Most Reverend Robert J. Brennan, Bishop of Brooklyn, regrets to inform you of the death of Reverend Monsignor Lawrence E. Hinch, a retired priest of the Diocese of Brooklyn. Monsignor Hinch was born on September 11, 1933, in New York, was ordained to the Priesthood on May 30, 1959, and died Thursday, January 27, 2022.

Details of the funeral arrangements for Monsignor Hinch are pending and will be sent out as soon as they are finalized.

Please pray for the repose of his soul and for the consolation of his family and friends. May he rest in the peace of Christ, the Risen Lord.

Reverend Monsignor Steven J. Aguggia, J.C.L. Chancellor

Most Reverend Robert J. Brennan, Bishop of Brooklyn, regrets to inform you of the death of Reverend Monsignor August C. Bednartz, a retired priest of the Diocese of Brooklyn. Monsignor Bednartz was born on September 27, 1926, in New York, was ordained to the Priesthood on June 7, 1952, and died Sunday, January 23, 2022.

Monsignor Bednartz served the Diocese of Brooklyn as Pastor of the parish of Saint Raphael (Long Island City). He also served as Parochial Vicar of the parishes of Saint Aloysius (Brooklyn), Saint Margaret (Middle Village), and Our Lady of Miraculous Medal (Ridgewood). Monsignor Bednartz served as the director of the Diocesan Priests Day Recollection, as Advocate of the Brooklyn Diocesan Tribunal, and was also a member of the Priests Senate. He received the honor of Chaplain
of His Holiness in 1989.

The arrangements are as follows:

WAKE:                           

American Martyrs Roman Catholic Church
79-43 Bell Boulevard
Bayside, New York 11364
Tel: (718) 464-4582
Wednesday, January 26, 2022
2:00 PM – 8:00 PM

FUNERAL:                   

American Martyrs Roman Catholic Church
79-43 Bell Boulevard
Bayside, New York 11364
Tel: (718) 464-4582
Thursday, January 27, 2022
10:30 AM

BURIAL:                       

Saint John Cemetery
Middle Village, New York

Please pray for the repose of his soul and for the consolation of his family and friends. May he rest in the peace of Christ, the Risen Lord.

If you wish to send condolences, please mail to Bishop Mugavero Residence, Office for Senior Priests, 7200 Douglaston Parkway, Douglaston, New York 11362.

Reverend Monsignor Steven J. Aguggia, J.C.L.
Chancellor

Most Reverend Robert J. Brennan, Bishop of Brooklyn, regrets to inform you of the death of Reverend Monsignor Edward J. Bottino, a retired priest of the Diocese of Brooklyn. Monsignor Bottino was born on March 7, 1928 in New York, was ordained to the Priesthood on June 7, 1952, and died Thursday, January 13, 2022.

Monsignor Bottino served the Diocese of Brooklyn as Pastor of the Parish of Mary’s Nativity-Saint Ann (Flushing), Temporary Administrator of American Martyrs (Bayside), Saint Michael’s (Flushing), Saint Leo’s (Corona) and as Parochial Vicar of Saint Benedict Joseph Labre (Richmond Hill), Saint Edmund (Brooklyn), and Saint Andrew Avellino (Flushing).

The arrangements are as follows:

WAKE:           Mary’s Nativity-Saint Ann R.C. Church 
46-02 Parsons Boulevard
Flushing, New York 11355
Tel: (718) 359-5996

Tuesday, January 18, 2022
2:00 PM to 5:00 PM

VIGIL:            Mary’s Nativity-Saint Ann R.C. Church
46-02 Parsons Boulevard
Flushing, New York 11355
Tel: (718) 359-5996

Tuesday, January 18, 2022
7:30 PM

FUNERAL:   Mary’s Nativity-Saint Ann R.C. Church
46-02 Parsons Boulevard
Flushing, New York 11355
Tel: (718) 359-5996

Wednesday, January 19, 2022     
11:00 AM

BURIAL:       Mt. Saint Mary Cemetery
                           Flushing, New York

If you wish to send condolences, please mail to Reverend Edward M. Kachurka, Mary’s Nativity – Saint Ann, 46-02 Parsons Boulevard, Flushing, New York 11355

Please pray for the repose of his soul and for the consolation of his family and friends. May he rest in the peace of Christ, the Risen Lord.

