By Katie Vasquez
A new school year also means a new pastoral year for those who work for the Diocese of Brooklyn, and inspires those who serve the faithful of Brooklyn and Queens.
Bishop Robert Brennan brought them all here to the Immaculate Conception Center in Douglaston to kick off the new pastoral year with the Lord.
Bishop Brennan celebrated the Mass, attended by representatives of the 27 diocesan offices.
The more than 100 employees, including both clergy and laypeople, are in charge of different aspects of the diocese, including vocations, evangelization, and interreligious dialogue.
While their work may be different, Bishop Brennan and Father Joseph Gibino, vicar for the secretariat for evangelization and catechesis, said this Mass and the luncheon that followed helped them start this new pastoral year united in Christ.
“What we try to do at the beginning of the year is to have Mass together,” Bishop Brennan said. “That’s who we are to pray together, and that reconnects us with our mission and people from all kinds of work, but we’re all involved in advancing the mission of the Church.”
“We gather together to be nourished on the Eucharist, then we gather to break bread together,” Father Gibino said. “It really unites us in heart and mind and the pastoral mission of the Church.”
During the Mass, Bishop Brennan looked to the future, asking everyone to pray for good weather for a huge upcoming diocesan event, the celebration of the Eucharistic Revival scheduled on Oct. 7 at Maimonides Park.
For more information, just go to the diocese’s website, dioceseofbrooklyn.org.