Nicholas Anthony DiMarzio
Encyclopedia
Nicholas DiMarzio (born June 16, 1944) is an American
prelate
of the Roman Catholic Church
. He is the seventh and current Bishop of Brooklyn
, having previously served as Bishop of Camden from 1999 to 2003.
, to Nicholas Sr. and Grace (née Grande) DiMarzio, both deceased. His father served in the military
at the time of his birth and later worked as a health inspector
for the city of Newark
. All four of his grandparents emigrated to the U.S. from southern Italy. He is the oldest of three children.
DiMarzio grew up across the street from Sacred Heart Cathedral Basilica, Newark
, and attended the Cathedral's grammar school. He then went on to graduate from St. Benedict's Preparatory School in 1962. He attended Immaculate Conception Seminary, Darlington, and graduated with a Bachelor's degree
from Seton Hall University
(1966). He holds a Bachelor's degree in Sacred Theology
from The Catholic University of America
(1970), a Master's in Social Work
from Fordham University
(1980) and a doctorate in Social Work Research and Policy
from Rutgers University
, New Brunswick (1985).
He is also a certified social worker and fluent in Italian and Spanish and proficient in French.
to the priesthood
for the Archdiocese of Newark
on May 30, 1970 by Archbishop Thomas Boland
. He began his ministry
among migrants
in 1976, where he served as the archdiocese's refugee resettlement director for nine years, during which time he also served a two-year term as director
of the Office of Migration of Newark's Catholic Community Services, now Catholic Charities
.
He moved to Washington, D.C.
in 1985, when appointed executive director
for Migration and Refugee Services for the U.S. Catholic Conference and served there for six years. A year after arriving in Washington, he was named a Prelate of Honor
by Pope John Paul II
.
While he served as executive director of Migration and Refugee Services, he also created the Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc., known as CLINIC, a legal services corporation through which dioceses offer new immigrants help in resettling. He later served as its chairman for six years.
When he returned to his home archdiocese
in 1991, Archbishop Theodore E. McCarrick appointed him to be the associate executive director of Catholic Community Services and a year later was advanced to executive director
, a position he held for five years. He also held the title of Vicar
for Human Services, and Vice President of the Board of the archdiocesan Cathedral Healthcare Systems, overseeing its hospitals.
In 1996, Pope John Paul II
elevated him to the rank of Auxiliary Bishop
for the Archdiocese of Newark
. From 1998 until 2001 he chaired the Migration Committee of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.
DiMarzio has also served as an associate pastor at St. Nicholas Church, Jersey City, 1970–77; associate pastor in-residence at Holy Rosary Church, Jersey City, 1977–79; administrator and pastor of St. Boniface Church, Jersey City, 1979–80; chaplain of Holy Rosary Academy, Union City, 1980–84; pastor of Holy Rosary Church, Jersey City, 1984–85; associate pastor in-residence at Mount Carmel Church, Newark, 1985–88 and 1996; and pastor at Mount Carmel Church, Newark, 1996-99.
In 2000, he was appointed a member of the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People.
June 8, 1999, Bishop DiMarzio undertook several initiatives, including establishing an Office of Ethnic Ministries, an Office of Black Catholic Ministry and an Office of Hispanic Ministry. He also created an apostolate
to the Haiti
an community and founded two missions to serve the Korea
n and Vietnamese
communities.
Aug. 1, 2003, after four years as the Bishop of the Diocese of Camden
, Bishop DiMarzio was installed in his new See
at Mass of Installation
at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Basilica, Brooklyn on Oct. 3, 2003.
One of Bishop DiMarzio's first acts after his installation as Bishop of Brooklyn
was to speak at the Immigrant Workers Freedom Ride Rally at Flushing Meadows Park. In November 2003 he spoke before Brooklyn's Muslim
community
at a Ramadan
celebration and attended the Fifth World Congress of the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People in Rome.
