FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 16, 2022
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DIOCESE OF BROOKLYN’S MONSIGNOR JAMIE GIGANTIELLO NAMED
CHAPLAIN OF THE NEW YORK CITY FIRE DEPARTMENT
The Diocese of Brooklyn is proud to announce Monsignor Jamie Gigantiello, Pastor of Our Lady of Mount Carmel – Annunciation Parish in Williamsburg, has been named a Chaplain for the New York City Fire Department. Deputy Fire Chief Gigantiello was sworn in Monday at FDNY headquarters.
“I am very honored and humbled to be part of one of the greatest fire departments in the country. The fires I will put out will not be the fires that destroy buildings and take lives, they will be the fires of suffering and loss,” said Msgr. Gigantiello. “Right now, we may be a divided city but when it comes to tragedy we are so united, we come together as a city and we come together as a church because we all believe in one God and we let them know they are not alone.”
FDNY Commissioner Daniel A. Nigro presided over the swearing-in ceremony on Monday.
“They are with us on our good days and on our most dark days, they are with the families to tell them that God will remain with them and I could not picture the department existing without chaplains,” Nigro told Currents News, the Diocese of Brooklyn’s nightly news program.
https://netny.tv/episodes/
Monsignor Gigantiello was ordained in 1995. He has served as parochial vicar at St. Patrick’s Parish, Bay Ridge, and Mary Queen of Heaven Parish in Old Mill Basin, where he installed as pastor in 2002 and served until 2013. He then served as Pastor of St. Bernard in the Mill Basin/Bergen Beach section of Brooklyn until 2017, when he was appointed at Our Lady of Mount Carmel.
Prior to studying for the priesthood, Monsignor Gigantiello received a Business Degree from Baruch College and graduated from The Culinary Institute of America. For ten years, he worked in New York City’s hotel industry in various managerial positions before entering Immaculate Conception Seminary in Huntington.
Monsignor Gigantiello is the Director of the Office of Parish Giving and Vicar for Development for the Diocese of Brooklyn. He has served on a variety of civic and not-for-profit boards, including the Board of Directors of MERCY FIRST. Following the attacks on the World Trade Center on September 11th, the New York City Police Department made him an Honorary Chaplain in recognition of his work at Ground Zero.
Monsignor Gigantiello ministers as Chaplain to the NYC Taxi and Limousine Commission and the NYC Transit & Corrections Officers. He also serves as Spiritual Moderator for the Equestrian Order of the Knights and Ladies of the Holy Sepulchre and Chaplain to local chapters of the Knights of Columbus, the Columbiettes and Lions Club.
Monsignor Gigantiello joins seven other chaplains serving the FDNY.
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Photo 1: Msgr. Gigantiello being sworn in with his sister, Toniann Martello, holding the Bible.
Photo 2: FDNY Commissioner Daniel Nigro, Toniann Martello, Msgr. Gigantiello, Anthony Gigantiello (Msgr. Gigantiello’s brother)
