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 Bellmawr area of Camden County, New Jersey:

1) to provide more effectively for the pastoral needs of the faithful of the parish of Saint Gregory in Camden County, New Jersey; the parish of Saint Francis deSales in Camden County, New Jersey and the parish of Mary, Mother of the Church 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 belief that the faith communities of Saint Gregory, Saint Francis deSales and Mary, Mother of the Church have been drawn together by the Holy Spirit into one Community of Faith; because of the communality of the parish communities; in response to the request of the pastors of these communities, Reverend Jason T. Rocks (Saint Gregory, Magnolia); Reverend Edward J. Maher (Saint Francis deSales, Barrington) and Reverend Glenn R. Hartman (Mary, Mother of the Church, Bellmawr) 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 Saint Gregory, 100 White Horse Pike, Magnolia; Saint Francis deSales, 100 West Gloucester Pike, Barrington and Mary, Mother of the Church, Curtis and Spruce Avenues, Bellmawr and the establishment of the Parish of Saint Rita.

Reverend Carmel F. Polidano will serve as the Pastor of the Parish of Saint Rita for a term of six years commencing on the effective date of this decree.

The parochial church of the Parish of Saint Rita, which retains its proper title and the name Mary, Mother of the Church, is located at Curtis and Spruce Avenues, Bellmawr, New Jersey. Saint Francis deSales 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 Rita will be the same as the combined boundaries of the former parishes of Saint Gregory, Saint Francis deSales and Mary, Mother of the Church. The establishment of these parish boundaries is duly recorded at the Chancery Office of the Diocese of Camden, as:

Start at the intersection of Little Timber Creek and Bell Rd at the Bellmawr – Mt. Ephraim corporate line.

1. Northeast along the Bellmawr – Mt. Ephraim corporate line then along the Bellmawr – Haddon Heights corporate line then along the Barrington – Haddon Heights corporate line to the point it intersects Clements Bridge Rd (Rt 41)

2. North on Clements Bridge Rd to Hickory Ln

3. East on Hickory Ln to Warwick Rd

4. South on Warwick Rd to the point it intersects the Lawnside – Tavistock corporate line

5. Southeast then northeast along the Lawnside – Tavistock corporate line to the point it intersects the South Branch of the Cooper River

6. South along the South Branch of the Cooper River to the point it intersects Evesham Rd

7. East on Evesham Rd to the point it intersects the Magnolia – Somerdale corporate line

8. Southeast along the Magnolia – Somerdale corporate line to the point in intersects Gravelly Run

9. East along Gravelly Run to the point it intersects Otter Branch Creek

10. North along Otter Branch Creek to the point it meets the Magnolia – Runnemede corporate line at Evesham Rd

11. North along the Magnolia – Runnemede corporate line to the point it intersects Davis Rd

12. West on Davis Rd to the point it intersects the Barrington – Runnemede corporate line

13. North along the Barrington – Runnemede corporate line to the point it intersects the New Jersey Turnpike

14. East on the New Jersey Turnpike to the point where it would be intersected by an imaginary (straight) line drawn to extend Rose Ave from the north through the industrial park

15. North along the imaginary (straight) line drawn to extend Rose Ave then along Rose Ave to Creek Rd

16. West on Creek Rd to Meyner Rd

17. North on Meyner Rd to Thomas Ave

18. North on Thomas Ave to Browning Rd

19. Northwest on Browning Rd to Bell Rd

20. North on Bell Rd to the point it intersects the Little Timber Creek (point of origin)

The goods and property of the parishes of Saint Gregory, Saint Francis deSales and of Mary, Mother of the Church, including their real estate and buildings, as well as their debts and obligations, shall be assigned to the Parish of Saint Rita. 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 Rita 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 Gregory, 100 White Horse Pike, Magnolia; Saint Francis deSales, 100 West Gloucester Pike, Barrington and Mary, Mother of the Church, Curtis and Spruce Avenues, Bellmawr will be closed and moved to the seat of the Parish of Saint Rita. All sacraments administered from that date forward will be recorded in new sacramental registers of the Parish of Saint Rita.

I approve the statutes of the Parish of Saint Rita as submitted.

As of the effective date of this DECREE, the financial accounts of Saint Gregory, 100 White Horse Pike, Magnolia; Saint Francis deSales, 100 West Gloucester Pike, Barrington and Mary, Mother of the Church, Curtis and Spruce Avenues, Bellmawr will have been closed and will be transferred to the financial account of the Parish of Saint Rita.

As of the effective date of this DECREE, Saint Gregory, 100 White Horse Pike, Magnolia; Saint Francis deSales, 100 West Gloucester Pike, Barrington and Mary, Mother of the Church, Curtis and Spruce Avenues, Bellmawr will be civilly consolidated under the laws of the State of New Jersey as the Parish of Saint Rita, Bellmawr, N.J.

This DECREE becomes effective on May 19, 2010.

I instruct that this DECREE be communicated immediately to the parishioners of the Parish of Saint Rita by Reverend Carmel F. Polidano 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 16th day of April 2010, at the Diocesan Center.

Joseph A. Galante

Bishop of Camden

In cujus fidem…

David A. Klein

Chancellor