Bishop DiMarzio announces new diocesan commission on racism
U.S. Bishops’ Group Also Establishing Committee on Racial Justice
The Most Rev. Nicholas DiMarzio, bishop of Brooklyn, on Thursday announced the establishment of a new diocesan commission for social justice during a special Mass for solidarity and peace.
Dovetailing on readings from the prophet Daniel (Hebrew scriptures) and the Beatitudes from the Sermon of the Mount (New Testament Gospel according to Matthew), Bishop DiMarzio told the gathering that he is creating a commission to address racism in the Church and society at large. The Commission is named after Monsignor Bernard Quinn, a Diocese of Brooklyn priest who did not allow the Ku Klux Klan’s cruelty toward him deter him from his ministry to the African-American community.
DiMarzio was the main celebrant of the Mass. Rev. Alonzo Cox, the diocesan vicariate of Black Catholic Concerns, coordinator of Ministry for African American Catholics and the pastor of St. Martin De Porres parish, concelebrated. Brooklyn Auxiliary Bishops Guy Sansaricq, Octavio Cisneros, Raymond Chappetto, Witold Mroziewski and James Massa were also among the concelebrants.