Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn

In 1784, Pope Pius VI erected the Apostolic Prefecture of United States of America, creating a separate jurisdiction for the new United States from the Catholic Church of Great Britain.{{Cite web |title=Baltimore (Archdiocese) [Catholic-Hierarchy] |url=https://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/diocese/dbalt.html |access-date=2024-04-19 |website=www.catholic-hierarchy.org}} That same year, the new State of New York repealed the Colonial-era law prohibiting Catholic priests from residing in New York.{{Cite web |title=Catholics – Encyclopedia of New York City |url=https://virtualny.ashp.cuny.edu/EncyNYC/catholics.html |access-date=2024-04-19 |website=virtualny.ashp.cuny.edu}}

With the anti-priest law repealed, the French consul in New York City, Hector St. John de Crevecoeur, organized a group of laymen in 1785 to open St. Peter's Parish in Manhattan, the first Catholic parish in New York City. In 1800, the congregation opened a school at St. Peter's, the first Catholic school in New York.{{Cite web |last= |title=History of Schools |url=https://catholicschoolsny.org/about-us/history-of-schools/ |access-date=2024-04-24 |website=Catholic Schools in the Archdiocese of New York |language=en-US}}

In 1789, Pius VI raised the Apostolic Prefecture of United States to the Diocese of Baltimore, headed by the first American bishop, John Carroll. For the next nine years, Carroll was in charge of the Catholic Church in New York State along with the rest of the nation.{{cite web |title=Catholic Encyclopedia: Archdiocese of New York |url=http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/11020a.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200121051853/http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/11020a.htm |archive-date=2020-01-21 |access-date=2006-01-21 |website=New Advent}}

Catholic immigration to Brooklyn started with the opening of the Brooklyn Navy Yard in 1801. It attracted many Catholic immigrants from Northern Ireland to work there. Since there was no Catholic parish in Brooklyn, they would cross the East River to Manhattan on Sundays to attend mass at St. Peter's Church. Bishop John Power, the vicar apostolic of New York, would celebrate mass in Brooklyn in private homes.{{Cite web |title=CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: Brooklyn |url=https://www.newadvent.org/cathen/02798d.htm |access-date=2025-03-02 |website=www.newadvent.org}}

In 1808, Pope Pius VII erected the Diocese of New York, with jurisdiction over the entire State of New York. By 1814, the diocese had four priests and two churches in New York City, both in Manhattan.{{Cite web |title=O'Daniel, Victor F., "Profile: John Connolly, Bishop of New York (1814–1825)", Dominican Province of St. Joseph |url=http://www.dom.edu/sites/default/files/center/mcgreal/files/DaHCHAP03x.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141010035554/http://www.dom.edu/sites/default/files/center/mcgreal/files/DaHCHAP03x.pdf |archive-date=October 10, 2014 |access-date=October 6, 2014}} The Catholic population of the diocese was approximately 15,000, primarily Irish with some English, French and Germans.{{cite book |last1=Clarke |first1=Richard Henry |url=https://archive.org/details/LivesOfTheDeceasedBishopsV1 |title=Lives of the Deceased Bishops of the Catholic Church in the United States |publisher=R. H. Clarke |year=1888 |volume=I |location=New York}}

The first Catholic parish in the City of Brooklyn was St. James, founded in 1822.{{Cite web |title=History |url=https://brooklyncathedral.org/history |access-date=2025-03-01 |website=St. James Cathedral Basilica |language=en}} By 1826, the Diocese of New York had grown to 18 priests, 12 churches and a Catholic population of 150,000.{{Cite web |title=CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: John Dubois |url=https://www.newadvent.org/cathen/05178b.htm |access-date=2024-04-20 |website=www.newadvent.org}} The Sisters of Charity arrived in Brooklyn in 1834, becoming the first women's religious institute in that city.

