INITIATIVES THAT AFFECTED

        CHURCH LIFE IN THE DIOCESE

 

            (Following is a cross-section of the significant events that impacted on the work of the Church in the Diocese of Brooklyn during Bishop Thomas V. Daily's 13 years as the Diocesan Bishop.)

 

Convenes First Diocesan Synod in 70 Years

 

            In May, 1993, Bishop Daily announced plans to convene the seventh Synod of the Diocese of Brooklyn---the first since l926.

 

A synod is a gathering of representatives of the clergy, Religious and laity who comprise a consultative body formed to assist the bishop in leading the diocese and determining its particular needs.

 

The Synod opened in September, 1996, with 500 delegates who met for five months and issued recommendations to the bishop on matters affecting the life of the Church in Brooklyn and Queens.

 

Chief among their conclusions was the need to expand efforts in lay formation,

intended to help people understand  and live their faith in a more profound way, and for promoting ongoing clergy formation.

 

In May, 1997, Bishop Daily issued a letter responding to the recommendations. In it, he approved the creation of an enhanced curriculum at the Pastoral Institute, a theological updating program, and the expansion of programs designed to assist clergy in their spiritual and ministerial lives.

 

The Synod recommendations also led Bishop Daily to establish the Office of Cluster Planning and Coordination, a vehicle for carrying out post-Synodal work. The office now guides 32 clusters of parishes in Brooklyn and Queens through which clergy, Religious and laity meet to study and discuss the spiritual, pastoral, educational and other needs of their respective communities.

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Announces Campaign for $50 Million, Receives $78.5 Million

 

            In 1995, Bishop Daily launched a capital and endowment campaign, entitled "Alive in Hope," with a goal of $50 million. It was designed to assist the Diocese and its individual parishes in meeting current and long-term financial needs.

 

            Though an understandable skepticism greeted the announcement of the goal, given Brooklyn's status as a poor immigrant diocese, parishioners responded generously to the Bishop's call.

 

            With parishioners encouraged to pledge support in an amount payable over five years, the Diocese received $67,347,306 in contributions, an amount made more remarkable because no contribution was greater than $300,000. In other dioceses where campaigns have been launched, often the initial gifts have been for $1 million or more.

 

            Investment income of $11,142,127 received from the contributions raised the total achieved in the campaign to $78,489,433.

 

            In all, $33,045,595 was distributed among the 217 parishes of the Diocese, $35,077,529 was given to the Alive in Hope Foundation, which benefits five endowment programs, and a one-time contribution of $4 million was made to the Annual Stewardship Appeal in l996

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Greets Pope John Paul II as He Visits Diocese of Brooklyn

 

            Led by Bishop Daily, more than 75,000 of the faithful greeted Pope John Paul II as he visited the Diocese of Brooklyn Oct. 6, 1995, for a Mass the pontiff celebrated at Aqueduct Race Track in Ozone Park. He was in the United States for a five-day stay that included an address at the United Nations.

 

            It was the Holy Father's second visit to the Diocese as Pope, the first having occurred in l979 when he presided at a prayer service in Shea Stadium, following a brief stop in front of St. James Cathedral in Brooklyn.

 

            About a decade earlier, as Archbishop of Cracow, he celebrated Mass in St. Stanislaus Kostka Church in Greenpoint during a pastoral visit to this country.

 

            In welcoming the Pope to the Diocese, Bishop Daily said:  "The Diocese of Brooklyn is truly blessed by your presence here at Aqueduct, for once again you are Peter among us."

 

            The Holy Father, at the beginning of his homily, given mostly in English and partly in Spanish, expressed "warm affection" for "your stalwart pastor, Bishop Thomas Daily."

 

            Reflecting on America and American life, he asked in words of pastoral concern: "Have the people living in this huge metropolis lost sight of the blessings which belong to the poor in spirit? In the midst of the magnificent scientific and technological civilization of which America is proud, and especially here in Queens, in Brooklyn, in New York, is there room for the mystery of God?

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Calls for Holy Year Eucharistic Rally at Arthur Ashe Stadium

 

Bishop Daily designated as the principal religious observance of Jubilee Year 2000 a day-long Eucharistic Rally on June 24, which drew more than 7,000 parishioners to Arthur Ashe Stadium in Flushing Meadows.

 

            Under the title, "Behold the Lamb of God," the rally included Eucharistic Adoration, dance and dramatic performances by various cultural groups, a keynote talk by Bishop Gerald M. Barbarito and Mass celebrated by Bishop Daily.

 

            A cloudless, 86-degree day prompted Bishop Daily to say, "The sun always shines in the Diocese of Brooklyn, but maybe a little too much this afternoon."

 

            Greeting the assemblage in English, Spanish, French Creole, Polish and Italian, the bishop in his homily said: "God knows you're good people, and you're easy to love. I give thanks for you. . .great gifts that you are, in this great organism that you are, the body of Jesus Christ---people of every language, culture and race coming together in our one faith."

