Weekly Letter from the Pastor

Dear Fellow Parishioners of Saint Benedict:

It’s a purely traditional and perhaps emotionally charged but this weekend marks the “end of summer”. We all know that it only means that school is opening and life returns to a semblance of whatever normal is for your family. Many of us aren’t impacted at all. Hopefully there are some great days ahead before the darkness of winter hit us.

We are all too painfully aware of the depth of the disaster that Hurricane Harvey has ravaged on Texas and parts of Louisiana. With memories of Superstorm Sandy still too fresh for many of us, we know firsthand the need and the reliance on the dependence of assistance from across the nation and the world. You will hear of the specifics of a special collection taken this weekend to be distributed through Catholic Charities USA. If you are unable to make a donation this weekend you can designate through check or in an envelope a donation next weekend. On the parish website we have placed a link to the Catholic Charities website so that you can make a direct gift. When Sandy struck many dioceses throughout the country took special collections to assist us in our recovery. Their generosity was very helpful in allowing many afflicted parishes in the diocese to respond quickly to the devastation that impacted the churches and their parishioners. We respond in kind, not just because we are grateful for their support, but because the Gospel demands that we respond. It is the right and just thing to do. The school and religious education programs will also assist in this effort. Thank you for your support and compassion in this matter.

We welcome back Father Michael Wallack, Secretary to Bishop O’Connell and Director of Vocations, who is assisting us this weekend.

School opens this week. We are happy to welcome 416 students to the school (K-8) with an additional 37 students in our new Pre-K program. We are also welcoming new teachers: Mrs. Megan Gallagher and Mrs. Regina Dulin in Pre-K; Mrs. Tara Guido (K); Mrs. Michele Sollecito (1); Mrs. Margaret Wierciszewski (3); Mrs. Kelly Cannizzo (5); and Mrs. Debbie McGuckin (6). Mrs. Pat Tobino has joined the office staff as an administrative assistant. Mrs. Sollecito will also serve as the athletic director, a new position for the school. The diocese recommends that a school of our size has an athletic director and given her background and experience Mrs. Sollecito is a good fit for that position.

Father JM should have arrived home (after a lot of airplane and layover time) Saturday. I will update you on him when I hear from him.

Enjoy the Labor Day weekend!
Fr. Garry