File:Bishop John Loughlin.jpg

File:St.Monica's Church (Queens) 20180930 ded.1856 02.jpg

Pope Pius IX erected the Diocese of Brooklyn in 1853 out of the Archdiocese of New York. The new diocese included the City of Brooklyn, Queens County and the two counties in Long Island. The pope named Reverend John Loughlin of New York as its first bishop. Loughlin chose St. James Church as his cathedral.{{Cite web |date=Jul 1, 1914 |title=The Catholic Church in the United States of America: Undertaken to Celebrate the Golden Jubilee of His Holiness, Pope Pius X. V. 1-3 ... |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KL4YAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA334 |access-date=Jul 1, 2020 |publisher=Catholic editing Company |via=Google Books}} The first Catholic church in Queens, St. Monica's, was dedicated in 1856. During his episcopate, Loughlin founded 120 parishes. He started construction of the new, larger Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in 1868, but then stopped work on it to fund charities.

St. Francis Academy for boys was founded in 1858 in Brooklyn by a group of Franciscans from Ireland. It is today St. Francis College.{{Cite web |title=History and Mission |url=https://www.sfc.edu/why-sfc/history-and-mission |access-date=2025-03-01 |website=St. Francis College |language=en}}

During Loughlin's 38-year tenure, the Catholic population of the diocese increased from about 15,000 to nearly 400,000. During this time, 125 churches and chapels, 93 parochial schools, two colleges, 10 orphanages, five hospitals, two homes for the elderly and a residence for homeless boys were built.{{cite news |author=Meehan, Thomas |title=Diocese of Brooklyn |url=http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/02798d.htm |work=Catholic Encyclopedia}} He erected the Chapel of the Resurrection at Holy Cross Cemetery in 1855.[https://www.ccbklyn.org/our-cemeteries/holy-cross-cemetery/ Catholic Cemeteries, Diocese of Brooklyn]; accessed July 12, 2020. Loughlin started construction of a new cathedral in 1868, but stopped the project so as to spend the funds on diocesan charities.

The Sisters of Charity opened St. Mary's Female Hospital in Brooklyn in 1868.{{Cite web |title=Photographs of St. Mary's Maternity Hospital: NYU Special Collections Finding Aids |url=https://findingaids.library.nyu.edu/cbh/v1991_125_st_marys_maternity_hospital/ |access-date=2025-03-01 |website=findingaids.library.nyu.edu |language=en-us}} That same year, the massive St. John’s Home for Boys opened in Brooklyn.{{Cite web |date=2010-02-25 |title=Brooklyn Hospital History |url=https://www.brownstoner.com/brooklyn-life/walkabout-chari-1/ |access-date=2025-03-01 |website=www.brownstoner.com |language=en-US}} The Congregation of Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd opened the House of the Good Shepard, a reformatory and industrial school for "fallen women".{{Cite web |date=2017-10-23 |title=Documenting New York City’s House of the Good Shepherd |url=https://newyorkscapes.org/project/house-of-the-good-shepherd/ |access-date=2025-03-01 |website=NewYorkScapes |language=en}}

In 1870, Loughlin invited the Vincentian Order to establish a college for the increasing immigrant population. They opened St. John's College in Brooklyn, which is today St. John's University.{{Cite web |title=Vincentian Heritage {{!}} St. John's University |url=https://www.stjohns.edu/who-we-are/history-and-facts/vincentian-heritage |access-date=2025-03-01 |website=www.stjohns.edu |language=en}}

After Loughlin died in 1891, Pope Leo XIII appointed Monsignor Charles McDonnell of New York as the second bishop of Brooklyn. The diocese at that time included 250,000 Catholics. As more immigrants from different nationalities entered Brooklyn, McDonnell founded several national parishes that ministered to this immigrants in their native languages.{{Cite web |title=CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: Brooklyn |url=https://www.newadvent.org/cathen/02798d.htm |access-date=2025-03-01 |website=www.newadvent.org}} He also built three hospitals.

