Brooklyn Boro

Faith In Brooklyn for Aug. 4

August 4, 2015 By Francesca Norsen Tate, Religion Editor Brooklyn Daily Eagle
Theodore Cardinal McCarrick (right), archbishop emeritus of the Diocese of Washington, lays hands on new Auxiliary Bishop James Massa. Timothy Cardinal Dolan, archbishop of the Diocese of New York (at left) was also one of the co-consecrators. Brooklyn Eagle Photo by Francesca N. Tate
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Consecration of Two New Auxiliary Bishops Brings in Dignitaries From Around the World

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn now has five auxiliary bishops to serve the wide and diverse geographical area it encompasses. This week, dozens of church dignitaries from the Roman Catholic and Eastern Rites came to the “Borough of Churches” to co-consecrate the Most Rev. James Massa, 54, and the Most Rev. Witold Mroziewski, 49, as auxiliary bishops for the Diocese of Brooklyn.

The two new bishops join Auxiliary Bishop Raymond Chappetto, vicar general; Auxiliary Bishop Octavio Cisneros, vicar for Hispanic Concerns and pastor of Holy Child Jesus, Richmond Hill; Auxiliary Bishop Paul Sanchez, pastor of Our Lady Queen of Martyrs, Forest Hills; and retired Auxiliary Bishop Guy Sansaricq, pastor emeritus of St. Gregory the Great in Crown Heights.

The five assist Diocesan Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio in serving the nearly 1.5 million multicultural Catholics who reside in Brooklyn and Queens.

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Bishop DiMarzio told the Brooklyn Eagle during a press conference immediately prior to the ordination Mass that the auxiliary bishops help him with parish visitations, conferring the sacrament of Confirmation. Auxiliary bishops are also pastors to the priests and to the people of the diocese.

“We’re fortunate in Brooklyn now that we have five auxiliary bishops and they all have particular competencies. Some are pastors. Bishop Massa is the moderator of the Curia [for this diocese], and that’s a full-time job. They help me in administration and pastoral care of the diocese. So they’re extensions, because it’s a big diocese,” DiMarzio said.

Reflecting the Brooklyn Diocese’s rich ethnic heritage, Bishops Mroziewski and Massa are proficient in multiple languages, in addition to English. During the press conference, they spoke of their backgrounds: Bishop Mroziewski brings his native fluency in Polish and Russian into service for the diocese, and Bishop Massa is building his fluency in Spanish, after having done Hispanic ministries when he was a new priest.

Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò, apostolic nuncio to the United States, read aloud  the Bull — the sacred papal document — that announced Massa and Mroziewski as new auxiliary bishops. It was signed on May 19, 2015. As the Bull was read, the bishops and congregation gave an extended standing ovation.

Archbishop Viganò was among the co-consecrating bishops, a group which also included His Eminence Timothy Michael Cardinal Dolan, archbishop of New York; His Eminence Theodore Cardinal McCarrick, archbishop emeritus of Washington, D.C.; His Excellency Bernardito Auza, apostolic nuncio and permanent observer of the Holy See Mission to the United Nations; His Excellency Charles Chaput, archbishop of Philadelphia; the Most Rev. William Murphy, bishop of Rockville Centre; and the Most Rev. Raymond Chappetto, auxiliary bishop of Brooklyn and vicar general for the diocese.

Joining them were more than 28 archbishops and bishops from across the United States and the world.

A significant delegation of the NYPD, including Deputy Chief Jeffrey Maddrey, as well as chaplains from the NYPD and FDNY, were also present.

During the Prayer of Ordination, the deacons of this diocese, whose primary ministry is to proclaim the Gospel at Mass and in their service to the world, held the Book of the Gospel above the heads of the bishops-elected.

A spokesperson for the diocese explained, “This is a symbol that the bishop’s authority is crowned by the Gospel. Therefore, he is always to be obedient to the Gospel and the teachings of the faith which flow from it.”

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Habitat for Humanity Builds Homes And Partnerships with Faith Groups

“The myth that low-income people can’t be homeowners is exactly that — a myth.”

So said Matthew Dunbar, vice president of government relations and advocacy for Habitat for Humanity, NYC. He was addressing a group of clergy and faith leaders serving Brooklyn and the wider metropolitan area at a packed breakfast at Borough Hall this month, themed “Building on Faith.”

Hosting the breakfast was Pastor Gilford Monrose, director of faith-based and clergy initiatives for Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams.

The breakfast’s purpose was to introduce Habitat for Humanity’s mission of enabling that dream of home-ownership and building partnerships and volunteer bases within faith communities.

As part of Habitat NYC’s 30th anniversary year — the branch was established in 1984 — the presenters showed a film on its accomplishments.

“Habitat was basically founded as church-based. We started working, we started raising funds, we started doing building projects in New York City in partnerships in churches. It’s a foundational aspect of what we do,” Dunbar said.

