Bishop Joseph Galante of the Diocese of Camden had a dream that went something like this:

Let's build a new regional elementary school and put it out in the woods. Then we can get parishes like Saint Nicholas in Egg Harbor City to help pay for the cost of construction and maintenance. Let's assess Saint Nicholas parish $1,100 per week for upkeep and $400,000 as its share of construction. We'll let the current Saint Nicholas pastor return to being a military chaplain so a new pastor can be appointed who will cooperate with the plan to close the current parochial school and merge Saint Nicholas with a new Church of the Assumption parish. After a while, people won't mind making the 20-mile round trip to another church.

Is this a dream or a nightmare?

Does Bishop Galante think we parishioners are dumb? Stand up and oppose this "dream" before it becomes a reality. Whether you are a parishioner of Saint Nicholas or one of the other parishes in the Diocese of Camden, don't rest until Bishop Galante's dream has been foiled. Your parish could be next.

THOMAS McGEARY SR.

Egg Harbor City