Pope Names Two Auxiliary Bishops for Diocese of Brooklyn

WASHINGTON—Pope Francis has named two Brooklyn priests, Father James Massa, 54, moderator of the curia and vicar for evangelization; and Father Witold Mroziewski, 49, pastor of Holy Cross Parish, as auxiliary bishops for the Diocese of Brooklyn, New York.

WASHINGTON—Pope Francis has named two Brooklyn priests, Father James Massa, 54, moderator of the curia and vicar for evangelization; and Father Witold Mroziewski, 49, pastor of Holy Cross Parish, as auxiliary bishops for the Diocese of Brooklyn, New York.

The appointments were publicized in Washington on May 19 by Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò, apostolic nuncio to the United States.

James Massa was born September 3, 1960 in Jersey City, New Jersey, and ordained a priest in 1986.

He attended the Seminary of the Immaculate Conception in the Diocese of Rockville Centre, New York and earned a bachelor of arts degree in theology and history from Boston College; and a master’s degree in divinity from Yale University. He holds a doctorate in systematic theology from Fordham University.  

Assignments after ordination included parochial vicar, Our Lady of Queen of Martyrs Parish, 1986; theology instructor, 1987; campus minister, 1990; chaplain, 1993; theology professor, 1993-2005; executive director of USCCB Secretariat for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs, 2005-2011; consultor, Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, 2007-2015. He currently serves as moderator of the Curia for the Diocese of Brooklyn since 2014.

Witold Mroziewski was born March 25, 1966 in Poland and was ordained a priest in 1991.

He attended the diocesan seminary of the Diocese of Łomża, Poland. He holds masters’ degrees in theology and canon law, and a doctor of canon law degree from the Catholic University in Lublin, Poland.

Assignments after ordination included: parochial vicar at the Parish of Kadzidlo, Poland, 1991; pastoral services for the Diocese of Brooklyn, 1992; parochial vicar of Our Lady of Czestochowa-St. Casimir Parish, Brooklyn, 1993; administrator, 2000; and pastor, 2002. He also served as pastor, Holy Cross Parish, Maspeth, New York, 2013; judge of the diocesan tribunal, 2009-2015; defender of the bond, 2013-2015.

He was incardinated in the Diocese of Brooklyn in 2001.  
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Keywords: bishop appointment, Pope Francis, Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò, apostolic nuncio, Diocese of Brooklyn, Witold Mroziewski, James Massa
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