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 City of Camden in Camden County, New Jersey:
1) to provide more effectively for the pastoral needs of the faithful of St. Bartholomew’s R.C. Church in Camden County, New Jersey and the Church of St. Joan of Arc in Camden 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 having been nurtured by the past, grounded in the present and hopeful for the future these two communities have been drawn by the Holy Spirit into one Community of Faith; because of the communality of the parish communities of St. Bartholomew, 751 Kaighns Avenue, Camden and St. Joan of Arc, 3107 Alabama Road, Camden; in response to the request of the Pastor of these communities, Reverend Gerard C. Marable, 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 Camden 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 St. Bartholomew, 751 Kaighns Avenue, Camden and St. Joan of Arc, 3107 Alabama Road, Camden and the establishment of a new parish community named St. Josephine Bakhita Parish.
Reverend Gerard C. Marable will serve as the Pastor of St. Josephine Bakhita Parish commencing on the effective date of this decree.
The parochial church of St. Josephine Bakhita Parish which will retain its own proper title and the name St. Bartholomew is located at 751 Kaighns Avenue, Camden. St. Joan of Arc, 3107 Alabama Road, Camden will be maintained as a worship site to be used by the merged community.
The territorial boundaries of St. Josephine Bakhita Parish will be the same as the combined boundaries of the former parishes of St. Bartholomew and St. Joan of Arc. The establishment of these parish boundaries is duly recorded at the Chancery Office of the Diocese of Camden, as:
Start at the point the North Branch of the Newton Creek diverges from the Newton Creek.
1. Northeast along the North Branch of the Newton Creek to its point of intersection with the Pennsylvania Reading Seashore line
2. Southeast on the Pennsylvania Reading Seashore line to its point of intersection with the Newton Creek
3. Northwest along the Newton Creek to the point it merges with the North Branch of the Newton Creek (point of origin)
St. Josephine Bakhita Parish is simultaneously established as the personal parish for the African American Catholic Community in the County of Camden.
The goods and property of the parishes of St. Bartholomew and St. Joan of Arc, including their real estate and buildings, as well as their debts and obligations, shall be assigned to St. Josephine Bakhita Parish. 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 St. Josephine Bakhita Parish 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 St. Bartholomew, 751 Kaighns Avenue, Camden and St. Joan of Arc, 3107 Alabama Road, Camden will be closed and moved to the seat of St. Josephine Bakhita Parish. All sacraments administered from that date forward will be recorded in new sacramental registers of St. Josephine Bakhita Parish.
I approve the statutes of St. Josephine Bakhita Parish as submitted.
As of the effective date of this DECREE, the financial accounts of St. Bartholomew, 751 Kaighns Avenue, Camden and St. Joan of Arc, 3107 Alabama Road, Camden will be closed and transferred to the financial account of St. Josephine Bakhita Parish.
As of the effective date of this DECREE, St. Bartholomew, 751 Kaighns Avenue, Camden and St. Joan of Arc, 3107 Alabama Road, Camden will be civilly consolidated under the laws of the State of New Jersey as St. Josephine Bakhita Parish, Camden, N.J.
This DECREE becomes effective on September 22, 2010.
I instruct that this DECREE be communicated immediately to the parishioners of St. Josephine Bakhita Parish by Reverend Gerard C. Marable 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 20th day of August 2010, at the Diocesan Center.
Joseph A. Galante
Bishop of Camden
In cujus fidem…
David J. Klein
Chancellor