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Snip from article, "300 Sue Diocese About Merger":
HADDON TWP. -- Almost 300 members of St. Vincent Pallotti parish in Haddon Township have sued the Camden Diocese, seeking the return of more than $1 million in donations made before the diocese announced a controversial merger plan for their parish.
The donations funded capital improvements that were dedicated in November 2007 -- four months before Bishop Joseph Galante revealed plans to merge St. Vincent Pallotti with St. Aloysius Parish in Oaklyn.
Under the plan, St. Aloysius would be the seat of the combined parish -- and Haddon Township parishioners contend that puts St. Vincent Pallotti's facilities at risk of closing.
The suit asserts Galante approved the multi-year capital campaign at St. Vincent Pallotti, then did not tell parishioners that he intended to restructure the diocese, said John Wilson, a Collingswood attorney representing the parishioners.
"Prior to the start of construction, he (Galante) had an obligation to tell the parish to (suspend the campaign) until he decided what he was doing with the parish," said Wilson, who is also a St. Vincent Pallotti parishioner. "Because he didn't do that, the donors made donations with the reasonable expectation that they would have the normal use of the facilities they were contributing to."
The suit, currently representing 284 parishioners, seeks more than $1.4 million, plus interest, he said.
The diocese will respond in court, Andrew Walton, a diocesan spokesman, said Wednesday. He described the legal challenge as "premature" and said St. Vincent Pallotti's buildings "are not going away."
Galante in April 2008 said he would reduce the number of parishes in the South Jersey diocese from 124 to 68, largely through mergers. He said the changes, which have sparked opposition at many parishes, are needed in part to address a priest shortage and demographic changes.
Members of St. Vincent Pallotti previously asked a Vatican body, the Congregation of the Clergy, to block their planned merger. But the Congregation upheld Galante's position last month.
"That's why this suit was started," said Wilson.
Walton, the diocesan spokesman, said the suit was premature because "no (merger) decree has been issued and there's been no alteration of the parish."
He also said the church-goers' donations were made to the parish, and not to the diocese. And Walton noted Galante revised his initial plan so that St. Vincent Pallotti's facilities would remain in use after a merger.
But Wilson said the legal challenge was needed now because, once a merger takes effect, the new parish's pastor could close St. Vincent Pallotti's facilities.