Shortly after his installation as Bishop of Brooklyn
, Bishop DiMarzio was invited to be a member of the Global Commission on International Migration, sponsored by the Secretary General of the United Nations and a number of governments. It began its work in December 2003 and concluded Dec. 31, 2005 after completing a report, entitled "Migration in an interconnected world; New directions for action". The Bishop was the only U.S. resident
on the 19-member commission.
Bishop DiMarzio has issued three pastoral letter
s addressed to the parish
ioners of the Diocese of Brooklyn
. The first, "The New Evangelization in Brooklyn and Queens", was presented in October 2004. The following October he wrote his second pastoral, entitled "The Family: The Hope of the New Evangelization".
In October 2007, the Bishop issued his third pastoral letter: "Do Not Be Afraid - A Pastoral Vision for the New Evangelization".
From 2004 to 2007, Bishop DiMarzio chaired the Domestic Policy Committee of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. During his tenure, the committee formulated "Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship", published in 2008, which was a call to political responsibility from the Catholic bishops of the U.S. It was approved by a historic number of bishops.
He has also served as chairman of the Bishops' Migration Committee, and currently serves as a member of the board of directors of Catholic Relief Services and chairman of its finance committee, and a member of the Bishops' Task Force on Catholic Bishops and Politicians.
Bishop DiMarzio's column of reflections on issues affecting the faithful, entitled "Put Out Into the Deep" appears weekly in the diocesan newspaper, The Tablet. He also appears weekly on Currents, a daily Catholic television news program that airs on NET in a segment titled "Into The Deep", where he discusses diocesan, local, national and international news.
He also joined New York City religious leaders in January 2011 to call for new efforts to lower New York City's abortion rate, which stands at 40-percent of all pregnancies ending in abortion. It is twice the national rate.
, a manifesto that was issued by Catholic, Orthodox Christian and Protestant leaders, and which called on Christians not to comply with rules and laws permitting abortion, same-sex marriage and other social and moral matters that go against their religious consciences. It has been signed by more than 150 American religious leaders.
and has worked for these causes through the majority of his priestly ministry, beginning as a young priest in Jersey City
. When he was appointed by Pope John Paul II
to the Diocese of Brooklyn
, it was an appointment that expressed the Pope's recognition of Brooklyn's well-known status as a Diocese of Immigrants and DiMarzio's knowledge and expertise in responding to the needs of the migrant and immigrant communities.
Because of his wide-ranging knowledge and experience in matters affecting migrants and immigrants, Bishop DiMarzio has testified frequently before committees of the U.S. House of Representatives. He has lobbied Congress for more lenient laws while serving as head of the United States Catholic Conference's Office of Migration and Refugee Services.
for the Diocese of Brooklyn has steadily increased since DiMarzio became Bishop, a reflection of his efforts and support for vocation
s. Current statistics
show the number of seminarians has increased from 39 in 2006-07 to 61 in 2010-11. He has worked with other diocese
s and seminaries
in the U.S. to receive seminarians from Haiti
, Korea
, Vietnam
, and Poland
to serve the "Diocese of Immigrants".
DiMarzio also requested each parish
establish a Parish Vocation Committee (PVC) and as of May 2011, there are close to 140 PVC's in Brooklyn
and Queens
.
He also celebrates an annual jubilee celebration of priests and men and women religious and holds twice a year gatherings with seminarians.
Part of Bishop DiMarzio's efforts for vocations included establishing the John Paul II House of Discernment in April 2008 which serves as both a residence for seminarians and a location for discernment
events, including discernment retreats. Other programs included in his support for vocations are Cathedral Preparatory Seminary, the Cathedral Seminary Residence, and the Vocation Office.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
prelate
Prelate
A prelate is a high-ranking member of the clergy who is an ordinary or who ranks in precedence with ordinaries. The word derives from the Latin prælatus, the past participle of præferre, which means "carry before", "be set above or over" or "prefer"; hence, a prelate is one set over others.-Related...
of the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
. He is the seventh and current Bishop of Brooklyn
Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn, which includes territory that was previously part of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York, was established as a separate diocese in 1853 when the City of Brooklyn was separate from New York City....
