Brooklyn Announces New Auxiliary Bishop

From the In My Backyard Desk, this news release went out this morning, bringing the number of auxiliaries in Brooklyn to six:

 With thanksgiving to Almighty God, the Diocese of Brooklyn announced today the news of the appointment of Bishop Neil Tiedemann, C.P., by the Holy Father, Pope Francis, as an auxiliary bishop of Brooklyn. Bishop Tiedemann returns to his hometown diocese after serving as bishop of the Diocese of Mandeville, Jamaica. “We in the Diocese of Brooklyn are delighted to welcome home Bishop Neil Tiedemann,” said the Most Reverend Nicholas DiMarzio, Bishop of Brooklyn. “The Brooklyn-born Bishop has very generously served in our diocese as pastor of Immaculate Conception Church in Jamaica, Queens, and Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Red Hook, Brooklyn. The latter holds a special place in his heart, as it was the home parish of his grandparents and great grandparents. From the time he was a boy, he discerned priesthood as a Passionist Father. This congregation, founded by Saint Paul of the Cross, has left a profound mark upon the clergy and lay faithful of Brooklyn for which I am personally grateful. The Passionist Fathers in general, and Bishop Tiedemann in particular, minister especially to those who find themselves in the midst of suffering. He has the heart of Christ. I am grateful to our Holy Father, Pope Francis, for translating Bishop Tiedemann for service in the Diocese of Brooklyn.” The Most Reverend Neil Tiedemann was born on March 5, 1948, in Brooklyn, New York. He entered the Passionists in 1970 and made perpetual vows on August 22, 1974. He was ordained as a priest on May 16, 1975, in the Diocese of Brooklyn by Bishop Francis Mugavero. After his ordination, he served as associate pastor at Immaculate Conception Parish in Jamaica, Queens, while he also worked for Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens. His pastoral work included St. Joseph’s Passionist Parish in Union City, NJ; Blessed Sacrament Parish in Springfield, MA; Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Brooklyn, NY; and pastoral ministry in Honduras. He was appointed the third Bishop of Mandeville by Pope Benedict XVI on May 20, 2008. As auxiliary bishop, he will join the Most Reverend Raymond Chappetto, Vicar General; the Most Reverend Octavio Cisneros, Vicar of Hispanic Concerns; the Most Reverend James Massa, Moderator of the Curia; the Most Reverend Witold Mroziewski, and the Most Reverend Paul Sanchez in assisting Bishop DiMarzio to serve the sacramental, spiritual and pastoral needs of the 1.5 million multi-cultural Catholics who reside in Brooklyn and Queens.

It’s highly unusual for an ordinary to be named to another diocese as an auxiliary. (Can anybody remember that happening before??) And now that Brooklyn has six auxiliaries, there’s speculation one or more could be departing soon; there are openings for ordinaries in Rockville Centre and Newark.

Meantime, I found this great interview with him from a few years ago, when he was first named a bishop. Clearly, Brooklyn is greatly blessed. Welcome home, Bishop Neil!