SAN DIEGO — Father Bradley Easterbrooks has been appointed secretary of the diocesan Office for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs.
Since his appointment in early December, he has been assisting Auxiliary Bishop Ramón Bejarano, the new Vicar for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs. The bishop succeeded Msgr. Dennis Mikulanis, who was the first to hold that position and served in that role from 1990 until his retirement from active ministry last July.
Father Easterbrooks, who continues to serve as associate pastor of St. Mark Parish in San Marcos, explained that his duties include helping the diocese to build and maintain relationships with non-Catholic Christian denominations and other faith traditions, and looking for opportunities to collaborate with them to serve the local community.
He will also help to support Catholic parishes in their own ecumenical and interreligious work.
“The love of God is always a unifying love, so unity is an essential dimension to authentic community,” said Father Easterbrooks. “Our work in ecumenism and interreligious dialogue is therefore at the heart of the Church’s mission.”
“I am personally humbled to be able to serve this ministry in our diocese, particularly because of its significance to a world too often torn apart by division,” he said. “God wills to unite all people in a unity that is only possible through love.”
Father Easterbrooks described Msgr. Mikulanis as “one of a kind” and acknowledged that he “left big shoes to fill.”
The new team in the Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs Office has “hit the ground running,” said Father Easterbrooks, who has already reached out to his counterparts in other churches and faith groups.
He also recently wrote a letter to local Catholic pastors, encouraging them to observe the International Week of Prayer for Christian Unity (Jan. 18-25) by celebrating a “Mass for the Unity of Christians” at their parishes.
“Bishop Bejarano and I have also been in discussions about what the next year might bring,” said Father Easterbrooks. “So, stay tuned!”
