Diocese of Camden Bishop Justin McCarthy
1957-1959
"It is easy on any public occasion to speak on what we hope to do and how we should try to do it. Yet we understand that we are but weak human instruments who need to rely very much on our Blessed Lord who is so eager to help us love Him and serve Him."
The appointment of Camden's second Ordinary by pope Pius XII, Bishop Justin J, McCarthy, 56, Titular Bishop of Doberus, Auxiliary to Archbishop Thomas A. Boland of Newark and pastor of Our Lady of Sorrows Church, South Orange, was announced Jan. 30, 1957, six weeks following the death of' Bishop Eustace, by Archbishop Amleto Cicognani, Apostolic Delegate in the United States.
Justin Joseph McCarthy was in Sayre, Pennsylvania, on Nov. 26, 1900. The son of Joseph and Delia McCarthy. His family later move to St. Elizabeth, New Jersey, where he studied at St. Mary's School, Seton Ha;; Preparatory School and Seton Hall University, South Orange.
He pursued his studies for the priesthood at Immaculate Conception Seminary, South Orange, and the North American College, Rome, and was ordained April 16, 1927 in the Basilica of St. John Lateran, Rome. From 1927 to 1937 he was professor of Sacred Scripture and Homiletics at Immaculate Conception Seminary, where he continued as spiritual director until 1953, when he was appointed pastor of Our Lady of Sorrows. He was ordained a bishop at Sacred Heart Cathedral, Newark, on June 17, 1954 by Archbishop Boland.
Concerned with the welfare of the 20,000 Hispanics of the diocese, Bishop McCarthy appointed Father (later Monsignor) Felix O’Neill and Father (later Monsignor) William J. Reynolds to study the language and customs of the Hispanic people for a year in Puerto Rico. On their return to Father O'Neill was assigned to St. Joseph's parish, Swedesboro, to work among the migrant farm workers, while Father Reynolds was assigned to Sacred Heart Parish, Vineland, to serve the permanent Hispanic residents there. In 1957, the Bishop dedicated a Mobile Chapel for migrants, and in December, 1959, secured the services of four Oblates of the Sacred Heart Sisters to teach religion and do social work at Our Lady of Fatima Parish, Camden.
During Bishop McCarthy's tenure the expansion of Catholic education in the diocese was furthered by the opening of new schools and expansion of existing ones. These allowed for an increase of 5,000 elementary students and 1,000 students at the high school level. The Bishop also implemented the involvement of diocesan priest as teachers in the secondary schools.
The Bishop also placed great, emphasis on religious education in the public schools and appointed Father (later Monsignor) Lucitt, pastor of Sacred Heart Parish, Camden, as the new director of the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine. At the time of his death, some 20,000 youth were enrolled in Confraternity classes, nearly 100 percent increase.
During his tenure as Ordinary, Bishop McCarthy established four new parishes. Four new churches were built and construction was begun on the New St. James High School in Carney's Point. The building adjacent to the Chancery on Cooper Street was purchased for additional office space for diocesan administration, and the former Internal Revenue Building at Seventh and Cooper Streets became the new home for the teaching Sisters and students of the Cathedral parish's elementary school, providing for an increase in enrollment at Camden Catholic High School.
The Bishop established a diocesan commission on properties and buildings under Msgr. Francis J. Garvey, pastor of Holy Saviour parish, Westmont and purchased many plots of land for future use. He dedicated the new St. Pius X Retreat House, Blackwood, while expansions were completed at Mother of the Saviour Seminary and at the motherhouse of the Daughters of Our Lady of Mercy in Newfield. Meanwhile, plans were under way for the construction of a new Catholic high school at Atlantic City. The latter was completed after the Bishop's death at a new location in Absecon.
To further the expansion of Catholic youth activities, each parish was advised to have a Catholic Youth Council and a large number of priests were assigned to part-time work in
youth activities, A Catholic day camp was established at Grenloch in 1959, while Catholic Youth Adoration Sunday on Pentecost was established as well as Catholic Youth Week in late October.
Bishop McCarthy died at St. Elizabeth's Hospital, Elizabeth on Dec, 26, 1959, after suffering a heart attack while preparing to offer morning Mass in the convent of the Benedictine Academy at Elizabeth, while on a holiday visit to the home of his sister. He was 59 years of age.
With Archbishop Boland of Newark presiding, the funeral Mass for Bishop McCarthy was offered in the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception by Bishop Ahr of Trenton, Bishop James A. McNulty of Newark delivered the eulogy. Bishop McCarthy was buried in Calvary Cemetery, Cherry Hill.
* Bishop Joseph Galante
* Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio
* Bishop James T. McHugh
* Bishop George H. Guilfoyle
* Archbishop Celestine J. Damiano
* Bishop Justin J. McCarthy
* Bishop Bartholomew J. Eustace