 

            Later, he wrote: "For me as a priest, it was a precious occasion, a time to appreciate the faith and sincerity of our good people."

 

            Preceding the Arthur Ashe event were Rosary rallies conducted in Prospect and Cunningham Parks and 39 weekend Eucharistic processions from parish to parish in Brooklyn and Queens.

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Launches Two-Year Study of Catholic Schools

 

            In April, 1991, a year after becoming the Diocesan Bishop, Bishop Daily invited Dr. John J. Convey, a respected educator at The Catholic University of America in Washington, to lead a comprehensive study of the parish elementary schools. The twofold objective was to assess the needs of the schools and to develop a plan to meet those needs, recognizing the limits created by declining enrollment and rising costs.

 

            Begun in September of that year, the project lasted 23 months. Thousands of individuals in the Diocese took part in the early stages of the assessment, some later selected to serve on one of six task forces: on Catholic identity, curriculum, finance, governance, marketing/public relations and parent-school relations.

           

             The task forces produced 189 recommendations on how to address the issues facing the schools, which the Bishop accepted, some with modifications after consulting diocesan education officials.

 

            For more than a decade, the report of the Convey study, as it became known, has guided educational policy in the Diocese.

 

Among the actions that ensued was the formation of a Diocesan Commission on Education, strengthening of the Futures in Education Foundation, establishing of criteria to insure a school's viability, and the commitment to appoint an intervention team to improve the academic, financial and enrollment status of a school at risk of closing.

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Forgives Parishes More than $100 Million in Debts

 

            As Jubilee Year 2000 drew to a close, Bishop Daily, in the spirit of the Great Jubilee of the Old Testament, forgave 102 parishes and chapels---69 in Brooklyn and 33 in Queens--- of nearly $107 million in loans they received through the years from the Diocese to meet their needs.

 

            The debt forgiveness, which became effective Dec. 20, was also extended to 25 parish schools and Bishop Loughlin Memorial High School in an amount totaling $9,266,404.

 

            In addition, Bishop Daily forgave six diocesan programs and agencies $2,414,523 in debts.

 

            In a statement explaining the forgiveness program, the Bishop said: "I announce these initiatives with enthusiasm, hopeful that they will relieve the pressures that burden so many, confident that they will help our Diocese view the years ahead more realistically."

 

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Issues 15 Major Pastoral Letters

 

          Bishop Daily's first pastoral letter, "Created in the Image of God," on the issue of racism, was published Dec. 2, 1990. Later letters included:

 

            "The Church's Response to Disabled Persons," Nov. 3, 1991

 

            "The Holy Eucharist," Nov. 29, 1992

 

            "The Truth in Love: A Pastoral Response to Homosexuality," Aug. 22, 1993

 

            "An Epiphany of Faith," Nov. 19, 1993

 

            "Compelled to Preach the Gospel," Nov. 30, 1993

 

            "The Image of God Revisited," Dec. 10, 1995

 

            "In Praise of the Fullness of Life," May 31, 1996

 

            "In the Face of Death," January, 1998

 

            "In the Name of Mercy and Justice: On Capital Punishment," May 22, 1999

 

            "Pray the Lord of the Harvest," July 5, 2000

 

            "All Are One in Christ Jesus (The Clustering Process)," Nov. 1, 2001

 

            "On Clerical Sex Abuse," March 19, 2002

 

            "Pentecost," May 19, 2002

 

            "Through Him, With Him, In Him: On the Eucharist," June 8, 2003   

 

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Revives Clustering of Parishes to Meet Local Needs

 

            In 2000, Bishop Daily reinstituted the clustering of parishes in Brooklyn and Queens as a vehicle for responding to the spiritual, pastoral, social service, educational and other needs of parishioners.

 

            "Clusters can assist and enrich parochial life in many ways," he said. "They can provide resources and support to the pastors and their staffs to respond more effectively to the needs that exist throughout a given neighborhood."

 

            The 217 parishes of the Diocese are divided into 32 clusters, guided by the Office of Cluster Planning and Collaboration established by the Bishop.

 

            In the past year, the overriding issues have been how to respond to the diminishing number of clergy in the Diocese and the need to continue to provide a viable Catholic elementary school presence within the clusters.

 

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Introduces Evangelization Program in the Parishes

 

            In late 1997, Bishop announced plans for a multi-year evangelization program, which he described as "the essential mission of the Church."

            Called "Disciples in Mission" and created by the Paulist National Catholic Evangelization Association, the program was designed to "offer us a new burst of energy, enthusiasm and commitment to the Gospel in our daily lives," the Bishop said.

 

            More than 100 parishes volunteered to participate in the program, with members within each parish trained to carry out the outreach work.

 

            Bishop Daily said he was encouraged by the movement's activity toward "moving out and making contact with people, to spread the faith, and bring the good news of the Gospel."