Editor’s Note: The Diocese of Camden is planning to hold a Job Fair from 3 to 7 p.m. Nov. 10 at the Catholic Church of Saint Mary, Cherry Hill. Employment opportunities are available in multiple departments across the Diocese’s six counties. In advance of the Job Fair, the Catholic Star Herald is spotlighting men and women who work for the Diocese and how the Church has been a satisfactory career destination for them. Job seekers are welcome to pursue the employment opportunities advertised on the diocesan website at camdendiocese.org/employment.
For Bill Franchi, his 43 years of service – and counting – with Catholic Cemeteries in the Diocese of Camden have been the fulfillment of a call to ministry.
Originally hired April 23, 1979, as a fieldworker at Calvary Cemetery, Cherry Hill, the lifetime Camden County resident went on to serve at various sites, including as the superintendent of the then-newly established All Saints Cemetery and Mausoleum, Newfield, in 2008. He held additional leadership positions at the regional level before being named assistant director of cemetery field operations for all locations in 2018.
Today, he leads the efforts of the dedicated fieldworkers who are responsible for all cemetery grounds, buildings, maintenance, landscaping and burials. He ensures fieldworker coverage, is a project manager for new installations and manages external contractors.
Being raised Catholic, Franchi learned about a job with Catholic Cemeteries from his mother, who also worked for the Diocese. He says he felt at ease taking a job with the Diocese of Camden, and has enjoyed the opportunity to serve the community and to support families grieving the loss of a loved one.
“You can’t pick when you are born and when you die; that’s in God’s hands,” Franchi says. “While we are alive, we should follow a calling we have to serve the Church, whether that’s as a priest, layperson or volunteer.”
Catholic Cemeteries operates 15 locations throughout South Jersey’s six counties, with a range of in-ground and above-ground burial options including cemetery plots, chapel and garden mausoleums, cremation graves and cremation niches. Members of the ministry strive to help Catholic families through the most difficult time in their lives, providing a holy and dignified resting place for the remains of their loved one.
The ministry seeks to practice one of the Corporal Works of Mercy, to bury the dead, in accordance with Catholic tradition.
Franchi enjoys his job, and finds his role rewarding. He is proud to have served the Diocese of Camden for more than four decades, and encourages others to consider using their talents to serve others.
“Working with cemeteries allows someone to work with all types of people with different backgrounds, upbringings, beliefs and financial positions,” Franchi says.
Paul Martin, director of the diocesan Department of Cemeteries, is new at the helm, having joined in March after leaving a career in the insurance sector. He was searching for a role that would be more rewarding.
“After leaving my prior employer of 36 years, I was looking to use my business and leadership experience to more directly help my local community,” Martin says. “I was looking to have a greater impact with helping families.”
He adds, “I thought it would be terrific to work for the Diocese, and I have always had an appreciation for cemeteries in the context of their record of our communities’ histories and the beauty and tranquility of their grounds.”
Martin attended Catholic school as a child, and has served as a member of the Parish Council and as chair of the Building Committee for the Catholic Church of Saint Mary, Cherry Hill.
Reflecting on his work and that of his team, Martin joins Franchi in considering it a blessing to help families through difficult times. He also enjoys “having a chance to collaborate with so many great people that work in our cemeteries and throughout the Diocese.”
“Everyone is so kind and supportive to each other,” he says. Martin notes that the team includes office managers and customer service representatives who work in cemetery offices, as well as professionals who support marketing, events and community outreach.
“Working for the Diocese provides you with the opportunity to express your faith in what you do every day, to help others and to grow in your own personal spirituality,” Martin says. “It is extremely rewarding on a personal and professional level.”
To learn more about this ministry, visit southjerseycatholiccemeteries.org.
at the bottom and then tap “Add to Home Screen”