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The St. Dominic Congregation of the Holy Cross opened the Mary Immaculate Hospital in the Jamaica section of Queens in 1902.{{Cite web |last=Dentch |first=Courtney |date=2003-06-18 |title=Mary Immaculate celebrates 100th anniversary – QNS |url=https://qns.com/2003/06/mary-immaculate-celebrates-100th-anniversary/ |access-date=2025-03-01 |website=qns.com |language=en-US}} McConnell in 1903 dedicated the Pro-Cathedral of St. James. It replaced the original St. James Cathedral, which had been severely damaged by fire.{{Cite web |title=History |url=https://brooklyncathedral.org/history |access-date=2025-03-02 |website=St. James Cathedral Basilica |language=en}}

In 1916, the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph opened St. Joseph College for Women in the Clinton Hill neighborhood of Brooklyn. It is today St. Joseph's University.{{Cite web |date=2014-07-14 |title=History |url=https://www.sjny.edu/about/history |access-date=2025-03-01 |website=St. Joseph's University of New York |language=en}}

Auxiliary Bishop Thomas Molloy of Brooklyn was named the third bishop of that diocese by Pope Benedict IV in 1921.{{Cite web |title=Archbishop Thomas Edmund Molloy [Catholic-Hierarchy] |url=https://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/bmolloy.html |access-date=2025-03-01 |website=www.catholic-hierarchy.org}} During his 35-year tenure, the number of Catholics in the diocese exceeded one million, making it the most populous one in the country.{{cite news |title=History in Brief |url=http://dioceseofbrooklyn.org/about/administration/archives/history.aspx |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20091001004308/http://dioceseofbrooklyn.org/about/administration/archives/history.aspx |archivedate=2009-10-01 |work=Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn}} During the Great Depression, Molloy established a labor school to teach working men the Catholic principles that apply to trade unionism.{{cite news |date=1956-11-27 |title=Archbishop Molloy Dies at 71; Headed Brooklyn See 35 Years |work=The New York Times}} He also ordered the diocesan clergy to take courses in industrial issues to better instruct their parishioners. Molloy died in 1956.

Pope Pius XII split the Diocese of Rockville Centre from Brooklyn on April 6, 1957. Ten days later, the pope named Bishop Bryan McEntegart, rector of the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., as the next bishop of Brooklyn. During his tenure he launched a multimillion-dollar building program, which included six high schools, a hospital and a four-year theological seminary.{{cite news |date=October 1, 1968 |title=Archbishop Bryan McEntegart, Bishop of Brooklyn, 75, Is Dead |url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1968/10/01/76885954.pdf |work=The New York Times}}

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In 1967, McEntegart restructured Cathedral College due to shrinking enrollment and fewer students becoming priests. The Brooklyn and Queens campuses became four-year seminary high schools. The college programs were transferred into an independent four-year college seminary in Douglaston in Queens.{{Cite web |title=History |url=https://cathedralseminary.org/about/history/ |access-date=2022-04-16 |website=Cathedral Seminary House of Formation |language=en-US}} The college was established to serve seminarians from the Diocese of Brooklyn, the Diocese of Rockville Centre and the Archdiocese of New York. The college's inaugural class had 38 students, 22 of whom eventually became priests.{{Cite web |last=Escobar |first=Allyson |date=2019-06-10 |title=Cathedral College Marks 50th Anniversary With Mass and Dinner |url=https://thetablet.org/cathedral-prep-50th-anniversary/ |access-date=2022-04-16 |website=The Tablet |language=en-US}} By the early 1970s, the college had over 370 students and offered over a dozen college majors.{{Cite web |title=Immaculate Conception Center - Douglaston (Queens), New York |url=http://www.nycago.org/organs/qns/html/immaculateconctr.html |access-date=2022-04-16 |website=www.nycago.org}}

McEntegart promoted outreach to the growing Hispanic population, sending priests and religious sisters to study Spanish language and culture.{{cite news |title=History in Brief |url=http://dioceseofbrooklyn.org/about/administration/archives/history.aspx |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091001004308/http://dioceseofbrooklyn.org/about/administration/archives/history.aspx |archive-date=October 1, 2009 |work=Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn}} McEntegart retired in 1968.

