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 Avalon area of Cape May County, New Jersey:
1) to provide more effectively for the pastoral needs of the faithful of the parish of Maris Stella, Avalon in Cape May County, New Jersey and the parish of St. Paul, Stone Harbor in Cape May 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 communality of the parish communities of Maris Stella, 5012 Dune Drive, Avalon, and St. Paul, 9910 Third Avenue, Stone Harbor, whose parishioners have evidenced growing unity in prayer and in parish life; in response to the request of the pastor of these communities, Reverend Monsignor John T. Frey 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 Cape May 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 Maris Stella, 5012 Dune Drive, Avalon, and St. Paul, 9910 Third Avenue, Stone Harbor, and the establishment of St. Brendan the Navigator Parish.
Reverend Monsignor John T. Frey will serve as the Pastor of St. Brendan the Navigator Parish for a term of six years commencing on the effective date of this decree.
The parochial church of St. Brendan the Navigator Parish, which retains its proper title and the name Maris Stella Church is located at 5012 Dune Drive, Avalon. St. Paul Church will retain its own proper title and will be maintained as a worship site to be used by the new parish community.
The territorial boundaries of St. Brendan the Navigator Parish will be the same as the combined boundaries of the former parishes of Maris Stella and St Paul. The establishment of these parish boundaries is duly recorded at the Chancery Office of the Diocese of Camden, as:
Start at the point where Hereford Inlet intersects the Atlantic Ocean.
1. West through Hereford Inlet to the Inland Waterway (Great Channel)
2. Northeast through the Inland Waterway to the point the Inland Waterway crosses under Ocean Drive
3. West then northwest through Dung Thorofare then Nichols Channel, then Genesis Bay to the Stone Harbor Canal
4. West to the end of the Stone Harbor Canal, then continue west along an imaginary straight line drawn to the intersection of the Garden State Parkway and Stone Harbor Blvd
5. East from the intersection of Garden State Parkway and Stone Harbor Blvd along an imaginary straight line drawn to Crooked Creek
6. Northeasterly along Crooked Creek then Oyster Creek to Great Sound
7. North through Great Sound to Patty Thorofare
8. East through Patty Thorofare then north through Deep Thorofare to Leonard Thorofare
9. Northerly through Leonard Thorofare then east through South Channel to Townsends Inlet
10. East through Townsends Inlet to the Atlantic Ocean shoreline in Avalon
11. South along the shoreline through Avalon and Stone Harbor to the point where the Atlantic Ocean intersects Hereford Inlet (point of origin)
The goods and property of the parishes of Maris Stella and of St. Paul, including their real estate and buildings, as well as their debts and obligations, shall be assigned to St. Brendan the Navigator 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. Brendan the Navigator 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 Maris Stella, Avalon, and St. Paul, Stone Harbor, will be closed and moved to the seat of St. Brendan the Navigator Parish. All sacraments administered from that date forward will be recorded in new sacramental registers of St. Brendan the Navigator Parish.
I approve the statutes of St. Brendan the Navigator Parish as submitted.
As of the effective date of this DECREE, the financial accounts of Maris Stella, 5012 Dune Drive, Avalon, and St. Paul 9910 Third Avenue, Stone Harbor, will have been closed and will be transferred to the financial account of St. Brendan the Navigator Parish.
As of the effective date of this DECREE, Maris Stella, 5012 Dune Drive, Avalon, and St. Paul, Stone Harbor, 9910 Third Avenue, will be civilly consolidated under the laws of the State of New Jersey as St. Brendan the Navigator Parish, Avalon, N.J.
This DECREE becomes effective on August 4, 2010.
I instruct that this DECREE be communicated immediately to the parishioners of St. Brendan the Navigator Parish by Reverend Monsignor John T. Frey 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 2nd day of July 2010 at the Diocesan Center.
Joseph A. Galante
Bishop of Camden
In cujus fidem…
David J. Klein
Chancellor
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