58 parishes to shut down; bishop sees positive result BY JIM WALSH AND KIM MULFORD • COURIER-POST STAFF • APRIL 4, 2008 The Camden Diocese is slashing its parishes from 124 to 66, Bishop Joseph Galante announced Thursday. http://www.courierpostonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2008804040373 The changes, to take effect over the next two years, are meant to bolster the diocese in the face of a priest shortage and demographic change, the bishop said. "My prayerful hope is that we will have an increase in energy and enthusiasm as we work to carry out the church's mission," he said. "By joining parishes together, we will have more resources and increased opportunities to serve our people better." Not all parishioners shared that upbeat view. "It's a very sad day," said Yolanda Aguilar de Neely, who helped organize a protest in a failed effort to block the merger of her parish, Our Lady of Mount Carmel and Fatima in South Camden. It is to be joined with Holy Name Church of North Camden in a parish based at the downtown Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception. The restructured diocese will have 38 merged parishes, three "clusters" involving six parishes and 22 stand-alone parishes, Galante said. In a cluster, one pastor will oversee multiple parishes. New pastors are to be in place by fall to oversee parishes awaiting mergers, said Andrew Walton, a diocese spokesman. The combined parishes also are expected to take new names when they merge, he said. In most cases, one church in each merged parish will be designated as a "primary worship site." Some parishes also will have "secondary" worship sites. But more than 20 church buildings have no clear future at parishes awaiting mergers in Camden and Gloucester counties. Their fate is to be decided by the merged parish's pastor, with input from parishioners' councils. "The parishes own the property," Walton said. "They need to make a decision on how they will either use the (church) or dispose of it via sale or by using it for some other purpose. These properties will not be used as a worship space." Churches in that category include St. Vincent Pallotti in Haddon Township; Queen of Heaven and St. Pius X, both in Cherry Hill; and St. John Vianney of Deptford. Galante announced the sweeping changes at an hourlong press conference in diocesan headquarters. The diocese planned to inform the region's Catholics through a Webcast of Galante's remarks on Thursday afternoon. That effort was foiled by a computer-system failure that began about 1:30 p.m. and lasted into the evening. "It's not clear that it was attributable to volume," said Walton, who said the problem occurred at a company that helps maintain the diocesan Web site. Diocesan employees referred callers seeking information to the Courier-Post's Web site and other media outlets. Some 500,000 Catholics live in the diocese, which covers the six southern counties. Acknowledging the reduction as "radical," Galante noted the diocese expects to have fewer than 85 priests by 2015, a 50 percent decline. In some areas, population shifted, leaving behind aging churches with too many empty pews. In Camden city, for example, nine parishes will be consolidated to six. In Cherry Hill, six parishes will be trimmed to four. In other parts of Camden County, areas once served by nine parishes will have four. The pending consolidation reflects social and cultural changes that have transformed Camden and its surrounding suburbs, said Howard Gillette, a Rutgers-Camden history professor. "For the city, the parish was central, historically," he said. "Whole neighborhoods revolved around these parishes." Starting in the 1950s, many white Catholics began leaving the city for outlying communities. But parishes in the older suburbs "also have been undergoing transition and they have been faced with some decline in population," said Gillette. "That has undoubtedly had an impact." The bishop said he was especially distressed that less than 25 percent of Catholics attend Mass regularly. "As we consider these realities, what is not acceptable is complacency or indifference," Galante said. "What is not possible is to continue to do what we've always done, hoping for a different result." Nearly 500 laity assisted in the planning process since January 2007, he noted. Before planning began, Galante said Thursday, he expected to end up with perhaps 85 parishes. Deanery planners recommended a "significant reduction" through mergers. "I recognize that these changes will require sacrifice," Galante said. "The giving up of the familiar and the comfortable is never easy for any one of us." Amy Weirauch, a 39-year-old lifelong member of Queen of Heaven Parish in Cherry Hill, said she needed time to grieve. "One day, I'll wake up and I won't be angry anymore," said Weirauch, through tears. She advised others going through the same process to make the most of their time left together. "A better day will come," she said. "We just have to get through this long, dark night." Staff writer Lisa Grzyboski contributed to this report. Reach Kim Mulford at (856) 251-3342 or kmulford@courierpostonline.com

58 parishes to shut down; bishop sees positive result

BY JIM WALSH AND KIM MULFORD • COURIER-POST STAFF • APRIL 4, 2008

The Camden Diocese is slashing its parishes from 124 to 66, Bishop Joseph Galante announced Thursday.

http://www.courierpostonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2008804040373

The changes, to take effect over the next two years, are meant to bolster the diocese in the face of a priest shortage and demographic change, the bishop said.

