St Gregory The Great School

“The interaction of disparate cultures, the vehemence of the ideals that led the immigrants here, the opportunity offered by a new life, all gave America a flavor and a character that make it as unmistakable and as remarkable to people today as it was to Alexis de Tocqueville in the early part of the nineteenth century.”
— John F. Kennedy, A Nation of Immigrants

This quote aptly captures the history and essence of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn. Founded in 1853, the Diocese of Brooklyn sought to address the needs of the more than five million Irish Catholic immigrants that, tired and poor, had arrived at the port of New York in search of a better life. Today, the Diocese of Brooklyn continues its vibrant and diverse history, home again to an immigrant population, this time driven by Hispanics.

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn serves the boroughs of Brooklyn and Queens. It is presided by the seventh and current Bishop of Brooklyn, His Excellency, the Most Reverend Nicholas DiMarzio, a champion of immigrant rights.

The boroughs’ combined population stands at million residents, of which million identify themselves as Catholics. The diocesan cathedral is the Cathedral Basilica of St. James in downtown Brooklyn.

The Co-Cathedral of St. Joseph in Prospect Heights was elevated in February 2013 by Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, and was dedicated on May 13, 2014, by Bishop DiMarzio. The faces of the people in the pews of St. Joseph’s reflect the diversity of the many cultures that call the Diocese of Brooklyn home. It is also among the largest churches in Brooklyn and Queens.

Due to its multicultural and diverse populations, Masses are regularly held in 33 different languages across the Diocese, throughout 187 parishes with 213 churches. Its 28 ethnic apostolates promote cultural events and provide an opportunity for immigrants to belong to the larger community while preserving their traditions. Within its borders is the seventh largest network of Catholic schools in the United States, with 87 elementary schools and academies that educate over 30,000 students annually.

In 2013, the Diocese celebrated 17,000 Baptisms, 12,000 First Communions, 7,500 Confirmations and 2,500 Marriages.