Bishop Joseph A. Galante announces the retirement of four priests:
— Msgr. Eugene J. Fitzsimmons, Promoter of Justice of the Camden Diocesan Tribunal (formerly Judicial Vicar for the Court of Second Instance in Tribunal) and In-Residence, St. Vincent Pallotti, Haddon Township, retired April 1. He will continue to reside at St. Vincent Pallotti.
— Msgr. Thomas B. Fitzsimmons, pastor, St. Ann, Wildwood, will retire April 27.
Father Robert Longo, chaplain, St. Mary Catholic Home, Cherry Hil, and In-Residence, Sacred Heart Residence North, Cherry Hill, will retired March 23.
— Msgr. Patrick M. Tierney, pastor, Maris Stella, Avalon, will retire April 20. He will continue to reside at Maris Stella.
Msgr. Eugene J. Fitzsimmons, 76, studied for the priesthood at St. Charles College, Catonsville, Md.; Jordon Seminary, Monimnee, Mich.; and at St. Charles Seminary, Overbrook, Pa, and was ordained on June 11, 1960 at the Church of the Immaculate Conception, Camden. He holds a doctorate in canon law from North American College in Rome.
His first assignment was as parochial vicar, Our Lady Star of the Sea, Cape May, 1960-61. Other parish assignments included Holy Maternity, Audubon (parochial vicar, 1969-71); Immaculate Conception, Camden (parochial vicar, 1971-75, and pastor, 1984-85); St. Martin de Porres, Hammonton (administrator, 1975-77); St. John, Collingswood (Parochial Vicar, 1977-78); St. John the Baptist, Camden (pastor, 1978-84); and St. Michael, Gibbstown (pastor, 1985-2000).
For the past five decades, Msgr. Fitzsimmons has been active with the Tribunal, most recently serving as Promoter of Justice. He was also on the faculty at Camden Catholic High School, Cherry Hill, in 1962; was the State Regent of the Catholic Daughters of America, 1979; and served on the Diocesan Ecumenical Commission, 1981-85.
Msgr. Thomas B. Fitzsimmons, 71, studied at St. Charles College, Catonsville, Md; St. Mary’s Seminary, Baltimore; and at North American College in Rome. He was ordained Dec. 19, 1962, at the Church of Christ the King, Rome. His first assignment was as parochial vicar, Our Lady Star of the Sea, Atlantic City.
He has also served as pastor, Our Lady of the Lakes, Collings Lakes, 1983-89; and pastor, St. Luke, Stratford, 1989-2000. Since 2000, he has been pastor at St. Ann.
Msgr. Fitzsimmons served many years from the 1960s to the 1990s with the Diocesan Liturgical Commission, serving as temporary chairman in 1982, and as chairman in 1983 and 1984.
He was also on the faculty at Gloucester Catholic High School, Gloucester, served as chaplain at Glassboro College (now Rowan University), was a member of the Presbyteral Council and the Vocations Advisory Board.
Father Robert Longo, 67, was ordained in the Diocese of Brooklyn on May 18, 1985 and received a Decree of Incardination into the Diocese of Camden on Aug. 7, 2007.
From 2004-07, he was chaplain at Cooper Hospital in Camden, and In-Residence at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Camden. From 2007 to the present, he was Chaplain at St. Mary Catholic Home, and In-Residence at Sacred Heart North.
Msgr. Patrick M. Tierney, 75, graduated from St. Patrick’s, Carlow College in Carlow, Ireland, and was ordained in Carlow Cathedral on June 7, 1957.
Msgr. Tierney’s first assignment was as parochial vicar at St. Ann, Westville, 1957-62. His pastorships before Maris Stella included St. Michael, Gibbstown, 1970-75; St. Aloysius, Oaklyn, 1975-80; and St. Lawrence, Lindenwold, 1980-92. Since 1992, Msgr. Tierney has been pastor at Maris Stella.
Other assignments included Priests’ Senate; Diocesan Board of Consultors; Diocesan Board of Education; the Catholic Star Herald Advisory Board; Committee on Pastoral Ministry; Presbyteral Council; and as chair of the Insurance Committee, for the Finance Council.