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 North Cape May area of Cape May County, New Jersey:
1) to provide more effectively for the pastoral needs of the faithful of the parish of Saint John of God in Cape May County, New Jersey and the parish of Saint Raymond in Cape May County, 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 the belief that this merger will provide an increase in opportunities for participation in all ministries by youth, middle aged and senior populations; because of the communality of the parish communities of Saint John of God, 680 Town Bank Road, North Cape May and Saint Raymond, Bayshore and Ocean Avenue, Villas; in response to the request of the pastor of these communities, Reverend Ernest R. Soprano, 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 Cape May County, 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 Saint John of God, 680 Town Bank Road, North Cape May and Saint Raymond, Bayshore and Ocean Avenue, Villas and the establishment of The Parish of Saint John Neumann.
Reverend Ernest R. Soprano will serve as the Pastor of The Parish of Saint John Neumann for a term of six years commencing on the effective date of this decree.
The parochial church of The Parish of Saint John Neumann, which retains its proper title and the name Saint John of God Church, is located at 680 Town Bank Road, North Cape May, New Jersey. Saint Raymond 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 Parish of Saint John Neumann will be the same as the combined boundaries of the former parishes of Saint John of God and Saint Raymond. The establishment of these parish boundaries is duly recorded at the Chancery Office of the Diocese of Camden, as:
Start at the point where Dias Creek flows into the Delaware Bay.
1. East along Dias Creek to the point where Dias Creek intersects Indian Trail Rd
2. East on Indian Trail Rd, which becomes North Wildwood Rd, to the point where North Wildwood Rd (Rt 147) intersects the middle of Grassy Sound Channel
3. South through Grassy Sound Channel and Grassy Sound following the path of the Inland Waterway to Jarvis Sound
4. South then west through Jarvis Sound and Cape May Harbor to the Cape May Canal
5. West through the Cape May Canal to the Delaware Bay
6. North along the shoreline of the Delaware Bay to the point where Dias Creek flows into the Delaware Bay (point of origin)
The goods and property of the parishes of Saint John of God and of Saint Raymond, including their real estate and buildings, as well as their debts and obligations, shall be assigned to The Parish of Saint John Neumann. 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 Parish of Saint John Neumann 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 Saint John of God, 680 Town Bank Road, North Cape May and Saint Raymond, Bayshore and Ocean Avenue, Villas will be closed and moved to the seat of The Parish of Saint John Neumann, 680 Town Bank Road, North Cape May. All sacraments administered from that date forward will be recorded in new sacramental registers of The Parish of Saint John Neumann.
I approve the statutes of The Parish of Saint John Neumann as submitted.
As of the effective date of this DECREE, the financial accounts of Saint John of God, 680 Town Bank Road, North Cape May and Saint Raymond, Bayshore and Ocean Avenue, Villas will have been closed and will be transferred to the financial account of The Parish of Saint John Neumann.
As of the effective date of this DECREE, Saint John of God, 680 Town Bank Road, North Cape May and Saint Raymond, Bayshore and Ocean Avenue, Villas will be civilly consolidated under the laws of the State of New Jersey as The Parish of Saint John Neumann, North Cape May, N.J.
This DECREE becomes effective on June 23, 2010.
I instruct that this DECREE be communicated immediately to the parishioners of The Parish of Saint John Neumann by Reverend Ernest R. Soprano 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