We can feel the buzz about as the teachers have been in the school setting up their classrooms and getting things ready for this somewhat surrealistic return of the students. They were all here for their first in-person faculty meeting since February! It’s great seeing movement about the building and to hear voices again in the hallways. At present enrollment for the school stands at 422. Third grade is the only in-person grade where we are actively taking students. Most of the classes are now full. Students will return in earnest on September 8th.
Speaking of September, here we are! While the numbers look good here in New Jersey, we are still under the same restrictions that we were when church reopened in June. Hopefully things will pick-up soon. We have celebrated the First Communion’s for the school students and have been making steady progress through the rest of the parishioners who were scheduled for the sacrament this past May. We are now working on the calendar for next year – a few months late on that for obvious reasons – so we will shortly be able to announce some tentative dates for the coming year.
It is interesting that while a number of couples delayed their marriage ceremonies – some for over a year – others are taking this opportunity to get married given the smaller numbers of people allowed in the church and at the venues. These marriage ceremonies seem to be much more focused and with a deeper sense of priorities than many of the blow-out weddings we have become accustomed to over the past twenty years or so. Perhaps this is a trend that will continue. We are keeping Lori McCahill quite busy with marriage prep and the ceremonies. Unfortunately, Nuptial Masses are still not permitted.
You will note this weekend that we are re-introducing the singing of the Mass parts at the Masses celebrated in the church. This is a step forward in our progress to more full participation. As it is challenging to sing with masks on we had not brought it back earlier, but it seems like a good step to make at this time.
As Mass attendance is beginning to increase – and we are close to maximum capacity at many of them – we may well have to return to the simultaneous Mass at 11:00 a.m. in the gym. This would be what is called a “game-time decision” as we see the numbers increasing. The priest not scheduled for Mass in the church is on stand-by to celebrate the overflow Mass.
Though it pains me on some level to do so, I do want to remind everyone that the Bishop has extended the dispensation from Sunday obligation beyond the previously announced September 7th date to an unspecified time down the road.
Father JM and I would like to thank everyone for your generosity to the parish and to us personally during these challenging times. For many of you St. Benedict’s is a haven in the midst of the storms of life, and it is humbling to see your support for us here.
Although the hours in the food pantry are still restricted, I wish to acknowledge the St. Vincent de Paul team of coordinators and volunteers for their exceptional work during this time of lockdown and social distancing. They are still doing a remarkable job of meeting the needs of both existing and new clients on a day-to-day basis. It is a real testimony to our faith in action.
There are some other initiatives developing along the way and some new challenges to be met as well. With God’s grace, we can meet them all.