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	Diocese Will Merge 124 Parishes to Create 66 South Jersey News Online April 4, 2008 http://www.nj.com/southjersey/index.ssf/2008/04/diocese_will_merge_124_parishe.html CAMDEN - The Diocese of Camden plans to reduce the number of its parishes from 124 to 66. The mergers will take place over a 12 to 24-month period, authorities said Thursday afternoon. Examples of the merger include the joining of St. John's in Paulsboro, St. Michael's in Gibbstown and St. Joseph's in Swedesboro, according Bishop Joseph Galante. The Holy Name of Jesus in Mullica Hill, St. Joseph's in Woodstown and St. Ann's in Elmer will also merge. St. Agnes' and St. Jude's in Gloucester Township will merge. Galante said no more than 85 priests will be available for the parishes. According to Galante, St. Joan of Arc and St. Bartholomew's in Camden will merge. Holy Savior in Westmont, St. John's in Collingswood and Transfiguration in West Collingswood will merge. Other examples: Annunciation in Bellmawr, St. Ann's in Westville and St. Maurice in Brooklawn will merge. Other mergers: Sacred Heart in Mount Ephraim and Holy Maternity in Audubon. Mary Mother of the Church in Bellmawr, St. Francis de Sales in Barrington and St. Gregory's in Magnolia. St. Theresa's and St. Maria Goretti's in Runnemede. St. Agnes and St. Jude in Blackwood. St. Mary's in Williamstown and St. John Neumann in Sicklerville, with the primary worship center at St. Mary's. Corpus Christi in Carneys Point and Queen of the Apostles in Pennsville, St. Mary's in Salem and St. James' in Penns Grove. Corpus Christi and Queen of the Apostles will be worship sites and St. Mary's will remain open because of its historical significance. Holy Name in Mullica Hill, St. Joseph's in Woodstown and St. Ann's in Elmer. Parishioners will worship at either Holy Name or St. Joseph's until a new church is built. St. Michael's in Gibbstown, St. Joseph's in Swedesboro and St. John the Evangelist in Paulsboro, with worship sites at St. Michael's and St. Joesph's. Our Lady of Lourdes in Glassboro and Queen of Peace in Pitman. St. Patrick's in Woodbury, St. Matthew's in National Park and Most Holy Redeemer in Deptford's Westville Grove, and St. Patrick's will be the seat of the new parish. Nativity in Franklinville, St. Bridget's in Glassboro and St. Catherine of Siena in Clayton. Worship will be at Nativity and at St. Bridget's for the Hispanic community. St. Margaret's in Woodbury Heights and St. John Vianney in Deptford's Blackwood Terrace. St. Theresa of Avila and Immaculate Conception in Bridgeton, St. Michael's in Cedarville and St. Mary's in Rosenhayn. St. Theresa will be the main worship site and Immaculate Conception will serve the Hispanic community. In Vineland, St. Francis of Assisi and Immaculate Heart of Mary. St. Mary Magdelene's and St. John Bosco in Millville and St. Anthony's Mission in Port Norris. St. Isidore and Sacred Heart in Vineland. The mergers should result in 100 churches still open and 24 closing. Some of the churches that will be closed will have to be disposed of by the newly created parishes.
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