Lawrence M. DiPaul was named director of the Office of Life and Justice December 4, 2009. With the appointment, the Office of Respect Life and the Office of Social Justice were united as the Office of Life and Justice.

While recognizing the right to life as the first moral response on life's continuum, the office also will seek to promote a consistent and seamless ethic of life from conception to natural death, with particular attention to those who are most vulnerable. The office will assist clergy, religious and laity in the diocese in the call to live in solidarity with all God's people and creation mainly through on-going parish visitations.

"Our parishes are called to 'hunger and thirst for justice' and to be 'peacemakers' in our own communities," said DiPaul. "This biblical call to charity, justice and peace — also affirmed in Catholic social teaching — must be embraced not only by individual parishioners, or a select few, but also must be reflected in the life of the entire parish community."

DiPaul has been director of Social Justice Ministries for the diocese since 2007. In this role he directed the diocese's efforts to integrate Catholic social teaching in the life of the local church through advocacy, service and faith formation.

From 2004-07 DiPaul was director of the Romero Center, a retreat and social justice education center in East Camden affiliated with St. Joseph's Pro-Cathedral Parish. DiPaul also taught theology and was director of Christian Service Programs at Bishop Eustace Preparatory School, Pennsauken (2004) and Malvern Preparatory School, Malvern, Pa. (1997-2004).

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