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 Collingswood and Westmont areas of Camden County, New Jersey:
1) to provide more effectively for the pastoral needs of the faithful of St. John’s Catholic Church in Camden County, New Jersey and the Church of the Holy Saviour 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 experience of the two parishes being drawn into one community of faith by the Holy Spirit; because of the communality of the parish communities of St. John’s Catholic Church, 809 Park Avenue, Collingswood and the Church of the Holy Saviour, 50 Emerald Avenue, Westmont; in response to the request of the pastor of these communities, Reverend Edward M. Friel, 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 St. John’s Catholic Church, 809 Park Avenue, Collingswood and the Church of the Holy Saviour, 50 Emerald Avenue, Westmont and the establishment of Blessed Teresa of Calcutta Parish.
Reverend Edward M. Friel will serve as the Pastor of Blessed Teresa of Calcutta Parish for a term of six years commencing on the effective date of this decree.
The parochial church of Blessed Teresa of Calcutta Parish, which retains its proper title and the name St. John’s Catholic Church, is located at 809 Park Avenue, Collingswood, New Jersey. The Church of the Holy Saviour 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 Blessed Teresa of Calcutta Parish will be the same as the combined boundaries of the former parishes of St. John’s Catholic Church and the Church of the Holy Saviour. The establishment of these parish boundaries is duly recorded at the Chancery Office of the Diocese of Camden, as:
Start at the point the Cooper River intersects an imaginary (straight) line drawn to extend Browning Rd.
1. East along the Cooper River to its point of intersection with the imaginary (straight) line drawn to extend Lexington Ave.
2.North on the imaginary (straight) extension of Lexington Ave. and then on LexingtonAve. to Rt. 70
3. East on Rt. 70 to the Pennsylvania Reading Seashore Line
4. South on the Pennsylvania Reading Seashore line to its point of intersection with theimaginary (straight) line drawn to extend Evergreen Ave.
5. West on Evergreen Ave. then the imaginary (straight) line drawn to extend Evergreen Ave. to its point of intersection with West End Ave.
6. West on West End Ave., which becomes Park Blvd., to Cuthbert Blvd.
7. South on Cuthbert Blvd. to Belmont Ave.
8. West on Belmont Ave. to Conard Ave.
9. South on Conard Ave. to Lakeshore Dr.
10. West on Lakeshore Dr. to Lees Ln.
11. South on Lees Ln. to its point of intersection with the South Branch of Newton Creek
12. West along the South Branch of Newton Creek to its intersection with an imaginary (straight) line drawn to extend Browning Rd.
13. North on the imaginary (straight) line drawn to extend Browning Rd., then Browning Rd., then an imaginary (straight) line drawn to extend Browning Rd. to the Cooper River (point of origin)
The goods and property of the parishes of St. John’s Catholic Church, 809 Park Avenue, Collingswood and of the Church of the Holy Saviour, 50 Emerald Avenue, Westmont, including their real estate and buildings, as well as their debts and obligations, shall be assigned to Blessed Teresa of Calcutta 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 Blessed Teresa of Calcutta 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. John’s Catholic Church, 809 Park Avenue, Collingswood and the Church of the Holy Saviour, 50 Emerald Avenue, Westmont will be closed and moved to the seat of Blessed Teresa of Calcutta Parish, 809 Park Avenue, Collingswood. All sacraments administered from that date forward will be recorded in the new sacramental registers of Blessed Teresa of Calcutta Parish.
I approve the statutes of Blessed Teresa of Calcutta Parish as submitted.
As of the effective date of this DECREE, the financial accounts of St. John’s Catholic Church, 809 Park Avenue, Collingswood and the Church of the Holy Saviour, 50 Emerald Avenue, Westmont will have been closed and transferred to the financial account of Blessed Teresa of Calcutta Parish.
As of the effective date of this DECREE, St. John’s Catholic Church, 809 Park Avenue, Collingswood and the Church of the Holy Saviour, 50 Emerald Avenue, Westmont will be civilly consolidated under the laws of the State of New Jersey as Blessed Teresa of Calcutta Parish, Collingswood, N.J.
This DECREE becomes effective on October 6, 2010.
I instruct that this DECREE be communicated immediately to the parishioners of Blessed Teresa of Calcutta Parish by Reverend Edward M. Friel 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 3rd day of September 2010, at the Diocesan Center.
Joseph A. Galante
Bishop of Camden
In cujus fidem…
David J. Klein
Chancellor