Habitat for Humanity International, founded in 1976, is a Christian Ecumenical Hous-ing Ministry, but its work is fulfilled on behalf of all people, according to literature distributed at the breakfast. Dunbar pointed out that former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, while not the founder of Habitat, is definitely the most famous volunteer. Habitat now builds in more than 70 countries. Habitat NYC envisions “a city where everyone has a decent place to live.”

Habitat NYC has built 380 homes for ownership in all five boroughs. In Brooklyn, more than 280 homes have been built. Brooklyn was also the beneficiary of Habitat’s Brush with Kindness and Critical Home Repair outreach programs. As part of Brush with Kindness, 115 community centers were revitalized. As part of Critical Home Repair, more than 50 homes damaged in Superstorm Sandy were repaired and volunteers served more than 100 families.

Dunbar, Frances Hardy and Olga Jobe, who is Habitat NYC’S vice president for real estate and construction, gave an overview of their mission and the ways in which faith communities and citizens can help: through education, advocacy, volunteerism and giving.

Central to Habitat’s mission is volunteerism — “sweat equity.”

“We build our homes with volunteers. And for our families that become homeowners there is the “sweat equity” requirement,” explained Dunbar. “All of them help build their own homes and the homes of their neighbors as part of their down payment, which gives them the opportunity to actually have a special Habitat mortgage product, a partner down payment: sweat equity one percent down payment and a two percent fixed interest rate mortgage. Advocates work with the state to create that special mortgage. It’s the best deal out there.”

Moreover, Habitat stays in touch with the new homeowners. Post-construction follow-up is conducted at the one-year, two-year and six-year marks to determine if any repairs need to be made, or any structural problems resolved.

“The goal is making sure folks can keep their homes,” Dunbar said.

As part of the advocacy, citizens lobby in Albany to protect and expand affordable housing. One of Habitat’s popular mail lobbies is the Paper Homes letter-writing campaign. (Cardboard Paper Homes were included in each breakfast attendee’s kit.) People complete the form on the houses and then send them to Gov. Andrew Cuomo, the legislatures in Albany, Mayor Bill de Blasio, City Hall and the U.S. Congress. The goal is 6,000 Paper Houses signed and delivered. Habitat also sponsors a Holiday Build of gingerbread houses as a fundraiser.

And Habitat’s AmeriCorps program provides teachers, ambassadors, leaders and problem-solvers on each construction site and in the corporate office. AmeriCorps volunteers make a yearlong commitment (actually, 1,700 hours over an 11-month period) to Habitat NYC’S construction teams.

“We do really go with the motto of ‘in addition to raising your hammer on a construction site, we would love for you to raise your voice and your pen,’” Dunbar said. “Build louder. We know that home ownership, when done right, is an amazing way for low-income families to really build assets and for communities to establish roots that will not be displaced.”

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August Hymn Sing Tradition Continues at Grace Church

Grace Church-Brooklyn Heights continues a 12-year tradition of hosting hymn sings every Tuesday during August. This year’s sings take place on Aug. 4, 11, 18 and 25.

Paul Richard Olson, organist and choirmaster at Grace, leads the sings, which introduce new and often humorous texts and melodic lines. Participants often have a chance to request their favorite hymns — as long as they share a brief insight as to why that particular hymn speaks to them so strongly.

In recent years, the hymn sings have offered special themes and presentations, such as talks on hymnody by Jacque Jones, president of the Hymn Society. She and Olson recently returned to Brooklyn from presenting at a Hymn Society Conference in New Orleans.

The hymn sings begin at 7 p.m. Hymnals and other music are provided.

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Celebrate Shabbat Under the Bridge!

This summer, Congregation Mount Sinai and Beineinu have participated in Shabbat Under the Bridge, at Brooklyn Bridge Park’s Pier 1, on one Friday each month through Sept. 18. The next Under the Bridge is offered on Friday, Aug. 7.

The worship portion, a musical Tefillah service, begins at 6:30 p.m. at the Pier 1 Bridgeview Lawn. Participants bring their own picnic dinners and the dining begins at 7:30 p.m. Challah and grape juice for kiddish is provided. 

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Milestones in Faith

All Saints Episcopal Church Was Founded 148 Years Ago

Tuesday, Aug. 4 marks a special milestone in the life of All Saints Episcopal Church in Park Slope. On that date in 1867, 20 families celebrated the Holy Communion in the Military Hall on Fifth Avenue at the corner of Ninth Street, under the leadership of Arthur Sinclair, the first warden. Then, six weeks later, on Sept. 16, 1867, members voted to incorporate the church as All Saints Church and elected a warden and vestry.

On Christmas Day of that year, the Reverend William D’Orville Doty was appointed as the first rector of All Saints. A search committee was then elected to find a suitable spot for the church building. Records show that Mr. Isaac Henderson, Esq. provided a generous offer in April 1869 and the present property was purchased.


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