Pope Paul VI named Reverend Francis Mugavero of Brooklyn as the first Italian-American bishop of Brooklyn in 1968.{{Cite web |title=Bishop Francis John Mugavero [Catholic-Hierarchy] |url=https://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/bmugavero.html |access-date=2025-03-02 |website=www.catholic-hierarchy.org}} In 1971, Mugavero established the Catholic Migration Office to serve immigrants and refugees. He created the first apostolates in 1972 for the Italian, Haitian, Polish, Korean, Croatian, and Spanish communities.[http://catholicmigration.org/history/ "History", Catholic Migration Services] Mugavero often called Brooklyn "the diocese of immigrants," and was proud that Mass was celebrated there in 14 languages.{{cite news |last=Goldman |first=Ari |date=July 13, 1991 |title=Francis J. Mugavero, 77, Is Dead; Was Bishop of Brooklyn 22 Years |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1991/07/13/obituaries/francis-j-mugavero-77-is-dead-was-bishop-of-brooklyn-22-years.html?src=pm |work=New York Times}}

Mugavero announced the Nehemiah project, in association with East Brooklyn Churches, at a press conference in June 1982. The plan was to build houses in the Brownsville area of Brooklyn for lower income families. By 1985, the Nehemiah project had produced 300 new row houses.{{Cite web |title=Wycliff, Don. "Bricks, Mortar, Hearts and Minds In East Brooklyn, Low-Income Housing Is No Longer a Dream", New York Times, August 27, 1985 |url=http://www.capuchin.org/Documents/Donna%20Links/Pastoral%20Ministry%20links/Nehemiah%20Housing%20continues%20to%20grow.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131004221300/http://www.capuchin.org/Documents/Donna%20Links/Pastoral%20Ministry%20links/Nehemiah%20Housing%20continues%20to%20grow.pdf |archive-date=October 4, 2013 |access-date=October 3, 2013}}

In 1970, a woman from Bayside in Queens, Veronica Lueken, had stated that she was seeing apparitions of the Virgin Mary, Jesus, and numerous Catholic saints. Over the years, these apparitions became known as the "visions of Bayside". In 1986, Mugavero issued a declaration on Lueken's visions;

"I, the undersigned Diocesan Bishop of Brooklyn, in my role as the legitimate shepherd of this particular Church, wish to confirm the constant position of the Diocese of Brooklyn that a thorough investigation revealed that the alleged "visions of Bayside" completely lacked authenticity".[http://www.ewtn.com/library/NEWAGE/MUGABAY.TXT Mugavero, Bishop Francis. "Declaration Concerning the Bayside Movement", November 4, 1986]

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To replace Mugavero, Pope John Paul II in 1990 appointed Bishop Thomas Daily from the Diocese of Palm Beach as the next bishop of Brooklyn.{{Cite web |title=Bishop Thomas Vose Daily [Catholic-Hierarchy] |url=https://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/bdaily.html |access-date=2025-03-02 |website=www.catholic-hierarchy.org}} Shortly after his installation, he stated that New York Governor Mario Cuomo, would not be welcomed as a speaker in the diocese's parishes because of Cuomo's pro-choice position on abortion rights for women.{{Cite news |last=Goldman |first=Ari L. |date=February 21, 1990 |title=New Brooklyn Bishop to Bar Cuomo Over Abortion |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1990/02/21/nyregion/new-brooklyn-bishop-to-bar-cuomo-over-abortion.html |access-date=May 15, 2017 |work=The New York Times |issn=0362-4331}} Dailey retired in 2003.

The next bishop of Brooklyn was Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio of the Diocese of Camden, appointed by John Paul II in 2003. DiMarzio issued three pastoral letters as bishop of Brooklyn.

• "The New Evangelization in Brooklyn and Queens", October 2004
• "The Family: The Hope of the New Evangelization", October 2005
• "Do Not Be Afraid - A Pastoral Vision for the New Evangelization", October 2007

St. Joseph's Church in the Prospect Heights section of Brooklyn as designated as a co-cathedral in February 2013, by Pope Benedict XVI. DiMarzio had requested the designation due to the small seating capacity of the Cathedral Basilica of St. James.{{Cite web |title=History |url=https://brooklyncocathedral.org/about/history |access-date=2025-03-02 |website=Co-Cathedral of St. Joseph - St. Teresa of Avila |language=en}}

In November 2019, Mark Matzek, a New Jersey resident, alleged that DiMarzio and another priest had repeatedly molested him while he was an altar server at St. Nicholas Parish and a student at St. Nicholas School in Jersey City, New Jersey, in the mid-1970s. DiMarzio was assigned to St. Nicholas during that time. DiMarzio, who retired in 2020, denied the charges.

