By Trudi Gilfillian
Press of Atlantic City
June 12, 2008
http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/185/story/180879.html
WILDWOOD CREST - Hundreds of parishioners from the Church of the Assumption gathered at the church Wednesday night to let Bishop Joseph A. Galante know that they opposed what one church member called "this half-baked idea of merger."
The parish is slated to merge with St. Ann's Church in Wildwood under a plan announced April 3 by Galante.
Since then, parishioners have pleaded for their parish to continue running as is, and on Wednesday many of them spoke passionately about the effect of the merger.
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Photo by Dale Gerhard |
They pointed to the church's strong and growing attendance, its many cherished programs such as the annual Christmas concert and the logistical problems that would arise if the church's more than 1,200 families tried to attend church at St. Ann's, given its lack of parking.
Corinne Robinson, one of the parish trustees, told Galante that the plan ignored Assumption's strong community, its spirituality and its financial solvency. She also said that the church's location in a dry community, unlike St. Ann's which is within walking distance of several bars, was important to its members.
Robinson said some five decades of faith in the parish were being rewarded with "a forced, unpopular and unnecessary merger."
Under the diocese's plan, the church would remain open only part of the year.
Many of the parishioners said the church community was vibrant and dynamic, and the merger would essentially rip it apart, scattering its members.
Fred Spiewak said his whole family was involved in the church and has been for many years.
"This is God's house," he said. "Let us live here with God as we've done all these years."
Former borough Mayor John Pantalone, also a member of the church offered his wisdom learned from many years in government. "Always listen to the will of the people," Pantalone said.
Nick Nastasi, who has been a organizer in the move to retain the parish, said the notion that the parishioners would attend services here just three months per year and then move on was inconceivable. "I feel exactly like the child of divorce who travels between homes trying to fit in," he said.
Nastasi said the parish took decades to build, but was being torn apart in the short time Galante had headed the diocese.
"Bishop, I wonder, how do you sleep at night?" Nastasi said. His question was met with loud applause.
Galante, who sat at the front of the church during Wednesday's gathering, said he was not making these decisions on a whim.
Standing at the front of the parishioners, he recalled the 30 years he spent as a property owner on the island, including the time he owned a property just down the road from the church on Seaview Avenue.
"So I know the Wildwoods. I know this parish," Galante said.
Galante told the audience he was not motivated by business or money, but by a desire to meet the needs of the entire diocese and the six counties it encompasses.
He pointed to anxiety over the prospect of a diminishing number of priests and said international priests, who serve for a limited period of time, are not the answer.
He pointed to the need to better serve the church's youth and provide outreach to disaffected catholics. "There is a real need, a real need, to develop on the local level ministries to go to these people," he said.
Galante said he too was surprised the planning process would result in such a significant reduction in the number of parishes, but it was part of a detailed planning process.
"How do we strengthen the church?" Galante asked, adding, "That's my only interest."
Galante said the reality is there are fewer priests, and nothing short of a miracle can fix that problem.
"You can't plan for miracles. You've got to plan for reality," he said.
And he attempted to assure the parishioners the church would not disappear.
"This church is not going to close. It would be ridiculous to close. It will remain a worship site," he said.
Prior to the start of Wednesday's meeting, several protesters gathered outside the church to express their anger at plans to merge other parishes.
Dianne Trace, of Malaga, held a sign pleading the case of St. Mary's of Malaga, which is also slated to merge.
"It's definitely hurting the church. The parishioners feel deceived," she said. "These are viable churches - financially stable - but we're a small church, and he would prefer big churches."
Also outside the church, Assumption parishioners Dolly Cook and Jackie Blanda echoed the sentiments of their fellow parishioners.
"We're just fighting to keep this open," Blanda said.
To e-mail Trudi Gilfillian at The Press:
Contact: TGilfillian@pressofac.com
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