Weekly Letter from the Pastor

Dear Fellow Parishioners of St. Benedict:

As we celebrate this weekend the Second Sunday in Ordinary Time, we also observe the relatively new “Sunday of the Word of God”. By an initiative of Pope Francis two years ago, this day reminds us that we are indeed a “People of the Book” – that our history, our tradition, and the core of our faith is grounded in and through the Bible – the eternal Word of the Father. As a sure sign of hope in the midst of the uncertainty of the world around us, it was reported this past week that: ”a Catholic podcast featuring a priest reading and analyzing the Bible has been at the top of the Apple Podcast charts since January 2nd, ahead of secular podcasts produced by such organizations as The New York Times, NBC News, and NPR. ‘The Bible in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz),’ produced by Ascension Catholic Faith Formation, part of Ascension Press, features episodes containing two to three scriptural readings, a reflection on those readings by Fr. Mike Schmitz, and a prayer. Each episode is about 15 to 25 minutes long, and a new episode is set to be released each day of 2021.”

Allow me to suggest that we continue to expand those numbers as more and more of you follow this podcast, seeking inspiration through Father Schmitz and his easy to listen to presentations each week. Let us all commit ourselves to a regular reading of and engagement with the Sacred Scriptures. As we progress into the year we will be offering some Bible-based faith formation here as well.

As we progress through the year of Saint Joseph we have decided that we will release each month – on the 19th of the month – a short video vignette on the title of St. Joseph we are focusing on during that month. This month we are considering “Saint Joseph: Most Obedient and Most Just.” Look for the video on line this coming week.

As we reflect more on St. Joseph we are also reminded of the Novena we are engaged in now to St. Joseph to bring an end to abortion. This week (Friday 22nd) we observe the forty-eighth anniversary of the Roe v. Wade Supreme Court ruling. The bishop has asked us to follow the protocols for a day of fast and abstinence on Friday for the cause of the unborn. This would mean observing Friday as we do Ash Wednesday and Good Friday by eating only one full meal on that day and by abstaining from meat. We make this day of fast and abstinence in reparation for the sins of abortion and with the intent of ending abortion’s hold grip on the American and world political scene.

Tuesday (January 20th) is the inauguration of Joseph Biden as president of our country. This has been a tumultuous post-election/pre-inauguration time, and I am sadly, not hopeful that the transition will be peaceable. While time at home and the ubiquitous presence of the twenty-four hour news cycle streaming in our homes and cars, many of us are on edge, angry, and preparing for some apocalyptic sign leading to divine intervention. There are many conspiracy theories leading to some extreme behavior and irrational fears.

Our best option as Catholics is to pray for our new president, vice-president, the cabinet, and the members of the Senate and the House of Representatives. We pray that they will seek the wisdom of the Holy Spirit, and the humility to work for and respect the rights and dignity of all people from conception to natural death. It is a tall order, but through the intercession of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception (patroness of the USA) and our daily recitations of the Holy Rosary, powerful things can and will happen. We need to pray for a conversion of mind and heart for all who promote violence and the culture of death, and who work against peace and the culture of life. Through the protection of our Blessed Mother and St. Joseph, this can – and will – happen.

Let us make this coming week – enlivened by our love for the Word of God – and imbued with the compassionate love of our Lady and St. Joseph – be one of peace, mercy and healing for each of us, our families, parish, communities, state, nation, and our world. Amen.

Father Garry