Two relics of the Diocese of Brooklyn will take up new homes this weekend in a diocese on another continent.

The bell that once rang out from the steeple of St. Vincent de Paul Church, Williamsburg, and a statue of Our Lady of the Skies that adorned the now-razed chapel of the same name at Kennedy Airport will be blessed outside the Parish of Nuestra Senora de La Soledad in San Jose, Costa Rica.

Designated Outdoor Shrines

The ceremony will take place Saturday, Dec. 10, at 6 p.m. with Bishop Jose Rafael Quiros of San Jose officiating. The bell and the statue will be placed in outdoor shrine areas that have been erected for this purpose.

Mass will be celebrated prior to the ceremony that will kick off the Christmas season in that diocese with the National Philharmonic Orchestra of Costa Rica performing and the country’s president in attendance.

Representing the Brooklyn Diocese will be Father Thaddeus Abraham, parochial vicar at St. Sebastian’s parish, Woodside, who helped purchase the items for the Latin American diocese.

“I went there to study Spanish with the support of my pastor, Father Kevin Abels,” explained Father Abraham, a native of India, who serves at St. Sebastian’s parish, Woodside.

“On my weekdays off from school, I visited the missions in the hills and barrios and found a vibrant community with very meager resources.”

Being a missionary at heart, he was determined to help the Church in Costa Rica upon his return to Queens. With the help of Ted Dilig, he formed a not-for-profit group called San Jose: Pilgrimages of St. Joseph the Pilgrim that consisted of priests, doctors and other professionals who would assist mission dioceses.

When priests from Costa Rica visited Msgr. Richard Henning and the Diocese of Rockville Centre, L.I., with whom they have had an ongoing relationship, they also were introduced to Brooklyn’s patrimony office coordinated by Msgr. John Bracken. This is where material goods and contents of former churches are stored in a warehouse in Bushwick.

With the permission of Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio, artifacts were made available to the Latin American diocese for a small donation.

Liturgical artist Anthony D’Ambrosio also contributed statues and articles that he had received from pastors of closed parishes who wanted to help the missions.

Vestments, Statues, Tabernacles

Thanks to the work of the committee and special donations from people like Milton D’Souza and Sam Mendonca, the group was able to fill a 40-foot container with vestments, statues and tabernacles.

The two largest items were the century-old brass bell that weighs 7,000 pounds and the 18-feet tall bronze statue of Our Lady of Skies, which will now be back in the service of the Church.