, having previously served as Bishop of Camden from 1999 to 2003.
Early life
Nicholas DiMarzio was born in Newark, New JerseyNewark, New Jersey
Newark is the largest city in the American state of New Jersey, and the seat of Essex County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Newark had a population of 277,140, maintaining its status as the largest municipality in New Jersey. It is the 68th largest city in the U.S...
, to Nicholas Sr. and Grace (née Grande) DiMarzio, both deceased. His father served in the military
Military
A military is an organization authorized by its greater society to use lethal force, usually including use of weapons, in defending its country by combating actual or perceived threats. The military may have additional functions of use to its greater society, such as advancing a political agenda e.g...
at the time of his birth and later worked as a health inspector
Health inspector
A health inspector is a public employee who investigates health hazards in a wide variety of locations, then will take action to mitigate or eliminate the hazards...
for the city of Newark
Newark, New Jersey
Newark is the largest city in the American state of New Jersey, and the seat of Essex County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Newark had a population of 277,140, maintaining its status as the largest municipality in New Jersey. It is the 68th largest city in the U.S...
. All four of his grandparents emigrated to the U.S. from southern Italy. He is the oldest of three children.
DiMarzio grew up across the street from Sacred Heart Cathedral Basilica, Newark
Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart, Newark, New Jersey
The Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart, the fifth-largest cathedral in North America, is the seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark. It is located at 89 Ridge Street in Newark, New Jersey. Envisioned as a "fitting monument to the faith," construction began in 1899 and was finished in...
, and attended the Cathedral's grammar school. He then went on to graduate from St. Benedict's Preparatory School in 1962. He attended Immaculate Conception Seminary, Darlington, and graduated with a Bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
from Seton Hall University
Seton Hall University
Seton Hall University is a private Roman Catholic university in South Orange, New Jersey, United States. Founded in 1856 by Archbishop James Roosevelt Bayley, Seton Hall is the oldest diocesan university in the United States. Seton Hall is also the oldest and largest Catholic university in the...
(1966). He holds a Bachelor's degree in Sacred Theology
Bachelor of Sacred Theology
The Bachelor of Sacred Theology is a graduate-level academic degree in theology.The Bachelor of Sacred Theology is offered by a number of Pontifical Universities. It is sometimes offered as a graduate degree, for students who have already completed a B.A. or other first degree...
from The Catholic University of America
The Catholic University of America
The Catholic University of America is a private university located in Washington, D.C. in the United States. It is a pontifical university of the Catholic Church in the United States and the only institution of higher education founded by the U.S. Catholic bishops...
(1970), a Master's in Social Work
Master of Social Work
The Master of Social Work is a master's degree in social workand especiality of sociology.- United States :In the United States, MSW degrees must be received from a graduate school that has been approved by the Council on Social Work Education...
from Fordham University
Fordham University
Fordham University is a private, nonprofit, coeducational research university in the United States, with three campuses in and around New York City. It was founded by the Roman Catholic Diocese of New York in 1841 as St...
(1980) and a doctorate in Social Work Research and Policy
Doctor of Social Work
The Doctor of Social Work or PhD in Social Work or PhD in Social Policy and Social Work is a higher academic degree for social workers who wish to further their careers. The PhD candidate gains experience at doctoral level in education, training in advanced practice, teaching, supervision, research...
from Rutgers University
Rutgers University
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey , is the largest institution for higher education in New Jersey, United States. It was originally chartered as Queen's College in 1766. It is the eighth-oldest college in the United States and one of the nine Colonial colleges founded before the American...
, New Brunswick (1985).
He is also a certified social worker and fluent in Italian and Spanish and proficient in French.