Reverend Monsignor Steven J. Aguggia J.C.L. Chancellor

I, the undersigned Bishop of Brooklyn, decree that the Church of Epiphany, located at 96 South 9^th Street, in the Borough of Brooklyn, which is within the territory of the Parish of Saints Peter and Paul is hereby RELEGATED TO THE PROFANE BUT NOT SORDID USE according to the provisions of Can. 1222 §2.

After careful consideration of the pastoral and financial needs, a determination was reached that the cost of maintaining Epiphany as an additional worship site was prohibitive to both the Parish of Saints Peter and Paul as well as to the Diocese of Brooklyn, especially in light of the significant financial hardship being experienced by both entities.

Taking into consideration the needs of the entire Diocese of Brooklyn, especially in light of the shortage of priests available for ministry as well as the significant financial burden that this structure is imposing on the Parish of Saints Peter and Paul and in view of the current demographical shifts that have resulted in a diminished number of faithful in the surrounding area, I have decided to permanently relegate this space to the profane but not sordid use.

Very Reverend Jason Espinal, the Administrator, wrote to request that the Church of Epiphany be relegated from the sacred to profane. Prior to the issuance of this decree and in keeping with the universal norms of the Roman Catholic Church, after consultation with parishioners as well as the Episcopal Vicar for Brooklyn, the Most Reverend Neil Tiedemann, C.P., and after having definitely determined that the care of souls would not suffer because of this decision due to the close proximity of the parish church, I consented to this reduction.

After having determined that no other parties can legitimately claim rights for themselves in the Church of Epiphany, I presented this matter for a consultation to the Diocesan Presbyteral Council on Tuesday, September 28^th, 2021. Having considered the matter carefully, the Council overwhelmingly supported my decision to relegate this structure.

Therefore, having carefully followed the provision set forth in Can. 1222 §2 and having determined with moral certitude that the care of souls would suffer no determent, I declare that this decree will take effect thirty days (30) after its publication and that by virtue of the same the Church of Epiphany will no longer be used for divine worship. In addition, I order that any sacred furnishing and artwork, which the Parish of Saints Peter and Paul does not retain for its own use, be disposed of in a manner befitting their character and the known intentions of any donor. Furthermore, in addition to the usual requirements of the law for the valid and licit alienation by the parish of the property concerned, the sale of the church is subject to my approval as being constant with the requirements of Can. 1222 §2.

Given in Brooklyn, New York, this 28^th day of September in the Year of Our Lord, Two Thousand and Twenty One.

OFFICE OF THE CHANCELLOR
DIOCESE OF BROOKLYN
310 Prospect Park West, Brooklyn, New York 11215 ● 718.399.5990 ● FAX: 718.399.5934
E-mail: curia@diobrook.org

Most Reverend Nicholas DiMarzio, Bishop of Brooklyn, regrets to inform you of the death of Reverend Monsignor Michael J. Curran, S.T.D., a priest of the Diocese of Brooklyn ministering as a faculty member in the Archdiocese of New York at Saint Joseph’s Seminary, Yonkers, New York. Monsignor Curran was born on October 1, 1955, in New York, was ordained to the Priesthood on June 27, 1981, and died Sunday, October 10, 2021.

Monsignor Curran served the Diocese of Brooklyn as Pastor of the Parishes of Blessed Trinity (Rockaway Point), Saint Thomas More-Saint Edmund (Rockaway Point) and Saint Catharine of Alexandria (Brooklyn) and as Parochial Vicar of the Parish of Holy Cross (Brooklyn). He was also a member of the faculty of the Seminary of the Immaculate Conception, and he served as the Director of Studies and Admissions of the Pontifical North American College in Rome. He received the honor of Prelate of His Holiness in 2003.

