Latest Press Releases
News for Benefactors Charitable IRA Rollover Extended in 2010 & 2011
Among the multitude of items included in the Tax Relief Act, signed into law by President Obama on December 17, 2010 was an extension of the Charitable IRA Rollover provision through the end of 2011.
The tax provision offers nonprofit organizations a wonderful opportunity to engage with donors between now and the end of the calendar year. There are several important points that charities and donors interested in this provision must be aware of:
Individuals age 70 ½ and older may once again request direct transfers of funds from Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs) to qualified public charities without income tax on gifted funds.
- The funds must be directly transferred from IRA accounts to the charities (donors should ask their IRA custodians for special forms to make these requests).
- Each individual is entitled to make a total of $100,000 in gifts to charities each year under this provision.
- 2010 IRA rollover gifts can be made through January 31, 2011.
- For those individuals who have not yet taken their IRA Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) for 2010, they may partially or wholly satisfy that requirement through an IRA rollover gift made by January 31, 2011.
- These contributions do not qualify donors for an additional charitable income tax deduction as not being taxed on the withdrawal is worth even more than a standard charitable deduction.
- Only standard IRAs and Roth IRA accounts qualify under this law; other retirement accounts such as 401(k), 403(b), SEP, KEOGH, and SIMPLE IRA plans cannot be used to make an IRA rollover gift.
- Donors of IRA rollover gifts must receive no personal benefits from this gift nor are they available for planned gifts such as charitable remainder trusts or gift annuities.
The provision is a significant opportunity for donors who:
- hold assets in their IRAs that they do not need;
- would like to make a large one-time gift;
- are subject to the 2% rule that reduces itemized deductions;
- do not itemize; or
- plan to leave part or all of their IRA to your organization at death.
For additional information, contact Jim Lanahan, Director of Development, Diocese of Camden, at 856-583-6125 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
Young Adults Can Meet to Explore Their Faith on January 19
Theology on Tap is a discussion series for Catholic young adults, married and single, in their late teens (18-19), twenties, and thirties. The next evening session, sponsored by the diocesan Office of Young Adult and Campus Ministries, will be held:
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
7 PM
Landmark Americana Tap & Grill
1 East Mullica Hill Road
Glassboro, NJ 08028
The speaker, Fr. Kevin Nadolski, OSFS, will discuss "Does God Have a Plan for Me?" He holds degrees in journalism, theology, and education. All young adults are welcome to gather and to enter more deeply into their faith, ask questions, and socialize with other young Catholics in a relaxed, comfortable setting.
For more information, contact the Office of Young Adult and Campus Ministries at 856-583-6121 or e-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Join “Theology on Tap – South Jersey” on Facebook.
Decrees establishing St. Gabriel the Archangel Parish and the Parish of All Saints on Oct. 29
Bishop Joseph Galante formally announced today that two new parishes will be established on December 1, 2010 through the consolidation of six existing parishes. The announcement establishing the new parishes was made in two formal decrees, which are published in the October 29 edition of the Catholic Star Herald (see pages 16-19).
St. Gabriel the Archangel Parish will be established through the consolidation of Corpus Christi, Carneys Point, Queen of the Apostles, Pennsville, St. James, Penns Grove, and St. Mary, Salem. The seat of the new parish will be located at Corpus Christi Church. Queen of the Apostles and St. Mary also will be used as worship sites for the new parish. Father Paul Harte, Priest Convener for the consolidation, has been named pastor of the new parish for a six year term. St. Gabriel the Archangel Parish will retain the boundaries of the three existing parishes, and will serve about 1,825 families in Salem County.
The Parish of All Saints will be established through the merger of St. John Bosco Parish and St. Mary Magdalen Parish, both in Millville. The seat of the new parish will be St. Mary Magdalen Church. Father Paul Olszewski, Priest Convener for the consolidation, has been named pastor of the new parish for a six year term.The parish of All Saints, whose boundaries will be those of the existing parishes, will serve about 1,350 families in Cumberland County.
