With the number of Covid positive cases in our area increasing, it is good to know that the Governor has placed no further restrictions on gatherings, and that the church, under the direction of our bishop, is open and functioning. Thank you for observing all of the necessary protocols, even though it is not always easy to do so. We are also most grateful that the school is still able to be open, even with other schools closing around us. Prudence dictates that we remain careful and attentive, and indeed we are.
Further along in the bulletin you will see a Proclamation presented to the St. Benedict School from the Honorable Greg Buontempo, Mayor of Holmdel, on the occasion of the dedication of our new Great Outdoor Learning Center. We had a beautiful day here last Saturday morning for the dedication. This remarkable enhancement to our school and our property is, as the mayor noted, reflective of the broad farming history of our area and in keeping with the desire to preserve property in Holmdel as open space and public parks open to the use of all. That our students have the opportunity for this specific hands-on learning shows our commitment to the respect due to God’s creation, and of the urgent need to be good stewards of creation.
The theme of stewardship is a reminder that as the end of the year approaches you might want to consider a gift to our parish and or our school. The many changes we had to make to the buildings, the increased cleaning demands, and the reduction of ordinary income have placed some stress in budgeting and planning for the future. We have done much by way of reducing unnecessary expenses, but most of our budget reflects fixed costs. Any gifts – either restricted or unrestricted – will help us in closing some gaps and securing our future. If you have any specific needs, interests, or questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to me. Thank you.
Our school celebrated Veteran’s Day this past week with a simple yet beautiful outdoor ceremony. Thank you to the many veterans who were able to attend. Remembering those who have served – and continue to serve – our country in military uniform is the least that we can do to honor them for their service. My father was a veteran of the German Occupation and the Korean Conflict, my Sister served during peacetime, and my brother-inlaw entered Iraq during Desert Storm (yes, almost 30 years ago!). May the Lord continue to bless all of our veterans.
With all of the uncertainty around us, it is good to continue to be prudent and safe. This period is unduly stressful for all of us.
Allow me to take this opportunity to again reiterate that no good ever comes from judging someone in their anxiety, especially when we are probably doing so from the midst of our own anxiety. Many of us are unaware as to how all of this stress impacts us in our lives, and it is so easy to focus on the behavior, comments, and responses of others, while missing the signs of anxiety within ourselves. Hurtful comments, snarky text messages, e-mails, and social media posts can cause a great deal of damage to others and can really reflect badly on ourselves as well. Let us all take the time to relax, to focus on prayer and our relationship with the Lord, and to love one another. It might not be easy, but these next few weeks are not going to be easy. The holidays can be stressful enough when things are “normal” this time of pandemic will only make things that much worse if we aren’t careful.
Be good to one another – pray for each other – and stay safe—
Fr. Garry