For over one hundred and fifty years, the spiritual welfare of the Catholic Faithful of Blackville, South Carolina, has been served by Sacred Heart Mission. During this time, the Faithful have heard the Word of God, worshiped, and received the Sacraments of the Church within this mission. In an effort to ensure the vitality of parish life, with concern for the best stewardship of resources, and the right of the people of God to receive assistance from the Church, especially the Word of God, spiritual sustenance, the sacraments, and the continuation of important parochial ministries, it is now deemed necessary to create new provisions for the spiritual care of the parishioners of Sacred Heart Mission.
To that end, after due consultation with the pastor, Rev. James N. Dubrouillet; having asked parishioners to make known their needs and desires; having sought and heard the counsel of the Presbyteral Council of the Diocese of Charleston on August 13, 2013; and in accordance with the norms of canon 515, §2 and by testimony of this document, I hereby suppress Sacred Heart Mission, Blackville, South Carolina, and unite it with the present parish of Holy Trinity, Orangeburg, South Carolina, to form one territorial parish. This unified parish shall include the membership of Sacred Heart Mission and the present Holy Trinity Parish, and the current Holy Trinity Church edifice shall be the primary place of worship for the unified parish community. The name of the present Holy Trinity Parish will remain unchanged, and the names of the current Sacred Heart Church and Holy Trinity Church buildings shall remain unchanged.
This decision is based upon a number of factors, among which are the increasing expenses associated with the necessary repairs and maintenance to the aging structure, the size of the parish, the fostering of unity, the enhancement of collaborative ministry, and the best use of available priest personnel. The registers of Sacred Heart Mission containing the records of Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist, Marriage, and deaths, and all mission records and historical documents are to be transferred to the present parish of Holy Trinity, Orangeburg, where they will be faithfully preserved in accord with canon 535, §§1-5. In accordance to the norm of canon 121, all assets and liabilities, whether movable or immovable, of Sacred Heart Mission, upon this suppression and union, will become the assets and liabilities of the present Holy Trinity Parish, Orangeburg. Furthermore, possession of all ecclesiastical goods and all objects of artistic or historical value belonging to the former Sacred Heart Mission shall be transferred to the present Holy Trinity Parish, Orangeburg, and shall be administered in accordance with canons 1189 and 1292.
The unification of Sacred Heart Mission and Holy Trinity Parish, Orangeburg, will suppress and terminate the juridic personality of Sacred Heart Mission, which it now possesses by law. Therefore, Sacred Heart Mission shall no longer be a subject of obligations and rights in canon law corresponding to its nature as a juridic person, nor will it be capable of acquiring, retaining, administering, and alienating temporal goods according to the norm of law. I direct that this decree be given to the pastor of Sacred Heart Mission in Blackville, South Carolina, who is also the current pastor of Holy Trinity Parish, Orangeburg, South Carolina, and that this information be communicated at all Masses of obligation on the weekend of Saturday, September 28, 2013, and Sunday, September 29, 2013. I further direct that this decree be published in The Catholic Miscellany, which will be presumed the official notification of this action. This Decree is to become effective October 1, 2013, nothing the contrary withstanding.
Given at Charleston, South Carolina, on the 27th day of September 2013.
Most Reverend Robert E. Guglielmone
Bishop of Charleston
Sr. Sandra Makowski, SSMN, JCL
Chancellor