The Diocese of Brooklyn is once again reaching out to young Catholics in Brooklyn and Queens by using a hip new ad campaign to attract them back to church for Christmas.
According to the Diocese, the campaign includes a series of print ads and 30-second radio messages which focus on the theme: “Join us this Christmas.” Clever posters will be erected throughout the diocese in multiple languages depending on the needs of each neighborhood.
“By coming among us as a man, God expresses His solidarity with humanity. Christmas is that time of year when we celebrate that great generosity of God by recommitting ourselves to one another,” said the Most Reverend Nicholas DiMarzio, Bishop of Brooklyn.
The campaign includes a series of print ads and 30-second radio messages focusing on its main theme: “Join us this Christmas.” The posters will be advertised in multiple languages to meet the needs of each neighborhood.
One ad shows a smart phone sitting atop a bible and a set of Rosary beads. Another announces: “Party Like It’s 1 AD” while another claims “It’s never just a selfie” showing a girl taking a picture of herself with Jesus in the background.
“New York is an exciting place to live. Yet for some it can also be lonely. We launched this campaign to remind our neighbors that they are not alone, that we are family,” said Monsignor Kieran Harrington, Vicar for Communications for the Diocese of Brooklyn.
Brooklyn Biship Nicholas DiMarzio says the ads are “our response to Pope Francis’ call for a church of mercy and hope, ‘where everyone is welcomed, loved and forgiven’.”
The campaign caused a dust-up when NPR host Peter Sagal made an off-color joke about the selfie ad, saying Jesus could not have been in the selfie because his “hands are occupied.” Some people, such as popular Fox News host Bill O’Reilly, believed Sagal was referring to something “salacious” and called for the man to be fired.
The Diocese of Brooklyn, which also encompasses the borough of Queens, serves more than 1.4 million Catholics. Due to its multicultural and diverse populations, Masses are regularly held in 33 different languages across the Diocese, throughout 187 parishes with 213 churches.
© All Rights Reserved, Living His Life Abundantly®/Women of Grace® http://www.womenofgrace.com