Francis Mugavero

Francis John Mugavero (pronounced Ma-GUV-e-ro) was born on June 8, 1914, in the Bedford-Stuyvesant section of Brooklyn and grew up over his father's barber shop.

In 1965 he was master of ceremonies at the Vatican Pavilion of the New York World's Fair in Flushing Meadows during the visit of Pope Paul VI.

Named for the biblical prophet who oversaw the reconstruction of the walls of Jerusalem, the plan is to build on the vast acres of vacant land in eastern Brooklyn and offer the homes to buyers with incomes between $20,000 and $40,000.

[5] In 1986 Bishop Mugavero issued a declaration concerning the Bayside Movement, Our Lady of the Roses, in which he stated, "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".

[8] The Bishop Francis J. Mugavero Center for Geriatric Care at 155 Dean Street, site of the former Holy Family Hospital, was built in Brooklyn in 1993, after his death.

[1] In February 1976 Bishop Mugavero issued a pastoral letter, "Sexuality - God's Gift", defending the legitimate rights of all people, including homosexuals.

He also said, On a more personal level, we wish to express our concern and compassion for those men and women who experience pain and confusion due to a true homosexual orientation.