Fr. Tom Newton - Pastor

Fr. Tom Newton, the Pastor of Christ Our Light, comes to this position after being the pastor of St. Peter Celestine for almost six years and the pastor of Queen of Heaven for three months. Fr. Tom has a Master of Divinity degree from Christ the King Seminary in East Aurora, NY and a Master of Public Administration degree from Rutgers University. Fr. Tom was previously the Vicar for Human Services of the Diocese of Camden.

tnewton@ChristOurLight.net

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Fr. Jon Thomas - Parochial Vicar

Fr. Jon Thomas, the Parochial Vicar of Christ Our Light, is in his first assignment since ordination. Fr. Jon studied philosophy at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in Philadelphia and theology at The Catholic University of America in Washington, DC.

jthomas@ChristOurLight.net

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Mr. Mike Bedics - Pastoral Associate for Worship and Music

Michael Bedics, Pastoral Associate for Worship and Music, comes to this position after serving as Director of Music for St. Peter Celestine Church for four years. He has previously served the Catholic Church as musician and youth minister full-time at St. Elizabeth of Hungary Catholic Church, Whitehall (Allentown), PA and St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Church, in Cary (Raleigh), NC. Mike lives in Cherry Hill with wife, Molly, and has four children, Alyssa, Isaac, Ceili, and Joshua. He holds a Bachelor of Music Degree in Education, Major instrument – Organ, from Moravian College, in his hometown of Bethlehem, PA.

mbedics@ChristOurLight.net

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Mrs. Ginny Grogan - Pastoral Associate for Elementary Faith Formation

Ginny Grogan is the Pastoral Associate for Elementary Faith Formation. Prior to the merger, she had previously served as the Coordinator of Religious Education at St. Peter Celestine for thirteen years. She has been a member of the parish for twenty-seven years. Ginny hopes to engage the children registered in our faith formation program and their families in activities that will generate enthusiasm for understanding the Catholic faith and for embracing what it means to live that faith.

ggrogan@ChristOurLight.net

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Mr. Ryan O'Connor - Pastoral Associate for Youth Faith Formation

Ryan O'Connor, the Pastoral Associate for Youth Formation, has served in the Peace Corps in Honduras as a Youth Development Volunteer. He is currently finishing his Masters in Intercultural Leadership, Service and Management. He received his BA in Theology from Villanova University and was very active in Campus Ministry. He led many retreats and service trips to Guatemala, Peru, Bolivia, Mexico and Cambodia. He hopes to form a youth ministry which is grounded on relationships and share in concrete experiences of service, catechesis, prayer and leadership that will empower the youth members of Christ Our Light to use their energies, gifts and talents with the larger community as disciples of Jesus Christ.

roconnor@ChristOurLight.net

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Ms. Pat Slater - Pastoral Associate for Justice and Community Outreach

Pat Slater, the Pastoral Associate for Justice and Community Outreach, comes to this position after work both in justice ministries and hospital chaplaincy. Pat has a Masters in Communication from Bowling Green State University, a Masters in Pastoral Ministry from Boston College and completed a residency in chaplaincy at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. Pat previously served as the director of the Romero Center in Camden, an associate director in the Office of Justice and Peace for the Diocese of Richmond, VA and a staff chaplain for Bon Secours Hospital system in Richmond.

pslater@ChristOurLight.net

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Sister Dolores Clerico - Resource for Lifelong Faith Formation

Sister Dolores Clerico, a Sister of St. Joseph, serves as resource person for lifelong faith formation. Her background includes a Masters in Theology from St. Michael College in Vermont along with experience in education, family ministry, lay ministry formation and spiritual formation. Dolores has served in parish and diocesan settings as well as within her own religious congregation. In addition to her part-time ministry here in the parish, Dolores travels the US ministering among Sisters of St. Joseph and their partners in ministry.

dclerico@christourlight.net
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Mrs. Cathy Johnson - Assistant for Worship and Music

Cathy Johnson, Assistant for Worship and Music, co-founded and currently co-directs Heartful Ministries, a non-profit organization assisting faith communities in spiritual formation and liturgical preparation. Her education includes a BS in Biology from the University of Scranton, an MA in Religious Studies from Villanova University, and an MS in Pastoral Care/Spiritual Direction from Neumann University. Cathy previously served as Director of Ministry, taught 12th grade theology, and coached soccer and basketball at Merion Mercy Academy. She and her husband Paul are members of the 7 PM Music Ministry.

cjohnson@ChristOurLight.net

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Mrs. Mary Lou Lymper - Assistant for Lifelong Faith Formation

Mary Lou Lymper is an assistant for Lifelong Faith Formation. She has served as an assistant for Elementary Faith Formation for 13 years, but because of own children, has been a part of the Parish Faith Formation program for 30 years. She feels privileged to journey with the young people of our parish as they grow in their love for God, in the realization of how very much God loves them, and in the responsibility to treat all with compassion. Mary Lou looks forward to joining all the members of the Catholic Community of Christ Our Light as together, we continue to build the Kingdom of God with Christ as our Light.

mlymper@ChristOurLight.net

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Mr. Cort Hrivnak - Assistant for Communications and Information Technologies

Cort Hrivnak, Assistant for Communications and Information Technologies, Cort received his BS in Psychology from St. Joseph’s University in 1998. He then worked as a IT System Administrator and Human Resource Benefits Specialist for nine years before returning to school. This May he received his Masters in Theological Studies from the Boston College School of Theology and Ministry. Cort attended St. Peter Celestine School and has been involved in various parish ministries.

chrivnak@ChristOurLight.net

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Deacon Leo McBlain - Parish Deacon

Leo McBlain is the Director of the Office of the Diaconate in the Diocese of Camden, NJ. He was an officer of the National Diaconate Institute for Continuing Education (NDICE) for three years and served as president in 2005. Ordained in 1976, Leo was originally assigned to St. Peter Celestine Chruch. Leo worked for thrity-five years for Automatic Data Processing (ADP) in their brokerage services group before retiring in 2001 as the Vice President for Exchange Relations. In 1995 he co-founded the Financial Information Forum. Leo graduated from Villanova University with a degree in electrical engineering.

lmcblain@ChristOurLight.net

Deacon Joe Seaman - Parish Deacon

Deacon Joe Seaman, a deacon at Christ Our Light, comes to this ministry after serving as a deacon at St. Peter Celestine for seven years and as a deacon at Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Maple Shade for five years. Deacon Joe is also assigned by the bishop to minister outside of the parish community in prison ministry and teaches for both the Diocese of Camden and the Diocese of Trenton. Deacon Joe has a Master of Arts degree in Religious Studies from St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in Overbrook, PA and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Politics from St. Joseph's University in Philadelphia, PA. Deacon Joe is an educator by profession with over twenty-six years of experience in education and religious education.

jseaman@ChristOurLight.net

Fr. Terry Odien - Priest in Residence

todien@ChristOurLight.net

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Mr. Ray Lavanture - Parish Bookkeeper

rlavanture@ChristOurLight.net

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Mrs. Lenora Danver - Parish Secretary and Receptionist

ldanver@ChristOurLight.net

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Mr. Dave Venella - Maintenance

dvenella@ChristOurLight.net

Mr. Joe Murphy - Maintenance

Parish Office

parishoffice@ChristOurLight.net

856-667-2440

856-482-0332 (fax)

General Information

info@ChristOurLight.net