DECREE – For Publication to Each and Everyone

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 Lindenwold area of Camden County, New Jersey:

1) to provide more effectively for the pastoral needs of the faithful of the parish of Our Lady of Grace in Camden County, New Jersey; the parish of Saint Lawrence in Camden County and the parish of Saint Luke 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 the reported experience of the affected communities that the Holy Spirit has guided these merging parish communities with an outpouring of faith and hope which will strengthen the new parish; because of the communality of the parish communities of Our Lady of Grace, 35 N. White Horse Pike, Somerdale; Saint Lawrence, 135 N. White Horse Pike, Lindenwold and Saint Luke, 55 Warwick Road, Stratford; in response to the request of the pastors of these communities, Reverend Thomas J. Barcellona (Our Lady of Grace), Reverend Monsignor William P. Graham (Saint Lawrence) and Reverend Joseph P. Capella (Saint Luke) 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 Our Lady of Grace Parish, 35 N. White Horse Pike, Somerdale; Saint Lawrence Parish, 135 N. White Horse Pike, Lindenwold and Saint Luke Parish, 55 Warwick Road, Stratford and the establishment of Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish.

Reverend Joseph P. Capella will serve as the Pastor of Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish for a term of six years commencing on the effective date of this decree.

The parochial church of Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish, which retains the name Saint Lawrence Church, is located at 135 N. White Horse Pike, Lindenwold, New Jersey. Saint Luke Church, 55 Warwick Road, Stratford will retain its proper title and will be maintained as a worship site to be used as needed by the merged community.

The territorial boundaries of Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish will be the same as the combined boundaries of the former parishes of Our Lady of Grace, Saint Lawrence and Saint Luke. The establishment of these parish boundaries is duly recorded at the Chancery Office of the Diocese of Camden, as:

Start at the intersection of Haddonfield Berlin Rd and Somerdale Rd in Voorhees.

1. Southeast on Haddonfield Berlin Rd to the point it intersects the Voorhees – Gibbsboro township line

2. Southwest then southeast along the Voorhees – Gibbsboro township line then  continue along the Lindenwold – Gibbsboro township line to the point it intersects United States Ave

3. South on United States Ave to US 30/ White Horse Pike

4. West on US 30 to New Freedom Rd

5. Southeast on New Freedom Rd to Berlin Clementon Rd

6. West on Berlin Clementon Rd, which becomes Blackwood Clementon Rd, the point it intersects the Stratford – Gloucester township line

7.North along the Stratford – Gloucester township line to the point it intersects the North Branch of the Big Timber Creek

8. North along the North Branch of the Big Timber Creek to the point it merges with Signey Run

9. East along Signey Run to the point it is intersected by an imaginary (straight)  line drawn to extend Orchard Ave, which is in the neighborhood on the north side of Signey Run

10. North along the imaginary (straight) line drawn to extend Orchard Ave then continue on Orchard Ave to Somerdale Rd

11. East on Somerdale Rd to the point it intersects the Somerdale – Glendora corporate line

12. North then east then northeast along the Somerdale – Glendora corporate line then continue on the Somerdale – Magnolia corporate line to the point it intersects Evesham Rd

13. East on Evesham Rd to the point it intersects the Cooper River at the Somerdale – Voorhees township line

14. South along the Cooper River to the point it intersects an imaginary (straight) line drawn to extend Homer Ave

15. East on the imaginary (straight) line drawn to extend Homer Ave then con tinue on Homer Ave to the point it intersects the Pennsylvania Reading Seashore line

16.South along the Pennsylvania Reading Seashore line to the point it intersects Somerdale Rd

17. Northeast on Somerdale Rd to Haddonfield Berlin Rd (point of origin)

The goods and property of the parishes of Our Lady of Grace, Saint Lawrence and Saint Luke , including their real estate and buildings, as well as their debts and obligations, shall be assigned to Our Lady of Guadalupe 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 Our Lady of Guadalupe 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 Our Lady of Grace, 35 N. White Horse Pike, Somerdale; Saint Lawrence, 135 N. White Horse Pike, Lindenwold and Saint Luke, 55 Warwick Road, Stratford will be closed and moved to the seat of Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish located at 135 N. White Horse Pike, Lindenwold. All sacraments administered from that date forward will be recorded in new sacramental registers of Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish.

I approve the statutes of Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish as submitted.

As of the effective date of this DECREE, the financial accounts of Our Lady of Grace, 35 N. White Horse Pike, Somerdale; Saint Lawrence, 135 N. White Horse Pike, Lindenwold and Saint Luke, 55 Warwick Road, Stratford will have been closed and will be transferred to the financial account of Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish.

As of the effective date of this DECREE, Our Lady of Grace, 35 N. White Horse Pike, Somerdale; Saint Lawrence, 135 N. White Horse Pike, Lindenwold and Saint Luke, 55 Warwick Road, Stratford will be civilly consolidated under the laws of the State of New Jersey as Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish.

This DECREE becomes effective on December 9, 2009.

I instruct that this DECREE be communicated immediately to the parishioners of Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish by Reverend Joseph P. Capella 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 6th day of November 2009, at the Diocesan Center.

Joseph A. Galante

Bishop of Camden

In cujus fidem…

David J. Klein

Chancellor