“I am so encouraged by the dedicated work of our clergy, religious and laity in all of these parishes who have come together in a common mission to strengthen these parish communities for the sake of the faithful in South Jersey. This points to a most hopeful future for our Church,” said Bishop Joseph Galante as he issued the 29th and 30th decrees since June 2009.
The two most recent decrees are part of the diocesan-wide reconfiguration of parishes announced over two years ago to strengthen parishes and to address the priorities expressed by the people at “Speak Up” sessions that were held with Bishop Galante in 2005 and 2006. The priorities identified included the need to engage laity more actively in parish ministry, more opportunities for faith formation for all age groups, expanded ministry to youth and young adults, the fostering of vocations to priesthood and religious life, well-celebrated liturgies, and compassionate outreach to inactive Catholics and those in need throughout the diocese.
Diocesan Response to St. Mary’s, Malaga, Protest
On Jan. 3 a group entered the church of St. Mary’s, Malaga, apparently conducting a vigil to protest plans to merge that parish with two others to form a new parish to be called Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament.
Some background:
In April, 2008, Bishop Galante announced plans to merge parishes in the diocese in response to pastoral ministry priorities that emerged from listening sessions held throughout South Jersey. The goal of the consolidations has been to create more vibrant parishes with the resources, both in personnel and finances, to galvanize areas such as youth ministry, adult faith formation and compassionate outreach to the poor.
So far, 30 parish mergers involving 74 parishes have been completed. Eight additional mergers, involving 18 parishes, are also nearing completion.
St. Mary’s is among those parishes to be merged.
Since that particular merger has generated public interest, the diocese would like to address some of the concerns that have been raised:
St. Mary’s Church was closed in November after its Board of Trustees voted to discontinue use of the church building. The precipitating incident was a broken boiler, and the board decided not to invest in a new heating system.
At that time, Father Edward F. Namiotka, pastor, sent a letter to parishioners noting St. Mary’s low Mass attendance (less than 200 a weekend) and $250,000 debt. The letter explained that the services offered at St. Mary’s would continue at the two nearby parishes with which they would be merged.
Some press statements indicate that the diocese is hoarding money donated by a deceased parishioner for St. Mary’s. This is not the case.
Theresa DiMatteo generously left the residue of her estate to the parish upon her death in 2005. However, her will expressly indicated that the money be used to build a new church, or, if a new church was not built within 10 years of her death, to renovate the existing church. There never was an official plan to build a new church. The Superior Court put the money in escrow with the Surrogate of Gloucester County since it was uncertain during the consolidation process whether the church building would be used as a worship site.
Bishop Galante met with parishioners of St. Mary Malaga on several occasions throughout the consolidation process. He informed them that the decision to merge St. Mary’s still stands.
In summary: The merger process of forming a new parish will continue. There is no intention of re-opening the St. Mary’s church building. Our efforts and prayers are now focused on building up the new community of Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament Parish.
Bishop Galante appoints new Director of Communications
Most Reverend Joseph A. Galante, D.D., J.C.D., Bishop of Camden, has appointed Peter Feuerherd, as director of communications for the Diocese of Camden.
Feuerherd is a media consultant for the New York Province of the Jesuits and an adjunct professor of journalism and communications at St. John's University, New York.
Previously, he was managing editor for the American Bible Society Record Magazine, and worked in various editing and writing positions for diocesan newspapers in Indianapolis, Cincinnati, Albany, N.Y.; Detroit, Long Island and New York City. His articles have appeared throughout the Catholic and secular press and he is the author of "Holyland USA: A Catholic Ride Through America's Evangelical Landscape" (Crossroad). Feuerherd also co-hosted The Catholic Forum, a current events program seen on cable television in the dioceses of Rockville Centre and Brooklyn.
He earned a master's degree in communications from the State University of New York at Albany and a bachelor's in theology from St. John's University, New York.
As director of communications, he will serve as associate publisher of the Catholic Star Herald, as the diocesan spokesperson and as an advisor on communications for Bishop Galante.
