Merger of Lower Township Parishes Finalized

NORTH CAPE MAY — The two-year process of merging the parishes of St. John of God in this community and St. Raymond’s in Villas was finalized on Friday, May 21 by a decree from Camden Diocese Bishop Joseph Galante.
The new consolidated Roman Catholic parish will be called St. John Newman and will be located at the St. John of God Church. In addition, the St. Raymond Church will continue to be used as a worship site by the new parish. The consolidation becomes official on June 23.
Father Ernest R. Soprano, who served as Priest Convener for the consolidation, has been named pastor of the new parish for a six-year term.
According to a release, the new parish will consist of the boundaries of the previous parishes and will serve about 1,900 families in all of Lower Township as well as the Burleigh, Rio Grande, Del Have, Green Creek and Whitesboro sections of Middle Township. The goods and property of the parishes, including their real estate and buildings, as well as their debts and obligations, shall be assigned to the new parish.
The St. John Newman decree was one of three such decrees the bishop made creating new parishes through the consolidation of eight existing parishes. Since last June, 18 decrees have been issued by Bishop Galante in a diocesan-wide reconfiguration of parishes, with 20 consolidations remaining.
The reconfiguration announcement in April 2008 considered population and demographic trends, the number of diocesan priests available for ministry, Mass attendance and trends in religious practice.
“I am so encouraged by the dedicated work of our clergy, religious and laity in all of these parishes who have come together in a common mission to strengthen these parish communities for the sake of the faithful in South Jersey. This points to a most hopeful future for our Church,” Galante said in a release.
In his decree “for publication to each and everyone,” on the Catholic Star Herald’s website Galante wrote that, “among the most important responsibilities of the Bishop’s pastoral office is assurance that there is suitable provision of divine worship and Catholic community life for Christ’s faithful people who are committed to his care.”
The merger was done to provide more effectively for the pastoral needs of the faithful of both parishes; to assure the vitality of parish life in this area; to provide for a better stewardship of resources; and, to provide for the optimum use of clergy, religious, and lay personnel, the decree stated.
“For the reasons listed above as well as the belief that this merger will provide an increase in opportunities for participation in all ministries by youth, middle aged and senior populations…I have determined that the pastoral care of these communities will be fostered best by consolidating these individual communities and uniting them as one new parish,” Galante wrote.
Anyone who feels aggrieved by the merger is asked to send a letter within 10 days to:
Most Reverend Joseph A. Galante, Camden Diocesan Center, 631 Market Street, Camden, New Jersey 08102. It can also be faxed to (856) 338-0376.
The letter must first seek relief by requesting revocation or amendment of this decree. Letter must be received no later than 4 p.m., Monday, June 7. The bishop has 30 days to respond.
On Jan, Galante formally decreed that the parishes of St. Ann, in Wildwood and Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Wildwood Crest, consolidated into Notre Dame de la Mer, which was formally established Feb. 17.
Other planned Cape May County mergers include:
• St. Augustine, St. Frances Cabrini and Our Lady of Good Counsel in Ocean City will merge with the primary worship site at St. Augustine. St. Francis will continue to be a worship site for Hispanic liturgy. All three churches will remain as worship sites through the summer and shoulder months of fall and spring.
• Maris Stella in Avalon and St. Paul in Stone Harbor will merge with the primary worship site at Maris Stella and a secondary worship site at St. Paul.
• Resurrection in Marmora and St. Casimir in Woodbine will merge which includes St. Elizabeth Mission (Goshen), retaining worship sites at Resurrection and St. Casimir. Bishop McHugh Regional School remains a summer worship site.