WOODBURY HEIGHTS — On Sunday, Jan. 24, parishioners of St. Margaret, Woodbury Heights, and St. John Vianney, Deptford, came together at St. Margaret Church to celebrate the merger of the two as Infant Jesus Parish.
Bishop Joseph Galante formally announced the merger on Jan. 13. Infant Jesus will serve some 3,300 families. The seat of the parish is St. Margaret Church, and St. John Vianney Church will be used as a worship site as needed by the new parish.
While the Core Team was preparing the parishes for merger, the two parishes began to come together for liturgy, including Divine Mercy, a parish mission and the feast of St. John Vianney. They also united for social events.
Father Joseph T. Szolack, pastor, celebrated the Mass with Father Timothy Byerley, former pastor of St. John Vianney.
During the Jan. 24 Mass, Father Szolack introduced the parish merger core team to the some 800 worshippers in attendance and described their roles in the merger process of the two churches.
After Mass, the celebration continued with a luncheon in the St. Margaret School Hall.