This past year my family and I witnessed Bishop Joseph Galante's move to revitalize Catholic schools in the Camden Diocese. My children attended Annunciation Regional School in Bellmawr NJ until it was closed this past June. Our closure was part of the bishop's movement to create more vibrant Catholic schools within the Camden Diocese. Strangely enough, Bishop Galante seemed to never pay much attention to Annunciation school in the past. In retrospect, Bishop Galante seemed to have turned his back on Annunciation school long ago. Bishop Galante missed confirmations, our 50th anniversary (even though he managed to attend a mummer's mass the week before), and he missed the memorial service for a former teacher, IHM sister Paul Mercedes, who was tragically killed by a hit and run driver on her way to church one morning in Philadelphia. The Bishop couldn't or wouldn't clear his schedule to attend the memorial mass at Annunciation that honored the life of Sister Paul Mercedes. I ask, what could possibly be more important then paying your respects to a woman who dedicated her entire life to teaching our faith? One has to wonder if Bishop Galante had turned his back on more than just Annunciation school. I wonder how many youth decided against vocations in the Catholic Church based upon their bishop not paying his respects to Sister Paul in front of 800 Annunciation parishioners and 50 or so IHM Sisters. Are we sure this bishop is interested in strengthening the future of the Catholic faith?

Pitting school against school, church against church: something's wrong with this picture

We have all heard of the Bishop's plan to create more vibrant Catholic schools by utilizing steering committees and cluster studies. The Diocese has talked of transition teams working together. We have seen schools pitted up against each other in an effort to survive. The Bishop has talked about how fair this cluster study was. We have seen our priest break down saying how unfairly we were treated. While Bishop Galante spoke about creating stronger more vibrant schools and revitalizing Catholic education, we watched our nuns cry and question their career choices. Something is so wrong with this picture. Are these the building blocks for a stronger tomorrow in Catholic education?
 
In our cluster, it had come down to Annunciation School in Bellmawr and St Francis De Sales in Barrington merging. Both were excellent schools that were put in an unfortunate situation. The object was to find which campus was better suited for all of our children. Annunciation had a fully functional cafeteria, a church hall that doubles as a gym and most importantly, Annunciation sat on over eight acres of land. In contrast, St Francis has no gym, no cafeteria, and very limited land. Everyone, including our priest and nuns, thought that Annunciation's 8+ acres of land would be what saved our school. To our surprise, Annunciation was closed this past June in favor of the St Francis De Sales location.

The school was sitting on money...

I hear the Bishop saying that he is creating more vibrant Catholic schools, yet he wants to send our children to a school with no cafeteria and no gym. How is this better? We thought Annunciation's 8 acres of land would be an asset that would contribute to the preservation of our school. As it turns out, Annunciation's most valuable asset may have led to its demise. The Diocese may tell you that they are studying the need for a Catholic school in the Bellmawr area which would be dependent on significant future enrollment growth in nearby Catholic schools. Open a window, the smokescreen isn't working. Future enrollment growth will be pretty hard to imagine since the Diocese has appeared to create the perfect recipe for disaster! Our diocese is now an environment rife with uncertainty. That combined with drastic tuition increases over the next three to five years hardly leads to dramatic increases in enrollment.

In addition, the Diocese now allows open enrollment. With open enrollment we were told that our children didn't have to attend the merged school at St Francis, we could go anywhere. For the same tuition rate, we were free to select a school with a gym and cafeteria. Does the diocese really want to build enrollment in this area? All signs point to NO.  

...and sitting on money in a booming town is a recipe for closure

Annunciation School is located in Bellmawr NJ, which is currently going through a major revitalization plan that includes adding a Patco high speed line stop, movie theater, hotel, and retail stores. Bellmawr, which already has access to major highways like the New Jersey Turnpike, Routes 42, 295 and 55, will now be a short train ride away from its big city neighbor, Philadelphia. One wonders if the diocese is motivated to one day sell off Annunciation's land. The Camden Diocese has made many statements about the school's land being church property and that the diocese has no claim to church property. That may be true if Annunciation Church stays open. However, all bets are off if Annunciation Church closes.

Can Annunciation stay open long term? Annunciation Church is currently deep in debt and looking at the bleak possibility of losing the support of some families with the closing of their school. Annunciation Church now has the added expense of the upkeep on eight acres of land and an empty school. Will the closure of Annunciation school ultimately lead to the closure of Annunciation Church? The diocese can wait this one out, and time is on their side. In the meantime, the value of Annunciation's property will increase.

Two churches in one town, but no need for a school?

Bellmawr's revitalization plan has a three to five year timetable. If you look at the results of the Camden Diocese's church reorganization plan, it's almost as if the Diocese planned ahead for the future failure of Annunciation church. Bishop Galante has decided to keep two churches open in Bellmawr. Both Annunciation and Mary Mother of the Church will remain open. These churches are only 1.7 miles apart, a five minute drive (see map below).
 


If Annunciation church were to fail in three to five years, the town of Bellmawr still has another Catholic church for its residents in Mary Mother. Think about it, two churches open in Bellmawr that are only 1.7 miles apart, yet the Bishop's plan to close churches has left vast areas with no Catholic church at all? This makes no sense at all. Furthermore, it's odd to think that Bishop Galante saw fit to leave two Catholic churches open in Bellmawr, but doesn't see the need for a Catholic school in the very same area.

But WAIT! There's MORE! Some will be unlucky enough to lose both school AND church. 

The bishop's next blow to the Catholic community will come in the form of church mergers. For my parish Bishop Galante decided to merge St. Anne's in Westville and St. Maurice in Brooklawn into Annunciation. While I welcome all the church members with an open heart, I feel a great injustice is being done to the people of these churches. The material wealth of these parishes will transfer to Annunciation. If this transfer of wealth is against the will of the parishioners, then it is wrong. This wealth belongs to the Catholic communities of St. Anne's and St. Maurice. How can anyone take away what belongs to them against their will? Why would the Bishop close a parish not in debt and transfer their wealth to a parish in deep debt? While I would be heartbroken if Annunciation church were to close, I would suffer an even greater crisis of faith if the Camden Diocese proceeds with their plans to take the wealth of other parishes against their will. It is like stealing.

Join the growing chorus calling for Bishop Galante's resignation

Finally, I pray that the Catholic communities of South Jersey, like those at St Mary's of Malaga, can find a way to survive even if Galante's mission is somehow able to succeed. Galante's proposed mergers have cut into the heart of the Catholic faith. It is time that the Catholic community of the Camden Diocese unites in the call for Bishop Galante to step down. Maybe then the survivors can sift through the rubble, rebuilding what is left into a truly vibrant future.
 
Annunciation Parishioner
Bellmawr NJ

Editor's Note: Mrs. Lamancusa also showed savestmarys many emails and letters that she has written to the diocese, as well as the diocesan replies (when they bothered to reply) as well. She has been vigilant every step of the way in asking questions and seeking answers that make sense. We thank her for her contribution and congratulate her on her good work. Don't give up! Keep the Faith.