A burglar in May 2020 broke into St. Augustine Church in the Park Slope neighborhood of Brooklyn and stole a gold tabernacle valued at $2 million. The thief emptied the host in the tabernacle on the altar and the floor.{{Cite web |last= |title=Tabernacle stolen from parish |url=https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/251406/tabernacle-stolen-from-brooklyn-parish-church |access-date=2025-03-02 |website=Catholic News Agency |language=en}} As of 2025, the tabernacle had not been recovered. In September 2021, after an investigation led by former FBI Director Louis Freeh, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith at the Vatican said that the accusations against DiMarzio were groundless.

Pope Francis named Bishop Robert J. Brennan from the Diocese of Columbus as bishop of Brooklyn in September 2021.{{Cite web |title=Bishop Robert John Brennan [Catholic-Hierarchy] |url=https://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/bbrenr.html |access-date=2025-03-02 |website=www.catholic-hierarchy.org}}

The diocese in November 2021 fired Matthew LaBanca from his two music jobs at St. Joseph Catholic Academy in Astoria and Corpus Christi Church in Woodside. He was terminated after entering a same-sex marriage in August of that year.{{Cite web |last= |title=Catholic school dismisses teacher who contracted same-sex marriage |url=https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/249514/catholic-school-in-brooklyn-diocese-dismisses-teacher-who-contracted-same-sex-marriage |access-date=2025-03-02 |website=Catholic News Agency |language=en}}

Brennan in November 2023 expressed his shock at a music video for singer Sabrina Carpenter that was filmed inside Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church in Brooklyn. Staged for the song Feather, the video showed Carpenter dancing on top of the altar in one sequence. In another sequence, she was not wearing pants.{{Cite web |last= |title=Brooklyn bishop ‘appalled’ over music video shot in Catholic church, will investigate |url=https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/255900/brooklyn-bishop-appalled-over-music-video-shot-in-catholic-church-will-investigate |access-date=2025-03-02 |website=Catholic News Agency |language=en}} Monsignor Jamie Gigantiello, the church pastor, later apologized to the parish and was disciplined by Brennan.{{Cite web |last= |title=Brooklyn pastor apologizes for provocative music video filmed in church |url=https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/255931/brooklyn-pastor-apologizes-for-provocative-music-video-in-church-claims-he-had-no-knowledge |access-date=2025-03-02 |website=Catholic News Agency |language=en}}

In September 2018, the Diocese of Brooklyn agreed to a $27.5 million settlement for victims of sexual abuse by its clergy.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/brooklyn-diocese-reaches-record-27-5m-settlement-four-victims-abuse-n910901|title=Diocese of Brooklyn reaches record $27.5M settlement with four victims of abuse by former lay educator|website=NBC News|date=18 September 2018 |access-date=Jul 1, 2020}} In February 2019, the diocese published a list of 108 clergy who were credibly accused of committing sexual abuse,{{Cite web|url=https://dioceseofbrooklyn.org/sex-abuse-crisis-response/|title=Clergy Sex Abuse Crisis Response|access-date=Jul 1, 2020}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.pix11.com/2019/02/15/brooklyn-diocese-lists-names-of-108-priests-accused-of-sexually-abusing-minors|title=Brooklyn Diocese lists names of 108 clergy accused of sexually abusing minors|date=Feb 15, 2019|website=WPIX|access-date=Jul 1, 2020}}{{Cite web|url=https://dioceseofbrooklyn.org/sex-abuse-crisis-response/list/|title=List of Diocesan Clergy for whom the Diocese received allegations of sexual misconduct with a minor|access-date=Jul 1, 2020}} some of whom have also been convicted for their crimes.{{Cite web|url=http://app.bishop-accountability.org/member/psearch.jsp?diocese=BROOKLYNNY&lastName=&msearch1=View&op=doSearch§ion=a-z&sortBy=&state=|title=Database of Priests Accused of Sexual Abuse|website=app.bishop-accountability.org|access-date=Jul 1, 2020}} Along with the list, Bishop DiMarzio also issued a letter of apology, asking for forgiveness.{{Cite web| title=Dear Sisters and Brothers in the Lord... | url=https://dioceseofbrooklyn.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Most-Reverend-Nicholas-DiMarzio-Letter.pdf | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190608204918/https://dioceseofbrooklyn.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Most-Reverend-Nicholas-DiMarzio-Letter.pdf | archive-date=2019-06-08}}

