By Jim Walsh
Courier Post
April 3, 2008
http://www.courierpostonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080403/NEWS01/80403024/1006
While the Camden Diocese is unveiling plans to restructure its entire network of parishes, a smaller-scale effort is nearing completion in northern Burlington County.
The Diocese of Trenton, which covers Burlington County, is to complete merging eight parishes into four by July, says spokeswoman Rayanne Bennett.
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| All Saints Day service at St. Mary's church in Burlington City was also a celebration of the church's 300th anniversary. Photo by Scott Anderson |
The diocese is merging two parishes in Burlington City -- St. Paul and All Saints. It's also combining St. Clare and Holy Assumption in Florence.
The consolidation, announced in September, also affects two Riverside parishes. St. Casimir is merging with Holy Name in Delran, while its cross-town neighbor, St. Peter, is joining St. Joseph in Beverly.
As part of the restructuring, St. Andrew Parish is moving from remote Jobstown to fast-growing Columbus. It is to share a pastor with the merged Florence parish.
Bishop John M. Smith said population changes and a priest shortages were factors in the restructuring.
The mergers will reflect lessons learned from a previous restructuring in the Trenton area, said Bennett.
She noted the merged parishes will receive new names, reflecting the creation of a new spiritual community. But existing church buildings will keep their current names and will continue to serve local parishioners.
"Parish members do become attached to their churches," Bennett said.
Merged parishes will have a single pastor with shared membership, finances and properties.
The diocese made no changes to five other parishes in the northern Burlington region -- St. Mary in Bordentown City, Corpus Christi in Willingboro, St. Charles Borromeo in Cinnaminson, Sacred Heart in Riverton, and Assumption in New Egypt.
The Northern Burlington deanery was the second group of parishes to be restructured by the Trenton diocese. The first occurred WHERE.
A restructuring is now in the works in Monmouth County, and one is planned for southern Burlington County.
The Trenton Diocese, with 157 priests serving 118 parishes, also covers Mercer, Monmouth and Ocean counties. It holds more than 804,000 Catholics.
Reach Jim Walsh at (856) 486-2646 or jwalsh@courierpostonline.com
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