Weekly Letter from the Pastor

Dear Fellow Parishioners of St. Benedict:

Today, the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, marks the end of the Christmas Season on our liturgical calendar. Now begins the short, yet important preparation for the coming Lenten Season, which begins on Ash Wednesday (February 17th). Given the pandemic restrictions we do not yet know what Ash Wednesday will look like, but I am sure that it will be much different than times past.

Father JM and I wish to express our deepest gratitude for your generosity to us both personally, and to the parish, during this past Christmas Season. We are always awed by your thoughtfulness and generosity to us. Thank you for thinking of us and including us on your card and gift list. Of course, the most important gift is that of prayer and intentions at Mass. Please be assured that we remember each of you in our prayers and our Mass Intentions.

We would also like to thank you for your generosity to the parish during this Christmas Season. Certainly with the smaller number of people who attended Christmas Masses the collection is not close to what it would normally be, we do still appreciate all that you have done and continue to do for us. Likewise, several people have contributed to the call for air purification systems for the parish grounds, and we are moving forward with that project in phases. Even after this pandemic is over we should be proactive against other viruses, pathogens, and allergens that waft through the air.

January is a busy month in the world of the church. Pope Francis has designated this year (Dec 8, 2020 – Dec 8, 2021) as the Year of Saint Joseph. As a parish we will be focusing on a different title/patronage of Saint Joseph each month. We have been observing a “Saint of the Month” over the past couple of years. This year each month will highlight Saint Joseph under a specific title. We will also do some faith formation programming around St. Joseph. Saint Joseph, patron of the Universal Church, is the silent member of the Holy Family, and our “advocate and guide.”

As January 22nd marks the forty-eighth anniversary of the Supreme Court ruling on Roe v. Wade, and with increasing threats to the sanctity of life within our society, especially of the pre-born, Bishop O’Connell is asking us to pray a Novena to Saint Joseph each day from January 14th (this Thursday) until the 22nd. You can find the Novena prayer further on in the bulletin. The bishops of New Jersey are asking that we observe Friday, January 22nd as a Day of Fasting and Abstinence for the end to abortion. We are also being challenged to pray a daily Rosary throughout the month for an end to abortion.

Once again, and in response to some questions – the Vatican has clearly indicated that taking the Covid vaccine, especially those produced by Pfizer and Moderna, pose no moral risk to us. Please treat it as a closed issue without the need to parse through other materials. Bishop O’Connell has reaffirmed the Vatican pronouncement and so we should all feel comfortable taking this vaccine.

Blessings and peace,
Father Garry