Priesthood
DiMarzio was ordainedHoly Orders
The term Holy Orders is used by many Christian churches to refer to ordination or to those individuals ordained for a special role or ministry....
to the priesthood
Priesthood (Catholic Church)
The ministerial orders of the Catholic Church include the orders of bishops, deacons and presbyters, which in Latin is sacerdos. The ordained priesthood and common priesthood are different in function and essence....
for the Archdiocese of Newark
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark
The Archdiocese of Newark is an archdiocese of the Catholic Church in northern New Jersey, United States. Its ecclesiastic territory includes all of the Catholic parishes and schools in the New Jersey counties of Bergen, Union, Hudson and Essex .-History:Originally established as the Diocese of...
on May 30, 1970 by Archbishop Thomas Boland
Thomas Aloysius Boland
Thomas Aloysius Boland was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He was Archbishop of Newark from 1952 to 1974, having previously served as Auxiliary Bishop of Newark and Bishop of Paterson .-Early life and education:Thomas Boland was born in Orange, New Jersey, to John Peter and...
. He began his ministry
Minister (Catholic Church)
In the Catholic Church the term minister enjoys a variety of usages. It most commonly refers to the person, whether lay or ordained, who is commissioned to perform some act on behalf of the Church...
among migrants
Immigration
Immigration is the act of foreigners passing or coming into a country for the purpose of permanent residence...
in 1976, where he served as the archdiocese's refugee resettlement director for nine years, during which time he also served a two-year term as director
Director (business)
Director refers to a rank in management. A director is a person who leads, or supervises a certain area of a company, a program, or a project. Usually companies, which use this title commonly have large numbers of people with the title of director with different categories...
of the Office of Migration of Newark's Catholic Community Services, now Catholic Charities
Catholic Charities
Catholic Charities is a network of charities whose aim is "to provide service to people in need, to advocate for justice in social structures, and to call the entire church and other people of good will to do the same." It is one of the largest charities in the United States...
.
He moved to Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
in 1985, when appointed executive director
Executive director
Executive director is a term sometimes applied to the chief executive officer or managing director of an organization, company, or corporation. It is widely used in North American non-profit organizations, though in recent decades many U.S. nonprofits have adopted the title "President/CEO"...
for Migration and Refugee Services for the U.S. Catholic Conference and served there for six years. A year after arriving in Washington, he was named a Prelate of Honor
Honorary Prelate
An Honorary Prelate of His Holiness is a priest to whom the Pope has granted this title. They are addressed as Monsignor and have certain privileges as regards ecclesiastical dress...
by Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
.
While he served as executive director of Migration and Refugee Services, he also created the Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc., known as CLINIC, a legal services corporation through which dioceses offer new immigrants help in resettling. He later served as its chairman for six years.
When he returned to his home archdiocese
Diocese
A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...
in 1991, Archbishop Theodore E. McCarrick appointed him to be the associate executive director of Catholic Community Services and a year later was advanced to executive director
Executive director
Executive director is a term sometimes applied to the chief executive officer or managing director of an organization, company, or corporation. It is widely used in North American non-profit organizations, though in recent decades many U.S. nonprofits have adopted the title "President/CEO"...
, a position he held for five years. He also held the title of Vicar
Vicar
In the broadest sense, a vicar is a representative, deputy or substitute; anyone acting "in the person of" or agent for a superior . In this sense, the title is comparable to lieutenant...
for Human Services, and Vice President of the Board of the archdiocesan Cathedral Healthcare Systems, overseeing its hospitals.
In 1996, Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
elevated him to the rank of Auxiliary Bishop
Auxiliary bishop
An auxiliary bishop, in the Roman Catholic Church, is an additional bishop assigned to a diocese because the diocesan bishop is unable to perform his functions, the diocese is so extensive that it requires more than one bishop to administer, or the diocese is attached to a royal or imperial office...
for the Archdiocese of Newark
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark
The Archdiocese of Newark is an archdiocese of the Catholic Church in northern New Jersey, United States. Its ecclesiastic territory includes all of the Catholic parishes and schools in the New Jersey counties of Bergen, Union, Hudson and Essex .-History:Originally established as the Diocese of...
. From 1998 until 2001 he chaired the Migration Committee of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.
