Bishop Dennis Sullivan announces the retirement of two priests of the Diocese of Camden.
— Father John A. Cavagnaro, who has served at Our Lady of the Lakes, Collings Lakes, since 2004, will retire July 1.
— Father Michael J. Coffey, senior priest at Holy Eucharist Parish, Cherry Hill, since 2009, will retire July 1.
Father Cavagnaro, 70, was born in Vineland and attended Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and Saint Mary’s Seminary, Baltimore. He was ordained April 25, 1975, in Saint Francis of Assisi Church in Vineland.
He served as parochial vicar at Saint Mary Parish, Williamstown, 1975-78; Saint Isidore, Vineland, 1978; Holy Family, Sewell, 1978-80; Queen of the Apostles, Pennsville, 1980-85; Saint Andrew the Apostle, Gibbsboro, 1985-93; Saint Joseph, Sea Isle City, 1993-98; Saint Peter, Merchantville, 1998-2000; Saint Joseph, Swedesboro, 2000-2003; and Most Holy Redeemer, Westville Grove, 2003-04.
He was chaplain at Underwood Hospital in Woodbury from 2003 until he was named administrator of Our Lady of the Lakes Parish in Collings Lakes the next year. He was appointed pastor of the parish in 2005.
Father Cavagnaro also served as a Pre-Cana moderator.
Father Coffey, 75, retired from full time ministry in 2009 after serving four years as pastor of Saint John Neumann Parish in Sicklerville.
Born in Brooklyn, New York, he attended Christ the King Seminary in East Aurora, New York. He was ordained May 4, 1991, in Saint Joseph Pro-Cathedral, Camden.
He served as parochial vicar at Saint Matthew Parish, National Park, 1991-95; Assumption, Atco, 1995-2000; Saint Luke, Stratford, 2000-04; and Saint Pius X, Cherry Hill, 2004-05.