Longtime Ocean City Priest Announces Upcoming Retirement

OCEAN CITY, NJ — A longtime Ocean City priest announced his upcoming retirement. Father Michael P. Rush, who currently serves the St. Damien Parish, will step down July 15.

"It has been an honor and privilege to lead such a vibrant and unified Catholic community anchored in God’s love," Rush wrote in a letter. "Unfortunately, my time here is coming to an end."

The Camden Diocese says that a priest may retire at age 70 and must retire at 75. The diocese's personnel office sent him a letter in January saying he must submit his resignation by Jan. 30.

Rush received a response to his resignation letter Feb. 12, granting him permission to retire July 15 from active ministry and his current assignment.

“’Well done, good and faithful servant,’ the words of Jesus, can be said of you," said the letter from Bishop Sullivan. "For forty seven years as a priest, you have built up this local church. For which I say, thanks be to God and thanks be to Michael Rush.”

Rush thanked all active and inactive St. Damien's parishioners in his letter.

"I want you all to know that if it were up to me, I would stay as long as I could," Rush said. "I’ve loved and appreciated my time in Ocean City, but the decision is out of my hands and God has a different plan for me."

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