In June 2020, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) arrested Reverend Francis Hughes, a priest serving in Queens, on child pornography charges and sex-related charges involving underage minors.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/queens-priest-arrested-after-sharing-explicit-texts-photos-with-15-year-old-boy-fbi/2540939/|title=Queens Priest Arrested After Sharing Explicit Texts, Photos with 15-Year-Old Boy: FBI|date=29 July 2020 }} In a separate case, the Vatican exonerated Bishop DiMarzio of allegations of sexual abuse dating back a half century. After an investigation led by former FBI Director Louis Freeh, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith at the Vatican said that the accusations against DiMarzio were groundless.{{Cite news |last=News |first= |title=Vatican exonerates Brooklyn bishop accused of sexual abuse |url=https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/vatican-exonerates-brooklyn-bishop-accused-sexual-abuse-79767380 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20220929172821/https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/vatican-exonerates-brooklyn-bishop-accused-sexual-abuse-79767380 |archive-date=2022-09-29 |access-date=2025-03-02 |work=ABC News |language=en-US}}

In April 2024, the diocese reached an agreement with New York Attorney General Letitia James to strengthen it policies for handling sexual abuse allegations against priests. The changes included the appointment of a secular, independent monitor to observe how the diocese handles its reporting of abuse.{{Cite web |last= |title=NY prosecutor, Brooklyn Diocese reach agreement on abuse mishandling |url=https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/257411/new-york-prosecutor-brooklyn-diocese-reach-agreement-over-sex-abuse-mishandling |access-date=2025-03-02 |website=Catholic News Agency |language=en}}

{{Main|List of churches in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn}}As of 2025, the Diocese of Brooklyn operates 185 parishes and 211 churches to serve 1.5 million Catholic residents.{{Cite web |title=Parishes |url=https://dioceseofbrooklyn.org/directories/parishes/ |access-date=2025-03-02 |website=Diocese of Brooklyn |language=en-US}}

1. John Loughlin (1853 – 1891)
2. Charles Edward McDonnell (1892 – 1921)
3. Thomas Edmund Molloy (1922 – 1956), elevated to archbishop ad personam in 1951
4. Bryan Joseph McEntegart (1957 – 1968), elevated to archbishop ad personam in 1966
5. Francis Mugavero (1968 – 1990)
6. Thomas Vose Daily (1990 – 2003)
7. Nicholas Anthony DiMarzio (2003 – 2021)
8. Robert J. Brennan (2021 – present)

===Current auxiliary bishops===

• James Massa (2015 – present)
• Witold Mroziewski (2015 – present)

• George Mundelein (1909 – 1915), appointed Archbishop of Chicago (cardinal in 1924)
• Thomas Edmund Molloy (1920-1921), appointed bishop of this diocese
• Raymond Augustine Kearney (1934 – 1956)
• John Joseph Boardman (1952 – 1977)
• Edmund Joseph Reilly (1955 – 1958)
• Joseph Peter Michael Denning (1959 – 1982)
• Charles Richard Mulrooney (1959 – 1981)
• John J. Snyder (1972 – 1979), appointed Bishop of Saint Augustine
• Joseph Michael Sullivan (1980 – 2005)
• René Arnold Valero (1980 – 2005)
• Anthony Bevilacqua (1980 – 1983), appointed Bishop of Pittsburgh and later Archbishop of Philadelphia (elevated to Cardinal in 1991)
• Ignatius Anthony Catanello (1994 – 2010)
• Gerald Barbarito (1994 – 1999), appointed Bishop of Palm Beach
• Guy Sansaricq (2006 – 2010)
• Frank Joseph Caggiano (2006-2013), appointed Bishop of Bridgeport
• Octavio Cisneros (2006 – 2020), retired on October 30, 2020.
• Raymond Francis Chappetto (2012 – 2022), retired on March 7, 2022.
• Paul Robert Sanchez (2012 – 2022), retired on March 30, 2022.
• Neil Edward Tiedemann (2016 – 2023), retired on June 30, 2023.

