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 western area of Salem County:

1) to provide more effectively for the pastoral needs of the faithful of The Church of Corpus Christi, the Church of the Queen of the Apostles, St. James’ Church and St. Mary’s Church all located in Salem 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 Core Team’s reliance on the Holy Spirit as they have listened attentively to one another in planning for the creation of an entirely new parish to be built upon the firm foundation and faithful histories of their four parishes; because of the communality of the parish communities of The Church of Corpus Christi, 369 Georgetown Road, Carneys Point, New Jersey; the Church of the Queen of the Apostles, 391 South Broadway, Pennsville, New Jersey; St. James’ Church, 56 Beach Avenue, Penns Grove, New Jersey; and, St. Mary’s Church, 25 Oak Street, Salem, New Jersey; in response to the request of the pastors of these communities, Reverend Paul D. Harte (The Church of Corpus Christi, Carneys Point and St. James’ Church, Penns Grove), Reverend James F. Barry (St. Mary’s Church, Salem) and Reverend Dennis W. Bajkowski (Church of the Queen of the Apostles, Pennsville) 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 Salem 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 The Church of Corpus Christi, 369 Georgetown Road, Carneys Point, New Jersey; the Church of the Queen of the Apostles, 391 South Broadway, Pennsville, New Jersey; St. James’ Church, 56 Beach Avenue, Penns Grove, New Jersey; and, St. Mary’s Church, 25 Oak Street, Salem, New Jersey and the establishment of Saint Gabriel the Archangel Parish.

Reverend Paul D. Harte will serve as the Pastor of Saint Gabriel the Archangel Parish for a term of six years commencing on the effective date of this decree.

The parochial church of Saint Gabriel the Archangel Parish, which retains its proper title and the name The Church of Corpus Christi, is located at 369 Georgetown Road, Carneys Point, New Jersey. The Church of the Queen of the Apostles and St. Mary’s Church will retain their own proper titles and will be maintained as worship sites to be used by the merged community.

The territorial boundaries of Saint Gabriel the Archangel Parish will be the same as the combined boundaries of the former parishes of The Church of Corpus Christi, the Church of the Queen of the Apostles, St. James’ Church, and St. Mary’s Church. 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 on Oldmans Creek to Pointers Auburn Rd.

2. South on Pointers Auburn Rd. to Haines Neck Rd.

3. East on Haines Neck Rd. to Biddle Rd.

4. South on Biddle Rd. to Kings Highway

5. North on Kings Highway to Bassett Rd.

6. South on Bassett Rd. to Rt. 45

7. South on Rt. 45 to Compromise Rd.

8. East on Compromise Rd. to Swedes Bridge Rd.

9. South on Swedes Bridge Rd. to McKillop Rd.

10. South on McKillop Rd. to Rt. 540

11. South on Rt. 540 to Pecks Corner Rd.

12. West on Pecks Corners Rd. to Gravelly Hill Rd.

13. South on Gravelly Hill Rd. to Jericho Rd.

14. South on Jericho Rd. to Stow Creek, which is also the Salem – Cumberland county line

15. West and south on Stow Creek to the point it flows into the Delaware River

16. North on the bank of the Delaware River, excluding the portion of Artificial Island that lies in the state of Delaware, to the point where Oldmans Creek flows into the Delaware River (point of origin).

The goods and property of the parishes of The Church of Corpus Christi, 369 Georgetown Road, Carneys Point, New Jersey; the Church of the Queen of the Apostles, 391 South Broadway, Pennsville, New Jersey; St. James’ Church, 56 Beach Avenue, Penns Grove, New Jersey; and, St. Mary’s Church, 25 Oak Street, Salem, New Jersey, including their real estate and buildings, as well as their debts and obligations, shall be assigned to Saint Gabriel the Archangel 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 Saint Gabriel the Archangel 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 The Church of Corpus Christi, 369 Georgetown Road, Carneys Point, New Jersey; the Church of the Queen of the Apostles, 391 South Broadway, Pennsville, New Jersey; St. James’ Church, 56 Beach Avenue, Penns Grove, New Jersey; and, St. Mary’s Church, 25 Oak Street, Salem, New Jersey will be closed and moved to the seat of Saint Gabriel the Archangel Parish, 369 Georgetown Road, Carneys Point, New Jersey. All sacraments administered from that date forward will be recorded in new sacramental registers of Saint Gabriel the Archangel Parish.

I approve the statutes of Saint Gabriel the Archangel Parish as submitted.

As of the effective date of this DECREE, the financial accounts of The Church of Corpus Christi, 369 Georgetown Road, Carneys Point, New Jersey; the Church of the Queen of the Apostles, 391 South Broadway, Pennsville, New Jersey; St. James’ Church, 56 Beach Avenue, Penns Grove, New Jersey; and, St. Mary’s Church, 25 Oak Street, Salem, New Jersey will have been closed and transferred to the financial account of Saint Gabriel the Archangel Parish.

As of the effective date of this DECREE, The Church of Corpus Christi, 369 Georgetown Road, Carneys Point, New Jersey; the Church of the Queen of the Apostles, 391 South Broadway, Pennsville, New Jersey; St. James’ Church, 56 Beach Avenue, Penns Grove, New Jersey; and, St. Mary’s Church, 25 Oak Street, Salem, New Jersey will be civilly consolidated under the laws of the State of New Jersey as Saint Gabriel the Archangel Parish, Carneys Point, N.J.

This DECREE becomes effective on December 1, 2010.

I instruct that this DECREE be communicated immediately to the parishioners of Saint Gabriel the Archangel Parish by Reverend Paul D. Harte 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 29th day of October 2010, at the Diocesan Center.

Joseph A. Galante

Bishop of Camden

In cujus fidem…

David J. Klein

Chancellor