The Diocese of Camden and the Maryland Province of the Society of Jesus have outlined plans to modify how Jesuits will serve the North Camden area of the diocese.
The change comes at a time of change for both the Diocese of Camden and the Jesuits. The Province is facing pressing needs in the region and in other areas of the country, while the diocese has announced a merger of certain parishes in the diocese, including Holy Name parish, where the Jesuits currently serve.
Holy Name has been under the care of the Jesuits since 1983. They have made outreach and service to the predominantly Hispanic Catholic community of the parish the focus of their apostolate through pastoral ministry, education, medical, legal and family social services.
The Jesuits have informed the diocese that Father William Kelley, S.J., current pastor of Holy Name, will take a new assignment as Provincial Assistant for Pastoral Ministries with their California Province beginning in January 2009. Father Thomas Gavin, S.J., will continue his involvement with the parish as associate pastor, but will reside in Philadelphia to live with the Jesuit community there.
Meanwhile in April, Bishop Galante announced his intention to merge Holy Name parish in North Camden with Our Lady of Mount Carmel/Fatima and the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception. Under the intended parish reconfiguration, the Oblates of St. Francis deSales will have responsibility for the care of the new parish once it is formally established. When Bishop Galante announced the intended merger last April, he said it could take 12-24 months before new parishes would be formally established.
Very Reverend James M. Shea, S.J., Provincial for the Maryland Jesuits, said in an October letter to Bishop Galante, “While we must move on from older forms of service with the diocese, we look forward to new ones which may have less institutional weight, but no less commitment to the Church’s mission.”
Jesuits expect to continue to serve on the boards of the Camden Center for Law and Social Justice and Holy Name School. Saint Joseph’s University and St. Joseph’s Preparatory School also expect to continue to provide scholarships to Holy Name graduates, and Saint Joseph University will continue to host the Guadalupe Family Services summer camp. In addition, Old St. Joseph’s Church in Philadelphia expects to continue its support to the Holy Name ministries through its Social Justice and Spirituality Committees.
Discussions are still underway between the diocese and the Maryland Province on other areas of possible collaboration.
The Jesuits have a long history serving the Church in South Jersey. Jesuits served the first Catholic mission in Salem County, established in 1740, from Old St. Joseph’s in Philadelphia. The Jesuits there had a regular itinerary that took them through Gloucester, Salem and Cumberland counties, later expanding into North Jersey and New York City.
In May 1982, at the invitation of Bishop George Guilfoyle, a team of five bi-lingual Jesuit Fathers of the Maryland Province assumed the care of Holy Name parish, two of which were medical doctors that founded St. Luke’s Catholic Medical Services and one of which, an attorney, founded the Center for Law and Social Justice.
“The diocese is deeply grateful for the tireless work and generous commitment to service the Jesuits have made on behalf of the Church in South Jersey and the people of Camden City,” said Most Reverend Joseph Galante, Bishop of Camden. “The Jesuits have our gratitude and prayers as we work together to serve the people at a time of great change, but also a time of great opportunity and new growth for the Church.”