Weekly Letter from the Pastor

Dear Fellow Parishioners of St. Benedict:

As mentioned previously newly ordained Father Michael DeSaye will celebrate his First Mass here on Sunday at the 9:30 a.m. Mass. While many concelebrants, seminarians, and family members will be present, this is also an ordinary Sunday Mass – for the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ (Corpus Christi) and as such, all parishioners are invited to attend. It is an honor and a privilege for our parish to celebrate a First Mass of a newly ordained priest, and we are happy to have Father Michael DeSaye celebrate with us. Father is assigned as parochial vicar of St. Joan of Arc in Marlton (Burlington County) effective on July 1st.

There is a plenary indulgence attached to attending a First Schedule Mass of a newly ordained priest. This requires for fulfillment: Prayerful and intentional participation in the First Mass; exclusion of all attachment to sin; reception of the Sacrament of Confession; Reception of Holy Communion, and prayer for the intention of the Holy Father (Our Father, Hail Mary). One may fulfill the obligations within three days of the event on either side of the event. Obviously, participation in the Mass affords the opportunity to receive Communion and to pray for the Pope. Confession is available here on First Friday after the 9:00 a.m. Mass and Saturday at 4:00 p.m. and at neighboring parishes of St. Clement (Saturday 12:30 – 1:15 p.m.) and at St. Joseph’s (Saturday 11:00 a.m. – Noon).

After Mass, Father will offer his First Priestly Blessing to any who attended the Mass in the Gym. Light refreshments will be available.

We ask for the prayers and best wishes of our parish community for Father DeSaye and his diocesan classmates: Fathers Christopher Dayton, Nicholas Dolan, and James Smith. We also continue to pray for vocations and to support our seminarians on their journey.

I am particularly honored and humbled that three of these men to be ordained this weekend are former students of mine from CBA: Fathers Dayton, DeSaye, and Dolan. I am looking forward to attending their ordination on Saturday and sharing with them in the priesthood of Jesus Christ.

Of course, it is anniversary season for priesthood ordinations. Longtime former St. Benedict assistant and occasional Mass priest Father Tony Carotenuto is celebrating his 50th anniversary of ordination this year. We are hoping he will join us one Sunday for a Mass and reception. Those details are still being worked out. I am observing my 5th anniversary of ordination on Friday, June 1st and Father JM his second anniversary on Monday, June 4th .

This is also a good time for us to continue to pray for vocations to the priesthood and the religious life. Our parish participates actively in the Adopt-a-Seminarian program, and the seminarians are most grateful for our generosity, but it isn’t easy for them. Never be afraid to ask some young person (even not so young sometimes) if they have ever or would consider priesthood or religious life. Sometimes we need to plant the seed, or allow an existing passing idea to germinate even more.

Speaking of seminarians, we will again have a seminarian on a summer pastoral assignment this year. Chris Ziegler, who is entering First Theology at Mount St. Mary’s Seminary in Emmitsburg, MD, will be here from June 9th until July 22nd . More about him later.

Blessings and peace,
Fr. Garry