DiMarzio has also served as an associate pastor at St. Nicholas Church, Jersey City, 1970–77; associate pastor in-residence at Holy Rosary Church, Jersey City, 1977–79; administrator and pastor of St. Boniface Church, Jersey City, 1979–80; chaplain of Holy Rosary Academy, Union City, 1980–84; pastor of Holy Rosary Church, Jersey City, 1984–85; associate pastor in-residence at Mount Carmel Church, Newark, 1985–88 and 1996; and pastor at Mount Carmel Church, Newark, 1996-99.
In 2000, he was appointed a member of the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People.
Bishop of Camden
Appointed the sixth Bishop of CamdenRoman Catholic Diocese of Camden
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Camden is a particular church or diocese of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church, located in New Jersey, United States, and presides over Roman Catholic parishes and schools in the six southern New Jersey counties of Atlantic, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland,...
June 8, 1999, Bishop DiMarzio undertook several initiatives, including establishing an Office of Ethnic Ministries, an Office of Black Catholic Ministry and an Office of Hispanic Ministry. He also created an apostolate
Lay apostolate
The lay apostolate is made up from laypeople and consecrated religious who exercise a ministry in cooperation with the Catholic Church. These organizations cooperate with ecclesiastical authorities. They operate "under direction of her pastors" but are not members of the official Church hierarchy...
to the Haiti
Haiti
Haiti , officially the Republic of Haiti , is a Caribbean country. It occupies the western, smaller portion of the island of Hispaniola, in the Greater Antillean archipelago, which it shares with the Dominican Republic. Ayiti was the indigenous Taíno or Amerindian name for the island...
an community and founded two missions to serve the Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
n and Vietnamese
Vietnamese people
The Vietnamese people are an ethnic group originating from present-day northern Vietnam and southern China. They are the majority ethnic group of Vietnam, comprising 86% of the population as of the 1999 census, and are officially known as Kinh to distinguish them from other ethnic groups in Vietnam...
communities.
Bishop of Brooklyn
Named to lead the Brooklyn DioceseRoman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn, which includes territory that was previously part of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York, was established as a separate diocese in 1853 when the City of Brooklyn was separate from New York City....
Aug. 1, 2003, after four years as the Bishop of the Diocese of Camden
Roman Catholic Diocese of Camden
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Camden is a particular church or diocese of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church, located in New Jersey, United States, and presides over Roman Catholic parishes and schools in the six southern New Jersey counties of Atlantic, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland,...
, Bishop DiMarzio was installed in his new See
Episcopal See
An episcopal see is, in the original sense, the official seat of a bishop. This seat, which is also referred to as the bishop's cathedra, is placed in the bishop's principal church, which is therefore called the bishop's cathedral...
at Mass of Installation
Mass (liturgy)
"Mass" is one of the names by which the sacrament of the Eucharist is called in the Roman Catholic Church: others are "Eucharist", the "Lord's Supper", the "Breaking of Bread", the "Eucharistic assembly ", the "memorial of the Lord's Passion and Resurrection", the "Holy Sacrifice", the "Holy and...
at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Basilica, Brooklyn on Oct. 3, 2003.
One of Bishop DiMarzio's first acts after his installation as Bishop of Brooklyn
Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn, which includes territory that was previously part of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York, was established as a separate diocese in 1853 when the City of Brooklyn was separate from New York City....
was to speak at the Immigrant Workers Freedom Ride Rally at Flushing Meadows Park. In November 2003 he spoke before Brooklyn's Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
community
Community
The term community has two distinct meanings:*a group of interacting people, possibly living in close proximity, and often refers to a group that shares some common values, and is attributed with social cohesion within a shared geographical location, generally in social units larger than a household...
at a Ramadan
Ramadan
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, which lasts 29 or 30 days. It is the Islamic month of fasting, in which participating Muslims refrain from eating, drinking, smoking and sex during daylight hours and is intended to teach Muslims about patience, spirituality, humility and...
celebration and attended the Fifth World Congress of the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People in Rome.
