Greetings In The Lord
Among the most important responsibilities of the Bishop’s pastoral office is assurance that there is suitable provision of divine worship and Catholic community life for Christ’s faithful people who are committed to his care. At the same time the pastor of each parish needs to be able to satisfy without undue difficulty the parochial responsibilities assigned to him by his Bishop.
The following just causes support the establishment of a consolidated parish in the Mullica Hill, Elmer and Woodstown areas of the diocese:
1) to provide more effectively for the pastoral needs of the faithful of the parish of Holy Name of Jesus in Gloucester County, New Jersey; the parish of Saint Ann in Gloucester, Salem and Cumberland Counties, New Jersey and the parish of Saint Joseph in Salem and Cumberland Counties, New Jersey;
2) to assure the vitality of parish life in this area;
3) to provide for a better stewardship of resources; and,
4) to provide for the optimum use of clergy, religious, and lay personnel.
For the reasons listed above as well as considering the time, prayer and communication which has helped to form a faith family ready to go forward; because of the communality of the parish communities of Holy Name of Jesus, 17 Earlington Avenue, Mullica Hill; Saint Ann, 115 Broad Street, Elmer and Saint Joseph, 51 Broad Street, Woodstown; in response to the request of the pastor of these communities, Reverend Anthony R. DiBardino to unite these parishes; the favorable advice of the local Vicar Forane; and having listened to the opinions of the Presbyteral Council about the needs of the Catholic Faithful in this area of Gloucester, Salem and Cumberland Counties, I have determined that the pastoral care of these communities will be fostered best by consolidating these individual communities and uniting them as one new parish.
Accordingly, in virtue of the prescripts of canon 121 and canon 515, §1 of the Code of Canon Law, in order to provide more effectively for the spiritual welfare and the salvation of souls, having judged that sufficiently just causes are present, and having consulted the Presbyteral Council in accord with canon 515, §2, I hereby DECREE, ANNOUNCE and PUBLISH:
The merger of the parishes of Holy Name of Jesus, 17 Earlington Avenue, Mullica Hill; Saint Ann, 115 Broad Street, Elmer and Saint Joseph, 51 Broad Street, Woodstown and the establishment of the Catholic Community of the Holy Spirit.
Reverend Anthony R. DiBardino will serve as the Pastor of the Catholic Community of the Holy Spirit for a term of six years commencing on the effective date of this decree.
The parochial church of the Catholic Community of the Holy Spirit, which retains its proper title and the name Holy Name of Jesus Church, is located at 17 Earlington Avenue, Mullica Hill, New Jersey. Saint Joseph Church will retain its own proper title and will be maintained as a worship site to be used by the merged community.
The territorial boundaries of the Catholic Community of the Holy Spirit will be the same as the combined boundaries of the former parishes of Holy Name of Jesus, Saint Ann and Saint Joseph. The establishment of these parish boundaries is duly recorded at the Chancery Office of the Diocese of Camden, as:
Start at the point where US 322 and Union Rd intersect in northern Harrison Township.
1. Northeast on Union Rd to Wolfert Station Rd (Rt 664)
2. Southeast on Wolfert Station Rd to the point it intersects the Harrison – Mantua township line
3. East along the Harrison – Mantua township line to the point it intersects Barnsboro Rd (Rt 609)
4. South on Barnsboro Rd (Rt 609), which first becomes Richwood Rd then Hardingville Rd, to Swedesboro Rd
5. East on Swedesboro Rd to Monroeville Rd (Rt 604)
6. East on Monroeville Rd (Rt 604) to Willow Grove Rd (Rt 667)
7. South on Willow Grove Rd (Rt 667) to its point of intersection with the Gloucester-Salem county line
8. East along the Gloucester – Salem county line to its point of intersection with Still Run
9. South on Still Run then the Maurice River, which is also the Salem-Cumberland county line, to Almond Rd (Rt 540)
10. West on Almond Rd (Rt 540), which first becomes Deerfield Rd then Pecks Corner – Cohansey Rd, to Telegraph Rd (continuing on Rt 540)
11. North on Telegraph Rd (Rt 540), which becomes S. Greenwich Rd then N, Greenwich Rd then Timberman Rd then Welchville Rd, to McKillip Rd
12. Northeast on McKillip Rd to Swedes Bridge Rd
13. North on Swedes Bridge Rd to Compromise Rd
14. West on Compromise Rd to Rt 45
15. North on Rt 45 to Bassett Rd
16. North on Bassett Rd to Kings Highway
17. Southwest on Kings Highway to Biddle Rd
18. North on Biddle Rd to Haines Neck Rd (Rt 631)
19. Northwest on Haines Neck Rd (Rt 631) to Pointers Auburn Rd (Rt 646)
20. North on Pointers Auburn Rd (Rt 646), which becomes Main St. to its point of intersection with the Salem – Gloucester county line
21. Southwest along the Salem – Gloucester county line to its point of intersection with Rt 45 (Woodstown – Mullica Hill Rd)
22. North on Rt 45 to Tomlin Station Rd (Rt 607)
23. North on Tomlin Station Rd (Rt 607) to US 322
24. East on US 322 to Union Rd (point of origin)
The goods and property of the parishes of Holy Name of Jesus, 17 Earlington Avenue, Mullica Hill; of Saint Ann, 115 Broad Street, Elmer and of Saint Joseph, 51 Broad Street, Woodstown, including their real estate and buildings, as well as their debts and obligations, shall be assigned to the Catholic Community of the Holy Spirit. Further, the voluntary offerings of the faithful, as well as other grants, pledges and gifts which have been or will be made to either of these predecessor parishes will constitute revenue to the Catholic Community of the Holy Spirit for the benefit of the pastoral life of this community of the faithful as well as the rightful support of those who minister to them.
As of the effective date of this DECREE, the sacramental registers of the parishes of Holy Name of Jesus, 17 Earlington Avenue, Mullica Hill; Saint Ann, 115 Broad Street, Elmer and Saint Joseph, 51 Broad Street, Woodstown will be closed and moved to the seat of the Catholic Community of the Holy Spirit. All sacraments administered from that date forward will be recorded in new sacramental registers of the Catholic Community of the Holy Spirit.
I approve the statutes of the Catholic Community of the Holy Spirit as submitted.
As of the effective date of this DECREE, the financial accounts of the parishes of Holy Name of Jesus, 17 Earlington Avenue, Mullica Hill; Saint Ann, 115 Broad Street, Elmer and Saint Joseph, 51 Broad Street, Woodstown will have been closed and will be transferred to the financial account of the Catholic Community of the Holy Spirit.
As of the effective date of this DECREE, the parishes of Holy Name of Jesus, 17 Earlington Avenue, Mullica Hill; Saint Ann, 115 Broad Street, Elmer and Saint Joseph, 51 Broad Street, Woodstown will be civilly consolidated under the laws of the State of New Jersey as the Catholic Community of the Holy Spirit, Mullica Hill, N.J.
This DECREE becomes effective on June 23, 2010.
I instruct that this DECREE be communicated immediately to the parishioners of the Catholic Community of the Holy Spirit by Reverend Anthony R. DiBardino whom I have herein named their Pastor. This DECREE is likewise to be published immediately in the Catholic Star Herald and on the diocesan website.
Given in Camden, on this 21st day of May 2010, at the Diocesan Center.
Joseph A. Galante
Bishop of Camden
In cujus fidem…
David J. Klein
Chancellor