"For Immediate Release"
May 08, 2008
From The Council of Parishes of Southern New Jersey
In the fall of 2007, when the planning initiative to reduce the number of parishes in the Camden Diocese from the current 124 parishes to 66 parishes was announced, Bishop Galante stated, "We are saved as a people; we will plan as a people." However, parishes were denied the opportunity to present any alternatives which had not been reviewed by the Diocese Planning Commission in September 2007. Many parishioners felt they were also denied their rights to appeal the bishop's decision to merge and/or close their parishes.
Therefore, in May 2008, the Council of Parishes of Southern New Jersey was formed. The Council, currently representing approximately 15 parishes throughout the Diocese of Camden, opposes the unnecessary and harmful merge of our parishes and closure of our churches. In the Diocese of Camden, we do not have a current priest shortage and in the event of a future priest shortage, other options are available to allow our vibrant parishes to remain open. One example, initiated by Our Lady Queen of Peace Parish in Pitman, involved recruiting foreign priests. Congregation Superiors from the Carmelites of Mary Immaculate in India visited the parish and agreed to provide several priests to serve the population. The Bishop is familiar with this Priestly Congregation and had them serve the Beaumont, Texas Diocese where he was previously a Bishop. He currently has two priests from this Congregation serving in the Camden Diocese. He did not respond or comment on the worthiness of this proposal at the time it was presented in October 2007 and this option was subsequently denied. Other practical options have likewise been rejected without explanation.
Furthermore there are no serious financial difficulties in the Diocese or in the vast majority of the parishes within the Diocese. Rather the Bishop is determined to close our smaller parishes, which he has referred to as Wawas with crosses, because he prefers megachurches. However, there is no evidence that megachurches in any way will increase the percentage of Catholics who attend Mass. In fact, the opposite has been shown to be true.
Contact information for the Council of Parishes of Southern New Jersey:
Leah Vassallo email 856-692-0222
Nicholas Nastasi email 609-972-4570
Robert Walsh email 856-582-2192
Corine Robinson email 609-425-4324
Kevin Kelton 856-694-2748
May 08, 2008
From The Council of Parishes of Southern New Jersey
In the fall of 2007, when the planning initiative to reduce the number of parishes in the Camden Diocese from the current 124 parishes to 66 parishes was announced, Bishop Galante stated, "We are saved as a people; we will plan as a people." However, parishes were denied the opportunity to present any alternatives which had not been reviewed by the Diocese Planning Commission in September 2007. Many parishioners felt they were also denied their rights to appeal the bishop's decision to merge and/or close their parishes.
Therefore, in May 2008, the Council of Parishes of Southern New Jersey was formed. The Council, currently representing approximately 15 parishes throughout the Diocese of Camden, opposes the unnecessary and harmful merge of our parishes and closure of our churches. In the Diocese of Camden, we do not have a current priest shortage and in the event of a future priest shortage, other options are available to allow our vibrant parishes to remain open. One example, initiated by Our Lady Queen of Peace Parish in Pitman, involved recruiting foreign priests. Congregation Superiors from the Carmelites of Mary Immaculate in India visited the parish and agreed to provide several priests to serve the population. The Bishop is familiar with this Priestly Congregation and had them serve the Beaumont, Texas Diocese where he was previously a Bishop. He currently has two priests from this Congregation serving in the Camden Diocese. He did not respond or comment on the worthiness of this proposal at the time it was presented in October 2007 and this option was subsequently denied. Other practical options have likewise been rejected without explanation.
Furthermore there are no serious financial difficulties in the Diocese or in the vast majority of the parishes within the Diocese. Rather the Bishop is determined to close our smaller parishes, which he has referred to as Wawas with crosses, because he prefers megachurches. However, there is no evidence that megachurches in any way will increase the percentage of Catholics who attend Mass. In fact, the opposite has been shown to be true.
Contact information for the Council of Parishes of Southern New Jersey:
Leah Vassallo email 856-692-0222
Nicholas Nastasi email 609-972-4570
Robert Walsh email 856-582-2192
Corine Robinson email 609-425-4324
Kevin Kelton 856-694-2748