2 Auxiliaries Named for Brooklyn

Pope Francis has named two additional auxiliary bishops to assist Bishop Nicholas Anthony DiMarzio in the Diocese of Brooklyn, New York.

The two auxiliaries are Rev. Fr. James Massa and Rev. Fr. Witold Mroziewski. They join three other auxiliaries already serving the diocese.

Brooklyn has a population of almost 5 million, with about 1.5 million Catholics. They are served by just over 600 priests and 1,000 religious, as well as 225 permanent deacons.

James Massa was born in Jersey City, U.S.A., in 1960 and was ordained a priest in 1986. He holds a master's degree in theology from the Yale University School of Divinity, New Haven, and a doctorate in systematic theology from Fordham University, New York. He has served in a number of roles in the Diocese of Brooklyn, including parish vicar, chaplain and professor at Kansas Newman College, professor at the Pope John XXIII national seminary and the seminary of the Immaculate Conception, executive director of the ecumenical and interreligious committee of the US bishops' conference, consultor of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, professor of the St. Joseph seminary, moderator of the curia and administrator of Holy Name Parish.

Witold Mroziewski was born in Augustow, Poland, in 1966 and was ordained a priest in 1991. He holds master's degrees in theology and canon law, and a doctorate in canon law from the Catholic University of Lublin, Poland. He has served in a number of roles, including parish vicar in the Diocese of Lomza, Poland, and in Brooklyn, parish vicar, administrator, parish priest, judge at the diocesan tribunal, coordinator of the Polish apostolate, adjunct promoter of justice for criminal causes, member of the presbyteral council and defender of the bond. He is currently parish priest of Holy Cross parish in Maspeth.