Weekly Letter from the Pastor

Dear Fellow Parishioners of St. Benedict:

This week we begin the Advent Season in the hope that as we celebrate the coming of the Lord into our hearts and lives this coming Christmas Season, he might take deeper root in us and draw us all closer to him.

It has been a difficult year, and we know that the year ahead will not be all that easy either. These are indeed challenging times, and it takes firmness of faith and resolve to muddle through the confusion. However, these are also hopeful times. We all have those friends and family members who always manage to see the worst in things, and those who can pick a glimmer of light on the darkest of nights. This past weekend I had dinner with one of those friends whose world view is generally negative. I tend to find opportunity instead of problems when I think about the course of the world, and even I had a hard time not being dragged down into the swamp of negativity.

With all of the hustle and bustle of the demands of the holiday things can get stressful. Make sure that you are taking the time to relax and treat yourself well. I want to emphasize again the parish Penance Service on December 16. With an expected twenty priests this will provide an opportunity for Confession for everyone. We will have the students from the religious education program making First Penance, along with their families and any and all who wish to attend. This is a great way to prepare for the season and to rid ourselves of the burdens and challenges of the past, so as to be prepared for the challenges ahead.

Wednesday night is the Holmdel Town Center Christmas Tree/ Hanukkah Menorah lighting and blessing. That happens at 6:00 p.m.. Friday night we will have our annual Christmas Tree Concert, followed by the Christmas Tree lighting event. Of course, we have a special visitor planned for the evening as well. As Saturday is the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception we will have a Vigil Mass at 5:00 p.m. with the other events to follow. Please remember to bring an ornament from your tree to be blessed.

The Marian statue that we had hoped to bless and dedicate in October has arrived. We will bless and dedicate the statue this weekend – Friday evening and Saturday – for the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception. Thank you to Father JM for making this possible.

This weekend we welcome Arien Cotangco into full communion in the church as she receives the Sacrament of Confirmation. This is a good time to remind everyone that if you have never been Confirmed, or have a family member of friend in need of confirmation, to please make contact with the office. It is an important and necessary sacramental step in our journey of faith.

Let us continue to pray for one another, for our church and our world as we navigate in faith the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead of us.

In Hopeful anticipation of the coming of the Lord,
Fr. Garry