• George J. Caruana, appointed Bishop of Puerto Rico in 1921 and later apostolic nuncio, apostolic delegate and titular archbishop
• James Henry Ambrose Griffiths, appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Military, USA in 1949 and later Auxiliary Bishop of New York
• John Joseph Carberry, appointed Coadjutor Bishop (in 1956) and later Bishop of Lafayette in Indiana, Bishop of Columbus, and Archbishop of Saint Louis (elevated to cardinal in 1969)
• Vincent John Baldwin appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Rockville Centre in 1962
• John R. McGann appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Rockville Centre in 1970 and later Bishop of Rockville Centre
• James Joseph Daly appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Rockville Centre in 1977
• Gerald Augustine John Ryan appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Rockville Centre in 1977
• Alfred John Markiewicz appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Rockville Centre in 1986 and later Bishop of Kalamazoo
• Emil Aloysius Wcela appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Rockville Centre in 1989
• Vincent DePaul Breen, appointed Bishop of Metuchen in 1997
• Edward Bernard Scharfenberger, appointed Bishop of Albany in 2014
• Kevin J. Sweeney, appointed Bishop of Paterson in 2020

Leo Joseph White, Apostolic Prefect of Garissa, Kenya, 1976-1984 – incardinated in 1990.

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{{see also|List of schools in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn}}

The Catholic Schools of Brooklyn and Queens operates the schools for the Diocese of Brooklyn.{{Cite web |title=Catholic Schools Brooklyn & Queens |url=https://www.catholicschoolsbq.org/ |access-date=2025-03-01 |website=Office of Schools – Diocese of Brooklyn |language=en-US}} As of 2025, it runs 15 high schools.{{Cite web |title=Catholic High Schools in Brooklyn and Queens |url=https://www.catholicschoolsbq.org/high-school/ |access-date=2025-03-01 |website=Office of Schools – Diocese of Brooklyn |language=en-US}} The total student population in 2025 was approximately 30,000.{{Cite web |title=Find Catholic Schools in Brooklyn and Queens |url=https://www.catholicschoolsbq.org/find-a-school/ |access-date=2025-03-01 |website=Office of Schools – Diocese of Brooklyn |language=en-US}} During the early 2000s, the diocese closed 45 schools.{{Cite web |last=McGibney |first=Megan |date=Jun 21, 2019 |title=With Schools Closing, Is Catholic Education Disappearing in Brooklyn? |url=https://bklyner.com/with-schools-closing-is-catholic-education-disappearing-in-brooklyn/ |access-date=Jul 1, 2020}}

The diocese operates the Cathedral Preparatory High School and Seminary in Queens. It is the only high school in the United States that prepares students for the priesthood.{{Cite web |title=About Us – Cathedral Prep School and Seminary |url=https://www.cathedralprep.org/aboutus/ |access-date=2025-03-01 |language=en}}

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The Diocese of Brooklyn has nine Catholic cemeteries; two in Brooklyn, five in Queens and three in Long Island in the Diocese of Rockville Centre.

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• Holy Cross Cemetery – East Flatbush
• Most Holy Trinity Cemetery – Bushwick

• Mount St. Mary Cemetery – Flushing
• Our Lady of Mount Carmel Cemetery – Astoria
• St. John Cemetery – Middle Village
• St. Monica Cemetery – Jamaica

• St. Charles / Resurrection Cemeteries – Farmingdale
• St. Mary Star of the Sea Cemetery – Lawrence
• Trinity Cemetery – Amityville

{{Portal|New York City|Catholicism}}

• Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York
• Irish Americans in New York City
• History of education in New York City
• History of the Catholic Church in the United States

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• [https://dioceseofbrooklyn.org/ Official Site]

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Category:Culture of Brooklyn

Category:Religious organizations established in 1853

Brooklyn

Brooklyn

Category:1853 establishments in New York (state)