FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 23, 2013

Auxiliary Bishop Frank Caggiano Will Ordain 17 Men to the Diaconate
Auxiliary Bishop Frank Caggiano, Vicar General of the Diocese of Brooklyn, will ordain 17 men to the diaconate for the Diocese of Brooklyn at a Mass at Our Lady of Angels, 7320 4th Avenue, Brooklyn, on Saturday, May 25, at 11 a.m.
They recently completed theological studies in preparation for ordination and will serve the Church at parishes in Brooklyn and Queens.
“I am profoundly grateful to the 17 men who will be ordained on Saturday,” said the Most Reverend Nicholas DiMarzio, Bishop of Brooklyn. “Their generosity and that of their wives and children is a wonderful expression of the vitality and new life present in our diocese. I wish I had the opportunity to be there with you, but I was called to Rome to meetings.”
The deacons come from various backgrounds. Most are from Brooklyn and Queens, but almost a dozen are foreign-born, reflecting the diversity of the “Diocese of Immigrants.” Their countries include Colombia, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Puerto Rico.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 17, 2013

New York, NY – Apparently Converse’s “Chuck Taylor” sneakers are a favorite choice of footwear of both the Pope and Jesus Christ. And why shouldn’t they be? They are comfortable, colorful, and according to Seth Meyers in his SNL Weekend Update, are why more Catholics are returning to church.
Ok, maybe Seth’s comments are a little aggrandized. But the reference is appropriately suggestive of a major problem in the Church today: that most Catholics see the church as archaic and not relevant, nor valuable, to their everyday lives.
Catholics yearn for a Church they can relate to. That is what Seth Meyers was jokingly referencing, and that is what the Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn’s new “All Faces, Everyday Understanding” marketing campaign is trying to achieve.
Launched on April 1, 2013, this campaign is geared towards reaching a younger, more diverse demographic by showing the cooler and more welcoming side of the Catholic Church. And one of the main creative pieces is “The Original Hipster.”
Who would of guessed that the Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn and SNL had similar senses of humor. Whatever the case, imitation is the best form of flattery and the Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn is thrilled that SNL can help spread its message.
“If you have faith there is never a need to take yourself too seriously; life is so much easier when you have a sense of humor. Sure we are poking fun at ourselves, but also making clear that in Catholic Churches in Brooklyn & Queens everyone is welcome.”
– Monsignor Kieran Harrington
Keep an eye out for the “All Faces, Everyday Understanding” campaign in Brooklyn and Queens. The ads are creative, funny, and suggestive of the renewed and relatable atmosphere you can find at one of the more than 230 Churches in Brooklyn and Queens.


All Faces.  Everyday Understanding Landing Page: https://dioceseofbrooklyn.com/allfaces

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 16, 2013

Faced with declining enrollment and increased operating costs, SS. Joseph & Dominic Catholic Academy will close in June.

Statistics indicate that enrollment has declined from 247 students in September 2011 to 165 students in September 2012. The uncollected tuition as of March 31, 2013, is $148,527. Paid re-registration as of April 8, 2013, is 35 students. The school was established in 2005, following the merger of six schools of the neighboring parishes that were formerly served by the Sisters of St. Dominic and the Sisters of St. Joseph.

“We are saddened that the academy is closing after many efforts to save it, including marketing approaches to increase enrollment and outreach to the local community,” said Sister Kieran Nduagbo, DDL, principal.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 12, 2013

Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio will celebrate the annual Catholic Migration Mass on Sunday, April 14th at 3 p.m. at the Cathedral Basilica of St. James, Jay Street and Cathedral Place, in Downtown Brooklyn. Senator Charles Schumer is expected to attend, alongside city, state and federal legislators.
“America is a nation of immigrants and nowhere is this more true than here in the great Diocese of Brooklyn, under the leadership of immigration advocate second-to none, Bishop DiMarzio,” said Senator Schumer. “I am hard at work with my bi-partisan allies putting the finishing touches on a comprehensive immigration reform bill that will bring 11 million people out of the shadows and onto the path to citizenship. With your help, and your prayers, I hope that we will succeed in passing this vital legislation.”
Catholics from 28 ethnic groups will gather; many will be dressed in the traditional garb of their homelands. The opening procession, historically a colorful line of costumes and banners proclaiming international backgrounds, will begin at the opening of the Mass.
Father Patrick J. Keating, CEO of Catholic Migration Services, will speak on immigration reform. “We live in a great nation, we live in a great city,” he said. “Where would we be without immigrants? Let us support immigration reform that will keep families together, let us support immigration reform that will respect and honor the legacy of the immigrants that have come before us.”
Mass is celebrated regularly in 32 different languages in the 194 parishes of Brooklyn and Queens.
Catholic Migration Services has helped over 100,000 immigrants and their families since its creation in 1971. Included within its vast scope of services is the Immigrant Tenant Advocacy Program (ITAP) which improves the living conditions of low-income immigrant tenants by fighting for dignified and affordable housing, as well as the Immigrant Workers’ Rights Program, which represents workers in disputes over wage and hour violations, unsafe working conditions, and other workplace abuses commonly suffered by immigrants in New York City. For more information on Catholic Migration Services, visit www.catholicmigration.org.

Click here for the Decree pertaining to St. Ignatius

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 25th, 2013

On Tuesday, March 26th, Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio will celebrate the Mass of Chrism at St. James Cathedral Basilica, 250 Cathedral Place, Downtown Brooklyn, at 8 p.m.
The Catholic Church has set aside this solemn day of liturgy and ritual to bless the holy oils, or chrism, that will be used for the remainder of the Church’s calendar year following the celebration of Easter. The oils blessed at the Mass of Chrism will be used at important ceremonies like ordinations, baptisms, confirmations, and the blessing of parishes. The Mass also offers priests and deacons of the Diocese a chance to renew their vows.
Bishop DiMarzio will celebrate the Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Holy Thursday, March 28th at Sacred Heart Church, Cambria Heights, at 8 p.m.
On Good Friday, Bishop DiMarzio will offer prayers at Communion and Liberation’s 18th Annual Way of the Cross over the Brooklyn Bridge, and will be present for the First Station at St. James Cathedral Basilica.
Bishop DiMarzio will celebrate Easter Vigil on March 30th at Blessed Sacrament Church, Jackson Heights, at 7:30 p.m.
He will then celebrate Easter Sunday on March 31st at St. James Cathedral Basilica at 10:30 a.m.

WHAT: Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio will serve as the main celebrant of Sunday morning Mass in Breezy Point. Ireland’s Taoiseach Enda Kenny will be in attendance, in addition to several representatives from the Irish Consulate including the Consul General Noel Kilkenny and Deputy Consul General Peter Ryan.

“We in Brooklyn are honored that the Taoiseach of Ireland, the Honorable Enda Kenny, would visit us on the Feast of Glorious St. Patrick,” said Bishop DiMarzio. “For centuries, the Irish endured cruel persecution for their steadfast adherence to the Catholic faith and when forced to flea their own country because of famine, they made an invaluable contribution to the building up of the Church in the United States and in Brooklyn and Queens. Following Hurricane Sandy, the people of Ireland once again stood up to help the Church in the United States. It is fitting that on the feast day of the Irish national patron, the Prime Minister would celebrate Mass in the Church of St. Thomas More.”
WHEN: Sunday, March 17, at 8:30 a.m. Press to arrive by 8:00 a.m.
WHERE: St. Thomas More Church (Blessed Trinity Parish)
204-25 Rockaway Point Boulevard Rockaway Point, New York 11697

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 14, 2013

The Most Reverend Nicholas DiMarzio, Bishop of Brooklyn, will hold a special bilingual Mass of Thanksgiving in celebration of the election of His Holiness Pope Francis.

The Eucharistic celebration will be held on Monday, March 18th, at 7:30 p.m. at the Cathedral Basilica of St. James, 240 Jay Street, Downtown Brooklyn. Bishop DiMarzio will be joined by priests and deacons of the Diocese, as well as parishioners who are invited to celebrate the election of the new Vicar of Christ. A special invitation is made to the Latino community here in Brooklyn and Queens, and in particular to those from Argentina, as we celebrate a bilingual Mass for the first Pope from Latin America.

“St. Francis of Assisi is closely identified with the poor,” said Bishop DiMarzio. “In choosing such a name, our Holy Father, Pope Francis, signified that we are called to be a Church in service to the most vulnerable.”