the eighth bishop of Brooklyn, two priests have been removed from ministry, following the recommendation of the (DRB).  Additionally, under Bishop Brennan’s leadership, former Manhattan Child Abuse Squad NYPD Detective, Elizabeth Harris was appointed, on September 30, 2022, to monitor priests removed from ministry. https://dioceseofbrooklyn.org/press-releases/brooklyn-diocese-announces-former-nypd-detective-appointed-to-key-roles-in-the-office-of-child-protection

“This agreement concludes a difficult period in the life of the church. While the Church should have been a sanctuary, I am deeply sorry that it was a place of trauma for the victims of clergy sexual abuse. I pray God’s healing power will sustain them. Today, we move forward with the strongest policies in place for the protection of children and adults,” said Bishop Robert Brennan, who was installed as the 8th Bishop of Brooklyn on November 30, 2021.

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Other notable communications to the public and the faithful include:

• In a first-of-its-kind release in 2017, the diocese released a list of priests who were laicized due to credible sexual abuse allegations. https://dioceseofbrooklyn.org/news/official-statement-of-the-diocese-of-brooklyn/
• In the fall of 2018, Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio and diocesan officials held four listening sessions with the faithful in Brooklyn and Queens, where parishioners were able to ask any questions about the clergy sex abuse crisis. Click the link for videos of the listening sessions.
• In 2019, the diocese released its list of credibly accused priests.
  https://dioceseofbrooklyn.org/press-releases/diocese-of-brooklyn-releases-names-of-clergy-credibly-accused-of-sexual-abuse/

ASSURANCE OF DISCONTINUANCE AGREEMENT

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 11, 2024

Bishop Robert J. Brennan, Bishop of Brooklyn, has issued the following statement in response to the New York City Fire Department’s announcement of the investigation into the cause of the Easter Sunday fire at Our Lady of the Rosary of Pompeii, which has officially been declared accidental, caused by a hot object and hot embers:

“I am exceptionally grateful to the men and women of the New York City Fire Department for the skill they showed in fighting this five-alarm fire at Our Lady of the Rosary of Pompeii on Easter Sunday. Their response prevented any loss of life, or major injuries, and saved the church building from the raging fire that engulfed the rectory and parish center. The respect and love for the Church shown by the members of the FDNY was amazing. 

As a result of this investigation by the FDNY Fire Marshals, the Diocese of Brooklyn plans to work with the FDNY to review fire safety and prevention measures. At all times during Mass, the safety of everyone in attendance is our priority.

This past Sunday, I joined the faithful of Our Lady of the Rosary of Pompeii for their regularly scheduled morning Mass held at their aligned church, All Saints.  As the property lost to fire has been safely secured and is pending demolition, all Masses for the foreseeable future will be held at All Saints.

I continue to pray for those who had to evacuate from their Easter Sunday Mass due to the smoke and flames. I do not doubt God was watching over them and the church.”

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On Sunday, Bishop Brennan led Mass for the parishioners of Our Lady of the Rosary of Pompeii at their aligned parish, All Saints Church, where he asked for a round of applause to show the appreciation of the parish for the FDNY and all law enforcement who responded.

All Saints Roman Catholic Church merged with Our Lady of the Rosary of Pompeii officially as one parish on June 30, 2019.

Video from Sunday’s Mass can be found here: https://vimeo.com/931808803

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 7, 2024

BISHOP BRENNAN CELEBRATES MASS WITH THOSE FROM CHURCH AFFECTED BY EASTER SUNDAY FIRE

Bishop Robert Brennan celebrated Mass for the faithful of Our Lady of the Rosary of Pompeii this morning at All Saints Roman Catholic Church in the East Williamsburg section of Brooklyn, because of the damage caused by the Easter Sunday fire.

The 10:30 a.m. Mass is one of the regularly scheduled Sunday Masses at Our Lady of the Rosary of Pompeii, which has been moved to All Saints, since fire engulfed the parish center and rectory connected to the church. The two parishes were officially merged as one, All Saints-Our Lady of the Rosary of Pompeii Parish, in June 2019.

“There is something that nothing can destroy, not fire, sorrow, disappointment. That is the love of Jesus Christ. He is the Victor, He is the Conqueror, He is the one who brings joy out of sorrow, goodness out of evil,” said Bishop Robert Brennan.

“What happened 2000 years ago is happening right here. The power of the risen Lord is drawing us together and people have been so wonderful, so courageous, and so consoling to one another,” continued Bishop Brennan.

Before the final blessing, Bishop Brennan spoke to Father Romulo Marin, who was the celebrant of the Easter Sunday Mass that was underway when the fire broke out.  Bishop Brennan commended Father Romulo’s response which helped minimize the damage to the church and saved lives.

Bishop Brennan also praised the response of the Fire Department of New York and all the first responders, acknowledging the great respect and love they showed for the Church as they worked to put the fire out.

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 VIMEO: https://vimeo.com/931808803

BISHOP BRENNAN AT EASTER VIGIL IN BROOKLYN: “CHRIST IS RISEN”

Bishop Robert Brennan, Bishop of Brooklyn, marked the celebration of Easter, the holiest day on the Christian calendar, with an Easter Vigil Mass Saturday evening, March 30, 2024, at The Co-Cathedral of St. Joseph in Prospect Heights, Brooklyn.

Easter celebrates Jesus Christ’s resurrection from death, as he was crucified for the sins of the world. 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 of the worshippers inside the church. The dramatic lighting of the church symbolizes the Risen Lord.

“We see the reality of sin and death all around us in the world. This morning, I was at a funeral for the police officer who was shot and killed in Queens, an act of terrible, terrible violence. And yet we don’t sing Alleluia tonight because we’re making believe that all is well in the world. We are singing Alleluia tonight because all is not well in the world. But Christ has conquered it, because we know that all is not well in our own lives, and that we need His help. And he gives us that help, and that we can believe, with all our hearts, that yes indeed in the waters of baptism we plunge with him into his death and in the living of ordinary life, we experience sorrow and pain and even our own failings and sins. But too, we rise up with him to live forever. We were made for his glory,” said Bishop Brennan in his homily. 

At the Mass, Bishop Brennan baptized four people, who are among more than 400 new Catholics baptized at Easter Vigil Masses throughout the diocese.

Later today, Sunday, March 31, 2024, Bishop Brennan will celebrate Easter Sunday Mass at 11:00 A.M. at the Cathedral Basilica of St. James located at 250 Cathedral Place in downtown Brooklyn.

Easter Sunday Mass can be seen live on NET TV, the Diocesan cable channel, available on Spectrum channel 97, Optimum channel 30, and Verizon Fios channel 548, or online at netny.tv

Members of the media are invited to attend.

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Easter Vigil Video: vimeo.com/929220021 – Courtesy: DeSales Media

Easter Vigil Mass: www.youtube.com/watch – Courtesy: DeSales Media

Bishop Brennan quote above can be found at 1:01:27-1:02:33