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 Gibbstown, Swedesboro and Paulsboro areas of Gloucester County, New Jersey:

1) to provide more effectively for the pastoral needs of the faithful of St. Michael’s Church in Gloucester County, New Jersey, St. Joseph’s Church in Gloucester County, New Jersey and St. John’s Church in Gloucester 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 fact that these three communities have become aware of how God’s Spirit works among them for the good of all; because of the communality of the parish communities of St. Michael’s, 313 Memorial Avenue, Gibbstown, St. Joseph’s, 140 Broad Street, Swedesboro, and St. John’s, 647 Beacon Street, Paulsboro; and in response to the request of the pastors of these communities, Reverend David A. Grover (St. Michael’s, Gibbstown and St. John’s, Paulsboro) and Reverend Steven V. Pinzon (St. Joseph’s, Swedesboro), 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 Gloucester 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. Michael’s, 313 Memorial Avenue, Gibbstown, St. Joseph’s, 140 Broad Street, Swedesboro, and St. John’s, 647 Beacon Street, Paulsboro and the establishment of a new parish community named St. Clare of Assisi Parish.

Reverend David A. Grover will serve as the Pastor of St. Clare of Assisi Parish for a term of six years commencing on the effective date of this decree.

The parochial church of St. Clare of Assisi Parish which will retain its own proper title and the name St. Michael’s is located at 313 Memorial Avenue, Gibbstown. St. Joseph’s Church, 140 Broad Street, Swedesboro 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 St. Clare of Assisi Parish will be the same as the combined boundaries of the former parishes of St. Michael’s, St. Joseph’s and St. John’s. The establishment of these parish boundaries is duly recorded at the Chancery Office of the Diocese of Camden, as:

Start at the point where Oldmans Creek flows into the Delaware River.

1. Southeast along Oldmans Creek, which is also the Gloucester – Salem county line, to the point it intersects Rt 45

2. Northeast on Rt 45 to Tomlin Station Rd

3. North on Tomlin Station Rd to US 322

4. East on US 322 to Union Rd

5. Northeast on Union Rd to Wolfert Station Rd

6. Northwest on Wolfert Station Rd to North Wolfert Station Rd

7. Use an imaginary (straight) line drawn from the above intersection to the intersection of Harmony Rd and Friendship Rd

8. North on Friendship Rd to Cohawkin Rd

9. Use an imaginary (straight) line drawn from the above intersection to a point on Mantua Grove Rd that is .75 mile south of Crown Point Rd

10. Northwest on Mantua Grove Rd to Crown Point Rd

11. North on Crown Point Rd to its point of intersection with Woodbury Creek

12. West along Woodbury Creek to the bank of the Delaware River

13. South along the bank of the Delaware River to the point Oldmans Creek flows into the Delaware River (point of origin)

The goods and property of the parishes of St. Michael’s, 313 Memorial Avenue, Gibbstown, St. Joseph’s, 140 Broad Street, Swedesboro, and St. John’s, 647 Beacon Street, Paulsboro, including their real estate and buildings, as well as their debts and obligations, shall be assigned to St. Clare of Assisi 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. Clare of Assisi 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. Michael’s, 313 Memorial Avenue, Gibbstown, St. Joseph’s, 140 Broad Street, Swedesboro, and St. John’s, 647 Beacon Street, Paulsboro will be closed and moved to the seat of St. Clare of Assisi Parish. All sacraments administered from that date forward will be recorded in new sacramental registers of St. Clare of Assisi Parish.

I approve the statutes of St. Clare of Assisi Parish as submitted.

As of the effective date of this DECREE, the financial accounts of St. Michael’s, 313 Memorial Avenue, Gibbstown, St. Joseph’s, 140 Broad Street, Swedesboro, and St. John’s, 647 Beacon Street, Paulsboro will be closed and transferred to the financial account of St. Clare of Assisi Parish.

As of the effective date of this DECREE, St. Michael’s, 313 Memorial Avenue, Gibbstown, St. Joseph’s, 140 Broad Street, Swedesboro, and St. John’s, 647 Beacon Street, Paulsboro will be civilly consolidated under the laws of the State of New Jersey as St. Clare of Assisi Parish, Gibbstown, N.J.

This DECREE becomes effective on September 29, 2010.

I instruct that this DECREE be communicated immediately to the parishioners of St. Clare of Assisi Parish by Reverend David A. Grover 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 27th day of August 2010, at the Diocesan Center.

Joseph A. Galante

Bishop of Camden

In cujus fidem…

David J. Klein

Chancellor