Shortly after his installation as Bishop of Brooklyn
Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn, which includes territory that was previously part of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York, was established as a separate diocese in 1853 when the City of Brooklyn was separate from New York City....
, Bishop DiMarzio was invited to be a member of the Global Commission on International Migration, sponsored by the Secretary General of the United Nations and a number of governments. It began its work in December 2003 and concluded Dec. 31, 2005 after completing a report, entitled "Migration in an interconnected world; New directions for action". The Bishop was the only U.S. resident
Citizenship in the United States
Citizenship in the United States is a status given to individuals that entails specific rights, duties, privileges, and benefits between the United States and the individual...
on the 19-member commission.
Bishop DiMarzio has issued three pastoral letter
Pastoral letter
A Pastoral letter, often called simply a pastoral, is an open letter addressed by a bishop to the clergy or laity of his diocese, or to both, containing either general admonition, instruction or consolation, or directions for behaviour in particular circumstances...
s addressed to the parish
Parish
A parish is a territorial unit historically under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of one parish priest, who might be assisted in his pastoral duties by a curate or curates - also priests but not the parish priest - from a more or less central parish church with its associated organization...
ioners of the Diocese of Brooklyn
Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn, which includes territory that was previously part of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York, was established as a separate diocese in 1853 when the City of Brooklyn was separate from New York City....
. The first, "The New Evangelization in Brooklyn and Queens", was presented in October 2004. The following October he wrote his second pastoral, entitled "The Family: The Hope of the New Evangelization".
In October 2007, the Bishop issued his third pastoral letter: "Do Not Be Afraid - A Pastoral Vision for the New Evangelization".
From 2004 to 2007, Bishop DiMarzio chaired the Domestic Policy Committee of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. During his tenure, the committee formulated "Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship", published in 2008, which was a call to political responsibility from the Catholic bishops of the U.S. It was approved by a historic number of bishops.
He has also served as chairman of the Bishops' Migration Committee, and currently serves as a member of the board of directors of Catholic Relief Services and chairman of its finance committee, and a member of the Bishops' Task Force on Catholic Bishops and Politicians.
Bishop DiMarzio's column of reflections on issues affecting the faithful, entitled "Put Out Into the Deep" appears weekly in the diocesan newspaper, The Tablet. He also appears weekly on Currents, a daily Catholic television news program that airs on NET in a segment titled "Into The Deep", where he discusses diocesan, local, national and international news.
Abortion
DiMarzio has expressed his commitment to human life from the pulpit on many occasions. He also prays alongside Msgr. Philip Reilly, founder and executive director of Helper's of God's Precious Infants, on a routine basis, where he leads processions from area churches to local abortion mills with hundreds of faithful to pray for an end to abortion.He also joined New York City religious leaders in January 2011 to call for new efforts to lower New York City's abortion rate, which stands at 40-percent of all pregnancies ending in abortion. It is twice the national rate.
Abuse scandal
DiMarzio visits with victims of clergy sexual abuse. In May 2009, he published a presentation to the people of the Diocese of Brooklyn entitled "From Shadow To Light And From Scandal To Healing: The Experience of the Diocese of Brooklyn with the Sex Abuse Scandal". The presentation was given so that the people of the diocese would have first-hand knowledge of what was being done in the diocese to assure protection of the youth and young adults from the scandal of abuse. It discussed investigating, reporting, responsibility of the Church, the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People, accountability and reconciliation, prevention, victim assistance, the Safe Environment Office, effect on the laity, and youth in the Church. It also established a hotline, 1-888-634-4499, for anyone reporting suspected abuse.Religious freedom
In November 2009, DiMarzio signed an ecumenical statement known as the Manhattan DeclarationManhattan Declaration
Manhattan Declaration can refer to:* Manhattan Declaration: A Call of Christian Conscience, an American Christian cross-denominational declaration addressing a number of political issues...
, a manifesto that was issued by Catholic, Orthodox Christian and Protestant leaders, and which called on Christians not to comply with rules and laws permitting abortion, same-sex marriage and other social and moral matters that go against their religious consciences. It has been signed by more than 150 American religious leaders.
