What's Going On Around Here? I'm Asking Myself This Question More and More Lately...
by several contributors to savestmarys.net
Here at savestmarys.net we've learned that the diocese has already assigned pastors to the parishes it wishes to merge. Although presumably the majority of the priests of the Camden Diocese have only this week received letters in the mail pertaining to the reassignment process (we know of several who have received them mid-week), it seems the new pastors have already been selected. Shockingly, Bishop Galante and vicar general Roger McGrath are bringing in priests from outside the diocese to head some of these new parishes. A source has said, "The whole reassignment process is a farce."
For example, one priest is being brought in from the Diocese of Arlington, VA. This is public knowledge and we have posted it on this site previously. (Click here for that piece and here for the Diocese of Arlington's piece.)* Additionally there is another priest who will act as pastor of a merged parish who is from outside the diocese. Why in the world would they do that? Obviously there must be a reason why they want certain priests they know in certain positions.
With newly "merged" parishes--God forbid--we will now not only not have a priest shortage, we will instead have an abundance of priests. And yet the bishop is bringing in priests from other diocese? Who are these men and why do Galante and McGrath want them strategically placed? And what is he going to do with the abundance of priests he will have if his horrible plans to destroy parishes come to fruition? He has already gotten rid of close to twenty priests and the mergers have not yet begun. One can only imagine what he will do with surplus priests in a diocese with fewer parishes.
The diocese does not have a priest shortage now, so in order to attempt to justify this whole mess, the bishop must create one. (Of course, the diocesan bureaucrats, including spokesman Andy Walton, keep backing away from this position as time goes on. Who knows what their rationale will be next week.) The only possible way to create a priest shortage would be to
*An aside on the Cathedral situation. (Click here for the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception website.) Supposedly, the rationale for replacing Msgr. Mannion has to do with obtaining a pastor who is fluent in Spanish. At first appearance this would make sense since the Cathedral is in Camden. However, according to a regular attender at the Cathedral, the majority of the congregation there is not local. They attend there largely because of Msgr. Mannion. Apparently there are not very many Spanish speakers who attend the Cathedral. One can only presume that when Msgr. Mannion leaves, so will much of the cathedral congregation. Either the Spanish language thing is a rouse or the bishop and McGrath want Mannion out. We are wondering why...
**We also just learned that Bishop Galante tried to get his hands on the Padre Pio shrine on Route 40 in Landisville, not too far from St. Mary's (shrine website here). Since the shrine is privately held, however, he didn't succeed. I had to laugh.
by several contributors to savestmarys.net
Here at savestmarys.net we've learned that the diocese has already assigned pastors to the parishes it wishes to merge. Although presumably the majority of the priests of the Camden Diocese have only this week received letters in the mail pertaining to the reassignment process (we know of several who have received them mid-week), it seems the new pastors have already been selected. Shockingly, Bishop Galante and vicar general Roger McGrath are bringing in priests from outside the diocese to head some of these new parishes. A source has said, "The whole reassignment process is a farce."
For example, one priest is being brought in from the Diocese of Arlington, VA. This is public knowledge and we have posted it on this site previously. (Click here for that piece and here for the Diocese of Arlington's piece.)* Additionally there is another priest who will act as pastor of a merged parish who is from outside the diocese. Why in the world would they do that? Obviously there must be a reason why they want certain priests they know in certain positions.
With newly "merged" parishes--God forbid--we will now not only not have a priest shortage, we will instead have an abundance of priests. And yet the bishop is bringing in priests from other diocese? Who are these men and why do Galante and McGrath want them strategically placed? And what is he going to do with the abundance of priests he will have if his horrible plans to destroy parishes come to fruition? He has already gotten rid of close to twenty priests and the mergers have not yet begun. One can only imagine what he will do with surplus priests in a diocese with fewer parishes.
The diocese does not have a priest shortage now, so in order to attempt to justify this whole mess, the bishop must create one. (Of course, the diocesan bureaucrats, including spokesman Andy Walton, keep backing away from this position as time goes on. Who knows what their rationale will be next week.) The only possible way to create a priest shortage would be to
a. get rid of priests (something he's already done)We here at savestmarys.net hope that the general Catholic population in South Jersey is connecting the dots and seeing through the diocesan propaganda campaign. We must see through it in order to salvage our diocese.** The first and most important thing we must do is to create informed awareness and an atmosphere of resistance and skepticism among the faithful Catholics of our diocese.
b. discourage vocations to the priesthood (which seems to be happening)
c. intimidate, refuse, and/or weaken seminarians ("cannot at this time comment on that...")
d. push existing priests out in some way, such as creating a hostile or undesirable situation for them, resulting in them leaving on their own (which has happened)
e. refuse offers from outside the diocese to send us priests (and the bishop's refused several offers to date, more on that later)
f. take away a priests' faculties (we have heard one account)
g. make priests less relevant by raising up the laity to perform priestly duties and by dismissing the efficaciousness and spiritual strength received from the holy sacraments (yuck--more on this later)
*An aside on the Cathedral situation. (Click here for the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception website.) Supposedly, the rationale for replacing Msgr. Mannion has to do with obtaining a pastor who is fluent in Spanish. At first appearance this would make sense since the Cathedral is in Camden. However, according to a regular attender at the Cathedral, the majority of the congregation there is not local. They attend there largely because of Msgr. Mannion. Apparently there are not very many Spanish speakers who attend the Cathedral. One can only presume that when Msgr. Mannion leaves, so will much of the cathedral congregation. Either the Spanish language thing is a rouse or the bishop and McGrath want Mannion out. We are wondering why...
**We also just learned that Bishop Galante tried to get his hands on the Padre Pio shrine on Route 40 in Landisville, not too far from St. Mary's (shrine website here). Since the shrine is privately held, however, he didn't succeed. I had to laugh.