St. Joseph Seminary Celebrates and Completes First Week of Classes

Sixty-five seminarians at St. Joseph Seminary and College have officially completed their first week back to school. The seminarians are living on-campus and attending classes in a traditional, in-person format while adhering to health and safety guidelines.

Bishop James Massa Returns to St. Joseph’s Seminary as New Rector

Bishop James Massa, auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of Brooklyn, has officially settled into his new role as rector at St. Joseph’s Seminary and College. He was appointed to the position by Cardinal Timothy Dolan, Archbishop of New York, mid-July, and succeeded Msgr. Peter I. Vaccari, who served as rector for the last nine years.

A Heroic Priestly Life

Father Joseph A. Gancila, parochial vicar at Our Lady of Guadalupe parish, Dyker Heights, passed away on Jan. 6 at age 50. His Funeral Mass was celebrated by Auxiliary Bishop James Massa Jan. 9. at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church. Auxiliary Bishop Octavio Cisneros and nearly sixty priests concelebrated the Mass. Father Casper Furnari, O.F.S., pastor emeritus of Holy Family Church, Fresh Meadows, was the homilist.

Cathedral Club Remembers Deceased With Mass

Joseph P. McHugh, Frances Rauso, Patricia Hoza… The names of the Cathedral Club of Brooklyn members who died this year were read solemnly and prayerfully at the group’s annual Memorial Mass Nov. 23.

Diocesan Bishops Discuss Visit to Vatican

Auxiliary Bishop Raymond Chappetto described the ad limina visit to Rome Nov. 11-15 as a pilgrimage. The bishops of New York state’s eight dioceses traveled to the Vatican for an official visit to report on the state of their dioceses, and during their time in Rome, the bishops celebrated Mass at the city’s four major basilicas.

Msgr. Quinn, a Candidate For Sainthood, Is Honored

Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio is scheduled to meet with Pope Francis in mid-November, and at that time, the bishop will present the diocesan investigation into Msgr. Quinn’s cause to the Congregation for the Cause of Saints at the Vatican. Next, the congregation will open its own investigation to consider Msgr. Quinn for the title of venerable, the second of four steps on the road to sainthood.

Lab Blessing

Auxiliary Bishop James Massa blessed a new STEM lab at St. Brigid-St. Frances Cabrini Catholic Academy, Bush- wick, on Sept. 10. Bishop Massa also blessed the school’s new playground and recently renovated auditorium before celebrating a school-wide Mass.