It is with thanks to Almighty God and gratefulness to our Holy Father, Pope John Paul II, that he has appointed me the Seventh Bishop of Brooklyn.  I also give thanks to Bishop Daily, Sixth bishop of Brooklyn, who has shepherded this flock for thirteen years with fatherly devotion. 

Upon receiving the appointment, I looked up the web page of the Diocese of Brooklyn to see what I could learn about it, being somewhat familiar with it, but not yet having a full appreciation of its rich history and unique place among U.S. dioceses.  The first impression that struck me is the constant theme, "Brooklyn, the Diocese of Immigrants."  Brooklyn has been the port city of New York for almost two centuries now.  It continues to be a vibrant urban center and a place of welcome for immigrants, refugees and migrants.  Perhaps in some way I have been especially prepared for this ministry, since my whole priesthood and Episcopal ministry has involved the pastoral care and social care of immigrants, refugees and migrants.   Now the great challenges of this urban diocese are before me and I welcome this challenge with hope and enthusiasm. 

I am not unfamiliar with the New York metropolitan area, being originally from the Archdiocese of Newark and having spent 15 years in Jersey City, just across the Hudson River. I know that I can talk as fast as the people of Brooklyn and perhaps in a couple of years I might even acquire a Brooklyn accent because I have a good beginning from my Jersey City days. 

            Growing up in the City of Newark gave me a good sense of what urban life is about.  I served in Washington, D.C. for six years and most recently in the City of Camden, one of the poorest cities in the nation.  Hopefully, my skills as a trained social worker and researcher will enable me to assist, not only in my first responsibility of pastoral care, but also in the social assistance so much needed in the urban environment of the diocese. 

As I look forward to my ministry here in the Diocese of Brooklyn, I can only base my priorities on the Apostolic Letter of John Paul II, "Novo Millennio Ineunte" (“At the Beginning of the New Millennium").  In this letter, the Holy Father cites the image of Jesus on the Sea of Galilee beckoning to His apostles to put out into the deep to try another catch after they had worked all night fruitlessly.  "Put out into the deep" is the motto for the third millennium which we have just entered.   In one sense, the image is appropriate since this is a diocese that is surrounded by water.  But I mean this in more than the physical sense.  The deep water is also the barriers that make our mission of evangelization and service in Christ’s name a special challenge:  apathy, loss of hope, human suffering and disregard for the dignity of life, hostility to the Gospel and the Church.     Yet, in the face of “deep water” we do not retreat, but redouble our efforts since, as our Holy Father has so often said, this is the age of the new evangelization.  The new evangelization is new first because it demands new zeal and a renewal of the evangelizers.  To put out into the deep again, to try a most difficult task and to take risks to bring the Gospel to the world is never an easy task.  However, in fulfilling the Gospel mandate that is as urgent as ever, we must begin anew, with energy and enthusiasm, refreshed and sustained by the grace of the Spirit, cognizant of the culture in which we live, the media that informs us, and the various inter-religious and ecumenical relationships that are of such value today. 

        As we do so, I believe the first priority of the new evangelization is the formation of the evangelizers.  The laity, who form the majority of the Church and are essential to its mission, need on-going formation in order to bring the transforming message of Gospel to their families and into the society.   The recruitment and training of seminarians who will become our priests and the recruitment of permanent deacons who form part of the ministerial priesthood is a critical need in our day, in a particular way here in the Diocese of Brooklyn.  I pledge to our priests my support and care for them as we embark together on this new evangelization.  I also commend the men and women religious of the diocese who work tirelessly to promote the Gospel and the mission of the Church of Brooklyn.  You will have my support and encouragement.  To our Auxiliary Bishops, I look forward to working with you to ensure that our Episcopal ministry is faithfully conducted in service to the Gospel and the people of the diocese.  To the Catholic people of the diocese, I am eager to provide the leadership that will help you realize the fullness of your Christian vocation as you collaborate in meaningful ways with bishops, priests, deacons, and religious in the work of the Church.  And to our brothers and sisters in the diocese who are not Catholic, I look forward to doing whatever I can to promote understanding and opportunities for collaboration as we serve as neighbors in the great communities that make up this diocese.   

In a particular way, the new evangelization of the Diocese of Brooklyn has something to do with the issue of migration, as the majority of our people are migrants in one way or another.  In my own studies, I learned one thing about migrants and that is once they move, migrants are likely to improve themselves economically, socially and spiritually.  It is with this knowledge and hope that I come to you as a migrant from New Jersey.  I pray that my ministry in the Diocese of Brooklyn will serve all of its people, migrant and non-migrant alike, since we are the one Church of Jesus Christ who impels us to “put out into the deep.”