Immigration
DiMarzio is known as a forceful voice on behalf of migrants and immigrantsImmigration to the United States
Immigration to the United States has been a major source of population growth and cultural change throughout much of the history of the United States. The economic, social, and political aspects of immigration have caused controversy regarding ethnicity, economic benefits, jobs for non-immigrants,...
and has worked for these causes through the majority of his priestly ministry, beginning as a young priest in Jersey City
Jersey City, New Jersey
Jersey City is the seat of Hudson County, New Jersey, United States.Part of the New York metropolitan area, Jersey City lies between the Hudson River and Upper New York Bay across from Lower Manhattan and the Hackensack River and Newark Bay...
. When he was appointed by Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
to the Diocese of Brooklyn
Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn, which includes territory that was previously part of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York, was established as a separate diocese in 1853 when the City of Brooklyn was separate from New York City....
, it was an appointment that expressed the Pope's recognition of Brooklyn's well-known status as a Diocese of Immigrants and DiMarzio's knowledge and expertise in responding to the needs of the migrant and immigrant communities.
Because of his wide-ranging knowledge and experience in matters affecting migrants and immigrants, Bishop DiMarzio has testified frequently before committees of the U.S. House of Representatives. He has lobbied Congress for more lenient laws while serving as head of the United States Catholic Conference's Office of Migration and Refugee Services.
Vocations
The number of seminariansSeminary
A seminary, theological college, or divinity school is an institution of secondary or post-secondary education for educating students in theology, generally to prepare them for ordination as clergy or for other ministry...
for the Diocese of Brooklyn has steadily increased since DiMarzio became Bishop, a reflection of his efforts and support for vocation
Vocation
A vocation , is a term for an occupation to which a person is specially drawn or for which they are suited, trained or qualified. Though now often used in non-religious contexts, the meanings of the term originated in Christianity.-Senses:...
s. Current statistics
Statistics
Statistics is the study of the collection, organization, analysis, and interpretation of data. It deals with all aspects of this, including the planning of data collection in terms of the design of surveys and experiments....
show the number of seminarians has increased from 39 in 2006-07 to 61 in 2010-11. He has worked with other diocese
Diocese
A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...
s and seminaries
Seminary
A seminary, theological college, or divinity school is an institution of secondary or post-secondary education for educating students in theology, generally to prepare them for ordination as clergy or for other ministry...
in the U.S. to receive seminarians from Haiti
Haiti
Haiti , officially the Republic of Haiti , is a Caribbean country. It occupies the western, smaller portion of the island of Hispaniola, in the Greater Antillean archipelago, which it shares with the Dominican Republic. Ayiti was the indigenous Taíno or Amerindian name for the island...
, Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
, Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
, and Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
to serve the "Diocese of Immigrants".
DiMarzio also requested each parish
Parish
A parish is a territorial unit historically under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of one parish priest, who might be assisted in his pastoral duties by a curate or curates - also priests but not the parish priest - from a more or less central parish church with its associated organization...
establish a Parish Vocation Committee (PVC) and as of May 2011, there are close to 140 PVC's in Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
and Queens
Queens
Queens is the easternmost of the five boroughs of New York City. The largest borough in area and the second-largest in population, it is coextensive with Queens County, an administrative division of New York state, in the United States....
.
He also celebrates an annual jubilee celebration of priests and men and women religious and holds twice a year gatherings with seminarians.
Part of Bishop DiMarzio's efforts for vocations included establishing the John Paul II House of Discernment in April 2008 which serves as both a residence for seminarians and a location for discernment
Vocational discernment in the Catholic Church
Vocational discernment is the process in which men or women in the Catholic Church discern, or determine, their vocation in the Church. Though one may also speak of discerning a vocation to marriage or to life as a single person, discerning a vocation most frequently refers to a special vocation...
events, including discernment retreats. Other programs included in his support for vocations are Cathedral Preparatory Seminary, the Cathedral Seminary Residence, and the Vocation Office.