"My prayerful hope is that we will have an increase in energy and enthusiasm as we work to carry out the church's mission," he said. "By joining parishes together, we will have more resources and increased opportunities to serve our people better."

Not all parishioners shared that upbeat view.

"It's a very sad day," said Yolanda Aguilar de Neely, who helped organize a protest in a failed effort to block the merger of her parish, Our Lady of Mount Carmel and Fatima in South Camden. It is to be joined with Holy Name Church of North Camden in a parish based at the downtown Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception.

The restructured diocese will have 38 merged parishes, three "clusters" involving six parishes and 22 stand-alone parishes, Galante said. In a cluster, one pastor will oversee multiple parishes.

New pastors are to be in place by fall to oversee parishes awaiting mergers, said Andrew Walton, a diocese spokesman. The combined parishes also are expected to take new names when they merge, he said.

In most cases, one church in each merged parish will be designated as a "primary worship site." Some parishes also will have "secondary" worship sites.

But more than 20 church buildings have no clear future at parishes awaiting mergers in Camden and Gloucester counties. Their fate is to be decided by the merged parish's pastor, with input from parishioners' councils.

"The parishes own the property," Walton said. "They need to make a decision on how they will either use the (church) or dispose of it via sale or by using it for some other purpose. These properties will not be used as a worship space."

Churches in that category include St. Vincent Pallotti in Haddon Township; Queen of Heaven and St. Pius X, both in Cherry Hill; and St. John Vianney of Deptford.

Galante announced the sweeping changes at an hourlong press conference in diocesan headquarters.

The diocese planned to inform the region's Catholics through a Webcast of Galante's remarks on Thursday afternoon. That effort was foiled by a computer-system failure that began about 1:30 p.m. and lasted into the evening.

"It's not clear that it was attributable to volume," said Walton, who said the problem occurred at a company that helps maintain the diocesan Web site.

Diocesan employees referred callers seeking information to the Courier-Post's Web site and other media outlets.

Some 500,000 Catholics live in the diocese, which covers the six southern counties.

Acknowledging the reduction as "radical," Galante noted the diocese expects to have fewer than 85 priests by 2015, a 50 percent decline.

In some areas, population shifted, leaving behind aging churches with too many empty pews.

In Camden city, for example, nine parishes will be consolidated to six. In Cherry Hill, six parishes will be trimmed to four. In other parts of Camden County, areas once served by nine parishes will have four.

The pending consolidation reflects social and cultural changes that have transformed Camden and its surrounding suburbs, said Howard Gillette, a Rutgers-Camden history professor.

"For the city, the parish was central, historically," he said. "Whole neighborhoods revolved around these parishes."

Starting in the 1950s, many white Catholics began leaving the city for outlying communities. But parishes in the older suburbs "also have been undergoing transition and they have been faced with some decline in population," said Gillette. "That has undoubtedly had an impact."

The bishop said he was especially distressed that less than 25 percent of Catholics attend Mass regularly.

"As we consider these realities, what is not acceptable is complacency or indifference," Galante said. "What is not possible is to continue to do what we've always done, hoping for a different result."

Nearly 500 laity assisted in the planning process since January 2007, he noted.

Before planning began, Galante said Thursday, he expected to end up with perhaps 85 parishes. Deanery planners recommended a "significant reduction" through mergers.

"I recognize that these changes will require sacrifice," Galante said. "The giving up of the familiar and the comfortable is never easy for any one of us."

Amy Weirauch, a 39-year-old lifelong member of Queen of Heaven Parish in Cherry Hill, said she needed time to grieve.

"One day, I'll wake up and I won't be angry anymore," said Weirauch, through tears. She advised others going through the same process to make the most of their time left together.

"A better day will come," she said. "We just have to get through this long, dark night."

Staff writer Lisa Grzyboski contributed to this report. Reach Kim Mulford at (856) 251-3342 or kmulford@courierpostonline.com