I just got off the phone with one of our COP members from Assumption, Wildwood Crest, who gave me an update on what's been going on there.  If their convener, Fr. Michael Field, had any misconceptions about how Assumption felt about him or the merger, I think they are now cleared up. 

Fr. Field presided over one of Assumption's Masses this past weekend. During Mass, Fr. Field decided to go a little charismatic and asked the congregation to raise their hands and pray over their core team.  The parishioners collectively and entirely chose not to participate in this stage production.  The meet and greet afterward gave an equally powerful message, with approximately five parishioners from Assumption attending.  Assumption is a pretty big church - they have 1,350 notarized signatures for their canon law appeal (including signatures of all four members of their core team).  This is a very clear statement about Assumption's opinion of the merger and of their convener, whom they have asked to resign from that position for several reasons that I won't get into here. 

Of course, Fr. Field may not be spending as much time down the shore as he'd like to in the near future because his own parishioners at Queen of Heaven in Cherry Hill are also getting organized to fight their merger.  This is thanks in part to the complete arrogance and rudeness of their own priest convener, Fr. Tom Newton.  The story, as I'm told, is that Fr. Tom went into a Knights of Columbus meeting and stated that Queen of Heaven would be closing in May, the church would immediately be sold to the highest bidder and there would be no Knights of Columbus in the new parish.  Queen of Heaven will be meeting with the Council of Parishes next week to begin organizing on a parishwide level to fight the merger of their parish.  

To both Assumption and Queen of Heaven (and all other parishes opposed to this reconfiguration), know that we at St. Mary's stand behind you and will support you in whatever ways we can.  Keep fighting the good fight!