The arrangements are as follows:

WAKE: Saint Joseph’s Seminary
201 Seminary Avenue
Yonkers, New York 10704
914-968-6200

Wednesday, October 13, 2021
4:00 PM-7:30 PM

Saint Thomas More Church
204-25 Rockaway Point Boulevard
Breezy Point, New York
718-634-6357

Thursday, October 14, 2021
2:30 PM-9:00 PM

VIGIL: Saint Joseph’s Seminary
201 Seminary Avenue
Yonkers, New York 10704
914-968-6200

Wednesday, October 13, 2021
7:30 PM

VIEWING: Saint Thomas More Church
204-25 Rockaway Point Boulevard
Breezy Point, New York
718-634-6357

Friday, October 15, 2021
8:00 AM- 10:15 AM

FUNERAL: Saint Thomas More Church
204-25 Rockaway Point Boulevard
Breezy Point, New York
718-634-6357

Friday, October 15, 2021
10:30 AM

BURIAL: Saint John Cemetery
Middle Village, New York

Priests who wish to concelebrate are asked to wear their diocesan vestments.

Clergy seeking to concelebrate the 7:30 PM Vigil Mass at Saint Joseph’s Seminary tomorrow, please RSVP to SJS.Events@dunwoodie.edu.

Priests who are not incardinated in the Diocese of Brooklyn and wish to concelebrate at the Funeral Mass, are asked to please provide the Chancery Office of the Diocese of Brooklyn with a letter of good standing via email to curia@diobrook.org.

Please pray for the repose of his soul and for the consolation of his family and friends. May he rest in the peace of Christ, the Risen Lord.

Reverend Monsignor Steven J. Aguggia, J.C.L.
Chancellor

DECREE

Changes in the spiritual practices among the faithful, a decrease in available clergy and men and women in consecrated life, changes in the general population within our Diocese, as well as concerns regarding temporal matters have affected the means by
which the Gospel of Jesus Christ has been proclaimed within the Diocese of Brooklyn. In an effort to respond in the best possible way to the gifts of the Holy Spirit generously given to us in our current situation, I have overseen a comprehensive pastoral plan, which included the whole of the Diocese of Brooklyn.

In an effort to evangelize more effectively the community in Queens, as well to administrate the temporal goods of the faithful more efficiently, Most Reverend Octavio Cisneros, Pastor of Holy Child Jesus, located at 111-11 86th Avenue, Richmond Hill,
New York 11418, and Reverend John Tino, Temporary Administrator of Saint Benedict Joseph Labre, located at 9440 118th Street, South Richmond Hill, New York 11419, petitioned that they be canonically merged.

In keeping with the requirements of the Universal Law of the Church, the Presbyteral Council was consulted on February 4, 2020 (Canon 515 § 2), and after having heard the reasons for the proposed merger its members expressed their support for this action. In addition, after having consulted the territorial Episcopal Vicars, clergy, pastoral ministers and other members of the faithful of the parishes involved, I, the undersigned Bishop of Brooklyn, hereby declare and decree that the Parishes of Holy Child Jesus and Saint Benedict Joseph Labre, both within the Diocese of Brooklyn, shall be merged to form one Parish.

• This one Parish shall be named the Parish of Holy Child Jesus – Saint Benedict Joseph Labre, with the main Parish office to be located 111-11 86th Avenue, Richmond Hill, New York 11418.

• Most Reverend Octavio Cisneros shall be the Pastor of the Parish.

• The territorial boundaries of the new parish shall encompass all of the territory which, up until now, has constituted the territories of Holy Child Jesus and Saint Benedict Joseph Labre.

• All assets and obligations currently belonging to aforementioned parishes are by this canonical merger, transferred to the Parish of Holy Child Jesus – Saint Benedict Joseph Labre.

• The parochial registers and the seals of the aforementioned parishes shall be kept at 111-11 86th Avenue, Richmond Hill, New York 11418.

• The Parish shall have two churches for worship: The Church of Holy Child Jesus and the Church of Saint Benedict Joseph Labre.

This merger shall take effect on September 1, 2020, at which time the public juridic persons of Holy Child Jesus – Saint Benedict Joseph Labre shall be merged. Recourse action may be sought according to the norms of Canons 1732 to 1739 of the 1983 Code
of Canon Law.

__________________________________________
Most Reverend Nicholas DiMarzio, Ph.D., D.D.
Bishop of Brooklyn

Given in Brooklyn,
This 13th day of July 2020